ii 6
1553 *
Hackluyt,
P- I■ p. 2Z 6,
&seg.
Purchas,Vol- III, p.2ii. & jeq.Introd. toCol. of Vo-yages in SixVol. in Fol.
Hackluyt,P.l.p. 243.
Ships em-ployed scrthis Service.
The Com-mandersNames.
Naval Expeditionsof the English, Book I
This Epithet of the Miracle ofhis Age, was given him by Hierony-mus Card anus, a famous Italian Philo-sopher (who came expresly to Englandto see him, and present him a Bookhe had dedicated to him) and not with-out Reason. At fifteen Years of Agehe spoke, with the Englijh Tongue, the
C H A
French,Latin,Greek, Italian and Spanistj. x 553 '
He was skilled in Logick, Mustek,natural Philosophy and Astronomy ;
He had a solid Judgment, and withala sprightly Wit. His Disposition wasmild, gracious and pleasant, and hewas in Body very personable.
’. XXIV.
c
Sir Hugh Willoughby’r Voyage, to discover the North-East Passage toChina: And Captain Richard Chancellery firs Voyage to Archangel.
I H A V E chosen to place these twoVoyages together; Because, in Fact,the Beginning of them was one andthe same Undertaking; Tho’ theFate ofthese two Commanders proved very dif-ferent in the Conclusion ; the first hav-ing perished in the Attempt, with allhis own, and another Ship’s Company ;While the latter was successful, and re-turned with Honour and Advantage ;But he lost his Life in his Return froma future Voyage, as we shall fee in theSequel. The Occasion of this Under-taking was as follows.
In the Year 1553* Sebastian Cabotoffered Proposals to the King, for theDiscovery of the North-East Passage toChina., and the Indies ; And three Shipswere fitted out for that Purpose, at thePublick Cost. So we find it indeed saidin several Historians: But, in the Ac-count of this Voyage, written in Latin, byClement Adams, as he took it from Cap-tain Richard Chancellery own Mouth, ofwhich we have a Translation in Hack-luyt, we find that these Ships were fit-ted out by a Subscription of six Thou-sand Pounds^inShares, of five and twen-ty Pounds each.ThefeShares entitled theSubscribers to be Members of a Society,erected for the Discovery of New Lands.These three Ships were the Bon a Efpe-ranza , of one Hundred and twenty Tuns,Admiral; The Edward-Bonaventure, oneHundred and sixty Tuns; And the Bo-na Confidenza, ninety Tuns. Each ofthese Ships had a Pinnace and a Boat.The Chief Command was given to SirHugh Willoughby, as Admiral; RichardGhanceller was appointed Captain of theEdward-Bonaventure, and Pilot Major ;and JVUUam J ester(on, Stephen Bur-roughs, and Cornelius Dursoorth * Ma-sters.
Sebastian Cabot gave these Com- Hackluyt)manders very particular Instructions , p - A 21under three and thirty Articles orHeads,which the Reader may fee at large, inHackluyt, with the following Title :
“ Ordinances, Instructions, and Cabot" Advertisements, of and for theDirec- ^ s
" tion of the intended Voyage for Ca-” thay, compiled, made and delivered,
“ by the Right Worshipful Sebastian" Cabot, Esq; Governour of the My-“ stery and Company of the Merchant-" Adventurers, for the Discovery of“ Regions, Dominions, Islands and" Places unknown; the ninth of May,
" in the Year of our Lord God, 1.553.
“ and in the seventh Year of the Reign" of our most dread Sovereign Lord,
“ Edward VI. by the Grace of GOD,
“ King of England, France, and Ire-“ land, Defender of the Faith, and of" the Church of England and Ireland ,
" in Earth Supream Head.
He likewise appointed a Council oftwelve, consisting of the Admiral andfour Officers, abovementioned, withthe Chaplain, one Gentleman, twoMerchants, and the three Masters-Mates.
3 hey had, likewise, with them, ying^[Letters Missive from King Edward, to ward'1 Fjthe Kings, Princes, and other Poten- [ e / 5tates, inhabiting the North-Eaft Parts pi./. -Cof the World, towards the mighty Em-Ca/Hsy; in the following Terms.“Edward the sixth, by the Grace" °f God, King of England, France,
“ and Ireland, & c . To all Kings,
" Princes, Rulers, Judges and Gover-nours of the Earth, and all others,
" having any excellent Dignity on thelame, in all Places under the univer-sal Heaven; Peace, Tranquil!tyand
" Honour