4--I the
Prince--by command of His Highness, Juan de Samano; signed by the Bishop of
Cuenca and the licentiates Gutierrez Velasquez; Gregorio Lopez y Salmeron.
THE PRINCE. Venerable and devout Father, Fray Bartholomew de Las Casas,
bishop-elect confirmed to the province of Chiapa; I saw your letter of the
21st ult. and the one you wrote to Juan de Samano, his Majesty's
secretary, and the cedula you ask for, authorizing the expenses of the
forty friars who are going to Honduras, goes with this. About the two
hundred and fifty ducats which I ordered to be given you by the officials
of this chamber, seeing that there is no money wherewith to pay them, I
have ordered them to be paid on account, and that they should pay them to
you, as you will have understood when you receive this, and thus they will
settle with you in full.

I have written to the Franciscan Provincial of the Province of Castile,
that ten priests are going to the Indies instead of the twelve that I
asked for, as you told me that two of them are already in that city, of
which I am glad. The others who come will be provided with their passage
and stores according to the cedula you possess.

Pertaining to your consecration, in another document which accompanies
this, I am sending to give notice of the arrival of your bulls, charging
you to arrange at once for your consecration. I therefore beg you to do
this and to let me know how it was celebrated. Valladolid 1st day of
April 1544. I, the Prince: countersigned by Samano, signed by the bishop
of Cuenca, Velasquez, Gregorio Lopez y Salmeron.

DON CARLOS and Dona Juana etc. To you alcaldes and others and to our
judges of the provinces of Chiapa, Yucatan, Cozumel and to all Aldermen,
Judges, lawyers, gentlemen, esquires, officials and to all loyal subjects
in every city, town, and village which lie within the boundaries assigned
by our President and the auditors of our royal Council in New Spain to the
bishopric of the city of Ciudad Real of this province of Chiapa, and to
whatsoever other persons may be charged with the administration of the
churches in the said cities, towns, and villages lying within the said
boundaries and to whom this our letter may concern, health and grace. You
well know or should know that we have presented to our very Holy Father,
the Reverend Father in Christ, Fray Bartholomew de las Casas of the
Dominican Order, for the bishopric of the said city of Ciudad Real in the
provinc