Governor Mendez de Canzo had allowed the ancient post of protector of the Indians to lapse. When in the mid-17th century the crown issued general orders for every administrative district to have such an official, to be called the defender, the possibilities of salary and patronage were quickly taken up. [Note 50: Bartolome de Arguelles 3/18/1599; fiscal of the Council 4/11/1668, comments on Juan Menendez Marquez II 1/25/1667] AN173 Accountant Juan Menendez Marquez II said that the defender should be someone like parish priest Francisco de Soto, able to stand up to governors. In an almost identical letter Governor Guerra y Vega recommended the same man. The governor’s mistress and the accountant’s wife were both Sotos and probably relatives of the candidate. [Note 51: Gov. Guerra y Vega 9/18/1667, and Joseph de Prado and Juan Menendez Marquez II 9/22/1667; Parish Register Marriages and Births] The friars had a different idea. The defender should be their own provincial, who alone had authority apart from the governor’s and no private interests to pursue. The Franciscan commissary general, asked for his opinion, particularly opposed giving the appointment to the treasurer or accountant, even though, as he said, “they are the most notable subjects upon whom this responsibility might be laid, for they have business enterprises of their own and are always thinking of their dealings and investments and would thus acquire even greater control over the Indians.” [Note 52: Fr. Juan Luengo 11/30/1676, attached to and answering a memorial by Fr. Alonso del Moral 11/5/1676] (Bushnell KC)