50 THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. [chap. 



reaching the Indian seas by this route, that they caused the 

 ships that were placed at Sir Hugh Willoughby's disposal to be 

 sheathed with lead in order to protect them from the attacks of 

 the teredo and other worms. ^ These vessels were : — 



1. The Bona Esperanza, admiral of the fleet, of 120 tons 

 burden, on board of which was Sir Hugh Willoughby himself, 

 as captain general of the fleet. The number of persons in this 

 ship, including Willoughby, the master of the vessel, William 

 Getferson, and six merchants, was thirty -five. 



2. The Edivard Bmiaventure, of 160 tons burden, the command 

 of which was given to Richard Chancelor, captain and pilot 

 major of the fleet. There were on board this vessel fifty men, 

 including two merchants. Among the crew whose names are 

 given in Hakluyt we find the name of Stephen Burrough, 

 afterwards renowned in tlie history of the north-east passage, 

 and that of Arthur Pet. 



3. The Bona Confide-ntia, of ninety tons, under command of 

 Cornelius Durfoorth, with twenty-eight men, including three 

 merchants. 



The expense of fitting out the vessels amounted to a sum 

 of £6,000, divided into shares of £25. Sir Hugh Willoughby 

 was chosen commander " both by reason of his goodly personage 

 (for he was of tall stature) as also for his singular skill in the 

 services of warre." ^ In order to ascertain the nature of the 

 lands of the east, two " Tartars " who were employed at the 

 royal stables were consulted, but without any information 

 being obtained from them. The ships left Ratchffe the -f^th 

 May 1553.^ They were towed down by the boats, "the 

 mariners being apparelled in watchet or skie coloured cloth," 

 with a favourable wind to Greenwich, where the court then was. 

 The King being unwell could not be present, but " the courtiers 

 came running out, and the common people flockt together, 

 standing very thicke upon the shoare ; the Privie Consel, they 

 lookt out at the windowes of the court, and the rest ran up to 

 the toppes of the towers ; the shippes hereupon discharge their 

 ordinance, and shoot off their pieces after the maner of warre, and 

 of the sea, insomuch that the tops of the hilles sounded there- 

 with, the valleys and the waters gave an echo, and the mariners 



^ According to Clement Adams' account of the voyage, {Halcluyt, 1st 

 edition, p. 271.) 



2 " Cum ob corporis f ormam (erat enim procerse staturge) turn ob singu- 

 larem in re bellica industriam." Clement Adams' account. — Hakluyt, 

 p. 271. 



3 Ten days earlier or later are of very great importance with respect to 

 the state of the ice in summer in the Polar seas. I have, therefore, in 

 quoting from the travels of my predecessors, reduced the old style to 

 the new. 



