A Briefe and True Report of the New Found Land of Virginia

From the opening

FRANCOFORTI AD MOENVM TYPIS IOANNIS WECHELI, SVMTIBVS VERO THEODORI DE BRY ANNO CD D XC. VENALES REPERIVNTVR IN OFFICINA SIGISMVNDI FEIRABENDII

TO THE RIGHT WORTHIE AND HONOVRABLE, SIR VVALTER RALEGH, KNIGHT, SENESCHAL OF THE DVCHIES OF Cornewall and Exeter, and L. Warden of the stannaries in Deuon and Cornewall, T.B. wisheth true felicitie.

SIR, seeing that the parte of the Worlde, which is betwene the FLORIDA and the Cap BRETON nowe nammed VIRGINIA, to the honneur of yours most souueraine Layde and Queene ELIZABETH, hath ben descouuerd by yours meanes and great chardges. And that your Collonye hath been theer established to your great honnor and prayse, and noe lesser proffit vnto the common welth: Yt ys good raison that euery man euertwe him selfe for to showe the benefit which they haue receue of yt. Theerfore, for my parte I haue been allwayes Desirous for to make yow knowe the good will that I haue to remayne still your most humble seruant. I haue thincke that I cold faynde noe better occasion to declare yt, then takinge the paines to cott in copper (the most diligentlye and well that wear in my possible to doe) the Figures which doe leuelye represent the forme and maner of the Inhabitants of the same countrye with theirs ceremonies, sollemne feastes, and the manner and situation of their Townes or Villages. Addinge vnto euery figure a brief declaration of the same, to that ende that euerye man cold the better vnderstand that which is in liuely represented. Moreouer I haue thincke that the aforesaid figures wear of greater commendation, If somme Histoire which traitinge of the commodites and fertillitye of the said countreye weare Ioyned with the same, therfore haue I serue miselfe of the rapport which Thomas Hariot hath lattely sett foorth, and haue causse them booth togither to be printed for to dedicate vnto you, as a thinge which by reigtte dooth allreadye apparteyne vnto you.

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