Procuradores of New Spain 
139 
injuries and ill treatments that take place in the towns of your Majesty 
which are put under corregimiento by the corregidor. 
Another reason. In the towns under encomienda it has been experi¬ 
enced that churches have been built and ornaments and other very rich 
things have been given and are given for the divine worship by those 
who have the means, which has not been done by the corregidores , nor 
have they the means to do it. 
Another reason. Experience also shows that the Indians who are 
placed with Spaniards in encomiendas receive better treatment than those 
who are ruled by corregidores , for it is clear that the latter received many 
injuries and oppressions from the many masters that they have, who are, 
for one thing, all officials of your Majesty or servants of them and of 
the corregidores and alguaciles and other persons, with the pretense that 
it is done in the name of your Majesty the Indians do not dare to com¬ 
plain. It is the opposite with those who are in encomiendas. 
Another reason. By giving the Indians to the Spaniards in perpetuity, 
besides what has been said of the service of God and the good treatment 
of the Indians and the increase and cultivation of the land, the great bene¬ 
fits that may follow are very well known, for it has been seen that those 
who have had towns under encomienda have built houses in them and 
planted trees and vines and orchards and mulberries and all the kinds of 
crops that the land permits, besides having their houses well filled with 
their wives and children and servants, with many horses and persons 
who have gone from these kingdoms. This has not been done nor could 
it be done in the towns that are under corregimientos , for the most that 
have been supported with the said towns are about two hundred corregi¬ 
dores, persons that can hardly support themselves thus without house or 
family, and when there were uprisings in the country they could not go 
to serve nor did they have the means to do it. It is the opposite with the 
encomenderos , for of the Spaniards who had towns in encomienda in 
Mexico and its vicinity, which might be as many as 150 (towns), there 
went out as many as 500 mounted with the viceroy on the expedition to 
New Galicia, where the Indians had rebelled, 6 to say nothing of the people 
who remained in the city to guard it. It is certain that if the defense 
had depended on the corregidores the country would now be lost and the 
Indians would be in rebellion. 
Another reason. It is certain that even though the country were full 
to-day of Spaniards, unless they had perpetuity they could not maintain 
themselves; for they would not apply themselves to work the land, nor 
plant vines, nor raise cattle. Even though they should raise and plant, 
they would have no one to whom to sell it nor any one to buy it. Nor can 
they have trade with the Indians, for it is certain that they do not buy 
or make use of the things that are planted or raised by the Spaniards, 
nor is it expected that they will make use of them for many years. They 
are not like the villagers of this country, for they all go about naked, 
with only some blankets of the country and footgear that they make. 
They have no furniture in their houses nor do they buy it. It would be 
of little advantage in these kingdoms or in any part of the world if all 
were farmers, for it is with a diversity of conditions in life that the com- 
