Englishmen.

[1] From Doyle's "English Colonies in America." Published by
Henry Holt & Co. The Cabots in 1497 discovered what came to be
known afterward as the continent of North America, Columbus in
1492 having discovered only islands in the West Indies. The work
of the Cabots in after years was a basis of English claims to the
continent because of priority of discovery. It was not until his
third expedition, fourteen months after the discovery made by the
Cabots, that Columbus first saw the North American mainland.




II

PETER MARTYR'S ACCOUNT[1]


These northe seas haue byn [have been] searched by one Sebastian
Cabot, a Venetian borne [born], whom beinge yet but in maner an
infante, his parentes caryed [carried] with them into Englande hauying
[having] occasion to resorte thether [thither] for trade of
marchandies [merchandise], as is the maner of the Venetians to leaue
[leave] no parte of the worlde vnsearched to obteyne [obtain] richesse
[riches]. He therfore furnisshed two shippes in England at his owne
charges: And fyrst [first] with three hundreth men, directed his
course so farre toward the northe pole, that euen [even] in the
mooneth [month] of Iuly he founde monstrous heapes of Ise [ice]
swimming on the sea, and in maner continuall day lyght. Yet sawe he