The New Navigation and Discovery of the Kingdom of Muscovy | Page 5

think
with themselves how this mischief might be remedied: neither was a
remedy (as it then appeared) wanting to their desires for the avoiding of
so great an inconvenience: for seeing that the wealth of the Spaniards
and Portuguese, by the discovery and search of new trades and
countries, was marvellously increased, supposing the same to be a
course and means for them also to obtain the like, they thereupon
resolved upon a new and strange navigation. And whereas at the same
time one Sebastian Cabot, a man in those days very renowned,
happened to be in London, they began first of all to deal and consult
diligently with him, and after much speech and conference together, it
was at last concluded that three ships should be prepared and furnished
out for the search and discovery of the Northern part of the world, to
open a way and passage to our men for travel to new and unknown
kingdoms.
And whereas many things seemed necessary to be regarded in this so
hard and difficult a matter, they first made choice of certain grave and
wise persons in manner of a senate or company which should lay their
heads together and give their judgments and provide things requisite
and profitable for all occasions; by this company it was thought
expedient that a certain sum of money should publicly be collected to
serve for the furnishing of so many ships. And lest any private man
should be too much oppressed and charged, a course was taken that
every man willing to be of the society should disburse the portion of
twenty and five pounds apiece, so that in a short time by this means the
sum of six thousand pounds being gathered, the three ships were
bought, the most part whereof they provided to be newly built and
trimmed. But in this action, I wot not whether I may more admire the
care of the merchants, or the diligence of the shipwrights: for the
merchants, they get very strong and well seasoned planks for the
building, the shipwrights, they with daily travail and their greatest skill,
do fit them for the dispatch of the ships, they caulk them, pitch them,
and among the rest, they make one most staunch and firm, by an
excellent and ingenious invention. For they had heard that in certain
parts of the ocean a kind of worm is bred which many times pierceth
and eateth through the strongest oak that is, and therefore that the
mariners and the rest to be employed in this voyage might be free and

safe from this danger, they cover a piece of the keel of the ship with
thin sheets of lead; and having thus built the ships, and furnished them
with armour and artillery, then followed a second care no less
troublesome and necessary than the former, namely the provision of
victuals which was to be made according to the time and length of the
voyage. And whereas they afore determined to have the east part of the
world sailed unto, and yet that the sea towards the same was not open,
except they kept the northern tract where as yet it was doubtful whether
there were any passage yea or no, they resolved to victual the ships for
eighteen months, which they did for this reason. For our men being to
pass that huge and cold part of the world, they wisely foreseeing it,
allow them six months' victual to sail to the place, so much more to
remain there if the extremity of the winter hindered their return, and so
much more also for the time of their coming home.
Now this provision being made and carried aboard, with armour and
munition of all sorts, sufficient captains and governors of so great an
enterprise were as yet wanting: to which office and place, although
many men (and some void of experience) offered themselves, yet one
Sir Hugh Willoughbie, a most valiant gentleman, and well born, very
earnestly requested to have that care and charge committed unto him:
of whom before all others, both by reason of his goodly personage (for
he was of a tall stature) as also for his singular skill in the services of
war, the Company of the merchants made greatest account: so that at
the last they concluded and made choice of him for the general of this
voyage, and appointed to him the admiral, with authority and command
over all the rest. And for the government of the other ships although
divers men seemed willing, and made offers of themselves thereunto,
yet by a common consent one Richard Chanceler, a man of great
estimation for many good parts of wit in him, was elected, in whom
alone great hope for the performance of this