MARTIN FROBISHER ad. 



1578. 

 well minded and forward yong Gentlemen of our 

 countrey willingly have offered themselves. And first 

 Captaine Fenton Lieutenant generall for Captaine Fro- 

 bisher, and in charge of the company with him there, 

 Captaine Best, and Captaine Filpot, unto whose good 

 discretions the government of that service was chiefly 

 commended, who, as men not regarding peril in respect 

 of the profit and common wealth of their countrey, were 

 willing to abide the first brunt & adventure of those 

 dangers among a savage and brutish kinde of people, in 

 a place hitherto ever thought for extreme cold not 

 habitable. The whole number of men which had offered, 

 and were appointed to inhabite Meta Incognita all the A hundreth 

 yeere, were one hundreth persons, wherof 40 should be men a Ppo}^ted 

 mariners for the use of ships, 30 Miners for gathering tote 

 the gold Ore together for the next yere, and 30 souldiers 

 for the better guard of the rest, within which last number 

 are included the Gentlemen, Goldfiners, Bakers, Car- 

 penters, & all necessary persons. To each of the 

 Captaines was assigned one ship, aswel for the further 

 searching of the coast & countrey there, as for to returne 

 & bring backe their companies againe, if the necessity 

 of the place so urged, or by miscarying of the fleet the 

 next yere, they might be disappointed of their further 

 provision. Being therfore thus furnished with al neces- 

 saries, there were ready to depart upon the said voyage 

 1 5 saile of good ships, wherof the whole number was to Fifteene sayte. 

 returne again with their loding of gold Ore in the end 

 of the sommer, except those 3 ships, which should be 

 left for the use of those Captains which should inhabite 

 there the whole yere. And being in so good readinesse, [III. 75.] 

 the Generall with all the Captaines came to the Court, 

 then lying at Greenwich, to take their leave of her 

 Majestie, at whose hands they all received great 

 incouragement, and gracious countenance. Her high- 

 nesse besides other good gifts, and greater promises, 

 bestowed on the Generall a faire chaine of golde, ^Id given to 

 and the rest of the Captaines kissed her hand, tooke M. Frobisher. 

 VII 321 x 



