JOHN CABOT'S VOYAGES 



appears to be a contemporary notice of 1498, written before 

 the return of the expedition. 



These documents contain all that we know with certainty 

 about John Cabot's voyage of 1498. 



The Spanish Ambassador, Ruy Gonzales de Puebla, writes 

 in 1498 to Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain (probably in 

 July): 



"The King of England sent five armed ships with another Genoese like 

 Columbus to search for the island of Brasil and others near it,i and they were 

 provisioned for a year. It is said that they will return in September. Seeing 

 the route they take to reach it, it is what Your Highnesses possess. The 

 King has spoken to me at various times about it, he hopes to derive great ad- 

 vantage from it. I believe that it is not more than 400 leagues distant from 

 here" [of. Harrisse, 1882, p. 328]. 



Pedro de Ayala writes, July 25, 1498: 



" I believe Your Highnesses have heard how the King of England has fitted 

 out a fleet to discover certain islands and mainland that certain persons, who 

 sailed out of Bristol last year, have assured him they have found. I have seen 

 the chart that the discoverer has drawn, who is another Genoese like Colum- 

 bus, who has been in Seville and Lisbon to try to find some one to help him 

 in this enterprise. The people of Bristol have sent out yearly for the last 

 seven years a fleet of two, three, or four caravels to search for the island of 

 Brasil and the Seven Cities, following the fancy of this Genoese. The King 

 has determined to send out an expedition because he is certain that they found 

 land last year. One of the ships, on which a certain Fray Buil sailed, recently 

 came into port in Ireland with great difficulty, the ship being wrecked. 



" The Genoese continued his voyage. After having seen the course he has 

 taken and the length of the route, I find that the land they have found or are 

 looking for is that which Your Highnesses possess, because it is at the end 

 of that which belongs to Your Highnesses according to the convention with 

 Portugal. It is hoped that they will return in September. I will let Your 

 Highnesses know of it. The King of England has spoken to me at various 

 times about it; he hopes- to derive great advantage from it. I believe the dis- 

 tance is not more than 400 leagues. I told him I believed the lands that had 

 been found belonged to Your Highnesses, and I have given him a reason for 

 it, but he would not hear of it. As I believe Your Highnesses are now 

 acquainted with everything, as well as with the chart or mapa mundi that he 



1 The text has " vicinidades," but Desimoni [1881, Pref. p. 15] supposes it 

 to be a misreading for " septe citades," i.e., " the Seven Cities." 



2 " Spero " is obviously a slip of the pen for " spera." 



