tance. After the expedition,
I would have vacated my office and would have prepared to go to give
your Majesty an account of many things of importance to your royal
service, but I have neglected to do so, because there are no judges
in the Audiencia. Licentiate Madrid y Luna is ready to go in one of
the trading ships to serve in his position as alcalde of the court of
Mexico. Doctor Juan Manuel de la Vega has been sick for four months,
and small hopes are had of his recovery. Two new auditors are expected
(who are known to be in Nueva Espana) on the ships of this year. When
they shall have arrived, it will necessarily take some days for them
to understand the affairs of government and the form of procedure of
the Audiencia. Since I think that I shall serve your Majesty in this,
I shall delay here no longer than is absolutely necessary for the
Audiencia to fulfil its obligations, and so that your Majesty may be
better served.

With the grace shown me by your Majesty in permitting me to go to
Espana, I shall not enjoy my salary as auditor from the day that I
shall cease to serve in this post. Consequently I shall not be able
to live in accordance with the quality of my person and the posts
that I have held. In remuneration of twenty-nine years of service
(twenty-four of them in the Indias)--and no favors have been granted
me for the offices of president and captain-general, and the successful
outcome of the difficulties that I experienced therein--I petition your
Majesty to grant me the reward of certain pensions equivalent to the
salary taken from me, or what reward your Majesty may be pleased to
order given me, which will be in excess of what my services can merit.

The persons who have served best on this occasion, and who merit
rewards from your Majesty, are: first, the general Don Juan Rronquillo
del Castillo, who assisted at Cavite, from the first of November of
last year, in the repair and preparation of this fleet, until he
sailed from the port with it and fought the flagship of the enemy
and defeated and sank it--and, according to what the prisoners say,
it will be incredible in Olanda that there is sufficient force in the
Philipinas to have defeated this galleon; next, Captain Don Diego de
Quinones, for the service rendered to your Majesty by him in resisting
the enemy--first, at his entrance to the town of Oton (where the Dutch
disembarked with six hundred men); then, after killing and wounding
many men with