Shakespeare's England was right on the verge of establishing its worldwide empire which would grow over the centuries until in the late 1800's Englishmen could brag that the sun never set on the British Empire. Voyages of discovery were used to open new trade routes to the New World, Russia, the eastern Mediterranean and the East Indies. We find references to new, exotic places in many of the plays. Romeo likens himself to a pilot who sails around the world. Titania speaks about her connections with India. Benedict asks to be sent on an "embassy to the pygmies." Macbeth's witches use exotic ingredients from different parts of the world. This sense of new adventures and opportunities is caught in this woodcut showing the landings to establish the settlement at Jamestown Virginia. Note the native Americans in the foreground discussing their new neighbors. Shakespeare in several plays reveals a less admirable side to discovery and contact with different cultures.