[414] According to Carli’s statement, Verrazzano at first attempted to sail to the west by going through the North Sea. Here, as Verrazzano relates, his vessels were disabled, and he proceeded southward toward the desert-rock, whence he steered toward the west in quest of new lands.
[415] Carli evidently was not well informed concerning Magellan’s expedition, for although he speaks of the five ships of the fleet, and of the return of the one commanded by Del Cano, he appears to be ignorant of the death of Magellan, and of the arrival of Estevan Gomez, in 1521, with the ship San Antonio.
[416] King Francis wrote to his parliament, on the second of July, 1524, saying: “I am going to Lyons to prevent the enemy from entering the kingdom, and I can assure you that Charles de Bourbon is not yet in France.”—Historie de François Premier. Gaillard. Paris, 1769. tom. iii. p. 172.
[417] Lettera di Fernando Carli a suo padre. Archivo storico Italiano ossia raccolta di opere e documenti fiuora inediti o divenuti rarissimi risguardanti la storia d’Italia. Appendice. tomo ix. Firenze. Gio. Pietro Vieusseux, direttore-editore al suo gabinetto scientifico letterario. 1853.
[418] Philippe Chabot, Sieur de Brion, admiral of France, was given command of the French marine, March 23, 1526.
[419] Ango & Son was a noted firm of ship-builders in Dieppe.
[420] Twenty thousand pounds, Tours currency, were to be advanced to meet the expenses of the undertaking. The admiral of France contributed four thousand pounds, Guillaume Preudhomme, general of Normandy, two thousand; Pierre Despinolles, one thousand; Jean Ango, two thousand; Jacques Boursier, two thousand; and Verrazzano (Jehan de Varesam, as his name is written in the agreement), chief pilot, two thousand pounds. Verrazzano, having agreed to provide competent pilots for the other two vessels, was to receive one sixth of all the goods which should be brought back, and one tenth of any booty taken at sea from the Moors, or other enemies of France. Foutette collection. xxx. 770. fol. 60. Bibliothèque nationale. Paris.
[421] Zanobus de Rousselay, a merchant of Rouen, in a legal instrument, dated September 30, 1526, gave bonds that “Messire Jehan de Verrassane” was entitled “to defend a certain clameur de haro, obtained against him by Guillaume Eynoult, called Cornete, living in Dieppe.” The bonds were placed in the hands of Fremyn Poree and Robert Tassel, sergeant royal, at Rouen, until the matter could be legally settled. MS. in archives of Rouen.
[422] Foutette collection. xxx. 770. fol. 60. Bibliothèque nationale. Paris.
[423] Hakluyt’s Divers voyages, 1582.