ter for your
Majesty to order that the posts be given to their sons and brothers,
who are the persons for whom they desire them, although those men do
not have the merits that are requisite for such places. If they had
the merits, it would not be necessary for such men to try to get them.

_Origin of the above complaints and others like them_

12. It is a foregone conclusion, Sire, in the Yndias more than in other
regions, that he who shall govern uprightly will have many rivals;
for those who generally come hither come with the desire to hoard up
riches. That is the cause which draws them from their native place;
but, as wealth is not obtained sometimes as quickly as they would
wish, they become resentful. As it is quite natural for mean people
to attribute more to themselves than they deserve, nothing satisfies
them; and they spend all their time envying what is given to others,
and crying down their services and merits, and complaining of the
government, by murmuring openly against him who has it in charge,
and accusing him with innumerable testimonials. Some of the inferior
officials among those whom your Majesty has in the Yndias do not
avoid doing this. Such men desire that their posts be extended in
authority and profit--in authority not for the honor, for one does not
concern himself about that in the Yndias; but for the profit, which
forms their desire and fixed purpose. For if, perchance, there is a
servant, relative, or follower to whom is not given all that such an
official wishes, and whenever he wishes, and as quickly as he wishes,
the friendship is immediately broken, and the royal service pays for
it, for such a minister no longer is inclined to it, and only tries to
cause it trouble, and to work against whatever the governor proposes.

_Efforts which have been made to quiet complaints_

13. Knowing this by the experience of four years of government,
I have taken all possible measures to regulate as well as possible
these malcontents; but since the limits of my duty to God and to your
Majesty cannot be overstepped, however much I have desired and tried
to please them, I have learned that I am very backward, and that
they are accusing me by innumerable testimonials. I petition your
Majesty to rest assured that I am serving you with great devotion and
with the desire of succeeding in what I owe to my birth. The royal
revenues are spent with great circumspection, as will be seen by
the accounts