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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 January 2012
While there remain any in this utilitarian age who value accuracy in history, the date of the discovery of the continent of America by English vessels will not be regarded as unimportant. It is well known that Columbus, whose great achievement of 1492 has placed him on a pinnacle of renown which neither rivalry nor detraction can ever eclipse or undermine, was himself preceded in the actual discovery of terra firma by John and Sebastian Cabot. It was not till 1498 that that prince of navigators lighted on the north coast of South America, whereas it is a fact beyond all question that in 1497 John Cabot, accompanied by his son Sebastian, was on the east coast of North America. The question is, whether in that year they discovered that coast for the first time, or whether in 1494 it had been already seen by them, though possibly not explored. Both these suppositions have had their advocates at different periods, but in later years the materials for forming a sound judgment on the question have much increased under our hands, and I should not be occupying your time now if I were not of opinion that the entire collection of documents in our possession is sufficient to enable us to come to a decided conclusion.
page 22 note a His words are :—“The men of Bristol have for the last seven years sent out every year two, three, or four caravels in search of the Island of Brazil and the seven cities, according to the fancy of this Genoese.”
page 23 note a Sebastian Cabot, Captain and Pilot-Major of his Sacred Imperial Majesty the Emperor Don Carlos, fifth of this name, and King, our Lord, made this figure, extended in plane, in the year of the birth of Our Saviour Jesus Christ 1544.
page 24 note a M. d'Avezac gives the original Spanish, but the following is Bergenroth's English version, “These are very uncertain enterprises and must not be gone into at present. Besides they cannot be executed without prejudice to us and to the King of Portugal.”
page 37 note a See Bergenroth's, Calendar of State Papers relating to England and Spain. London, 1862, vol. i. page 168Google Scholar.
page 39 note a See Brown's, RawdonVenetian State Papers, vol. i. No. 750Google Scholar