Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/311

 the action: which they obtained, and sailed to the coast of Africa: where they were ouertaken with a terrible tempest; but they were succoured by falling with the land, and entring into an hauen called Santo, where they landed, and remained two yeeres.

In the yeere 1420. they discouered the Island of Madera, where they founde the chappell and the stone and tombe, whereupon the foresaide Macham had grauen his name. There are others that write that a certain Castillian perceiuing the desire and fauour to nauigation which Don Henry had, told him that they had found the Island of Porto Santo; which being but a small thing they made no reckoning of it.

Don Henry sent Bartholomew Perestrello, Iohn Gonzales Zarco, Tristam Vaz Teixera, and by the signes and likelyhoods that they had receiued, they went to Porto Santo, and there remained two yeeres: and after that, namely in the yeere 1420. they sailed also to the Island of Madera, where they found the memoriall and monument of the aforesaide Macham the English man.

As for Monsieur Betancourt, who entred into the conquest of the Canaries as is aboue mentioned, he was slaine in the middest of the action, and left behind him for his heire a kinseman of his called Monsieur Menante, who after that sold the said Islands of the Canaries vnto one Peter Barba of Siuill. There are other which speake otherwise, and say that Monsieur Iohn Betancourt went into France to prepare a new armie about this conquest, and left there a nephew of his; who because he heard no more of his vncle, and sawe that he could not maintaine the warres any longer, he solde the Canaries to Don Henry the king of Portugals third sonne, for a certaine thing that he gaue him in the Island of Madera.

In the yeere 1424. they write that the saide Don Henry prepared a nauie and armie to conquer these Islands,[B] wherein there went as captaine Generall, one Don Fernando de Castro; and by reason of the valiantnes and warlike behauiour of the people they had the repulse: whereupon Don Ferdinando, considering the great charge, and little or no good successe, he gaue ouer the action, and returned backe againe. After this