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JOHN CABOT AND HIS SON SEBASTIAN

From the model by John Cassidy

Residing at Bristol in 1493 was a fellow-countryman of Columbus, John Cabot, a skilful navigator who, like Columbus, believed in the ‘roundness of the earth.’ He had theories of a road to the East by sailing westward, and considered the moment opportune to urge the king and the Bristol merchants to fit out an expedition.

John Cabot, Giovanni Caboto, Zoanne or Zuan Caboto, was a native of Genoa; the date of his birth is unknown. In the year 1476, after fifteen years’ residence in Venice, he became a naturalized citizen. From Venice he wandered to England, and appears to have taken up his residence in London about the year 1484. In a dispatch of Raimondo di Soncino^[1] to the Duke of Milan, dated December 18, 1497, ‘Zoanne Calbot’ is referred to as a Venetian of the lower order, ‘of fine mind, very expert in navigation.’ He had made several voyages to the East, and upon one occasion claims to have been in Mecca, ‘whither the spices are brought by caravan from distant countries, and those who brought them on being asked where the said spices grow, answered that they did not know, but that other caravans come with this merchandize to their homes from distant countries, who again say that they are brought to them from other remote regions.’^[2] From this information Cabot argued that he could reach that fertile land by sailing towards the setting sun.

During the winter of 1495-96 Henry VII and his court paid a visit to Bristol and apparently became interested in the project of Cabot, for on March 5, 1496, letters patent were issued in favour of John Cabot and his three sons, Lewis, Sebastian and Sancio. By this instrument they were given ‘authority faculty and power to sail to all parts regions and coasts of the Eastern Western and Northern Sea under our banners flags and ensigns with five ships or vessels of whatsoever burthen and quality they may be and with so many and such mariners and men as they wish to take with them.’ They were also given licence to ‘set up our aforesaid banners and ensigns in any town city castle island or mainland whatsoever newly found by them.’ But the cautious monarch took no financial risk, and the whole enterprise was to be carried out at ‘their own proper costs and charges.’ Moreover they were bound to pay to the king, either in goods or in money, one-fifth of the whole of the capital gained during each voyage.

Although Cabot was endowed with ample authority and had the patronage of Henry VII, there does not appear to have been any eagerness either on the part of the merchants to risk their money, or on the part of the mariners to risk their lives, in the enterprise, for in May 1497 Cabot found himself with one small vessel, the Matthew of Bristol, manned by a crew of eighteen men. The Matthew set sail from Bristol on May 2 under the command of John Cabot. Among the crew was Sebastian Cabot, who also accompanied his father on his second voyage, and who later became the most distinguished navigator of his time in Europe. The objective point of the voyage was Cathay, where was the city of Cambaluc, the residence of the Grand Khan. ‘And having passed Ireland, which is still further to the west and then shaped a northerly course, he began to navigate to the eastern parts, leaving (during several days) the North star to the right; and having wandered about considerably, at length he fell in with terra firma’ on June 24. The exact place where Cabot landed is not known, and the natural desire to locate it has given rise to much controversy. From the La Cosa map and the map of Sebastian Cabot it appears to have been a point on the coast of Cape Breton.

After he had set up the royal standard and the flag of St Mark, for which he had no warrant, he took possession of the land in the name of King Henry VII. The climate pleased Cabot greatly, and he believed he had reached the north-eastern extremity of Asia, whence came the silks and spices which he had seen at Mecca. No people were visible, although, from the fact that snares were set for game and some trees notched, he knew the country to be inhabited. It is interesting to note in connection with this voyage that the English took formal possession of a part of North America thirteen months before Columbus beheld the mainland of the continent at Venezuela. Cabot was ill equipped for a lengthy sojourn in the ‘New Land’ even if he had been inclined to tarry, and having taken wood and water on board he prepared for the return voyage. To Cape Ray he appears to have given the name of St George’s Cape, and St Pierre and Miquelon and Langlade he named the Trinity group. The homeward passage was made without difficulty, and on August 6, 1497, the Matthew dropped anchor in Bristol harbour. Cabot repaired at once to court, where he received an enthusiastic welcome and a gift of ten pounds for having ‘found the new isle.’ Although this reward seems to be trivial, the purchasing power of ten pounds at that time was far greater than it is to-day.

The sovereign was evidently pleased with the result of the voyage, and promised a large fleet for the expedition to Cipangu in the spring. Meanwhile, on December 13, 1497, the king, by letters patent, ‘For certaine considerations us specially moevying have yeven and graunted unto our welbiloved John Calbot of the parties of Venice an annuitie or annuel rent of twenty poundes sterling.’

With money at his command Cabot seems to have bestowed some care on his personal appearance, and a part of the king’s bounty was expended in the purchase of a silk doublet and hose. Arrayed in these he was made much of by the merchants of London during the winter of 1497, ‘nor does my Lord the Admiral esteem himself less than a prince.’^[3]

In the meantime he was active and diplomatic in securing a crew for a second voyage. To a Genoese barber he promised an island, while several poor Italian monks were promised bishoprics.^[4] The king also appears to have assisted in this work by gifts of money to some of those who agreed to accompany Cabot.

On February 3, 1498, letters patent were issued in favour of John Cabot for his second voyage. In this document Cabot was given authority to take six English ships; but when the expedition sailed early in May it consisted of two ships with a crew of three hundred men. Several vessels accustomed to trade with Iceland appear to have accompanied the ships, but not as a part of the expedition. The voyage was a stormy one, and one of the small vessels which sailed with the fleet was forced to return. At length, early in June, Cabot sighted the east coast of Greenland, which he named ‘Labrador’s Land.’^[5] To a man in search of a passage to that elusive land whence came the silks and spices to the mart of Mecca the appearance of this barren coast must have been a keen disappointment, and it is not surprising to learn that on June 11 the crews mutinied and refused to proceed farther north. Cabot was therefore obliged to alter his course and seek for an opening farther south.^[6] On reaching the east coast of Newfoundland ‘great plentie of beares was found which use to eat fysshe: for plungeinge theym selves into the water where they perceve a multitude of these fysshes to lye, they fasten theyr clawes in theyr scales and so drawe them to lande and eate them.’^[7]

The details of the voyage are fragmentary, but we learn that after proceeding along the coast of Nova Scotia and New England and reaching the parallel of 38° near Chesapeake Bay, the vessels shaped their course for England, where some of them probably arrived in the autumn.

The fate of Cabot is unknown. His grave remains unmarked. The pension of £20 from September 29, 1497, to September 29, 1498, and from 1498 to 1499 was drawn from the Treasury, but whether by himself or by his heirs there is no evidence. It was not a pleasing story that he could relate, only a record of failure and disappointment; for honest endeavour uncrowned by success appeals not to the soul of commerce. Nevertheless the discovery of a narrative of this voyage from his pen would be regarded as a national treasure. Cabot’s work was not in vain. By his discovery of the mainland of North America he brought glory to the English name, and posterity has not been unmindful of his memory.

[1]	Cited in Biggar’s Precursors of Cartier, p. 17.

[2]	Ibid., p. 19.

[3]	Biggar, Precursors of Cartier, p. 21.

[4]

‘I have also talked with a Burgundian, a companion of Master Zoanne’s who confirms everything and wishes to return there because the Admiral (for thus Master Zoanne now styles himself) has given him an island; and he has given another to a barber of his from Genoese Castiglione, and both of them consider themselves counts, nor does my Lord the Admiral esteem himself less than a prince. I think that on this voyage will also go some poor Italian monks who all have promises of bishoprics. And having become a friend of the Admiral’s, if I wish to go I should have an archbishopric.’—Ibid.

[5]	João Fernandez, called llavrador, who made his way from Iceland to Greenland about 1492, was the first to tell Cabot of this country. Biggar, Precursors of Cartier, p. 12.

[6]	Biggar, Precursors of Cartier, p. 14.

[7]

Ibid.