ABSTRACT

Papal bulls were sold in the West Indies for the first time. Every Indian above twelve years of age paid four reals for his bull: other pardons were also sold, for such as had died even 100 years before the Spaniards came into the country. Every Christian paid fourteen reals for his bull; added to which, there were certain bulls which served for pardoning all faults against the King, by keeping back his customs. " For every 100 crowns whereof a man's conscience doth accuse him that he hath deceived the King, or any other, he must give ten for a bull; and so, after that rate, for every 100 which he hath any way stolen — and so is pardoned the fault." The yearly revenue from the sale of bulls was above 3,000,000 of gold.