THE KNIGHTS OF THE GOLDEN SPUR
There had been for some time both Franciscan monks and Dominican fathers
on the mainland of South America, working among the natives. Pedro de
Cordova, the head of the Dominicans in the Indies, wrote to Las Casas at
about this time, asking him to get the King to grant a certain territory
on the mainland, where no white men except the Dominicans and
Franciscans should be allowed to go; or, if he could not get it on the
mainland, to try to secure some small nearby islands, saying that if the
King would not do this it would be necessary to recall all the brethren
of the Dominican order, as it was of no use for them to preach to the
Indians when they saw all about them the Christians behaving as they
did. Now when the clerico had spoken to Fonseca about this, the reply
had been that there was no money in it for the King, so that Las Casas
saw that if he was to get the grant, he must find a way to make it
profitable to the King and his ministers.
The Good Book says that "the love of money is the root of all evil,"
and certainly Las Casas was inclined to believe this as he thought of
what wickedness it had led the Spaniards into in the New World. No
wonder the Indians thought that gold was the white man's god. The
clerico tells us of a certain Indian chief, who had fled before the
Spaniards from Hispaniola to Cuba, and who, hearing that the Christians
were coming there also, called his people together and told them that
the reason why the Spaniards treated them so cruelly was because they
had a god whom they greatly loved and adored, and it was to make them
also love and serve him that they killed and enslaved them. He had a
basket of jewels and gold near him. Holding it up, he said that _this_
was the god of the Christians and called upon his people to dance before
this god and worship him, and perhaps he would not allow the Spaniards
to harm them.
Poor old chief! Driven from one hiding place to another, he was taken at
last; and because he had tried to escape his oppressors and defend his
people, he was condemned to be burned alive. When he was tied to the
stake a Franciscan priest came up to him and told him that, although
there was but little time, yet if he would believe the Christian faith
and be baptized he would be saved. He then told him as much as he could
of God and of His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord, and, having finished,
asked him if he would believe and go to Heaven, where he would be happy
evermore, saying that if he did not he would go to Hell. The chief
thought for a moment and then asked if the Christians went to Heaven.
The priest replied that those that were good did. The chief at once
answered that in that case he did not wish to go to Heaven, where he
would have these cruel people again; he would go to Hell.
Las Casas had learned by this time that the desire for wealth must be
considered in any plan that he might make if he wanted it to succeed,
and he believed he knew of a way by which he could satisfy the King and
at the same time carry out his design of converting the Indians by
kindness. He thought he could find fifty men who would make the
conversion and civilization of the Indians their first object. These
fifty were to wear white dresses, with red crosses, so that the Indians
would know them from other Spaniards. They were to teach the natives and
protect them from all who would harm them. Each one was to contribute a
certain sum of money, which was to be used to pay the expenses of the
enterprise. For themselves, they were to have a fixed amount of the
revenue and certain privileges, and they were to be called the Knights
of the Golden Spur. The King was to have, after the first three years, a
tribute, which would be increased year by year for ten years, and the
Knights were to found three settlements in five years, were to build a
fort in each, and were to explore the country for the King. He asked
also that those Indians that had been taken away from this part of the
country should be sent back to their homes.
The Grand Chancellor thought very well of this plan, and told the
clerico to lay it before the Council of the Indies. Of course their
bishop, Fonseca, was against it. The plan was not absolutely prohibited,
however, but they delayed doing anything about it, until the clerico was
nearly driven wild with anxiety and disappointment.
It was the custom in those days to have certain of the clergy appointed
preachers to the King. There were eight such preachers at the court of
Spain. Las Casas thought perhaps these priests might do something to
help, so he went to them and interested them in the scheme. They tried
to do what they could, and even went one day before the Council of the
Indies,--much to the astonishment of its members,--and having been given
permission to speak, made a strong plea for the freedom of the Indies.
But though they were listened to with courtesy, nothing came of it.
For months Las Casas fought for this plan of his, which he felt would
save at least some of the native people. They had been killed off by
thousands on all the islands, and would soon perish on the
mainland,--indeed, wherever the Spaniards went,--unless they could be
made free. His enemies fought against his plan and against him, accusing
him of everything, even of desiring to get the grant of territory for
his own profit. Even his friends sometimes misunderstood him. One of
them, a young lawyer, when he heard of rents to be paid to the King and
of honors to be given to the Knights of the Golden Spur, said that this
"scandalized" him, for it showed a desire for temporal things, which he
had never suspected in the clerico. Las Casas, having heard of this,
went to him one day and said:
"Senor, if you were to see our Lord Jesus Christ ill-treated and
afflicted, would you not implore with all your might that those who had
Him in their power would give Him to you, that you might serve and
worship Him?"
"Yes," replied his friend.
"Then, if they would not give Him to you, but would sell Him, would you
redeem Him?"
"Without a doubt."
"Well, then, Senor, that is what I have done," replied Las Casas; "for I
have left in the Indies Jesus Christ, our Lord, suffering stripes and
afflictions and crucifixion, not once but thousands of times, at the
hands of the Spaniards, who destroy and desolate these Indian nations."
He then went on to tell his friend that, seeing that his opponents would
_sell_ him the Gospel, he had offered these inducements, buying the
right to teach the Indians to serve and love the Lord Jesus Christ.
Las Casas had now spent altogether four or five years at the court of
Spain, trying to get something done for his Indians. He had spent also
every cent of money he possessed, and endured every kind of opposition
and abuse; but at last the papers were signed. The grant was now
assured, though not so much land had been given as had been asked. A
company of laborers was ready to go out with the clerico, and money had
been loaned him for the expenses of the undertaking. Many little
articles, also, were presented to him, to be used as gifts to the
natives; and away he sailed to start the new work and to find in the
Indies, he hoped, the fifty Knights of the Golden Spur. We shall see how
he succeeded.