In the year 1585, as has already been stated above, Hariot, at the age of twenty-five, went out to Virginia in Raleigh’s « first Colonie’ as surveyor and historiographer with Sir Richard Grenville, and remained there one year under Governor Ralph Lane, returning in July 1586, in Sir Francis Drake’s home-bound fleet from the West Indies.  During the absence of this expedition Raleigh had received triple favors from Fortune.  He had entered Parliament, been knighted, and had been presented by the Queen with twelve thousand broad acres in Ireland.  These Irish acres were partly the Queen’s perquisite from the Babington ‘conspiracy.’  Other royal windfalls had considerably increased Sir Walter’s expectations, and aroused his ambition.  Hariot is known to have spent some time in Ireland on Raleigh’s estates there during the reign of Elizabeth, but it is uncertain when.  It may have been between the autumn of 1586 and the autumn of 1588.  He was in London in the winter of 1588-89 in time to get out hurriedly his report in February 1589.  It is possible, however, that he went to Ireland after his book was out.  He was probably the manager of one of the estates there as Governor John White was of another in 1591-93.

The next early author whom we find speaking of Hariot is his lifelong friend and companion Robert Hues or Hughes in his ’ Tractatus de / Globis et eo- / rvm vsv, / Accommo-datus iis qui Lon-dini editi funt Anno I593, fumptibus Gulielmi Sanderfoni / Ciuis Londinienfis/Confcriptus a Ro-bertoHues. Londini/ In ardibus Thomae Dawfon. / 1594.’ / 8°

In his dedication to Sir Walter Raleigh the author says : 

Borealiora Europae noftrates diligentimme luftrarunt.  Primo Hugo Willoughby eques Anglus & Richardus Chanceler has oras apperuerunt.  Succedit eis Stephanus Borough, vlterius pro-grefsi funt Artunis Pet & Carol.  Iackman.  Sufceptæ funt hae nauigationes, inftigante Sebaftiano Caboto, vt, fiquâ pofset fieri traiectum in regiones Synanum & Cathayac breuimmum confequeremur, at irreto haec omnia conatu, nifi quod his medijs firmatum eft commercium cum Mofchouitis.  Hâc cum non fuccederet, inftitutx funt nauigationes ad Borealiora Americæ;, quas primo fuscepit Martinus Frobifher, fecutus eft poftca Ioannes Dauis.  Ex his omnibus nauigationibus multi antiquiorum errores,magna eorum ignorantia detectacft.  Atque his conatibus minus fuccedentibus, gens noftra nauibus abundans otij impatiens, in alias paries fuas nauigationes inftituerunt.  Humphredus Gilbert Eques, Americæ oras Hifpanis incognitas, magno animo & viribus, fucceffu non aequali noftris aperire conatus eft.  Id quod tuis poftea aufpicijs (vir honoratifsime) felicius fufceptum eft quibus Virginia nobis patefacta eft, præefecto clafsis Richardo Grinuil nobili equite, quam diligentifsime luftrauit & defcripfit Thomæ Hariotus.

In the English edition of Robert Hues’ work, London, 1638, this very interesting but somewhat irrelevant passage appears as follows: