precipitous action. They were aware that many families would be impoverished should the law be vigorously applied, and they decided to be lenient. To gain time, the municipality was requested to send procuradores to present the grievances of the colonists to the king, and to ask the revocation of that portion of the new code which particularly affected the interests of the encomenderos. Alonso Villanuevo, Gerónimo Lopez, and Peralmindez Chirinos, of the city council, and the provincials of the Dominican, Franciscan, and Austin orders[1] were thus appointed, and set out for Spain, accompanied by other influential Spaniards. They were successful even beyond expectation, and by royal decree of October 20, 1545, the obnoxious provisions in the code were revoked,[2] notwithstanding the earnest protestations of Las Casas. The encomenderos and Spanish settlers celebrated their success with feasts and rejoicing, while the poor natives, in whose heart had arisen the hope of deliverance, crept wearily to the task which death alone would terminate.
According to some writers, during the absence of the procuradores, Tello and Mendoza endeavored to enforce some of the less offensive portions of the new code; but, as we have seen, the most important part was abrogated. And in all the other provinces these much feared new laws were for the most part also disregarded, though they caused vexation and trouble to the governors and the governed. In Nicaragua they were the direct cause of the bloody Contreras revolt,
- ↑ Francisco de la Cruz, Francisco de Soto, and Francisco de San Roman. Beaumont, Crón. Mich., 1v. 502.
- ↑ Anemos acordado á reuocar la dícha ley y dar sobre ello esta nra carta, e la dicha razo: por la qual reuocamos y damos por ninguna y de ningun valor y efeto el dicho capitulo y ley.' Royal Cédula, in Puga, Cedulario, 100-1. To give due force to and prevent any misinterpretation of this decree, it was republished by order of the king, and embodied in a new decree of Jan. 16, 1546. Id. The procuradores not having found the emperor in Spain, followed him to Ratisbon, where according to Torquemada, 1. 615, he granted them all they asked, Cavo, Tres Siglos, i. 141-2, has it that when Tello first heard of the revocation he made haste at least to deprive the royal officials of their repartimientos. This was done in pursuance of the royal cédula of Dec. 1, 1544. Puga, Cedulario, 173.
