constructed before 1520, as Marcel concluded, there is likewise good reason why the Acton globe should also be assigned to the second decade of the sixteenth century. Las Casas, in his ‘Historia de las Indias,’ tells us that when Magellan (Fig. 41) offered his services to the King of Spain for an expedition to the Moluccas he had a globe to serve him in the demonstration of his plan. “Traìa el Magallanes vn Globo bien pintado, en que toda la tierra estaba, y alli señalò el camino que habia de llevar, salvo que el estracho dejò, de industria, en blanco, porque alguno no se lo saltease.”[180] “Magellan had a well painted globe, which exhibited the entire earth, and he showed thereby the route which he thought of taking, but with intention he had left the strait blank so that no one might learn his secret.” [Illustration: Fig. 41. Portrait of Magellan.] Other allusions to this globe we do not have, unless there is such in a letter written by Sebastian Alvares to King Don Manuel, dated Seville, July 18, 1519. In giving information concerning the plan of Magellan Alvares states: “A rrota que se diz que han de levar he dirᵗᵒ ao cabo fryo ficando lhe o brasy a mão dirᵗᵃ ate pasar a linha da particâo e daly navegar ao eloeste e loes noroeste dirᵗᵒˢ a maluco a quall tr͊ra de maluco en vy asentada na poma e carta que ea fez o fᵒ de Reynell a quall nò era acabada quando caa seu pay veo por ele, e seu pay acabou tudo e pos estas tr͊ras de maluco e p este paderam se fazem todallas cartas as quaêes faz diᵃ Ribeiro e faz as agulhas quadrantes e esperas, porem nò vay narmada nem q͊r mais q͊ ganhar de comeer p seu engenho.” “The course which it is said they are to take is straight to Cape Frio, Brazil remaining on their right hand until they reach the line of demarcation, thence they are to navigate to the west and west-northwest straight to Moluco, which land of Moluco I have seen laid down on the sphere and map which the son of Reynell made here which was not complete when his father came here for him; and his father finished it all, and placed these islands of Moluco; and after this pattern all the maps are made which Diego Ribeiro makes, and he makes the compasses, quadrants and globes, but he does not go in the fleet, nor does he wish to do more than gain his living by his skill.”[181]