in human power, which does not and cannot extend beyond God’s divine wishes, but in Him whom we acknowledge as our true Lord and God, as well as the God of everything created.  Under His omnipotent care we feel safe; and this feeling of safety and trust is not imagined, but real and proved by wonderful and miraculous deeds and events.  Having such men near you as father Fray Pedro and others, your Grandeur could gain information—­if for no other reason, merely for curiosity, since your Grandeur is so desirous of learning about greatness; and once having learned the greatness of our omnipotent Lord, you will see how wise we are in putting our trust and confidence in Him, who is almighty.  I have said all this not to displease your Grandeur, but in order that you may realize why we do not render obedience to other dominion, other power or other lord, than Jesus Christ, almighty and true God and Lord, and our most Christian king Don Phelipe.  As regards the friendship that your Grandeur says we ought to maintain forever, we, on our side, will observe it; and I feel certain that your Grandeur will keep it on your part, since it is so declared in your royal letters.  I will advise my king and lord at the earliest opportunity of the peace and friendship established, so that he may ratify it from there; and I trust in the Lord that everything will be done as desired by your Grandeur, whom I wish to serve and please as the friend of my king and our own.  In order to do so, I should have been glad if I had some curious things from Castilla, to send as presents to your Grandeur; but I cannot do it now, and will send them later, when they come.  Should your Grandeur wish that as friends we send each other men of rank and station so that our intercourse might be more friendly and informal—­not that the religious who have gone are not among us here respected and highly esteemed as servants of God, and are not sufficiently high in station—­but from now on a layman could be sent of higher rank than that of those who have gone heretofore.  Should your Grandeur desire to send someone to visit the court of my king and see its splendor and the power and dominion of his Majesty, he will be sent on from here, and will be well received and highly favored by my king, because he is very fond of receiving and entertaining foreigners, and especially such as might come from your Grandeur, who would receive especial favor.  Your Grandeur can advise me of your decision in regard to this as well as the other matters; and may the Lord keep you and enlighten you with His divine light.

Then the governor said that because of the duty which, as a Christian, he owed to the Lord, and because of his duty to the king as his servant and subject, and because of the strict account which he must render sooner or later, he thought this a very serious case which could not be ignored or passed by.  He said that it required just such an answer as the one he had decided to send; and that he would have answered