e 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 tithes 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 God 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 vassals 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 g