owarde the north weste, I shoulde shorten the way greately
to goe to the Easte Indies, without delaye I gave the Kinges Majestie to
understande of myne opinion, which was marveylously well pleased; and he
furnished me of twoo shippes, with all thinges necessarie; and this was in
the yere 1496. in the begynnynge of somer. And I began to saile towardes
the north west, thinckinge to finde no lande savinge that where Cathaio
is, and from thence to turne towardes the Indies. But after certaine
daies, I discouered lande which ronneth towardes the northe, wherewithall
I was excedingly agreved; notwithstandinge I ceassed not to ronne alonge
that coaste towardes the northe, to see yf I coulde finde any gulfe which
turned towardes the north weste, until I came to the heighte of 56.
degrees of our pole. (M250) Beinge there, I sawe that the coaste turned
towards the easte, and, beinge oute of hope to finde any straite, I turned
backe againe to searche out the said coaste towarde the equinoctiall, with
intention alwayes to finde some passage to the Indies; and in followinge
this coaste I sailed as farr as that parte which at this present they call
Florida; and nowe my victualls failinge and fallinge shorte, I sailed no
further, but lefte the coaste there, and sailed into England, where I was
no sooner arryved but I founde greate troubles of the people, that were
upp in armes by reason of the warres in Scotland; whereby the voyadge to
those partes was laide aside for that time, and had in no further
consideration.

Upon this relation, Monsieur Popiliniere, being a Frencheman, in his
seconde booke, Des Trois Mondes, inferreth these speaches: This, then, was
that Gabote which firste discovered Florida for the Kinge of England, so
that the Englishe men have more righte thereunto then the Spaniardes, yf
to have righte unto a contrie, it sufficeth to have firste seene and
discovered the same.

Howbeit, Gabota did more then see the contrie, for he wente on lande on
divers places, tooke possession of the same accordinge to his patente,
which was graunted to his father, John Gabot, to Lewes, himself, and
Sancius, his brethren, beinge to be sene in the Rolles and extant in
printe: and, moreover, he broughte home three of the savages of the
Indies, as Fabian, in his ancient Chronicle, dothe write, declaringe their
apparell, feedinge, and other manners, which, he saieth, he observed
himselfe in the Courte at Westminster, where he sawe twoo of t