john cabot
...r John Cabot returned from his voyage, an Italian diplomat living in England, Raimondo de raimond de Soncino wrote a letter to the Duke of Milan to report on the exciting news. One experience that Soncino viewed was observing that Portugal and Spain had occupied new islands. Soncino thought Cabot had a motivation of sailing just to find new land and to give the sovereign to the English Kindom. However I found, from my references that Cabot traded in spices with the eastern Mediterranean, and became an expert mariner. He was interested in trading valuable goods such as spices, silks and riches in the Far East, which was exotic at that time. Cabot then moved to Valencia in Spain with his family in 1490. From there, he observed Columbus’ discovery and the enterprise that Portugal and Spain was involved in finding new routes to Asia and its riches. Cabot thought it would be impossible to sail straight from Europe to Asia, because he knew that the world was bigger than Columbus insisted. That’s how he started his voyage; to find a shorter way by taking the northern route. Soncino believed Cabot’s discovery and he wanted to testify to the Duke of Milan. He stated that Cabot had the description of the world in a map, and his companions’ testimony. Sailing west with certainty, which started from the northerly latitude where the longitudes are much closer, was ended up finding “Cipango”- he thought it was Japan. It is uncertain to tell from the letter if Soncino believed Cipango was Asia. Even though he found the new island of Northern America, there are so many questions and arguments about this discovery. Scholars were curious as to how far north he went, whether it was Newfoundland or other islands and how far Cabot might have drifted to the south during his crossings. Cabot did convince the King that he at least discovered something worthwhile. Even though Cabot found Newfoundland, which was not Asia, as Cabot and King wished, the land he discovered was described as an area of abundant fish. Wherever it was he landed, the discovery impressed Henry VII and the king agreed to aid future voyages. Soncino wrote, And what is more, his majesty here, who is wise and not lavish, likewise puts some faith in him; for since his return he makes him a very fair allowance, as this Master Zoanne himself tells me. And it its said that in the spring his majesty aforesaid will fit out some ships, and besides will give him all the malefactors, and they will proceed to that country to form a colony, by means of which of they hope to establish a greater depot for spices in London than there is at Alexandria(The Soncino Letter, 18 December 1497). Actually, John Cabot could have another voyage from Bristol, England in May1498 a year after his great discovery. I think what the English hope to gain by Cabot’s discoveries was to make a big market in England, so they can sell lots of spices, precious stones, silk and so forth. Moreover, make a colony as the Portuguese and the Spanish were doing. I think Soncino’s main purpose to write this letter was to express to Duke of Milan that let bishop attend to the voyage. He must have got excited about the new land that Cabot found with its description, companion’s testimony, and even the story that they were given an island. B...