118 Naval Expeditions , &c. of the English, Book I
1553. " Favour, to entertain Our well-be-“ loved Servants, We will pray Our" Almighty GOD, to grant You long" Life and Peace, which never shall" have End.
" Wr 1 tten, in London ,which is the" chief City of Our Kingdom, in the“ Year from the Creation of the World" 5515. in the Month of February, the" fourteenth Day of the Month, andseventh Year of Our Reign.
This Letter was written in Latin,Greek , and several other Languages.
I cannot propose to give a betterAccount of this Voyage, than from aJournal, which was found in the BonaSperanza, one of the two Ships, whichwintered in Lapland , where Sir tfvghWilloughby, and all his Company, werefrozen to Death, written with Sir Hugh’sown Hand.
The Voyage (begins our Journalist)intended for the Discovery of Cathay,and divers other Regions, Dominions,Islands and Places unknown {by a Fleet )set forth by the Worshipful SebastianCabot , Esq; &c. {that is, by his Means)which Fleet departed the tenth of May,I 553‘
He then proceeds to give an Accountl)f Mensem- t ^ ie Names and Offices of every Per-y>.toyed in this son on Board the three Ships; But, forExpedition , Brevity’s Sake, I shall omit the Names,
with their anc ] or jy mention the Number and Of-
feyeral Of- '
pees..
On the Bona Speranza, Sir HughWilloughby, Admiral, and Commanderin Chief.
A Master and Master’s Mate.
Six Merchants.
A Master Gunner.
A Boatswain and Mate.
Four Quarter-Masters and four Mates.Two Surgeons.
Two Carpenters.
A Purser and his Mate, who was like'wife Cooper.
A Cook and Mate;
And ten Sailors. In. all eight and thir-ty Persons.
On the Edward-Boriaventure, RichardChanceller, Captain, and Pilot Majorof the Fleets
A Master and Master’s Mate.
Two Merchants.
A Chaplain.
Seven Persons, whose Office are notnamed.
A Gunner and Mate. , 1 $$ ^
Two Gunners.
A Surgeon.
A Boatswain and Mate.
Four Quartermasters.
A Steward and Mate.
A Cook.
A Carpenter.
A Cooper.
And one and twenty Sailors. In all fif-ty Persons.
On the Bona Confidenza, CorneliusDurfoonh, Master.
Master’s Mate.
Three Merchants.
A Gunner and Mate.
A Boatswain and Mate.
Four Quarter-Masters.
A Steward.
A Cook and Mate.
A Carpenter.
And Eleven Sailors. In all eight andtwenty Persons.
Together, in the three Ships, oneHun-dred and sixteen Persons.
The next Thing we find, in thisJournal, is the Oaths administred to theCaptain and Master : as follows:
" OU shall swear to be a faith- Jhe C$\ " ful, true and loyal Subject , uin 5 0a
" in all Points and Duties, that to" Subjects appertain, to our Sovereign" Lord the King’s Majesty, His Heirs" and Successors; And that you shall" well and truly, to the utmost of your" Capacity, Wit and Knowledge, serve" this present Voyage, committed to" your Charge, and not to give up,
" nor sooner intermit the same, until" you shall have atchieved the same,
" so far forth, as you may, without" Danger of your Life, and Loss of theFleet. Vou shall give good, true" a fd faithful Council to the said So-ciety, and to such as shall have theCharge, with or under you, and not" disclose the Secrets, or Privities of" V 16 ^ ame to any Person, by anyManner of Means, to the Prejudice,
Dust or Damage of it. You shalladminister Justice to all Men under“f p° 11 /- ^ ar g e ' without Respect ofPerson, or any Affection, that might™ ve .y°u to decline from the true" -Administration of Justice. And far-you shall observe, and cause
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