ince its foundation, so far as is
known, has it suffered war, pestilence, or famine, in the main body
of the realm, although there are wars on the Tartar frontiers. If
that government were destroyed, they must suffer all these evils,
wherefore they should be kept under that or a similar government. To
appreciate the importance of this, one need only observe how, in the
rest of the Yndias, the laws and institutions of the natives have
been trampled down, and even our own have not been preserved. In
this way the peoples have been ruined and the country depopulated,
to say nothing of the injury to souls, bodies, and fortunes, and the
propagation of the faith, respectively. This is a grievous ill, the
worst that his Majesty or those perpetrating it could suffer; for he
is left without dominions, or with deserted ones, and they without
recompense or profit, save that which is no sooner won than exhausted.

Fifth: Let it be known and understood that what has heretofore been
said and decreed respecting preprations for war is not meant to convey
the impression that we should or could act as if we were dealing with
Turks, Moors, and other races who are unfriendly, and the declared
enemies of our belief and our king. For these people neither know nor
understand it, and are not ill-inclined. The forces are to be sent
merely to escort and protect the preachers of the faith and subjects
of the king who sends them, and to see that they are allowed to enter
the land, and may preach where they choose and consider it needful,
and so that those who hold the government shall not hinder the others
from hearing and receiving the doctrine. They will see to it also that
conversion shall go on without intimidation, and without danger that
through threats of punishment any of those already converted should
relapse or apostatize.

Sixth: We realize here with what caution and moderation the entry
must be made, as the king has provided fully, clearly, and in a
Christianlike manner in his ordinances which relate to incursions
and discoveries. But this is never complied with in the conquests,
because they are always conducted by poor persons, not carefully
chosen, and whose Christianity has not been put to the test. The
cure for this and all the evils, dangers, and injuries that we have
described, and many another most grievous one, is that the commander of
the expedition be a man of approved Christian zeal and clemency; free
from all covetousness