Alexander, etc., to the illustrious sovereigns, our very dear son
in Christ Ferdinand, King, and our very dear daughter in Christ
Elizabeth [Isabella], Queen of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Granada,
health, etc. The sincereness and whole-souled loyalty of your
exalted attachment to ourselves and the church of Rome deserve to
have us grant in your favor those things whereby daily you may the
more easily be enabled to the honor of Almighty God and the spread
of Christian government as well as the exaltation of the Catholic
faith to carry out your saintly and praiseworthy purpose and the
work already undertaken of making search for far-away and unknown
countries and islands. For this very day through our own accord and
certain knowledge, as well as fulness of our apostolic power, we
have given, granted, and assigned forever, as appears more fully in
our letters drawn up therefor, to you and your heirs and successors,
kings of Castile and Leon, all and singular the far-away and unknown
mainlands and islands lying to the west in the Ocean Sea, that have
been discovered or hereafter may be discovered by you or your envoys,
whom you have equipped therefor not without great hardships, dangers,
and expense; providing however these countries be not in the actual
possession of Christian owners. But inasmuch as by this apostolic see
have been granted divers privileges, favors, liberties, immunities,
exemptions, faculties, letters, and indults to some kings of Portugal,
who also by similar apostolic grant and donation in their favor,
have discovered and taken possession of other countries and islands
in the waters of Africa, Guinea, and the Gold Coast, with the desire
to empower by our apostolic authority, as also is right and fitting,
you and your aforesaid heirs and successors with graces, prerogatives,
and favors of no less character; moved also thereto wholly by our own
similar accord, not at your instance nor the petition of any one else
in your favor, but through out own sole liberality as well as the same
knowledge and fulness of our apostolic power, we do by tenor of these
presents, as a gift of special favor, empower you and your aforesaid
heirs and successors to the end that in the islands and countries,
already discovered by you or in your name and to be discovered
hereafter, you may freely and legally, as is proper, use, employ,
and enjoy in all things and through all things exactly the same as
if they had been granted especially to you and your aforesaid heirs
and successors, all and singular the graces, privileges, exemptions,
liberties, faculties, immunities, letters, and indults that have been
granted to the kings of Portugal, the terms whereof we wish to be
understood as sufficiently expressed and inserted, the same as if they
had been inserted word for word in these presents. Moreover we extend
similarly and enlarge these powers in all things and through all things
to you and your aforesaid heirs and successors, to whom in the same
manner and form we grant them forever, the apostolic constitutions
and ordinances as well as all grants of similar kind made by letters
to the kings of Portugal, as well as other things whatsoever to the
contrary notwithstanding. But as it would be difficult to have these
present letters sent to all places where desirable, we wish and with
similar accord and knowledge do decree that to copies of them, signed
by the hand of a public notary commissioned therefor, and sealed with
the seal of any ecclesiastical officer or ecclesiastical court, the
same respect is to be shown in court and outside as well as anywhere
else as would be given to these presents should they be exhibited or
shown. Let no one therefore, etc., infringe, etc., this our indult,
extension, enlargement, grant, will, and decree. Should any one,
etc. Given at Rome at St. Peter's, in the year, etc., one thousand
four hundred and ninety-three, the third day of May, the first year
of our pontificate.
Gratis by order of our most holy lord the Pope.
Jo. Nilis. D Gallettus.