a provision for these matters. In very grave
cases, they could be accompanied by some auditor, if
necessary. And if your Majesty should not wish
the prelates to make the inspection, at least the
inspector should be no other than an auditor, and
he should have a good salary with fees at the cost
of culprits. This is essential to produce the
desired effect. But this last method would cause
greater delay and dangerous annoyances to the natives,
because of certain reasons and causes vexatious to
them; for the auditor could inspect in one year and
summer but one province, and in that would not be
doing little. The next year he would have to
visit another province, and so on, until he had finished
the whole country. But if the bishops act as
inspectors inasmuch as they have to go through their
bishoprics annually, each one in his own district,
the inspection would be completed in one year, and
very comfortably and conveniently, especially for
the Indians. This would not be the case, were
the inspection made by others. To give the reasons
for the aforesaid, as ought to be done, so that your
Majesty may be pleased to order it, much space would
be needed; and there are many evidences and proofs
that the present is the worst plan, because of the
great offenses and annoyances it has caused, as is
well known. And on the other hand this is what
proves best how advisable is the latter method, and
how necessary are such special expedients, even though
they should be extraordinary, since the necessity
and wrongs are so. I shall not go into details
concerning this lest I go beyond bounds. But I
shall only refer to one advantage in addition to the
above, in having the bishops act as inspectors—namely,
the respect that the governor will have for them,
and his abstaining from interfering with them in some
measures that may be desirable to adopt. If he
were to attempt, by importunity or pressure of any
kind, thus to interfere with other inspectors (as
he could more easily, inasmuch as they would have to
proceed with greater caution and obsequiousness), the
result might be very harmful.
That there be fewer offices, and more extensive
jurisdictions, and that there be no assistants.
It is advisable to read this section thoroughly.
There is much to say why there should be fewer offices,
because of the great vexations, offenses, and insults
endured by these natives, as many of the offices are
not properly exercised. They should be thus exercised;
for since they are not, and since the Indians look
upon those who are given and appointed as magistrates
for them, and for their welfare and protection (who
by right should be the best men), and behold in these
same men so much license, wrong, and evil example,
what can they think and believe about the others, and
about the law that is preached and taught to them?
since they see that it is not kept, but only broken
over and over again by us, the very ones who profess
it and teach it to them. It is apposite to mention