t the Kinges of Spaine had purposed, by the aide of God,
to subdue and reduce unto the faithe all those landes and Ilandes, with
their inhabitantes, whiche Columbus had founde in his firste discovery, in
comendinge highly of this their intention, he semeth to confesse that they
mighte have pursued that godly action very lawfully withoute makinge of
him privy to their enterprice, which they did not in their firste sendinge
furthe Columbus. And with what righte he builded and lefte men in
Hispaniola at the firste, before the Popes donation, with the selfe same
righte he mighte have subdued all that he shoulde afterwardes discover.
So, then, the Popes gifte was of no more force, then of that which they
mighte have chalenged by their former righte and interest of discoverie.
And as for their former zeale and resolution to publishe the Christian
faithe in those quarters, which the Pope confesseth to have bene in them
before his donation, whoe seeth not that he stirres them uppe to nothinge,
but to that which he acknowledged to have bene in them already; and so he
did nothinge but _actum agere_.

Againe; in that he saieth, that in no other respecte, but moved onely by
his mere and francke liberaltie, _and for certeine secrete causes_, he
gave unto them all the ilandes and firme landes which already have bene
founde, and which shoulde afterwardes be founde, which were then
discovered or afterwardes to be discovered, towardes the West and the
Southe, drawinge a straighte line from the pole articke to the pole
antarticke, whether the ilandes or firme landes founde or to be founde
were towardes the Indies or towardes any other quarter; intendinge,
nevertheles, that this line be distant an hundred leagues towardes the
West and the Southe from the iles which are comonly called the Azores, or
those of Cape Verd: to this wee aunswer, that here wee are firste to
consider that yt was no marvell that his Holines, beinge a Spaniarde
borne, sett aparte all other respectes of justice and equitie, and of his
mere motion and francke liberalitie was ready to raise and advaunce his
owne nation, with doinge secrete wronge and injurie as moche as in him
laye, and more, unto all other Princes of Christendome. For what els can
those wordes importe, that he did it also for certen secrete causes, but
give us juste cause to suspect that there wanted uprighte, indifferent,
and sincere dealinges? And surely, if he had meant uprightly, he woulde
have del