to return the thirds which it had received. On
this basis, it is better that things should continue as they are. I
have arranged that if they should be vacated they may be sold; for
the demands upon the treasury are many. If this plan shall receive
your approbation I shall bring the cases to a conclusion; if not,
I shall suspend them until your Majesty gives such commands as are
most for the good of your service. When these notaryships have been
resigned they have brought eight hundred pesos, and latterly one
thousand two hundred. They are now worth more than three thousand,
so that with a single one it would be possible to pay everything due
for the thirds on all. This will remedy something of the much which
requires remedy. The same thing can be done with the clerkships of
registry, which will be worth more than eight thousand; and with
those of probate and of the estates of deceased persons, which will
be worth another good sum; and they have all been given for nothing.

It has been very unfortunate that the funds which your Majesty has
commanded and decreed to be set aside for special objects have been
employed for other purposes. This has been especially the case with
the fund for prebends and for the payment of troops, which should
be performed with the utmost regularity. I have done all I could
to put this in order; but since the current from the past was very
strong it was impossible to accomplish my purpose. The reason given
was that one fund ought to aid another. The evils resulting are
serious; for both ecclesiastics and soldiers perform their service,
and all they get is nothing but poverty. Hence they lament with reason
that their salaries are not paid to them. This is a reason that the
soldiers are wretched and poor, some of them going about begging for
alms. An attempt will be made to correct this when new officials of
your exchequer enter their offices; and more certainly your Majesty
will provide relief in this direction, so that the soldiers' pay may
not fall into arrears. If the Audiencia had not assumed authority to
set apart in the treasury the money which came [from Mexico] during
the preceding year, one thousand six hundred and five, for persons
who had died in previous years in the war with the Sangleys and in
other conflicts, to be used to pay the soldiers, it would have been
a very great misfortune. With this the matter was set right, and the
pay has been kept up; but your Majesty has been obl