Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-02-20
King Philip Of Spain Declares
That Friction Between the
Civil and Religious Au-
thorities in the Pro.
vince Of New Mexico,
Must Cease.
MORE HUMANE
"' TREATMENT
For Converted Pueblo indians Direct
ed.-.0ue Respect to Be Paid the
Governor By the Ecclesiastical
Authorities.

| The Oldest paper in the collection
of manuscripts known as the Santa
Fe Archives" is copy of royal "ce-
dula" sent to the viceroyalty of Mex
leo early in the seventeenth century
by King Philip of Spain. 1t is writ
ten in fine hand on paper now fast
falling to decay, and is entitled: "A
Simple Copy of Cedula Sent Through
the Royal Audencia of Mexico to the
Governor and the Custodian OF these
Provinces, January 8, 1921
An elaborate introduction, giving
most of King Philips titles. is word
ed thus:
Don Philip, by the grace of God,
King of CASTLE and of Leon, of the
two Sicilies, of Jerusalem, of Portugal,
of Navarro, of Granada, of Toledo, of
Valencia, of Gallicia, of Majorca, of
Seville, Of Sardinia, of Corsica, of
Murcia, of Jaen of the Arabs Of Al
geria, of Gibraltar, of the Canary Is
J lands, of the Islands and Lands of the
Ocean; Archduke of AUSTRIA Duke of
Burgundy, Brabant and Milan Count
of Hapsburg, of Flanders, of Tyrol and
Barcelona Senior of Vizcaya and of Mo-
lima, ETC., TIC you the venerable father.
Friar Estevan de Perea, of the order Of
the Seraphic San Francisco, custodian
of the religious (convents) of the said
order who live in the frontier provin-
ces of Mexico, or to any other prelate
in whose charge may be the said Gus
todio religious of this (order), be it
known that in the council which was
held on the goth of July of this year
by the Marquis of Guadalajara, my
kinsman-(Who isl my viceroy, COVER
nor and captain general of the prov
inces of new Spain and president Of
my audencia and royal chancellor,
and by the three senior judges of my
said audencia now assembled and by
my fiscal, in accordance with an order
which I gave, there were seen some
private letters, memorials, testimOn-
ials and other papers written by secu-
lar as we'll as ecclesiastical persons in
the said provinces and sent to my
viceroy, which tell of the rivalry of
Jurisdiction and other (things) which
have existed between you. the said
custodian, and my said governor.
"The paper states that Friar Estevan
by virtue of certain rights granted him
in the bulls of their holinesses Leo
X and Adrian W. assumed the powers
of common Judge and gave his opin-
ion in all sorts of cases, those dealing
with private affairs as well as those
connected with the church; that the
governor of the provinces was unable
to act on a single matter, not even
those touching his own government
without first consulting and then fol-
lowing the advice of Friar Estevan and
his religious followers.
The king further states that he still
has under consideration certain COM
plants presented to his viceroy, which
give evidence of the trouble which ex-
listed in the provinces between Friar
Estevan's predecessors and the two
governors. Don Pedro de Peralta and
Bernardino de Zeballos. These pre-
lates are accused of communicating
governors without authority and of i'm
posing public penances before absolv-
ing them. Wherefore" says the
] King. sin order that things may pro-
ceed in the right way from now on
and that similar scandals may be
avoided l request and charge that.
since you the said father custodian,
have power in the said provinces, you
use it and exercise it according to the
right, in those spiritual and ecclesias-
tical cases which may be of your jur-
isdiction, and in these you proceed
without leaving the other religious of
your custodio interfere in anything but
the administration of the sacred sacra-
ments." "And do not proceed in any
way against secular persons unless it
be in ecclesiastical things (and then
do SOY according to what is right"
The King makes it possible for per-
sons who are dissatisfied with Father
Estevan's judgments to appeal to the
metropolitan Judge, the Archbishop
of Mexico" In which case Father
Perea is to suspend the execution Of
his sentence till the royal audencia Of
Mexico investigates the matter. And"
he says, because of the papers seen
in the said meetings. 1t has been In
ferred that you. the said father cust0-
dian, have tried to deceive the Indians
of these provinces and to give them to
understand that your authority WAS
the highest and that from 1t and from
your hand depend all things" The