are or shall be, as often as they may fall vacant in the future. Also, he may and ought to pronounce ecclesiastical sentences, cen sures, and penalties of excommunication, suspension, deprivation, interdict. and other sentences, whenever the necessity may arise and the nature of affairs and the course of circumstances may require. And all and singular other acts which, in the places wherein the local ordinaries are held to possess ecclesiastical jurisdiction by law or custom, they are able or are accustomed to perform, determine, and execute, the prior major may and ought to per form, determine, order, and execute, in like manner and without any differ ence. In respect to all and singular these things, we grant him full and free faculty by virtue of these presents, decreeing that these islands, lands, and places, acquired and to be acquired, are included in no diocese and that, if it shall happen that anyone, by whatever authority, shall wittingly or un wittingly attempt anything in respect to these matters which is inconsistent with these provisions, it shall be null and void; the apostolical constitutions and ordinances, also the statutes, customs, privileges, use, and natural rights of the said military order, though strengthened by oath, by apostolical confir mation, or by any other binding force, and any other things whatsoever, to the contrary notwithstanding. Let no one, therefore, infringe or with rash boldness contravene this our confirmation, approbation, constitution, comple tion, decree, statute, order, will, grant, and gift. Should anyone presume to attempt this, be it known to him that he will incur the wrath of Almighty God and of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, on the thirteenth day of March, in the year of the incarnation of our Lord one thousand four hundred and fifty-five, in the first year of our pontificate.
These letters having been thus presented, the aforesaid procurator, in the name of the said Most Serene King, explained to the said doctor that for the service of the said king it was necessary that he should have one or more copies of the said apostolic letters; therefore he asked that they be granted to him in public form, by me the undersigned notary public, with the authority of the aforesaid doctor. The aforesaid doctor by authority of his public office ordered it to be done.
These things were transacted in this very city of Lisbon, in the aforesaid dwelling-house of the said doctor, in the year, month, and day above-men tioned, there being present the venerable men: ALFONSO YAÑES, DIOGO ALFONSO, FILIPPO ALFONSO, and ALVARO MARTINES, scribes in the court of the aforesaid Most Serene King, especially called and summoned to witness this; and I, DIOGO GONÇALVES, notary public, by royal authority, was present with the aforenamed witnesses at the presentation, examination, and guaranty of authority of the aforesaid apostolic letters, while they were thus made and prepared, and I wrote this present public instrument with my own hand, and I subscribed myself and signed it with my sign.
