Natural and Moral History of the Indies

because of this, it is written in the vernacular common Spanish, and if I am not mistaken, it is not for vulgar understandings; and it may be that as with other things, if Your Highness shows pleasure in this, this small work will be favored, so that by such means the King our Lord may also be pleased to entertain himself at times with the account and consideration of things and peoples that so much concern his Royal Crown. To His Majesty I dedicated another book, which I composed in Latin regarding the Evangelical preaching of those Indies. And I desire that all of this may serve so that, with the knowledge of what God our Lord distributed and deposited from His treasures in those Kingdoms, the peoples thereof may be more helped and favored by those of us here, to whom His divine and high Providence has entrusted them. I implore Your Highness that if in some parts this small work does not seem so pleasing, do not cease to cast your eyes over the rest, for it may be that some or others will be to your taste, and being so, they cannot fail to be of use, and very great use at that: for this favor will be for the good of peoples and lands so much in need of it. May God our Lord guard and prosper Your Highness for many years, as we his servants daily and affectionately pray to His divine Majesty.