Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 08).djvu/169

 which we maintained no correspondence. During this time I gave to the encomenderos (who had begged me to do so in the name of your Majesty) the order which was necessary for the collection of their tributes. As your Majesty will see by the accompanying document, this order was the most justifiable that could be given and did not depart one jot from my opinions, which I also send in their original form to your Majesty. The encomenderos are now somewhat consoled for their former afflictions, and all this land likewise, as will appear by the petition presented to me which I send in the original. This order will be kept in force until your Majesty shall order differently.

19. After the lapse of several days, and having ascertained that the service of God and that of your Majesty were suffering, as the bishop would not right them, I wrote him the accompanying letter. In it I proposed some means of providing instruction in places where there is none. Moreover, as the encomenderos were still uneasy because he denied them absolution, I gave him to understand that, in the diminution of the encomiendas and the reduction and collection of the tributes, he was neither judge nor party, since he could discuss the subject only in one of three ways which I expressed therein; and by no means could he do more than give his opinion, which he had already done. I again have recourse to the laymen of good life, in lack of religious; and beg also that he will not keep engaged here the large number of Indians that he is wont to, who come here under the pretext of making complaints, which are a thousand childish and impertinent trifles—thereby losing much more in their absence from their homes and