The Admiral Was Doubtful How He Should Proceed In
This Case; But Considering That The King Of Portugal Was In Amity With
Their Catholic Majesties And Had Treated Him Courteously, He Consented To
Go To Valparaiso, Nine Leagues From Lisbon, Where The King Then Was.
He
accordingly went there on Saturday night the ninth of March, and the king
ordered all the nobility of
His court to go out to meet him; and when the
admiral came into the presence, the king received him with great honour,
commanding him to put on his cap and to sit down: and having listened with
a pleasant countenance to a recital of his successful voyage, made offer
of supplying with every thing he might stand in need of for the service of
their Catholic majesties. The king then alleged, as Columbus had been a
captain in the service of the crown of Portugal, that the discovery and
conquest of the new found Indies ought to belong to him. To this the
admiral answered, that he knew of no agreement to that effect, and that he
had strictly obeyed his orders, which were not to go to the Portuguese
mines nor to the coast of Guinea. The king then observed that all was well,
and he had no doubt that justice would be done between the two countries.
Having spent a long time in discourse, the king commanded the prior of
Crato, the greatest person then in the presence, to entertain the admiral
and to shew him all civility and respect, which was done accordingly.
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