In the
year 1512 we hear of him in the service of Ferdinand of
Spain. He seems to have won great renown as a maker of
maps and charts. He still cherished the idea of reaching
Asia by way of the northern seas of America. A north-west
expedition with Sebastian in command had been decided
upon, it is said, by Ferdinand, when the death of that
illustrious sovereign prevented the realization of the
project. After Ferdinand's death, Cabot fell out with
the grandees of the Spanish court, left Madrid, and
returned for some time to England. Some have it that he
made a new voyage in the service of Henry VIII, and sailed
through Hudson Strait, but this is probably only a confused
reminiscence, handed down by hearsay, of the earlier
voyages. Cabot served Spain again under Charles V, and
made a voyage to Brazil and the La Plata river. He
reappears later in England, and was made Inspector of
the King's Ships by Edward VI. He was a leading spirit
of the Merchant Adventurers who, in Edward's reign, first
opened up trade by sea with Russia.
The voyages of the Bristol traders and the enterprise of
England by no means ended with the exploits of the Cabots.
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