In 1497, John Cabot, a Venetian but representing England, was said to have become the first European since the Norseman Leif Ericson in 1003 to discover the mainland of North America (although the spoilsport British and Canadian governments today say that he actually landed on the island of Newfoundland). Columbus only landed in the Bahamas.
John Cabot was looking for a North West Passage to the East Indies. Most countries were uninterested in him, but still he looked for sponsors. Cabot was refused by both Spain and Portugal before seeking funding from King Henry VII's England and so his explorations were made under the English flag.
But, just two years later, in 1499, a Bristol merchant named William Weston may have become the first actual Englishman to travel to North America.
The discovery has been made by Dr Evan Jones of Bristol University. The main evidence for the voyage comes from a personal letter written by King Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch, to his Lord Chancellor, John Morton, on March 12 1499.
Revealed: Letter from Henry VII that may prove first Englishman sailed to North America in 1499
By Daily Mail Reporter
27th August 2009
Daily Mail
Evidence of what could be the first expedition led by an Englishman to North America, previously unknown by historians, will be published this week.
Dr Evan Jones, a historian at Bristol University, has discovered that a Bristol merchant, William Weston, undertook a voyage to the 'New Found Land' in 1499 just two years after Venetian explorer John Cabot 'discovered' North America.
Cabot led a second, larger, expedition the following year to explore the new land, with support from King Henry VII, but a third expedition undertaken by Weston in 1499 with the support of the King, has remained unknown until now.
Enlarge
The personal letter written by King Henry VII to his Lord Chancellor on 12 March 1499 which historians hope could prove to be evidence of the first expedition led by an Englishman to North America
The main evidence for the voyage comes from a personal letter written by the King to his Lord Chancellor, John Morton, on March 12 1499.
In the letter, Henry VII instructs his minister to suspend an injunction served against Weston in the Court of Chancery because Weston shall shortly 'with God's grace pass and sail for to search and find if he can the new found land'.
While this was an independent voyage, it seems Weston was permitted to undertake it because he was one of Cabot's chief supporters in Bristol, researchers said.
Dr Jones said: 'Henry VII's letter is an exciting find because so little is known about the early English voyages of discovery.
'We knew that our knowledge of the first English expeditions to the New World was very incomplete.
England's King Henry VII, who reigned from 1485-1509 (left), and Venetian explorer John Cabot, who led a series of expeditions to North America under the English flag
'But this is beginning to show just how incomplete it is. Up until now, no one has ever even heard of William Weston. Yet this letter reveals him to be the first Englishman to lead an expedition to North America.'
Although the letter itself does not reveal what Weston achieved, research suggests his expedition took him up into the Labrador Sea, possibly reaching as far as the Hudson Straits.
Dr Jones went on: 'If so, this can probably be counted as the first Northwest Passage expedition, commencing a centuries-long search to locate a sea-route around North America.'
Although the publication of the research is entirely new, Dr Jones said the letter itself was found 30 years ago and mis-catalogued among a bundle of Chancery files in what is now The National Archives.
The research will be published this week in the academic journal Historical Research
dailymail.co.uk
John Cabot was looking for a North West Passage to the East Indies. Most countries were uninterested in him, but still he looked for sponsors. Cabot was refused by both Spain and Portugal before seeking funding from King Henry VII's England and so his explorations were made under the English flag.
But, just two years later, in 1499, a Bristol merchant named William Weston may have become the first actual Englishman to travel to North America.
The discovery has been made by Dr Evan Jones of Bristol University. The main evidence for the voyage comes from a personal letter written by King Henry VII, the first Tudor monarch, to his Lord Chancellor, John Morton, on March 12 1499.
Revealed: Letter from Henry VII that may prove first Englishman sailed to North America in 1499
By Daily Mail Reporter
27th August 2009
Daily Mail
Evidence of what could be the first expedition led by an Englishman to North America, previously unknown by historians, will be published this week.
Dr Evan Jones, a historian at Bristol University, has discovered that a Bristol merchant, William Weston, undertook a voyage to the 'New Found Land' in 1499 just two years after Venetian explorer John Cabot 'discovered' North America.
Cabot led a second, larger, expedition the following year to explore the new land, with support from King Henry VII, but a third expedition undertaken by Weston in 1499 with the support of the King, has remained unknown until now.
Enlarge
The personal letter written by King Henry VII to his Lord Chancellor on 12 March 1499 which historians hope could prove to be evidence of the first expedition led by an Englishman to North America
The main evidence for the voyage comes from a personal letter written by the King to his Lord Chancellor, John Morton, on March 12 1499.
In the letter, Henry VII instructs his minister to suspend an injunction served against Weston in the Court of Chancery because Weston shall shortly 'with God's grace pass and sail for to search and find if he can the new found land'.
While this was an independent voyage, it seems Weston was permitted to undertake it because he was one of Cabot's chief supporters in Bristol, researchers said.
Dr Jones said: 'Henry VII's letter is an exciting find because so little is known about the early English voyages of discovery.
'We knew that our knowledge of the first English expeditions to the New World was very incomplete.
England's King Henry VII, who reigned from 1485-1509 (left), and Venetian explorer John Cabot, who led a series of expeditions to North America under the English flag
'But this is beginning to show just how incomplete it is. Up until now, no one has ever even heard of William Weston. Yet this letter reveals him to be the first Englishman to lead an expedition to North America.'
Although the letter itself does not reveal what Weston achieved, research suggests his expedition took him up into the Labrador Sea, possibly reaching as far as the Hudson Straits.
Dr Jones went on: 'If so, this can probably be counted as the first Northwest Passage expedition, commencing a centuries-long search to locate a sea-route around North America.'
Although the publication of the research is entirely new, Dr Jones said the letter itself was found 30 years ago and mis-catalogued among a bundle of Chancery files in what is now The National Archives.
The research will be published this week in the academic journal Historical Research
dailymail.co.uk
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