ɔːlðˈoʊ kəmpˈoʊzd æɾə tˈaɪm wɛn ðɪ ˈɔːɹdɚ wʌz pˈɜːsɪkjˌuːɾᵻd ɪn spˈænɪʃ kˈɑːləniz, ænd ˈɔfən wɪð ɡɹˈeɪt ɹˈɪɡɚ, ðə tˈoʊn ʌv ðɪs mˈoʊst vˈæljuːəbəl wˈɜːk, ˌɪndɪspˈɛnsəbəl fɚðə stˈʌdi ʌvðə kəlˈoʊnɪəl hˈɪstɚɹi ʌv mˈɛksɪkˌoʊ ænd ʌv mˈɛnɪəv ɪts ˈɪndiən tɹˈaɪbz, ɪz, ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə ðə kˈæθlɪk ɛnsˌaɪkloʊpˈiːdiə "dˈɪɡnᵻfˌaɪd ænd fɹˈiː fɹʌm ɐtˈæks əpˌɑːn spˈeɪn ænd ðə spˈænɪɚdz".
Although composed at a time when the order was persecuted in Spanish colonies, and often with great rigor, the tone of this most valuable work, indispensable for the study of the colonial history of Mexico and of many of its Indian tribes, is, according to the Catholic Encyclopedia "dignified and free from attacks upon Spain and the Spaniards".