del Divi poeta Dant_. In the first letter, signed "El Cardenal,"
Ferrer's presence is requested in Barcelona; he is to take with him
his mappamundo and all his cosmographical instruments.]

Compact Between the Catholic Sovereigns and the King of Portugal,
Regarding the Demarcation and Division of the Ocean Sea

Don Fernando and Dona Isabel, by the grace of God, King and Queen
of Castilla, etc.: Inasmuch as, among other things in the treaty and
compact regarding the division of the Ocean Sea, negotiated between
ourselves and the most Serene King of Portugal and the Algarbes
on either side of the sea in Africa, and Seignior of Guinea, our
most dear and beloved brother, it was agreed and covenanted that,
within the first ten months following the date of this treaty,
our caravels and his, accompanied by astrologers, pilots, sailors,
and others, agreed upon by ourselves and 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 num