58 
THE VOYAGE OF THE VEGA. 
[chap. 
power of Spain and Portugal by sea, and their jealousy of other 
countries rendered it impossible at that period for foreign sea- 
farers to carry on traffic in the East-Asiatic countries, which 
had been sketched by Marco Polo with so attractive accounts of 
unheard-of richness in gold and jewels, in costly stuffs, in spices 
and perfumes. In order that the merchants of northern Europe 
might obtain a share of the profit, it appeared to be necessary 
to discover new routes, inaccessible to the armadas of the 
Pyrenean peninsula. Here lies the explanation of the zeal with 
which the English and the Dutch, time after time, sent out 
vessels, equipped at great expense, in search of a new way to 
India and China, either by the Pole, by the north-west, along 
the north coast of the new world, or by the north-east, along 
the north coast of the old. The voyages first ceased when the 
maritime supremacy of Spain and Portugal was broken. By 
none of them was the intended object gained, but it is remark¬ 
able that in any case they gave the first start to the development 
of England’s ocean navigation. 
Sir Hugh Willoughby’s in 1553 was thus the first maritime 
expedition undertaken on a large scale, which was sent from 
England to far distant seas. The equipment of the vessels 
was carried out with great care under the superintendence of 
the famous navigator, Sebastian Cabot, then an old mau, wffio 
also gave the commander precise instructions how he should 
behave in the different incidents of the voyage. Some of these 
instructions now indeed appear rather childish,^ but others 
might still be used as rules for every well-ordered exploratory 
expedition. Sir Hugh besides obtained from Edward VI. an 
Scandinavia have thus in our days a greater sea-going fleet than London 
had at that time. 
1 For instance Article 30: ‘^Item, if you shall see them [the foreigners 
met with during the voyage] weare Lyons or Bears skinnes, hauing long 
l)owes, and arrowes, be not afraid of that sight: for such be worne often¬ 
times more to feare strangers, then for any other cause.” (HalduyL 1st 
edition, p. 262.) 
