Procuradores of New Spain 
135 
the land and to living in order and concord in all Christianity and propri¬ 
ety. The Spaniards would set out plants and erect buildings, and the 
Indians would naturally do the same in imitation of them. By this both 
would profit, for with the abundance of fruits and herds, which, accord¬ 
ing to the quality of the land, would soon come in increasing measure, 
the thing would reach such a point that the very abundance would result 
in riches among the natives and the Spaniards. This would bring more 
peace and quiet to their souls and their bodies, as is naturally evident, 
and God would be better served. 
Another reason. By doing what is contained in the article before this, 
besides giving the order for perpetuity, it follows that the Indians will 
be exercised and employed and will not be idle, for they are naturally so 
by inclination and are enemies of work, and there is nothing more cer¬ 
tain than that by this way they will not think of the vices in which they 
were reared nor of the uproars and disturbances to which they are 
addicted. 
Another reason. The above cannot be done except by giving the Indians 
in perpetuity, and it is not enough for them to give tributes nor that they 
shall come under corregimientos. If they are given in perpetuity, the 
Spaniards take care of them, treat them as their own property, and im¬ 
prove them every day, and they know their master and the master knows 
them and deals with them; and when they [the masters] see that they 
cannot fulfill the tribute they either relieve them of it or wait for them. 
This is not done nor can it be done by the corregidor nor the officials of 
your Majesty, for the corregidor , being a hireling, has no care for any¬ 
thing but his salary and that he be paid on time, nor does it trouble him 
whether there is loss or gain, for the next year he will be given another 
corregimiento. The corregidor does not plant or sow or raise cattle in 
his corregimiento nor outside of it; he only tries to make money and come 
away, for as he has no house nor fixed home, all his acts and thoughts are 
to get property and come away, in order not to leave his wife and children 
lost among barbarous people. 
Another reason. Although a living is given to many men with the 
corregimientos and with salaries, and it is said that these can thus support 
the country, this is a great mistake, and reason and experience prove the 
contrary, for these have not nor can they have means to support people in 
their houses, for they have no farms nor do they plant crops or raise 
cattle nor have they where to do it, and not having it, there can be no 
commerce, which is what sustains the commonwealth. It is the opposite 
with those who may have Indians and towns, for those in some parts 
will sow grain, in other parts they will plant trees and vines, in others 
they will raise cattle, in others they will produce silk, in others they will 
discover mines and will have slaves to take out the gold and silver; and in 
other parts they will produce other products, according to the quality of 
the places and lands, so that what is lacking in some may be provided from 
the others. In this way there will be commerce among them all, which has 
been and will be totally lacking in the corregidores and the towns under 
the rule of your Majesty, for there is no one to do it, nor can they do it, 
nor can there be any care for it. 
