they may receive as much benefit therefrom as is advisable and desirable—and as they would have received had the same care been taken to teach all the Indians Castilian, by which plan more and better ministers would have been had for their teaching and instruction, and they would have fallen into fewer errors, or none, on account of their idolatries and other former vices and superstitions—it has been deemed advisable to provide in this regard the decree[1] that will be given you with these instructions. Accordingly, after you shall have caused that decree to be proclaimed in the usual public places, with the necessary solemnities and other ceremonies, you shall meet with the Audiencia and secular and regular ecclesiastical dignitaries, and all together you shall decide and ordain how the contents of the said decree may be observed, obeyed, and executed exactly and to the letter, both in that city and in all the other cities of those islands and provinces, so that all its contents may be fulfilled and executed. You shall have the care in this that I expect from you, and as is demanded by its importance. Thus will our Lord be very greatly served, and the souls of the Indians advantaged. Whenever opportunity offers, you shall advise me of what shall be ordained for its fulfilment, and the manner and method of executing it.
And inasmuch as I have ever exercised especial care in maintaining all the kingdoms and provinces subject to me in peace, tranquillity, and justice, for this same purpose and object I established an audiencia in that said city and province, in order that every-
- ↑ As early as 1550 a decree was issued that, "when possible, schools should be established for the instruction of the Indians in the Castilian language" (Recop. leyes Indias, lib. vi, tit. i, ley xviii); but apparently this was not fully enforced.
