Encovragements, for such as shall have intention to bee vnder-takers in the new plantation of Cape Briton, now New Galloway in America

For the whole duetie of my Landes, charges, and expensses to [be] bestowed by mee in my shipping and other provision: I shall bee contented to receive from everie one of the said vndertakers, the thirteenth parte of that increase, and commoditie, which their Lands shall bee made worthie vnto them in the said plantation: And that I shall not require to bee payed vnto mee in moneyes, but only in such commodities, as the Soyle shall affoord: such as cornes, fishes, furres, &c.

And last, I desire that all such, as shall imbrace the foresaids offers, may come vnto mee before the first day of December next, and give vp their names, and a note of such things as they desire to bee carried with them, whereby I may provide for them, conforme to my preceeding offers, and they received everie one, and placed according to the order as they first come: so that all thinges may bee duelie provyded, and had in readinesse against the due time and season of setting out.

And thus (Right Noble, and worthie Countrie-men) have I vnfolded the reasons of my resolution to vndertake this enterpryse, which if I hadde not thought to be both Christian, honorable, honest, easie, and profitable; I should never have attempted. And I have further for the encouragement of all such as are well-willers vnto the Worke, made offer of such helps, and furtherances as may testifie my willingnesse to prosecute the same. Desiring yet againe all noble and generouslie well-disposed Gentlemen, to consider with mee, onelie our estates in these dayes, and how wee stand in our families, from the greatest, to the smallest: and compare them with our Predecessours, who did keepe great honour, credite, and estimation; which in so great a measure is decayed, and diminished in vs. Now let vs compare our selves with Citizens now, whose credite wee see doeth surpasse ours, although wee bee above them, both in qualitie and richesse. Whence is this woorth of theirs, but from their industrie, and trueth; which beareth them out both to this credite, and respect, aswell at home, as abroad?

Were it not (then) better in these our dayes for vs to imitate the foot-steppes of vertue in the Italians, that thinketh it neither dishonourable, nor disparagement vnto their greatest Princes, their Dukes, Marquesses, and Countes, to make themselves great, and get their patrimonies inlarged by their hazards at Sea? It is their glorie to bee vertuous; and may condemne our dissolutions and idlenesse, that may as easilie bee great, by such honest and honourable endevoures.

But yet let vs come a litle nearer vnto our selves; and see the distresses aswell amongst the great, as the small, throughout the whole Kingdome: and what increase there is of debts amongst vs in these dayes, never heard of before amongst our Predecessoures, wee shall finde, that if wee followe not some other industrious manner of waye, to relieve them, then by menaging, in whatsome-ever, and best forme wee can, our revenues, that they shall never bee relieved.

There are three thinges that troubleth our estates that wee cannot live as our Predecessoures did before vs: First, the prodigalitie, both in our selves, our servants, and our houses. Secondlie, wee have not such occasions, and vses at home for the Brethren, and second sonnes of our houses to get them preferment as of old. Thirdlie, that vniversall plague of Cautionarie, throughout the whole Kingdome, whereby their is such a generall intercourse of distresse, each one for another, as all are linked into it: which all in following out such honorable, and honest indevoures abroad might bee remedied. I speake not of the favoured Courteour, nor of the fortunate States-man, for they have their owne blessinges from GOD, and favour of their Master in their severall places: but vnto such, my noble friends, and Countrie-gentlemen, such as my selfe is, and so distressed as I am; and speaking out of mine owne experience; protesting that cautionarie hath beene vnto me; vpon mine honour, and credite, the value of an Hundreth thousand pounds; which any imployment abroad, either in the service of my King, or my Countrie, might haue spared vnto me, and bettered the estate of mine House. Neither doe I speake so farre of my selfe, for want of abilitie to doe mine owne businesse, which I praise GOD is knowne to such, as knowe my selfe: but to giue everie man a sense, and feeling out of mine owne experience, howe I see the estate of the Kingdome.

Then (Worthie Countriemen) let vs lay these two things in the ballance, and judge vpon them: whether it is better for vs to goe there, where we may haue to live in a fruitfull Soyle, and wholesome, in all commodities abounding to our contentments, beeing onlie a litle industrious and painefull: than to live heere at home as Runnagates, vnanswerable to GOD, the King, the Lawes, to all reason, and conscience: to bee captivate as slaves, and cast in loathsome Prisons, to satisfie with our persons, when our goods hath failed vs: and especiallie, when wee haue wronged our best and kindest friendes, who out of their loves hath engaged themselves, to be distressed, and imprisoned for vs? which shoulde bee a greater griefe vnto vs, than our owne imprisonments.

And then shall wee disdaine Plantation: which to enterprise is so honourable; to prosecute so possible: to purchase so lawfull, and when attained, so profitable? No, whosoever shall reason against the same, especially such as are in distresse, may well bee reputed, either the Bastard of generositie, or the nursling of simplicitie, or the abject of frugalitie: and shall either become for ever, the prostitute of infamie, or consecrated to perpetuall oblivion: and when hee is dead, his actions, his meanes, his name and all, shall die with himselfe; and if hee shall ever happen to bee remembred, that remembrance shall onelie bee in ignominie, as the Wretch of his Countrie, the Curse of his Kinred: and an vnthrift for himselfe.

But I speake not to such a crew, whose basenesse I knowe cannot climbe to surmount the meanest imagined difficultie, that may arise. I speake to such noble Spirites and generous mindes, in whom doeth shine the light of knowledge to discerne the differences between a base securitie and honourable actions, vice and vertue, stupiditie, and true worth: and who in end shall not misse to rejoyce in the enjoying the fruits of their labours in themselves, and their names to bee honoured with a perpetuall remembrance.

And if wee would studie to bee remembred in our posterities, heere is offered the occasion to insert vs in the bookes of memorie: for if wee would portion our second children in a plantation, and such as in nature wee are bound to helpe, and advance: both shall wee bee remembred in their ever-living successions, throughout all ensueing ages: and they provyded in a competent beeing and meanes for them-selves, and theirs, and to bee thereafter proffitable for their King and Countrie: which is better, than either to be kept at home baselie, & short of that which is beseeming their birth, and qualitie: or to bee sent to the service of the Warres of forraine Princes, and to be cutted away by the sword, and then never more againe remembred: and for so small meanes, as thereby yee can furnish themselves both in rayment, and foode.

Imbrace then the honours of Plantation. Doe wee dreame of difficulties? then knowe; that it is out of the greatest difficulties, that spring the greatest honours: & it is that Knight-hood, which is gotten vnder the banner of a King, and in the Fieldes which is most honourable; and not that, which wee acquire by our moneyes; as the most part is now a-dayes. And that our actions may both renowne vs, and beget vs moneyes, wee may see in the examples that I haue sette before your eyes, both of forraine nations, and of our own Countriemen, in their late plantations of Ireland, their estates now, their dignities, their honours, their credite, and their riches: and what they were knowne to haue beene before.

But these I leave to your judgments: onelie now, to make an end, I must entreate thee (Noble and courteous Reader) to excuse my freenesse in this my homelie discourse, which I perswade my selfe the generous minde will allowe of: and for the base, the simple and the vitious; I doe not care for their censure, onelie I wishe it were a spurre to drawe them to more vertue. As for the rudenesse of my speach, I hope none will except, wherein I professe no airt, if simplie I publish my good meaning and earnest affection to so goode a Worke. And wherein their is defect in mee, I hope the purpose shall bee better inlarged by him, whose Pen is more than knowne to bee famous, the principall Actor in the businesse, and to whom I principallie dedicate this my treatise: and to bee seconded by the vertues of these the Noblemen, and these worthilie honoured Gentle-men, the Knights Baronets, Vnder-takers of so faire designes: so that nowe I cease with my penne, but never with my Sword to doe them service for the advancement of so good a Worke.