Note 95 — Chapter XXIV

Truly, when I see the duties that we are performing, and at so great danger (for we are the object of the watchfulness and censure of the governors and all the people of the country), if we undertake to defend the Indians, they say that we are usurping the royal jurisdiction—just as if we were not serving his Majesty the king, our sovereign, with all our strength. If we make agreements with them as fathers, in order that their suits may not last ten years, they say that we are playing the justice. If we try to prevent offenses to the Lord, they say that we are interested in the matter. If we restrain the heavy trading, they say that it is to profit more. And truly, we might say that spectaculum facti sumus mundi, angelis et hominibus.95 If love of God and our neighbor did not guide us, of a truth there would be opportunity for some one to say “Pereat dies in qua natus sum, et nox in qua dictum est, ‘conceptus est homo?’.”96 For the accusations and misrepresentations in vogue concerning [256] the religious are innumerable.97 I knew a venerable old man, by name Fray Juan de Villamayor,98 whose head and beard contained not one single black hair. He was prior in Aclán, where some Spaniards of evil life then resided; and because he tried to put an end to the offenses to the Lord, one of the Spaniards defied him, and laying his hand upon his sword, said to him: “Come down here, my poor little father, and I shall tell you who you are.” The religious answered him very humbly, and bade him farewell, saying that what he was doing was in the service of the community. He said that he would talk with him later, when he had recovered from his anger.