The Legal Battle and Spiritual War against the Native People
Patent Granted by King
Henry VII
to John Cabot and his Sons
March 5, 1496
| Reproduced from H.P. Biggar, ed., The Precursors of Jacques Cartier 1497-1534: A Collection of Documents relating to the Early History of the Dominion of Canada (Ottawa: Government Printing Bureau 1911) 7-10. Original document housed in the Public Record Office, London. By this public document, Henry VII indicated his official, royal support for Cabot's enterprise. As an agent of the English Crown, Cabot was empowered to investigate, claim and possess lands "which before this time were unknown to all Christians" - which meant he could not intrude on Spanish and Portuguese discoveries. The king would receive one fifth of the value of merchandise brought back to Bristol, though he had invested no money of his own. |
"For John Cabot and his Sons.
The King, to all to whom, etc. Greeting: Be it known and made manifest
that we have given and granted as by these presents we give and grant,
for us and our heirs, to our well beloved John Cabot, citizen of Venice,
and to Lewis, Sebastian and Sancio, sons of the said John, and to the
heirs and deputies of them, and of any one of them, full and free 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 burden and quality they may be, and with
so many and such mariners and men as they may wish to take with them in
the said ships, at their own proper costs and charges, to find, discover
and investigate whatsoever islands, countries, regions or provinces of
heathens and infidels, in whatsoever part of the world placed, which before
this time were unknown to all Christians. We have also granted to
them and to any of them, and to the heirs and deputies of them and of
any one of them, and have given license to set up our aforesaid banners
and ensigns in any town, city, castle, island or mainland whatsoever,
newly found by them. And that the before-mentioned John and his sons or
their heirs and deputies may conquer, occupy and possess whatsoever such
towns, castles, cities and islands by them thus discovered that they may
be able to conquer, occupy and possess, as our vassals and governors lieutenants
and deputies therein, acquiring for us the dominion, title and jurisdiction
of the same towns, castles, cities, islands and mainlands so discovered;
in such a way nevertheless that of all the fruits, profits, emoluments,
commodities, gains and revenues accruing from this voyage, the said John
and sons and their heirs and deputies shall be bound and under obligation
for their every voyage, as often as they shall arrive at our port of Bristol,
at which they are bound and holden only to arrive, all necessary charges
and expenses incurred by them having been deducted, to pay to us, either
in goods or money, the fifth part of the whole capital gained, we giving
and granting to them and to their heirs and deputies, that they shall
be free and exempt from all payment of customs on all and singular the
goods and merchandise that they may bring back with them from those places
thus newly discovered.
And further we have given and granted to them and to their heirs and deputies,
that all mainlands, islands, towns, cities, castles and other places whatsoever
discovered by them, however numerous they may happen to be, may not be
frequented or visited by any other subjects of ours whatsoever without
the license of the aforesaid John and his sons and of their deputies,
on pain of the loss as well of the ships or vessels daring to sail to
these places discovered, as of all goods whatsoever. Willing and strictly
commanding all and singular our subjects as well by land as by sea, that
they shall render good assistance to the aforesaid John and his sons and
deputies, and that they shall give them all their favor and help as well
in fitting out the ships or vessels as in buying stores and provisions
with their money and in providing the other things which they must take
with them on the said voyage."
In witness whereof, etc.
Witness ourself at Westminster on the fifth day of March.
By the King himself, etc.