A. D. 1496. 1 1 



We now come to the firfl attempt by England fof the dilcovery of 

 unknown countries. King Henry VII, perceiving his error in neglect- 

 ing the propofal of Columbus, thought to retrieve it by his grant on 

 the 5th of March 1495-6, to John Cabot (or Gabota), a citizen of Ve- 

 nice, then fettled at Briflol, and to his fons, Lewis, Sebaftian, and 

 Sanches, authorifuig them to navigate all the parts, countries, and bays 

 of the eaftern, weftern, and northern feas, under the Englifh flag, with 

 five (hips, and as many men as they fliall judge proper, at their own 

 fole colls and charges, to difcover the countries of gentiles or infidels, 

 in whatever part of the world they may be fituated, which have hither- 

 to been unknown to all chriftians * ; with power to them, or any of 

 them, to fet up our banners in any town, caftle, ifland, or continent 

 of the countries fo to be difcovered by them : And fuch of the faid 

 towns, caftles, or iflands, fo found out and fubdued by them, to occupy 

 and pofl^fs, as our vaflals, governors, lieutenants, and deputies, the 

 dominion, title, and jurifdidion thereof, and of the terra firma or con- 

 tinent fo found out remaining to us ; provided (fays this wary king) 

 that out of all the profits, emoluments, advantages, gains and produce 

 arifing from this navigation or expedition, the faid Cabot and fons fliall 

 be obliged to pay us, for each voyage they fliall fo make, on their re- 

 turn to our port of Briflol (to which port they are hereby abfolutely 

 bound to fleer), after all needful cofts and charges are deduded, one 

 fifth part of the whole capital gain, either in merchandize or in mo- 

 ney The faid Cabots to be free from all cufloms on the goods they 



fliall fo import The lands they fliall fo difcover and fubdue ftiall not 



be frequented nor vifited by any others of our fubjeds, without the li- 

 cence of Cabot and his fons, under forfeiture, &c. \_FGedera, V. xii, p. 



595-] 



Here was a fufiicient charter to the Cabots for taking poflefllon of 



all the continent of North America, had they had refolution and means 

 fufllicient for planting what they the following year difcovered ; or ra- 

 ther, had this king had fpirit and generoflty enough to fupport iuch a 

 plantation at his own expenfe, whereby the Englifli would not only 

 have been the firfl difcoverers, but would have kid the ftart of all other 

 nations, in being the firfl planters of the American continent. They 

 fet out (fays lord St. Albans) with one Briflol fliip, and three from 

 London, loaded with grofs and flight wares, and went as far as the 

 north fide of Terra di Labrador, in 67^ degrees of latitude. 



Captain Fox, in his book called the North-Wefl Fox, printed in the 

 year 1635, fays he took the way towards Iceland from beyond the Cape 

 of Labrador, until he found himfelf in 58 degrees and better; thence 

 he failed fouthward along the fliores of America, as tar as the iflc of 



• King Henry evidently pays no regard to the Pope's divlfion of tlie ui.difcoved parts o£ the 

 world between Spain and Portugal. 



B2 



