himself,—a like number on either side—shall
be in the island of La Gran Canaria, in order to proceed
to the determination and drawing of the divisional
line of the said sea—which must be three
hundred and seventy leagues west of the Cabo Verde
islands, in a straight north and south line from the
Arctic to the Antarctic pole, as covenanted between
us by the said treaty of the division of the said
sea, as is more fully set forth therein;—and
inasmuch as we now consider that the line of the said
division at the distance of the said three hundred
and seventy leagues can be determined and calculated
better, if the said astrologers, pilots, sailors,
and others, come to a definite conclusion and agreement
regarding the manner and order of procedure to be
observed in the determination and marking of the said
line, before the sailing of the said caravels, by
so doing avoiding disputes and controversies that
might arise regarding it among those going, if these
had to be arranged after the departure; and inasmuch
as it would be quite useless for the said caravels
and persons to go before knowing that any island or
mainland had been found in each one of the said parts
of the said sea, and to which they must proceed immediately
and orderly: Now therefore, in order that all
this may be done to better advantage, and with the
full and free consent of both sides, we agree and
by this present letter consent that the said astrologers,
pilots, sailors, and others determined upon with the
said King, our brother—a like number on
either side, and of sufficient number for this matter—must
assemble and they shall assemble along any part of
the frontier of these our Kingdoms and the Kingdom
of Portugal. During the whole month of July first
following the date of this letter these men shall
consult upon, covenant concerning, and determine the
manner of making the said divisional line of the said
sea at the distance of the said three hundred and
seventy leagues west of the said Cabo Verde islands,
by means of a straight north and south line from the
Arctic to the Antarctic Pole, as is set forth in the
said treaty. And whatever they determine upon,
unanimously, and whatever is concluded and marked
out by them, shall be approved and confirmed through
our letters-patent, by us and by the said King, our
brother. And if after the said astrologers, pilots,
and sailors, appointed as above said, shall have arrived
at a conclusion, each one of the said parties going
to that part of the said sea, according to the permission
of the said treaty, and thereby observing the contents
of said treaty, any island or mainland shall be found
hereafter, which either of the parties consider to
be so situated that the said line can be determined
in accordance with the stipulations of the said treaty,
and the one party shall cause notification to be given
the other party that they shall cause the line abovesaid
to be marked out, we and the said King, our brother,
shall be obliged to have the said line determined