GILBERT (Sir Humphrey), a brave officer, and skilful navigator, was born about the year 1539, in Devonshire, of an ancient and honourable family. Though a second son, he inherited a considerable fortune from his father. He was educated at Eaton, and afterwards at Oxford; where probably he did not continue long, as he hath escaped the industrious Anthony Wood. It seems he was intended to finish his studies in the Temple; but, being introduced at court by his aunt Mrs Catharine Ashley, then in the queen's service, he was diverted from the study of the law, and commenced soldier. Having distinguished himself in several military expeditions, particularly that to Newhaven in 1563, he was sent over to Ireland to assist in suppressing a rebellion; where, for his signal services, he was made commander in chief and governor of Munster, and knighted by the lord deputy, Sir Henry Sidney, on the first day of the year 1570. He returned soon after to England, where he married a rich heiress. Nevertheless, in 1572, he failed with a squadron of nine ships, to reinforce Colonel Morgan, who at that time meditated the recovery of Flushing.
Probably on his return to England he resumed his cosmographical studies, to which he was naturally inclined: for, in the year 1576, he published his book on the North-west passage to the East Indies; and as Martin Frobisher failed the same year, probably it was in consequence of this treatise. In 1578, he obtained from the queen a very ample patent, empowering him to discover and possess in North America any lands then unsettled. He failed to Newfoundland, but soon returned to England without success: nevertheless, in 1583, he embarked a second time with five ships, the largest of which put back on account of a contagious distemper on board. Our general landed on Newfoundland on the third of August, and on the fifth took possession of the harbour of St John's. By virtue of his patent, he granted leases to several people; but, though none of them remained there at that time, they settled afterwards in consequence of these leases: so that Sir Humphrey deserves to be remembered as the real founder of our vast American empire. On the 20th of August, he put to sea again, on board a small sloop; which on the 29th foundered in a hard gale of wind. Thus perished Sir Humphrey Gilbert; a man
of quick parts, a brave soldier, a good mathematician, a skilful navigator, and of a very enterprising genius. We learn also, that he was remarkable for his eloquence, being much admired for his patriotic speeches both in the English and Irish parliaments. He wrote "A discourse to prove a passage by the north-west to Cathaia and the East Indies, printed Lond. 1576." This treatise, which is a masterly performance, is preferred in Hakluyt's collection of voyages, vol. iii. p. 11. The style is superior to most, if not to all, the writers of that age; and shews the author to have been a man of considerable reading. He mentions, at the close of this work, another treatise, on Navigation, which he intended to publish: it is probably lost.