by him
discouered in the name of his Maiestie. Written at Diepe the eight of
Iuly, 1524.

I wrote not to your Maiesty, most Christian king, since the time we
suffered the tempest in the north partes, of the successe of the foure
Shippes, which your Maiestie sent forth to discouer new lands by the
Ocean, thinking your Maiestie had bene already duely enformed thereof. Now
by these presents I will giue your Maiestie to vnderstand, how by the
violence of the windes we were forced with two ships, the Norman and the
Dolphin (in such euill case as they were) to land in Britaine. Where after
wee had repayred them in all poynts as was needefull, and armed them very
well, we tooke our course along by the coast of Spaine, which your
Maiestie shall vnderstand by the profite that we receiued thereby.
Afterwards with the Dolphin alone we determined to make discouerie of new
Countries, to prosecute the nauigation we had already begun, which I
purpose at this present to recount vnto your Maiestie to make manifest the
whole proceeding of the matter.

(M327) The 17 of Ianuary the yeere 1524. by the grace of God we departed
from the dishabited rocke by the isle of Madera, apperteining to the king
of Portugal, with 50. men, with victuals, weapons, and other ship-munition
very well prouided and furnished for 8 moneths: And sayling Westwards with
a faire Easterly winde, in 25. dayes we ran 500. leagues, and the 20. of
Februarie we were ouertaken with as sharpe and terrible a tempest as euer
any saylers suffered: whereof with the diuine helpe and mercifull
assistance of Almighty God, and the goodnesse of our shippe, accompanied
with the good happe of her fortunate name, we were deliuered, and with a
prosperous winde followed our course West and by North. (M328) And in
other 25. dayes we made aboue 400. leagues more, where we discouered a new
land, neuer before seene of any man either ancient or moderne, and at
first sight it seemed somewhat low, but being within a quarter of a league
of it, we perceiued by the great fires that we saw by the Sea coast, that
it was inhabited: and saw that the land stretched to the Southwards. In
seeking some conuenient Harborough wherein to anchor and to haue knowledge
of the place, we sayled fiftie leagues in vaine, and seeing the land to
runne still to the Southwards, we resolued to return back againe towards
the North where wee found ourselues troubled with the like difficulty. At
length being in despaire