he author thereof; secondly, unto whome it was made; thirdly, what
were the causes and inducementes that moved the Pope thereunto; fourthly,
the fourme and manner of donation; fyftly, the inhibition of all other
Christian Princes, and the penaltie of all them that shoulde doe the
contrarye; lastly, the recompence of the Kinges of Spaine to the Sea of
Rome for so greate a gifte.

1. Touchinge the firste, the author hereof was Pope Alexander the vith
whoe, as Platina and Onuphrius and Bale doe write, was himselfe a
Spaniarde, and borne in Valencia, of the familie called Borgia, and
therefore no marvell thoughe he were ledd by parcialitie to favour the
Spanishe nation, thoughe yt were to the prejudice and domage of all
others; whiche foule faulte of his may hereby appeare, that havinge in all
the tyme of his Popedome created sixe and thirtie Cardinalles, of those
xxxvj. he made xviij. to witt the one halfe, Spaniardes, as Bale dothe
testifie, writinge of his life. Nowe let any man be judge, whether that
were extreame parcialitie and ambition, to make Spaine equal in that
pointe with all the rest of Christendome. No marvaile therefore, thoughe
as in this, so in his donation, he was beyonde all reason caried away with
blynde affection to his nation; which faulte of his had bene more to be
borne withall, yf it had bene in a private or small matter. But in this so
generall and comon cause, yt cannot choose but be altogether intollerable.
If any man liste to see this man painted oute further in his colours, let
him reade John Bale in his Eighte Century, where he shall finde so many of
his badd partes, as a man woulde thinke he coulde not be a fitt man to
make a goodd and uprighte judge in so weightie a matter as this.

2. The persons to whome he made this donation were Ferdinando and
Isabella, Princes of Spaine, to whome, and to their heires and successors
for ever, he confirmed the same, excludinge all other Christian princes.
These princes, thoughe otherwise very vertuous and commendable, yet at the
tyme of the makinge of this donation, were more unable then divers other
Kinges of Christendome to accomplishe and bringe the same to effecte, as
beinge greately ympoverished with the warres of Granadae, so farr furthe
that they were constrained to seke for helpe of Kinge Henry the VIIth. of
England, to subdue the Moores in their owne contrie. Yea, Queene Isabella
was so poore and bare that she was faine to offer her owne jewells t