s in order to place them in Spanish vessels, as
they are light; and in exchange they are given others, which are
so heavy that they are lost. This is not right and ought not to be
permitted. Therefore I charge you not to allow it, or to permit any
wrong to be inflicted upon the said Indians. On the contrary, both
you and the said Audiencia shall take special care to remedy the said
wrongs, and to punish those who inflict them. You shall show all kind
treatment and attention, both to the above and to all others who went
there before for trade and commerce. You shall expedite them in every
way and treat them well, as is advisable--not only so that they may
continue the trade, but also so that they may be led to abandon the
idolatry and blindness in which they live, and to receive instruction
in the law of the gospel.

Because of the importance of attention to duties of citizenship on the
part of citizen encomenderos--both for the conservation and defense
of the said islands, and for their settlement and increase--I charge
you to grant leave to no encomendero, under any considerations,
to absent himself from the said islands, even if he should have
permission from the viceroy and Audiencia of Nueva Espana. If anyone
should absent himself without permission from me, or unless you
shall have granted him permission for unavoidable reasons, you shall
deprive him of his encomienda, and bestow it upon another and more
deserving citizen. Inasmuch as Mariscal Gavriel de Rivera, Captain
Juan Pacheco Maldonado, and other citizens went to Nueva Espana by
permission of former governors, and although they have petitioned me
for a prolongation of their stay there, not only have I not conceded
this to them, but I have answered them bidding them to return. They
were warned that their encomiendas would be declared vacant, as the
time granted by their permission is already expired, unless they
should have returned within the period by which they were bound. If
you ascertain, upon your arrival at Nueva Espana, that they have not
returned to the said islands, then you shall deprive them of the said
encomiendas, and give the same to others. You shall admit no objection
or excuse, for whatever you do contrary to this, now and henceforth,
I hereby declare as invalid and null and void.

As I was petitioned, in behalf of the said islands, to grant them a
concession ordering exemption from the duties on the first sale of the
goods that they send