TO THE MOST CHRISTIAN KING OF FRAUNCE, FRAUNCES THE FIRST

Summary

I wrote not to your Maiestie (most Christian king) since the time wee suffered the tempest in the North partes, of the successe of the foure Ships which your Maiestie sent forth to discouer new lands by the Ocean, thinking your Maiestie had been alreadie duly enformed thereof. Nowe by these presents I will giue your Maiestie to vnderstand howe by the violence of the windes wee were forced with y^e two ships, the Norman and the Dolphin, in such euill case as they were, to lande in Britaine. Whereafter wee had repaired them in all pointes as was needefull, and armed them very well, wee tooke our course a long by the coast of Spaine. Afterwardes, with the Dolphin alone, wee determined to make discouerie of newe Countries, to prosecute the nauigation wee had alreadie begun, which I purpose at this present to recount vnto your Maiestie, to make manifest the whole proceeding of the matter. The 17 of Ianuarie, the yeere 1524, by the grace of God, wee departed from the dishabited Rocke, by the Isle of Madera, appertaining to the king of Portingall, with fiftie men, with victuals, weapon, and other ship munition very well prouided and furnished for 8 monethes: And sayling westwards with a faire Easterly winde, in 25 dayes wee ranne 500 leagues, and the 20 of Februarie wee were ouertaken with as sharpe and terrible a tempest as euer any saylers suffered: whereof with y^e diuine helpe and mercifull assistaunce of Almightie God, and the goodnesse of our ship, accompanied with the good hap of her fortunate name, wee were deliuered, and with a prosperous wind followed our course West and by North, and in other 25 dayes wee made aboue 400 leagues more: where wee discouered a newe land, neuer before seene of any man, either auncient or moderne, and at the first sight it seemed somewhat lowe, but beeing within a quarter of a league of it, wee perceived by the great fiers that wee sawe by the Sea coaste that it was inhabited: and saw that the lande stretched to the Southwards: in seeking some conuenient harborough whereby to come a lande and haue knowledge of the place, wee resolued to returne backe againe towardes the North, where we found our selues troubled with the like difficulty: at length, beeing in despaire to finde any port, wee caste anker upon the coast, and sent our Boate to shore, where we sawe great store of people, which came to the Sea side, and seeing vs to approche they fled away, and sometimes would stande still and looke backe, beholding vs with great admiration: but afterwardes, beeing animated and assured with signes that wee made them, some of them came harde to the Sea side, seeming to reioyce very much at the sight of vs, and marueiling greatly at our apparell, shape, and whitenes, shewed vs by sundry signes where wee might most commodiously come a land with our Boat, offering vs also of their victuals to eate.