[XX‑56] Ibid. Remesal states that Cancer took no companions with him from Spain, but that he selected from the Dominican convent in Mexico three friars and a lay brother. Hist. Chyapa, 515. There can be no doubt, however, that two of these accompanied him from Spain. See Pacheco and Cárdenas, Col. Doc., vii. 199.
[XX‑57] Both Fernandez, Hist. Ecles., 150-1, and Remesal, Hist. Chyapa, 515-16, attribute the catastrophe which followed to the action of the captain, who, they assert, was well aware that he was not carrying out the wishes of Cancer. Las Casas also states that the captain knew of the danger, but refused to land farther off under the pretext that four Spanish armies had disembarked at that point without meeting with resistance. Oeuvres, i. 405.
[XX‑58] Remesal enlarges on the tragedy. He states that the cacique of the neighboring village was grieved that the murdered friars had not been taken alive, in order that he might have conversed with them, and that he caused the skins of the victims to be stripped off and stretched upon the walls of his house, while their heads were stuffed with cotton and suspended from a tree. He then adds 'y comieronse la carne en vn gran combite, despues de muchos bayles y fiestas.' Hist. Chyapa, 516. According to the same author, between 1566 and 1600 four unsuccessful attempts were made by Jesuits, Dominicans, and Franciscans to christianize Florida. In these efforts nearly all the missionaries lost their lives. In a second attempt made by the Franciscans they gained a foothold in the country, and in 1612 a province called Santa Élena was founded by the chapter general at Rome. Id., 518-19. Dávila Padilla, 179-89, states that Fray Louis Cancer was a native of Saragossa in Spain. He was of noble family, and proficient in various branches of learning. He first went to Española, thence to Puerto Rico, where he founded a convent, and a few years later proceeded to Guatemala. Both this author and Fernandez, Hist. Ecles., 150, assert that on a voyage from Mexico to Spain he was captured by Turkish pirates, but ransomed. To judge from his letters Cancer was a single-minded and devout missionary, filled with religious ardor, and sanguine of success.
[XX‑59] Las Casas, Oeuvres, i. 405-6. His vehement opponent Motolinia, in his letter to the king, dated January 2, 1555, while urging the necessity of carrying the gospel into Florida, remarks, 'but not after the manner of Las Casas.' Icazbalceta, Col. Doc., i. 255.
[XXI‑1] Jan. 14th, according to Vazquez, Chron. Gvat., 222; evidently before the beginning of March. See Quesada, Carta, May 25, 1855, in Squier's MSS., xxii. 1-3.
[XXI‑2] Quesada, in his letter cited above, reports it finished.
[XXI‑3] The salaries of the different offices were to be fixed; each town was to have a casa de communidad, a strong box to contain their surplus earnings, a jail, tariff, records, and accounts of the estates of minors and the deceased; lands were to be assigned them; the mode of paying tributes was to be regulated; and, above all, they were to be instructed. Quesada, Carta, loc. cit.
[XXI‑4] Torres, Carta, Nov. 17, 1555, in Squier's MSS., xxii. 6.
[XXI‑5] Cavallon, Carta, Feb. 27, 1555, in Squier's MSS., xxii. 7.
[XXI‑6] Torres, Carta, Nov. 8, 1555; Torres, Carta, Nov. 17, 1555; Cárdenas, Carta, Dec. 6, 1555, in Squier's MSS., xxii., 5-7.