unity. Your Majesty has much more interest
in that than in the duties on the investment and register, which
are of slight consideration to this treasury and to that of Mexico;
while it is of great interest to all the monarchy that so much silver
be not sent to China as was going every year from these kingdoms of
your Majesty. Since your royal decrees make so much of the harm that
would follow to those kingdoms and to all the monarchy from excesses
in these regions, I do not doubt that the decision to set aside the
[record of] investment for this year will be quite in accord with
its welfare and to your Majesty's pleasure. [_In the margin_: "Take
it to the fiscal." "The fiscal says that, in spite of the causes
mentioned by the governor in this section of his letter, he has
been notified from Mexico and various other places in regard to this
particular; and that the ships were laden with merchandise of great
value. Hence the omission of the register only served to defraud the
royal duties. Consequently, the governor should be censured for his
act and a greater demonstration [of displeasure] reserved for what
should result from his inspection and residencia from Mexico, that
being one of the matters referred to that city." "Let the decision
of the fiscal be followed; and advise the inspector of this, so that
he may charge those who are guilty."]

Not less attention has been paid to the government of the Indians
and natives of these provinces. I found them greatly oppressed and
harassed by the many burdens, assessments, and services that were
imposed on them for the service of your Majesty and the support of the
government employees and justices. In regard to this matter, I held
several conferences with the ecclesiastical prelates, the regulars,
and the seculars. At these were present your Majesty's fiscal, the
assessor of the government, and two encomenderos in the name of the
others, and I conferred with them on the most important points. Later,
with general consent, I made a new set of instructions and ordinances
concerning the justices and encomenderos. By them was prohibited under
heavy penalties whatever had been introduced that was harmful to the
Indians. An attested copy of certain points was given to the superiors
of the orders and to the ministers who are not regulars, of which it
seemed best that they should be notified at the same meeting. They were
strictly charged with the execution of those clauses; under pen