OFFER OF CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS a.d. 



1488. 



andato, & tomato con la vittoria della sua impresa, 

 secondo che per ordine si raccontera. Lasciaro hora di 

 raccontar cio, che Bartolomeo Colon haveva negociato in 

 Inghilterra, & tornaro all' Ammiraglio, &c. 



The same in English. 



CHristopher Columbus fearing least if the king of 

 Castile in like maner (as the king of Portugall had 

 done) should not condescend unto his enterprise, he 

 should be inforced to offer the same againe to some other 

 prince, & so much time should be spent therein, sent 

 into England a certaine brother of his which he had 

 with him, whose name was Bartholomew Columbus, who, 

 albeit he had not the Latine tongue, yet neverthelesse 

 was a man of experience and skilfull in Sea causes, and 

 could very wel make sea cards & globes, and other 

 instruments belonging to that profession, as he was 

 instructed by his brother. Wherfore after that Bartholo- 

 mew Columbus was departed for England, his lucke was 

 to fall into the hands of pirats, which spoiled him with 

 the rest of them which were in the ship which he went 

 in. Upon which occasion, and by reason of his poverty P 11 - 3-] 

 and sicknesse which cruelly assaulted him in a countrey _ , /**»£ 

 so farre distant from his friends, he deferred his am- i n ^ es were 

 bassage for a long while, untill such time as he had not discovered 

 gotten somewhat handsome about him with making of Sea P' England. 

 cards. At length he began to deale with king Henry 

 the seventh the father of Henry the eight, which reigneth 

 at this present : unto whom he presented a mappe of the 

 world, wherein these verses were written, which I found 

 among his papers : and I will here set them downe, rather 

 for their antiquity then for their goodnesse. 



Thou which desirest easily the coasts of lands to know, 

 This comely mappe right learnedly the same to thee 



will shew : 

 Which Strabo, Plinie, Ptolomew and Isodore maintaine : 

 Yet for all that they do not all in one accord remaine. 



137 



