ivy Council to advance money for his removal to England, and
on the 5th of January 1549 the king granted him a pension of L166, 13s. 4d.
On Charles V. objecting to this proceeding, the Privy Council, on the zist
of April 1550, made answer that since "Cabot of himself refused to go
either into Spayne or to the emperour, no reason or equitie wolde that he
shulde be forced or compelled to go against his will." A fresh application
to Queen Mary on the 9th of September 1553 likewise proved of no avail.

On the 26th of June 1550 Cabot received L200 "by waie of the kinges
Majesties rewarde," but it is not clear whether this was for his services
in putting down the privileges of the German Merchants of the Steelyard or
for founding the company of Merchant Adventurers incorporated on the 18th
of December 1551. Of this company Cabot was made governor for life. Three
ships were sent out in May 1553 to search for a passage to the East by the
north-east. Two of the vessels were caught in the ice near Arzina and the
crews frozen to death. Chancellor's vessel alone reached the White Sea,
whence her captain made his way overland to Moscow. He returned to England
in the summer of 1554 and was the means of opening up a very considerable
trade with Russia. Vessels were again despatched to Russia in 1555 and
1556. On the departure of the "Searchthrift" in May 1556, "the good old
gentleman Master Cabot gave to the poor most liberal alms, wishing them to
pray for the good fortune and prosperous success of the 'Searchthrift'; and
then, at the sign of the Christopher, he and his friends banqueted and made
them that were in the company good cheer; and for very joy that he had to
see the towardness of our intended discovery, he entered into the dance
himself among the rest of the young and lusty company." On the arrival of
King Philip II. in England Cabot's pension was stopped on the 26th of May
1557, but three days later Mary had it renewed. The date of Cabot's death
has not been definitely discovered. It is supposed that he died within the
year.

See G.P. Winship, _Cabot Bibliography, with an Introductory Essay on the
Careers of the Cabots_ (London, 1900); and H.P. Biggar, "The Voyages of the
Cabots to North America and Greenland," in the _Revue Hispanique_, tome x.
pp. 485-593 (Paris, 1903).

(H. P. B.)

[1] Nothing further is known of Lewis and Santius.

[2] The dates are conjectural. Richard Eden (_Decades of the Newe Worlde_,
f. 255) s