dience to such an unreasonable and stupid commission, and refused
to place themselves in the hands of such iniquitous, cruel and
brutal men, they declared were rebels, who had risen against the
service of His Majesty; and thus they wrote from here to our lord
the King.
22. And the blindness of those who govern the Indians, did not
understand nor attend to what is expressed in their laws, and is
clearer than any of their first principles whatsoever, namely; that
no one can be called rebel, if he be not first a subject.
23. Let Christians and those that have some knowledge of God, and of
reason, and also of human laws, consider to what state can be
reduced the hearts of whatsoever people who live in security in
their own country ignorant of having obligations towards any one,
and who have their own rightful rulers, upon being thus unexpectedly
ordered to yield obedience to a foreign King whom they have never
seen, nor heard of, otherwise be it known to you, that we must at
once cut you to pieces; especially when they actually see the threat
put into execution.
24. More dreadful is it that those who obey voluntarily, are put into
onerous servitude; in which, under incredible labour and tortures
that last longer than those of death by the sword, they and their
wives and children and all their race perish.
25. And although these people, or any other in the world are moved by
fear or the said threats to yield obedience and to recognise the
dominion of a foreign King, our blinded people, unbalanced by
ambitious and diabolical avarice, do not perceive that they thereby
acquire not a single atom of right, these fears being truly such as
discourage the firmest men.
26. To say that natural, human and divine right permits their acts
because the intention justifies them is all wind: but their crime
condemns them to infernal fire, as do also the offences and injuries
done to the Kings of Castile, by destroying these their kingdoms and
annihilating (as far as they possibly can) their rights over all the
Indies. These, and none other, are the services the Spaniards have
rendered, and do render to-day to the said sovereign kings in these
countries.
27. By this just and approved title, did this tyrant captain send two
other tyrant captains, m