rge parte, as well of the continent as of the ilandes, were
firste discovered for the Kinge of England by Sebastian Gabote, an
Englishe man, borne in Bristoll, the sonne of John Gabote, a Venesian, in
the yere of our Lorde 1496; as an Italian gent, a greate philosopher and
mathematitian, witnesseth, which harde the same of his owne mouthe; and
there were many then also lyvinge, which wente with him in that voyadge,
which coulde have proved him a liar yf it had bene otherwise. These be the
very wordes of this gent, which be uttered to certen noblemen of Venice
upon the disputation concerninge the voyadges of the spicerye: Know ye not
(quoth he) to this effecte, to goe to finde the Easte Indies by the north
west, that which one of your citie hath done, which is so skilfull in the
arte of navigacion and cosmographie, that he hath not his like in Spaine
at this day? And his sufficiencie hath so greately advaunced him, that the
Kinge hath given him the oversighte of all the pilotts that saile to the
West Indies, so that withoute his licence they cannot meddle in this arte,
by reason whereof they call him the Graund Pilott. This was Segnior
Sebastian Gabote, which I wente to see, beinge myselfe in Cyvill certen
yeres paste, whome I founde to be a moste curteous and gentle person.
After he had made very moche of me, and geven me good entertainment, he
shewed me many singularities which he had; and amonge the rest, a greate
mappe of the worlde, wherein were marked and described all the particular
navigations as well of the Portingales as of the Castilians. And he
declared unto me, that, his father beinge departed from Venyce, he wente
to dwell in England for trade of marchandize, and caried him with him to
the citie of London, thoughe he were very younge; yet for all that not so
younge but that he had studied [letters] of humanitie and the sphere;
moreover, that his father died aboute the tyme that the newes came that
Christopher Colon had discovered the coaste of the West Indies, and there
was no other talke but of that in the Courte of Kinge Henry the vij'th.
which reigned then in England. Whereof every man saied, that yt was rather
a thinge devine then humaine, to have founde out that way never knowen
before, to goe by the west into the easte. This brute of Segnior Columbus
did so inflame my harte, that I determyned also to doe some notable
thinge. And knowinge by the reason of the sphere, that, in directinge my
course righte t