es for it.

If any one is guilty of a grave crime--that is, has committed murder or
adultery, or given poison, or any other like serious matter--although
there may be no proof of it beyond the suspicion of the principal
person against whom the hurt was done, they take for their slaves, or
kill, not only the culprit but his sons, brothers, parents, relatives,
and slaves.

If any one who is left an orphan come to the house of another,
even of a kinsman (unless it be his uncle, paternal or maternal),
for food only, its inmates enslave him. Likewise in time of famine
and distress, during which they may have given relatives food only
a few times, they have sold the latter for their slaves.

Many also become slaves on account of loans, because these loans
continue to increase steadily every three or four months; and so,
however little may be the sum loaned them, at the end of little more
or less than two years they become slaves. And now, sacred Majesty,
if it be forbidden, in those places where the Spanish live, to acquire
slaves in any shape or manner--those who were made slaves and were
slaves before we came here and are slaves now, and whom the natives buy
and sell among each other, as merchandise or other profitable wares
that they possess--without them this land cannot be preserved. This,
your Majesty, is all known here of the slaves that I have been able
to find out, having diligently sought and made the acquaintance of
persons who know their language and customs.

_Guido de Lavezaris_

Documents of 1575-76

Part of a letter to the viceroy. Guido de Lavezaris; [1575?]
Letter to Felipe II. Juan Pacheco Maldonado; [1575?]
Encomiendas forbidden to royal officials. Francisco de Sande,
and others; May 26, 1576
Letter to Felipe II. Francisco de Sande; June 2, 1576

_Sources_: These documents are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo
general de Indias at Sevilla.

_Translations_: The first document is translated by Alfonso de
Salvio; the second and third, by Arthur B. Myrick; the fourth, by
Jose M. Asensio.

Part of a Letter to the Viceroy by Guido de Lavecaris

I am very glad that your Excellency adjusted matters by ordering the
return of the negroes and Indians who had been carried from this land;
for all of us were very anxious as to the number that we were to send
hereafter in the ships which should leave these regions. May our Lord
prosper your Excellency's life so that it may be of s