Page:Vol 2 History of Mexico by H H Bancroft.djvu/172

152 officials. The result was a series of decrees, ordering that illegally enslaved beings should be released, that enslavement must be effected only before royal officials, and so forth, all admirable in tone, and commended to the clergy for enforcement; but the mere permission to enslave rebellious natives opened the door to many and great abuses, and the royal officials were ready enough to lead the way. As for tenure of encomiendas, they were confirmed to the holder for life, subject to good conduct, and though reverting to the crown upon his death, they were generally given to his descendants, in part at least. Others were by special decrees conferred in perpetuity on certain prominent families, including several native princely houses. For the crown were set aside the ports, the leading towns, or capitals of districts, and other select tracts.

For a long time the encomenderos stood between the crown and the natives as subordinate tribute