, brother of Christopher, acquired a reputation by the sea-charts and
, brother of Christopher, acquired a reputation by the sea-charts and the spheres, which he made in a superior manner, considering the time in which he lived. He had passed from Italy to Portugal before his brother, whose tutor he had been in cosmography. Don Ferdinand Columbus, his nephew, says, that his uncle having embarked for London, was taken by a corsair, who carried him into an unknown country, where he was reduced to the extremity of distress, from which he delivered himself by making charts for navigation; and, having amassed a considerable sum of money, he went to England, presented to the king a map of the world in his own method, explained to him the plan his brother had formed of striking much farther forward on the ocean than had ever yet been done: the prince intreated him to invite over Christopher, promising to defray the whole expence of the expedition; but the latter had already entered into an engagement with the crown of Castile. Part of this story, and especially the proposal made by the king of England, seems totally without foundation: but it appears that Bartholomew had a share in the bounty bestowed on Christopher by the king of Castile; and in 1493 these two brothers, and Diego Columbus, who was the third, were ennobled. Don Bartholomew underwent with Christopher the fatigues and dangers inseparable from such long voyages as those in which they both engaged, and built the town of St. Domingo. He died in 1514, possessed of riches and honours.
, elder brother of Christopher just mentioned, was born at Coventry in 1597,
, elder brother of Christopher just
mentioned, was born at Coventry in 1597, and sent from
thence with his brother to Merton-college in 1613; but
while Christopher went to Doway, and became a catholic,
John went to London, and became a puritan. He was
minister of St. Stephen’s in Coleman-street, and esteemed
by his brethren a person of excellent gifts in preaching,
and in other qualities belonging to a divine. About 1630
he was appointed one of the feoffees for the buying in
impropriations, which involved him in a dispute with archbishop Laud; but that project miscarrying, he left his
pastoral charge about 1633, under pretence of opposition
from the bishops, and went to Amsterdam. Here, endeavouring to be a minister in the English congregation, and
to join with them in all duties, he was opposed by John
Paget, an elder, on account of some difference between
them about baptism; upon which he wrote, in his own defence, “A Letter to the Dutch Classis, containing a just
complaint against an unjust doer; wherein is declared the
miserable slavery and bondage that the English church at
Amsterdam is now in, by reason of the tyrannical government and corrupt doctrine of Mr. John Paget, their minister,
” Amst. 1634. Two or three more pieces relating to
this controversy were published by him afterwards; and
such were his parts and learning, that he drew away from
them many of their congregation, to whom he preached
and prayed in private houses.