both in the pulpit and in the confessional, and in other and private discussions—­I waited until all should come here, and the conference should be called as I desired, in order that everything might be better reasoned out.  Seeing now the great delay of some, and that we would have to leave this town—­some alone, and others in company—­have taken the opinion of all the fathers who were to be found here.  They unanimously affirm that none among all these islands have come into the power of the Spaniards with just title.  For, although there are many and just causes for making war on some nations or towns, no governor or captain can do so without an express mandate for it from his Majesty, excepting only that war which is waged in defense of their persons and property, others being unjustly undertaken; since neither in the first instructions that we received, nor in later ones, has his Majesty ordered us to make war on the natives of these islands.  Rather did he order the contrary, in a letter that Juan de la Isla brought from his Majesty, written from the Escorial to the governor (who is now in glory), and which I saw.  That letter declared that any conquest made in these islands by force of arms, would be unjust, even if there were cause for doing so.  All the more unjust are these conquests that in none, or almost none, of them has there been any cause.  For as your Lordship knows, we have gone everywhere with the mailed hand; and we have required the people to be friends, and then to give us tribute.  At times war has been declared against them, because they did not give as much as was demanded.  And if they would not give tribute, but defended themselves, then they have been attacked, and war has been carried on with fire and sword; and even on some occasions, after the people have been killed and destroyed, and their village taken, the Spaniards have sent men to summon them to make peace.  And when the Indians, in order not to be destroyed, came to say that they would like to be friends, the Spaniards have immediately asked them for tribute, as they have done but recently in all the villages of Los Camarines. [91] And wherever the Indians, through fear of the Spaniards, have left their houses and fled to the mountains, our people have burned the houses or inflicted other great injuries.  I omit mention of the villages that are robbed without awaiting peace, or those assaulted in the night-time.  Pretexts have been seized to subjugate all these villages, and levy tribute on them, to such amount as can be secured.  With what conscience has a future tribute been asked from them, before they knew us, or before they have received any benefit from us?  With what right have three extortions, of large amounts of gold, been made on the Ylocos, without holding any other communication or intercourse with them, beyond going there, and demanding gold of them, and then returning?  And I say the same of Los Camarines and of Acuyo, and the other villages that are somewhat separated