r in money, as they chose, your order has been observed
hitherto. Experience has shown that the carrying of this measure
farther means the ruin of the country; for since the Indian sees
that he can pay his tribute with ten reals, which he makes in one
day's gain, all the rest of the year he makes merry and spends his
time in idleness and leisure, drunkenness and _magabalijas_, which
are his sources of income. Therefore they do not sow their fields,
raise animals, or weave their cloth, or cultivate the fruits of the
earth. On this account no rice is found, nor one mata or lampote, [11]
which is worth more than three from China. There is no cotton, wax,
gold, or other article of exchange; and all the trade here in these
things has been lost, as well as the great cheapness of these things
when the Indians paid their tribute in produce, and not as they might
choose. When it became evident that the country was falling into ruin,
and the pressure brought to bear by the encomenderos in opposition to
the religious orders, and the injuries and annoyances resulting from
this method of collecting the tribute were seen, it was determined
that it should be collected in produce, as your Majesty will see by
the resolution taken there. Therefore we shall collect the tribute
in accordance with this decision, until your Majesty shall be pleased
to order otherwise.

The bishop of Malaca wrote me the letter that I enclose herewith. And
although I answered him so briefly, and without making a decision
(as you will see by the enclosed copy of the letter), because I
did not like to say what I thought without first consulting your
Majesty, now, because of some news and information given me in
regard to matters of the commerce and navigation of those regions
and of these, I lay before your Majesty, in the enclosed paper, the
drawbacks and advantages on either side that I find in this matter,
so that, after examining them, your Majesty may be pleased to order
in all these matters what is most suitable.

I have written to your Majesty concerning the great annoyances
resulting from the unsuitable marriages of widows and minors, who are
wealthy encomenderas of this country. It is a fact that within the last
few days, three cases of very great inequality and irregularity have
occurred in the marriages of the widows of very respectable captains,
with an income of more than four or five thousand pesos. One of them
was of advanced age, and quite unfi