License to kill granted by Spanish sovereigns to Alonso de Hojeda.

Alonso was well rewarded for his bloody work. This was a RETROACTIVE license because of all the work that Alonso had done for the Spanish Inquisition on his previous voyage!!

NO 36. EXTRACTS FROM THE PATENT GRANTED BY THE SPANISH SOVEREIGNS TO ALONSO DE HOJEDA, 1501, JUNE 8.

From the Spanish Archives at Simancas.

[Licence to Hojeda to pursue his discoveries on terms including the following:] .
Firstly, that you may not touch in the land of the pearl-gathering, of that part of Paria from the coast of the Frails and the gulf this side of Margarita, and on the other side as far as Farallon, and all that which is called Citriana, in which you have no right to touch.

Item: that you go and follow that coast which you have discovered, which runs east and west, as it appears, because it goes toward the region where it has been learned that the English were making discoveries; and that you go setting up marks with the arms of their Majesties, or other signs that may be known, such as shall seem good to you, in order that it be known that you have discovered that land, so that you may stop the exploration of the English in that direction.

Item: that you the said Alonso de Hojeda, for the service of their Majesties, enter that island and the others that are around it which are called Quiquevocoa (Coquibaçoa)in the region of the main land, where the green stones are, of which you have brought a sample, and that you obtain as many as you can, and in like manner see to the other things which you bought as specimens in that voyage.

Item: that you the said Alonso de Hojeda take steps to find out that which you have said you have learned of another gathering-place of pearls, provided that it be not within the limits above mentioned, and that in the same way you look for the gold-mines of whose existence you say you have news.

And their Majesties, in consideration of what you have spent and the service you have done, and are now bound to do, make you the gift of the governorship of the island of Caquevacoa, which you have discovered, during their pleasure.. . . Likewise their Majesties make you gift in the island of Española of six leagues of land with its boundary, in the southern district which is called Maquana, that you may cultivate it and improve it, for what you shall discover on the coast of the main land for the stopping of the English, and the said six leagues of land shall be yours for ever.

Original Spanish printed in Colección de dos Viages y Descubrimientos, by Martin Fernandez de Navarrete, Madrid, 1829, vol. III, pp. 85-88.