THE NAME AMERICA 



659 



Library of New York; the third copy is in the Mazarine Library in 

 Paris (an incomplete copy, having only the first thirty-eight leaves); 

 and the fourth copy is preserved in the city library of Besanyon 



After having been deterred twice from naming himself as the sole 

 author of the St. Die book, Waltzemiiller got up a special edition of 

 his own, which he had printed at Strasburg in 1509. Very likely these 

 proceedings caused an estrangement and a final breach between the casti- 

 aator (proof-reader) 2;iacomylus and the Vosgian Cxymnasium, and this 

 was the main reason for the stopping of the St.-Di6's Ftolemey edition, 

 and its transfer to Strasburg in 1512, where it was issued at last m 151d. 



" LE QUATTRO GIORNATE." 



After his success with the publication of his first letter to Lorenzo 

 Pierfrancisco de Medicis, Vespucci took special precautious to have all 

 his vovages well known in different parts of Europe. In his letter to 

 Soderfni, of 1504, he speaks of a book written by him under the title 

 " Le Quattro Giornate," which was never published, and the manu- 

 script of which had escaped all researches until this day. But he wrote 

 a resume of it, dated Lisbonne, September 4, 1504, taking special care 

 to address it, first, to the King of Spain; second, to his friend the 

 Goufiilonier of Florence; and third, to King Rene, due of Lorraine. 



The copy addressed to Ferdinand of Spain was never published, and 

 until now has not been found in the archives of Spain. Probably it 

 was written in Spanish, and with a dedication to the King. The copy 

 addressed to Soderini was published in 1506, at Pescia, near Florence, 

 by Piero Paccini, under the title, " Lettera di Amerigo Vespucci delle 

 isole nuovamente trovate in quatro suoi viaggi," in an Italian rather 

 incorrect, containing a quantity of Spanish words and phrases, as 

 might be expected from a man like Vespucci, who had hved at least 

 twelve years in Spain or among Spaniards. It was dedicated to His 

 Ma-nificence Siguor Pietro Soderini, Perpetual Gonfalonier ot the 11- 

 lustre Republic of Florence, but without the name, giving only his title 

 of " Magniflce Domine," and " Vostra Mag." 



The thir<l copy was addressed to Rene, King of Sicily and Jerusalem 

 and Due of Lorraine. It was published in 1507, at St. Di6, by the 

 Gijmnasium Vosagense, under the title "Quattuor Americi Vesputu 

 Navigationes," in Latin, translated by the Canon Jean Basin, from a 

 French version. That French version was never published, or, if pub- 

 lished, no copy of it has ever been found; and the manuscript is un- 

 known, very likelv lost and destroyed. It is dedicated to the " Illus- 

 trissimo Renato Jherusalem et Sicilio Regis ;" but for some unexplained 

 reason the dedication to Soderini was copied entirely, with only the 

 name of the good King Rene put instead of " Maguifice Domine, and 

 i'T. M." (tua majestas) instead of " Vostra Mag.," which has been ren- 

 dered by the translator from Italian into French as " Vestra Majestas 

 or '^ Votre Majesty." It has been the custom to say that Jean Basm 



