had matured his plans, secured his grant, and in 1576 made his first voyage to find the north west passage.  The same year the half-brother of Raleigh, Sir Humphrey Gilbert, published his ‘discourse for a discouerieof a new passage to Catai,’ with a map showing the coast of North America, and the passage to China.  This was the result of years of study, and though the elaborate work was written out hastily at last, we know that while others were advocating the north east passage, Sir Humphrey always persisted in the north western.  Frobisher’s expedition is said to have been an outgrowth of Gilbert’s efforts and petitions.  These projects were long in hand, but Gilbert, in June 1578, obtained his famous patent from Elizabeth for two hundred leagues of any American coast not occupied by a Christian prince.  This grant was limited to six years, to expire the eleventh of June 1584 in case no settlement was made or colony founded.  The story of Gilbert’s efforts, expenditures of himself and friends, his unparalleled misfortunes and death, need not be retold here.  Part of his rights and privileges fell to his half-brother Walter Raleigh who had participated somewhat in the enterprise.  After Gilbert’s death and before the expiration of the patent, Raleigh succeeded in obtaining from Elizabeth another patent, with similar rights, privileges, and limitations, dated the 25th of March 1584, leaving the whole unoccupied coast open to his selection.  On the 27th of April, only a month later, he despatched two barks under the command of Captains Amadas and Barlow, to reconnoitre the coast, as Ribault had done, for a suitable place to plant a colony, somewhere between Florida and Newfoundland.  This patent also, like Gilbert’s, in case of negligence or non-success, was limited to six years.  But it required the confirmation of Parliament.  Though there were many rival interests, some of which had perhaps to be conciliated, the patent was confirmed.

It ought perhaps to be mentioned here that five of Gilbert’s six years having already expired without his obtaining success or possession, several others, anticipating a forfeiture of the patent, began agitation for rival patents in 1583.  Carleil, Walsingham, Sidney, Peckham, Raleigh, and perhaps others were eager in the strife.  Mostof the papers are given in Hakluyt’s 1589 edition.  The ’ Golden Hinde ’ returned in September 1583 with the news of the utter failure of the expedition and the death of Sir Humphrey.  Raleigh succeeded in obtaining the royal grant, and then all the rest joined him in getting the patent confirmed by Parliament.