274

Disputes with the Artizans.

B. XV. leathern shoes, he himself, it was said, might go Ch. 2. shod in silver. The Government soon took this matter in hand, and fixed the rate of prices. The artizans, not entirely baffled by the government regulations, resolved not to part with anything unless they were paid in gold or silver, which was not always forthcoming. This cause of vexation lasted for some time, until the TownCouncil decided that the artizans should receive their payment in the current money of the country, such as linen, cocoa, and feathers.*

*"Se les mandó recebir la Historia de la Provincia de moneda corriente de la tierra, Chiapa y Guatemala, lib. 1, como es ropa, cacao, plumas, y cap. 3. otras cosas de valor."-REMESAL,

CHAPTER III.

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE DOMINICAN AND FRANCIS-
CAN ORDERS IN NEW SPAIN-LIFE OF DOMINGO
DE BETANZOS-LETTERS OF THE FIRST BISHOPS.

EAVING for a time the rising town of B. XV.
Guatemala, where the inhabitants were so

busy in considering their new possessions, dis-
covering mines, making slaves, and breeding
cattle-which multiplied in the most marvellous
manner that a year, we are told, passed almost
without their perceiving it, we must turn to a
greater subject even than the conquest of New
Spain and Guatemala-namely, the spiritual occu-
pation of these new countries. Hitherto, though
there had generally been priests and chaplains in
the invading armies (there was one in each of
Alvarado's expeditions), these men had been able
to effect but little, in the dense mass of heathenism
to which they had been opposed, beyond the mere
destruction of idols and of temples. But when, in
1522, news arrived in Spain of the conquest of
Mexico, and when Cortes, who was a devout man,
prayed in his letters to the Emperor to have
religiosos sent out for converting the Indians, the
matter was taken seriously in hand. It hap-
pened, too, that just about the time that these
letters arrived, Antonio Montesino, already well

Ch. 3.

276 Dominicans and Franciscans sent to New Spain.

B. XV. known to the readers of this history, and Thomas Ch. 3. Ortiz, Dominican monks of the convent in the Island of Hispaniola, were at the Court of Spain, probably engaged in some negotiation for the good of the Indians. Charles the Fifth was absent, having gone to Germany to receive the imperial crown. The Bishop of Burgos, as may be recollected, had recovered his power in the Council of the Indies, and he was cold about this business, as he would have been about anything that Cortes recommended, for the Bishop favoured Velazquez and disapproved of Cortes.

Bishop of Burgos died, Aug. 2, 1524.

Twelve

Dominicans

Franciscans

to be sent

to New Spain.

Fortunately for the New World, this ungodly prelate died about this time; and the reader will remember that Garcia de Loaysa, a Dominican, Bishop of Osma and Confessor to the Emperor, was appointed President of the Council of the Indies, having really enjoyed the power attached to this office for some little time beforehand. It was then and twelve resolved by the Indian Council, that twelve Dominicans and twelve Franciscans should be sent to New Spain. The prelate named for the twelve Franciscans was Martin de Valencia. The prelate of the twelve Dominicans, with the title of VicarGeneral, was Tomas Ortiz. It was arranged that Antonio Montesino should stay in the Island of Hispaniola, but his superiors gave him six monks of his Order, to found a convent in the Island of San Juan. The Emperor, or his officers acting in his name, provided all these monks with robes of serge, a material which they chose in order to make demonstration of their poverty. Charles also furnished them with all that was necessary for

their

Reception of the Franciscans by Cortes. 277

Ortiz

voyage. The Franciscans and Dominicans B. XV. were to go together, in order to show their bro- Ch. 3. therly feeling; and they were all at San Lucar, ready to set sail, when a message came from the Bishop of Osma to Tomas Ortiz, requiring him Tomas to return to Court. A junta was about to be recalled. formed of learned and conscientious persons (de sciencia y consciencia) to discuss the question of Indian slavery; and the advice of Father Tomas, as a man of experience in the Indies, would be required. He was obliged to obey this command, and accordingly he delegated his authority of Vicar-General to Antonio Montesino, who was to convey the Dominican monks to the convent at San Domingo in Hispaniola, and there await Tomas Ortiz's arrival.

Dominicans

The Franciscans and Dominicans set sail The together. The Dominicans were landed in and in Hispaniola; the Franciscans pursued their course Hispaniola. to New Spain. They had a prosperous voyage; and, landing at Vera Cruz, took their way to The Mexico, where they arrived two days before arrive in Whit-Sunday, in the year 1524.

Franciscans

1524.

Reception

They were New Spain, very well received by Cortes, whom they met on the road, as he was commencing his expedition to Honduras. Cortes, from his natural feelings of respect for these good men, and also from a desire to impress that respect upon his of the own men and upon the natives, knelt down by Cortes. before the Franciscan fathers, and kissed their robes in the most reverent manner. The Indians, noticing the poverty-stricken appearance of the monks, uttered the word "Motolinia, moto

Franciscans

278 Franciscans already in New Spain.

B. XV. linia," meaning "poor," an epithet that was Ch. 3. immediately adopted by one of these Franciscan

monks, Father Toribio Paredes de Benavente, who became very celebrated,* and was ever afterwards called Father Toribio Motolinia.

These Franciscans, however, were not the first of their Order who had arrived in New Spain, though they were probably the first that were sent out officially. Two years previously, five Franciscans had come to New Spain, three of whom were Flemings. The two Spaniards died very soon; the three Flemings survived to welcome their brethren; and one of them, Peter of Ghent, became, as we shall hereafter see, one of the most useful and distinguished men in the community.

To return to the Dominicans. The business for which Tomas Ortiz had been summoned to Court was not settled speedily; and, indeed, he was detained during the whole of the year 1525.

† From another and a very truthful source we learn what counsel the monks gave when consulted by Charles's ministers for Indian affairs.

"Sed audi, quid inter nos versetur. De Indorum libertate, super qua variæ sunt opiniones diu discussæ. Nihil adhuc repertum conducibile. Jura naturalia Pontificiaque jubent ut genus humanum omne sit libeImperiale distinguit.

*He wrote a work, of which the following is the title :-" FR. TORIBIO DE BENAVENTE, ó MOTOLINIA, FRANCISCANO, de las Costumbres de los Indios, en Latin, MS. Otro Libro he visto de este Autor, cuio Título es: Relacion de las Cosas, Idolatrías, Ritos, í Ceremonias de la Nueva-España, MS. fol." PINELO, Epitome de la Bibliótheca Occidental, Título 17. Historias de los Indios Occiden- | rum. tales, p. 711, Madrid, 1738. Usus adversum aliquid sentit. This Relacion is, probably, the Longa experientia hoc censet, ut letter before referred to, which is servi sint, non liberi autem hi, to be found in Sir Thomas Phil- quod à natura sint in abominalipps's library.