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 from the Spanish
settlements. In all this is it not clear that tribute is unjustly
raised? Likewise he who sends them for it or orders it, as also the
captain in the first place, next the soldiers and those taking part
in it, and those who advise it; and those who, being able to, do not
prevent it; and those who, being able to make restitution, do not do
so--all these together, and each person individually, are entirely
responsible for all injury. And it is the same in the villages in
the neighborhood of the Spanish settlements; because, although they
may have some religious instruction, and under the shelter of the
Spanish are safe from their enemies, and some injuries which have
been done them have been redressed, they do not fail to receive great
molestation and injury through the continual presence of the Spaniards,
and never-ending embarcations. Finally, they were free, and, to speak
openly, not reduced to vassalage. And when base and foundation fail,
all that is built thereon is defective--all the more as the Indians are
not protected from their enemies, nor maintained in justice, as they
should be. Many piracies go on as before, and those most thoroughly
subdued suffer the worst, because, being robbed by others who are not
so subject, they are given neither any satisfaction nor allowed to
secure it for themselves. And there is not sufficient reason for his
Majesty to have ordered that the land shall be allotted and divided
into encomiendas; because his Majesty was ill informed, as appears
by his own letter, since he had been assured that, without any war,
they had of their own accord become his Majesty's vassals. Therefore it
seems to have been entirely against his Majesty's will. If at any time
we have been of opinion that the land should be allotted, as indeed
it now seems to us, or likewise if the land is to be maintained, it
was and is to avoid greater injury and robberies, which are committed
without any remedy, when there are no repartimientos. Therefore, only
one thing now works injury. We are trying to render the land orderly,
and not turbulent as it was before, when no one knew anything abou