Matthew

Year: 1497 AD
Category: Modern
Vessel Type: Merchant Ship
Scale: 1/16" = 1 foot
Overall Length: 83 feet

John Cabot's exploration ship which discovered North America when it reached the "New Founde Lande" on June 24, 1497. Cabot's voyage was financed by merchants from Bristol, England. The most prominent backer was Richard Amerike. It is very likely that America derived her name from him.

Cabot, an Italian, wanted to name the ship after his wife Mateo who's name was the feminine form of Matthew in Italian but there was no equivalent in the English language so the ship was named Matthew to honor her as well as the English backers.

David completed this carving in 1997 on the 500th Anniversary of Cabot's voyage.