290
LIFE
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VOYAGES
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[BOOK
V.
nations as between individuals; fair and open conduct, and invio lable faith, however they may appear adverse to present pur poses, are the only kind of policy that will insure ultimate and honorable success. King John, having received intelligence, in the furtive man ner that has been mentioned, of the double instructions furnished to Don Lope de Herrera, received him in such a manner as to prevent any resort to his peremptory letter.
He had already
dispatched an extra envoy to the Spanish court to keep it in good humor, and he now appointed Doctor Pero Diaz and Don Ruy de Pena ambassadors to the Spanish sovereigns, to adjust all questions relative to the new discoveries, and promised that no vessel should be permitted to sail on a voyage of discovery within sixty days after their arrival at Barcelona. These ambassadors were instructed to propose, as a mode of effectually settling all claims, that a line should be drawn from the Canaries due west: all lands and seas north of it to appertain to the Castilian court; all south to the crown of Portugal, except ing any islands already in possession of either powers.* Ferdinand had now the vantage-ground; his object was to gain time for the preparation and departure of Columbus, by entangling King John in long diplomatic negotiations.†In reply to his proposals, he dispatched Don Pedro de Ayala and Don Garcia Lopez de Caravajal on a solemn embassy to Portugal, in which there was great outward pomp and parade, and many pro fessions of amity, but the whole purport of which was to propose to submit the territorial questions which had risen between them * Zurita, lib. i. cap. 25.
Herrera, decad. i. lib. ii. cap. 5.
†Vasconcelos, Don Juan II, lib. vi.