Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/319

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the Cape Razalgate standing vnder the Tropicke of Cancer, and from thence he went to Ormuz, standing in 27. degrees on that side.

There he learned and vnderstood of the streigth of Persia, and of that countrey: and entred there into the Red sea, and passed ouer to the realme of the Abassini, which commonly is called Presbyter Iohns countrey or Æthiopia: and there he was detained till the yeere 1520. when there came thither the ambassadour Don Roderigo de Lima: This Pedro de Couillan was the first Portugall that euer knew and saw the Indias and those seas, and other places adioyning thereunto.

In the yeere 1490. the king sent vnto Congo one Gonzalo de Sosa a gentleman with three ships, and in them sent home the ambassadour of Congo which was sent into Portugall, whom Diego Caon had brought from thence: who at his being in Portugall was baptised both himselfe and others of his companie.

The aforesaid Gonzalo de Sosa died in that iourney by the way, and in his roome they chose his nephew Ruy de Sosa for their captaine; and so being, come vnto Congo, the king was very glad, of their comming, and yeelded himselfe, and the greater part of his realme to be baptized: whereof the Portugals had good cause to reioyce, seeing by them so many Infidels were conuerted from gentilitie and paganisme to Christianitie.

The first beginning of the Discoueries of the Spanyards, with the continuation of the Discoueries of the Portugals.

In the yeere 1492. in the time of Don Ferdinando king of Castile, he being at the siege of Granada, dispatched one Christopher Columbus a Genoway with three ships to goe and discover Noua Spagna: who first had offered his seruice for a westerne discouerie vnto king Iohn of Portugall; but he would not entertaine him.