and whenever they could do so they adjusted their attitude
to conviction. In 1344, Clement VI., acting by virtue of his
apostolic authority, appointed Louis de la Cerda prince of the
Canary Islands, gave him the ownership and entire temporal
control over them, and as a sign of investiture placed a gold
crown on his head, on condition that the prince would pay an
annual tribute to the Roman Church. These islands were
inhabited by infidels. In 1454 Nicholas V. authorized the
Portuguese to subdue the infidels of the west coast of Africa.
In 1493, Alexander VI. published several bulls, according to the
terms of which America was made subject to the Spaniards.
In one of these bulls (inter ut. 3rd May) he says: "By the
authority of Almighty God, which has been committed to us
in the person of the blessed Peter, by virtue of our title as
Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, we give, grant, and attribute
to you and to your heirs and successors for all time, all the
islands, and all the continents already discovered or to be dis-
covered (outside the limits of the imaginary line drawn one
hundred leagues west from the Azores, and of Cape de Verde),
with their dominions, cities, rights and dependencies. . . ." ¹

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