y demonstrating that the Malucos
fall within his territory, although one might show that it is more
in accordance with equity and reason, and thus obtain his object, if
the judges imagine that they could determine it according to rigorous
and absolute judgment; therefore in order to accomplish my utmost as
well as to do everything that I think can be of use in this question,
upon the day determined by the assembly I shall present in writing all
the evidences, documents, and drawings bearing upon this case that,
to my mind, might prove useful.

Now to sum up in conclusion of the above, neither side can convince
the other that he is trying to shift his ground; and therefore, I say,
no sentence can at the present time be passed upon this case, except
that it will be necessary to agree upon an expedition to compute the
size of the degrees; and this done, ships and men must be chosen,
for the purpose of measuring the longitude by one or the other of the
various methods found to be best, and for definitely determining and
marking the beginning and end of the said demarcation, and the lands
falling in each part or hemisphere. [His signature and the notarial
countersignature follow. The date of this document is April 13, 1524.]

Opinions of Fray Tomas Duran, Sebastian Caboto, and Juan Vespucci
Rendered at the Junta of Badajoz Regarding the Ownership of Maluco

Inasmuch as you wish, it appearing to have some value, that each one
should set down in writing his opinion regarding the demarcation that
his Majesty commended to us, we, Fray Tomas Duran, Sebastian Caboto,
captain and pilot, and Juan Vespuchi, pilot, concert together in
setting down and explaining our opinion regarding this demarcation.

First we must calculate the leagues, giving as few at possible to
the celestial degree, because giving fewer leagues [to the celestial
degree] there will be fewer throughout the earth, which suffices quite
well for their Majesties' service. However, as we pointed out formerly,
it seems to us that we must employ the number used commonly by sailors
both in Portugal and Castilla. These men assign to each heavenly
degree seventeen and one-half leagues, to the first following point
of the compass from the north [north by east] eighteen and one-half,
to the northeast by north twenty, etc. The second fundamental is that
we must conform ourselves to that most grave and practical astrologer
Ptolemaeus, who, writing later than Pomponiu