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EPIFANIO DE MOIRANS: MISIONERO CAPUCHINO 145 gazione, e quando fü ritornato in (f. 263r) Europa hebbe ordinó d’andare alla propria Provincia di Borgogna come conosciuto pocco atto a tal ministero on de non tenendo da questa Sacra Congregazione alcuna facolt, resta solo che Vostra Signoria Ilustrissima m’avvisi ove si trovi di pnte presente fargliele levare da suoi superÍOri nel caso che gliele havessero di nuovo concedute. Et a Vostra Signoría Ilustrissima bacio reverente le mam. SUMMARY: The present article seeks to spotlight the life of one of the most im portant Capuchin ftiars of the 17 century. Epifanio de Mofrans, a native of the french region of Burgundy, was a missionary in Cayenne in french Guinea. It was there that the resolve to fight for the emancipation of the biack siaves and to secure a fair treat ment of the indigenous population took hold of him. His efforts along with those of his confrere and antislavery activist Franciso José de Jaca, were to lead bim to a frontal confrontation with the ecclesiastical and civil establisbment. The simplicity of his character is seen in bis courage and personal conviction, which induced him to dedicate bis whole life to the cause of freedom. In contradistinction to bis companion, he was well educated and had a good legal background, and this cleariy mirrors in bis wñúngs. The publication of a series of inedited documents, revealing bis vigour and personal conviction as the un dedying juridical and ffieoiogical principies, is a new aspect of this smdy. In this respect one cannot forget the fact that franciso José de Jaca and Epifanio de Mofrans are the first western auffiors to openly condemn slavery in all its forms.