because I was not brought up in the households or under the instruction
of merchants, but in the good way of military exercises, as were my
ancestors. It must be evident to your Majesty, as the property that
I possess could well attest, that it would be very well for me if it
were increased by the amounts that are lacking and pledged.

As for the property of deceased persons, this treasury has a judge,
on which account I have less knowledge of its administration--although
whenever opportunity offers and it is expedient to take any action
regarding it, I do so according to my duty, and before your Majesty
orders it, as he does order in the decree which treats of this. I made
strenuous efforts not to have individual depositaries appointed for
this property; but not only in this but likewise in the court fines,
and other condemnations and various deposits which ought to enter into
the said treasury, and into the royal treasury and general depositary
in each case where it is concerned, there has been no way of forcing
the auditor Hieronimo de Legaspi to cease making the deposits with
various persons that they might have the profit thereof. For it is
plain and well known that as my occupation keeps me most of the time
encumbered with duties outside of the Audiencia, and often outside
of the city, in my absence these things are done, and others which
should not be. I attempt to correct them, although I do not hope for
amendment from the licentiate Legaspi in this matter of money and
other very unlawful things, ill-befitting his office and his age,
the illegal character of his acts eliciting many complaints which I
have received. I have received a memorial, a copy of which I send
with this, containing more than forty separate heads against him,
and offering proof of them--which, although they are not unknown
or secret things, it will be no little matter to prove against an
auditor while holding his office. Since I have given your Majesty at
other times an account of this person, although summarily, I shall not
say any more of him in this letter; yet more may be said concerning
both him and the auditor Alvaro de Messa. The latter is still in
[the convent of] Ssancto Domingo, stirring up trouble and revolution,
as is his nature, and making people jealous of me--sowing discord and
untrue and evil words to this end, and to destroy my reputation and
render null my services; and afterward to go back and gather them up
in sworn stat