Luís Sánchez, 1566 
163 
the Indies he is given some other employment; as a result, the country is 
not understood, and if a wise course is pursued it is by accident. 
The second cause is that almost all those who come from the Indies 
or who write from there send incorrect reports according to their tastes, 
which are dictated by a self-interest which is only to be served by forcible 
extortions from the Indians. In this respect all are alike; all desire to 
live in liberty and at ease, with no one to restrain them; they do not want 
to report anything against themselves lest it should be remedied. As these 
reports have been followed the wrong course has often been pursued. 
The Council has itself fallen into this error and very naturally does not 
know whom to believe. 
The third reason is that there frequently come from the Indies persons 
of good character and religion, fleeing from the great ills which exist 
there, with great fervor and zeal to report conditions to Christendom 
here in order that they may be improved. These persons are few, it goes 
without saying that they are poor, and not in favor with the Spaniards 
in the Indies. They begin to tell the truth with great heat, disclosing the 
affairs of the Indies; but, since everyone here, including the Council, is 
wary on account of the lies which they have heard from everyone else, 
no one here knows whom to believe, so that credit is not accorded even to 
those who are upright. No attention is paid to representations; if they 
are heard at all it is only in a lukewarm manner and no action is taken. 
Also, when they notice the great labors and constancy of the good bishop 
of Chiapas, and how much my good friend the bishop of Popayán 
suffered, and how they both died cherishing this anxious desire that the 
Christian world should know what was going on in the Indies so that it 
might be remedied, though neither achieved much fruit from their labors— 
when they see this they become discouraged and give up; for this reason 
Christendom has not yet ascertained what is going on in the Indies. 
Upon whom the blame for all these injuries and ills should fall I will 
say; it is not our good king and lord, as some say boldly and evilly without 
understanding. For he is most completely exonerated by placing as he 
has done so Christian and wise a Council in charge. Besides, he himself 
willingly listens to everyone, and whatever is brought to his attention he 
orders remedied; he has given and continues to give large alms in the 
Indies for the erection of churches, monasteries, hospitals, and colleges; 
and he has spent huge sums in sending thither friars and clericals to preach 
the holy Gospel. Neither is the Council of the Indies to blame for these 
ills, because it discharges its duties diligently, making efforts to send 
thither the best judges and bishops that can be found, and if any of these 
there does wrong or is to blame, it is sufficient to order their residencias 
taken and have them punished, for the provisions, cédulas, and instruc¬ 
tions which this body sends thither, and that which is there commanded, 
are most righteous. 
The blame for all the ills committed in the Indies I attribute according 
to my judgment to three classes of people. One third of the blame (and 
if I should say half I should not be far wrong) is attributable to the eccle¬ 
siastical and secular judges, from the highest to the lowest, who have 
