The Northmen, Columbus and Cabot, 985-1503 Part 38

[413-2] The Chersonesus Aurea of Ptolemy, or the Malay Peninsula.

[413-3] That is, Veragua and the Golden Chersonese are in the same lat.i.tude.

[413-4] Josephus wrote that the gold came from the "Land of Gold," "_a terra que vocatur aurea_," as the pa.s.sage in the Latin version reads.

The Greek is, ?p? t?? ???s?? ?a??????? ???. Josephus gives no further identification of the location.

[413-5] I have not been able to verify this reference. There is nothing in the fourteenth Psalm relating to this matter, nor is the fourteenth Psalm mentioned among the many citations from the Psalms in the _Libro de las Profecias_.

[414-1] In his _Libro de las Profecias_ Columbus wrote, "El abad Johachin, calabres, diso que habia de salir de Espana quien havia de redificar la Casa del Monte Sion." "The abbot Joachim, the Calabrian, said that he who was destined to rebuild the House of Mount Sion was to come from Spain." Lollis remarks that Columbus interpreted in his own way the "Oraculum Turcic.u.m," which concludes the thirty prophecies of Joachim of Flora in regard to the popes. In the edition (Venice, 1589) which Lollis had seen, this prophecy was interpreted to mean Charles VIII. of France. _Raccolta Colombiana_, parte II., tomo II., p. 83.

[414-2] The reference to St. Jerome I have not found in Columbus's marginalia.

[414-3] The father and uncle of Marco Polo had been given this mission by Cublay Kaan. See Marco Polo, bk. I., ch. VII. Opposite the pa.s.sage in his copy of the Latin Marco Polo which he had, Columbus wrote, "magnus kam misit legatos ad pontificem." _Raccolta Colombiana_, parte II., tomo II., p. 446.

[414-4] The recovery of the Holy Sepulchre had been long a cherished object with Columbus. See the Journal of the First Voyage, December 26; the letter to Pope Alexander VI., February, 1502 (Navarrete, _Viages_, II. 280), and his _Libra de Profecias_, a collection of Scripture texts compiled under his supervision relating to the restoration of Zion, etc.

_Raccolta Colombiana_, parte I., tomo II., pp. 77-160.

[415-1] An opinion abundantly justified through the conquest of Mexico and the establishment of the kingdom of New Spain.

[416-1] See the Capitulation, pp. 77, 78 above. The limit mentioned was fixed by the Papal Demarcation line; the limit agreed upon by Spain and Portugal was 370 leagues west of the Cape Verde Islands.

[416-2] A reference to such voyages as those of Vicente Yanez Pinzon, Hojeda, Diego de Lepe, and Rodrigo de Bastidas which occurred in 1499-1502. _Cf._ Bourne, _Spain in America_, pp. 67-71, and for details Irving, _Columbus_, III. 15-62.

[416-3] Accepting de Lollis's emendation _a Cesar_ instead of the MS.

reading _acetar_ which Navarrete printed _aceptar_. The Italian has _a Cesaro_.

[416-4] "Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto G.o.d, the things which are G.o.d's." _Matthew_, XXII. 21.

[417-1] At Espanola in 1500 by Bobadilla. _Cf._ the letter to the nurse above, p. 380.

[417-2] This is one of the most important pa.s.sages bearing upon the age of Columbus. As he came to Spain at the end of 1484 according to Ferdinand Columbus, _Historie_, ch. XII., Peschel fixed his birth in 1456, _Zeitalter der Entdeckungen_, p. 76. The majority of modern critics, however, have agreed upon the basis of notarial doc.u.ments in Genoa that 1446 was the date of his birth and propose therefore to emend the text here by subst.i.tuting "treinta y ocho" for "veinte y ocho." On the various dates set for his birth see Vignaud, _The Real Birth-date of Christopher Columbus_. Vignaud fixes upon 1451.

[418-1] _Blanca_, a copper coin worth about one-third of a cent.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The New World in the Cantino Chart of 1502, showing the state of geographical knowledge at the time of the death of Columbus.]

ORIGINAL NARRATIVES OF THE VOYAGES OF JOHN CABOT

INTRODUCTION

John Cabot, the Venetian sailor who took the first English s.h.i.+p across the Atlantic, was not a writer like Columbus, and consequently our knowledge of his projects and his achievements is limited to what is derived from the reports of other men who knew him or his son and from certain official doc.u.ments. In general our material may be cla.s.sified into: (_a_) English official doc.u.ments, (_b_) reports derived from John Cabot himself, and (_c_) reports or records derived more or less directly from Sebastian Cabot. The materials in _a_ and _b_ are harmonious; those in cla.s.ses _b_ and _c_, on the other hand, are practically irreconcilable. The result of this conflict of testimony has been to discredit Sebastian Cabot and to lead many scholars to believe that he tried to ascribe to himself what his father did. Other critics reluctant to bring so serious a charge against a man who held honorable positions in Spain and later in England believe that the material in cla.s.s _c_ relates to the second voyage--that of 1498, and that by a mistake it was in the minds of the narrators confused with the voyage of 1497. For a presentation of all the original material the reader may be referred to H. Harrisse, _John Cabot the Discoverer of North America, and Sebastian his Son_ (London, 1896), and to G.E. Weare, _Cabot's Discovery of North America_ (London, 1897). G.P. Wins.h.i.+p, _Cabot Bibliography_ (London, 1900), gives a complete guide to the Cabot literature. For a brief account of the voyages and of the Cabot question see E.G. Bourne, _Spain in America_ (New York, 1904), pp. 54-63. The most important recent monograph is H.P. Biggar, _The Voyages of the Cabots and of the Corte-Reals_, in _Revue Hispanique_, tome X. (Paris, 1903).

The material presented here consists of the private letters of two Italians sojourning in London in 1497-1498, and the official despatch of the junior Spanish amba.s.sador at the English court.

E.G.B.

THE VOYAGES OF JOHN CABOT

LETTER OF LORENZO PASQUALIGO TO HIS BROTHERS ALVISE AND FRANCESCO, MERCHANTS IN VENICE[423-1]

The Venetian, our countryman, who went with a s.h.i.+p from Bristol to find new islands, has returned, and says that 700 leagues hence he discovered mainland, the territory of the Grand Cham (_Gram Cam_).[423-2] He coasted for 300 leagues and landed; he did not see any person, but he has brought hither to the King certain snares which had been set to catch game, and a needle for making nets; he also found some cut trees, wherefore he supposed there were inhabitants. Being in doubt he returned to his s.h.i.+p.

He was three months on the voyage, and this is certain, and on his return he saw two islands[423-3] but would not land, so as not to lose time, as he was short of provisions. The King is much pleased with this. He says that the tides are slack and do not flow as they do here.

The King has promised that in the spring our countryman shall have ten s.h.i.+ps, armed to his order, and at his request has conceded him all the prisoners, except traitors, to go with him as he has requested. The King has also given him money wherewith to amuse himself till then,[424-1] and he is now at Bristol with his wife, who is also Venetian, and with his sons; his name is Zuam Talbot,[424-2] and he is styled the great admiral.

Vast honor is paid him; he dresses in silk, and these English run after him like mad people, so that he can enlist as many of them as he pleases, and a number of our own rogues besides.

The discoverer of these things planted on his new-found land a large cross, with one flag of England and another of St. Mark, by reason of his being a Venetian, so that our banner has floated very far afield.

London, 23 August 1497.

FIRST LETTER OF RAIMONDO DE SONCINO, AGENT OF THE DUKE OF MILAN, TO THE DUKE[424-3]

... Also some months ago his Majesty sent out a Venetian, who is a very good mariner, and has good skill in discovering new islands, and he has returned safe, and has found two very large and fertile new islands; having likewise discovered the Seven Cities,[425-1] 400 leagues from England, on the western pa.s.sage. This next spring his Majesty means to send him with fifteen or twenty s.h.i.+ps.

SECOND LETTER OF RAIMONDO DE SONCINO TO THE DUKE OF MILAN[425-2]

_Most Ill.u.s.trious and Excellent My Lord_:--

Perhaps among your Excellency's many occupations, it may not displease you to learn how his Majesty here has won a part of Asia without a stroke of the sword. There is in this kingdom a Venetian fellow, Master John Caboto by name, of fine mind, greatly skilled in navigation, who seeing that those most serene kings, first he of Portugal, and then the one of Spain, have occupied unknown islands, determined to make a like acquisition for his Majesty aforesaid.[425-3] And having obtained royal grants that he should have the usufruct of all that he should discover, provided that the owners.h.i.+p of the same is reserved to the crown, with a small s.h.i.+p and eighteen persons he committed himself to fortune; and having set out from Bristol, a western port of this kingdom, and pa.s.sed the western limits of Ireland, and then standing to the northward he began to sail toward the Oriental regions, leaving (after a few days) the North Star on his right hand; and, having wandered about considerably, at last he struck mainland, where, having planted the royal banner and taken possession on behalf of this King, and taken certain tokens, he has returned thence. The said Master John, as being foreign-born and poor, would not be believed if his comrades, who are almost all Englishmen and from Bristol, did not testify that what he says is true. This Master John has the description of the world in a chart, and also in a solid globe which he has made, and he shows where he landed, and that going toward the east he pa.s.sed considerably beyond the country of the Tanais.[426-1]

And they say that it is a very good and temperate country, and they think that Brazil-wood[426-2] and silk grow there; and they affirm that that sea is covered with fishes, which are caught not only with the net but with baskets, a stone being tied to them in order that the baskets may sink in the water. And this I heard the said Master John relate.

And the aforesaid Englishmen, his comrades, say that they will bring so many fishes that this kingdom will no longer have need of Iceland, from which country there comes a very great store of fish which are called stock-fish.[427-1] But Master John has set his mind on something greater; for he expects to go farther on toward the East[427-2] from that place already occupied, constantly hugging the sh.o.r.e, until he shall be over against an island, by him called c.i.p.ango, situated in the equinoctial region, where he thinks all the spices of the world, and also the precious stones, originate;[427-3] and he says that in former times he was at Mecca, whither spices are brought by caravans from distant countries,[427-4] and that those who brought them, on being asked where the said spices grow, answered that they do not know, but that other caravans come to their homes with this merchandise from distant countries, and these [caravans] again say that they are brought to them from other remote regions. And he argues thus,--that if the Orientals affirmed to the Southerners that these things come from a distance from them, and so from hand to hand, presupposing the rotundity of the earth, it must be that the last ones get them at the North toward the West;[428-1] and he said it in such a way, that, having nothing to gain or lose by it, I too believe it: and what is more, the King here, who is wise and not lavish, likewise puts some faith in him; for (ever) since his return he has made good provision for him, as the same Master John tells me. And it is said that, in the spring, his Majesty aforenamed will fit out some s.h.i.+ps, and will besides give him all the convicts, and they will go to that country to make a colony, by means of which they hope to establish in London a greater emporium of spices than there is in Alexandria; and the chief men of the enterprise are of Bristol, great sailors, who, now that they know where to go, say that it is not a voyage of more than fifteen days, nor do they ever have storms after they get away from Hibernia. I have also talked with a Burgundian, a comrade of Master John's, who confirms everything, and wishes to return thither because the Admiral (for so Master John already ent.i.tles himself)[428-2]

has given him an island; and he has given another one to a barber of his from Castiglione-of-Genoa, and both of them regard themselves as Counts, nor does my Lord the Admiral esteem himself anything less than a Prince.

I think that with this expedition there will go several poor Italian monks, who have all been promised bishoprics. And, as I have become a friend of the Admiral's, if I wished to go thither I should get an archbishopric. But I have thought that the benefices which your Excellency has in store for me are a surer thing; and therefore I beg that if these should fall vacant in my absence, you will cause possession to be given to me, taking measures to do this rather where it is needed, in order that they be not taken from me by others, who because they are present can be more diligent than I, who in this country have been brought to the pa.s.s of eating ten or twelve dishes at every meal, and sitting at table three hours at a time twice a day,[429-1] for the sake of your Excellency, to whom I humbly commend myself.

Your Excellency's Very humble servant, RAIMONDO.

London, Dec. 18, 1497.

DESPATCH TO FERDINAND AND ISABELLA FROM PEDRO DE AYALA JUNIOR AMBa.s.sADOR AT THE COURT OF ENGLAND, JULY 25, 1498[429-2]

I think your Majesties have already heard that the King of England has equipped a fleet in order to discover certain islands and mainland which he was informed some people from Bristol, who manned a few s.h.i.+ps[430-1]

for the same purpose last year, had found. I have seen the map which the discoverer has made, who is another Genoese, like Colon [and?][430-2] who has been in Seville and in Lisbon, asking a.s.sistance for this discovery.