Forasmuch as (gentle Reader) these three voyages lately made by our countrymen performed, do both for the matter of discoverie, for the strange and unknown accidentes, for the rare and hard adventures, and also for the good and discrete order of government, appeare above all others most notable and famous: I have bin specially desirous, by all meanes possible I could, to procure the publication thereof, thinking it too great an injurie to our common wealth, to burie in oblivion so worthy attemptes of our owne nation, and to hide the ensample of so good and so well a governed service. And for that (as I understand) many trifling Pamphlets have bin secretly thrust out, not only without the consent of the captaynes and executioners of the same, but also rather to the great disgrace of the worthy voyage, than otherwise, I having intelligence of a substantiall discourse whiche was diligently written thereof, and privately dedicated to my very Honourable Mayster, Sir Christopher Hatton Knight, by a gentleman of his own, who was personally present a captain in all the same service; I have, without making privie the authour, procured his coppie out of the handes of a friende of mine, who had the writing and perusing therof, and have presumed to publish and imprint the same, to the ende that thereby I mighte (gentle reader) as well satisfye thy greedy expectation, by unfolding these newe and unknowen matters, whereof the nature of man is most desirous, as also to performe that dutie whiche I owe unto my sayde Honourable Mayster, in publishing such things as are directed unto him.