‘Very humble servant,
Raimundus.’
The next two letters mainly concern the second voyage, that of 1498:
Pedro de Ayala to Ferdinand and Isabella, July 25, 1498.
‘I think your Majesties have already heard that the King of England has equipped a fleet in order to discover certain islands and continents which he was informed some people from Bristol, who manned a few ships for the same purpose last year, had found. I have seen the map which the discoverer has made, who is another Genoese like Columbus, and who has been in Seville and Lisbon asking assistance for his discoveries. The people of Bristol have, for the last seven years, sent out every year two, three or four light ships (caravelas) in search of the island of Brasil and the seven cities, according to the fancy of this Genoese. The King determined to send out ships because, the year before, they brought certain news that they found land. His fleet consisted of five vessels, which carried provisions for one year. It is said that one of them, in which one Friar Buil went, has returned to Ireland in great distress, the ship being much damaged. The Genoese has continued his voyage. I have seen, on a chart, the direction they took and the distance they sailed; and I think that what they have found, or what they are in search of, is what your Highnesses already possess. It is expected that they will be back in the month of September. I write this because the King of England has often spoken to me on this subject, and he thinks that your Highnesses will take great interest in it. I think it is not further distant than 400 leagues. I told him that, in my opinion, the land was already in the possession of your Majesties, but though I gave him my reasons, he did not like them. I believe that your Highnesses are already informed of this matter, and I do not now send the chart or mapa mundi which that man has made, and which, according to my opinion, is false, since it makes it appear that the land in question was not the said islands.’[[47]]
De Puebla to Ferdinand and Isabella, July 25 (?), 1498. Printed in the Hakluyt Society’s Journal of Columbus, 1893.
‘The King of England sent five armed ships with another Genoese like Columbus to search for the island of Brasil and others near it. They were victualled for a year. They say that they will be back in September. By the direction they take, the land they seek must be the possession of your Highnesses. The King has sometimes spoken to me about it, and seems to take a very great interest in it. I believe that the distance from here is not 400 leagues.’
A second charter, granted on February 2, 1498, also bears upon the second voyage:
Petition of ‘John Kabotto, Venetian,’ for a charter in the following terms, which was accordingly granted: Authority and power to John Cabot ‘that he by him, his deputie, or deputies sufficient’ may take six ships, up to 200 tons burden, and voyage to ‘the lande and isles of late founde by the seid John’. All subjects of the King to give every assistance in their power to Cabot for the furtherance of the enterprise.
The successful return of John Cabot in 1497 has some traces in the records of official business: