New-York tribune., 1901-01-21
THE CABOTS
"A BIBLIoGRAPHICAL CONTRIBUTION TO
THEIR HISTORY.

CABOT BIBLIOGRAPHY. With Introductory
Essay on the Careers cf the Cabcts. Based
Sources OF Information By George Parker
Winshp. octave, up. III. $50 Dodd. Mead Co
knowledge of John Cabot. the founder Of the
English claims to territorial rights by discovery
in America, and Of his Sebastian is meagre.
Many errors OF fact and judgment concerning
them have been handed down 10 these days
and the sources Of information about them are
difficult of access, for they scattered through
many books and through the libraries and
archives OF Europe in more or less fragmerkary
shape as partial narratives incidental illusions
and statements and records in official papers Of
every kind. Hence arises a task Of the sort TO
delight the historical investigator skilled in the
minuteness and accuracy of modern methods.
Mr. Winships bitIiography is a model OF this
sort Of research. IT puts before the student a
statement Of every known account Of the Cabots
in the original sources. and every reference or
alluson TO them in contemporary documents
that may throw light on their careers. There are
$40 titles given, each with a short paragraph Of
description. Mr. Wnship has prefixed TO this
list brief sketch Of the Cabots and their work,
as he reads il in the sources he has enumerated.
This description, he says. differs in many re-
spects from the prevailing notions in regard TO
the men and their doings; but he thinks that he
has made in it allowance for human nature
that has not before been made in respect of Sc
bastian Cabot, and has shown him as an his
torical figure not dssimilar from others in the
period.
As 10 the character and personality Of John
Cabot, nothing whatever is known; little has
been ascertained about his Iife apart from that
eventful voyage upon which he sailed rrom
Bristol in the Mathew in 1897. and after which
he anchored, less than two months later. on the
eastern coast of British North America. For
eight months following his return we know some
of his dongs i'm England-we know Of the COM
mand Of King Henry VII for new expedition
Of Cabot's high position and emoluments. and
OF the starting forth of the little fleet in the
spring of l49S. one boat put back in storm.
but of the others nothing was ever heard
OF Sebastian Cabot the record is ampler. There
is no evidence to show that he took part in his
fathers voyages, and his first authenticated ap-
pearance in English maritime history is in 1903,
when he started out TO sail to China across the
Arctic Circle. Then we read Of him as a map
maker for the English Government; afterward,
and for thirty-five years. in the service of ne
Spanish He seems to have been a shifty per-
son, upon whom his allegiance sat lightly. We
find him, while in Spain, renewing negotiations
TO return to England, and then, Of a sudden,
converted TO a feeling OF the new born virtue Of
patriotism begotten by the sixteenth century,
by young fellow Venetian, priest, to whom
he promised his aid in resuscitating his native
city's decaying commerce. We find him then in
CONSERVATION at the extent TO which he had
thus committed himself, and putting about for
convenient reasons for not keeping his word
Then came the great Spanish expedition which
he led 10 the River La Plata, dogged by disas-
ter from beginning 10 end, and resulting in his
legal condemnation on his return 10 Spain, from
the execution of which only the royal favor
saved him. Another shift of his allegiance took
him back to England. where he spent his last
days, though not without renewing his proffers
10 aid in the rejuvenation Of Venice. with in
cidental prospect of enforcing claim 70 inher-
ited property there The historian is no partisan.
and is willing TO believe that 1T is not impos-
sible, in these very dubious proceedings that
Cabot's desire 10 desert his employers may have
held no larger place in his mind than equally
ardent desire to enlist the Venetian officials in
the task Of recovering his inheritance"