EXAMINATION OF SPANISH PILOTS a.d. 



1586. 

 lands which lye in his way to that haven whereof he is 

 examined. And then another demandeth, that if his 

 mastes should be broken by tempest, what remedy hee 

 would use ? Others aske him, if his ship should take a 

 leake, to the hazarding of the lives of himselfe and his 

 company, what remedy he would find to stop the same 

 with least danger ? Others aske him, what remedy, if 

 his rudder should chance to faile ? Others oppose him 

 about the account of the Moone and of the tides? 

 Others aske him if a Pirate should take him and leave 

 him destitute of his Chart, his Astrolabe, and his other 

 instruments serving to take the height of the Sunne and 

 of the starre, what course hee would take in that ex- 

 tremitie ? Others demand other questions needfuU for 

 a mariner to know, w^hich desireth to be a pilot. Unto 

 all which the examinate is very attentive, and answereth 

 to every particular. 



After they have all asked him so much as they think Themaneroj 

 expedient, they bid him depart out of the hall, to the ^heir election, 

 ende that every one of them may severally bee sworne 

 upon a booke, that they will speake the trueth. Then 

 they put into a certaine vessell of silver standing there 

 for the same purpose so many beanes, and so many peason 

 as there are pilots within the hall : and every one putting 

 his hand into the vessell in order, he that thinketh the 

 partie examined to be sufficient, taketh up a beane, and 

 he that thinketh him not sufficient, taketh up a pease, ^^^^f^-^ t^^t^- 

 And after that all have- taken out what they please, the ^^^^^^^^^f 



■r»-i -1111 1 -iij ^^^ry ^^^ 



Pilot major looketh what voyces the examinate hath : and piQ^^ ^y.^, 



if he finde him to have as many voyces for him as against mination and 



him, he commandeth him to make another voyage : but approbation^ 



if he hath more voyces for him then against him, then jj f , 



they give him letters testimonial! or his examination p^^^ ^^-^^ 



signed by the Pilot major, by the kings reader, and the the kings 



secretary, and sealed with the scale of the Contractation reader, and 



house. And upon the receipt of these letters testimoniall, ^^^/^^^'^^^O'* 



, -1 • 1 1 -m-i • 1 and seale of 



the new pilot giveth a present unto the Pilot major, and ^^^ Contracta- 

 the kings reader, for their gloves and hennes, every one tion house. 



455 



