254 DOTTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. XV.— B. P. 
if you desire it. Thus his Majesty is King and Lord 
of these Islands, and of the Continent, in virtue of 
this donation; and as King and Lord aforesaid, most 
of the islands to which his title hath been notified 
have recognized his Majesty, and now yield obedience 
and subjection to him as their Lord, voluntarily and 
without resistance ; and instantly, as soon as they re¬ 
ceived information, they obeyed the religious men 
sent by the King to preach to them, and to instruct 
them in our holy faith; and all these, of their own 
free will, without any recompense or gratuity, became 
Christians, and continue to be so; and his Majesty 
having received them graciously under his protection, 
has commanded that they should be treated in the 
same manner as his other subjects and vassals. You 
are bound and obliged to act in the same manner. 
Therefore I now entreat and require you to consider 
attentively what I have declared to you : and that 
you may more perfectly comprehend it, that you take 
such time as is reasonable, in order that you may ac¬ 
knowledge the church as the superior and guide of 
the universe, and likewise the holy father called the 
Pope, in his own right, and his Majesty by his ap¬ 
pointment, as King and Sovereign Lord of these Is¬ 
lands, and of the Tierra Firme ; and that you consent 
that the aforesaid holy fathers shall declare and preach 
to you the doctrines above mentioned. If you do this, 
you act well, and perform that to which you are bound 
and obliged; and his Majesty, and I in his name, will 
receive you with love and kindness, and will leave 
you, your wives and children, free and exempt from 
