Page:The principal navigations, voyages, traffiques and discoveries of the English nation 16.djvu/312

 Don Henry resigned ouer these Islandes to the crowne of Castile, in consideration of the aides which Betancourt had receiued. But the Castillians agree not vnto this report.

For they say that neither the kings of Portugall, nor Don Henry would render the Islands, till they came in question before Pope Eugenius the fourth; who fully vnderstanding the matter, gaue the conquest of the Islands by order of iudgement vnto the king of Castile in the yeere 1431. whereupon this mention ceased touching the title of the Canaries betweene the kings of Portugall and of Castile.

These Islands being in number seuen, were called by the name of Fortunatæ, standing in 28 degrees to the north: where the longest day is but 13. howers, and the longest night as much, lying distant from Spaine 200. leagues, and from the coast of Africa 18. leagues.

The people were idolaters, and did eate their flesh raw for want of fire: they had no iron, and sowed without any toole: they tilled and raised the ground with oxe hornes, and goats hornes. Euery Island did speake a seuerall language. They tooke many wiues, and knew them not carnally vntill they had deliuered them to the superiours. They had diuers other Paganish customes: but now the Christian faith is planted among them.

The commodities of these Islands are wheate, barley, sugar, wine, and certaine birdes called Canarie birdes, much esteemed in Spaine and other places.

In the Island of Ferro they haue none other water, but that which proceedeth in the night from a tree, compassed with a cloud, whence water issueth, seruing the whole island both men and cattell, a thing notorious and knowne to very many.

In the yeere 1428. it is written that Don Peter the king of Portugals eldest sonne was a great traueller.

He went into England, France, Almaine, and from thence into the Holy land, and to other places; and came home by Italie, taking Rome and Venice, in his way: from whence he brought a map of the world, which had all the parts of the world and earth described. The streight of Magelan was called in it The Dragons taile: The Cape of Bona Sperança,