ave more, the encomenderos are not of so
poor standing as not to have other relations and dealings by which
they can increase their property and help to meet their expenses,
in order that all the burden may not be laid upon the Indians; since
even what they collect from the latter according to law they are not
entitled to, until they pay the Indians what is due them.

[Salazar goes on to say that there is no danger that the encomiendas
will be abandoned under this plan; and that the arrangement which he
proposes is for only such time as is necessary to provide adequate
religious instruction for the natives. Then the full amount of
tribute may be collected, and the encomenderos will enjoy all their
revenues. Most of them will shirk their obligations to the Indians,
as they have done in the past, unless they are compelled to meet them;
and Salazar thinks that they will be more ready to provide religious
instruction if they are restricted from collecting the tributes until
they shall have done so.] He who plants a vine expects to wait until it
can mature its fruit; it is only with the Indians that the encomenderos
will not wait until they are prepared to yield fruit, but are ready
at once to cut their throats to make them yield it. And since they
have thus far collected so many tributes from the Indians without
justification for exacting them, it will be right that henceforth
they should labor with them, without collecting from them the taxes
so harshly, waiting until the Indians are prepared for having to pay
the tribute; and the real preparation for this is to strive that they
shall have instruction.

... For this they deserve some reward, such as the concession made
to them in the second conclusion, which seems sufficient return
for the little value of all that will be done for the Indians until
they receive instruction. In order that your Lordship may be fully
convinced that, even if further limitations should be imposed on the
encomenderos, they need not for that abandon their holdings, your
Lordship should remember that, after coming here, you reduced the
salaries of some alcaldes-mayor, and took away those of some deputies;
and yet they did not cease on that account to discharge their duties
cheerfully, for they can with good conscience take whatever your
Lordship shall assign to them. Why, then, should we fear that the
encomenderos will leave their encomiendas, even if they are ordered
to collect no more than the