held them; and put his kinsmen, whom he brougnt with
him from Espana, into the regimiento, so that information
of his evil ways cannot be given to your Majesty in
the name of the city; nor can they write to ask your
Majesty that you should send a successor to him.
Likewise he asked his regimiento, and also me (but
may God deliver me from such treason!), to write to
your Majesty that it was expedient that he should remain
in this country, on account of the experience which
he has here. Nevertheless, if such a letter should
go, your Majesty would consider it suspicious; because
it would be signed by some who would wish to see him
undone, only because they do not dare to do otherwise;
for he treats them like negro slaves when they swerve
a point from his desires. About eight days ago
he had called to his house all the honorable people,
even to the master-of-camp and all the captains; and
when they were before him, standing bareheaded, he
treated them worse than he would his cobbler, speaking
in these terms: “You don’t realize
that I can have all your heads cut off, and you think
that I don’t know that you have written to the
king against me.” And this language, with
the “vosotros,” [13] he used for half
an hour to the most respectable people in this country.
In short, all his conversation and words are those
of a vicious and tyrannical Heliogabalus. What
I say now is nothing to what remains to be said, and
which your Majesty can learn from those who are going
there—who, as good Christians, will relate
the truth. It would appear best that your Majesty
should write to Nueba Espana, so that all the goods
may be put on board there which are to be carried
this year. Your Majesty would then see the shameful
results which he has caused in this country. He
sends therewith one of his servants even, who is called
Juan de la Guardia, and also Diego de Montoro, a native
of this country. And if by chance your Majesty’s
letter should arrive after the property had already
been despatched, the said persons should be seized,
and obliged to confess the truth. It is possible
that in this way, and with the cargo for next year
(when he says that he must enrich himself), a large
quantity may be taken, to supply the various matters
for which your Majesty must provide. Your Majesty
may rest assured that during all the time that the
governor may be in this post your Majesty’s
conscience cannot be at ease, but that it must be
heavily loaded to bear with him. It would be very
advisable to appoint a governor, not like the poor
men who have been here thus far and who come to enrich
themselves, but a man who will enrich the land with
holiness and virtue. It should be a man whom
your Majesty would choose among thousands—one
of those who is not attempting to make your Majesty
appoint him; but, on the contrary, one of those whom,
so to speak, your Majesty asks. Your Majesty
should not consider whether or not he is a knight or
a captain, as there are plenty of experienced captains