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Show 1 84 A Relation of the Spanifh Voyages and Cmeltie: in the Weft-Indies. 135 be faid of Judges that pafs an unrighteous Sen: holy Faith appearing neceflary, 'tis very proper they lhould be under the PrOteétion of a Catholic tence, while they are ignorant of the Law, or take and powerful King, who has a true zeal for the ho- no care to inform themfelves of the merit of the Caufe before 'em, becaufe fuch negleét and ignorance are criminal, and they Ought to know the matters On which they are intrufted to pafs a Judg4 ment. 9Tis certain all the Ecclefiaftical Perfons in New Spain are well allur'd that the Indians have been inflav'd, and are {till kept in bondage, contrary to all Law and Equity; and therefore are not oblig'd to refer the Examination of this Affair to the Royal nOr and propagation of the Chri'ftian'Religion, and might fend-able Milhonaries into the "New World, to bring thofe Idolaters to the knowledg of the true Council: belides, there are all forts of tricks and only way to reclaim the Spaniards from the habit of to regardmithoutflrafing with any others that Power and Authority they have acquired over the Inglians; for they ought to preferve this Jurifdiétion immediately to themfelves, and not divide it to ina veil: private Men with it. And this is an Affair of f0 great confequence, that no lefs than both the temporal and eternal Welfare of thofe Nations de-‘ pend on it; for the Converfion Of the New \Vorld would be a very advantageous thing to the Com« a mortal Sin, and to put the Prel'ats in a conditi- tnonwealth. on freely to acquit themfelves of their Ecclefiafiical Among all the Expedients Frier Don Bartholomrzr .Tis neither juft nor poflible to abandon this Jurif- diéhon to private Perfons, fince none but the King can be invel‘ted with it; becaufe when the Pope has once made choice ofany Perfon or Power for this Af- fpecial Reparation for his fault. The fame may devices ufed to divert the Council from taking cog. nizance of the matter, left they lhou‘ld fupprefs thofe vexatious Praéiices. His Majefly might with all fpeed to iffue out his Orders for the releafe of thefc miferable People, and fo much the rather, becaufe the Oppreflion they are under is the occafion of the ruin of an infinit number of Souls. , - Functions. And this is the , ' ‘ . God, and to embrace our Divine Religion, and {uhmit‘themfelves to the Holy See. And hence‘it ap- pears that nothing can be more advantageous to the Indians, than to put themfelves under the proteéiii on of Catholic Princes9 that no particular Lords may be capable of taking ‘poffelhon of 'em as their Property, This is what the Kings'of Spain ought ' ' dc Lainafl/zs, Bifhop of the Royal City of Chief-7, fair, it ought not to be delegated or entrufted to ano- propos‘cl tor the reefiablifhment of Peace and Tran-~ fher- When he has in this matter declar'd himfelf ‘l‘lillit‘r' 311 Amtrica, the molt effectual was that 01 in favor of any Perfon illuftrious by his Chara€rer and Merit, who has a perfect knowledg of any Caufe he may have to determin, 'tis to be prefum'd he'l directly fubjec‘ting all the lVefl-Indz'es to the Crow1 of Spain, that fo the Spanilh Lords might be linear":ble 0:: making the Indians their own Subjecis arri Valfals, ' And he fupported this Propofal with mafii pafs fuch a Judgment as the Pope himfelf would havedone. Now 'tis manifefl: that ill the Cafe in Very cogent Reafons. ‘Eitfi, he fays, the Princes and People of theNt‘W queftion we have a Perfon cloth'd with Grandeur and W-Qrid being Infidels3 and their Converfiontoféfl '- .. L Dignity, feeing he is King of Spain, :1 WW good Chrlftian, and zealous for the Cathalie Religion 3 ,ir; and |