CH. X] 
Sir Martin Fr obis her 
83 
in divers affairs for Henry VIII. After keeping his son 
at school until he was 13, he sent him to France and 
Flanders to learn the language. Michael afterwards 
passed through nearly all the countries of Christendom, 
had command of a large ship in the Levant trade for 
three years, and then settled in London as a merchant. 
He was an ardent geographer, and had made a large 
collection of books, maps, and instruments. He became 
an enthusiastic partner of Frobisher, and they together 
began to sell shares in the venture, and succeeded in 
raising £875 for the projected voyage. This sum was 
quite inadequate, but Lock patriotically came forward 
and guaranteed the rest on his own personal security. 
Two small vessels, the Michael of 25 tons, and the 
Gabriel of 20 tons, were fitted out in the Thames, with 
a small pinnace of 7 tons to be used in going ahead to 
sound and look out, and to explore bays and inlets. 
Michael Lock's maps and charts were diligently examined 
and discussed, and frequent councils were held at which 
Frobisher and Lock were assisted by Stephen Burrough, 
Sir Humphrey Gilbert, and the learned Dr Dee. The 
master and mate of the Gabriel, Christopher Hall and 
James Best, also received instructions from Dr Dee in 
the use of instruments and in computation. At length 
all was ready. On June 17th, 1576, the little squadron 
anchored off Greenwich Palace, and fired a salute. The 
Queen stood at an open window and waved her hand, 
also sending the adventurers a gracious message that she 
had " good liking of their doings." Proceeding down 
the river the crew received the Sacrament at Gravesend, 
and on the 18th Harwich was left astern and the voyage 
began. 
Passing the Shetland Islands on June 26th a furious 
gale was encountered and the little pinnace foundered 
with the loss of four men. The Michael, commanded by 
one Owen Gryffyn, deserted soon afterwards and re- 
turned with a report that the Gabriel was lost. Frobisher 
held resolutely on his way and sighted the south coast 
of Greenland, which was "supposed to be a (fabulous) 
land shown on the fanciful Zeno chart with which he 
was supplied and called Frieslanda. The little Gabriel 
continued her westward course with 18 men all told, 
