The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 01 of 55: 1493-1529; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 — Volume 01 of 55: 1493-1529; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
May 7. _Ibid_. In the morning the Portuguese representatives said
that sea-charts were not so good as the blank globe with meridians
as it represents better the shape of the world. Then they discussed
the best means of putting the lands, islands, and coasts upon it,
as they were quite prepared to do this.
The judges for Spain said that they preferred a spherical body, but
that the maps and other proper instruments should not be debarred,
in order that they might locate the lands better upon the said body.
May 12. In Badajoz, in the chapter of the said church. The judges for
Spain said that on May 4 they had ordered the attorneys to discuss the
question of the island from which the three hundred and seventy leagues
should be measured; that their intention was to hear them _viva voce_;
that time was short, and they summoned them for the following day.
May 13. At Badajoz, in the town hall. Having given notification, the
togated attorney of their Majesties and the licentiate Juan Rodriguez
de Pisa, of the Council and advocate in this case, discussed the
law. The attorneys for Portugal talked also. Then the judges for Spain
voted as follows: as to the island from which we should begin to reckon
the three hundred and seventy leagues, it is our opinion that it should
be the most westerly, San Antonio. They proved this conclusively both
by the natural meaning of words, and by the intention and purpose
of the Portuguese King to have it as far west as possible. It was
also evident from other documents [he alludes to the bull] that
Portugal had one hundred leagues on the other side of the islands,
and two hundred and seventy more were conceded to her. Then the three
hundred and seventy leagues must begin from the most westerly, that
of San Antonio. [This is doubtless the paper of Hernando Colon, for
it says _spherical_ and contains other sentences peculiar to it.] It
was signed at the bottom by the astrologers and pilots alternately in
the following order: D. Hernando Colon, Fray Tomás Duran, _Magister_,
Doctor Salaya, Pero Ruiz de Villegas, Master Alcaraz, Juan Sebastian
del Cano.
In the afternoon the judges for Portugal rendered the following vote:
that the measurement of the said three hundred and seventy leagues
should be made from the islands of La Sal or Buena Vista, which were
on the same meridian. They adduced several trifling reasons which are
not worth recording. They signed it at the bottom: Francisco de Melo,
Diego Lopez de Sequera, Pedro Alfonso de Aguiar, Master Margallo,
Licentiate Torres, Simon Fernandez.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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