her Columbus, beinge in Portingale,
before he wente into Castile, sente his brother Bartholmewe into England
to practise with Kinge Henry the Seaventh aboute the discovery of the West
Indies, and that his said brother made his generall seacarde of this
secrete voyadge in London, in the yere of our Lorde 1488. the xiijth. of
February, above foure yeres before Christopher was sett oute upon his
firste voyadge by the Princes of Spaine, Ferdinando and Isabella, which
was the thirde of Auguste, 1592. It appereth also, that the onely cause
for his slowe dispatche was his fallings into the handes of pyrates, which
spoiled him and his companie of all that they had; whereby he was inforced
a longe tyme to worke in London in makinge instrumentes and seacardes to
get somewhat aboute him, that he mighte come in some honest furniture to
the Kinges presence. Also, that there was no delaye nor wante of goodd
will of the Kinges parte to sett furthe the action, whoe willingly
condescended to all Columbus demaundes; as is further to be seene in the
60 chapiter of the same historie, where I reade, that Bartholmewe
Columbus, havinge agreed with the Kinge of England upon all capitulations,
and returninge into Spaine by Fraunce to fetche his brother, when he
hearde newes at Paris that he had concluded in the meane season with the
Kinge of Spaine, and was entred into the action for him, was not a little
vexed for his brothers abusinge the Kinge of England, which had so
curteously graunted all his requestes and accepted of his offer. But
Christofer, not receavinge so spedy aunswer as he hoped for from his
brother oute of England, by reason of his fallinge into pirates handes, as
is aforesaide, and not by reason of any slacknes or unwillingnes of the
Kinge, in the meane season, for feare of beinge prevented by the
Portingales, which once before in secrete manner had gon aboute to take
the honour of the action oute of his handes, was stirred, contrary to
honesty, to play on bothe handes, and to deal with the Princes of Spaine
before he had receaved the Kinge of Englandes resolucion.

But leavinge this abuse offered to the Kinge of England either by
Christopher Columbus or the Kinges of Spaine, in takinge that enterprise
oute of his handes which was first sente to him, and never refused by him,
and to put the case that Columbus firste discovered parte of the ilandes
of Hispaniola and Cuba, yet wee will prove most plainely that a very
greate and la