opinion or reports of fuch a fabulous author as Mandeville. Columbus and the other difcoverers were obliged to follow fuch guides as they could find; and it appears from feveral paffages in the manufcript of Andr. Bernaldes, the friend of Columbus, that no inconfiderable degree of credit was given to the teftimony of Mandeville in that age. Bernaldes frequently quotes him, and always with refpect.

NOTE XXII. p. 198.

It is remarkable, that neither Gomara nor Oviedo, the most ancient Spanish hiftorians of America, nor Herrera, confider Ojeda, or his companion Vefpucci, as the firft difcoverers of the continent of America. They uniformly afcribe this honour to Columbus. Some have fuppofed that national refentment against Vefpucci, for deferting the fervice of Spain, and entering into that of Portugal, may have prompted thefe writers to conceal the actions which he performed. But Martyr and Benzoni, both Italians, could not be warped by the fame prejudice. Martyr was a contemporary author; he refided in the court of Spain, and had the beft opportunity to be exactly informed with respect to all publick transactions; and yet, neither in his Decads, the first general history publifhed of the New World, nor in his Epiftles, which contain an account of all the remarkable events

of his time, does he afcribe to Vefpucci the honour of having first discovered the continent. Benzoni went as an adventurer to America in the year 1541, and refided there a confiderable time. He appears to have been animated with a warm zeal for the honour of Italy, his native country, and yet does not mention the exploits and discoveries of Vespucci. Herrera, who compiled his general history of America from the most authentick records, not only follows thofe early writers, but accufes Vefpucci of falfifying the dates of both the voyages which he made to the New World, and of confounding the one with the other, in order that he might arrogate to himself the glory of having discovered the continent. Herrera, dec. 1. lib. iv. c. 2. He afferts, that in a judicial inquiry into this matter by the royal fifcal, it was proved by the teftimony of Ojeda himself, that he touched at Hifpaniola when returning to Spain from his firft voyage; whereas Vefpucci gave out that they returned directly to Cadiz from the coaft of Paria, and touched at Hifpaniola only in their fecond voyage; and that he had finished the voyage in five months; whereas, according to Vefpucci's account, he had employed seventeen months in performing it. Viaggio primo de Am. Vefpucci, p. 36. Viag. fecundo, p. 45. Herrera gives a more full account of this inqueft in another part of his book, and to the fame effect. Herrera, dec.

1. lib. vii. c. 5. Columbus was in Hifpaniola when Ojeda arrived there, and had by that time come to an agreement with Roldan, who opposed Ojeda's attempt to excite a new infurrection, and, of confequence, his voyage muft have been posterior to that of the admiral. Life of Columbus, c. 84. According to Vefpucci's account, he fet out on his first voyage, May 10, 1497. Viag. primo, p. 6. At that time Columbus was in the court of Spain preparing for his voyage, and feems to have enjoyed a confiderable degree of favour. The affairs of the New World were at this juncture under the direction of Antonio Torres, a friend of Columbus. It is not probable, that at that period a commiffion would be granted to another perfon, to anticipate the admiral, by undertaking a voyage which he himself intended to perform. Fonfeca, who patronized Ojeda, and granted the licence for his voyage, was not recalled to court, and reinftated in the direction of Indian affairs, until the death of prince John, which happened September 1497, P. Martyr, Ep. 182. feveral months pofterior to the time at which Vefpucci pretends to have fet out upon his voyage. A life of Vefpucci was published at Florence by the Abato Bandini, A. D. 1745, 4to. It is a work of no merit, written with little judgment, and less candour. He contends for his countryman's title to the discovery of the continent with all

the blind zeal of national partiality, but produces no new evidence to fupport it. We learn from him, that Vefpucci's account of his voyage was published as early as the year 1510, and probably fooner. Vita di Am. Vefp. p. 52.

At what time the name of AMERICA came to be first given to the New World, is not certain.

NOTE XXIII. p. 253.

The form employed on this occafion ferved as a model to the Spaniards in all their fubfequent conquefts in America. It is fo extraordinary in its nature, and gives us fuch an idea of the proceedings of the Spaniards, and the principles upon which they founded their right to the extenfive dominions which they acquired in the New World, that it well merits the attention of the reader. I Alonfo de Ojeda, fervant. of the most high and powerful kings of Caftile and Leon, the conquerors of barbarous nations, their meffenger and captain, notify to you and declare, in as ample form as I am capable, that God our Lord, who is one and eternal, created the heaven and the earth, and one man and one woman, of whom you and we, and all the men who have been or shall be in the world, are defcended. But as it has come to pass, through the number of generations during more than five thousand years, that they have been

difperfed into different parts of the world, and are divided into various kingdoms and provinces, because one country was not able to contain them, nor could they have found in one the means of fubfiftence and prefervation; therefore God our Lord gave the charge of all thofe people to one man, named St. Peter, whom he conftituted the lord and head of all the human race, that all men, in whatever place they are born, or in whatever faith or place they are educated, might yield obedience unto him. He hath fubjected the whole world to his jurifdiction, and commanded him to eftablifh his refidence in Rome, as the moft proper place for the government of the world. likewife promised and gave him power to establifh his authority in every other part of the world, and to judge and govern all Chriftians, Moors, Jews, Gentiles, and all other people, of whatever fect or faith they may be. Το

He

him is given the name of Pope, which fignifies admirable, great father and guardian, becaufe he is the father and governor of all men. Thofe who lived in the time of this holy father obeyed and acknowledged him as their lord and king, and the fuperior of the univerfe. The fame has been obferved with refpect to them who, fince his time, have been chofen to the pontificate. Thus it now continues, and will continue to the end of the world. "