|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 47
In November, 1522, a vessel arrived in Spain which had been sent
from Mexico, by the conquistador with the emperor's share of the
tribute money collected in that country, in the special charge of
Alonzo Davila and Antonio Quinones, with other articles of value.
Fearing capture by the French corsairs, this vessel had sailed by
the way of the Azores, and leaving the treasure, with its
custodians, at the island of Santa Maria, proceeded on without it,
in order that a proper force might be sent to that island to bring
it safely to Spain. Joan Ribera, the secretary of Cortes, came in
the ship to Spain. These facts appear to have become notorious
immediately. Peter Martyr mentions them in his letter of the 17th of
November 1522, and in the fifth of his decades, written while the
treasure was still at Santa Maria, speaks of the French having
knowledge of its being left there. "I know not," he says, "in
reference to the ships sent there for it, what flying report there
is that the French pirates have understood of those ships, God grant
them good successe." [Footnote: Dec. v. c. 10. (Lok's trans.)] Three
caravels were despatched from Seville to Santa Maria, under the
command of Captain Domingo Alonzo, arriving there on the 15th of May
1523. Davila and Quinones immediately embarked in them, with the
treasure, sailing directly to Spain. Meanwhile, Verrazzano proceeded
with six vessels towards Cape St. Vincent, for the purpose of
intercepting them, which he succeeded in doing, within ten leagues
of that cape. After a sharp encounter, in which Quinones was killed,
he captured two of them, in one of which Davila was taken with the
gold, and the other most valuable articles. The third caravel
escaped, and arrived in Spain, with a tiger and various articles of
rich manufacture, which had belonged to Montezuma. Verrazzano took
his prizes into Rochelle. The value of the treasure and articles
taken was estimated at more than six hundred thousand ducats, or one
million and a half of dollars. [Footnote: Peter Martyr, Dec. v. c.
8. Epist. 771, Nov. 19, 1522, and 779, June 11, 1523 (ed. 1670).
Herrera, Dec. III. lib. IV. c. 20. Letter of Davila to the emperor
from Rochelle, June 17, 1523, in the archives at Seville, now first
published in the Appendix (IV). Martyr says there were two ships,
the larger of which only containing the treasure fell into the hands
of John Florin, the French pirate, and the others escaped; but
Davila must be right.]
These facts at least establish that Joao Verazano mentioned by the
Portuguse, Andrade and Silveira, was the same person who made the
capture of the treasure ships; for it is not to be supposed that two
different Florentines of the name of Giovanni, were in command of
French fleets, at the same time, belonging to the ports of Normandy
alone; and consequently that Verrazzano, our navigator, and Juan
Florin the corsair were one. But how far the seizure of the treasure
ships was, as before suggested, the original purpose of the fleet
can only be inferred from the circumstances, and is important only
in connection with the DESIGN of a voyage of discovery. Between the
time of the arrival of Ribera with the information that the treasure
had been left at the Azores, and the sending of the caravels to
bring it to Spain, nearly six months elapsed. Taking the dates,
which are established by the official documents now produced, of the
fitting out of the fleet in Normandy by Verrazzano and the actual
capture of the two caravels, it is easy to see that the real purpose
of those preparations from the first, might have been to effect the
capture of the treasure. The transmission of the news to Portugal of
an intended voyage to Brazil and the sending of instructions to the
embassador at [Footnote: According to the letter of Silveira, he was
at Polssy on Christmas, and Andrade was therefore, probably in error
in stating that he had his instructions in regard to Varezano before
he left Portugal.] the French court could all have taken place after
the detention of the treasure at Santa Maria became known in France
and the fitting out of the vessels for its capture had begun to be
made. It is stated by Andrade that it was at a port in Normandy
where the vessels were being made ready; and it is to be presumed,
from the connection of Verrazzano with Jean Ango, as shown
subsequently by the agreement with Chabot for a like purpose, that
it was from Dieppe, and probably a the expense of that rich
merchant, who we are told was enabled to entertain his sovereign
with princely magnificence and to embargo the port of Lisbon, with a
fleet of his own, [Footnote: Mem. Chron. de Dieppe. I. 106-111.]
that they sailed on this occasion.
Verrazzano is certainly found at Rochelle on the 16th of June, 1523,
two months after the despatch of Silveira was written, with his
prizes captured on a different expedition from that mentioned by the
ambassador. It is evident, therefore, that the project of a voyage
of discovery to Cathay, if ever seriously entertained, had at that
time been abandoned; as may also be inferred from the statement of
Andrade, that Silveira, in the nine years he was at the court of
France, succeeded only in embargoing the voyage of the Florentine,
and accomplishing some minor matters.[Footnote: The document
accompanying the letter of Davila in the archives, describes Juan
Florin as of Dieppe, and thus fixes the seat of his operations in
Normandy. See Appendix, (IV. 2.)]
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|