LIB. I.—A.D. 1609.

Before we present you with the relation of matters of fact, it is fitt to offer to your vewe the stage wheron they wer acted. For (it is well sayd) as geography without historye seemeth a carkasse without motion, so history without geography wandreth as a vagrant without certaine habitation.

The ilands of the Bermudaes, therfore, lieing in a huge maine ocean, and two hundred leauges from any continent, not farr from the mouth of the bay of Mexico, are situated in 32 degrees and 25 minutes of northerlye latitude, and are distant from England to the west south-west 3300 miles or there abouts, being in an equall eleuation with that of the Holy Land, and in perticuler very nere with the very citty of Jerusalem, which is a clime of ye sweetest and most pleaseinge temper of all others, especially when the naturall heates are somewhat moderated by accidents of coolenesse, as here is by an open and maine ocean.3 They consist of diuers small broken ilands severed one from another by narrowe breaches and inletts of sea, wherby are made many necessary sandy bayes for the anchorage of botes; two commodious and large soundes for the vse of fishinge, and two excellent harbours. Lieing thus together they become in forme not much vnlike a reaper's sickle, being in their whole longitude from east to west not aboue twentye miles English; in the latitude (wher most extended) not fully two and a halfe; the surface and outwarde posture of the whole lieing altogether vneuen, and distributed into smale hills and dales.