t I drew up a petition,
and presented it to the royal Audiencia. To this they issued the reply
which I beg your Majesty to have examined together with my petition;
I am sending your Majesty a copy of the aforesaid petition and of their
action thereon. If the members of this royal Audiencia were auditors,
and not court alcaldes, I would not have recourse over there, but here,
as to alcaldes of court, giving information and denouncing a crime
amounting to public robbery, and opposed to the general welfare of
all this community--for the loss and thievery falls on all alike,
and is greatly against this realm--which can be so easily proved;
and since the proof is so easy, I do not dare enter with the power
and sword of the church. This response, saying that they will inquire
about it, is not a thing of today only. I am surprised at such a
response in a criminal case, (for in this matter I have proceeded
not only _ad petitionem partis_, [_i.e.,_ "as a private-suitor"] but
also _ex oficio_), on acount of both the publicity of the wrongdoing,
and the authority of the denunciation. I see here no evidence of the
functions of the court alcaldes, although it is a country where this
authority and this office is very necessary. If I speak in these
matters, they can tell me that I am a theologian; and, in short,
they will act as they please. Accordingly I present this to your
Majesty, so that, if what I say has any weight, redress for this
evil may be obtained. It is certain that even if it were only to
keep anyone from imagining that this concerns any of the Audiencia,
or any of their friends or kinsmen, it would be well to investigate
this matter. Indeed, I do not know who could singly bring an action
against the individual members of this company, but this should be done
against all, for they all cause the loss to all. In short, the matter
will remain without investigation, and the partnerships undisturbed,
while our ruin will increase. Although I see this, I know not if
I shall dare in spite of all this to impose an excommunication;
for I have little faith in the consciences of some persons here,
especially in matters touching their profits.

It is very necessary that your Majesty should order by royal decree
and reiterated injunction [_sobrecarta_] in the immediate future,
what you have already so justly ordered--namely, that the offices and
profitable positions in the country be not given to the servants and
kinsmen of the gove