of the Earth in all
places under the universal heaven," including those "inhabiting the
north-east parts of the world toward the mighty Empire of Cathay."

Sir Hugh Willoughby, "a most valiant gentleman," hoisted the English
flag on the _Bona Esperanza_, a good little ship of one hundred and
twenty tons. The next in command was Richard Chancellor, "a man of
great estimation for many good parts of wit in him," who sailed the
_Edward Bonadventure_, which though not so fast as the flag-ship, was
slightly larger. So certain were the promoters that the ships would
reach the hot climates beyond Cathay that they had them sheathed with
lead to protect them from worms which had proved so destructive in
the tropics before.

The account of the start of these first English Arctic explorers is
too quaint to be passed in silence. "It was thought best that by the
20th of May the Captains and Mariners should take shipping and depart
if it pleased God. They, having saluted their acquaintance, one his
wife, another his children, another his kinsfolk, and another his
friends dearer than his kinsfolk, were ready at the day appointed.
The greater ships are towed down with boats and oars, and the mariners,
being all apparelled in sky-coloured cloth, made way with diligence.
And being come near to Greenwich (where the Court then lay), the
Courtiers came running out and the common people flocked together,
standing very thick upon the shore: the Privy Council, they looked
out of the windows of the Court, and the rest ran up to the tops of
the towers, and the mariners shouted in such sort that the sky rang
again with the noise thereof. But, alas! the good King Edward--he only
by reason of his sickness was absent from this show."

The ships dropped down to Woolwich with the tide and coasted along
the east coast of England till "at the last with a good wind they hoisted
up sail and committed themselves to the sea, giving their last adieu
to their native country--many of them could not refrain from tears."
Richard Chancellor himself had left behind two little sons, and his
poor mind was tormented with sorrow and care.

By the middle of July the North Sea had been crossed, and the three
small ships were off the shores of Norway, coasting among the islands
and fiords that line that indented kingdom. Coasting still northward,
Willoughby led his ships to the Lofoten Islands, "plentifully
inhabited by very gentle people" under the King of Denmark. T