Authentic Letters of Columbus. hi 



him to account for that. He is so overbearini^ that nobody who has 

 money there dares to ask for it. Miguel Diaz and Velazquez dare 

 not even mention the subject to him." 



As his age and infirmities increased, the anxiety of Columbus to 

 secure a recognition of his claims grew greater, and he expressed a 

 desire to go to Valladolid, where the court was sitting. But he says 

 that he had " fear to make the journey because the ailment that 

 afflicts me is so bad and the cold weather aggravates it so much that 

 it is possible that I inight be left on the road or in some of the inns. 

 Stretchers and all the other things were ready, but the weather be- 

 came so formidable that nobody could think of traveling, and every- 

 one said that it was better for a person so well-known as I am to 

 attend to my health and not run any risk. My illness," he adds, 

 " prevents me from writing except at night. In the daytime my 

 hands have no strength." 



A few months later he writes to Diego saying that ** if without 

 being importunate a permit can be obtained for me to ride on mule- 

 back, I will try to go there (Valladolid) after the month of January." 

 A few weeks later he notified Diego again of his desire to make the 

 journey, and says: "If the permit to ride on inuleback can be ob- 

 tained without trouble I would be pleased, and then I would like 

 also to have a good mule." 



The application for this permit was made necessary by an order 

 issued a few months previous prohibiting the use of mules in travel- 

 ing, except by royal permission, on account of the difficulty of secur- 

 ing a sufficient number of animals for military purposes. Cardinal 

 Mendoza had placed his litter at the disposal of the old sailor, but 

 he preferred to go on muleback. It appears that the request of 

 Diego was granted, for about two months after this letter was writ- 

 ten the king issued the following curious order, dated at the city of 

 Toro, February 23, 1505. 



"Decree granting to Don Christopher Colon permission to ride 

 on a mule saddled and bridled through any part of these . kingdoms : 



" The King: As I am informed that you, Christopher Colon, the 

 Admiral, are in poor health, owing to certain diseases which you had 

 or have, and that you cannot ride on horseback without injury to 

 your health, therefore, conceding this to your advanced age, I, by 

 these presents, grant you license to ride on a mule, saddled and 

 bridled, through whatever parts of these kingdoms or realms you 

 wish and choose, notwithstanding the law which I issued thereto; 

 and I command the citizens of all parts of these kingdoms and 

 realms not to offer you any impediment or allow any to be offered to 

 you, under penalty of ten thousand maravedi in behalf of the treasury 

 from whoever does to the contrary." 



