698 / 1070
Royal
Commentaries~
BooK
IV.
bue chofe of
Pme
,
who [peak more plainly of this matter , reporc, chae he·had
turned Frier in difconcem, beGJufe he was fallen under his Majefiies difpleafüre,
and feared leíl he íhould be called to accounc for che falfe relations he had given
of
matters which he had never feen nor undedlood of che Countrey of
Cumana;
and
becaufe he was confcious to himfelf chat he had been
a
principal Contriver ofche
new Sratuces, upon che fpecious precence of raiÍlng ~he King's revenue, and out of
a
zeal he íhewed
to
the good and benefit of che
Indians :
bue how real and lincere
ali chis was, may very well be judged by his _aétio_ns, ?f which people fpake and
talked more at large than can be expreffed
m
th1s Hiíl:ory.
Diego Fernandes
re–
ports, that chis Frier
Bartholom,w
was by che ~mperour created Biíhop of
Chiapa,
which is a Countrey in the Kingdom of
Mexico,
but he duríl not go to hís
See, ·
• .by reafon of the many mifchiefs which he had been che Auchour of in the
Jndies.
In
che year
1561..
I
mee him at
M adrid,
where he gave me his hand to
kifs;
but
when he underfiood that
I
was of
Peru,
and not of
Mexico,
he was
a
little more
referved in his behaviour towards me.
CH A
P.
IV.
7he
Reafons which the Complainants gave againfl the new
Regulations. And the manner how they prepared to receive
the Vice-/zing.
·
_
M
U
CH and many were the Reafons which the Complainants produced a–
gainfi the new Regulations
1
as
well thofe of che Gty of
Los
Reyes
as
ofall
Peru.
And che better to clear chis point , we mu(l obfetve, that both at
Mexico
and in
Peru
che
Spaniard1
had then aCufiome amongíl: them which continued untill
1
560: (
which was the year that
I
carne· from thence) to make choice of four
Genclemen of principal quality, in whom they could repofe moíl: confidence and
trufi,
to
be Officers of che·Royal revenue,
to
colleél: tbe fifths of che King's gold
and filver, in what pare foever ic did arife; and chis was the firíl: Tribute which
che Catholick Kings impofed upon che new World. Thefe Officers of the reve–
nue were Treafurers, Accountants, Faél:ours and Comptrollers : and to them was
committed che care ( beftdes che fifths )
to
colleét füch Tribute from the
Jndians
as
became due by che death of the Inhabicams, who ali held their Eíl:ates of the
King.
Beftdes which Offices, che
Spaniards
every year, in all parts where they inhabi–
ted, made choice of two chief Coníl:ables in ordinary, one Judge anda deputy
Judge, with
6,
8,
or-
Lo
Jufüces of che peace, more or lefs, according ro che ex–
cent of che Coumrey ; and to them feveral orher Officers were adjoined, to con–
ferve che fafecy and welfare of che Commonwealch.
Thefe Officers, asalfo all Governours, Preftdems, Judges and ocher Minifiers of
Jufiice and their Depucies
were
concerned in the third ordinance : by virtue of
which borh they, and fuch as had been employed in Offices, were commanded ro
quit ali claim, imereíl: and power in and over che
Indians.
In
oppofüion whereumo che Complainants made this Reply. We, faid they ;
at the hazard :md expence of our Lives and Bloud, have gained this large Empire;
which comains many Kingdoms and Dominions, the which we annexed co che
Crown of
Ca/lile.
In
reward of thefe our fervices and advencures che
Indians
which we now po!fefs and retain in our fervices, were given and gramed ro usfo~
two Lives: che which dominion and jurifdiél:ion oughc
to
be as firm and valid as
che Seigniories or Lordíl1ips ,are in
Spain.
Now che reafon why chis privilege is ta–
ken from us is no other than becaufe we are chofen to be Commillioners of
his
Majeíl:ies Royal revenue, and employed in che Offices of Jufüces of the peace and
Judges.
lf
we h'ave adminiíl:red thefe Offices fairhfully and wichouc the prejudice
or
aggrievance of any perfon; what reafon is chere that we íhould be deprived of
our
Indians,
onely becaufe we are in the fervice of his Majefiy, and bear our part
in che