[134] M. reads “some Indians;” D., “some erudite Indians.”
[135] Rabula, “an ignorant, vociferous lawyer;” cf. English “pettifogger.”
[136] This sentence is omitted by M. D. reads “all the alcaldes.”
[137] The Italian phrase fabro de calumina is used.
[138] King Josiah or Josias was slain at Mageddo. See IV Kings (II Kings of the King James version), xxiii, 29, 30; and II Paralipomenon (II Chronicles of the King James version), xxxv, 22–25.
[139] M. reads: “the Indians making use of a whole year in order to increase their calumny.” D. reads: “Just see what subtlety and moderate arithmetic they use in order to make their accusation; the Indians lumping together a whole year in order to give pasture to one single horse;” and then adds: “And there are so many cases of this that if I mentioned them all I would never end.”
[140] We have thus freely translated the original sin afianzar calumnia, which is a regular law term.
[141] “But a short time ago, when Señor Seoane was regent of the Audiencia, as the result of an urgent complaint against a Spanish cura, a verbal process was ordered to be made, and from it not the slightest charge resulted against the priest. Another judge was entrusted with the forming of another verbal process, with the same result. The supreme tribunal, being persuaded that the matter was not all calumny, sent an expressly commissioned judge from Manila, who found no more crime than did the others.
“I personally saw a representation signed by the gobernadorcillo and all the principales of a village, in which they affirmed that their cura had forced the wife of the first lieutenant; had punished the lieutenant for opposing her being kept to sleep in the convent; went out on the street drunk; went into the town hall to beat individuals of the municipality; and had not celebrated mass on Sunday for the same reason of being drunk. When a verbal process was made of it, all retracted. I became acquainted personally with this friar, who is a fine fellow....” (Mas, pp. 113, 114.)
[142] From this point, M. and D. read: “but it is to images of some new miracle. They have the habit of devotion, but they seek the newest and forget the old.”