John the Second, seeks to discover India by water.
After these, King John of Portugal sent Jaques Cano with a Fleet, who Sailing, found the River Zaires, where he erected a Pillar with an Inscription, Latin and Portuguese, signifying by whom, and in what Kings Reign these African Coasts were discover’d: Here he also met some of the Natives, who more civiliz’d than the rest, told him, That they had a mighty King, who Raigning over them, kept his Court some few days Journey up in the Countrey, to whom Cano sending his Agents, detain’d four Africans as Pledges, which he carry’d with their free consent to Portugal, promising to bring them back in fifteen Months, who before that time having got some smatterings of their Tongue, inform’d them, that their Native Soyl was call’d Congo, whither returning by the appointed time, they were according to their agreement, exchang’d for the Portuguese, and Cano address’d himself with rich Presents to their King, whom he found sitting in their manner on an Ivory Throne, being from the middle upward Naked, his nether parts cover’d with long Silken Skirts, a Golden Armlet on his left Arm, athwart his Shoulders hung a Horses Tail, their Badge of Royal Dignity: Cano humbly laid the Presents down at the Kings feet, amongst which was a Gilded Flag, or Pennon with a Cross, which Pope Innocent the Eighth had Consecrated with great Ceremony. After this, many of that Nation became Christians, and the King himself receiv’d Baptism. But in short time, by the Instigations of their Diabolical Priests, and others, Christianity loosing ground, grew out of countenance: Mean while, King John the Second vigorously Prosecuted the business of Discovery, sending Jews and Christians by Land from Alexandria and other parts of Egypt to India, and from thence to explore the Coasts on the Eastern side of Africa, to the Great-Cape; if so a way might be found fit for Navigators, having doubled that Point, to Traffick with the Oriental parts of the World.
Vasques de Gama, his expedition.
After this Princes Death the Work lay sill a while, but in short time, King Emanuel his Successor freshly undertook the business once more, sending Vasques de Gama with four Ships, who passing through many Dangers with great Difficulties, Anchor’d at last before Calecut, and was the first of the Europeans that found a way to the East-Indies.
Christopher Columbus’s.
Dividing of the earth.
But Christopher Columbus, five Years before Gama’s Expedition to the East, had been employ’d in Western Discoveries, which prov’d so very successful, that he found no less than another World; which soon after, from Americus Vesputius, was call’d America: So that the Division of the World by the Antients, (concerning which they had so long err’d, and were utterly mistaken) was now made manifest by Experience, and undisputable Demonstration; for formerly the whole World was known by no other names than Asia, Africa, and Europe, but now, those three are found to make but one Part of what incircles the Universal Globe; because in the South lies a second, known no further than by its Coastings and Superficial Margents; the third part being the New-World, our America.
A query, if America was known to the Ancients.
Atlantica. Plato in Crisis & Timæo.
Here it will not seem amiss, having prov’d that Africa was more than Coasted by the Ancients, to ingage and search with some scrutiny concerning this America; First, Whether at any time ’twas known by the Ancients? And next, by what People, and when first Inhabited? About the former, the Learned of these later times Jangle amongst themselves, for some of them will needs ascribe so much Honor to Antiquity, declining the Worthy Praise of those that made so wonderful a Discovery, as if they of old, and many Ages before, had done the same, or at least, that this New-World to them was not unknown, maintaining this their bold Assertion from the Authority of what they find, both in Ancient Greek, and Latin Authors: First, especially in the Learned Plato, who, as you know at large, describes a New Atlantis, lying beyond the Straights of Gibraltar; whose Coast is surrounded with two vast Seas that are Sow’d thick with scatter’d Islands. By these Seas they understand the Atlantick and Southern-Sea, by the many Isles, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, California, and others, which lie sprinkled along the Coasts of America. But it cannot be made out, that Plato describes ought but a Fancy, his own Idea, not a Countrey that ever was, is, or shall be, though he sets it forth so Accurately, and with such Judgment, as if he had taken a Survey of the place, and found such a Land indeed.