The Last Days - 1

The Last Days - 1

Columbus, for whom rest and quiet were the first essentials, remained in Seville from
November 1504 to May 1505, when he joined the Court at Segovia and afterwards at
Salamanca and Valladolid, where he remained till his death in May 1506. During this last
period, when all other activities were practically impossible to him, he fell into a state of
letter-writing—for the most part long, wearisome complainings and explainings in which
he poured out a copious flood of tears and self-pity for the loss of his gold.
It has generally been claimed that Columbus was in bitter penury and want of money, but
a close examination of the letters and other documents relating to this time show that in
his last days he was not poor in any true sense of the word. He was probably a hundred
times richer than any of his ancestors had ever been; he had, money to give and money to
spend; the banks honoured his drafts; his credit was apparently indisputable. But
compared with the fabulous wealth to which he would by this time have been entitled if
his original agreement with the Crown of Spain had been faithfully carried out he was no
doubt poor. There is no evidence that he lacked any comfort or alleviation that money
could buy; indeed he never had any great craving for the things that money can buy—
only for money itself. There must have been many rich people in Spain who would gladly
have entertained him in luxury and dignity; but he was not the kind of man to set much
store by such things except in so far as they were a decoration and advertisement of his
position as a great man. He had set himself to the single task of securing what he called
his rights; and in these days of sunset he seems to have been illumined by some glimmer
of the early glory of his first inspiration. He wanted the payment of his dues now, not so
much for his own enrichment, but as a sign to the world that his great position as Admiral
and Viceroy was recognised, so that his dignities and estates might be established and
consolidated in a form which he would be able to transmit to his remote posterity.
Since he wrote so copiously and so constantly in these last days, the best picture of his
mood and condition is afforded in his letters to his son Diego; letters which, in spite of
their infinitely wearisome recapitulation and querulous complaint, should be carefully
read by those who wish to keep in touch with the Admiral to the end.
Letter written by CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS to DON DIEGO, his Son, November
21, 1504.
"VERY DEAR SON,—I received your letter by the courier. You did well in remaining
yonder to remedy our affairs somewhat and to employ yourself now in our business. Ever
since I came to Castile, the Lord Bishop of Palencia has shown me favour and has desired
that I should be honoured. Now he must be entreated that it may please him to occupy
himself in remedying my many grievances and in ordering that the agreement and letters
of concession which their Highnesses gave me be fulfilled, and that I be indemnified for
so many damages. And he may be certain that if their Highnesses do this, their estate and
greatness will be multiplied to them in an incredible degree. And it must not appear to
him that forty thousand pesos in gold is more than a representation of it; because they
might have had a much greater quantity if Satan had not hindered it by impeding my
design; for, when I was taken away from the Indies, I was prepared to give them a sum of
gold incomparable to forty thousand pesos. I make oath, and this may be for thee alone,
that the damage to me in the matter of the concessions their Highnesses have made to me,
amounts to ten millions each year, and never can be made good. You see what will be, or
is, the injury to their Highnesses in what belongs to them, and they do not perceive it. I
write at their disposal and will strive to start yonder. My arrival and the rest is in the
hands of our Lord. His mercy is infinite. What is done and is to be done, St. Augustine
says is already done before the creation of the world. I write also to these other Lords
named in the letter of Diego Mendez. Commend me to their mercy and tell them of my
going as I have said above. For certainly I feel great fear, as the cold is so inimical to this,
my infirmity, that I may have to remain on the road.
"I was very much pleased to hear the contents of your letter and what the King our Lord
said, for which you kissed his royal hands. It is certain that I have served their Highnesses
with as much diligence and love as though it had been to gain Paradise, and more, and if I
have been at fault in anything it has been because it was impossible or because my
knowledge and strength were not sufficient. God, our Lord, in such a case, does not
require more from persons than the will.
"At the request of the Treasurer Morales, I left two brothers in the Indies, who are called
Porras. The one was captain and the other auditor. Both were without capacity for these
positions: and I was confident that they could fill them, because of love for the person
who sent them to me. They both became more vain than they had been. I forgave them
many incivilities, more than I would do with a relation, and their offences were such that
they merited another punishment than a verbal reprimand. Finally they reached such a
point that even had I desired, I could not have avoided doing what I did. The records of
the case will prove whether I lie or not. They rebelled on the island of Jamaica, at which I
was as much astonished as I would be if the sun's rays should cast darkness. I was at the
point of death, and they martyrised me with extreme cruelty during five months and
without cause. Finally I took them all prisoners, and immediately set them free, except
the captain, whom I was bringing as a prisoner to their Highnesses. A petition which they
made to me under oath, and which I send you with this letter, will inform you at length in
regard to this matter, although the records of the case explain it fully. These records and
the Notary are coming on another vessel, which I am expecting from day to day. The
Governor in Santo Domingo took this prisoner.—His courtesy constrained him to do this.
I had a chapter in my instructions in which their Highnesses ordered all to obey me, and
that I should exercise civil and criminal justice over all those who were with me: but this
was of no avail with the Governor, who said that it was not understood as applying in his
territory. He sent the prisoner to these Lords who have charge of the Indies without
inquiry or record or writing. They did not receive him, and both brothers go free. It is not
wonderful to me that our Lord punishes. They went there with shameless faces. Such
wickedness or such cruel treason were never heard of. I wrote to their Highnesses about
this matter in the other letter, and said that it was not right for them to consent to this
offence. I also wrote to the Lord Treasurer that I begged him as a favour not to pass
sentence on the testimony given by these men until he heard me. Now it will be well for
you to remind him of it anew. I do, not know how they dare to go before him with such
an undertaking. I have written to him about it again and have sent him the copy of the
oath, the same as I send to you and likewise to Doctor Angulo and the Licentiate Zapata.
I commend myself to the mercy of all, with the information that my departure yonder will
take place in a short time.
"I would be glad to receive a letter from their Highnesses and to know what they order.
You must procure such a letter if you see the means of so doing. I also commend myself
to the Lord Bishop and to Juan Lopez, with the reminder of illness and of the reward for
my services.
"You must read the letters which go with this one in order to act in conformity with what
they say. Acknowledge the receipt of his letter to Diego Mendez. I do not write him as he
will learn everything from you, and also because my illness prevents it.
"It would be well for Carbajal and Jeronimo—[Jeronimo de Aguero, a landowner in
Espanola and a friend of Columbus]—to be at the Court at this time, and talk of our
affairs with these Lords and with the Secretary.
"Done in Seville, November 21.
"Your father who loves you more than himself.
.S.
.S.A.S.
XMY
Xpo FERENS."
"I wrote again to their Highnesses entreating them to order that these people who went
with me should be paid, because they are poor and it is three years since they left their
homes. The news which they bring is more than extraordinary. They have endured
infinite dangers and hardships. I did not wish to rob the country, so as not to cause
scandal, because reason advises its being populated, and then gold will be obtained freely
without scandal. Speak of this to the Secretary and to the Lord Bishop and to Juan Lopez
and to whomever you think it advisable to do so."
The Bishop of Palencia referred to in this letter is probably Bishop Fonseca—probably,
because it is known that he did become Bishop of Palencia, although there is a difference
of opinion among historians as to whether the date of his translation to that see was
before or after this letter. No matter, except that one is glad to think that an old enemy—
for Fonseca and Columbus had bitter disagreements over the fitting out of various
expeditions—had shown himself friendly at last.