He saythe [saith] also that there is greate plentie of beares in those regions, whiche vse to eate fysshe.  For plungeinge thym selues [themselves] into the water where they perceue [perceive] a multitude of these fysshes to lye, they fasten theyr [their] clawes in theyr scales, and so drawe them to lande and eate them.  So that (as he saith) the beares beinge thus satisfied with fysshe, are not noysom to men.  He declareth further, that in many places of these regions, he sawe great plentie of laton amonge th[e] inhabitantes.  Cabot is my very frende, whom I vse famylierly, and delyte [delight] to haue hym sumtymes keepe mee company in myne owne house.  For beinge cauled owte [out] of England by the commaundement of the catholyke kynge of Castile after the deathe of Henry kynge of Englande the seuenth of that name, he was made one of owre [our] counsayle and assystance as touchynge the affayres [affairs] of the newe Indies, lookynge dayely for shippes to bee furnysshed for hym to discouer this hyd secreate of nature.  This vyage is appoynted to bee begunne in March in the yeare next folowynge, beinge the yeare of Chryst M.D.XVI.  What shall succeade, yowre [your] holynes shalbe aduertised by my letters if god graunte me lyfe [life].  Sume of the Spanyardes denye that Cabot was the fyrst fynder of the lande of Baccallaos:  And afflrme that he went not so farre westewarde.  But it shall suffice to haue sayde thus much of the goulfes [gulfs] & strayghtes [straits], and of Cebastian Cabot..

[1] Peter Martyr, a native of Milan, resided for some years at the Spanish court.  The account he gives in this article of the voyage of the Cabots is based on information received by him directly from Sabastian Cabot, when Cabot was employed as pilot in the service of Spain.  Martyr’s account is the earliest complete narrative of this voyage now extant.  It therefore takes high rank—­in fact, is the corner-stone—­among documents pertaining to steps by which English civilization became supreme in North America.  The translation here given, made by Richard Eden, was published in London in 1555.

THE VOYAGES OF AMERICUS VESPUCIUS

(1497)

Vespucius’ own account[1]

We left the port of Cadiz four consort ships:  and began our voyage in direct course to the Fortunate Isles, which are called to-day la gran Canaria, which are situated in the Ocean-sea at the extremity of the inhabited west, (and) set in the third climate:  over which the North Pole has an elevation of 27 and a half degrees beyond their horizon:  and they are 280 leagues distant from this city of Lisbon, by the wind between mezzo di and libeccio:  where we remained eight days, taking in provision of water, and wood and other necessary things:  and from here, having said our Pier prayers, we weighed anchor, and gave the sails to the wind, beginning our course to westward, taking one-quarter by southwest: