could not repay what the creditor has lent me, it would be a very
bad thing for him. I likewise beseech Your Highness to order the
necessary cedulas for the friars to be sent, that the officials of
Hispaniola may pay their passage to Puerto de Caballos, for I have one
only to Quacaqualco, where we shall not be able to land on account of the
bad harbour. The other principal cedula authorises the officials of India
House to pay the passage to Puerto de Caballos, but this cannot be done
for lack of ships, so the friars first disembarked at the port of San
Domingo in Hispaniola and from there, they have to reembark to Puerto de
Caballos. The officials of San Domingo have no authority for this, and if
the friars had to remain there long they would suffer great danger.

Everyone here is quite well and receiving shelter and charity from the
monasteries. The Provincial and the Prior of this convent of San Pablo
and the others have well carried out Your Highness's orders in this
respect. All kiss the hands of Your Highness and pray God to prolong the
life and Royal state of Your Highness, especially Fray Rodrigo--our
companion. I beseech Your Highness, for the service of God, to provide
that the relief and freedom which His Majesty granted to the Indians in
the island of Cuba may be made effective, before those who hold them have
finished destroying and killing them, for they are and have been most
shamefully oppressed, afflicted, and reduced in number in all those parts
of the Indies.

Likewise, that, since the Archdeacon Alvaro de Castro, whom Your Highness
charged with the care of the Indians in Hispaniola, is dead, Your Highness
will order that duty assigned to some devout friar or ecclesiastic so that
those who survive, few as they are, may not be deprived of the enjoyment
of the relief and favour His Majesty granted them. It seems to me it
would be well, should Your Highness so please, to bestow it on Canon
Albaro de Leon who is a Canon of La Vega, or on Gregorio de Viguera, Dean
of the same church of La Vega.

May the Lord increase and prosper the fortunate life and very high estate
of Your Highness in His holy service, Amen. Seville 31st March 1544 Your
servant who kisses your Royal hands--

FRAY BARTHOLOMEW DE LAS CASAS, _Bishop._

In spite of all the anti-slavery legislation enacted, there were actually
at that time a number of Indians held as slaves in Seville itself,