d in blank, of which he brought a
number, he filled up and sent to the Alcalde and to his company, with
favors and commendations; to me he never sent either letter or messenger,
nor has he done so to this day. Imagine what any one holding my office
would think when one who endeavored to rob their Highnesses, and who has
done so much evil and mischief, is honored and favored, while he who
maintained it at such risks is degraded.

When I heard this, I thought that this affair would be like that of
Hojeda or one of the others, but I restrained myself when I learnt for
certain from the friars that their Highnesses had sent him. I wrote to
him that his arrival was welcome, and that I was prepared to go to the
Court and had sold all I possessed by auction; and that with respect to
the immunities he should not be hasty, for both that matter and the
government I would hand over to him immediately as smooth as my palm. And
I wrote to the same effect to the friars, but neither he nor they gave me
any answer. On the contrary, he put himself in a warlike attitude, and
compelled all who went there to take an oath to him as Governor; and they
told me that it was for twenty years.

Directly I knew of those immunities, I thought that I would repair such a
great error and that he would be pleased, for he gave them without the
need or occasion necessary in so vast a matter; and he gave to vagabond
people what would have been excessive for a man who had brought wife and
children. So I announced by word and letters that he could not use his
patents because mine were those in force; and I showed them the
immunities which Juan Aguado[377-1] brought. All this was done by me in
order to gain time, so that their Highnesses might be informed of the
condition of the country, and that they might have an opportunity of
issuing fresh commands as to what would best promote their service in
that respect.

It is useless to publish such immunities in the Indies; to the settlers
who have taken up residence it is a pure gain, for the best lands are
given to them, and at a low valuation they will be worth two hundred
thousand at the end of the four years when the period of residence is
ended, without their digging a spadeful in them. I would not speak thus
if the settlers were married, but there are not six among them all who
are not on the lookout to gather what they can and depart speedily. It
would be a good thing if people should go from Castile, and