Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 08).djvu/162

 must not have preëminence 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 sufficient result to warrant the paying of the tribute; and that neither