The King's Commision
John Cabot knew that ships cost a lot of money, money that he did not have. To get the required funds necessary Cabot had to secure an audience with the English king himself. The English king at the time, King Henry VII, was excited to hear about Cabot’s voyage plans. King Henry VII not only gave him a small ship but also granted Cabot the power to claim any newly found land for Britain. Cabot was now sailing under the English crown.
The following is King Henry VII’s commission to John Cabot,
“Be it knowen that we have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant for us and our heiress to our welbeloved John Cabot citizen of Venice, to Lewis, Sebastian, and Santius, sonnes of the sayd John, and to the heires of them, and every of them, and their deputies, full and free authority, leave, and power to saile to all parts, countreys, and seas of the East, of the West, and of the North, under our banners and ensignes, with fine ships of what burthen or quantity soever they be, and as many mariners or men as they will have with them in the sayd ships, upon their owne proper costs and charges, to seeke out, discover, and finde whatsoever isles, countreys, regions or provinces of the heathen and infidels whatsoever they be, and in what part of the world soever they be, which before this time have bene unknowen to all Christians: we have granted to them, and also to every of them, the heires of them, and every of them, and their deputies, and have given them licence to set up our banners and ensignes in every village, towns, castle, isle, or maine land of them newly found”
-http://avalon.law.yale.edu/15th_century/cabot01.asp
The following is King Henry VII’s commission to John Cabot,
“Be it knowen that we have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant for us and our heiress to our welbeloved John Cabot citizen of Venice, to Lewis, Sebastian, and Santius, sonnes of the sayd John, and to the heires of them, and every of them, and their deputies, full and free authority, leave, and power to saile to all parts, countreys, and seas of the East, of the West, and of the North, under our banners and ensignes, with fine ships of what burthen or quantity soever they be, and as many mariners or men as they will have with them in the sayd ships, upon their owne proper costs and charges, to seeke out, discover, and finde whatsoever isles, countreys, regions or provinces of the heathen and infidels whatsoever they be, and in what part of the world soever they be, which before this time have bene unknowen to all Christians: we have granted to them, and also to every of them, the heires of them, and every of them, and their deputies, and have given them licence to set up our banners and ensignes in every village, towns, castle, isle, or maine land of them newly found”
-http://avalon.law.yale.edu/15th_century/cabot01.asp