As what Venegas says as to the Account (which Account hath been before mentioned) given by Seyxas y Lovera, as to its wanting the necessary Authenticity. Besides the usual Licences, wherein the Licencers declare there is nothing contrary to good Manners, and besides being dedicated to the King in his Royal and Supreme Council of the Indies, Seyxas's Book hath the Licence and Approbation of the Professor of Divinity in the University of Alcara, Preacher to the King, and Principal of a College of Jesuits in Madrid. Hath also the Approbation and Licence of the Professor of Erudition and Mathematicks in the Imperial College of the Company of the Jesuits at Madrid. What unfavourable Opinion soever we may entertain of the Principles of these Persons, we must have such an Opinion of their Prudence, that they would not sign their Approbation to a Book while it contained an unnecessary Lie, which could be easily expunged, or until they were satisfied as to the Authenticity of this Account which Seyxas gives of Peche's Voyage, having been published in various Places. And it is indisputable from the Countenance his Book received, he was looked on at that Time as a deserving honest Man.
Venegas designedly omits other Accounts dispersed in various Books for Want of necessary Authenticity; but it is not to be understood that he absolutely denies that such Accounts are true. Neither is there so great an Improbability in such Discoveries having been made, as some of these Accounts mention, as is imagined, when such Accounts are duly considered.
We have already mentioned one Account which engaged the Attention of the King of Spain, therefore must have been of some Authority. There is another Account (unless it be the same Account differently represented) of a Ship that, to the Northward of Cape Blanco, on the Coast of California, passed through the Streight into the North Sea, and to Old Spain, which was also made known to the King of Spain, mentioned by Torquemada, Vol. i. P. 725.
Most of the Discoveries are reported to have been made by Ships coming from the Moluccas, or from the Philippine Islands to the Eastward, and which have met with bad Weather. And what, in those Times, Ships were necessitated to do, if there was a Continuance of hard Gales of Wind, we may learn from the Schedule of Philip the Third, History of California, Vol. i. P. 175, after mentioning a Harbour found by Vizcaino, on the Western Coast of California, adds, 'And lies very convenient for Ships returning from the Philippine Islands to put into, and thus, in case of Storms, avoid the Necessity of making for Japan, as they have several Times done, and expended great Sums of Money. Besides, they usually have Sight of the Coast of China, which is an additional Benefit, as knowing where they are, they will not as formerly, in case of bad Weather, make for Japan, or those Islands, as the same Winds which would carry them thither, bring them into this Harbour. Again, P. 177, considering how much it concerns the Security of Ships coming from those Islands, in a Voyage of no less than 2000 Leagues, on a wide and tempestuous Sea, that they should be provided with a Port where they might put in and furnish themselves with Water, Wood, and Provisions: That the said Port of Monterey lies in 37 Degrees, nearly about half Way the Voyage.'
A Ship flying before the Wind, and the People steering her towards the Coast of America, to avoid Japan and the Islands, making a Cape Land on the Coast of California, would run for what they supposed a Harbour, and the bad Weather continuing might proceed up the Bay or Opening they were then in, to meet with the Inhabitants, in order to obtain Refreshments, and to learn where they were, by which Means find a Passage. As Ships were distressed in hard Gales of Wind, in the Manner the Schedule mentions, there is no Improbability of a Passage being first accidentally discovered by a single Ship coming from Sea with a leading Wind into a large Opening, in Expectation of a Harbour, though such Discovery hath not been made by Ships intentionally sent along Shore for that Purpose.
It is to be observed, the People of the Philippine Islands are those who most talked of a Passage: They informed Peche and others; and it is easily accounted for why they should do so: For if the Portugueze made the Discovery in a Ship from the Moluccas, there was a constant Intercourse between them and the People of the Philippines; and whether the Discovery was made by the Spaniards or Portugueze, some of the Company who were aboard such Ship as had passed through the Streight from the South to the North Sea, would return to the Moluccas or the Philippines; and others would meet their Acquaintance from thence in Portugal or Old Spain; who would take Pleasure in relating to them the Accounts of their Voyage, and which they who heard those Accounts would be equally fond of communicating to others, especially when they returned back to the Indies. By which Means it would be known that there had been such a Discovery; and it would be out of the Power of the King of Spain or Portugal to prevent its being so far known, but could prevent the Account of such Discovery being published, or the Particulars communicated to Foreigners.
In the Year 1568 Salvatierra, a Gentleman of Spain, who had accidentally landed in Ireland from the West Indies, gave an Account of a Passage having been made by one Andrew Urdanietta, and by the Circumstances of that Account it was about the Year 1556 or 1557. This Urdanietta was a Friar, was with and greatly assisted Andrew Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in the Expedition to the Philippine Islands in the Year 1564, and was called the celebrated Religious Andrew de Urdanietta. His being thus employed, and so serviceable in this Expedition to the Philippine Islands, as he is said to have been, implies, that he had a prior Knowledge of those Parts, and must have been there before; and the Character that Salvatierra gave of him to Sir Hugh Sydney, then Lord Deputy of Ireland, and Sir Humphrey Gilbert, was, that he was the greatest Discoverer by Sea that was in that Age.
Salvatierra said that a North-west Passage was constantly believed to be in America navigable; and that Urdanietta had shewed him at Mexico eight Years before Salvatierra arrived in Ireland, a Chart made from his own Observations in a Voyage in which he came from Mare del Zur into Germany, through this North-west Passage, wherein such Passage was expressed, agreeing with Ortelius's Map: That Urdanietta had told the King of Portugal of it as he came there from Germany in his return home; but the King earnestly intreated him not to discover this Secret to any Nation: For that (said he) if England had once a Knowledge and Experience of it, it would greatly hinder the King of Spain and me. And Salvatierra was himself persuaded of a Passage by the Friar Urdanietta, and by the common Opinion of the Spaniards inhabiting America.
It was this Account with some other that gained the Attention of the greatest Men of that Age to pursue the Discovery of a North-west Passage. Neither would Dudley, Walsingham, or Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and other honourable Persons about the Court, be deceived with fictitious Stories, and pursue a Phantom. Could the great Abilities and Penetration of a Walsingham be defective in this Respect, which was so perfect in all other Respects, as to be the Admiration of the present Age. Those who condemn this Account, and some other Accounts of this Sort, have not considered, that upon a slight Surmise or Suspicion only they put their Judgments in Competition with and in Contradiction to the Judgments of those great Men, who embraced no Opinion as to any Matter but what was founded in Reason, and all the Circumstances relating to which they had first fully considered, and which Opinion they adhered to. As to a North-west Passage, making a Distinction between the Disappointments as to the effecting the Discovery of a Passage, and the Probability there was of their being such Passage. The King of Spain was equally successless as to the Execution, and at the same Time as much assured of the Practicability of making it; for which Reason Secretary Walsingham was concerned at his Death, as the Attention of the Publick was drawn to a North-east Passage, by which nothing more was proposed than a Trade to Cathæy or China, and that a North-west Passage was neglected on the Part of the English.
It was an Opinion received in England in the Year 1560, or earlier, that there was such a Passage; and before the Philippines were settled by the Spaniards. Soon after the Discovery of Urdanietta, Frobisher, who set out in 1576, is said to have projected his Design, and made an Application for fifteen Years before. Did not succeed in the City probably, as they might not see any certain Advantage; but when he applied to the Court he succeeded. On what Plan he went is also evident, to find an Entrance to Northward of the Labrador; for when he fell in with the South-west Part of Greenland, it was supposed by him to be the Labrador Coast.