The Life of Columbus: From His Own Letters and Journals and Other Documents of His TimeHale, Edward Everett
History
The Life of Columbus: From His Own Letters and Journals and Other Documents of His Time
Hale, Edward Everett
Columbus, Christopher, 1451-1506
When he learned that his new friend was about to offer to France the
advantages of a discovery so great as that proposed, he begged him to
make one effort more at home. He sent for some friends, Fernandos, a
physician at Palos, and for the brothers Pinzon, who now appear for the
first time in a story where their part is distinguished. Together they
all persuaded Columbus to send one messenger more to wait upon their
sovereigns. The man sent was Rodriguez, a pilot of Lepe, who found
access to the queen because Juan Perez, the prior, had formerly been her
confessor. She had confidence in him, as she had, indeed, in Columbus.
And in fourteen days the friendly pilot came back from Santa Fe with a
kind letter from the queen to her friend, bidding him return at once to
court. Perez de Marchena saddled his mule at once and before midnight
was on his way to see his royal mistress.
Santa Fe was half camp, half city. It had been built in what is called
the Vega, the great fruitful plain which extends for many miles to the
westward of Grenada. The court and army were here as they pressed
their attack on that city. Perez de Marchena had ready access to Queen
Isabella, and pressed his suit well. He was supported by one of her
favorites, the Marquesa de Moya. In reply to their solicitations,
she asked that Columbus should return to her, and ordered that twenty
thousand maravedis should be sent to him for his traveling expenses.
This sum was immediately sent by Perez to his friend. Columbus bought a
mule, exchanged his worn clothes for better ones, and started, as he was
bidden, for the camp.
He arrived there just after the great victory, by which the king and
queen had obtained their wish--had taken the noble city of Grenada and
ended Moorish rule in Spain. King, queen, court and army were preparing
to enter the Alhambra in triumph. Whoever tries to imagine the scene, in
which the great procession entered through the gates, so long sealed, or
of the moment when the royal banner of Spain was first flying out upon
the Tower of the Vela, must remember that Columbus, elate, at last, with
hopes for his own great discovery, saw the triumph and joined in the
display.
But his success was not immediate, even now. Fernando de Talavera,
who had had the direction of the wise council of Salamanca, was now
Archbishop of Grenada, whose see had been conferred on him after the
victory. He was not the friend of Columbus. And when, at what seemed the
final interview with king and queen, he heard Columbus claim the right
to one-tenth of all the profits of the enterprise, he protested against
such lavish recompense of an adventurer. He was now the confessor of
Isabella, as Juan Perez, the friendly prior, had been before. Columbus,
however, was proud and firm. He would not yield to the terms prepared
by the archbishop. He preferred to break off the negotiation, and again
retired from court. He determined, as he had before, to lay his plans
before the King of France.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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