THE ENGLISH VOYAGES 



objection Master Thorne replies in a single sentence, 

 fit to be inscribed as a head-line on the charter of 

 Britannia — There is no land unhabitable^ nor sea 

 innavigable. 



It was in this belief, and in this heroic temper, that 

 England set herself to take possession of her heritage, 

 the North. The adventures to the North West had 

 been but poorly rewarded ; and for a time attention was 

 turned to the possibility of reaching Cathay by way of 

 The North the North East. At the close of the reign of Edward 

 East Voyages, yj ^ Company of Merchant Adventurers was formed ' for 

 the discovery of Regions, Dominions, Islands, and places 

 unknown ' ; Sebastian Cabot, now in advanced old age, 

 was made its governor; and in May, 1553, three ships, 

 under the leadership of Sir Hugh Willoughby and 

 Richard Chancelor, were despatched for the Northern 

 coasts of Asia. They carried with them letters from King 

 Edward VI, written in Latin, and opportunely addressed 

 ' to all Kings, Princes, Rulers, Judges, and Governors of 

 the Earth, and all other having any excellent dignity on 

 the same, in all places under the universal heaven.' 

 Willoughby and Chancelor were separated by a storm, 

 and Willoughby, after reaching Nova Zembla, put back 

 and landed with his two ships' companies on the coast 

 of Lapland. Here they wintered, and here they all 

 Richard died of cold and hunger. Chancelor, with his single 



Chancelor. ^^^^^ j^^j better fortune. He too was obliged to turn 

 back, but he established friendly relations with the 

 fisher folk in the neighbourhood of the White Sea, 

 and, when news of the visit of strangers reached the 

 Emperor of Russia, he was invited with all his com- 

 pany to the Court at Moscow. His account of the 



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