218 W. E. Ourtis — Pre-Colunibian, Vatican Documents. 



tinents and islands, which no one had ever discovered, in order 

 to convert the natives and inhabitants thereof to the worship of 

 the Redeemer and the profession of the Christian faith, being- 

 most earnestl}^ engaged in the conquest and recovery of the said 

 kingdom of Granada, were enabled to carry into execution your 

 holy and laudable resolve. When at length, however, by God's 

 will, the said kingdom had been reconquered you, in your desire 

 to begin at once the accomplishment of your purpose, sent our 

 beloved son, Christopher Colon, with ships and suitable crews 

 and cargoes, prepared with great labor, risk and expense, to 

 make diligent search for the said unknown and remote conti- 

 nents and islands in a sea whereon none had ever before. sailed. 

 Finally, with the divine assistance and by the greatest effort, your 

 envoys, while navigating the ocean to the westward, it is reported, 

 in the direction of the Indies, discovered certain most distant 

 islands and continents also which had never before been found, 

 the inhabitants whereof are numerous and peaceful and, accord- 

 ing to rumor, go naked and eat no meat. Moreover, as your 

 said envoys have reason to think, the inhabitants of these islands 

 believe in one God, the Creator, in heaven, and appear suffi- 

 ciently disposed to embrace the Catholic faith and to become 

 imbued Avith good morals, and it is hoped that by means of in- 

 struction the name of our Lord Jesus Christ can easily be intro- 

 duced into the said islands. The said Christopher has already 

 erected a sufficiently fortified citadel, in which he has placed a 

 garrison of his fellow- voyagers, who are to search for other distant 

 continents and islands. In those already discovered gold, spices 

 and a great number of other precious products of different kinds 

 and qualities are to be found. Wherefore you, on diligent consid- 

 eration of all these facts, being, like your great and royal ancestors 

 (as becomes Catholic kings and princes), most of all concerned 

 with the exaltation and diffusion of the Catholic faith, have re- 

 solved with God's merciful assistance to subdue the aforesaid 

 countries and to convert their inhabitants to the Catholic faith. 

 Hence, Avhilst we most highly commend in the Lord your holy 

 and laudable purpose and desire that it be duly accomplished, 

 and that by this means our Saviour's name be made known in 

 those countries, we most earnestly exhort you in the Lord and 

 demand of you, in virtue of holy baptism, by whose reception 

 you have bound yourselves to obey our apostolic orders, and 



