Ottr Catholic Heritage in Texas
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head to Diego de la Haya. After his arrival in the new lands, he or his representative could import in like manner fifty additional slaves. To the settlers and members of the expedition the king gave an exemption against all taxes for a period of six years. During this time all duties on everything they carried or imported for their own use were excused. Lands were to be granted to them in the name of the king in accord with the laws and practices observed in Hispaniola, and De Soto was given authority to assign to them Indians in encomienda, observing in this the regulations governing this subject. Persons denied the right of going to the Indies by the existing laws, as well as lawyers and notaries public, were not to be allowed to join the expedition or migrate to the new lands without incurring the heaviest penalties. For the instruction of the natives in the tenets of the Catholic faith, he was required to take missionaries sufficient for that purpose. He was to furnish them transportation and all things necessary in accord with their rank. In order to prevent the abuses and outrages so recently com- mitted in Peru upon the persons of the native lords and rulers of the new lands, it was stipulated that of all ransoms paid by such in gold, precious stones, and pearls, one-sixth, in addition to the royal fifth, was to go to the crown. In case of the death of any chieftain or lord, after his capture, whether as the result of natural causes or violence, one-half of all his possessions and wealth was to be considered royal property. The same proportion was to go to the king in the case of any gold, silver, precious stones, or pearls found either in temples, public buildings, burial mounds, or other places where it might have been hidden or deposited. De Soto was further required to start within a year from the date of the grant and to carry not less than five hundred men, besides the royal officials, the missionaries and all the necessary equipment, all of which was to be at his own expense.2 De Soto's expedition. There was no difficulty in securing men to join the expedition. The timely arrival of Cabeza de Vaca, whose tale spread rapidly and fired the imagination of many of those recently returned 2 "Aslento y capitulaci6n hechos por el Capitan Hernando de Soto con el Em- perador Carlos V para la conquista e poblaci6n de la provincia de la Florida, y encomendaci6n de la Isla de Cuba" in Buckingham Smith, Doc11me11tos ,Para la Historia d, la Florida, 140-146. See also "Capitulacion que se tomo con Hernando de Soto, para conqulstar y poblar desde el Rio de las Palmas para la Florida," in Pacheco y Cardenas, Doc11mentos, Vol. 22, pp. 534-546.
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