2. In the year 1496, Henry VII., king of England, gave authority to John Cabot, and his son, Sebastian Cabot, "to sail to all parts of the east, west, and north, under the royal banner of England, to discover countries of the heathen unknown to Christians; to set up the king's banner there; to occupy and possess, as his subjects, such places as they could subdue;" giving them the rule and jurisdiction of the same, to be holden on condition of paying to the king a part of their gains.

3. In the year 1497, the Cabots discovered the continent of America. The point of land first discovered by them. was called Prima Vista, and is generally believed to be part of Labrador or Newfoundland. They sailed along the coast towards the Gulf of Mexico, and having procured a valuable cargo, they returned to England, carrying several of the natives with them. This discovery constituted the foundation of the title by which England afterwards claimed the territories which they subsequently acquired. In 1498, Columbus discovered South America.

4. But little was accomplished by the subjects of the government of England, in making discoveries, during the subsequent eighty years. In 1509, Henry VII. died, and Henry VIII. ascended the throne, at the age of eighteen. At that time, the treasury was well supplied, the nation was at peace, and the country was prosperous. The young king was of good personal appearance, accomplished manners, possessed of fine talents and considerable learning. As his character was developed, he

2. To whom did Henry VII., king of England, grant a charter? When? What were they authorized to do under their charter? Upon what condition were they to hold the lands they should discover, and of which they should take possession?

3. In what year did the Cabots discover North America? What place did they first discover? Of what did this discovery form the foundation? In what year did Columbus discover South America?

4. For what time were further discoveries suspended by the English? Who succeeded Henry VII.? When? At what age? What was the condition of England at that time? What description is given of the young king? What did he subsequently prove to be?

proved himself to be an unprincipled and cruel tyrant. His government was but little short of despotism.

5. At the age of thirty, he wrote a book on the Seven Sacraments against Luther, the Reformer, which pleased the pope so much, that he conferred on him the title of "Defender of the Faith," a title which his successors have ever since retained. He married six wives. His first wife was Catharine of Aragon, the widow of his eldest brother. After living with her for eighteen years, he professed to feel conscientious scruples, on account of her having been the wife of his brother, and applied to the pope for a divorce. The pope failing to grant the divorce, the king caused a court to be held, which pronounced his marriage invalid. The papal jurisdiction in England was immediately abolished (1534), the monasteries suppressed, and the king was declared the supreme head of the English Church. Though Henry ceased to be a Roman Catholic, he was far from being a Protestant. He arrogated to himself infallibility, and condemned to death. both Catholics and Protestants who ventured to maintain opinions in opposition to his own.

6. His second wife was Anne Boleyn. In less than three years after his marriage, he caused her to be condemned and beheaded. The next day after her execution he was married to Jane Seymour, who died soon after giving birth to Prince Edward. His fourth wife was Anne of Cleves, from whom he was soon after divorced. His fifth wife was Catherine Howard, who was condemned and executed, under the charge of adultery. His sixth wife was Catherine Parr, who survived the

5. What book did he write? At what age? What title did the pope confer upon him? How many wives did he marry? Who was his first wife? How long did he live with her? On what ground did he apply to the pope to grant a divorce? When the pope failed to grant the divorce, what did the king then do? Of what was the king then declared the supreme head? What did he arrogate to himself? Whom did he

condemn to death?

6. Who was his second wife? How did he dispose of her? Who was his third wife? Who was his fourth wife? How did he dispose of her? Who was his fifth wife? How did he dispose of her? Who was his

king. At his death, he left three children-Mary, daughter of Catharine of Aragon; Elizabeth, daughter of Anne Boleyn; and Edward, son of Jane Seymour. Edward succeeded his father, with the title of Edward VI. At his death, Mary succeeded to the throne (1553), and the Catholic religion was restored. After a reign of five years, she died, leaving few to lament her death.

7. Mary was succeeded by Elizabeth, in 1558. Her accession to the throne was hailed by the nation with joyful acclamations. She had a long and auspicious reign of more than forty years, during which tranquillity was maintained in her dominions. The Protestant religion was restored and protected. The Church of England was established in its present form. The nation rose rapidly from the rank of a secondary kingdom to a level with the first States of Europe, and attained a higher state of prosperity than it had ever before known, in agriculture, commerce, the arts, literature, and science. This period, which has been considered as the Augustan age of English literature, was made illustrious by the great names of Hooker, Bacon, Spenser, and Shakspeare. Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler were also the contemporaries of Elizabeth.

8. In the year 1578, being eighty-one years after the discovery of the continent of America by the Cabots, Queen Elizabeth granted a charter to Sir Humphrey Gilbert, authorizing him "to discover and take possession of all remote and barbarous lands unoccupied by any Christian power or people; vesting in him the full right of property in the soil of those countries of which he should

sixth wife? What children did he leave at his death? Who succeeded to the throne? Who succeeded Edward VI.? What was the character of her reign?

7. Who succeeded Mary? When? How long did she reign? What religion did she favor? What effect did her reign have upon the nation? What effect upon their literature? What are the prominent names of literary men of England at that time?

8. When was the second expedition sent to America from England? How long after the discovery by the Cabots? By whom, and to whom, was the charter granted? Of what lands did it authorize him to take

take possession; empowering him, his heirs and assigns, to dispose of whatever portion of those lands he should judge meet, to persons settled there, in fee-simple, according to the laws of England; and ordaining that all the lands granted to Gilbert should hold of the crown of England, by homage, on payment of one-fifth part of the gold and silver ore found there.

9. The charter also gave Gilbert, his heirs and assigns, full power to convict, punish, pardon, govern, and rule, by their good discretion and policy, as well in cases capital or criminal as civil, all persons who should, from time to time, settle within the said countries. It declared that all who settled there should have and enjoy all the privileges of free denizens and natives of England, any law, custom, or usage to the contrary notwithstanding; and, finally, it prohibited all persons from attempting to settle within two hundred leagues of any place which Sir Hum phrey Gilbert, or his associates, should have occupied, during the space of six years.

10. Invested with these extraordinary powers, Gilbert crossed the ocean, and arrived at St. John's harbor, Newfoundland. There were in the harbor thirty-six vessels, belonging to various nations, who refused him entrance. He then sent a boat to them, assuring them that he had no ill designs, and that he had a commission from Queen Elizabeth. They then consented, and he sailed into the port. Having pitched his tent on shore, in sight of the shipping, and being attended by his own people, he summoned the merchants and masters of vessels to be present. When they were assembled, he caused his commission to be read and interpreted to the foreigners who spoke a dif

possession? What rights in the soil did the charter vest in him? What did it empower him to do with these lands? How, and upon what conditions, were these lands to be held?

9. What powers of government over the people who should settle there were given by the charter to Sir Humphrey Gilbert? What rights did the charter secure to settlers? What did the charter prohibit?

10. What harbor in America did Gilbert first enter? What was the ceremony of taking possession of the harbor, and country around it?

ferent language. A turf and twig were then delivered to him, and proclamation was immediately made that, by virtue of his commission from the queen, he took possession of the harbor of St. John's, and two hundred leagues every way around it, for the crown of England.

11. He then, as the authorized governor, proceeded to deliver three laws, to be in force immediately: 1. That public worship was established, according to the laws of England; 2. That the attempting any thing prejudicial to her majesty's title should be considered high treason; 3. That if any person should utter words to the dishonor of her majesty, he should be punished, and have his ship and goods confiscated.

12. When the proclamation was finished, obedience was promised, both by Englishmen and strangers. Not far from the place of meeting, a pillar was afterwards erected, upon which was engraved the arms of England. For the better establishment of this possession, several parcels of land were granted by Sir Humphrey Gilbert, by which the inhabitants were guarantied grounds convenient to dress and dry their fish, for which they covenanted to pay a certain rent. This formal possession, in consequence of the discovery of the Cabots, was the foundation of the right of the crown of England to the territory.

CHAPTER III.

FIRST ATTEMPTS TO FORM SETTLEMENTS IN AMERICA.

1. On the return of Sir Humphrey Gilbert, the frigate commanded by him foundered in a storm, and all on

11. What three laws did he then promulgate?

12. What was erected near the place of meeting? What grants were made to persons in the harbor? What was the foundation of the claim of England to this territory?

1. What calamity happened to Sir Humphrey Gilbert? To whom