The first Priest of America. 227 



bless the said churches, and as often as they and their respect- 

 ive cemeteries chance to be desecrated, whether by the shedding 

 of blood, pollution or otherwise, to bless and rededicate them 

 through any Catholic jjriest, after the customary manner ; to eat, 

 freely and lawfully and as often as necessary, meats and other 

 kinds of food that are forbidden thee and thy associates by the 

 rules of the said orders, with regard to which matter we charge 

 your consciences, and to execute and dispose all things and 

 everything in the above and all things necessary thereto. More- 

 over, in order that the faithful may the more willingl}^ go to 

 those countries and islands out of devotion and in the hopes of 

 securing the salvation of their souls, we grant to all and every 

 one of the aforesaid faithful, of either sex, who personally go to 

 the aforesaid countries and islands, by order and with consent, 

 however, of the above-mentioned king and queen, the choice of 

 a suitable confessor, either secular or regular, who shall have 

 power lo absolve them all or anj^ one of them, after the manner 

 above stated, from their crimes, transgressions and even such 

 sins as are reserved to the said see; to commute their vows and 

 to impart to them, in virtue of the aforesaid authority, once in 

 life and at the hour of death indulgence and remission of all 

 their sins for wliich they shall be heartily sorry and which they 

 shall have orally colifessed, continuing steadfastly in the sin- 

 cerity of faith, in union with the hol}^ Roman church, ancl in 

 obedience and fealty to us and to the Roman pontiffs, our legiti- 

 mate successors. We also grant to the monasteries, establish- 

 ments and houses which may be founded and to the monks, 

 brethren and temporary sojourners therein the full and lawful 

 exercise, possession and benefit of all and every one of the favors, 

 privileges, liberties, exemptions, immunities, indulgences and 

 concessions which have been given in general or which may here- 

 after be given to the monasteries, establishments, houses and to 

 the monks and brethren of the orders to which the aforesaid places 

 and persons belong. We bestow the above as a mark of special 

 favor, notwithstanding the decrees of our predecessor of happy 

 memory, Pope Boniface VIII, forbidding mendicant friars to ac- 

 cept new houses without special permission of the said see, etc. 



Given at Rome, from Saint Peter's, in the year 1493, June 

 25th, in the first year of our pontificate. 



