I advise you of this so
that the service which he has rendered, the time spent, the danger of
the expedition, and the risk that he personally ran, may be known,
so that the reward may be conformable to that and not to the favor
which the governor extends to him and the claim which he makes. For
he dares not ask to have investigations made in the Audiencia, nor
should an opinion be given in it as your Majesty orders by the royal
decrees; for it is not known in the royal Council how little he did,
that it was not a service of such importance as to demand more reward
than what he held in the first encomienda.

All the welfare of this land, for its maintenance and the prosperity
of those who reside in it, lies in the cargoes of the ships which
are despatched to Nueva Espana, with which your Majesty favors the
citizens of this city and the settlers. I assure your Majesty with
the truth that I desire to employ, that much wrong is done them,
and that the ships are laded for the dependents and connections of
the governor, by which they are benefited with great riches; and
the same thing is done by the commanders and admirals who come from
Mexico, who, as they are persons from the household of the viceroy,
are the ones who get the benefit. The governor will not allow the
Audiencia to interfere in this; and thus the persons to whom this
favor was extended suffer, and those enjoy it who were prohibited
from doing so, and counted undeserving. I communicate this, that
your Majesty may be pleased to order it corrected; for it is a matter
which affects all with much grief and resentment. [_In the margin_:
"No answer to be given, for suitable provision has already been made."]

The plan which appears suitable for this (which I humbly beseech may be
looked into, according to my desire) is what your Majesty has commanded
by his royal decree--that there should be sent each year to the Council
a report of what is laded in the ships, and to what person it belongs;
and this is not done. In order that this should be carried out, it is
expedient that an auditor should be sent by the royal Audiencia--and
not by the governor, as that is not fitting--who should take, on the
oath of a notary, account of everything which enters in the ship,
nothing being laded without his presence and supervision. In this
manner the freighting will be justly done without the freighters
who are appointed having a chance to sell the tonnage, as they do
today. Thus