would result. Even tyrannical treatment does not justify vassals in
refusing obedience to their rulers--in support of which position many
citations are made from the Bible and from historical precedents. The
Spanish rulers are accordingly entitled to collect the moderate
tribute which they have imposed on the Indians, if they protect and
instruct the latter--the condition on which their right to tribute
is based; but all should pay alike, infidels as well as Christians,
when they receive alike those benefits. As for the Indians who have
not been provided with instruction and the protection of law, no
tribute should in any case be demanded from them and whatever has
been thus far collected ought to be restored to them in full, as
having been unjustly and unrighteously exacted. In the encomiendas
which, although once pacified, have since rebelled, a small amount
of tribute should be collected, not to maintain the encomendero,
but to meet the expenses of restoring order and obedience therein. In
other cases, where the encomendero fulfils his obligations in other
respects, but fails to provide religious instruction for the natives
through lack of ministers, he is entitled to collect only part of
the tribute designated--that is, what remains after deducting the
amount due for the support of ministers (estimated in proportion to
the number of the people), and for the erection and maintenance of
churches. In short, the natives should pay only for such benefits as
they actually receive. The amount to be paid should be based on the
amount expended by the government and the encomenderos in providing
those benefits.] In these islands the number of five hundred Indians
(and in some places even a smaller number) has been assigned to
each minister as sufficient for his charge; and to each minister
of religion has been given a hundred pesos and a hundred fanégas of
rice, all which is worth at least one hundred and twenty-five pesos;
this is the fourth part of the five hundred pesos which the five