, Don
Fray Pedro de Arce, bishop of the city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus,
and governor of this archbishopric, advised me that he heard that
certain persons were losing the respect due the college of Santa
Potenciana, of which your Majesty is patron. I replied to him that
I would immediately come to this city to procure the most suitable
remedy. Although I did so immediately without loss of time, I found
that Licentiate Legazpi, resolving quickly upon such notice as he
had, entered the said college and began to make investigations. He
examined witnesses on whom he used tortures. Upon seeing this case
already in this state, and considering the scandal and dishonor of
that royal house and of the guilty persons, it was judged necessary
for want of another remedy more honorable and private, to punish the
criminals as an example. Accordingly, by employing great diligence,
I had them arrested; and the master-of-camp, Don Geronimo de Silba,
having judged one of them in the first instance, by name Captain
Juan Lemoedano, and sentenced him to the gallows, he appealed to me;
but I have not been able as yet to examine his case because of lack
of the time necessary for it. The case of another, namely, Captain
Don Fernando Becerra, against whom there is apparently less proof,
has not yet been sentenced by the said master-of-camp, for he is
yet hearing evidence in it. From the investigations of this, guilt
is found against Don Juan Manuel de la Vega, ex-commander of the
ships of this line to Nueva Espana (son of Doctor Manuel de la Vega,
ex-auditor of this Audiencia), whom, according to the sufficient proof,
I ought and do condemn to be beheaded and his head exposed to [public]
view, and to the loss of one-half of his property. Nor is there any
necessity, for this [severity], to collect the evidence in the suit
brought against him for the loss of the galleon "San Marcos." He
was commander of that vessel when Don Juan Ronquillo fought with the
fleet of these islands against that of the Dutch at Playa Honda. He
appealed from this sentence to the royal Audiencia, where the case is
now proceeding--very slowly, because of the superfluous justification
that he is presenting. This has been an affair where it is desirable to
manifest great rigor; for otherwise the other correction that I have
tried to apply for the honor and defense of this royal house will not
be sufficient. On the contrary it would be a damaging precedent, so
that others m