Page:Notes upon Russia (volume 2, 1851).djvu/213

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AND KINGDOMES LYING THAT WAY.
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[Ceylon], Giava, the more and the lesse, and infinite other. Then begynnyng to speake of the partes of our Pole, he caused the bookes of Plinie to be brought hym, where diligently ponderyng the lxvii Chapter of the seconde booke, he founde where he rehearseth the historie of Cornelius Nepos, by these woordes: That in his tyme one Eudorus, escapyng the handes of king Lathyro, departed from the gulfe of Arabie, and came by sea to the Ilande of Calese: Declarying further, that whereas this narration was many yeeres reputed for a fable, was nowe in our tyme, by the vertue of the Portugales, knowen to be true: And that, lykewyse the same Cornelius Nepos reciteth, that at the tyme when Quintus Metellus Celer was Proconsul or Lieuetenant for the Romanes in Fraunce, the kyng of Sueuia gaue hym certayne Indians, whiche saylyng out of India for merchandise, were by tempest dryuen to the coastes of Germanie.

Plinie.

The historie of Cornelius Nepos.

Shypps of India driuen into the sea of Germanie.

An enterprise whereby princes may obtayne true fame and glory.

Cathay discouered by Marcus Paulus.

The citie of Lubyke.

The kyng of Polonie.

When he had redde these wordes, he proceeded, saying that the same thyng myght be verified nowe in our tyme, if the princes which confine vppon that sea woulde endeuoure theyr industry and diligence to bryng it to passe; and that there coulde not any nauigation be imagined so commodious and profitable to all Christendom as this way might be, if by this voiage should be found open to India, to come to the rych countrey of Cathay, whiche was discouered nowe two hundred yeeres since by Marcus Paulus. Then takyng the globe in his hande, he made demonstration that this voyage shoulde bee very shorte, in respect of that which the Portu- gales nowe followe, and also of that which the Spanyardes may attempt, to the Ilandes of Molucca. He declared fur- thermore, that the citie of Lubyke, beyng ryche and of great power, and situate vppon the sea of Germanie, and also accus- tomed with continuall nauigations to trauayle the sea of Norway and Gothlande, and lykewyse the ryght noble kyng of Polonie, whose dominions, with his realme of Lituania, extende to the saide sea, shoidde be apte to discouer this

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