Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
History
Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. 3 (of 8): English Explorations and Settlements in North America 1497-1689
America -- Discovery and exploration; America -- History; United States -- History
Dr. Kohl, who has very learnedly and at great length examined the
claims for this voyage of 1516-17,[33] has little confidence that
any such expedition actually sailed. Eden says the voyage “took none
effect,” which may mean that the expedition never sailed. It seems
also very improbable that Cabot, so recently domiciled in Spain, where
he was occupying an honorable position, should leave it all now and
re-enter the service of England, by whose Government he had apparently
for so many years been neglected. No English or Spanish writer mentions
his leaving Spain at this time.[34]
In 1555 there appeared in London the first collection in English of
the “results of that spirit of maritime enterprise which had been
everywhere awakened by the discovery of America.” The book was edited
by Richard Eden,—just mentioned as the translator of the fifth book
of Munster, in 1553,—and consisted of translations from foreign
writers, principally Latin, Spanish, and Italian, of travels by sea
and land, largely relating to discoveries in the New World. The book
was entitled, _The Decades of the Newe Worlde or West India_, etc.,
inasmuch as one hundred and sixty-six folios out of three hundred and
seventy-four, which the book contains, consist of the first three
Decades of Peter Martyr, and an epitome of the fourth Decade first
issued at Basle, in 1521. Then follow abstracts of Oviedo, Gomara,
Ramusio, Ziegler, Pigafeta, Munster, Bastaldus, Vespucius, and several
others. Some of the voyages are original and were drawn up by Eden’s
own hand. It is a very desirable book to possess; and though Eden was
a clumsy editor, not always correct in his translations, and did not
always make it clear whether he or his author was speaking, we are
grateful to him for the book. An enthusiastic tribute is paid to Eden
and his book by Richard Biddle,[35] who sets him off by an invidious
comparison with Richard Hakluyt, whom he studiously depreciates. Eden
was apparently a devoted Catholic, and was a spectator of the public
entry of Philip and Mary into London in 1554. He says that the splendid
pageant as it passed before him inspired him to enter upon some work
which he might in due season offer as the result of his loyalty, and
“crave for it the royal blessing.”[36] In his preface to the reader
Eden gives a brief review of ancient history, and coming down to the
time of the conquest of the Indies by Spain he eulogizes the conduct of
that nation towards the natives, particularly in having so effectually
labored for their conversion. His language is one continued eulogy of
the Spaniards. He urges England to submit to King Philip, of whom he
says:—
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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