The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-20

Portugal on FIRE. If Shakespeare had written a
play on Henry VII, he might have had field for
displaying his knowledge of the new world. for
Henry VII was about to initiate joint undertak-
ings with Columbus Henry VII was a king who
loved filthy lucre more than any other monarch
who ever sat on the throne of England. and he
loved any enterprise which would bring
it in. It was by an accident that
hand in the discovery of America.
Columbus had met many repulses from the
monarchs of Spain and Portugal that he sought
what he could do with the King of England. and,
at Henry's invitation. actually sent his brother
Bartholomew Columbus to England TO confer
about the matter and come to agreement.
But bartholomew was caught by pirates, and
before he was released Queen Isabella. of Spain,
had granted vessels to Christopher Columbus,
and under the Spanish flag he sailed on his great
enterprise Henry VII still believing that there
were millions in the discovery of new countries,
sent Sebastian Cabot, a Venetian merchant,
domiciled in England, TO hunt for unknown re-
gions. Sebastian, however, went too far north.
and though be touched the mainland of North
America the same year ll49o) that Colum bus
first saw the mainland of the continent (near
the mouth of the Oripoco), still Cabot's discov-
cry for the time, proved useless. The isothermal
lines were not propitous. He returned after
visiting Labrador and the coast of New England
as far south as Maine. But his sovereign,
Henry VIII, nineteen years afterward, sent
out John Cabot son of Sebastian, but instead of
seeking new lands, he contented himself with
visiting the Spanish discoveries. and Brazil
which had been recently settled by the Portu-
guese, and then he passed into the service of Spain
After that nothing more was done until near
~ two generations had passed away, except the
grand marauding expedition of Drake Under
Queen Elizabeth, Sir Walter Raleigh made an
abortive attempt to coloniZe Virginia This
was such a complete failure that other at
tempt was made until within few years of
Shakspeare's death. Hume has truly said,
The commencement Of English colonization
dates from the reign of James l." Please re-
member that Shakespeare died nearly five years
before Pilgrim placed his foot on Plymouth
Rock, and that Captain John Smiths feeble lit
tie colony on the banks of the James river was
only begun some eight years before@Shak-
speare's death, andsthe accidental settlement of
Somers In the "Vexed Bermoothes" took place
seven years previous to the bards cath. Ihave
no doubt that Somerss little colony was far more
important in Shakspeare's eyes than was Smiths
Jamestown colony. Besides, shipwreck and
storm just suited the Tempest"
Shakespeare, amongst his other plays, wrote
seven which hear the names of English kings,
viz: King John. Richard ii, Richard III, Henry
", Henry V, Henry vi and Henry VIII. He
jumps clear over Sebastian Cabots patron, Hen
ry VII, or he might have brought in America.
But Henry VII was too mean man In money
matters to have any picturesque attraction for
Shakespeare; and do not believe that the great
dramatist had much drawing toward Henry
VIII, but was attracted to the ambitions and
downfall of Wolsey, etc. l have always sus-
pected that there was a desire the part of
Elizabeths friends to have the old lady flattered
by play about her royal. much-married father,
in order to bring in the account of her birth and
baptism and to say fattering words about her.
Shakespeare did ehis last right royalty, and from
internal evidence he must have written it when
she was in the last year OF her reign. Elizabeths
birth took place eight years after John Cabots
unimportant and infructuousv voyages, and. there
fore, there was nothing to arrest the great dram
atist's attention and cause him to mention
America in Henry WILL" But the illusions to
the discoveries in the new world in the Comedy
of Errors" the Merchant of Venice" and the
Tempest" are unmistakable; and I have no
doubt that Shakespeare was completely posted
up in all that had been published on America
in England, Spain, Portugal France and Italy,
but he had no occasion to use his information.
J. C. FLETCHER.