certainly afford very important support to the truth of the sagas, and it is hoped that further evidence of their truth may yet be discovered in Roman Catholic archives. Of course I should not forget Adam of Bremen, whose reference to Vinland is always quoted. Archbishop Adalbert, who occupied the see of Hamburg from the year 1045 to 1072, was the patron and personal friend of the historian, whose work, Gesta Pontificium Ecclesiae Hamburgensis was completed in 1075. Of the good Bishop, Adam always speaks with affection and reverence. He says that "he was so grand, so generous, so hospitable, so desirous of divine and human glory, that little Bremen, having become known by his virtue like another Rome, was devoutly resorted to from all quarters of the earth, especially from the north." Among the comers were Icelanders, Greenlanders, and Orcadeans, inhabitants of the Orkneys, who came to ask for preachers. It is probable that the archbishop himself journeyed as far west as Greenland, as on one occasion, when dispatching Islef, the first bishop of Scaltholtd to his charge, he sent by him letters, like those of the earlier apostles, to the people of Iceland and Greenland, saluting their churches with veneration, and promising to visit them soon, glorying that these countries had received the faith by his efforts. When we realize the close intimacy existing between these men, and their high character, these familiar words, which Adam uses to convey to us what Archbishop Adalbert said to him respecting Vinland, receive additional force. "He spoke," says he, "also of another island found in that ocean called Winland, because vines grew there spontaneously, yielding excellent wine. For that fruits grow there spontaneously we know, not from fabulous report, but for certain, from the reports of the Danes." This was written many years before the time of Eric Gnupson, that important figure in any story of North American discovery by Norsemen which may be constructed. It is to be hoped that the researches of students may yet bring to light much more respecting him. PRINCE HENRY, THE NAVIGATOR." By EDWARD GAYLORD BOURNE. The various commemorations of the discovery of the New World during the past year have quickened the historical instincts of every student, and as the momentous nature of the event in the history of the world becomes more vividly apparent the essentially historical problem to learn how it all came about becomes more and more fascinating. Two lines of influence combined to convince Columbus that his project was practicable-the speculative views of Aristotle, Strabo, and Toscanelli, and the results of the Portuguese explorations off the coast of Africa, which at every step winnowed the geographical tradition of its terrifying chaff. Without the labors of Prince Henry, Columbus might not have ventured, but without Columbus America would have been discovered only eight years later by Cabral as the inevitable result of Prince Henry's work. Few careers have been more extraordinary in the range of their influence on history, and yet comparatively little attention has been given to his efforts and their consequences in the abundant literature of the past few months on the discoveries. In this brief paper I shall try to determine as exactly as possible what Prince Henry's aims were, and what prompted his course of action, presenting in conclusion some consideration of his character and personal influence. *This paper is based on the following contemporary sources: Dioguo Gomez. De Prima Inventione Guineae, in Dr. Schmeller's Ueber Valenti Fernandez Alemā. Chronica do Descobrimento e Conquista de Guiné, pelo Chronista Gomez Eannes de Azurara. Paris, 1841. Alguns Documentos da Torre do Tombo. Lisbon, 1892. The citations from contemporary documents in the valuable notes in: A Escola de Sagres e as Tradições do Infante D. Henrique, pelo Marquez de Souza Holstein. Lisbon, 1877. These two modern lives of Prince Henry have also been of great service: R. H. Major, Prince Henry the Navigator, London, 1868; and G. de Veer, Prinz Heinrich der Seefahrer. Leipzig, 1864 S. Mis. 104-8 The earliest authentic statement of Prince Henry's aims that I have found, and one which may be taken as his own, is in a charter of King Alphonso V, dated October 22, 1443, and published recently, I think for the first time, which prohibits any one from making a voyage beyond Cape Bojador without permission from the prince. The passage reads: "We make known to all who see this charter that the Infant Dom Anrrique my much esteemed and beloved Uncle believing that he would do service to our Lord and to Us set about sending his ships to learn of the world beyond Cape Bojador, since till that time there was no one in Christendom who knew about it, nor did they know whether there were people there or not, nor in the sea-charts and maps was anything beyond Cape Bojador depicted except what seemed good to the makers. And since it was a doubtful matter, and since men did not venture to go, he sent thither fourteen times till he knew about part of that region, and they brought him thence on two occasions some thirty-eight Moors and he ordered a chart made, and he told us that his plan was to send his ships further to learn of that region."* One reason for saying that this may be taken as Prince Henry's own statement is that Alphonso was only twelve years of age, and Henry was one of his guardians. The same aim is asserted in another charter of Alphonso, dated Febru ary 3, 1846, and directly by Prince Henry himself in December, 1458, except that in the latter one the field of discovery begins from Cape Non.‡ Gomez Eannes de Azurara, in his invaluable contemporary chronicle of the Discovery and Conquest of Guinea, which was written in 1453, reports a conversation between Prince Henry and Antonio Goncalvez, which took place just prior to Goncalvez's voyage of 1443. This, whether it is considered as representing Henry's views in 1442, or several years later, comes next in order. Goncalvez was desirous of exchanging the Moors he had just captured for negroes. He urged that from the negroes they could gain information of a more distant region, and that he would make every effort to secure such information. Prince Henry replies that not only of that land did he desire information, but also of the Indies, and of the land of Prester John, if it were possible.§ * Alguns Docs., 8. + Ibid., 9. Souza Holstein, p. 47. |