The English Voyages, Navigations, and Discoveries
(intended for the finding of a North-west passage) to
the North parts of America, to Meta incognita, and
the backeside of Gronland
, as farre as 72 degrees and
12 minuts: performed first by Sebastian Cabota, and
since by Sir Martin Frobisher, and M. John Davis,
with the Patents, Discourses, and Advertisements
thereto belonging.
The Letters patents of King Henry the seventh granted
unto John Cabot and his three sonnes, Lewis, Sebastian, and Sancius for the discoverie of new and
unknowen lands.
HENRY by the grace of God, king of England and France,
and lord of Ireland, to all to whom these presents shall
come, Greeting.
Be it knowen that we have given and granted, and
by these presents do give and grant for us and our heires,
to our welbeloved John Cabot citizen of Venice
, to Lewis,
Sebastian, and Santius, sonnes of the sayd John, and
to the heires of them, and every of them, and their
deputies, full and free authority, leave, and power to
saile to all parts, countreys, and seas of the East, of the
West, and of the North, under our banners and ensignes,
with five ships of what burthen or quantity soever they
be, and as many mariners or men as they will have with
them in the sayd ships, upon their owne proper costs and
charges, to seeke out, discover, and finde whatsoever
isles, countreys, regions or provinces of the heathen and
infidels whatsoever they be, and in what part of the
world soever they be, which before this time have bene
unknowen to all Christians: we have granted to them,
and also to every of them, the heires of them, and every
of them, and their deputies, and have given them licence
to set up our banners and ensignes in every village,
towne, castle, isle, or maine land of them newly found.
And that the aforesayd John and his sonnes, or their
heires and assignes may subdue, occupy and possesse all
such townes, cities, castles and isles of them found,
which they can subdue, occupy and possesse, as our
vassals, and lieutenants, getting unto us the rule, title,
and jurisdiction of the same villages, townes, castles, &
firme land so found. Yet so that the aforesayd John,
and his sonnes and heires, and their deputies, be holden
and bounden of all the fruits, profits, gaines, and commodities growing of such navigation, for every their
voyage, as often as they shall arrive at our port of Bristoll
(at the which port they shall be bound and holden onely
to arrive) all maner of necessary costs and charges by
them made, being deducted, to pay unto us in wares or
money the fift part of the capitall gaine so gotten. We
giving and granting unto them and to their heires and
deputies, that they shall be free from all paying of
customes of all and singular such merchandize as they
shall bring with them from those places so newly found.
And moreover, we have given and granted to them, their
heires and deputies, that all the firme lands, isles, villages,
townes, castles and places whatsoever they be that they
shall chance to finde, may not of any other of our subjects
be frequented or visited without the licence of the foresayd John and his sonnes, and their deputies, under paine
of forfeiture aswell of their shippes as of all and singuler
goods of all them that shall presume to saile to those
places so found. Willing, and most straightly commanding all and singuler our subjects aswell on land as on
sea, to give good assistance to the aforesayd John and
his sonnes and deputies, and that as well in arming and
furnishing their ships or vessels, as in provision of food,
and in buying of victuals for their money, and all other
things by them to be provided necessary for the sayd
navigation, they do give them all their helpe and favour.
In witnesse whereof we have caused to be made these
our Letters patents. Witnesse our selfe at Westminster
the fift day of March, in the eleventh yeere of our reigne.
Billa signata anno 13 Henrici septimi.
THE king upon the third day of February, in the 13
yeere of his reigne, gave licence to John Cabot to take
sixe English ships in any haven or
havens of the realme
of England, being of the burden of 200 tunnes, or under,
with all necessary furniture, and to take also into the
said ships all such masters, mariners, and subjects of
the king as willingly will go with him, &c.
An extract taken out of the map of Sebastian Cabot,
cut by Clement Adams, concerning his discovery of
the West Indies, which is to be seene in her Majesties
privie gallerie at Westminster
, and in many other
ancient merchants houses.
IN the yere of our Lord 1497 John Cabot a Venetian,
and his sonne Sebastian (with an English fleet set out
from Bristoll) discovered that land which no man before
that time had attempted, on the 24 of June, about five
of the clocke early in the morning. This land he called
Prima vista, that is to say, First seene, because as I
suppose it was that part whereof they had the first sight
from sea. That Island which lieth out before the land,
he called the
Island of S. John upon this occasion, as
I thinke, because it was discovered upon the day of John
the Baptist. The inhabitants of this Island use to weare
beasts skinnes, and have them in as great estimation as
we have our finest garments. In their warres they use
bowes, arrowes, pikes, darts, woodden clubs, and slings.
The soile is barren in some places, & yeeldeth litle fruit,
but it is full of white beares, and stagges farre greater
then ours. It yeeldeth plenty of fish, and those very
great, as seales, and those which commonly we call
salmons: there are soles also above a yard in length:
but especially there is great abundance of that kinde of
fish which the Savages call baccalaos. In the same Island
also there breed hauks, but they are so blacke that they
are very like to ravens, as also their partridges, and egles,
which are in like sort blacke.
A discourse of Sebastian Cabot touching his discovery
of part of the West India out of England in the time
of king Henry the seventh, used to Galeacius Butrigarius the Popes Legate in Spaine, and reported by
the sayd Legate in this sort.
DOE you not understand sayd he (speaking to certaine
Gentlemen of Venice) how to passe to India toward the
Northwest, as did of late a citizen of Venice
, so valiant
a man, and so well practised in all things pertaining to
navigations, and the science of Cosmographie, that at
this present he hath not his like in Spaine, insomuch
that for his vertues he is preferred above all other pilots
that saile to the West Indies, who may not passe thither
without his licence, and is therefore called Piloto mayor,
that is, the grand Pilot. And when we sayd that we
knew him not, he proceeded, saying, that being certaine
yeres in the city of Sivil, and desirous to have some
knowledge of the navigations of the Spanyards, it was
tolde him that there was in the city a valiant man, a
Venetian borne named Sebastian Cabot, who had the
charge of those things, being an expert man in that
science, and one that coulde make Cardes for the Sea
with his owne hand, and that by this report, seeking
his acquaintance, hee found him a very gentle person,
who intertained him friendly, and shewed him many
things, and among other a large Mappe of the world,
with certaine particuler Navigations, as well of the
Portugals, as of the Spaniards, and that he spake further
unto him to this effect.
When my father departed from Venice
many yeeres
since to dwell in England, to follow the trade of marchandises, hee tooke mee with him to the citie of London,
while I was very yong, yet having neverthelesse some
knowledge of letters of humanitie, and of the Sphere.
And when my father died in that time when newes were
brought that Don Christopher Colonus Genuese had discovered the coasts of India, whereof was great talke in
all the Court of king Henry the 7. who then raigned,
insomuch that all men with great admiration affirmed it
to be a thing more divine then humane, to saile by the
West into the East where spices growe, by a way that
was never knowen before, by this fame and report there
increased in my heart a great flame of desire to attempt
some notable thing. And understanding by reason of the
Sphere, that if I should saile by way of the North-west,
I should by a shorter tract come into India, I thereupon
caused the King to be advertised of my devise, who
immediatly commanded two Carvels to bee furnished with
all things appertayning to the voyage, which was as
farre as I remember in the yeere 1496. in the beginning
of Sommer. I began therefore to saile toward the Northwest, not thinking to finde any other land then that of
Cathay, & from thence to turne toward India, but after
certain dayes I found that the land ranne towards the
North, which was to mee a great displeasure. Neverthelesse, sayling along by the coast to see if I could finde
any gulfe that turned, I found the lande still continent
to the 56. degree under our Pole. And seeing that there
the coast turned toward the East, despairing to finde the
passage, I turned backe againe, and sailed downe by the
coast of that land toward the Equinoctiall (ever with
intent to finde the saide passage to India) and came to
that part of this firme lande which is nowe called Florida
,
where my victuals failing, I departed from thence and
returned into England, where I found great tumults
among the people, and preparation for warres in Scotland
: by reason whereof there was no more consideration
had to this voyage.
Whereupon I went into Spaine to the Catholique king,
and Queene Elizabeth, which being advertised what I
had done, intertained me, and at their charges furnished
certaine ships, wherewith they caused me to saile to discover the coastes of Brasile
, where I found an exceeding
great and large river named at this present Rio de la
plata, that is, the river of silver, into the which I sailed
and followed it into the firme land, more then sixe score
leagues, finding it every where very faire, and inhabited
with infinite people, which with admiration came running
dayly to our ships. Into this River runne so many other
rivers, that it is in maner incredible.
After this I made many other voyages, which I nowe
pretermit, and waxing olde, I give my selfe to rest from
such travels, because there are nowe many yong and lustie
Pilots and Mariners of good experience, by whose forwardnesse I doe rejoyce in the fruit of my labours, and
rest with the charge of this office, as you see.
The foresaide Baptista Ramusius in his preface to the
thirde volume of the Navigations, writeth thus of
Sebastian Cabot.
IN the latter part of this volume are put certaine relations
of John de Vararzana, Florentine, and of a great captaine a Frenchman, and the two voyages of Jaques Cartier
a Briton, who sailed unto the land situate in 50. degrees
of Latitude to the North, which is called New France,
which landes hitherto are not throughly knowen, whether
they doe joyne with the firme land of Florida
and Nova
Hispania, or whether they bee separated and devided all
by the Sea as Ilands: and whether that by that way one
may goe by Sea unto the countrey of Cathaia. As many
yeeres past it was written unto mee by Sebastian Cabota
our Countrey man a Venetian, a man of great experience,
and very rare in the art of Navigation, and the knowledge
of Cosmographie, who sailed along and beyond this lande
of New France, at the charges of King Henry the seventh
king of England: and he advertised mee, that having
sailed a long time West and by North, beyond those
Ilands unto the Latitude of 67. degrees and an halfe,
under the North pole, and at the 11. day of June finding
still the open Sea without any maner of impediment, he
thought verily by that way to have passed on still the
way to Cathaia, which is in the East, and would have
done it, if the mutinie of the shipmaster and Mariners
had not hindered him and made him to returne homewards from that place. But it seemeth that God doeth
yet still reserve this great enterprise for some great prince
to discover this voyage of Cathaia by this way, which
for the bringing of the Spiceries from India into Europe,
were the most easie and shortest of all other wayes
hitherto found out. And surely this enterprise would be
the most glorious, and of most importance of all other
that can be imagined to make his name great, and fame
immortall, to all ages to come, farre more then can be
done by any of all these great troubles and warres which
dayly are used in Europe among the miserable Christian
people.
Another testimonie of the voyage of Sebastian Cabot to
the West and Northwest, taken out of the sixt Chapter
of the third Decade of Peter Martyr of Angleria.
THESE North Seas have bene searched by one Sebastian
Cabot, a Venetian borne, whom being yet but in maner
an infant, his parents caried with them into England,
having occasion to resort thither for trade of marchandise, as is the maner of the Venetians to leave no part
of the world unsearched to obtaine riches. Hee therefore
furnished two ships in England at his owne charges, and
first with 300 men directed his course so farre towards
the North pole, that even in the moneth of July he found
monstrous heapes of ice swimming on the sea, and in
maner continuall day light, yet saw he the land in that
tract free from ice, which had bene molten by the heat
of the Sunne. Thus seeing such heapes of yce before
him, hee was enforced to turne his sailes and follow the
West, so coasting still by the shore, that he was thereby
brought so farre into the South, by reason of the land
bending so much Southwards, that it was there almost
equall in latitude, with the sea Fretum Herculeum, having
the Northpole elevate in maner in the same degree. He
sailed likewise in this tract so farre towards the West,
that hee had the
Island of Cuba on his left hand, in
maner in the same degree of longitude. As hee traveiled
by the coastes of this great land, (which he named Baccalaos) he saith that hee found the like course of the
waters toward the West, but the same to runne more
softly and gently then the swift waters which the
Spaniards found in their Navigations Southward. Wherfore it is not onely more like to be true, but ought also
of necessitie to be concluded that betweene both the lands
hitherto unknowen, there should be certaine great open
places whereby the waters should thus continually passe
from the East unto the West: which waters I suppose to
be driven about the globe of the earth by the uncessant
moving and impulsion of the heavens, and not to bee
swallowed up and cast up againe by the breathing of
Demogorgon, as some have imagined, because they see
the seas by increase and decrease to ebbe and flowe.
Sebastian Cabot himselfe named those lands Baccalaos,
because that in the Seas thereabout hee found so great
multitudes of certaine bigge fishes much like unto Tunies,
(which the inhabitants call Baccalaos) that they sometime
stayed his shippes. He found also the people of those
regions covered with beastes skinnes, yet not without
the use of reason. He also saith there is great plentie
of Beares in those regions which use to eate fish: for
plunging themselves into ye water, where they perceive
a multitude of these fishes to lie, they fasten their clawes
in their scales, and so draw them to land and eate them,
so (as he saith) the Beares being thus satisfied with fish,
are not noisome to men. Hee declareth further, that in
many places of these Regions he saw great plentie of
Copper among the inhabitants. Cabot is my very friend,
whom I use familiarly, and delight to have him sometimes
keepe mee company in mine owne house. For being
called out of England by the commandement of the
Catholique King of Castile, after the death of King Henry
the seventh of that name King of England, he was made
one of our councill and Assistants, as touching the
affaires of the new Indies, looking for ships dayly to
be furnished for him to discover this hid secret of Nature.
The testimonie of Francis Lopez de Gomara a Spaniard,
in the fourth Chapter of the second Booke of his
generall history of the West Indies concerning the first
discoverie of a great part of the West Indies, to wit,
from 58. to 38. degrees of latitude, by Sebastian Cabota
out of England.
HE which brought most certaine newes of the countrey
& people of Baccalaos, saith Gomara, was Sebastian
Cabote a Venetian, which rigged up two ships at the
cost of K. Henry the 7. of England, having great desire
to traffique for the spices as the Portingals did. He
caried with him 300. men, and tooke the way towards
Island from beyond the
Cape of Labrador, untill he found
himselfe in 58. degrees and better. He made relation
that in the moneth of July it was so cold, and the ice
so great, that hee durst not passe any further: that
the dayes were very long, in a maner without any night,
and for that short night that they had, it was very
cleare. Cabot feeling the cold, turned towards the West,
refreshing himselfe at
Baccalaos: and afterwards he
sayled along the coast unto 38. degrees, and from thence
he shaped his course to returne into England.
A note of Sebastian Cabots first discoverie of part of
the Indies taken out of the latter part of Robert Fabians
Chronicle not hitherto printed, which is in the custodie
of M. John Stow a diligent preserver of Antiquities.
IN the 13. yeere of K. Henry the 7. (by meanes of one
John Cabot a Venetian which made himselfe very expert
and cunning in knowledge of the circuit of the world
and Ilands of the same, as by a
Sea card and other
demonstrations reasonable he shewed) the king caused
to man and victuall a ship at Bristow, to search for an
Island, which he said hee knew well was rich, and replenished with great commodities: Which shippe thus
manned and victualled at the kings cost, divers Marchants
of London ventured in her small stocks, being in her as
chiefe patron the said Venetian. And in the company of
the said ship, sailed also out of Bristow three or foure
small ships fraught with sleight and grosse marchandizes,
as course cloth, caps, laces, points & other trifles. And
so departed from Bristow in the beginning of May, of
whom in this Maiors time returned no tidings.
Of three Savages which Cabot brought home and presented unto the King in the foureteenth yere of his
raigne, mentioned by the foresaid Robert Fabian.
THIS yeere also were brought unto the king three men
taken in the
Newfound Island that before I spake of,
in William Purchas time being Maior: These were clothed
in beasts skins, & did eate raw flesh, and spake such
speach that no man could understand them, and in their
demeanour like to bruite beastes, whom the King kept
a time after. Of the which upon two yeeres after, I saw
two apparelled after the maner of Englishmen in Westminster
pallace, which that time I could not discerne from
Englishmen, til I was learned what they were, but as for
speach, I heard none of them utter one word.
A briefe extract concerning the discoverie of Newfoundland
, taken out of the booke of M. Robert Thorne, to
doctor Leigh
, &c.
I REASON, that as some sickenesses are hereditarie, so this
inclination or desire of this discovery I inherited from
my father, which with another marchant of Bristol
named
Hugh Eliot, were the discoverers of the Newfound-lands;
of the which there is no doubt (as nowe plainely appeareth)
if the Mariners would then have bene ruled, and followed
their Pilots minde, but the lands of the West Indies, from
whence all the golde commeth, had bene ours; for all
is one coast as by the Card appeareth, and is aforesaid.
The large pension granted by K. Edward the 6. to
Sebastian Cabota, constituting him grand Pilot of
England.
EDWARD the sixt by the grace of God, King of England,
France and Ireland
, defender of the faith, to all Christian
people to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting. Know yee that we, in consideration of the good
and acceptable service done, and to be done, unto us by
our beloved servant Sebastian Cabota, of our speciall
grace, certaine knowledge, meere motion, and by the
advice and counsel of our most honourable uncle Edward
duke of Somerset
governour of our person, and Protector
of our kingdomes, dominions, and subjects, and of the
rest of our Counsaile, have given & granted, and by these
presents do give and graunt to the said Sebastian Cabota,
a certaine annuitie, or yerely revenue of one hundreth,
threescore & sixe pounds, thirteene shillings foure pence
sterling, to have, enjoy, and yerely receive the foresaid
annuitie, or yerely revenue, to the foresaid Sebastian
Cabota during his natural life, out of our Treasurie at
the receit of our Exchequer at Westminster
, at the hands
of our Treasurers & paymasters, there remayning for the
time being, at the feasts of the Annuntiation of the blessed
Virgin Mary, the Nativitie of S. John Baptist, S. Michael
ye Archangel, & the Nativitie of our Lord, to be paid
by equal portions.
And further, of our more speciall grace, and by the
advise and consent aforesaide wee doe give, and by these
presents doe graunt unto the aforesaide Sebastian Cabota,
so many, and so great summes of money as the saide
annuitie or yeerely revenue of an hundreth, threescore
and sixe pounds, thirteene shillings 4. pence, doeth
amount and rise unto from the feast of S. Michael the
Archangel last past unto this present time, to be had
and received by the aforesaid Sebastian Cabota, and his
assignes out of our aforesaid Treasurie, at the handes
of our aforesaide Treasurers, and officers of our Exchequer of our free gift without accompt, or any thing
else therefore to be yeelded, payed, or made, to us, our
heires or successours, forasmuch as herein expresse
mention is made to the contrary.
In witnesse whereof we have caused these our Letters
to be made patents: Witnesse the King at Westminster
the sixt day of Januarie, in the second yeere of his raigne.
The yeere of our Lord 1548.
A discourse written by Sir Humphrey Gilbert Knight, to
prove a passage by the Northwest to Cathaia, and the
East Indies.
The Table of the matters in every Chapter of this
discourse.
Capitulo 1.
To prove by authoritie a passage to be on the North
side of America
, to goe to Cataia, China
, and to the
East India.
Capitulo 2.
To prove by reason a passage to be on the North side
of America
, to goe to Cataia, Moluccae, &c.
Capitulo 3.
To prove by experience of sundry mens travailes the
opening of this Northwest passage, whereby good hope
remaineth of the rest.
Capitulo 4.
To prove by circumstance, that the Northwest passage
hath bene sailed throughout.
Capitulo 5.
To proove that such Indians as have bene driven upon
the coastes of Germanie came not thither by the Southeast, and Southwest, nor from any part of Afrike or
America
.
Capitulo 6.
To proove that the Indians aforenamed came not by
the Northeast, and that there is no thorow passage
navigable that way.
Capitulo 7.
