except the portion due for instruction. If neglected, the Indians
would become intractable and all would be lost. If tribute is never
exacted from the infidels, they will never become Christians. This
tribute should be collected with all possible gentleness, avoiding
violence and wrongs to the Indians. The furnishing of instruction is
not delayed by the encomenderos, for they urgently ask for it; but it
is not given them because of the lack thereof. It seemed to me that,
for the said reasons and others, it is better to make no innovations
now; but that an account of everything be given to your Majesty
so that you may order the necessary provisions. In the meanwhile,
collection will be allowed of at least three-quarters of the tributes
belonging to the encomenderos. If their support is taken away, these
men would leave the land, and everything would be lost. In that case,
even if there were instruction there would be no one to receive it;
and the Indians would have to be conquered anew. In particular some
arrangement should be made so that the Indians shall receive benefit
and profit from us, by introducing justice where none has existed,
and continuing commerce, so that they will conceive love and affection
for us and will be disposed to receive the faith whenever there may be
anyone to teach it. Thus, I told the bishop, the least troublesome
way was for affairs to remain in the same condition until after
your Majesty had been consulted. Otherwise the land would be lost
if the encomenderos should abandon it, which would without doubt
come to pass if they could not be supported therefrom. Moreover,
in accordance with these conclusions of the bishop your Majesty
would be obliged to make restitution of more than one hundred and
fifty thousand pesos, and there would be lost every year more than
thirty thousand pesos of income. As for the encomenderos, there was
not enough property in the world for restitutions, nor would there be
greater cause for pity than that an encomendero who has spent so many