That this is a sufficiently ambitious attempt, no one can be better aware than the author. Though he has made no state ment which he has not verified from original evidence, he has, naturally, availed himself to the full of the work of previous writers for the earlier part of his task. But, from the end of the sixteenth century, he has sailed over an almost uncharted sea and his responsibility is great. He can only plead that he has kept a careful look-out, and that he has striven faithfully to sail the ship in the. Main current, without attempting to enter the bays and inlets, which to have explored would either have prolonged the voyage to an undue length, or have neglected the essential for the picturesque but less important.