whom these presents shall
come, sendeth greeting. Know yee that we, in consideration of the good and
acceptable seruice done, and to be done, vnto vs by our beloued seruant
Sebastian Cabota, of our speciall grace, certaine knowledge, meere motion,
and by the aduice and counsel of our most honourable vncle Edward duke of
Somerset gouernour of our person, and Protector of our kingdomes,
dominions, and subiects, and of the rest of our Counsaile, haue giuen and
granted, and by these presents do giue and graunt to the said Sebastian
Cabota, a certaine annuitie, or yerely reuenue of one hundreth, three-score
and sixe pounds, thirteene shillings foure pence sterling, to haue, enioy,
and yerely receiue the foresaid annuitie, or yerely reuenue, to the
foresaid Sebastian Cabota during his natural life, out of our Treasurie at
the receit of our Exchequer at Westminster, at the hands of our Treasurers
and paymasters, there remayning for the time being, at the feasts of the
Annuntiation of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist,
S. Michael the Archangel, and the Natiuitie of our Lord, to be paid by
equal portions.

And further, of our more speciall grace, and by the aduise and consent
aforesaide wee doe giue, and by these presents do graunt vnto the
aforesaide Sebastian Cabota, so many, and so great summes of money as the
saide annuitie or yeerely reuenue of an hundreth, three-score and sixe
pounds, thirteene shillings 4. pence, doeth amount and rise vnto from the
feast of S. Michael the Archangel last past vnto this present time, to be
had and receiued by the aforesaid Sebastian Cabota, and his assignes out of
our aforesaid Treasurie, at the handes of our aforesaide Treasurers, and
officers of our Exchequer of our free gift without accompt, or any thing
else therefore to be yeelded, payed, or made, to vs, our heires or
successours, forasmuch as herein expresse mention is made to the contrary.

In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our Letters to be made patents:
Witnesse the King at Westminster the sixt day of Ianuarie, in the second
yeere of his raigne. The yeere of our Lord 1548.

* * * * *

A discourse written by Sir Humphrey Gilbert Knight,[21] to proue a passage
by the Northwest to Cathaia, and the East Indies.