BALSAM  OF  PERU  IN  THE  ROMAN  CATHOLIC  CHURCH.  263 
Translation, 
A  Faculty  granted  to  the  Bishops  of  the  Indies,  for  the  pre- 
paration of  the  Holy  Chrism  with  a  certain  liquor  or  juice  in  the 
place  of  Balsam. 
Pius  v.,  Pope,  for  the  perpetual  commemoration  of  this 
matter. 
We  are  rendered  most  anxious  to  admit  to  the  favor  of  a  care- 
ful hearing,  these  prayers,  worthy  of  attention,  by  which  a  ne- 
cessity occurs  in  the  preparation  of  sacred  things,  and  how  the 
same  may  be  provided  for. 
1.  Forasmuch  as  it  hath  lately  been  explained  to  us,  that  in 
those  parts  of  the  Indies  where  our  prelates  sojourn,  there  is  not 
found,  nor  can  be  found,  the  B  ilsam  trees  or  oil  therefrom,  ne- 
cessary for  the  preparation  of  the  Holy  Chrism  ;  but  there  is 
found  a  certain  liquid  or  juice,  of  wonderfully  fragrant  odor 
and  exceedingly  efficacious  for  the  cleansing  of  wounds,  which 
liquid  is  commonly  used  instead  of  the  true  Balsam,  for  it  pro- 
duces all  the  effects  which  the  Balsam  brought  from  Alexandria 
is  accounted  to  have  produced. 
2.  Wherefore  these  same  prelates  of  the  parts  of  the  Indies 
have  caused  us  to  be  humbly  supplicated,  that  under  these  pre- 
mises we  would,  of  our  apostolic  bounty,  vouchsafe  to  provide 
some  convenient  remedy. 
3.  We,  therefore,  willing  to  provide  against  necessities  of  this 
kind,  and  moved  by  these  prayers,  do,  of  our  apostolic  authority, 
concede  by  the  tenor  of  these  presents,  full  license  and  permis- 
sion, as  well  to  the  archbishops  as  to  the  bishops  of  those  parts, 
and,  for  the  time  being,  to  those  prelates  who  may  in  future  so- 
journ in  those  parts,  that  they  may,  in  the  preparation  of  the 
Holy  Chrism  freely  and  lawfully  use  the  said  liquid  or  juice  in 
the  place  of  balsam.    And  by  a  further  indulgence  we  decree 
bishop,  and  use  in  baptism,  confirmation,  orders,  and  extreme  unction.  This 
chrism  is  consecrated  with  great  ceremony  upon  Holy  Thursday.  There 
are  two  sorts  of  it ;  the  one  is  a  composition  of  oil  and  balsam,  made  use 
of  in  baptism,  confirmation,  and  orders  ;  the  other  is  only  plain  oil  conse- 
crated by  the  bishop,  and  us€d  for  catechumens  and  extreme  unction. 
Chrism  has  been  discontinued  in  the  Church  of  England  since  the  Refor- 
mation.'' 
Consult  also  Hoffmann,  Lexicon  Universale,  Lugd.  Bat.,  1698  (in  verbum] 
