herwise
they will come gradually to lose respect for their master, and for
the character which God presents to them in the Spaniard in order to
dominate them; and then will result the same thing that happened to
the log which, AEsop says, was placed in the lake by Jupiter to be king
of the frogs. But the frogs, seeing after a time that it did not move,
made sport of it, and jumped on top of it, etc. Not many things should
be ordered of them at one time; for their memories are very poor, and
they will only keep the last one in mind. The keys of the pantry or
to the money must not be entrusted to them, for that would be placing
opportunity and temptation in their hands, and they never resist
it. Good instruction and subjection in the house, and, above all, the
good example of life which they see in their masters, instil much into
them; and under such conditions they generally become good servants,
especially those of the Pampango nation. On the other hand, also,
one must not expect a good servant in the house of a bad master. [293]

93. One must not exhaust them or squeeze them much beyond what they
can give of themselves, as we do with the lemon, for all that will be
pressed out will be bitter, as says the proverb of the commentary;
qui nimis emungit, solet extorquere cruorem. [294] Neither is it
well or proper to go about visiting the caciques or going up into
their houses, except when necessity requires it; for immediately
the whole village will be filled with envy and complaint, and the
esteem of the father ministers will suffer considerably. Besides,
their stench and vice do not render this diversion desirable. [295]

94. When [296] they are sent with a message to any place, one must
very patiently await some notable failure caused ordinarily by their
natural sloth and laziness. [297] Sicut acetum dentibus, et fumus
oculis, sic piger his qui miserunt illum (Proverbs, x, 26). [298]

95. I do not believe that I should omit mention, saltem per transenam,
[299] of a matter very worthy of consideration--namely, that if God
chooses to chastise the flourishing Christianity of these islands for
our and their sins, by placing it in the hands of Indians ordained as
priests (as appears about to threaten us very soon), if God do not
apply a remedy, what abominations will not follow! For to declare
that they will change their customs [300] and the aforesaid vices
is impossible. On the contrary, their arrogance will grow worse