FRANCIS WJLLUGHBY. 
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; hi 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 marchant9 adventurers 
for the discoverie of regions, dominions, islands, and 
places unknoweu.” 
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 
