n--always persisting, as
I have said, in his purpose; and also because it was understood that
he had on his part managed to get the consent of Licentiate Legaspi
to it. On hearing the message, he said very angrily that Don Antonio
Rodriguez and I were always excusing ourselves from your Majesty's
service by feigning to be sick. [That he said] in the presence of many
people who were there, besides other quite unreasonable language. For
that reason I was forced to ask him why, if your Majesty gave credit to
an auditor when he excused himself, did not he have to do the same, all
this with the intention to calm and satisfy him. He abandoned himself
to a flow of words, somewhat disconnected, to which I replied, saying
that your Majesty did not order a president to treat the auditors so;
and that I served your Majesty punctually, and did not excuse myself
when I was well. If I remember correctly, I think that I made witnesses
of all; for he also came to me after all that, and told me that I lied,
and I think that he said "villain." However, I do not believe that any
besides Licentiate Legaspi and the fiscal heard that, And inasmuch as
he told me to keep still and not reply, threatening me with execrations
and oaths, I said to him with the greatest calmness, as is my custom:
"If your Lordship tells us what is not so, are we not to remonstrate
and answer you?" Thereupon he went to the meeting, where he told me
that I was the worst Christian in the world, and that I took communion
like Judas, besides other insults of like import, before Licentiate
Legaspi and the fiscal. I was silent under everything, for I only told
him that in the matter of sins I could confess many omissions; but I
warned him that witnesses heard that, just as they had also heard at
his house the other things that he said. Although he went ahead he may
perhaps have thought that I persisted in silence, and did not answer
him, in order that he might be led on to commit some imprudent act;
thereupon he must have thought that there was now much to fear, and
that he was not to find a justifiable opportunity, [for] he caught
at that word, and said that I had intended to give him the lie, as
if transgressions in thought were to be fought over--the more so,
Sire, as I did not speak another word to him; for if I had spoken
another word, I am not the man who would deny that to your Majesty
or any one else. On account of that, the governor determined to make
me the objec