IN NORTHERN MISTS 



thus run the risk of bringing England into conflict with the 

 Spanish or Portuguese crowns. 



As the letters patent bear the same date (March 5), and 

 are to some extent couched in the same terms as Cabot's 

 petition, they must have been granted as the result of previous 

 negotiation and agreement between Cabot and the King, and 

 must therefore contain Cabot's plans for the new voyage, 

 which were thus already formed in March, 1496, when he had 

 doubtless made, at all events, some preparations for the 

 expedition. 



That Cabot's plans had been spoken of at the English court 

 as early as January of that year appears from an existing 

 letter from Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain to the Spanish 

 Ambassador in England, Dr. Ruy Gonzales de Puebla. The 

 letter is dated March 28 (April 6, N.S.), 1496, and is an 

 answer to a letter, now lost, of January 21 (30, N.S.) from the 

 Ambassador. The answer is as follows : 



"You write that one like Columbus has come to propose to the King of 

 England another enterprise like that of the Indies, without prejudice to Spain 

 or Portugal. He has full liberty. But we believe that this enterprise was put 

 in the way of the King of England by the King of France in order to divert 

 him from other business. Take care that the King of England be not deceived 

 in this or any other matter. The French will try as much as they can to lead 

 him into such enterprises; but they are very uncertain undertakings, and are 

 not to be commenced for the moment. Moreover, they cannot be put into 

 execution without prejudice to us and to the King of Portugal." 1 



It will be understood from this that Cabot's plans had 

 attracted attention in London, and that great importance 

 was attached to them; consequently they must have been 

 discussed for some time before the granting of letters patent. 

 For this reason, also, we must suppose that Cabot was prepared 

 for his expedition in March, 1496. It seems therefore unlikely 

 that this was the expedition which did not leave until the year 

 following that in which he applied for the letters patent, 

 all the more so as the expedition of 1497 consisted of only 



1 Cf. Harrisse, 1882, p. 315. 

 300 



