FRANCIS WILLUGHBY. 45 



and Willughby of Wollaton, were united in 

 Sir Francis Willughby, Knight, the father of 

 the subject of this memoir. He was the son of 

 Sir Perceval Willughby, Knight, of the house of 



Some account of this unfortunate expedition may not 

 be unacceptable. 



Sebastian Cabot, a native of Venice, arrived in England, 

 and settled at Bristol in the reign of Henry VII. That 

 monarch, disappointed in his hopes of forming an engage- 

 ment with Columbus, gladly extended his protection to 

 Cabot, whose reputation was scarcely inferior to that of 

 the celebrated Genoese. Accordingly, Cabot received 

 from him a patent, dated March 5, 1496, " to go in search 

 of unknown lands, and to conquer, and to settle them." 

 Cabot "concluding, by reason of the sphere, that if he 

 could sail by the north-west, he should, by a shorter 

 tract, come to India, he advertised the king thereon, who 

 immediately commanded two caravels to be furnished with 

 all things appertayning to the voyage, which was, as far as 

 he remembers, in the year 1496, in the beginning of sum- 

 mer." 



The result of the voyage disappointed his expectations, 

 and he retired to Spain. He returned to England, how- 

 ever, in the year 1548, when Henry VIII. was on the 

 throne ; and on the accession of Edward VI. he was 

 created pilot major," and made " governor of the 

 mysterie and company of the marchants adventurers 

 for the discoverie of regions, dominions, islands, and 

 places unknowen." 



By his advice, and under his direction, a voyage was 

 undertaken for the discovery of a north-east passage to 

 Cathay. Three ships were accordingly fitted out for the 

 enterprise, of which Sir Hugh de Willoughby was appoin- 

 ted captain -general. 



So confident of success were the promoters of this 

 design, that they omitted no precautions, which were 



