a character as has been entrusted to you by the graciousness
of our apostolic favor, by tenor of these presents
should any of said islands have been found by your
envoys and captains, we do give, grant, and assign
to you and your heirs and successors, kings of Castile
and Leon, forever, together with all their dominions,
cities, camps, places, and towns, as well as all rights,
jurisdictions, and appurtenances, all islands and
mainlands found and to be found, discovered and to
be discovered towards the west and south, by drawing
and establishing a line from the Arctic pole, namely
the north, to the Antarctic pole, namely the south,
no matter whether the said mainlands and islands are
found and to be found in the direction of India or
towards any other quarter, the said line to the west
and south to be distant one hundred leagues from any
of the islands commonly known as the Azores
and Cabo Verde. With this proviso however
that none of the islands and mainlands found and to
be found, discovered and to be discovered beyond that
said line towards the west and south, be in the actual
possession of any Christian king or prince up to the
birthday of our Lord Jesus Christ just past in the
present year one thousand four hundred and ninety-three.
Moreover we make, appoint and depute you and your
said heirs and successors owners of them with full
and free power, authority, and jurisdiction of every
kind; with this proviso however that through this
gift, grant, and assignment of ours no right conferred
on any Christian prince, who may be in actual possession
of said islands and mainlands up to the said birthday
of our Lord Jesus Christ, is hereby to be considered
as withdrawn or to be withdrawn. Moreover we
command you in virtue of holy obedience that, employing
all due diligence in the premises, as you promise,
nor do we doubt your compliance therein to the best
of your loyalty and royal greatness of spirit, you
send to the aforesaid main-lands and islands worthy,
God-fearing, learned, skilled, and experienced men,
in order to instruct the aforesaid inhabitants and
dwellers therein in the Catholic faith and train them
in good morals. Besides under penalty of excommunication
late sententie to be incurred ipso facto,
should any one thus contravene, we strictly forbid
all persons of whatsoever rank, even imperial and
royal, or of whatsoever estate, degree, order, or
condition, to dare, without your special permit or
that of your aforesaid heirs and successors, to go,
as charged, for the purpose of trade or any other
reason to the islands and mainlands found and to be
found, discovered and to be discovered, towards the
west and south, by drawing and establishing a line
from the Arctic pole to the Antarctic pole, no matter
whether the mainlands and islands found and to be
found lie in the direction of India or towards any
other quarter whatsoever, the said line to the west
and south to be distant one hundred leagues from any
of the islands commonly known as the Azores