Procuradores of New Spain 147 
[Statement of the Procuradores of New Spain . Undated .] 
Sacred Catholic Imperial Majesty. We, the procuradores [attorneys] of 
New Spain, affirm that it is necessary, as is clearly shown by the evidence 
and opinions and petitions which we have given, that, for what touches 
upon the service of God and of your Majesty and the good of the natives 
of those parts and the perpetuity of them and of the Spaniards who are 
to reside in them, the Indians who are in them shall be given in perpetuity, 
and that by any other way none of the aforesaid things can be done. 
But it has come to our notice that opinions have been given by the religi¬ 
ous who have come from there, and, since we came through that province 
and are informed upon its affairs, and since the purpose and Catholic zeal 
of your Majesty is to know the truth, in order to take proper measures, 
we humbly supplicate that your Majesty order that they [the opinions of 
the religious] shall be shown to us, so that, after seeing them, we can 
explain whatever may be doubtful or perplexing. 
Your Majesty must know that all the religious of New Spain joined 
together, and, with the agreement of all, each order gave its opinions for 
itself and sent them before your Majesty. And it would not be just that 
what was given with so much deliberation by all should be altered now, 
especially as they have been persuaded and drawn to it by we do not know 
whom, nor in what sense they understand it, since they have changed so 
inconsistently in so short a time and with so little foundation. In order 
that it may appear more clearly in what form it has been given, we sup¬ 
plicate that your Majesty command the religious of the orders of Saint 
Dominic and Saint Augustine to show and declare what all had agreed 
upon among themselves and the opinion which they have given, for it is not 
proper that what we and all the states and prelates of the Indies so justly 
ask for shall be obscured by individual passions, and that doubt shall be 
placed where there is none and where they have sworn the contrary. 
We say, moreover, that especially there should be procured the opinions 
of persons who are in this court. We beg that your Majesty inform 
yourself upon the character of such persons and the experience that they 
may have, and what motives they have to give their opinions for personal 
ends and, if your Majesty please, we will submit evidence concerning these 
persons. 
Moreover, leaving all the aforesaid apart, and notwithstanding any 
opinions that may be given, we say that since things must be judged by 
their results, let the difficulties be considered that have arisen every day, 
still arise, and may be expected to arise, in what at present is proved to be 
always going from bad to worse, as is well known. For this reason, if it 
pleases your Majesty, measures should be taken quickly. 
And besides what has been said in confirmation of this, and in order 
that your Majesty may make in this New World the grants that we have 
prayed for, we say that although it may be true that at the beginning of 
the discovery of the Indies there may have been, through lack of experi¬ 
ence or of merit in the Indians, some [cases of] ill-treatment in some 
parts of the Indies, it has not been so in New Spain, nor would it be just 
that those of the present and future should suffer for those who offended 
