ls have not been despatched, the
service of God Our Lord, the instruction and conversion of the natives of
the said bishopric and the good government and advancement of the Church
and its divine teachings, require that you go with all haste to the said
provinces to undertake the said teaching and conversion and the other
matters with which we have charged you. Were you to await the arrival of
the said bulls, certain misfortunes might in the meantime occur there
which would displease God our Lord, and not be in accordance with our
duties to His service in the Indies. It was therefore agreed that without
awaiting the said bulls, you should go to the said province, and we
approve it. Therefore we pray and command you that as soon as you receive
this you will start for the said province of Chiapa, without awaiting the
said bulls: you will enquire into and find out the state of the spiritual
affairs of the province and also what churches and monasteries have been
built. What tithes there have been and in what way they have been spent
and distributed. If the necessary churches have not been built you will
see that they are immediately erected in such places as you judge best,
placing priests to administer the Holy Sacraments and to diligently
instruct the natives of those towns in all matters relating to our holy
Catholic Faith. In the meantime, we, as patrons of the said churches and
the others in our Indies, command persons to be named to those benefices
who will assume charge of them. You will likewise see that the divine
services are carried out with the necessary reverence, decency, and
decorum, and that the natives of the said district are instructed in the
Holy Catholic faith; you will see that the said priests and others who
reside in the said provinces live honestly, and that those who are charged
with the education of the Indians in the teachings of our Holy Catholic
Faith fulfil their duties. We command that the President and the auditors
of our Audiencia and Royal Chancellery of the Confines, as well as all
other judges and subjects of the said province of Chiapa, shall give you
all the above mentioned, and shall favour and aid you in whatever you ask
of them or is necessary. For all of which we name you and give you full
power by this, our letter with all its incidents, dependencies, annexes,
and connexes. You are notified by this letter that you are not authorised
to exercise jurisdiction or other function