"It is interesting to notice the first arrival of Columbus in that country, which was to become the scene of his glory, and which he was to render so powerful and illustrious by his discoveries. In this we meet with one of those striking and instructive contrasts which occur in his eventful history. The first trace we have of him in Spain, is in the testimony furnished a few years after his death, in the celebrated law-suit between his son Don Diego and the Crown, by a physician named Garcia Fernandez, from whose deposition we glean the following facts:* "About half a league from the little seaport of Palos de Moguer in Andalusia there stood, and continues to stand at the present day, an ancient convent of Franciscan friars: dedicated to Santa Maria de Rabida. One day a stranger on foot, in humble guise, but of a distinguished air, accompanied by a small boy, stopped at the gate of the convent, and asked of the porter a little bread and water for his child. While receiving this humble refreshment, the prior of the convent, Friar Juan Perez de Marchena, happening to pass by, was struck with the appearance of the stranger, and observing from his air and accent that he was a foreigner, entered into conversation with him, and soon learnt the particulars of his story. That stranger was Columbus, accompanied by his young son Diego. Where he had come from does not clearly appear;† that he was in destitute circumstances is evident from the mode of his wayfaring he * From Irving's Columbus, 1st chapter of his second book, vol. 1, p. 39. "Lo Dicho Almirante Colon veniendo á la Rabida, que es un monastério de frailes en esta villa, el qual demandó á la porteria que le diesen para aquel niñico, que era niño, pan i agua que bebiese." The testimony of Garcia Fernandez exists in manuscript among the multifarious writings of the Pleite or law-suit, which are preserved at Seville. I have made use of an authenticated extract, copied for the late histo rian, Juan Baut, Muñoz. There is a little obscurity in some part of the evidence of Garcia Fernandez. It was given many years after the event. He states Columbus as coming with his infant son from the Castilian court, but he evidently confounds two visits which Columbus made to the convent of La Rabida into one. In making use of his testimony, that confusion has been corrected by comparing it with other well ascertained facts. was on his way to the neighbouring town of Huelva, to seek his brother-in-law, who had married a sister of his deceased wife.* "The prior was a man of extensive information. His attention had been turned in some measure to geographical and nautical science, probably from his vicinity to Palos, the inhabitants of which were among the most enterprising navigators of Spain, and made frequent voyages to the recently discovered islands and countries on the African coast. He was greatly interested by the conversation of Columbus, and struck with the grandeur of his views. It was a remarkable occurrence in the monotonous life of the cloister, to have a man of such singular character, intent on so extraordinary an enterprise, applying for bread and water at the gate of his convent. He detained him as his guest, and diffident of his own judgment, sent for a scientific friend to converse with him. That friend was Garcia Fernandez, a physician resident in Palos, the same who furnishes this interesting testimony. Fernandez was equally struck with the appearance and conversation of the stranger. Several conferences took place at the old convent, and the project of Columbus was treated with a deference in the quiet cloisters of La Rabida, which it had in vain sought amidst the bustle and pretension of court sages and philosophers. Hints too were gathered among the veteran mariners of Palos, which seemed to corroborate his theory. One Pedro de Velasco, an old and experienced pilot of the place, affirmed that nearly thirty years before, in the course of a voyage, he was carried by stress of weather so far to the north west, that Cape Clear in Ireland lay to the east of him. Here, though there was a strong wind blowing from the west, the sea was perfectly smooth; a remarkable circumstance, which he supposed to be produced by land lying * Probably Pedro Correa, from whom he had received information of signs of land in the west, observed near Puerto Santo. in that direction. It being late in August, however, he was fearful of the approach of winter, and did not venture to proceed on the discovery.* "Fray Juan Perez possessed that hearty zeal in friendship, which carries good wishes into good deeds. Being fully persuaded that the proposed enterprise would be of the utmost importance to the country, he offered to give Columbus a favourable introduction to court, and he advised him by all means to repair thither, and make his propositions to the Spanish sovereigns. Juan Perez was on intimate terms with Fernando de Talavera, prior of the monastery of Prado and confessor to the queen, a man high in royal confidence, and possessing great weight in public affairs. To him he gave Columbus a letter, strongly recommending himself and his enterprise to the patronage of Talavera, and requesting his friendly intercession with the king and queen. As the influence of the church was paramount in the court of Castile, and as Talavera, from his situation as confessor, had the most direct and confidential communication with the queen, every thing was expected from his mediation. In the meantime Fray Juan Perez took charge of the youthful son of Columbus, to maintain and educate him at his convent. "The zeal of this worthy man, thus early enkindled, never cooled; and many years afterwards, in the day of his success, Columbus looks back, through the brilliant crowd of courtiers, prelates and philosophers, who claimed the honour of having patronized his enterprise, and points to this modest friar as one who had been most effectually its friend. He remained in the convent until the spring of 1486, when the court arrived in the ancient city of Cordova, where the sovereigns intended to assemble their troops and make pre * Hist. del Almirante, cap. 8. † Salinas Cron. Franciscana de Peru. L. 1, c. 14. Malendez Tesoros Verdaderos de las Indias, L. 1, c. 1. parations for a spring campaign against the Moorish kingdom of Granada. Elated then, with fresh hopes, and confident of a speedy audience, on the strength of the letter to Fernando de Talavera, Columbus bade farewell to the worthy prior of La Rabida, leaving with him his child, and set out, full of spirits, for the court of Castile." Columbus lost no time in presenting the letter. The prior of Prado read it, and listened to the explanations of Columbus, but no impression was made on him in favour of the plan, and it is questionable whether at this period it was even mentioned to Ferdinand or Isabella. Certain it is that it was long afterwards before Columbus obtained an audience from either of the sovereigns. While lingering in Cordova, he became attached to a lady of that city, named Beatrix Enriquez. She was the mother of his second son, Fernando, (born in 1487 or 1488,) who became his historian, and whom he always treated on terms of perfect equality with his legitimate son Diego.* The most efficient friend of Columbus, in this stage of his application, was Alonzo de Quintanillo, comptroller of the finances of Castile, who became a warm advocate of his theory, and received him as a guest into his house. As a means of effectually promoting his interests, he endeavoured to procure for him the patronage of the celebrated Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza, Archbishop of Toledo, and Grand Cardinal of Spain. Through the representations of this important personage, Columbus at length obtained admission to the royal presence. In a matter involving so * Irving's Columbus, vol. 1, p. 46 to 48; vol. 2, p. 227, Appendix No. 3. much science, Ferdinand determined to take the opinion of the most learned men in the kingdom. The prior of Prado was commanded to assemble the most learned astronomers and cosmographers, for the purpose of holding a conference with Columbus. The conference took place at the great seat of learning in Spain, at Salamanca, in the convent of St. Stephen. The reasoning of Columbus did not convince a sufficient number: there was further procrastination and neglect.* It was in vain to seek a quiet and attentive hearing from a court surrounded by the din of arms and continually on the march. Wearied and discouraged by so much delay, Columbus appears to have written to King John the Second. A letter was received in reply, dated the 20th of March 1488, inviting his return to Portugal. Hopes, however, were raised by the conduct of the Spanish sovereigns, which induced him to neglect this invitation. In the spring of 1489, Columbus was summoned to attend a conference of learned men, to be held in the City of Seville. But the bustle of the campaign prevented the conference then and for some time after. The year 1490 had passed away, and Columbus was still kept in suspense. Wearied at the repeated postponements, he pressed for a decisive reply. A report was at length made by the scientific men to whom the project had been referred, that the scheme was vain and impossible, and ought not to be engaged in by the sovereigns. Yet they were unwilling to close the door upon the project. A message was sent to Co * Irving's Columbus, vol. 1, p. 48 to 56. |