ng 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