On the part of the King, Don Fernando, and of 

Doña Juana I, his daughter, Queen of

Castille and León, subduers of the barbarous nations, we their servants notify and make
known to you, as best we can, that the Lord our God, Living and Eternal, created the
Heaven and the Earth, and one man and one woman, of whom you and we, all the men
of the world at the time, were and are descendants, and all those who came after and
before us. But, on account of the multitude which has sprung from this man and woman
in the five thousand years since the world was created, it was necessary that some men
should go one way and some another, and that they should be divided into many
kingdoms and provinces, for in one alone they could not be sustained.
Of all these nations God our Lord gave charge to one man, called St. Peter, that he
should be Lord and Superior of all the men in the world, that all should obey him, and
that he should be the head of the whole Human Race, wherever men should live, and
under whatever law, sect, or belief they should be; and he gave him the world for his
kingdom and jurisdiction.
And he commanded him to place his seat in Rome, as the spot most fitting to rule
the world from; but also he permitted him to have his seat in any other part of the world,
and to judge and govern all Christians, Moors, Jews, Gentiles, and all other Sects. This
man was called Pope, as if to say, Admirable Great Father and Governor of men. The
men who lived in that time obeyed that St. Peter, and took him for Lord, King, and
Superior of the universe; so also they have regarded the others who after him have been
elected to the pontificate, and so has it been continued even till now, and will continue
till the end of the world.
One of these Pontiffs, who succeeded that St. Peter as Lord of the world, in the
dignity and seat which I have before mentioned, made donation of these isles and
Tierra-firme to the aforesaid King and Queen and to their successors, our lords, with all
that there are in these territories, as is contained in certain writings which passed upon
the subject as aforesaid, which you can see if you wish.
So their Highnesses are kings and lords of these islands and land of Tierra-firme by
virtue of this donation: and some islands, and indeed almost all those to whom this has
been notified, have received and served their Highnesses, as lords and kings, in the way
that subjects ought to do, with good will, without any resistance, immediately, without
delay, when they were informed of the aforesaid facts. And also they received and
obeyed the priests whom their Highnesses sent to preach to them and to teach them our
Holy Faith; and all these, of their own free will, without any reward or condition, have
become Christians, and are so, and their Highnesses have joyfully and benignantly
received them, and also have commanded them to be treated as their subjects
and vassals; and you too are held and obliged to do the same. Wherefore, as best we
can, we ask and require you that you consider what we have said to you, and that you
take the time that shall be necessary to understand and deliberate upon it, and that you
acknowledge the Church as the Ruler and Superior of the whole world, and the high
priest called Pope, and in his name the King and Queen Doña Juana our lords, in his
place, as superiors and lords and kings of these islands and this Tierra-firme by virtue of
the said donation, and that you consent and give place that these religious fathers should
declare and preach to you the aforesaid.
If you do so, you will do well, and that which you are obliged to do to their
Highnesses, and we in their name shall receive you in all love and charity, and shall
leave you, your wives, and your children, and your lands, free without servitude, that
you may do with them and with yourselves freely that which you like and think best,
and they shall not compel you to turn Christians, unless you yourselves, when informed
of the truth, should wish to be converted to our Holy Catholic Faith, as almost all the
inhabitants of the rest of the islands have done. And, besides this, their Highnesses
award you many privileges and exemptions and will grant you many benefits.
But, if you do not do this, and maliciously make delay in it, I certify to you that,
with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country, and shall make war
against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you to the yoke and
obedience of the Church and of their Highnesses; we shall take you and your wives and
your children, and shall make slaves of them, and as such shall sell and dispose of them
as their Highnesses may command; and we shall take away your goods, and shall do
you all the mischief and damage that we can, as to vassals who do not obey, and refuse
to receive their lord, and resist and contradict him; and we protest that the deaths and
losses which shall accrue from this are your fault, and not that of their Highnesses, or
ours, nor of these cavaliers who come with us. And that we have said this to you and
made this Requisition, we request the notary here present to give us his testimony in
writing, and we ask the rest who are present that they should be witnesses of this
Requisition.