reached
Cavite on the seventeenth of the present month, and reported that they
had no news of the said almiranta. This has been a very great loss and
one which has thrown this kingdom into almost incredible misery. The
return of the flagship has added to its wretchedness, because the
citizens have nothing from which to obtain money from Nueva Espana,
since their goods have not arrived there. The documents which were
sent in the flagship last year go in it again; and in this ship I send
duplicates, which your Majesty may give commands to be shown to you.

The matter of the payment of the Indian tributes was settled by the
Audiencia, by me, and by the archbishop and the religious orders,
in conformity with the directions given me by your Majesty. The
assessment which was made accompanies this letter; and therewith
will cease many wrongs which have been inflicted upon the natives,
and the encomenderos and collectors can satisfy their consciences,
if they desire. [_Marginal note_: "Let this section be filed with the
papers which gave occasion to it, and with the report which has been
sent, and let the whole be delivered to the fiscal."]

By a royal decree of your Majesty, dated October twenty-fifth of last
year, 1603, I was advised that your Majesty had given commands for
permission to be granted to the mariscal Graviel de Rivera that, in
spite of the fact that he has Indians in encomienda on these islands,
he may be permitted to live in the City of Mexico, where he is at
present, for two years, on condition that during that period he shall
maintain eight musketeers in this garrison at his own expense. I was
enjoined to fulfil this command and to see to it that the musketeers
should be serviceable men. On the part of the said mariscal, the
fulfilment of this decree was demanded, the aforesaid permission being
presented; and, although I answered the demand of the mariscal by
stating to him the condition of affairs in the island, I have thought
best to refer the matter to your Majesty. As soon as I arrived in these
islands to undertake my office, I was handed the instructions given
to the governor and captain-general who had previously filled them,
Don Francisco Tello de Guzman. By section 47 of these directions,
it was ordained and commanded that if, when the said Don Francisco
Tello should have arrived at Nueva Espana, the said mariscal should
not have returned to the said islands, his encomiendas should be
confiscated a