by the governor.

This demand was curtly rejected by Montalvo, who appears to have been a
stickler for dignity and technical rights. Thereupon De Rojas made
appeal to the King, coupling the appeal with a detailed and bitter
arraignment of the governor and an impeachment of his integrity. This
seems to have impressed the king deeply, for he presently decided the
controversy in favor of his own treasurer. He sent word to the governor
that thereafter he should not inspect or even visit ships, but should
leave that whole business in the hands of the royal treasurer. The
advantage thus gained was mercilessly pressed by the Rojas family, with
the purpose of compelling the retirement of Montalvo. They accused him
of employing for his own private work slaves belonging to the crown and
intended for employment on La Fuerza and other public works. They
charged him specifically with having made Bartolome Morales a notary for
a consideration of five hundred ducats; a transaction the evil of which
consisted not in selling the appointment for cash, but in selling it for
so little to a favored friend when it might have been sold to someone
else for twice as much. Finally he was accused of corruption and
maladministration in connection with La Fuerza, in that he had appointed
friends to places at exorbitant salaries, and that he had ignored the
suggestions of the royal officials in completing the plans of the fort.

These charges were serious, and there is reason to think that some of
them, at least, were true. The Rojas family made them and repeated them
to the king, again and again, until that monarch was constrained to
remark that the time seemed to be near at hand when an investigation
would have to be ordered, and Montalvo's administration be brought to a
close. Nevertheless the king's favorable disposition toward Montalvo was
potent, and prevailed. The governor had been appointed, as was the
custom, for the specific term of four years, reckoned from the date of
his appointment and not of his actual assumption of office, and the king
delayed calling for an investigation until the four years were so nearly
expired that they would be entirely filled out by the time the
investigation was completed and a new governor was ready to take the
place.

The order for the investigation was given in February, 1577, and at the
same time, on February 13, Captain Francisco Carreno was named to
succeed Montalvo as governor. The investigation was