Next Day
The Notary Declared That They Came From The Governor To Be Certainly
Informed Whence The Ship Came, And
Whether it had a commission from their
Catholic majesties, and that being fully satisfied on these points the
admiral might
Depend upon receiving every friendly assistance; but all
this was merely because they could not succeed in seizing the ship and the
admiral, and were therefore afraid of the consequences of what they had
already done. The admiral suppressed his resentment and thanked them for
their civil offers; and since they now proceeded according to the maritime
rules and customs, declared his readiness to satisfy them. He accordingly
shewed them the letters of their Catholic majesties directed to all their
own subjects and to those of other princes, and his own commission for the
voyage; upon which the Portuguese went on shore quite satisfied, and soon
dismissed the Spanish boat and all the seamen. From them the admiral
learnt that it was reported in the island, that the king of Portugal had
sent orders to all his subjects to secure the person of the admiral
wherever he might be found.
The admiral sailed from the island of St Mary for Spain on Sunday the
twenty-fourth of February, being still much in want of wood and ballast,
which he could not take in because of the badness of the weather; but the
wind being fair he was unwilling to make any longer delay. Being about 100
leagues from the nearest land, a swallow came on board the ship, driven
out to sea as was believed by a storm; and this was the more probable as a
great many more swallows and other land birds came onboard next day, the
twenty-eighth February, and a whale was seen. On the third of March about
midnight it blew so great a storm as to split their sails; and being in
great danger of perishing, they made a vow to send one of their number on
a pilgrimage to the shrine of Neustra Senhora de Cintra at Guelva, and
the lot fell again on the admiral, shewing that his offerings were more
acceptable than those of others. While thus driving on under bare poles,
amid high winds, a raging sea, and frightful thunder and lightning, it
pleased God to give them a sight of land about midnight. But this
threatened them with new danger; and to avoid being beaten to pieces on
the rocks, or running into some unknown place whence they might not be
able to get off, they were under the necessity to make some sail and to
beat up against the storm till day. When day appeared they found
themselves close in with the rock of Lisbon, and were forced to put in
there for present safety. The people and seamen of that country were much
astonished at the news, and flocked from all parts to behold the wonder;
for such they considered a ship which had escaped so terrible a storm, as
they had heard of many vessels having perished about the coast of Flanders
and other parts at this time. The admiral came to anchor in the river
Tagus on Monday the fourth of March, and immediately sent off an express
to their Catholic majesties with an account of his arrival, and another to
the king of Portugal asking leave to come to anchor off the city of Lisbon;
for he did not consider himself in safety where he then lay, especially
from any that might entertain evil designs against him, who might believe
that in destroying him they did acceptable service to their own king by
obstructing the success of the court of Spain.
On Tuesday the fifth of March, the master of a large guard-ship which lay
in the Tagus came in his boat filled with armed men to the admirals
caravel, and required him to go with him to the kings officers to give an
account of himself, as was the custom of all ships that came to this port.
To this he answered, that the admirals of their Catholic majesties, one of
whom he was, were not bound to obey any such summons, nor to quit their
ships to give an account of themselves to any one, and that he was
resolved to do his duty. The master then desired him to send his
boatswain to make the report. To this the admiral replied that it was the
some thing whether he sent even a grummet or went himself, and it was
therefore in vain to desire him to send any person. Being sensible that
the admiral was right, the master now requested to see the letter of their
Catholic majesties, that he might be able to satisfy his own captain; and
this request being entirely reasonable, the admiral produced that letter,
with which he was entirely satisfied, and went back to his ship to give an
account to his captain Alvaro de Acunna, who immediately came on board in
great state, with trumpets, drums, and fifes, expressing much kindness and
offering every service in his power.
Next day, it being known at Lisbon that the ship came from the Indies,
such throngs of people went on board to see the Indians that the caravel
could not contain them all, and the water was covered over with boats.
Some praised God for the happy discovery, while others expressed their
severe regret that their country should have been deprived of that vast
acquisition through the incredulousness of their king. On the next day the
king of Portugal gave orders to present the admiral with every kind of
refreshment, and all things he might need for himself or his people,
without taking any payment in return. He at the same time wrote to the
admiral a congratulatory letter on his safe arrival, and desiring that he
would come to see him. 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.
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