PROGEESS OF DISCOVZEY IX THE XOBTH. 71 



readily permitted other individuals to pursue the 

 humane design, though without effect * 



An unimportant voyage was undertaken bv one 

 Aubert or Hubert, a Frenchman, in the year 1508, 

 wherein he visited Newfoundland ; and another in 

 1524 by Estevan Gomez, a Spaniard or Portugueze, 

 of the result of which little or nothing is known. 

 An English voyage was attempted three years af- 

 terwards towards the North Pole, one of the vessels 

 employed in which was called the Dominus Vobls- 

 cum ; but the proceedings in this first expedition 

 undertaken entirely by the English, for sailing in a 

 northerly direction to India, are little known. 



A few more unimportant voyages undertaken by 

 the French, Spanish, and English, bring us down 

 to the period when the spirit for adventure among 

 our countrymen burst forth, under the auspices of 

 Edward VI., and under the judicious assistance and 

 suggestions of Sebastian Cabot, with a degree of 

 brilliancy scarcely before known. The first vovage 

 undertaken for discovery towards the north-east, was 

 commenced by Sir Hugh Willoughey, in the 

 year 1553, at the charge of *' The Company of Mer- 

 chant Adventurers."' This expedition, consisting of 

 three ships, with a pinnace and a boat belonging to 

 each, left Katcliffe, and dropped dovrn to Deptford,. 



* Barrow's Voyages, p. i'j. 



