r's Reply

Assuming it to be his Majesty's will that, in the encomiendas where,
for lack of ministers, instruction is not given, some tribute
shall be collected, if only in recognition of services rendered,
it seems but fitting that enough should be collected to sustain the
encomendero--or, if he should abandon the encomienda, some person
who should continue, in his stead, intercourse and relations with the
Indians, so influencing and directing them that, when they are given
instruction, they may receive it willingly; and settling the minds of
the Indians, so that we can deal with them and travel among them. Such
persons or encomenderos are accessory to the gospel, and should be
supported, as ministers are, by the tributes of the Indians--who,
if deprived of their presence and left without this intercourse, will
doubtless become intractable, and a country which is at present secure
and orderly will require a fresh pacification. Accordingly I say that
if your Lordship should order the encomendero to appropriate, for his
own maintenance and for necessary expenses (which are so great, and
the encomiendas so small), [three--M.] [47] fourths of the tributes,
and if the remaining fourth should [be used--M.] for the erection of a
church, for ornaments, and other accessories of religious instruction;
or, if this fourth part should be remitted to the Indians (although,
in reality, if they think that by not becoming Christians less will be
exacted from them, they will never become Christians or admit fathers
into their territory; and it is certainly better for the Indians to
have this fourth part held as a deposit for the three years, since at
the end of that time [they can add--M.] to it a tribute, and assist
in paying the expenses of erecting the church and the costs of other
accessories of instruction and other necessary expenses which may
arise); and if the above should be asked from them in advance, and
as a whole--I maintain, that all this could not be exacted without
great injury to the Indians.

This tribute should be collected with much gentleness toward the
Indians, without the presence of soldiers and firearms, and without
entering their houses. One house should, however, be set apart for
the purpose of making these collections, where the Indians, summoned
in friendly terms, may come voluntarily to pay their tributes; and
no other force or pressure should be imposed upon them. Moreover,
of the increase of two reals i