206 W. E. Curtis — Pre-Columbian, Vatican Documents. ' 



The documents from the secret archives of the Vatican, of 

 which fac similes were furnished by Cardinal Rampolla for ex- 

 hibition in the monastery of La Rabida, are as follows : 



1. 



985. Letter of Pope Innocent III, dated February 13, 1206, 

 to the archbishop of Drontheim, confirming his metropolitan 

 rights over the diocese of Greenland, which had been established 

 by Pope Eugene III in 1148. 



(Translation. ) 



Innocent III to the archbishop of Drontheim and his canon- 



ically appointed successors in perpetuity : 



Although the power of binding and loosing was given to all, 

 although one and the same command of preaching the gospel 

 to every creature was given to all, nevertheless a certain distinc- 

 tion of dignity was decreed and one alone received above all the 

 rest the care of the Lord's sheep, according to the Lord's words : 

 Peter, lovest thou me ? Feed my sheep. It was Peter likewise 

 who obtained the preeminence among all the apostles ; he who 

 received a special command from the Lord to confirm his 

 brethren, in order that posterity might thereby understand that 

 though many should be ordained to govern the church, one alone 

 was to hold the supreme dignity, one alone was to be over all 

 the rest in authority and jurisdiction; hence, and in accord- 

 ance with this design, a distinction of dignities is observed in 

 the church, and just as in the human body the different mem- 

 bers thereof are destined for different purposes, so also in the 

 church different persons receive different orders for different 

 ministries , for some are ordained for special churches, some for 

 the government of different cities and the settlement of different 

 affairs, others are set over special provinces, others have j arisdic- 

 tion over their brethren for the trial of cases pertaining to their 

 subjects. Over all these, however, the Roman pontiff, like Noah 

 in the ark, is recognized as holding the first place, for he, by 

 virtue of the privilege granted him from on high in the person 

 of the prince of the apostles, judges and settles the causes of all, 

 and ceases not to confirm in the Christian faith the sons of the 

 church throughout the world, rightfully endeavoring to prove 

 that he has heard the voice of the Lord saying, '' and thou being 



