Authentic Letters of Columbus. 167 



XXI. 



Letter from Columbus to Father Gaspar Corricio, a Carthus- 

 ian ]\IoNK at the Monastery of Las Cuevas, near Seville. 

 Dated January 4TH, 1505. Original in collection of the 

 Duke of Veragua. 



t 



Reverend and Most Pious Father: 



Diego Mendez has come from the Court. Don Diego is there 

 well. The Adelantado and Don Fernando had not arrived yet. I 

 will send them all to you with information of everything. I do not 

 know how to say how much I wish to see you and communicate to you 

 something which must not be trusted to the pen. I should like to 

 peruse those instruments in writing and privileges which you have in 

 your possession, and order a box to be made of cork, lined with wax, 

 to keep those papers. I ask you as a great favor to send them all to 

 me by that honest man, the lay brother, if he is coming, and if not, 

 by Andrew, the brother of Juan Antonio, bearer of this letter. 



I am, thanks to Our Lord, improving daily in my health. 



My kind regards to the Reverend Father vSuperior, and to all the 

 religious members of your house. 



Dated this vSaturday, the 4th of January. 



Always ready to do what Your Reverence may command. 



S. 



S. A. S. 



X. M. Y. 



Xpo Ferens. 



