de la Plata, or River of Silver, on the coast of Brazil. After this he returned to England, probably on the invitation of Mr. Robert Thorne, an English merchant of Bristol, but resident at Seville, with whom he was intimately acquainted, and who had contributed largely to one of his expeditions.* Mr. Thorne was a native, and once had served the office of mayor, of the city of Bristol, where Cabota's father had lived. His return to England was in the year 1548, when Henry VIII. was on the throne. On the succession of Edward VI. the Duke of Somerset introduced him to the young king, who was so delighted with his conversation that he created him, by patent, pilot major, and settled on him a pension for life of 500 marks (1667. 13s. 4d.) a year," in consideration of the good and acceptable services done, and to be done." Never was a reward, great as it was in those days, more deservedly bestowed. Placed at the head of the "Society of Merchant Adventurers," by his knowledge and experience, his zeal and penetration, he not only was the means of extending the foreign commerce of England, but of keeping alive that spirit of enterprize, which, even in his life time, was crowned with success, and which ultimately led to the most happy results for the nation that had so wisely and honourably

* Lives of the Admirals, vol. i. p. 381.

+ Hakluyt's Voyages.

Rymer's Fœdera, vol. xv. p. 181.

enrolled this deserving foreigner in the list of her citizens.

THE CORTEREALS. 1500.

The Portugueze, not content with having discovered a route to India by sailing round the tempestuous extremity of Africa, soon after engaged in an equally dangerous enterprize ;-that of finding a route to India and the Spice islands, by sailing westward round the northern extremity of America.

This bold undertaking was reserved for the CORTEREALS, the enlightened disciples of the school of Sagres. The first navigator of the name of Cortereal, who engaged in this enterprize, was JOHN VAZ COSTA CORTEREAL, a gentleman of the household of the Infanta Don Fernandowho, accompanied by Alvaro Martens Hornen, explored the northern seas, by order of King Alfonso the Fifth, and discovered the Terra de Baccalhaos (the land of cod fish) afterwards called Newfoundland.

This voyage is mentioned by Cordeiro,* but he does not state the exact date, which however is ascertained to have been in 1463 or 1464; for, on their return from the discovery of Newfoundland, or Terra Nova, they touched at the island of Terceira, the captaincy of which island having

* Historia Insulana, Cordeiro, 1 vol. fol.

become vacant by the death of Jacome Bruges, they solicited the appointment, and in reward for their services the request was granted, their patent commission being dated in Evora, 2d April, 1464.

Notwithstanding this early date of a voyage across the Atlantic, there exists no document to prove that any thing further was done by the Portugueze, in the way of discovery, till towards the close of the fifteenth century; and if the evidence of that in question rested on this single testimony of Cordeiro, and on the fact of the patent, it would scarcely be considered as sufficiently strong to deprive the Cabotas of the honour of being the first who discovered Newfoundland; at the same time if the patent should specify the service for which it was granted, and that service is stated to be the discovery of Newfoundland, the evidence would

go

far in favour of the elder Cortereal. But there is another indirect testimony afforded by Francisco de Souza, who in 1570 wrote a treatise on the New Islands, and of their discovery; as also concerning those Portugueze who went from Vianna, and from the islands of the Azores, to people the Terra Nova do Baccalhao twenty years before that period; which would prove that the Portugueze not only were in the habit of fishing on the banks

* Tratado das Ilhas novas, &c. 1570.

Bibliotheca Lusitana.

of Newfoundland, but of settling there also, towards the close of the fifteenth century.

The arduous enterprize of prosecuting discoveries in the northern seas would seem however to have been reserved exclusively for the family of the Cortereals; for it does not appear that any person had attempted, on the part of Portugal, to explore those seas navigated by John Vaz Cortereal, the father, nor by any nation, except Cabota in behalf of England, until the time of his son Gaspar Cortereal.

The two ships which had been prepared for this voyage, and put under his command, sailed from Lisbon in the summer of 1500 for although Galvam says that they sailed from the island of Terceira, this must only be understood on account of their having touched there to receive refreshments, to complete their crews, and to afford Cortereal an opportunity of taking leave of that part of his family which was settled in that island.

Departing from the Azores, or Western Islands, they steered a course which, as far as they knew, had never but once before been traced by any navigator, till they discovered land to the northward, to which they gave the name of Terra Verde-that is, Greenland. Galvam places it (although with little accuracy) in 50°*—and others, particularly

* Misprinted probably for 60°, which would be correct.

Goes, describe the qualities of the country, and the manners of the inhabitants.

In the first collection of voyages which is known to have been published in Europe, and printed in Vicenza, by Francazano Montaboldo,* there is inserted a letter from Pedro Pascoal, ambassador from the republic of Venice to the court of Lisbon, addressed to his brother in Italy, and dated 29th October 1501, in which he details the voyage of Cortereal, as told by himself on his return.

From this authority, it appears that, having employed nearly a year in this voyage, he had discovered, between west and northwest, a continent until then unknown to the rest of the world; that he had run along the coast upwards of eight hundred miles; that according to his conjecture this land lay near a region formerly approached by the Venetians,† almost at the North Pole; and that he was unable to proceed farther on account of the great mountains of ice which incumbered the sea, and the continued snows which fell from the sky.

He further relates that Cortereal brought fiftyseven of the natives in his vessels-he extols the country on account of the timber which it pro

* Mundo Nuovo é Paesi nuovamente retrovati, &c. Vicenza, 1507; a very rare book; translated into Latin, by Madrigano, under the title of "Itinerarium Portugalensium è Lusitania in Indiam, &c."

Nicolo and Antonio Zeno.