That his Majesty provide relief in all the above as a most Christian
[king] and give instructions for what is yet to be discovered and for
the future; and that in so far as it is possible he try to give some
satisfaction to the villages and provinces destroyed by the Spaniards,
or because of them, and for the tributes that have been wrongly
collected. That all the Indians who are and have been captured by
Spaniards and sold into foreign lands be ransomed and returned to their
lands. That he declare for this the method which has been ordered here
for restitutions. Likewise that the Cebuans be ransomed wherever found
although it be in the estate of his Majesty in these islands, since
that village has been depopulated because of the Spaniards.
That an inquiry be made into slaves acquired wrongly and of timauas
wrongly held who are in the power of Spaniards; and that such be taken
away from them even though they be Christians. That his Majesty send
men for this purpose who are not infested with vice, or who are not
pledged by gifts or loans as are the men here. That his Majesty endow
two hospitals, which can be done with vacant encomiendas to the sum
that seems advisable to his Majesty. You must give him to understand
his obligation for it and the gain that will accrue to his Majesty in
the preservation of the people, which will be so greatly furthered by
this. That his Majesty order the method by which we may be supplied
with religious who are necessary here, although it even cause a lack of
them there.
That his Majesty send a couple of secular priests of learning and
conscience so that they may correct the customs of the Spaniards; and
that he might strictly order the justices to correct them as far as
they are concerned. That if a trip should be made to China or
otherwhere, although when that be done there be religious of the other
orders here, that we be the first, since our order can conveniently
furnish such religious. Item: In order that nothing may be asked, which
may be justly denied to us after first consulting the president and
auditors [of Nueva España] or some secretary, you shall petition his
Majesty to have such and such a sum given us as aims annually in order
to build one or two monasteries in which to rear novices and give them
a chance to study wherever it shall be deemed most advisable here. In
order that he may not imagine it to be for an infinite time as it is in
Mexico, let him assign a limited period of so many years. You shall
give him to understand and make much of the relics of the child Jesus
and the image which our Lord was pleased to keep in this land for so
many years for our consolation. That if his Majesty permit the natives
to be held as slaves by the Spaniards as they are among the natives,
that he do not permit them to be taken from their lands, for by so
doing in a short time the land will be depopulated and destroyed. That
the slavery be more mild than that of the negroes, and you shall give
the king to understand how free the slavery of the Indians is, and that
the Indian cannot sell more right than that which he possesses [over a
slave]. That from him who maltreats his servant, the latter may be
taken away by the justice, or the owner may be compelled to sell him,
for the slaves have this right among the natives themselves. That his
Majesty order that, under heavy penalties, no one buy slaves from the
natives by force. That the determination of who can be rightly held as
a slave be at the advice of the religious. That his Majesty order that
the chiefs be treated as such, and that they do not pay tribute in
their persons or be made prisoners except for very serious matters. You
shall tell him that that is a very insulting thing among them and will
anger them greatly, for among them only fugitive slaves are made
prisoners. You shall inform him that they are thrown into irons or
stocks here for very slight causes, and often for the fault of their
slaves, who run away or do not obey the orders of the Spaniards; since
it is a fact that the chiefs have very little control over their
slaves.
That no one be taken on raids or [word illegible] or to any other place
by force or against his will unless it be a very necessary case and
then by paying him. And if any slave is killed in the raid, that his
master be paid if he gave the slave against his will and under special
restriction, if his death happened through any fault of the
Spaniards—which is always to be presumed since they so evilly go to
the lands of others who owe them nothing to beg or to seize their
property.