.Ov.

v-k

IMAGE EVALUATION
TEST TARGET (MT-3)

1.0

I.I

1.25

m Ilia

|50 ""'=^

11? -_

~ |40

112.2
12.0

IIIIIM

U IIIIII.6

/}.

'^^

<P3^ .J^

^^■"

Photographic

Sciences
Corporation

23 WEST MAIN STREET

WEBSTER, N.Y 14580

(716) 872-4503

.^.

C?'

CIHM/ICMH

Microfiche

Series.

CIHM/ICMH
Collection de
microfiches.

Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques

1980

Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques

The Institute has attempted to obtain the best
original copy available for filming. Features of this
copy which may be bibliographically unique,
which may alter any of the images in the
reproduction, or which may significantly change
the usual method of filming, are checked below.

□ Coloured covers/
Couverture de couleur

□ Covers damaged/
Couverture endommagee

□ Covers restored and/or laminated/
Couverture restaurde et/ou pelliculde

□ Cover title missing/
Le titre de couverture manque

□ Coloured maps/
Cartes g^ographiques en couleur

□ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue oi black)/
Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire)

Coloured plates and/or illustrations/
Planches et/ou illustrations en couleur

Bound with other material/
Re\i6 avec d'autres documents

Tight binding may cause shadows or distortion
along interior margin/

La reliure serree peut causer de I'ombre ou de la
distortion le long de la marge int6rieure

Blank leaves added during restoration may
appear within the text. Whenever possible, these
have been omitted from filming/
II se peut que certaines pages blanches ajoutdes
lors dune restauration apparaissent dans le texte,
mais, lorsque cela 6tait possible, ces pages n'ont
pas dt6 filmdes.

L'Institut a microfilm^ le meilleur exemplaire
qu'il lui a 6X6 possible de se procurer. Les details
de cet exemplaire qui sont peut-dtre uniques du
point de vue bibliographique, qui peuvent modifier
une image reproduite, ou qui peuvent txiger une
modification dans la mdthode normale de filmage
sont indiquds ci-dessous.

I I Coloured pages/

D
D
D

Pages de couleur

Pages damaged/
Pages endommagdes

Pages restored and/or laminated/
Pages restaur^es et/ou pellicul^es

Pages discoloured, stained or foxed/
Pages d^colorees, tachet^es ou piqudes

Pages detached/
Pages detachdes

Showthrough/
Transparence

I I Quality of print varies/

Quality in^gale de I'impression

Includes supplementary material/
Comprend du materiel ojpplementaire

Only edition available/
Seule Edition disponible

Pages wholly or partially obscured by errata
slips, tissues, etc., have been refilmed to
ensure the best possible image/
Les pages totalement ou partiellement
obscurcies par un feuillet d'errata, une pelure,
etc., ont 6t6 film6es d nouveau de fagon d
obtenir la meilleure image possible.

Additional comments:/
Commentaires suppldmentaires:

This item is filmed at the reduction ratio checked below/

Ce document est fiim6 au taux de r6duction indiqu6 ci-dessous.

10X 14X 18X 22X

26X

30X

12X

16X

20X

24X

28X

32X

The copy filmed here has been reproduced thanks
to the generosity of:

Douglas Library
Queen's University

L'exemplaire film6 fut reprodult grflce h la
g6n6ro8it6 de:

Douglas Library
Queen's University

The images appearing here are the best quality
possible considering the condition and legibility
of the original copy and in keeping with the
filming contract specifications.

Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le
plus grand soin, compte tenu de la condition et
de la netteti de l'exemplaire film6, et en
conformity avec les conditions du contrat de
filmage.

Original copies in printed paper covers are filmed
beginning with the front cover and ending on
the last page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, or the back cover when appropriate. All
other original copies are filmed beginning on the
first page with a printed or illustrated impres-
sion, and ending on the last page with a printed
or illustrated impression.

The last recorded frame on each microfiche
shall contain the symbol — »► (meaning "CON-
TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"),
whichever applies.

Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at
different reduction ratios. Those too large to be
entirely included in one exposure are filmed
beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to
right and top to bottom, as many frames as
required. The following diagrams illustrate the
method;

Les exemplaires originaux dont la couverture en
papier est imprimde sont film6s en commen9ant
par le premier plat et en terminant soit par la
dernidre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration, soit par le second
plat, selon le cas. Tous les autres exemplaires
originaux sont filmds en commenpant par la
premidre page qui comporte une empreinte
d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par
la dernidre page qui comporte une telle
empreinte.

Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la
dernidre image de chaque microfiche, selon le
cas: le symbole —^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le
symbole V signifie "FIN".

Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre
filmds d des taux de reduction diffdrents.
Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre
reproduit en un seul clichd, il est filmd d partir
de Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite,
et de haut en bas, en prenant It) nombre
d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants
illustrent la mdthode.

32X

Fr^

<0\n .^outi) aicafut0»

No. 37-

The Voyages
of the Cabots.

From Hakluyt's "Principal Navigations, Voyages and
Discoveries of the English Nation."

The Letters patents of King Henry the seuenth granted
vnto lohn Cabot and his three sonnes, Lewis, Sebastian,
and Sancius for the discouerie of new and vnknowen
lands.

HEnry, by the grace of God, king of England and France,
and lord of Ireland, to all to whom these presents shall come,
Greeting.

Be it knowen that we haue giuen and granted, and by these
presents do glue and grant for vs and our heires, to our wel-
beloued John Cabot citizen of Venice, to Lewis, Sebastian, and
Santius, sonnes of the sayd lohn, and to the heires of them, and
euery of them, and their deputies, full and free authority, leaue,
and power to saile to all parts, countreys, and seas of the East,
of the West, and of the North, vnder our banners and ensignes,
with fiue ships of what burthen or quantity soeuer they be,
and as many mariners or men as they will haue with them in
the sayd ships, vpon their owne proper costs and charges, to
seeke out, discouer, and finde whatsoeuer isles, countreys,
regions or prouinces of the heathen and infidels whatsoeuer
they be, and in what part of the world soeuer they be, which be-
fore this time haue bene vnknowen to all Christians : we haue
granted to them, and also to euery of them, the heires of them,
and euery of them, and their deputies, and haue giuen them
licence to set vp our banners and ensignes in euery village,
towne, castle, isle, or maine land of them newly found. And
that the aforesayd Tohn and his sonnes, or their heires and
assignes may subdue, occupy and possesse all such townes,

rr^

I *

cities, castles and isles of them found, which they can subdue,
occupy and possesse, as our vassals, and lieutenants, gettincj
vnto vs the rule, title, and iurisdiction of the same villages,
townes, castles, & firme land so found. Yet so that the afore
sayd lohn, and his sonnes and heires, and their deputies, be
holden and bounden of all the fruits, prohts, gaines, and com-
modities growing of such navigation, for euery their voyage, as
often as they shall arriue at our pori of Bristoll (at the which
port they shall be bound and holden onely to arriue) all maner
of necessary costs and charges by them made, being deducted,
to pay vnto vs in wares or money the fift part of the capitall
gaine so gotten. We gluing and granting vnto them and to
their heires and deputies, that they shall be free from all paying
of customes of all and singular such merchandize as they shall
bring with them from those places so newly found. And more-
ouer, we haue giuen and granted to them, their heires and depu-
ties, that all the firme lands, isles, villages, townes, castles and
places whatsoeuer they be that they shall chance to finde, may
not of any other of our subiects be frequented or visited without
the licence of the aforesayd lohn an<l his sonnes, and their
deputies, vnder paine of forfeiture asvvell of their shippes as of
all and singuler goods of all them that shall presume to saile to
those places so found. Willing, and most straightly command-
ing all and singuler our subiects aswell on land as on sea, to
giue good assistance to the aforesayd lohn and his sonnes and
deputies, and that as well in arming and furnishing their ships
or vessels, as in prouision of food, and in buying of victuals for
their money, and all other things by them to be prouided neces-
sary for the sayd nauigation, they do giue them all their helpe
and fauour. In witnesse whereof we haue caused to be made
these our Letters patents. Witnesse our selfe at Westminster
the fift day of March, in the eleuenth yeere of our reigne.

Billa signata anno 13 Henrici septimi.

THe king vpon the third day of February, in the 13 yeere of
his reigne, gaue licence to lohn Cabot to take sixe English ships
in any hauen or hauens of the realme of England, being of the
burden of 200 tunnes, or vnder, with all necessary furniture,
and to take also into the said ships all such masters, mariners,
and subiects of the king as willingly will go with him, &c.

An extract taken out of the map of Sebastian Cabot, cut by
Clement Adams, concerning his discouery of the West
Indies, which is to be scene in her Maiesties piiuie gal-

lerie at Westminster, and in many other ancient mer-
chants houses.

IN the yeere of our Lord 1497 lohn Cabot a Venetian, and
his Sonne Sebastian (with an English fleet set out from Bristoll)
discoured that land which no man before that time had attempted,
on the 24 of lune, about fine of the clocke early in the morning.
This land he called Prima vista, that is to say, P'irst seene,
because as I suppose it was that part whereof they had the
first sight from sea. That Island which lieth out before the
land, he called the Island of S. lohn vpon this occasion, as I
tiiinke, because it was discouered vpon the day of lohn the
Baptist. The inhabitants of this Island vse to weare beasts
skinnes, and haue them in as great estimation as we haue our
finest garments. In their warres they vse bowes, arrowes, pikes,
darts, woodden clubs, and slings. The soile is barren in some
places, & yeeldeth little fruit, but it is full of white beares, and
stagges farre greater than ours. It yeeldeth plenty of fish, and
those very great, as scales, and those which commonly we call
salmons : there are soles also aboue a yard in length : but
especially there is great abundance of that kinde of fish which
the Sauages call baccalaos. In the same Island also there
breed hauks, but they are so blacke that they are very like to
rauens, as also their partridges, and egles, which are in like sort
llacke.

A discourse of Sebastian Cabot touching his discouery of
part of the West India out of England in the time of
king Henry the seuenth, vsed to Galeacius Butrigarius
the Popes Legate in Spaine, and reported by the sayd
Legate in this sort.

DOe you not vnderstand sayd he (speaking to certaine
Gentlemen of Venice) how to passe to India toward the North-
west, as did of late a citizen of Venice, so valiant a man, and so
well practised in all things pertaining to nauigations, and the
science of Cosmographie, that at this present he hath not his
like in Spaine, insomuch that for his vertues he is preferred
aboue all other pilots that saile to the West Indies, who may
not passe thither without his licence, and is therefore called
Piloto mayor, that is, the grand Pilot. And when we sayd that
we knew him not, he proceeded, saying, that being certaine
yeres in the city of Siuil, and desirous to haue some knowledge
of the nauigations of the Spanyards, it was tolde him that there
was in the city a valiant man, a Venetian borne named Sebastian
Cabot, who had the charge of those things, being an expert

man in that science, and one that coulde make Gardes for the
Sea with his owne hand, and by this report, seeking his acquaint-
ance, hee found him a very gentle person, who intertained him
friendly, and shewed him many things, and among other a large
Mappe of the world, with certaine particuler Nauigations, as
well of the Portugals, as of the Spaniards, and that he spake
further vnto him to this effect.

When my father departed from Venice many yeeres since to
dwell in England, to follow the trade of marchandises, hee tooke
mee with him to the citie of London, while I was very yong, yet
hauing neuerthelesse some knowledge of letters of humanitie,
and cf the Sphere. And when my father died in that time when
newes were brought that Don Christopher Colonus Genuese
had discouered the coasts of India, whereof was great talke in
all the Gourt of king Henry the 7. who then raigned, insomuch
that all men with great admiration affirmed it to be a thing more
diuine than humane, to saile by the West into the East where
spices growe, by a way that was neuer knowen before, by this
fame and report there increased in my heart a great flame of
desire to attempt some notable thing. And vnderstanding by
reason of the Sphere, that if I should saile by way of the North-
west, I should by a shorter tract come into India, I thereupon
caused the King to be aduertised of my deuise, who imme-
diately commanded two Garuels to bee furnished with all things
appertayning to the voyage, which was as farre as I remember in
the yeere 1496. in the beginning of Sommer. I began therefore
to saile toward the Northwest, not thinking to finde any other
land than that of Cathay, & from thence to turne toward India,
but after certaine dayes I found that the land ranne towards the
North, which was to mee a great displeasure. Neuerthelesse,
sayling along by the coast to see if I could finde any gulfe that
turned, I found the lande still continent to the 56. degree vnder
our Pole. And seeing that there the coast turned toward the
East, despairing to finde the passage, I turned backe againe,
and sailed downe by the coast of that land toward the Equinoc-
tiall (euer with intent to finde the saide passage to India) and
came to that part of this firme lande which is nowe called Florida,
where my victuals failing, I departed from thence and returned
into England, where I found great tumults among the people,
and preparation for warres in Scotland : by reason whereof
there was no more consideration had to this voyage.

Whereupon I went into Spaine to the Gatholique king, and
Queene Elizabeth, which being aduertised what I had done,
intertained me, and at their charges furnished certaine ships,

wherewith they caused me to saile to discouer the coastcs of
Brazile, where I found an exceeding great and large riuer named
at this present Rio de la plata, that is, the riuer of siluer, into
the which I sailed and followed it into the firnie land, more
than sixe score leagues, finding it euery where very faire, and
inhabited with infinite people, which with admiration came
running dayly to our ships. Into this Riuer runne so many
other riuers, that it is in maner incredible.

After this I made many other voyages, which I nowe pretermit,
and waxing olde, I giue myselfe to rest from such trauels, be-
cause there are nowe many yong and lustie Pilots and Mariners
of good experience, by whose forwardnesse I doe reioyce in the
fruit of my labours, and rest with the charge of this oifice, as
you see.

The foresaide Baptista Ramusius in his preface to the
thirde volume of the Nauigations, writeth thus of Sebas-
tian Cabot.

IN the latter part of this volume are put certaine relations of
John de Vararzana, Florentine, and of a great captaine a
Frenchman, and the two voyages of laques Cartier, a Briton,
who sailed vnto the land situate in 50. degrees of latitude to the
No!th, which is called New France, which landes hitherto are
not thoroughly knowen, whether they doe ioyne with the firme
lande of Florida and Nona Hispania, or whether they bee sepa-
rated and diuided all by the Sea as Hands : and whether that
by that way one may goe by Sea vnto the country of Cathaia.
As many yeeres past it was written vnto mee by Sebastian
Cabota our Countrey man a Venetian, a man of great expe-
rience, and very rare in the art of Nauigation, and the knowledge
of Cosmographie, who sailed along and beyond this lande of
New France, at the charges of King Henry the seuenth king of
England : and he aduertised mee, that hauing sailed a long time
West and by North, beyond those Hands vnto the Latitude of 67.
degrees and an halfe, vnder the North pole, and at the 11 day
of lune finding still the open Sea without any maner of impedi-
ment, he thought verily by that way to haue passed on still the
way to Cathaia, which is in the P^ast, and would haue done it, if
the mutinie of the shipmaster and Mariners had not hindered
him and made him to returne homewards from that place. But
it seemeth that God doeth yet still reserue this great enterprise
for some great prince to discouer this voyage of Cathaia by this
way, which for the bringing of the Spiceries from India into
Europe, were the most easy and shortest of all other wayes

] I i

hitherto found out. And surely this enterprise would be the
most glorious, and of most importance of all other that can be
imagined to make his name great, and fame immortall, to all
ages to come, farre more then can he done by any of all these
great troubles and warres which dayly are used in Europe
among the miserable Christian people.

Another testimonie of the voyage of Sebastian Cabot to the
West and Northwest, taken out of the sixt Chapter of
the third Decade of Peter Martyr of Angleria.

THese North Seas haue bene searched by one Sebastian
Cabot, a Venetian borne, whom being yet but in maner an
infant, his parents carried with them into England, hauing
occasion to resort thither for trade of marchandise, as is the
maner of the Venetians to leaue no part of the world vnsearched
to obtaine riches. Hee therefore furnished two ships in Eng-
land at his owne charges, and first with 300 men directed his
course so farre towards the North pole, that cuen in the moneth
of luly he found monstrous heapes of ice swimming on the sea,
and in maner continuall day light, yet saw he the land in that
tract free from ice, which had bene molten by the heat of the
Sunne. Thus seeing such heapes of yce before him, hee was
enforced to turne his sailes and follow the West, so coasting still
by the shore, that hee was thereby brought so farre into the
South, by reason of the land bending so much Southwards, that
it was there almost equal in latitude, with the sea Eretum Her-
culeum, hauing the Northpole eleuate in maner in the same
degree. He sailed likewise in this tract so farre towards the
West, that hee had the Island of Cuba on his left hand, in maner
in the same degree of longitude. As hee traueiled by the
coastes of this great land, (which he named IJaccalaos) he saith
that hee found the like course of the waters toward the West, but
the same to runne more softly and gently than the swift waters
which the Spaniards found in their Nauigations Southwards.
Wherefore it is not onely more like to be true, but ought also of
necessitie to be concluded that betweene both the lands hitherto
vnknowen, there should be certaine great open places whereby
the waters should thus continually passe from the East vnto the
West : which waters I suppose to be driuen about the globe of
the earth by the uncessant mouing and impulsion of the heauens,
and not to bee swallowed vp and cast vp againe by the breath-
ing of Demogorgon, as some haue imagined, because they see
the seas by increase and decrease to ebbe and flowe. Sebastian
Cabot himselfe named those lands Baccalaos, because that in

the Seas thereabout hee found so great multitudes of certaine
bigge fishes much like vnto Tunics, (which the inhabitants call
Haccalaos) that they sometimes stayed his shippes. He found
also the people of those regions couered with beastes skinnes,
yet not without the vse of reason. He also saieth there is great
plentie of Beares in those regions which vse to eate fish : for
plunging themselves in y*^ water, where they perceiue a multi-
tude of these fishes to lie, they fasten their clawes in their
scales, and so draw them to land and eate them, so (as he saith)
the Beares being thus satisfied with fish, are not noisome to
men. Hee declareth further, that in many places of these
Regions he saw great plentie of Copper among the inhabitants.
Cabot is my very friend, whom I vse familiarly, and delight to
haue him sometimes keepe mee company in mine owne house.
For being called out of England by the commandcnent of the
Catholique King of Castile, after the death of King Henry the
seuenth of that name Kmg of England, he was made one of our
council and Assistants, as touching the affaires of the new
Indies, looking for ships dayly to be furnished for him to dis-
couer this hid secret of Nature.

the
aith
but
Iters
rds.
so of
erto
reby
the
)e of
uens,
eath-
see
stian
at in

The testimonie of Francis Lopez de Gomara a Spaniard, in
the fourth Chapter of the seconc. i>ooke of his generall
history of the West Indies concerning the first discouerie
of a great part of the West Indies, to wit, from 5S. to 38.
degrees of latitude, by Sebastian Cabota out of England.

HE which brought most certaine newes of the countrey tSr
people of Baccalaos, saith Gomara, was Sebastian Cabote a
Venetian, which rigged vp two ships at the cost of K. Henry
the 7. of England, hauing great desire to traffique for the spices
as the Portingals did. He carried with him 300. men, and
tooke the way towards Island from beyond the Cape of La-
brador, vntill he found himselfe in 5S. degrees and better. He
made relation that in the moneth of luly it was so cold, and the
ice so great, that hee durst not passe any further : that the
days were very long, in a maner without any night, and for that
short night that they had, it was very cleare. Cabot feeling the
cold, turned towards the West, refreshing himselfe at Baccalaos:
and afterwards he sayled along the coast vnto 38. degrees, and
from thence he shaped his course to returne into England.

A note of Sebastian Cabots first discouerie of part of the
Indies taken out of the latter part of Robert Fabians

Chronicle not hitherto printed, which is in the custodie
of M. lohn Slow a diligent preseruer of Antiquities.

IN the 13. yeere of K. Henry the 7. (by meanes of one lohn
Cabot a Venetian which made himselfe very expert and cunning
in knowledge of the circuit of the world and Hands of the same,
as by a Sea card and other demonstrations reasonable he
shewed) the King caused to man and victual! a ship at Bristow,
to search for an Island, which he said hee knew well was rich,
and replenished with great commodities: Which shippe thus
manned and victualled at the kings cost, diuers Marchants of
London ventured in her small stocks, being in her as chiefe
patron the said Venetian. And in the company of the said
ship, sailed also out of Ikistow three or foure small ships fraught
with sleight and grosse marchandizes, as course cloth, caps,
laces, points cv: other trilles. And so departed from Bristow in
the beginning of May, of whom in this Maiors time returned no
tidings.

Of three Sauages which Cabot brought home and presented
vnto the King in the foureteenth yere of his reigne, men-
tioned by the foresaid Robert Fabian.

THis yeere also were brought vnto the king three men taken
in the Newfound Island that before I spake of, in William Pur-
chas time being Maior : These were clothed in beasts skins, &
did eate raw flesh, and spake such speach that no man could
vnderstand them, and in their demeanour like to bruite beastes,
whom the King kept a time after. Of the which vpon two
yeeres after, I saw two apparelled after the maner of English-
men in Westminster pal lace, which that time I could not dis-
cerne from l-jiglishmen, til I was learned what they were, but
as for speach, 1 heard none of them vtter one word.

A briefc extract concerning the discouerie of Newfound-
land, taken out of the booke of M. Robert Thorne, to
Doctor Leigh, &c.

I Reason, that as some sicknesses are hereditarie, so this
inclination or desire of this discouery I inherited from my
father, which with another marchant of Bristol named Hugh
Eliot, were the discouerers of the Newfound-lands ; of the which
there is no doubt (as nowe plainely appeareth) if the mariners
would then haue bene ruled, and followed their Pilots minde,
but the lands of the West Indies, from whence all the golde
Cometh, had bene ours ; for all is one coast as by the Card
appeareth, and is aforesaid.

The large pension granted by K. Edward the 6. to Sebas-
tian Cabota, constituting him grand Pilot of England.

FH^ward the sixt by the grace of Ood, King of England,
France and Ireland, defender of the faith, to all Christian
people to whom these presents shall come, sendeth greeting.
Know yee that we, in consideration of the good and acceptable
seruice done, and to be done, vnto vs by our beloued seruant
Sebastian Cabota, of our speciall grace, certaine knowledge,
meere motion, and by the aduice and counsel of our most
honourable vncle Edward duke of Somerset gouernour of our
person, and Protector of our kingdomes, dominions, and sub-
iects, and of the rest of our Counsaile, haue giiien iV granted^
and by these presents do giue and graunt to the said Sebastian
Cabota, a certaine annuitie, or yerely reuenue of one hundreth,
three-score & sixe pounds, thirteene shillings foure pence ster-
ling, to haue, enioy, and yerely receiue the aforesaid annuitie,
or yerely reuenue, to the foresaid Sebastian Cabota during his
natural life, out of our Treasurie at the receit of our Exchequer
at Westminster, at the hands of our 'Treasurers «Si paymasters,
there remayning for the time being, at the feasts of the Annun-
tiation of the blessed Virgin Mary, the Natiuitie of S. lohn
Baptist, S. Michael y-' Archangel, & the Natiuitie of our Lord,
to be paid by equal portions.

And further, of our more speciall grace, and by the aduise
and consent aforesaide wee doe giue, and by these presents doe
graunt vnto the aforesaide Sebastian Cabota, so many, and so
great summes of money as the saide annuitie or yeerely reuenue
of an hundreth, three-score and sixe pounds, thirteene shillings
4. pence, doeth amount and rise vnto from the feast of S.
Michael the Archangel last past vnto this present time, to be
had and receiued by the aforesaid Sebastian Cabota, and his
assignees out of our aforesaid Treasurie, at the handes of our
aforesaide Treasurers, and officers of our Exchequer of our free
gift without accompt, or any thing else therefore to be yeelded.
payed, or made, to vs, our heires or successours, forasmuch as.
herein expresse mention is made to the contrary.

In witnesse whereof we haue caused these our Letters to be
made patents : Witnesse the King at Westminster the sixt day
of lanuarie, in the second yeere of his raigne. The yeere of
our Lord 1548.

>i'

" Sometimes in Wagner's musical dramas the introduction of a few
notes from some leading melody foretells the inevitable catastrophe
toward which the action is moving, as when in Lohengrin's bridal
chamber the well-known sound of the distant Grail motive steals
suddenly upon the ear, and the heart of the rapt listener is smitten
with a sense of imjjending doom. So in the drama of maritime dis-
covery, as glimpses of new worlds were beginning to reward the en-
terprising crowns of Spain and Portugal, for a moment there came
from the North a few brief notes fraught with ominous portent. The
])ower for whom destiny had reserved the world empire of which
these Southern nations — so noble in aim, so mistaken in policy —
were dreaming stretched forth her hand in quiet disregard of papal
bulls, and laid it upon the western shore of the ocean. It was only
for a moment, and long years were to pass before the consequences
were developed. lUit in truth the first fateful note that heralded the
coming English suprcniacy was sounded when John Cabot's liny
craft sailed out from the Bristol channel on a bright May morning of
1497." — John Fiske, TJic Discovoy of A^nerica.

The slight contemporary mention, which is all that we have of the
voyages of the Cabots in r497 and 149^, does not enable us to deter-
mine with precision the parts of the North American coast that were
visited. We k )W that a chart of the tirst voyage was made ; for both
the .Spanish envoys, Puebia and Ayala, writing between August 24,
1497, and July 25. 149-'^, mentioned having seen such a chart, and
from an inspection of it they concluded that the distance run did not
exceed 400 leagues. The \"enetian merchant. Pasqualigo, gave the
distance more correctly as 700 leagues, and added that Cabot fol-
lowed the coast of the "territory of the Grand Khan" fo" 300
leagues, and in returning saw two islands to starboard. An early
tradition fixed upon the coast of Labrador as the region first visited,
and until lately this has been the prevailing opinion.

The chart seen by the Spanish ministers in London is unfortu-
nately lost. But a map engraved in Germany or Flanders in 1544 or
late, and said to be after a drawing by .Sebastian Cabt)t, has at the
north of what we call the island of Cape Breton the legend '•'■ prima
licrra vista,''' i.e. '^ first la)id seen "y and in this connection there is a
marginal inscription. Spanish and Latin, saying, " This country was
di'-covered by John Cabot, a \'enetian, and .Sebastian Cabot, his
son. in the year of our Saviour Jesus Christ m. ( t cf. xciiii* on the
24th day of June in the morning, which country they called prima
tierra vista, and a large island near by they named St. John because
they discovered it on the same day." Starting from this information,
it has been supposed that the navigators, passing this St. John, which
we call Prince Edward Island, coasted around the Gulf of St. Law-
rence and pa'^sed out through the Strait of Belle Isle. The two
islands seen on the starboard would then be points on the northern

\ 5

* This date is wrong,
bottom, making .1 v.

Tine first two letters after xc sliouid be jc.tred together at the

coast of Newfoundland, and a considerable part of Pasqualigo's 300
leagues of coasting would thus be accounted for. But inasmuch as
the •' Matthew " had returned to Bristol by the first of August, it may
be doubted whether so long a route could have been traversed within
five weeks.

If we could be sure that the map of 1544 in its present shape and
with all its legends emanated from Sebastian Cabot, and was drawn
with the aid of charts made at the time of discovery, its authority
would be very high indeed. But there are some reasons for sup-
posing it to iiave been amended or ''touched up ''by the engraver;
and it is evidently compiled from charts made later than i 536, for it
shows the results of Jacques Cartier's explorations in the Gulf of St.
Lawrence. Its statement as to the first landfoll is, moreover, in con-
flict with the testimony of the merchant Robert Thome, of Bristol, in
1527, and with that of two maps made at Seville in 1527 and 1529,
according to which the '■^ prhna f terra 71/s/a'^ was somewhere on the
coast of Labrador. It must be remembered, too, that John Cabot
was instructed to take northerly and westerly courses, not southerly;
and an important despatch from Raimondo de Soncino, in London, to
the Duke of Milan, dated December 18, 1497, describes his course in
accordance with these instructions. It is perfectly definite and
altogether probable. According to this account Cabot sailed from
Bristol in a small ship, manned by eighteen ])ersons, and, having
cleared the western shores of Ireland, turned northward, after a few
days headed for Asia, and stood mainly west till he readied •' Terra
Firnia,"' where he planted the royal standard, and forthwith returned
to England. In other words, he followed the common custom in
those days of first running to a chosen parallel, and then following
that parallel to the point of destination. Such a course could hardly
have landed him anywhere save on the coast of Labrador. .Supposing
his return voyage simply to have reversed this course, running south-
easterly to the latitude of the English channel and then sailing due
east, he may easily have coasted 300 leagues with land to starboard
before finally bearing away from Cape Race. This view is in har-
mony with the fact that on the desolate coasts passed he saw no
Indians or other human beings. He noticed the abundance of cod-
fish, however, in the waters about Newfoundland, and declared that
the English would no longer need to go to Iceland for their fish. Our
informant adds that Master John, toeing foreign-born and ])Oor, would
ha\e been set down as a liar, had not his crew, who were mostly
Bristol men, confirmed everything he said. — Fiske.

John Cc^bot, like Columbus a native of Genoa, moved to England with
his family from Venice, which had been his home for fifteen years, about
1490, and settled at Bristol. He may have been among those who were
ii Hiienccd at that time by the arguments of Bartholomew Columbus. Ex-
cited Ijy the news of the first voyage of ColumI)us, he sailed from Bristol
with a crew of eighteen men, probably accompanied by his son Sebastia*

in a ship named the Matthew or Matthews^ early in Mav, 1497, and discov-
ered what he supj50sed to be the Chinese coast, but what was the coast of
Labrador or Newloundland, on the 24th of June. This was the first dis-
covery of America by any navigators sailing under English autho. itv. It
has been supposed that John Cabot died on a second expedition, which
sailed from Bristol the next year, leaving the command to his son Sebastian,
who may have conducted a third expedition in 1501 or 1503.

There is much that is obscure concerning the Cabots and their voyages.
The best modern work upon the subject is WdiXx\?>%€'i Jean ct Sehasticii Calwt,
published in I'aris in 18S2, but not yet translated into English. Biddle's
Sehastian Cabot should be consulted by the student. Mr. Fiske's account, in
\\\i, Discm'cry of America, '\%\>x\ti,h\xX. clear and critical. The most impor-
tant discussion in English of the voyages of the Cabots is that by Charles
Deane, in the Narrative and Critical History of America, vol. iii. The bib-
liographical notes accompanying this arc very thorough, forming a complete
guide to everything that is to be learned concerning the Cabots.

The volume b^' kichnrd Hakluyt on The Principal Navij^^ations, Voy-
ages, and Discoverier of the English Nation, containing the principal early
notices of the Cabots, reprinted in ihe present leaflet, was published in
London in 1589, several of the same notices having previously appeared in
his Divers Voyages touching the DiscoT'ery of America, published in 1 5S2. In
Richard Eden's Decades of tlie Newe tVorld, published in 1555, there had,
however, appeared accounts of the Cabot voyages, the first in English which
have come down to us. Richard Elden knew Sebastian Cabot, who was
living in England at the time he wrote. Most of the early accounts of the
Cabots, with careful historical notes, may be found in Kerr's Voyages and
Travels, vol. vi. All of these old accounts are to be read with great care,
and the student should refer to the narratives of Mr. Deane and Mr. Fiske
for corrections of many of their palpable mistakes. Thus the discourse to
Hutrigarius ascribed to Sebastian Cabot, given by Ramusio. places the
death of John Cabot in 1496, and makes Sebastian himself conduct the first
c-xpedition in that year. It also makes the purpose of the voyage of 1498
the discovery of a " north-west passage " to Asia, whereas the idea of a
north-west passage through or around America to Asia did not enter men's
minds for a quarter of a century after that. The passage which Ilakluyt
cites from Stow's Chronicles does not mention John Cabot, as Hakluyt
makes it, l)ut begins : " This year one Sebastian Gabato, a Genoa's son, born
in Bristow," etc. Here, however, the change by Hakluyt is in the interest
of truth.

' 3

scov-
ist of
dis-
. It
tfhich
stian,

■ages.
'Jahof.
jdle's
nt, in
■npor-
larles
e bib-
iplete

, Voy-

early
ed in
red in
2. In
; had,
which
was
of the
ts and
t care,

Fiske
irse to
gs the
le first
f 1498
a of a

men's
akluyt

akiuyt
1, l)orn
nterest