e of God
king of the Spains and the Indies, and our lord, has been greatly
pleased with the news that some brethren of our order are to go with
the expedition now being equipped by his very illustrious viceroy and
captain-general, Don Luis de Velasco, in this Nueva Espana, which is to
rail through the Western Sea of this kingdom toward the continent and
certain of the islands that lie between the equator and the Arctic and
Antarctic poles, and below the region of the torrid zone itself--to the
end that according to right reason and the benign counsels of Christian
piety, both at home and abroad as will best seem consonant with the
purpose of his royal majesty, you may control the fleet and troops
of the Spanish army. Especially too that the most brilliant light of
faith may beam upon the populous races that dwell in that region of
the world. Through the benignity of God most holy and supreme, and
your preaching, there is hope that those benighted barbarians may cast
aside the errors and more than Cimmerian darkness of idolatry for the
splendor of the gospel; and that they who, so long unacquainted with
gospel truth, have been groping in the gloom of Satanic bondage may
now at last through the grace of Christ, the common savior of all men,
gaze at the full light of truth in their knowledge of his name.

Wherefore, as it has seemed our filial and reasonable duty not to
prove wanting in view of the favor and trust granted us by his royal
majesty, whereby measures will be taken to add to the divine glory,
our homage to the king, and the safety of many mortals,--therefore
after long meditation on this matter and mature counsel, sure as we
are of your piety, deep learning, charity, and merits, we have chosen
you for this apostolic charge, the task (with the help of the Lord,
to whom we commend you) of leading peoples to embrace the faith. In
order that greater and richer merit may ensue from your obedience
in undergoing these very great hardships, which you are ready to
meet through your love of Christ--although we have ever found you
willing and ready to comply with our mandates--yet now in virtue of
die Holy Ghost we command you, the above-named brethren, to set out in
this first voyage with the fleet which the illustrious and well-born
knight Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, governor and commander of the fleet,
whom ours [81] style captain-general, is to conduct to the aforesaid
lands. We exhort and pray you earnestly, as far as w