mon
sailors and camp-followers poured their tales into his discriminating
ears. Las Casas averred that Peter Martyr was more worthy of credence
than any other Latin writer.[1]

[Note 1: Las Casas, _Histo. de las Indias_., tom, ii, p. 272: _A
Pedro Martyr se le debe was credito que a otro ninguno de los que
escribieran en latin, porque se hallo entonces en Castilla par
aquellos tiempos y hablaba con todos, y todos holgaban de le dar
cuenta de lo que vian y hallaban, como a hombre de autioridad y el que
tenia cuidado de preguntarlo_.]

No sooner had Columbus returned from his first voyage than Martyr
hastened to announce his success to his friends, Count Tendilla and
Archbishop Talavera. _Meministis Colonum Ligurem institisse in Castris
apud reges de percurrendo per occiduos antipodes novo terrarum
haemisphaerio; meminisse opportet_. He was present in Barcelona and
witnessed the reception accorded the successful discoverer by the
Catholic sovereigns. He, who had gone forth an obscure adventurer upon
whose purposes, and even sanity, doubts had been cast, returned, a
Grandee of Spain, Admiral of the Ocean, and Viceroy of the Indies. In
the presence of the court, standing, he, alone, by invitation of the
sovereigns, sat. The ambassadors from his native Republic of Genoa,
Marchisio and Grimaldi, witnessed the exaltation of their fellow
countryman with eyes that hardly trusted their own vision.

An alien amidst the most exclusive and jealous of occidental peoples,
Martyr's abilities and fidelity won a recognition from the successive
monarchs he served, that was only equalled by the voluntary tributes
of respect and affection paid him by the generation of Spanish nobles
whose characters he was so influential in forming. Of all the Italians
who invaded Spain in search of fortune and glory, he was the most
beloved because he was the most trusted. Government functionaries
sought his protection, Franciscan and Dominican missionaries gave him
their confidence and, after he was appointed to a seat in the India
Council, he had official cognisance of all correspondence relating to
American affairs. Prior to the appearance in Spain of the celebrated
Letters of Cortes, Peter Martyr's narrative stood alone. Heidenheimer
rightly describes him: _Als echter Kind seiner Zeit, war Peter
Martyr Lehrer und Gelehrter, Soldat und Priester, Schriftsteller und
Diplomat_. It was characteristic of the epoch of the Renaissance
that a man of culture