Archives of the Secretary of State 
59 
3000 in gold ( scudif ) monthly to Rome, whereas the nuncio in France re¬ 
ceived 300 a month. 40 
This very self-sufficiency of the Spanish nuncio in some measure limited 
the range of his correspondence, and it was also true, unfortunately for the 
historian, that he had less to do with Spanish America than might be imag¬ 
ined. On the authority of the bull of Alexander VI., issued May 4, 1493, the 
kings of Spain claimed the entire patronage of the Western Indies and the 
direction of the propagation of the gospel therein. 41 The erection, division, 
and provision of dioceses was formally confirmed at Rome, 42 and the new 
bishops paid their proper taxes, 43 but the entire actual supervision was in the 
hands of the Council for the Indies. This council discouraged the interfer¬ 
ence of the nuncio. Mgr. Castagna, in his note of instruction to his successor 
in 1571, wrote: “ Quanto allTndie patira V. S. ancora qualche difficolta dal 
Conseglio che le governa, e sentira forse scrupolo nell’ essercizio delle sudette 
sue facolta in quelle parti, quando siano non piu chiare delle mie ”. 44 In 1613 
the secretary of state wrote the nuncio: “ Nell’ Indie come procedono le cose 
della Religione non e facile haverne avvisi corti per gli impedimenti, che met- 
tano di molto i ministri non si sa per qual cagione ”. 45 In the instructions to 
Mgr. Sachetti in 1623 no room for doubt was left as to the powers of the 
nuncio, but complaint was still made that they were still in large measure 
ineffective: “ A Regni dell’ Indie soggetti alia Corona Cattolica non si sa 
come gl’ altri nuntii habbino arrivato, e procurato d’assicare con la loro auto- 
rita apostolica, onde e bene che V. E. vada con i dovuti termini della ragione 
d’essa introducere dove la piu che possible sia ”. 46 In fact the Spanish govern¬ 
ment preferred to conduct all business possible through the minister at Rome. 47 
This failure of the nuncios to play an active part in the Indies was extremely 
annoying to the papacy. Although “ spoils,” the fruits of vacancies, and other 
revenues began in the second half of the sixteenth century to accrue from these 
regions, it was reasonably felt, as the nuncio wrote in 1586, that greater care 
in their collection would result in a notable profit to the Holy See. 43 More¬ 
over, the ecclesiastical authorities felt a deep interest in the welfare, religious 
and temporal, of the slaves 49 and Indians, and by no means approved the poli¬ 
cies of the Spanish government with regard to them. 00 Finally, the religious 
institutions of the New World were felt to require regular and authoritative 
visitation. 51 
40 Arch. Seg., arm. 33 , 33 , f. 1. “ Coll’anea dell’Entrate e Spese della Camera.” 
41 Arch. Propaganda, “ Scrit. rif. nelle Congregazioni ”, 258 , f. 10. Apr. 30, 1659, 
from the nuncio. 
42 See p. 120. 
43 See p. 210. 
44 Corsini, cod. 507 , col. 33-E-13. 
45 Corsini, cod. 468 , col. 38-A-21, p. 14. Apr. 13. 
43 Casanatense, cod. 2046 , pp. iyi, 192, and cod. 4247 , pp. 7, 8. 
47 Nun. di Spagna 16 , p. 60. Sept. 9, 1572. Philip II. to the Pope. 
48 Ibid., pp. 87, 88. Oct. 26. 
40 Ibid., 3 , p. 172. Oct. 1571, from nuncio. 
50 Miscellanea, arm. 2 (Varia Politicorum), 34 , ff. 37-39 5 and 82 , if. 432-434. “Da 
parte di N. S re . ad Mons. TArcivescovo di Rosano ”, 1566. Special instruction with 
regard to the propagation of the gospel and its relation to the government of the In¬ 
dies. Corsini, cod. 691 , col. 35-B-20, ff. 887-891. Instruction to the Patriarch of Alex¬ 
andria, nuncio, Apr. 1, 1621. Casanatense, cod. 2046 , as above to Mgr. Sachetti . . . . 
“ importando molta che cio’ si faccia per servitio speciale spirituale di quei nuovi 
christiani ”. 
81 See following calendar of references passim. 
