Procuradores of New Spain 
145 
who were planting and raising cattle saw that it was labor lost they began 
to leave and sell their farms and get ready to come away, and all would 
have been abandoned if your Majesty had not sent the grant of succession 
and the order to make an inventory of the land so that it might all be 
divided. Immediately, with the news of the perpetuity, which they ex¬ 
pected every day, trade began among those who had Indians and things 
took on better prices. Blankets went up to twenty dollars a load or more, 
wheat to a ducat, maize to three reales and more, and the same with other 
things. But now that the ordinances have come everything has gone down 
again, for every one wishes to sell his farm, in order to come away, and 
all have lost the desire to raise cattle or plant, for they see that all must 
be lost, and that neither they nor their wives and children will enjoy it. 
Another reason. It is clear that those who have Indians have sup¬ 
ported and do support the country, for they are the ones who raise crops 
and send to these kingdoms for merchandise, and as it is known that they 
have property and are to remain in the land, they are given credit for what 
they need. And even though their crops yield no taxes, they seek occupa¬ 
tions which do yield them, and employ themselves, some in mines, others 
in sugar-mills, others in cattle and silk culture, and others in other crops, 
which, if Indians are lacking, must perish, for there will be no Spaniards, 
no matter for whom. 
Another reason. It is certain that the corregidores who up to now 
have been there could not have lived except by eating in the houses of the 
encomenderos , and they support them; therefore, unless there be per¬ 
petuity there will be no place for them to live or take shelter. 
Another reason. Still less should the statement be given any considera¬ 
tion that the encomenderos who are in the country are not those who 
sustain it, for it has already been said, and it is the truth, that they have 
sustained it, and they have remained in their houses in the expectation 
which they had of perpetuity and succession. But now, since they have 
seen what your Majesty orders, they are leaving their houses and are sav¬ 
ing what they can in order to come away, for they would rather come 
away poor than wait until they and their wives are dead, for the country 
must necessarily be abandoned, and the Indians will possess themselves of 
it and of those who may be there. For this reason neither the buildings 
which they have already erected nor the crops they have begun will be 
sufficient cause to detain them. When they are ended all will be ended, 
and the injury and danger is certain, for even though some might main¬ 
tain themselves for a short time, it would be with much trouble and fear, 
and at the end of a few years they would leave the country or the country 
would make an end of them. 
Besides these reasons there are others very evident why it cannot by 
any means be admitted that the land will not come to total destruction 
unless measures be immediately taken, as is petitioned, to give the order 
for perpetuity. We ask and pray your Majesty, with all respect and 
urgency, that you order this measure to be taken at once, as is petitioned, 
without any delay. 
Alonso de Villanueva.— Gonzalo López —[Signed with rubrics.'] 
