15S6, SIR HUGH M'lLLOUGHBT. 65 



teenth century. But the return of Sebastian 

 Cabota, and the knowledge of his great enter- 

 prizes in the service of Spain, mfused into the 

 minds of the merchants of England that spirit 

 of enlarged adventure which had but feebly shewn 

 itself at the commencement of the century, and 

 then confined to one quarter of the globe. The 

 reputation of this able navigator was so firmly 

 established on his return to England that, in ad- 

 dition to the liberal pension granted to him by 

 Edward VI., he was constituted Grand Pilot of 

 England, and ^' Governour of the mysterie and 

 companie of the marchants adventurers for the 

 discoverie of regions, dominions, islands and 

 places unknowen." It was at his suggestion that 

 a voyage was undertaken in the year 1553 for the 

 discovery of a north-east passage to Cathaia ; and 

 the ordinances and instructions drawn up by him 

 on this occasion are such as do him infinite honour, 

 not only for the chaste style in which they are 

 written, but also for the liberal and enlightened 

 sentiments which run throughout this early per- 

 formance."^ 



The ships fitted out for this expedition of dis- 

 covery were the Bona Esperanza, Admiral of the 

 fleet, of the burden of 120 tons, having with her a 



•* Ordinances, Instructions^ SfC. by M. Sebastian Cabota, Zsquier, 

 Hakluyt, vol. i. p. 22(). 



VOL. I. F 



