234 W. E. Curtis — Pre-Columbian, Vatican Docum.ents. 



and to procure their instruction in the faith, you desire that 

 there be appointed some professed members of an approved 

 religious body who shall preach and make known the word of 

 God in these islands and direct and guide the natives in the 

 way of the Lord's commandments. Accordingly in God's name 

 we most heartily approve your pious desire and in the pleni- 

 tude of our apostolic authority' grant you by these presents full 

 and unrestricted power to assign for this work 120 minorites of 

 the order of Preachers and 10 professed Jeronymites, whom you, 

 beloved son, or your representatives in those islands shall ascer- 

 tain to be qualified for the undertaking and willing to assume it. 

 We grant, moreover, to those professed religions liberty to repair 

 thither even without having asked or obtained the permission of 

 their superiors ; to preach there the word of God, and for this 

 purpose to reside there, living, however, in a manner becoming 

 the religious and wearing the habit of their order. It is also our 

 wish that these religions have free and lawful possession, use 

 and enjoyment of each and every one of the privileges, immu- 

 nities, exemptions, prerogatives, favors and indults which other 

 members of the same orders dwelling in their own houses and 

 monasteries possess, use and enjoy by law, custom or any other 

 title, and this we concede notwithstanding constitutions and pro- 

 visions of the apostolic see, statutes of the aforesaid orders con- 

 firmed by oath, apostolic letters to these orders and to their 

 superiors, prelates and members, no matter of what tenor they 

 may be, what form they may have, and what clauses or decrees 

 they may be furnished with, eyen if granted freely and spon- 

 taneousl}^, with certain knowledge and in the form of a brief, 

 and though conceded repeated times, approved and renewed ; 

 all of which and all other provisions to the contrary we espe- 

 cially and expressly annul in this case, though otherwise they 

 are to remain in full force. 



Given at Rome, etc, the 19th of October, 1532, 9th year Blosius. 



