Of Capt. How EL Davis. 189 



point out better Methods than hitherto known, 

 when Ships drew nigh Land, which would anfwer 

 as ufeful an End. 



Before the Verticity and Ufa of the Compafs, the 

 Tortuguefe Navigations had extended no farther 

 than Cape Non^ (it was their ne plus nltra^ and 

 therefore fo called ^ diftrefs of Weather, indeed, 

 haa drove fome Coafters to Porto Santo^ and Madera^ 

 before any certain Method of fleering was inven- 

 ted but after the Needle was feen thus inlpired, 

 Navigation every Year improved under the great 

 Incouragements of Henry y Alfhonfus^ and "^ohn II. 

 Kings of Tmugdy in Part of the 14th and in 

 the 15 th Century. 



King Alfhcnfus was not fo much at leafure as his 

 PredecelTor, to purfiie thefe Difcoveries, but ha- 

 ving feen the Advantages accrued to Portugal by 

 them, and that the Pope had confirmed the per- 

 petual Donation of all they fhould difcover be* 

 tween Cape Bajadore and India^ inclufively, he refol- 

 Ved not to n^gled the proper Affiftance, and farm*, 

 ed the Profits that did or might enfue to one Bernard 

 iSomez.^ a Citizen of Lisbon^ who was every Voyage 

 obl'ged to difcovrer icq Leagues, ftill farther on: 

 And about the Year 1470 made thefe lOands, the 

 only Places (of all the confiderable and large 

 Colonies they had in Africa^ that do ?iow remain 

 to that Crown. 



St. l%ome is the principal of the three, whole 

 .Governour is ftiled Captain General of thelflands, 

 and from whom the other at Princes receives his 

 Commifiion, tho' nominated by the Court of Portugal : 

 It is a Bilhoprick with a great many fecular Clergy 

 who appear to have neither Learning nor Devotion, 

 as maybe judged by feveral of them being Ne^. 

 groes : One of the Chief of them, invited us to 

 Jiear Mafs, as a Diverfion to pafs Time away, 

 wh^re he, and his ijiferior Brethren afted fuch af- 



■ feded 



