Moreover it is known that the reason which they give—­to our shame and confusion—­is that they were better treated by the preachers of Mahoma than they have been and are by the preachers of Christ. [30] Since, through kind and gentle treatment, they received that doctrine willingly, it took root in their hearts, and so they leave it reluctantly.  But this is not the case with what we preach to them, for, as it is accompanied with so much bad treatment and with so evil examples, they say “yes” with the mouth and “no” with the heart; and thus when occasion arises they leave it, although by the mercy of God, this is becoming somewhat remedied by the coming of the ministers of the gospel, with whose advent these grievances cease in some places.  After Don Geronimo [31] Ronquillo carne to govern, [it was decreed] that from the Indians should be taken the [taels?] [32] of gold which the Indians manufacture.  Whether or not this has been done by order of your Majesty, I do not know; but I know that if your Majesty were in this country you would not order this law to be executed now; because most of them are still infidels, and I do not know what right there is to exact these taxes from the infidel, nor to what a people so [illegible in original MS.] might be driven by such rigor.  From this result many injuries to the Indians.  For, as is well known, they have wrought the gold which they received from their ancestors, and they regard it as lost. [33] All the Indians are compelled to declare all the gold that they possess, and the amounts are placed on a list, in order that if they should come into possession of more gold in the future, it may be taken from them—­not as the royal fifth, but as forfeited.  Moreover as these Indians wear chains and ajorcas, [34] the alcaldes-mayor, in the attempt to profit thereby, require that these should be declared, on the ground that these are ornaments which the Indians have manufactured, and on which they have not paid the fifth; and although this may be a lie, it costs the Indian, before he is free, a good share of his gold.  Indeed, they denounced an Indian before the governor himself; and in spite of many entreaties from religious, he fined the Indian one hundred and twenty pesos, which was the third part of the gold about which he was accused.  A religious assured me that it was gold received from his ancestors; but the Indian could not help himself.

I could never finish—­and it would be a very annoying subject for your Majesty—­relating all the hardships that befall these unfortunates in this country.  They ought to be feasted and favored, in order that they may become attached to our faith, and understand the mercy that God has shown them in bringing them to the knowledge and manifestation of it; but those who here continue to forget this are the cause of their abhorring the faith.  They consider your Majesty a cruel king, and think that you are trying only to profit by their estates and to claim their personal service—­although all is so much to the contrary on the part of your Majesty, as witness the holy laws and ordinances which, for the good government of these lands, your Majesty has made and ordered to be observed.