e return of our ships in two
or three months, in which the remedy for all would doubtless be sent,
I had resolved to give orders to the encomenderos according to a paper
which I sent him, wherein my opinion was upheld in every respect and
agreed completely with that held by the said fathers. [_Marginal note_:
"Have this opinion brought, so that after consideration the contents
of this letter may be replied to from clause nine to this point;
also all the papers which are here acknowledged by the governor,
and those of which mention is made in the following clauses as far
as the twenty-first."]

14. At this juncture, the bishop came to see me in these royal houses
of your Majesty; and among other discussions in regard to my assertion
that the clergy must not have preeminence over me in every respect,
as they have done heretofore, he replied that he had directed his
clergy that no one, not even your Majesty, had any rights here, and
other things to this same effect. To this I replied that I would not
interfere with his clergy, as far as punishing them is concerned, nor
with his jurisdiction; but that the boat-service which they took from
the Indians without payment, and a thousand other injuries committed by
them under the pretext that they are fathers of instruction, ought not
to take place; and that he had misunderstood me. It is true that I said
he was very peevish; and I begged him to speak plainly for if we could
not come to terms this time and disagreed again, I could discuss the
subject no longer. While replying to me on this point and others, he
rose from his chair at the beginning of the discussion, very wrathful
and choleric. Several days later, on the fourth of March, he wrote me
a letter as long as it was good-humored and free from anger--as may
be seen, if your Majesty wishes. Nevertheless (not to discuss what
concerns myself), it contains nothing new, except many arguments by
which he still defends his opinion. Among other statements, he declares
(and rightly) that the encomenderos are so loyal vassals of your
Majesty that they would not leave their encomiendas nor the country,
as if I had denied their fidelity and loyalty in thinking that if they
could not be supported by their encomiendas, they would leave them,
and, having abandoned them if they could not be supported therefrom,
try to seek their fortunes elsewhere. He says also that although a
Franciscan father is placed in every province, there is not su