54 LETTERS ON SCIENTIFIC SUBJECTS. 



THOMAS LYDYAT TO SIR HENRY MARTIN. 



[MS. Bodl. 313.] 



To the right worshipful his ever honoured tutor. Sir Henry 

 Martine, Judge of the Court of Admiralty, fyc., in our 

 Lord and Saviotir Christ, health and prosperity of soul, body 

 and whole estate. 



Sir, My request unto you is to move Sir John Wolsten- 

 ham (and whomsoever else you know likely,, after so many 

 defeates and discouragements, to give yet another essay to- 

 wards the finding of the Northern passage to the west of 

 America and the East Indies, so long sought for by olir Eng- 

 lish nation,) to give entertainment to a scholar, the son of a 

 citizen of London, being sorted with a good and discreet 

 captain or master, a skilful pilot and well experienced in the 

 northern icy seas, and some thirty or fourty other, honest, 

 sober and industrious men, to give his best advice, and do 

 his true and best endeavour, for the discovery of the coasts 

 under the North pole, and within ten degrees round about, 

 especially beyond it : and from those parts so discovered, 

 with the trending of the land, and the channels and currents 

 of the sea diligently observed, and the stopping and clearing 

 thereof with and from the ice duly noted and marked, to find 

 out the passages, and fittest passage to the aforementioned 

 places. For which his endeavour and enterprize of discovery 

 of those polar regions undertaken upon hope of good success 

 through Almighty God's gracious guidance, assistance and 

 blessing, he demands the loan, of thirteen hundred pounds to 

 be presently (within this fourtnight) laid down for the pay- 

 ment of his debts, upon good security of lands and goods 

 pawned to the value therof, for four years. Within which 

 time, if the same Polar regions be discovered, then all those 

 lands and goods to be clearly released and resigned to him 

 and his assigns for his recompense, without repay of any 

 money : or in case he die in the voyage, yet if by the occasion 

 and means thereof the aforesaid discovery be made, the same 

 recompense to be made in like manner to his lawful heirs ac- 

 cording to his last will. But, and if it please God of His in- 

 finite mercy, that by the same means the Northern passage 

 be found out as far as to New Albion discovered from the south 

 by Sir Francis Drake on the west part of America, or Japan 

 on the east of Asia ; then, upon the ascertaining of such dis- 

 covery, there shall be added to the former sum seven hundred 

 pounds more, to be paid to him or his assigns by his will. 



