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Eugene, Bishop,
Servant of the Servants of God,
To our venerable brothers, peace and apostolic benediction, etcetera.
1. Not long ago, we learned from our brother Ferdinand, bishop at
Rubicon and representative of the faithful who are residents of the
Canary Islands, and from messengers sent by them to the Apostolic See,
and from other trustworthy informers, the following facts: in the said
islands—some called Lanzarote—and other nearby islands, the
inhabitants, imitating the natural law alone, and not having known
previously any sect of apostates or heretics, have a short time since
been led into the Orthodox Catholic Faith with the aid of God’s mercy.
Nevertheless, with the passage of time, it has happened that in some of
the said islands, because of a lack of suitable governors and defenders
to direct those who live there to a proper observance of the Faith in
things spiritual and temporal, and to protect valiantly their property
and goods, some Christians (we speak of this with sorrow), with
fictitious reasoning and seizing and opportunity, have approached said
islands by ship, and with armed forces taken captive and even carried
off to lands overseas very many persons of both sexes, taking advantage
of their simplicity.
2. Some of these people were already baptized; others were even at
times tricked and deceived by the promise of Baptism, having been made
a promise of safety that was not kept. They have deprived the natives
of the property, or turned it to their own use, and have subjected some
of the inhabitants of said islands to perpetual slavery, sold them to
other persons, and committed other various illicit and evil deeds
against them, because of which very many of those remaining on said
islands, and condemning such slavery, have remained involved in their
former errors, having drawn back their intention to receive Baptism,
thus offending the majesty of God, putting their souls in danger, and
causing no little harm to the Christian religion
3. Therefore, We, to whom it pertains, especially in respect to the
aforesaid matters, to rebuke each sinner about his sin, and not wishing
to pass by dissimulating, and desiring—as is expected from the pastoral
office we hold—as far as possible, to provide salutarily, with a holy
and fatherly concern, for the sufferings of the inhabitants, beseech
the Lord, and exhort, through the sprinkling of the Blood of Jesus
Christ shed for their sins, one and all, temporal princes, lords,
captains, armed men, barons, soldiers, nobles, communities, and all
others of every kind among the Christian faithful of whatever state,
grade, or condition, that they themselves desist from the
aforementioned deeds, cause those subject to them to desist from them,
and restrain them rigorously.
4. And no less do We order and command all and each of the faithful of
each sex, within the space of fifteen days of the publication of these
letters in the place where they live, that they restore to their
earlier liberty all and each person of either sex who were once
residents of said Canary Islands, and made captives since the time of
their capture, and who have been made subject to slavery. These people
are to be totally and perpetually free, and are to be let go without
the exaction or reception of money. If this is not done when the
fifteen days have passed, they incur the sentence of excommunication by
the act itself, from which they cannot be absolved, except at the point
of death, even by the Holy See, or by any Spanish bishop, or by the
aforementioned Ferdinand, unless they have first given freedom to these
captive persons and restored their goods. We will that like sentence of
excommunication be incurred by one and all who attempt to capture,
sell, or subject to slavery, baptized residents if the Canary Islands,
or those who are freely seeking Baptism, from which excommunication
cannot be absolved except as was stated above.
5. Those who humbly and efficaciously obey these, our exhortations and
commands deserve, in addition to our favor, and that of the Apostolic
See, and the blessings which follow there from, but are to be
possessors of eternal happiness and to be placed at the right hand of
God, etcetera
Given at Florence, January 13th, in the Year of Our Lord, 1435
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