292 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



]nits some faith in him ; for (ever) since his return he has made good 

 provision for him, as the same Master John tells me. And it is said 

 that, in the spring, his majesty aforenamed will fit out some 

 ships, and will, besides, give him all the convicts, and thej' will 

 go to that country to make a colony, by means of which they hope to 

 establish in London a greater storehouse of spices than there is in 

 Alexandria ; and the chief men of the enterprise are men of Bristol, great 

 sailors, who, now that they know where to go, say that it is not a voyage 

 of more than fifteen days, nor do they ever have storms after they get 

 away from Hibernia. I have also talked with a Burgundian, a comrade 

 of Master John's, who confirms everything, and wishes to return thither 

 because the admiral (for so Master John already entitles himself) has 

 given him an island ; and he has given another one to a barber of his 

 from Castiglione-of-Genoa, and both of them regard themselves as counts ; 

 nor does my lord the admiral esteem himself anything less than a j)rince. 

 I think that with this expedition there will go several poor Italian 

 monks, who have all been promised bishoprics. And, as I have become 

 a friend of the admiral's, if I wished to go thither I should get an arch- 

 bishopric. But T have thought that the benefices which your excellency 

 has in stoi'e for me are a surer thing ; and, therefore, 1 beg that if these 

 should fall vacant in my absence, yovi will cause possession to be given 

 to me, taking measures to do this rather (especially) where it is needed, 

 in order that they may not be taken from me by others, who, because- 

 they are present, can be more diligent than T. who, in this country, have 

 been brought to the pass of eating ten or twelve dishes at every meal, 

 and sitting at table three hours at a time twice a day, for the sake of 

 your excellency, to whom I humbly commend myself. 



" Your Excellency's 



'■' Very humble servant, 



■'■ Eaimundus." 



On the 13th day of December, 1497, a pension of twenty pounds per 

 annum is granted by King Henry VII. to John Cabot, and the customs 

 and subsidies of the port of Bristol arc charged with the payment of the 

 same. 



On the 3rd day of February, in the 13th year of Henry VII., 1498, a 

 second royal grant was made, the original of which is preserved in the 

 Public Record otfice in London. This grant is made to John Cabot alone, 

 and no mention is made of Sebastian or of any of his sons. It grants 

 "to our. well- beloved John Cabot, Venetian, sutiicient authority and 

 power, that he by him his deputy or dejjuties sutficient, may take 

 at his pleasure six English ships to any port or ports, or other place 

 wnthin this our realm of England or obeisance, so that and if the said 

 ships be of the burden of two hundred tons or under, Avith their apparel 

 requisite and necessary' for the safe conduct of the said ship, and them 



