determined to go and
see him, for he applied to King John II. for a kind of safe-conduct,
which was duly granted March 20, 1488. This document[494] guarantees
Christopher against arrest or arraignment or detention on any charge
civil or criminal whatever, during his stay in Portugal, and commands
all magistrates in that kingdom to respect it. From this it would seem
probable that in the eagerness of his geographical speculations he had
neglected his business affairs and left debts behind him in Portugal for
which he was liable to be arrested. The king's readiness to grant the
desired privilege seems to indicate that he may have cherished a hope of
regaining the services of this accomplished chart-maker and mariner.
Christopher did not avail himself of the privilege until late in the
summer,[495] and it is only fair to suppose that he waited for the birth
of his child and some assurance of its mother's safety. On meeting
Bartholomew he evidently set him to work forthwith in making overtures
to the courts of England and France. It was natural enough that
Bartholomew should first set out for Bristol, where old shipmates and
acquaintances were sure to be found. It appears that on the way he was
captured by pirates, and thus some delay was occasioned before he
arrived in London and showed the king a map, probably similar to
Toscanelli's and embellished with quaint Latin verses. An entry on this
map informs us that it was made by Bartholomew Columbus in London,
February 10, 1488, which I think should be read 1489 or even 1490, so we
may suppose it to have been about that time or perhaps later that he
approached the throne.[496] Henry VII. was intelligent enough to see
the bearings of Bartholomew's arguments, and at the same time, as a good
man of business, he was likely to be cautious about investing money in
remote or doubtful enterprises. What arguments were used we do not know,
but the spring of 1492 had arrived before any decisive answer had been
given. Meanwhile Bartholomew had made his way to France, and found a
powerful protector in a certain Madame de Bourbon,[497] while he made
maps for people at the court and waited to see if there were any
chances of getting help from Charles VIII.

[Footnote 492: Some historians, unwilling to admit any
blemishes in the character of Columbus, have supposed that this
union was sanctioned by marriage, but this is not probable. He
seems to have bee