HIS APPLICATION AT THE COURT. 121 volving principles not altogether orthodox. Fer- chapter dinand and Isabella, desirous of obtaining the opin- — ^ — '. — ion of the most competent judges on the merits of Columbus's theory, referred him to a council selected by Talavera from the most eminent schol- ars of the kingdom, chiefly ecclesiastics, whose pro- fession embodied most of the science of that day. Such was the apathy exhibited by this learned conclave, and so numerous the impediments suggest- ed by dulness, prejudice, or skepticism, that years glided away before it came to a decision. During this time, Columbus appears to have remained in attendance on the court, bearing arms occasionally in the campaigns, and experiencing from the sove- reigns an unusual degree of deference and personal attention ; an evidence of which is afforded in the disbursements repeatedly made by the royal order for his private expenses, and in the instructions, issued to the municipalities of the different towns in Andalusia, to supply him gratuitously with lodg- ing and other personal accommodations. ^^ At length, however, Columbus, wearied out by eis appuca. ~ ' ' ' •' tion rejected. this painful procrastination, pressed the court for a definite answer to his propositions ; when he was informed, that the council of Salamanca pronoun- ced his scheme to be " vain, impracticable, and resting on grounds too weak to merit the support of the government." Many in the council, however, were too enlightened to acquiesce in this sentence 16 Herrera, Indias Occidentales, Navarrete, Coleccion de Viages, dec. 1, lib. 1, cap. 8. — Zufiiga, torn. i. sec. 60, 61, torn, ii., Col. Annales de Sevilla, p. 104. — Dipl. nos. 2, 4. VOL. II. 16
