f the
tenth, so that after examination in my royal Council of the Yndias,
the most advisable measures may be enacted.

You say also that, inasmuch as you found Don Bernardino de Sande
very poor, you were unable to collect from him the proceeds of the
encomienda of Baratao, in accordance with the writ issued by my
royal Council of the Yndias. In consideration of this, and because
he had served well, you say that you left him in possession of the
encomienda, providing that he annually put one-third of the income
arising from it into my treasury. Also, that you have allotted the
other villages that he occupies in La Laguna of that city to Don Juan
Ronquillo and Don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Ballesteros in equal portions,
as a reward for their services; and that likewise you have appointed
Captain Gomez de Machuca (who is a very meritorious person) to the
post of treasurer, with a salary of five hundred pesos, until the
owner of the office should arrive. All of the above is well done.

Likewise you say that one section of your instructions orders that
while the soldiers draw pay they may not trade, as such a thing would
distract them from their military duty; and that although this is
right, you think that they might be permitted to invest two or three
hundred pesos, because of their great poverty and as an aid to its
alleviation. This would not embarrass them, and you would not allow
it to distract them. In consideration of this, I endorse what you
say. Therefore you may tolerate this in them to the above amount.

You wrote me from Mexico what you repeat in your latest letters--that,
in order to be able to ensure respectable soldiers going to those
islands, it would be advisable to permit the soldiers who go there to
return to Nueva Spana, or wherever their wives or business interests
were, after several years' service, or if necessary business arose,
or if they were, as some are, married; for, as it is seen that they
are not permitted to leave those islands, none but mestizos and
people of little account go there. After discussing this matter,
it was determined to refer it to you, as I do now, in order that you
may act as you may consider most advisable; but so that there may be
no lack of the people necessary in that country.

The suit that you mention between the bishop and the encomenderos in
regard to the tithes, has not yet arrived here. As soon as it comes,
it will be examined, and necessary steps will be taken.

I