i82 Field Columbian Museum. 



covered and conquered the said islands and mainland in the said 

 ocean, or any one whatsoever of them, be our Admiral of the said 

 islands and mainland, which you shall thus discover and conquer, and 

 be our Admiral, Viceroy and Governor of them and that you may, 

 from this time forward, style and entitle yourself Don Christopher 

 Columbus; and likewise your children and successors in the said office 

 and charge, may entitle and call themselves, Don, Admiral, Viceroy 

 and Governor of them ; and that you may use and exercise the said 

 office of Admiral, with the aforesaid office of Viceroy and Gov- 

 ernor of the above said islands and mainland, which you discover 

 and conquer, by j^ourself as well by means of your lieutenants, 

 and hear and determine all suits, and civil and criminal causes 

 respecting the said office of Admiral, and of Viceroy and Governor, 

 according as you will find by right, and in the manner in which the 

 Admirals of our kingdoms were accustomed to use and exercise it ; 

 and that you may punish and chastise delinquents ; and use the said 

 office of Admiral, Viceroy and Governor, you and your above said 

 lieutenants, in all that concerns and is annexed to the said offices, 

 and to each one of them ; and that you may have and receive the 

 rights and fees belonging and annexed to the said offices and to each 

 of them ; according as our high admiral in the admirality of our 

 kingdoms receives, and is accustomed to receive them. And by this 

 our patent, or by a copy of it, signed by a public scrivener, we com- 

 mand the Prince Don John, our most dearly beloved son, the 

 Infantes, dukes, prelates, marquises, counts, masters of orders, priors, 

 companions, and those of our council ; and the auditors of our cham- 

 ber, alcaldes, and other officers of justice, whoever the)^ may be, of 

 our household, court and Chancery, and the governors of castles 

 and strong and open places; and all counselors, assistants, corregi- 

 dors, alcaldes, bailiffs and sheriffs, and the twenty-four sworn chan- 

 cellors, esquires, officers, and good men of all the cities, towns and 

 places of our kingdoms and dominions, and of those which you shall 

 conquer and acquire, and the captains, masters, mates and officers, 

 mariners and seamen, our subjects and natives, who now are and 

 shall be hereafter, and every one, and whomsoever of them ; that the 

 said islands and mainland in the ocean, being discovered and ac- 

 quired by you, and they being taken, and the solemnities that are 

 required on such occasions having been observed by you, or by the 

 person who shall receive the power for you, to have and to hold to 

 you hereafter, during all your life, and after you, your son and suc- 

 cessor, and from successor to successor forever, as our Admiral of 

 the said ocean, and as Viceroy and Governor of the aforesaid islands 



