Part 21 (1/2)
APPENDIX II. - THE BULL SUBLIMIS DEUS
Latin Text(106)
Paulus Papa tertius universis Christi fidelibus praesentes litteras inspecturis salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem. Sublimis Deus sic dilexit humanum genus, ut hominem talem condiderit qui non solum boni sicut caeterae creaturae particeps esset, sed ipsum Summum Bonum inaccesibile et invisibile attingere et facie ad faciem videre posset; et c.u.m h.o.m.o ad vitam et beat.i.tudinem aeternam obeundam, etiam sacrarum literarum testimonio, creatus sit, et hanc vitam et beat.i.tudinem aeternam, nemo consequi valeat, nisi per fidem Domini nostri Jesu Christi fateri necesse est, hominem talis conditionis et naturae esse, ut Fidem Christi recipere possit, et quemqunque, qui naturam hominis fort.i.tus est, ad ipsam Fidem recipiendam habilem esse. Nec enim quisque ade desipere creditur, ut se secredat Fidem obtinere posse, et medium summe necessarium, nequaquam attingere.
Hinc veritas ipsa quae nec falli, nee fallere potest, c.u.m praedicatores fidei ad officium praedicationis destinaret, dixisse dignoscitur. _Euntes, Docete Omnes Gentes._ Omnes dixit, absque omni deletu, c.u.m omnes fidei disciplinae capaces existant. Quod videns ipsius humani generis emulus qui bonis operibus, ut pereant semper adversatur, modum excogavit ac temis in auditum, quo impediret, ne verb.u.m Dei gentibus salve fierent, predicaretur, ac quosdam suos satelites commovit, qui suam cupiditatem ad implere, cupientes occidentales, et meridionales Indos, et alias gentes, quas temporibus istis ad nostram not.i.tiam pervenerunt, sub praetextu, quod Fidei Catolicae expertes existant, uti muta animalia ad nostra obsequia redigendos esse pa.s.sim a.s.serere praesumat.
Nos igitur qui eiusdem Domini Nostri vices, licet immeriti, gerimus in terris, et oves gregis sui n.o.bis commissas, quae extra eius ovile sunt, ad ipsum ovile toto nixu exquirimus. Attendentes Indos ipsos, ut pote veros homines, non solum Christianae Fidei capaces existere, sed ut n.o.bis innotuit, ad fidem ipsam promptissime currere. Ac volentes super his congruis remediis providere, prasdictos Indos et omnes alias gentes ad not.i.tiam Christianorum imposterum deventuras, licet extra Fidem Christi existant sua libertate ac rerum suarum dominio privatos, seu privandos non esse. Im libertate et dominio huiusmodi, uti et potiri, et gaudere, libere et licite posse, nee in servitutem redigi debere. Ac si secus fieri contigerit irritum et innane. Ipsosque Indos et alias gentes verbi Dei praedicatione et exemplo bonae vitae ad dictam Fidem Christi invitandos fore, et praesentium literarum transumptis manu alicuius Notarii publici subscriptis, ac sigillo alicuius personae in dignitate Ecclesiastica const.i.tutae munitis, eamdem fidem adhibendam esse, quas originalibus adhiberetur auctoritate Apostolice per praesentes litteras decernimus et declaramus. Non obstantibus praemissis, caeterisque contrariis quibusc.u.mque.
Datum Romae Anno Domini millessimo quingentessimo trigessimo septimo.
Quarto nonas Junii Pontificatus nostri, Anno tertio.
THE BULLSublimis Deus
Translation
Paul III Pope To all faithful Christians to whom this writing may come, health in Christ our Lord and the apostolic benediction.
The sublime G.o.d so loved the human race that He created man in such wise that he might partic.i.p.ate, not only in the good that other creatures enjoy, but endowed him with capacity to attain to the inaccessible and invisible Supreme Good and behold it face to face; and since man, according to the testimony of the sacred scriptures, has been created to enjoy eternal life and happiness, which none may obtain save through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, it is necessary that he should possess the nature and faculties enabling him to receive that faith; and that whoever is thus endowed should be capable of receiving that same faith. Nor is it credible that any one should possess so little understanding as to desire the faith and yet be dest.i.tute of the most necessary faculty to enable him to receive it. Hence Christ, who is the Truth itself, that has never failed and can never fail, said to the preachers of the faith whom He chose for that office ”Go ye and teach all nations.” He said all, without exception, for all are capable of receiving the doctrines of the faith.
The enemy of the human race, who opposes all good deeds in order to bring men to destruction, beholding and envying this, invented a means never before heard of, by which he might hinder the preaching of G.o.d's word of Salvation to the people: he inspired his satellites who, to please him, have not hesitated to publish abroad that the Indians of the West and the South, and other people of whom We have recent knowledge should be treated as dumb brutes created for our service, pretending that they are incapable of receiving the catholic faith.
We, who, though unworthy, exercise on earth the power of our Lord and seek with all our might to bring those sheep of His flock who are outside, into the fold committed to our charge, consider, however, that the Indians are truly men and that they are not only capable of understanding the catholic faith but, according to our information, they desire exceedingly to receive it. Desiring to provide ample remedy for these evils, we define and declare by these our letters, or by any translation thereof signed by any notary public and sealed with the seal of any ecclesiastical dignitary, to which the same credit shall be given as to the originals, that, notwithstanding whatever may have been or may be said to the contrary, the said Indians and all other people who may later be discovered by Christians, are by no means to be deprived of their liberty or the possession of their property, even though they be outside the faith of Jesus Christ; and that they may and should, freely and legitimately, enjoy their liberty and the possession of their property; nor should they be in any way enslaved; should the contrary happen, it shall be null and of no effect.
By virtue of our apostolic authority We define and declare by these present letters, or by any translation thereof signed by any notary public and sealed with the seal of any ecclesiastical dignitary, which shall thus command the same obedience as the originals, that the said Indians and other peoples should be converted to the faith of Jesus Christ by preaching the word of G.o.d and by the example of good and holy living.
Given in Rome in the year of our Lord 1537. The fourth of June and of our Pontificate, the third year.
APPENDIX III. - ROYAL ORDINANCES PROVIDING FOR THE DEPARTURE OF LAS CASAS FROM SPAIN AND FOR HIS RECEPTION IN THE INDIES(107)
THE PRINCE. Our officials of India House, who reside in the city of Seville: Rev. Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas, bishop-elect of the province of Chiapa, goes to this city in order to send off forty priests, who are now going to the province of Honduras; and also to give orders concerning their departure and other matters which he understands. I therefore wish the said bishop to be given every facility in these matters so that he may be enabled to arrange quickly, as is due to one in our service, and I command and order you that in the aforesaid, as in all things, you will offer him help, and a.s.sist him and the said priests; and in thus doing, you will be serving me. From Valladolid 13th day of the month of February 1544-I, the Prince, etc.
THE PRINCE. Our officials of India House, who reside in the city of Seville; as the bulls of the bishop of the province of Chiapa, the Reverend Father Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas have arrived and Diego Navarro, who brought them by our orders is ent.i.tled by the agreement made with him to be paid for the cost and the delivery of the said bulls, amounting, according to the declaration of Pedro de Tapia and of Diego de Gaona, apostolic notaries, and of certain money changers in Rome, to eighty-eight thousand nine hundred and twenty-five maravedis, and since this has to be deducted from the five hundred thousand maravedis, which the said bishop receives from us in New Spain, I order that out of whatever maravedis are in your charge, our treasurer shall pay the said Diego Navarro or his authorised representative the said eighty-eight thousand nine hundred and twenty-five maravedis. You will take care that they are collected according to the cedula which I send by him. Let me know what you do in this matter, and do not fail to do so.
Dated in Valladolid, etc.
Archives of the Indies, Council of Guatemala, register of property. Royal commands issued to the authorities, corporations, and private persons of the district, years 1529 to 1551. Desk 100, drawer 1st. Packet 1st.
THE PRINCE. By these presents I give permission and faculty to you, Rev.
Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas, bishop-elect of the province of Chiapa to leave our realms, and dominions and go to our Indies, Islands, and ”Terra Firma” of the ocean sea, accompanied by four black slaves for your personal service and establishment, free of all duty, as well from the two ducats for their licences, as from the ”almoxarifazgo” duties.(108) Whatever sum this amounts to, I exempt you; and we instruct our officials in those islands and provinces to which the said slaves are to be sent, to take charge of this original doc.u.ment and place it in the chest of the Three Keys, so that the said slaves shall be unable to make more than the one voyage for which we give you permission by this licence. Dated in the town of Valladolid 13th day of February 1544-I, the Prince, etc.
THE PRINCE. Reverend Father in Christ, Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas, bishop-elect of the province of Chiapa I have been informed that the province of Socousco is within the boundaries of your diocese. Knowing this and with the confidence I place in you, my will is to place the said province under your charge so that, as prelate you will have the care of the spiritual affairs in it, until, as aforesaid, a bishop is provided for it. I therefore order and entrust you as prelate to take charge of the spiritual welfare of the said province until as said, a prelate is provided for it. Of the t.i.thes of the said province you are to take one fourth part, and the other three parts shall be distributed among the ecclesiastical ministers who at present serve in that province; and in the repairs and decorations of its churches. The fourth part, of which you have the use, shall be expended in your personal visits throughout the said provinces and in performing their pontifical functions until the prelate we shall appoint goes to reside in his bishopric. Dated in Valladolid 13th day of February 1544-I, the Prince, etc.
THE PRINCE. Reverend Father in Christ, Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas, bishop-elect of the city of Ciudad Real of the plains of Chiapa. You already know that the Emperor King, my sovereign, having seen the necessity of providing and ordering certain things tending to the better government of the Indies, the better treatment of its natives, and the better administration of justice, and in order to fulfil the duties he owes to the service of G.o.d our Lord, and in the discharge of his royal conscience has, after much deliberation, ordered certain ordinances to be drawn up. As it afterwards appeared necessary and advantageous to explain certain clauses in the said ordinances and to further strengthen others, certain ordinances and declarations were made, many of whose articles have been rectified for the benefit, preservation, and good treatment of the natives of the said Indies, their lives and properties. They may all thus be well treated as free subjects and va.s.sals of His Majesty (which they are) and instructed in the Holy Catholic Faith, as you will see by the copies of the said ordinances and declarations, which I order to be sent to you with this letter, signed by Juan de Samano, our secretary. And whatever I have commanded in our ordinances and in our cedulas and provisions, which I now renew, I send and order our viceroys, presidents and the auditors of our audiencias and royal chancelleries of the said Indies, our governors and our judges that with great zeal and diligence they obey, comply with, and have them proclaimed. They shall rigorously punish all who rebel against these ordinances, and many of the said ordinances shall be given to the priests who are in those parts that they may be made known to the natives, and procure obedience to them, and report those who do not fulfil them, to the said audiencia. I also think it advisable to mention this to you, feeling confident that as you are the pastor and protector of the native Indians in your bishopric, and are bound to be more zealous in procuring their better welfare and in preserving their spiritual and temporal development, you will, therefore, do this and take greater care to ensure the execution of what has been enacted for their benefit. Thus I charge you and I command you to see that this is carried out, and to exercise great vigilance and care to ensure the observance of the said statutes and the execution of their provisions. And should any person or persons violate these orders, you will notify the governors and judges in those parts so that they may punish them according to the provisions of the statutes. Should the latter prove remiss, neglectful, or inclined to dissimulate, you will report to the President and auditors of Our Audiencia and Royal Chancellery of the Confines, indicating those who have offended and in what way, so that they may order the guilty to be punished in conformity with the commands we have sent them. In case the said President and auditors fail to correct and punish them, after seeing your statement-a thing we do not believe-you will notify us of everything in order that we may have them punished as we may think fit. In doing this you will have fulfilled the duties you owe to the service of G.o.d, our Lord, and in the discharge of your conscience; moreover the Emperor my sovereign will also be served. Dated in Valladolid, 13th day of February 1544. I the Prince, etc.