r wretches; for
they hope that what I have done hitherto to relieve them from so many
burdens will be continued. If I avail myself of their services in any
unavoidable and necessary labor, I do so, by paying them beforehand,
saving the money from other things for it. Consequently, they now
rather desire the opportunity to earn money by their services or the
products of their fields, which now they reckon and hold as their
own. I trust that, with divine favor, this will go daily from good
to better, and that everything will succeed in the same way, until
acts of injustice to these poor wretches will be avoided. Although
I was taking delight in doing thus, now I am very happy, for I have
learned what your Majesty desires, and that you commit this to me.

They and we are so well supplied with churches that inside this
city and about one legua around it, there are thirty of them, unless
I have counted wrong; and of those not three are of other material
than stone, nor are there as many others that fail to cause expense
to your Majesty and labor to the natives--and this in one legua about
the city as I have said, in a semicircle, which is even not entire,
for the other half falls within this bay. I have not resolved before
now to inform your Majesty of it, because I hesitated, on the grounds
that our Lord would be just so much better served by the increase of
churches, and these Christians would be better governed. But since your
Majesty is discussing the limitation of this, I cannot refrain from
answering you with the plain and naked truth. Well do I know that this
and the other things that I have related have not [_MS. holed_] me,
because I am already advised of it; and [_MS. holed_] resolution and
execution of many, among whom are some who have issued a proclamation
[for the services of the Indians?], while it was prohibited, for anyone
in the world, not only of their profession but also for seculars,
to issue one. But considering as surely slight any peril that will
result, if revenge is to be taken on truth as truth, while, on the
contrary, the neglect to tell the truth will result in great risk,
I am convinced that I am doing my duty in this. [32] If they should
say that I am a very good governor, your Majesty does not excuse me
from my residencia for that reason. If they should say that I am very
evil, I petition you to hear us all, and that you will pardon me for
saying this which was unnecessary.

[_Marginal note_