as it is the lawful church and having its chapter, and the see being
at present vacant. The Emperor King, my sovereign, has presented to the
said bishopric the Reverend Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas, and we have
despatched him thither without waiting for his bulls. You are aware that
in a lawfully erected diocese it belongs to the chapter during the vacancy
of the see, to take cognisance of what happens there. Therefore I command
you that from the day that you receive this, you will henceforth, neither
know nor try to find out and interfere as a bishop in anything pertaining
to the said bishopric of Chiapa, and that you will leave the chapter of
the vacant see to act as is customary during a vacancy. Dated in
Valladolid etc.

THE PRINCE. Don Carlos, by Divine Grace august Emperor, King of Germany;
Dona Juana, his mother and the same Don Carlos, by the grace of God, Kings
of Castile and Leon etc. To you Rev. Father in Christ, Bartholomew de Las
Casas, bishop-elect of the city of Ciudad Real of the plains of Chiapa,
health and grace be with you. You well know how we have sent you, without
awaiting your bulls, to the said province to undertake the spiritual
affairs there and, because our wishes are that pending the arrival of the
said bulls, you shall be entitled to collect the ecclesiastical tithes of
that bishopric and to distribute them according to and in the manner
authorised by the foundation law of the diocese, we command you, pending
the arrival of the bulls authorising you to take possession of the said
bishopric, to collect all the ecclesiastical tithes of that bishopric. By
these presents we command all persons who should pay them, to bring them
to you or to whomever you authorise to receive them, just as though you
had already taken possession of the diocese by virtue of the said bulls.
The tithes thus collected you shall spend and distribute each year on the
things and in such wise as the foundation charter provided, and for their
collection we give you full power, with its incidents, dependencies,
annexes, and connexes. We likewise order that our judges and the
inhabitants of the said province shall not place nor allow to be placed
any impediment whatsoever in your way and shall leave you free to collect
the said tithes; and should necessity arise, they shall help and assist
you, and shall compel the tithe-payers to pay you the tithes as
beforesaid--Dated in the town of Valladolid 13th of February 154