yourself in all matters as I expect from your person."]

30th. In regard to preferring one's relatives, I have thus far not
done anything that is not strictly in accordance with your Majesty's
service. Two companies are under one of my cousins and a cousin
of my wife, because of their many years of service when I gave
those companies to them. One of them I entrusted with the office
of alcalde-mayor in a place where he was, for an interim of four
days. Outside of that I remember nothing more in this particular.

I shall not neglect to tell your Majesty what occurs to me in this
matter, so that you may take what measures in it are deemed fitting:
namely, that eight out of ten of the influential men that come here
come with the governors, and the other two in various ways and through
various causes, and with honorable intents. Of those other and common
men who came to retail what they bought there [_i.e._, in Espana],
those who established a place in order to gamble, and those who came
under sentence (and these men are numerous), some, because of having
acquired money, try to imitate the men of rank and merits here. Of
a truth there are many of the latter to esteem, and I shall do it,
employing each one as he deserves and for what he is suitable. For
that reason, however, it is not advisable that the number of the
influential, good and useful men should not continue to increase. I
assure your Majesty that not a few of those whom I brought with me
were such, and some of them of qualities no less excellent than those
above mentioned possess. I believe that their deeds will remain and
testify as to that.

[_Marginal note_: "Observe in this matter what has been written
you; and whenever there is any occasion for any of these persons to
be employed, advise us of their qualities, and answer will be made
regarding them. In the meantime, furnish a good example, in your good
life, discipline, and manner of governing, so that the other people,
imitating you, may live as is proper and may obey and observe the
commands given them." _In another hand_: "It is well."]

31st. The deeds of Don Luis Fajardo, my brother, will, I trust in God,
judging from the road that he is taking, merit not only the honor
and favor that your Majesty has given him, with the pay of thirty
[pesos?] that he now enjoys (for which we both kiss your royal feet
in all humility and acknowledgment), if not even greater favors,
such as we his brothers receive a