DEATH OF COLUMBUS. 



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but those alone. Prescott has probably indicated the secret, although he admits that 

 "it was the grossest injustice to withhold from him the revenues secured by the original 

 contract with the crown." Poor Columbus was obliged to borrow money at this time for 

 necessary expenses. The truth was that the king, as the resources of the new countries 

 began to develop themselves, saw that he had promised a larger proportion of the profits 

 than he ever would have done to a subject and a foreigner could he have foreseen the 

 importance of the discoveries. He was so unjust as to at last propose a compromise 



COLUMBUS UNDER ARREST. 



that the admiral should relinquish his claims, in consideration of other estates and dignities 

 to be assigned him in Castile. He regarded him in the unwelcome light of a creditor, 

 whose claims were too just to be disavowed, and too large to be satisfied. It is very 

 doubtful whether Columbus received any assistance from the crown at this time, and 

 wearied in spirit, with health broken by a life of great hardship, he did not long survive. 

 He expired on May 20th, 1506, and his remains, first deposited at Valladolid, were, six 

 years later, removed to Seville, where a costly monument was raised over them by King 

 Ferdinand, with the following inscription : 



" A Castilla y 5. Leon 

 Xuevo mundo did Colon " ; 



" Columbus has given a new world to Castile and Leon " a very limited estimate of what 

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