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Updated: May 18, 2025
But the annuity of 10,000 maravedies, promised in reward to him who should first discover land, was afterwards decreed by their majesties to belong to the admiral, and was always paid him from the rents of the shambles of Seville; because he saw the light in the midst of darkness; typical of the spiritual light they were bringing among those barbarous people: For God so ordered it, that, as soon as the wars with the Moors of Granada were ended, after 720 years from their first coming into Spain, this great work should begin; by which the crown of Castile and Leon might be continually employed in the good work of bringing infidels to the knowledge of the Catholic faith.
Now sprang clear and real to them the royal promise of ten thousand maravedies pension to him who first sighted Cipango, Cathay or India. The Admiral added a prize of a green velvet doublet. We had come nigh eight hundred leagues. In the cabin, upon the table he spread Toscanelli's map, and beside it a great one like it, of his own making, signed in the corner Columbus de Terra Rubra.
Among these he purchased eight sows for 70 maravedies each, from which all those which have since stocked the Indies have multiplied. He likewise took on board poultry, and other creatures, and garden seeds.
When John Perez had discoursed with the queen, she ordered 20,000 maravedies to be carried by James Prieto to Columbus at Palos, to enable him to return to court.
On purpose farther to rouse their vigilance, besides putting them in mind of the promised annuity of 10,000 maravedies from the king to him who might first see land, he engaged to give from himself a velvet doublet to the discoverer.
He farther urged that the thing was by no means of an impracticable nature, as represented by the cosmographers, nor ought the attempt to be considered as indiscreet, even if it should not succeed. Besides, that Columbus only demanded a million of maravedies to fit himself out for the expedition; and he therefore earnestly entreated that so small a sum might not obstruct so great an enterprize.
He did not care for the ten thousand maravedies, but he cared that it should be said that God showed it first to him. The wind pushed us on with the flat of a great hand. Midnight and after midnight. At the sight of that flame we should have fired our cannon, but for some reason this was not done. Now the silver silence beyond the ship was torn across by the Pinta's gun.
On Sunday the 7th October, some signs of land appeared to the westwards, yet none durst say so, lest they might forfeit the annuity of 10,000 maravedies, which had been promised to him who first saw land; and it was provided that whoever should pretend to see the land, if his discovery were not verified in three days, should be ever after excluded from the reward, even though he should actually make the discovery in the sequel.
This person advanced half a million of maravedies, for the eighth part of the charges of the expedition , the family of the Pinzons being of the first rank in Palos, very wealthy, and excellent sailors; the common mariners, through their example and influence, became willing to engage in the voyage, which at first they were much averse from.
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