Authentic Letters of Columbus. 199 



Item. I charge my son Diego and my descendants, especially 

 whoever may inherit this estate, which consists, as aforesaid, of the 

 tenth of whatsoever may be had or found in the Indies, and the 

 eighth part of the lands and rents, all which, together with my rights 

 and emoluments as admiral, viceroy and governor, amount to more 

 than twenty-five per cent., I say, that I require of him to employ all 

 this revenue, as well as his person, and all the means in his power, 

 in well and faithfully serving and supporting their Highnesses, or 

 their successors, even to the loss of life and property; since it 

 was their Highnesses, next to God, who first gave the means of get- 

 ting and achieving this property, although, it is true, I came over 

 these realms to invite them to the enterprise, and that a long time 

 elapsed before any provision was made for carrying it into eexcution ; 

 which, however, is not surprising, as this was an undertaking of 

 which all the world was ignorant, and no one had any faith in it; 

 wherefore, I am by so much more indebted to them, as well as be- 

 cause they have since also much favored and promoted me. 



Item. I also require of Diego, or whosoever may be in posses- 

 ion of the estate, that in the case of any schism taking place in the 

 church of God, or that any person of whatever class or condition 

 should attempt to despoil it of its property and honors they hasten to 

 offer at the feet of his Holiness, that is, if they are not heretics 

 (which God forbid), their persons, power and wealth, for the purpose 

 of suppressing such schism, and preventing any spoliation of the 

 honor and property of the church. 



Item. I command the said Diego, or whoever may possess the 

 said estate, to labor and strive for the honor, welfare and aggran- 

 disement of the city of Genoa, and to make use of all his power and 

 means in defending and enhancing the good and credit of that repub- 

 lic, in all things not contrary to the service of the church of God, or 

 the high dignity of the King and Queen, our lords and their succes- 

 sors. 



Item. The said Diego, or whoever may possess or succeed to the 

 estate, out of the fourth part of the whole revenue, from which, as 

 aforesaid, is to be taken a tenth, when Don Bartholomew or his heirs 

 shall have saved the two millions, or part of them, and when the 

 time shall come for making a distribution among our relations, shall 

 apply and invest the said tenth in providing marriages for such 

 daughters of our lineage as may require it, and in doing all the good 

 in their power. 



Item. When a suitable time shall arrive, he shall order a church 

 to be built in the island of Espafiola, and in the most convenient 

 spot, to be called Santa Maria de la Conception ; to which is to be an- 

 nexed an hospital, upon the best possible plan, like those of Italy and 

 Castile, and a chapel is to be erected in which to say mass for the 

 good of my soul, and those of my ancestors and successors with 

 great devotion, since no doubt it will please the Lord to give us a 

 sufficient revenue for this and the afore-mentioned purposes. 



Item. I also order Diego my son, or whosoever may inherit 

 after him, to spare no pains in having and maintaining in the island of 



