William Weston: early voyager to the New World

The Bristol merchant William Weston was the first known Englishman to lead an expedition to North America. Analysis of two important document finds suggests that Weston was an early supporter of the Venetian explorer John Cabot. A monetary reward demonstrates Henry VII’s satisfaction with the outcome of Weston’s voyage of c.1499 and the king’s continuing commitment to transatlantic discovery after Cabot’s presumed disappearance. Weston’s career is examined in detail to throw light on the nature and motivation of England’s earliest Atlantic explorers.