The first voyage round the world, by Magellan : $b translated from the accounts of Pigafetta, and other contemporary writersPigafetta, Antonio
History
The first voyage round the world, by Magellan : $b translated from the accounts of Pigafetta, and other contemporary writers
Pigafetta, Antonio
Magalhães, Fernão de, -1521; Voyages around the world -- Early works to 1800
“Ferdinand Magellan went to Castile to the port of Seville, where
he married the daughter of a man of importance, with the design of
navigating on the sea, because he was very learned in the art of
pilots, which is that of the sphere. The emperor kept the House of
Commerce in Seville, with the overseers of the treasury, with great
powers, and much seafaring traffic, and fleets for abroad. Magellan,
bold with his knowledge, and with the readiness which he had to annoy
the King of Portugal, spoke to the overseers of this House of Commerce,
and told them that Malacca, and Maluco, the islands in which cloves
grew, belonged to the emperor on account of the demarcation drawn
between them both [the Kings of Spain and Portugal]: for which reason
the King of Portugal wrongfully possessed these lands: and that he
would make this certain before all the doctors who might contradict
him, and would pledge his head for it. The overseers replied to him,
that they well knew that he was speaking truth, and that the emperor
also knew it, but that the emperor had no navigation to that part,
because he could not navigate through the sea within the demarcation
of the King of Portugal. Magellan said to them: ‘If you would give me
ships and men, I would show you navigation to those parts, without
touching any sea or land of the King of Portugal; and if not, they
might cut off his head.’ The overseers, much pleased at this, wrote
it to the emperor, who answered them that he had pleasure in the
speech, and would have much more with the deed; and that they were
to do everything to carry out his service, and the affairs of the
King of Portugal, which were not to be meddled with; rather than that
everything should be lost. With this answer from the emperor, they
spoke with Magellan, and became much more convinced by what he said,
that he would navigate and show a course outside of the seas of the
King of Portugal; and that if they gave him the ships he asked for, and
men and artillery, he would fulfil what he had said, and would discover
new lands which were in the demarcation of the emperor, from which he
would bring gold, cloves, cinnamon, and other riches. The overseers
hearing this, with a great desire to render so great a service to the
emperor as the discovery of this navigation, and to make this matter
more certain, brought together pilots and men learned in the sphere,
to dispute upon the matter with Magellan, who gave such reasons to
all, that they agreed with what he said, and affirmed that he was a
very learned man. So the overseers at once made agreements with him,
and arrangements, and powers, and regulations, which they sent to the
emperor, who confirmed everything, reserving specially the navigation
of the King of Portugal; thus he commanded and prohibited, and ordered
that everything which Magellan asked for should be given him. On this
account, Magellan went to Burgos, where the emperor was, and kissed
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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