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iven by your Majesty to the governor to declare all encomiendas vacant in which the rule of succession shall have been transgressed. Then since some of them are in the hands of deserving persons, in spite of the improper way in which they have been obtained, they may be regranted; while many others will remain unassigned and open for granting to soldiers who have served, but who remain in poverty and almost in despair of ever receiving a reward. The only reward in these islands is the encomiendas; and, as they are perpetuated in the way described, one is never vacated except in very unusual circumstances--unusual, that is, for this country. Here, for a woman to be of advanced age is not enough to prevent her marriage, so much is the succession to her encomienda coveted. The reason for failing to institute proceedings against all these people is, that they are in possession; and if proceedings follow the law of Malinas the cases can take no less time than would be consumed if your Majesty were to command them to be declared vacant, as I suggest. As for those which have been vacated during my term of office, I have begun to put a stop to this improper custom, and shall continue to do so until I am informed of your Majesty's commands. It is desirable that these be sent very promptly and clearly, since correction of this evil will be rendered very difficult if there is any uncertainty. The same illegality occurs in another way: an encomendero dies, and is succeeded by his wife; if she marries and has children, these have succeeded her, and even, when they are married, their wives or husbands succeed them. This is contrary to the statute that the succession shall end with the wife of the first encomendero. For all this your Majesty will make suitable provision. By a section in a letter from your Majesty to Don Pedro de Acuna, late governor of these islands, your Majesty commands that the wine for celebrating mass which was provided to religious in charge of the instruction of Indians on private encomiendas shall not be given by the royal exchequer. This decree has caused resentment on the part of those concerned. They instituted legal proceedings against the execution of the command, claiming that the previous usage should prevail, and affirming that the wine is thus furnished in Mexico and Piru. I presented decrees showing that this is a grant made by your Majesty to the religious of those provinces for a limited time;
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