In 1610, he served as mate aboard the Muscovy Company ship "Amity" (60 tons) on a sealing and exploratory voyage to Spitsbergen. In 1611, Purchas (1625) states that it was he who suggested to the Muscovy Company that six Basque whalers from the town of St Jean de Luz, who had experience in the Terranova whale fishery, should be shipped the following season. Using his advice, the company sent these six whalers, as well as the "Mary Margaret" (150 tons), Steven Bennet, master, and the "Elizabeth" (60 tons), Jonas Poole, master, to Spitsbergen in 1611- the first voyage made to the island to hunt what was called the Greenland right whale ("Balaena mysticetus"). Angry over the fact he wasn't chosen to go on this expedition, he shipped aboard an interloping vessel from Hull, the "Hopewell", Thomas Marmaduke, master.