asury accountants of the City of Mexico have this year exceeded
their authority, contrary to the provisions of section 24 of the last
ordinances which your Majesty gave to the said treasury accountants,
and ordered them to observe, in the year 609. For the ordinances of
this royal Audiencia made in the year 1596 are in force--sections
67 and 69 of which treat of the manner in which the accounts of the
royal officials are to be audited; and section 29, of the powers
given to them for the exercise of their offices--and section 22 of
those given to the said accountants in the year of the foundation
of that tribunal, which was the year 1609; and the said section 24,
lastly, rules that after auditing the accounts in this Audiencia, they
shall be sent to Mexico, so that, having been examined, the officials
there may inform your Majesty of their opinion. Not heeding that,
they have, by extending their jurisdiction, rendered decisions against
the royal officials of this treasury in the review of their accounts,
and have added things to these, which [these royal officials], as they
do not bear them in mind, judge to be unnecessary. It can easily be
understood that since your Majesty, by the said section 24, ordered
these accounts to be audited here by the president, two auditors, and
the fiscal, because of the long distance to Mexico, they are not again
to be judged by an inferior tribunal; since these ministers are not to
be accused twice for one cause, nor even are additions to be lodged
against them, as those in Mexico do. Will your Majesty order them to
refrain from sending such despatches through their tribunals, without
having your Majesty's new commission for it, thus annulling the said
ordinances and sections. I assure your Majesty of what I can testify,
that the royal officials in few regions serve with greater fidelity
and trust than those here, with continual aid in the documents and
other things in their charge. [_In the margin_: "Have what the royal
officials write about this matter brought." "This section was copied."]

Your Majesty orders me to give you information as to how General
Rodrigo de Guillestegui, who is commander of the vessels that sail
to Nueva Espana this year, may be granted reward. According to his
good service here and his great capability, the future succession
[to the command] of this fort, or that to the post of master-of-camp,
will be very well entrusted to him.

I knew the master-of-camp, Do