The Augustinian religious who are in these districts have endeavored to appraise the tributes of this land, both those of the villages assigned to your Majesty and the others which are held by the encomenderos. However, no more is collected than that assigned and imposed by the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legaspi. That consists of one manta two brazas long and one wide, and two fanegas of rice, and if they do not possess that, three maes of gold. Each maes is equivalent to two and one-half reals, which is its value in this land. The Augustinians declare on their consciences that it is enough for each Indian to pay a tribute of one maes or two and one-half reals. We have daily disputes on this score and the Augustinians even went so far during the Lent just past as refusing to confess us. They have declared that your Majesty does not own or possess this land with good title, and say that the order requisite in the conquest and pacification of it has not been observed. Will your Majesty order what must be done in this matter and whether we are here in this land under a just title or not. The governor is sending a detailed relation and report to your Majesty regarding all the above, so that after you have seen it you may enact what must be done regarding it and in the other matters, so that the encomenderos and people in this country may be rewarded for their labors and may not go to hell as the friars say. Until this matter is determined, we shall collect the amount imposed by the said adelantado, for most of the encomenderos have less than one thousand Indians. [62]
We are advising the viceroy so that he can write to your Majesty, representing the slight benefit that we have received as yet, and after so long a time, although we were among the first to come for the discovery of this land, in order that we may enjoy some repartimientos as conquistadors, explorers, and colonists—at least I the accountant, Andres Cauchela. For your Majesty’s treasury has not contained the wherewithal from which we may be paid our salaries because of assisting with its receipts in the affairs of this camp—a matter for the good of all—and in aiding the carpenters and the other men who are wage earners. Therefore, we petition your Majesty to please remunerate us in this by exercising your so magnanimous power as king and sovereign. Inasmuch as the governor is writing to your Majesty at length and is giving you advice of all the events of these districts, we refer you to him in this regard.