uities.

[Sidenote: Cabots voyage (from Bristol) wherein he discouered Newfound land
and the Northerne parts of that land, and from thence almost as farre as
Florida.[20]] In the 13. yeere of K. Henry the 7. (by meanes of one Iohn
Cabot a Venetian which made himselfe very expert and cunning in knowledge
of the circuit of the world and Ilands of the same, as by a Sea card and
other demonstrations reasonable he shewed) the King caused to man and
victuall a ship at Bristow, to search for an Island, which he said hee knew
well was rich, and replenished with great commodities: Which shippe thus
manned and victualled at the kings cost, diuers Merchants of London
ventured in her small stocks, being in her as chiefe patron the said
Venetian. And in the company of the said ship, sailed also out of Bristow
three or foure small ships fraught with sleight and grosse marchandizes, as
course cloth, caps, laces, points and other trifles. And so departed from
Bristow in the beginning of May, of whom in this Maiors time returned no
tidings.

Of three Sauages which Cabot brought home and presented vnto the King in
the foureteenth yere of his raigne, mentioned by the foresaid Robert
Fabian.

This yeere also were brought vnto the king three men taken in the Newfound
Island that before I spake of, in William Purchas time being Maior: These
were clothed in beasts skins, and did eate raw flesh, and spake such speach
that no man could vnderstand them, and in their demeanour like to bruite
beastes, whom the King kept a time after. Of the which vpon two yeeres
after, I saw two apparelled after the maner of Englishmen in Westminster
pallace, which that time I could not discerne from Englishmen, til I was
learned what they were, but as for speach, I heard none of them vtter one
word.

* * * * *

A briefe extract concerning the discouene of Newfound-land, taken out of
the booke of M. Robert Thorne, to Doctor Leigh, &c.

I Reason, that as some sicknesses are hereditarie, so this inclination or
desire of this discouerie I inherited from my father, which with another
marchant of Bristol named Hugh Eliot, were the discouerours of the
Newfound-lands; of the which there is no doubt (as nowe plainely appeareth)
if the mariners would then haue bene ruled, and followed their Pilots
minde, but the lands of the West Indies, from whence all the golde cometh,
had bene ours; for all is one coast as by the Card appeare