SIR HUGH WILLOUGHBY. 
277 
again passing in sight of Bear Island, proceeded in 
a south-east direction to Nova Zembla, where his 
ships got entangled in the ice, and he subsequently 
perished. 
Towards the close of the sixteenth century, in spite 
of repeated failures, one endeavour after another was 
made to penetrate to India across these fatal waters. 
The first English vessel that sailed on the dis¬ 
astrous quest was the “ Bona Esperanza ,” in the last 
year of King Edward YI. Her commander was Sir 
Hugh Willoughby, and we have still extant a copy 
of the instructions drawn up by Sebastian Cabot—the 
Grand Pilot of England, for his guidance. Nothing can 
be more pious than the spirit in which this ancient 
document is conceived; expressly enjoining that morn¬ 
ing and evening prayers should be offered on board 
every ship attached to the expedition, and that neither 
dicing, carding, tabling, nor other devilish devices— 
were to be permitted. Here and there were clauses 
of a more questionable morality,—recommending that 
natives of strange lands be “ enticed on board, and 
made drunk with your beer and wine; for then you 
shall know the secrets of their hearts.” The whole 
