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CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS
(During (^) his First Voyagf., (^) 1492-93),
AND
OF JOHN (^) CABOT AND
CASPAR CORTE REAL.
ffranslatr]}, toitft ^otre (^) anH an Introliiirtion, j^ HY CLEMENTS (^) R.-^HlfARKHAM, (^) C.B., F.R.S., PRSSIDBNT OF (^) THE HAKMVT SOCIKTV.
LONDON:
xi.Dcic.xnir.
G
LONDON : PRINTED BY CHAS. (^) J. CI.ARK. 4, LINCOLN'S^ INN^ FIELDS,^ W.C.
CONTENTS.
Introduction :
III. .Sebastian (^) Cabot. (^).. (^).. , IV. Gaspar Corte (^) Real (^) •.. (^).. •Sailing (^) Uirkctions (^) of Colu.mbus. (^) Lkttkrs of (^) To.sc.v- NELLI
Letters (^) Patent granted (^) to John Cabot (^) and his sons
Date of sailing (^) • (^).. (^).
Reward (^) for (^) John Cabot Letter from (^) Lorenzo Pasqualigo First (^) Despatch from (^) Raimondo di (^) Soncino. Second (^) Despatch from Raimondo (^) di Soncino Second Letters (^) Patent granted (^) to John Cabot Despatch from (^) Ambassador Puebla (^). Despatch (^) from Ambassador (^) Ayala.
Ramusio. Recollection (^) of a letter (^). Account (^) by the Guest of (^) Fracastor, in (^) Ramusio
Venetian Intrigues. (^) Letter from (^) the Council (^) of Ten
\uot
i ix xxii xliv
197
199 200 301 201 202 203 206 207 208
209 211 212 215 216 217
Reward to Cabot's agent Despatch from Ambassador^ Contarini Second Despatch^ from^ Contarini Letter from the Council^ of^ Ten^ to^ Contarini Letter from the Ragusan^ to^ Cabot Third Despatch from^ Contarini The Council of^ Ten^ to^ Soranzo
Real: Extract from^ Galvao^.^.^ •^ • Extract from^ Damian^ de^ Goes Letter from^ Cantino^ to^ the^ Duke^ of^ Ferrara^. Letter from Pasqualigo^ to^ the^ Government^ of^ Venic Letter from Pasqualigo^ to^ his^ brothers
fAOR 218
223 224 225 225 226
229
232 235 236 238 239 24»
253
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Sketch of^ the^ vessels^ in^ the^ first^ voyage^ of^ Columbus^ to^ face^ page^ iv
Map of Sebastian^ Cabot^ ...••..^ '"''"'
Cantino and^ La^ Cosa^ maps^ from^ his^ impressions. The thanks of the^ Society^ are^ also^ due^ to^ Mr.^ H.
for permission to^ make^ use^ of^ the^ plates^ of^ the maps of^ Juan de^ la^ Cosa^ and^ Cantino. Our late Secretary,^ Mr.^ R.^ H.^ Major,^ by^ his^ pro- duction of the Select Letters^ of Cohunbus^ ( 1 847 ;^ 2nd ed., (^) 1870), brought^ within^ the^ reach^ of^ members^ of this Society all the letters^ written^ by^ the^ Admiral himself on^ the^ subject^ of^ his^ four^ voyages,^ as^ well as some other orlgineil^ documents.^ There^ remains for (^) the Council to furnish the^ members^ with^ a^ trans- lation of the Journal of^ the^ first^ voyage,^ the^ only^ one that has been preserved, and^ this^ in^ a^ mutilated form. Our series^ will^ then^ contain^ all^ the^ contri- butions of the great discoverer^ himself,^ that^ have escaped destruction,^ to^ the^ history^ of^ his^ mighty
the Journal, that^ It^ should^ be^ preceded^ by^ the
is made to it by the^ Admiral^ ;^ the^ places^ mentioned by Toscanelli were anxiously^ sought^ for^ at^ every turn; and^ the^ letters^ of^ Toscanelli^ were^ practically the sailing directions of Columbus.^ The^ famous Florentine astronomer, Paolo Toscanelli,^ was looked upon as the^ highest^ authority^ on^ cosmography^ and
gal, through the Canon Fer..am Martins, made an
the voyage westward to India. The astronomer
replied fully on (^) June 25th, (^) 1474, enclosing a map. Soon afterwards (^) Columbus, who was then at Lisbon, and had long pondered over these questions, re- solved to (^) make a similar application to the Florentine
globe embodying his ideas, (^) to Toscanelli, entrusting them (^) to the care of an Italian named Lorenzo Birardi, who was going (^) to Florence.^ The reply was satisfactory.^ (^) Toscanelli sent his correspondent a copy of his letter to Martins, and a copy of the map, with (^) some additional remarks. It was that letter and that map that were destined to play so
Columbus (^) replied, and received a second briefer but equally cordial letter from Toscanelli. The Tos-
Viia (^) dell Avnuiraglio^ and in Spanish in the Histoi'y of Las Casas.^ Both these translations are inaccu- rate, (^) and several passages are inserted that are not in the original, w'hich was in Latin. This original Latin (^) text was discovered in i860, in the Colum- bine Library at Seville, by the librarian, Don Jose Maria^ Fernandez^ de^ Velasco.^ \(^ found^ it in the Admiral's own handwriting, on a fly-leaf of one (^) of the books which belonged to Columbus."
^ (^) Las Casas, I, p. 92.
pages 3 and (^) 4. ^^ Cap. xiii.
Piccolomini (Venice, (^) 1477, small folio, 105 leaves). b
the Atlantic. One of them has been reproduced^ to
The Admiral dilij^ently wrote his Journal until the day of his return to Palos. It was forwarded to Ferdinand and Isabella ; but it is now lost. Las Casas had access to it when he wrote his history, and gives a very full abstract,^ which was condensed by Herrera.^ It was also used by Fernando Columbus in the Vita dell Aininh'aglio} In one place, where the Admiral describes his proceedings in the storm, when he threw a brief account of the voyage over- board in a barrel, the version of^ Fernando^ is^ much more full than that of Las Casas, and appears to be copied (^) word for word. I have noticed the differ-
also (^) had access to the Journal, but made no great use of it,^ and Oviedo never appears^ to^ have^ seen^ it.^ In the archives of the Duke of Infantado there was, in the end of the last^ century,^ a^ small^ folio volume in a parchment cover, consisting of seventy-
of Las Casas. There is another old^ volume,^ but somewhat later than^ that^ of^ Las^ Casas,^ also^ in^ folio, and with a similar cover, consisting of^140 leaves. These are duplicate copies^ of^ a^ full^ abstract^ of^ the ^ (^) Asensio, i, (^) p. 276.
immense value. Our sympathy and interest are ex- cited in (^) every page. We observe the conscientious care with which the great discoverer recorded nis pro- ceedings, and with what intelHgence (^) he noted the
World. All wen', new (^) to him (^) ; but he compared them with (^) analogous products seen in other parts of the world, and drew useful inferences. The fulness of his entries was due to the rapid working (^) of a vivid (^) imagination, as one thought followed another
Even (^) the frequent repetitions are not tedious, because they give such life and reality to the document, reminding us of the anxious and overwrought (^) hero jotting down his thoughts whenever he could find a spare moment amidst the press of work. It has been said that his sole^ aim^ appeared^ to be the acquisition of gold. This unfair criticism is made in (^) ignorance. It must be remembered that (^) the letter of Toscanelli was his guide ; and that the gold, pearls, and spices were^ the^ marks^ by^ which^ he was (^) to know the provinces of the great Kaan (^) ; so that he was bound to make constant inquiries for these commodities. The^ eagerness^ with^ which^ he pushed his inquiries, and his repeated disappoint-
mentioned by his guide, by fancied resemblance of names, as when he^ would^ identify^ Cipangu^ with Cibao in Espafiola. This search, however,^ only occupied part of^ his^ thoughts.^ Nothing^ seems^ to escape his observation, and he frequently regrets
his ignorance of botany, because it prevented him from being able to report more exactly on the new species of plants that (^) surrounded him. Hut the feature in his^ remarks which comes out most^ promi- nently is his enthusiastic admiration of scenery, and of the natural beauties^ of the strange land.^ The Journal is a mirror of the man. It shows his failings and^ his^ virtues.^ It records his^ lofty^ aims, his unswerving loyalty, his deep religious feeling, his kindliness and gratitude. It impresses us with his knowledge and genius as a leader, with his watchful care of his people, and with the richness of his imagination. Few will read the (^) Journal without
and simple faith of the great genius whose mission it was to reveal the^ mighty^ secret of^ the ages. The (^) Journal is the most important document in the whole range of the^ history^ of^ geographical dis- covery, because it is a record of the enterprise which changed the whole face, not only of that (^) history, but of the history of mankind.^ Even during the four- teen remaining years of the Admiral's life its imme- diate result was the completed discovery of all the
World from Cape San Agustin, S** S. of the line, (^) to the Gulf of Honduras, either by the Admiral himself, or by his followers and pupils. The Admiral's achievement aroused a feeling of emulation in other countries. There is a direct connection between the ideas and labours of the illustrious Genoese and the voyages of his country-
X INTKODUCTIOX.
a few (^) brief notices of doubtful authenticity in English chronicles and collections of voyages. Even
copied from Tabyan's (^) work, is not to be found in any known edition of Fabyan (^) ; while the unfortunate
making verbal alterations (^) in the documents of which he made use, further increases our difficulties. These are the sources of (^) information, such as they are, from which we must derive our knowledge of the first English voyages (^) to America. (^) By a careful use of them, (^) and an equally careful avoidance of conjecture and hypothesis, we can piece together all that can now be (^) known of the earliest important maritime enterprises in which England was con- cerned, and of the great navigator who conceived and led them. Mr. Charles Deane contributed an admirable review of the materials forming our existing know- ledge of the Cabot voyeiges to Winsor's Narrative and Critical History (^) of Avierica (vol. iii, (^) pp. 1-58), in which he treats the various questions bearing on the subject^ with sound judgment and great learning.
original documents in their respective languages, and valuable notes on the cartography, was published by
Desimoni has published a work on the Cabots at
Genoa,^ and a considerable work, also includin^j all the original documents, by Tarducci, has recently
John Cabot was probably a Genoese^ who, after having resided in Venice for fifteen years, from (^1461) to (^) 1476, was (^) admitted to the rights of citizenship in the latter year.* He was married to a Venetian woman, and had three sons, named Luigi, Sebastian, and vSancio, (^) all of whom must have been of age when the Letters Patent were granted to them in (^1497) ; so that the (^) youngest cannot have been born later than
^ (^) C. Desimoni, Intorno (^) a Giovanni Caboio ((Icnoa).
bassador, (^) July 1498; also Ayala). "Sebastian Gaboto, a Genoa's son" (Stow from Fabyan ; also Languet, Grafton, Holinshed). These statements are, to a certain extent, confirmed by the fact that John Cabot required to be naturalised in Venice, which proves that he was not a Venetian born. On the other hand, Tarducci puts forward arguments to establish his Venetian birth {Di G. e S. Caboio, Menwrie, cap. i).
and without, be granted to John Caboto for having resided 15 years according to custom." {Archivo di Siaio Venezia, Libro Frivilegi, t. ii, (^) p. (^) 53; Tarducci, (^) p. (^) 339.)
at the right^ moment.^ The^ j^reat^ discovery^ of Cokimbus was beiiijj;'^ much^ discussed,^ and^ tlie courtiers were^ declaring;'^ that^ it^ was^ a^ thing^ more divine than human to^ have^ found^ that^ way,^ never before known,^ of^ going^ to^ the^ east^ where^ the^ spices grow.^ In the midst^ of^ this^ excitement,^ John Cabot, a navigator,^ "who^ had^ made^ himself^ very^ expert and cunning^ in^ the^ knowledge^ of^ the^ circuit^ of^ the worlde and islands of^ the^ same",^ was^ presented^ to^ the King, and made his proposal to do for England what
new route to Cipango and^ the^ land^ of^ the^ great Kaan, and^ would^ bring^ back^ his^ ships^ laden^ with
and eventually gained the ear of the wary usurper. Henry resolved^ to^ let^ the^ adventurer^ attempt^ the discovery of new isles, and granted him^ and^ his^ sons Letters Patent, as well as material assistance. The Letters Patent, dated^ March^ 5th, 1496,- grant to (^) John Cabot, Citizen of Venice, and to his sons Lewis,"' Sebastian,^ and^ Sancio,^ the^ right^ to^ navigate in any direction they please, under the King's flag, and at their own costs and charges, to seek out and discover unknown lands and islands. They^ were
(^1) Eden's Decades^ f. (^255) ; Rainusio, i, f. 415 : "^ Dicendosi che
are : Azure, 3 chabots (fish) (^) or.
authorised to become governors of the new terri- tories, a fifth of all profits and (^) revenues being re- served for (^) the King (^) ; and merchandise coming from the new lands was exempted from customs duties. All British subjects were (^) prohibited from visiting the new^ lands^ without a licence from the Cabots, on pain of forfeiture of ship and cargo (^) ; and the King's lieges were enjoined (^) to afford all necessary assistance to the adventurers. John Cabot^ selected^ the port of Bristol for the equipment of his expedition, and there he embarked in a ship believed to have (^) been called the Mattheiv^ with (^) a crew of eighteen men, nearly all Englishmen, and natives of Bristol.^ His (^) yoimg son Sebastian, then aged twenty-two at least, probably accompanied him^ ; but the other (^) two sons (^) are nowhere men- tioned, except in the Letters Patent. The Matthciv is said to have been manned and victualled (^) at the King's cost,* which is unlikely (^) ; and she was accom-
History and Anfiqtiities (^) of Bristol, (^) Wm. Barrett (Bristol, (^) 1789, p. (^) 172), quoting from an old document, which, however, has not since (^) been seen.
Joan Caboto, Veneciano, and Sebastian (^) Caboto, his (^) son." This is the only evidence that Sebastian accompanied his (^) father on his first voyage. On the other hand, the Drapers' (^) Company, in (^) 1521, represented that it was then the belief that (^) Sebastian never was there himself.
