Item:  Ptolemaeus locates this cape of Catigara at the point of the gulf Magnus, next to the gulf of the Ganges and the Cresonensus bay, which conforms wholly to the account now discovered, so that the description and figure of Ptolemaeus and the description and model found recently by those who came from the spice regions are alike and not only alike in appearance, but in name.  That region is now called China; Ptolemaeus styled it regio Sinarum; the barbarians also compressing the s say Sina instead of China; and the Portuguese themselves place China in this region.  Therefore it being asserted that the island of Gilolo and the Maluco islands are Cape Catigara, as is a fact, the line of demarcation falls thirty-two degrees more to the westward and passes through the mouth of the Ganges.  Therefore Zamatra, Malaca, and the Malucos fall within our demarcation.

Item:  in everything discovered by the Portuguese of which Ptolemaeus has any notice, the former conform in their navigation to the latter.  They locate China north of the Malucos in the gulf Magnus, just as Ptolemaeus locates it.  For these and other reasons, which will be adduced by wiser than we, it seems to us that the Malucos, Malaca, and Zamatra fall thirty-two degrees within his Majesty’s demarcation, as we stated above.  This is the opinion of all three of us, and as such we give it, signed with our names this fifteenth of April, one thousand five hundred and twenty-four, in the city of Badajoz.  Fray Tomas Duran, Magister.  Sebastian Caboto.  Juan Vespucci. [The notarial countersignature follows.]

Memorandum Relative to the Right of His Majesty to the Dominion and Ownership of Maluco, Presented by Don Hernando Colon

Don Hernando Colon asserts that the first section of the treaty ratified between the Catholic sovereigns (may they rest in peace) and King Don Juan of Portugal, sets forth a certain division of seas and lands of which, the people having no definite knowledge or understanding, the public report has originated and been sown broadcast that they had divided the world between themselves.  From this supposition it resulted that the people inferred another general conclusion, namely, that having divided the world, it followed immediately that they divided it into equal parts.  So wide spread is this that the above report gives rise to a so deep-rooted impression in these men whom his Majesty sent at present to inquire into the question of ownership, that they have persuaded themselves that it is really the truth.  And although they have seen and read the said treaty many times, this does not suffice to make them recognize in their method of procedure that such a supposition is untrue, especially since the contrary was not declared by his Majesty’s Council in their assembly.  Neither did they appreciate the fact that the assembly did not say they should understand it in this or that manner, but fulfil the stipulations of the first treaty in accordance with the new treaty and commissions delegated to you.