And this exercise continueth two moneths, during which time the examinates must not faile to bee present twise in a day, as is aforesaid.
The hall of examination. And hauing heard the Kings reader those two moneths, they resort then vnto the hall of examination, which is in the Contractation house, where there are assembled the Pilot maior and diuers other pilots, to the number of 25 at the least;
The maner of the yong pilots examination. who all sitting there in order, the pilot maior damandeth of him that would be examined, of what part of the Indies he desireth to be examined: Whereto the examinate answereth, that he would bee examined concerning Nueua Espanna or of Nombre de Dios and Tierra Firma. And others that are not experienced in those partes, craue to be examined of Santo Domingo, Puerto rico and Cuba.
Then the Pilot maior commandeth the examinate to spread a sea-chart vpon the table, and in the presence of the other pilots to depart or shewe the course from the barre of Sant Lucar to the Canarie Islands, and from thence to the Indies, till he come to that place whereof he is to bee examined, and then also to returne backe to the barre of Sant Lucar in Spaine, from whence he departed. Also the Pilot maior asketh him, if when he saileth vpon the sea, hee be taken with a contrary wind, what remedie he is to vse, that his ship be not too much turmoiled vpon the sea: And the examinate answereth him aswell as he can.
Then one of the other pilotes opposeth him about the rules of the Sunne and of the Northstarre, and how hee ought to vse the declination of the Sunne at all times of the yeere; whom the examinate is bound to answere in euery thing that hee demandeth. Then another asketh him of the signes and markes of those lands which lye in his way to that hauen whereof he is examined. And then another demandeth, that if his mastes should be broken by tempest, what remedy he would vse: Others aske him, if his ship should take a leake, to the hazarding of the liues of himselfe and his company, what remedy, if his rudder should chance to faile: Others oppose him about the account of the Moone and of the tides: Others aske him if a Pirate should take him and leaue him destisute of his Chart, his Astrolabe, and his other instruments seruing to take the height of the Sunne and of the starre, what course he would take in that extremitie: Others demand other questions needfull for a mariner to know, which
