.'■] 



WILLOUGHBY'S VOYAGE. 



49 



England to f;ir distant seas. The equipment of the vessels 

 was carried out with great care under the superintendence of 

 the famous navigator, Sebastian Cabot, then an old man, who 

 also gave the commander precise instructions how he should 

 behave in the different incidents of the voyage. Some of these 

 instructions now indeed appear rather childish,^ but others 

 might still be used as rules for every well-ordered exploratory 

 expedition. Sir Hugh besides obtained from Edward VI. an 

 open letter A\Titten in Latin, Greek, and several other languages, 

 in which it was stated that discoveries and the makinof of com- 



SEBASTIAN CABOT. 



After a portrait in E. Vale Blake's Arctic Experiences, London, 1874.2 



mercial treaties were the sole objects ot the expedition ; and the 

 people, with whom the expedition might come in contact, were 

 requested to treat Sir Hugh Willoughby as they themselves 

 would wish to be treated in case they should come to England. 

 So sanguine were the promoters of the voyage of its success in 



^ For instance Article .SO: "Item, if you shall see them [the foreigners 

 met with during the voyage] weare Lyons or Bears skinnes, hauing long 

 bowes, and arrowes, be not afraid of that sight : for such be worne often- 

 times more to feare strangers, then for any other cause." {Hakluyt, 1st 

 edition, p. 262.) 



- The endeavour to procure for this work a copy of an original portrait 

 of Cabot, stated to be in existence in England, has unfortunately not been 

 crowned with success. 



E 



