Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-10-15

turned to King John of Portugal, but
he referred the matter to the geo.
graphical committee. These men list
cned to Columbus, but they decided
that such an expedition would not be
practical. They, however secretly
followed his plans and sent out
light fleet without his knowledge. This
fleet, after being absent a short time.
returned, the sailors having refused
to 20 farther. When Columbus
learned of this attempt to steal his
plans he determined to leave Lisbon
and 90 to Spain.
In the meantime he sent his brother
! bartholomew to England with letters
! explaining his plans to Henry VII and
begging that monarch to fit out the
expedition. Columbus took his son
Diego with him, leaving in the night
| in order to escape his creditors. II $
wife, it is said, refused to leave Lis
| bon, and Columbus never saw her
again.
Columbus finally gained an audi
ence with Ferdinand of Spain, but
Ike King John of Portugal, he re-
| fcrred the matter to a geographlcal
| committee. Later Columbus was called
before a 1unta of astronomers where
| he argued his case in an eloquent
manner but was doomed to disap-
| pointment once more. He refused to
| give up his idea that the earth was
/ sphere-shaped and followed the court
| from place to place. Finally. he was
! reduced to the lowest poverty and he
| went to the Santa Maria de la Ra-
| bida monastery, ana begged for food
| for his little son Diego. The prior
took them in and gave them a hearty
meal, after which Columbus talked
with the monks about his plans. Juan
| Perez, who was the cOnfossor TO
Queen Isabella, heard his story and
ne at once wrote to the Queen. beg
glng her to listen to tho wonderful
scheme of the Italian scientist. She
answered at once and begged Perez to
bring the remarkable man to her pres
ence.
Assisted BY Queen Isabella.
) Columbus reached Grenada Just in
time to witness the surrender of the
Moors and u few hours afterword u.aa
} brought before their Majosties. When
asked what favors he expected he al
once asked for the rank of Vice-Ad.
miral and the ViCe-royalty of all he
SlI'uIu plStbNtf ana q tcQth OF all the
gain by conquest or by trade. These
favors the King Indignantly refused
to grant. Columbus in despair then
started for France to beg the King of
that country to aid him. After he
had gone Isabella had conference
, with Perez, when she finally conclu-
ded to finance the expedition herself
, and Perez was sent post-haste to
bring Columbus back to Grenada.
lie was overtaken a short distance
from Grenada and brought to the au-
dlence chamber of the famous AL
hambra, where Queen Isabella re-
ceived him.
The great discoVefer knelt at the
feet of the Queen, who stood ready
to pledge her jewels to raise tho
, necessary funds for the voyage. BE
fore she did this, however, the King
. came to her way of thinking anG
, joined in the agreement which was
- later signed at Santa Fee
, Juan Perez seems to have been the
good angel Of Columbus in many
ways, for after interesting Queen Is
abella, he also succeeded in inter
esting the pinzon brothers in tho ex
y petition and they finally consented t.
= take command of two of the ships
n The Santa Maria with crew of fifty