A History of the Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus (Volume 4) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1828. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... No. XXXV. SIGNATURE OF COLUMBUS. As every thing respecting Columbus is full of interest, his signature has been a matter of some discussion. It partook of the pedantic and bigoted character of the age, and perhaps of the peculiar character of the man, who, considering himself mysteriously elected and set apart from among men for certain great purposes, adopted a correspondent formality and solemnity in all his concerns. His signature was as follows: S. S. A. S. X. M. Y. XPO FERENS. The first half of the signature, XPO (for CHRISTO), is in Greek letters; the second, FERENS, is in Latin. Such was the usage of those days; and even at present hoth Greek and Roman letters are used in signatures and inscriptions in Spain. The ciphers or initials above the signature are supposed to represent a pious ejaculation. To read them, one must begin with the lower letters, and connect them with those above. Signor Geo. Batista Spotorno conjectures them to mean either Xristus (Christus), Sancta Maria, Yosephus, or Salva me, Xristus, Maria, Yosephus. The NorthAmerican Review for April, 1827, suggests the substitution of Jesus for Josephus, which appears an improvement on the suggestion of Spotorno. It was an ancient usage in Spain, and it has not entirely gone by, to accompany the signature with some words of religious purport. One object of this practice was to show the writer to be a Christian. This was of some importance in a country in which Jews and Mahometans were proscribed and persecuted. Don Fernando, son to Columbus, says that his father, when he took his pen in hand, usually commenced by writing "Jesus cum Maria sit nobis in via;" and the book which the admiral prepared and sent to the sovereigns, containing the prophecies which he considered as referring to his discov...