ause in 1510. Spaniards and Indians were equal
before the common law of the land, the papal bull had defined, once for
all, the moral status of the latter as responsible beings, and it was
henceforth heresy to sustain the contrary. The supports on which those
who had contended in favour of tightening the hold of the Spanish
colonists on the natives had, one by one, been knocked from under them and
the way was open for the more complete and practical application of the
royal provisions for the protection of the oppressed peoples.

Prince Philip, to whom the Emperor had granted the sovereignty of Naples,
Sicily, and Sardinia and who was already styled Philip II., left Spain on
July 12, 1554, to celebrate his marriage with the English Queen, Mary
Tudor. He took in his suite several renowned theologians, amongst whom
was Carranza de Miranda, at that time his confessor and later raised to
the primatial See of Toledo. The relations between Las Casas and this
important ecclesiastic had been most cordial and the latter had given the
weight of his approval on more than one occasion to the Bishop in his
furious controversies; notably during his contest with Sepulveda and by
defending his _Confesionario_. Carranza, in his quality of confessor,
exercised a great influence over the mind of Philip II.

[Illustration: Philip II.]

Philip II.

From a photograph of the original portrait by Pantoja in the Prado Museum.
(by permission of J. Laurent & Co., Madrid)

At this time a movement was set on foot by the Spanish colonists in
America to obtain from the Crown the establishment of the encomienda
system in perpetuity. The movement was opportune, for Spanish finances
were at a low ebb and the King, being hard pressed for ready money, might
be tempted to yield his consent to this simple means tor raising the
considerable sum the petitioners would gladly pay. This important
question seemed likely to be submitted to Philip during his stay in
England, where an agent of the colonists in Peru, Don Antonio Ribera, was
ready to open negotiations. Las Casas, who was sleepless where the
interests of his proteges were concerned, perceived how vitally their
welfare was threatened by this nefarious scheme and vividly realised that
Philip must be prevented, at all costs, from giving his decision during
his absence from Spain.

It would seem from his letter to Carranz