he third decree the royal officials petition for the suppression
of the rule that was introduced in the time of Don Juan de Silva,
by which the royal officials should not pay anyone without an order
from the governor. Your Majesty orders me to observe toward them
their rights and instructions. What is done in my time is that the
royal officials adjust the accounts and issue warrants; but they are
not paid without my order. The reason therefor is that, because this
government has not one-half the money necessary to meet expenses
and debts--as well as the support of the infantry, the building of
ships, the repair of the fleets that guard these coasts, relief for
the Malucas and the island of Hermosa and other presidios--besides
inevitable things, it is necessary that the governor, who is charged
with all this, know how much money there is in the treasury, and that
he divide it so that it may not fail for the most necessary things,
If he trusted to the royal officials in this, without having a private
book of the receipts and disbursements of the treasury (as I have),
when he imagined that there was money for the reenforcements of the
infantry and the despatch of the fleets he would find nothing. If the
treasury were supplied, there would be enough for all, and the royal
officials by justifying the payments would be fulfilling their duties;
but since there is not more money than for one-half of what is needed,
and since we live by the art of enchantment, it is necessary that the
royal officials do not pay whomever they wish, but what is most urgent
and inevitable for the preservation of these kingdoms. Accordingly,
the measures introduced in this regard during the term of Don Juan
de Silva were very commendable and necessary. As it was so necessary
a thing, persons of great experience advised me of it even before I
had taken over the government, and experience shows me that it cannot
be dispensed with. [_In the margin_: "Take it to the fiscal." "The
fiscal says that after having considered the reasons written by the
governor, the practice which the latter declares has been followed,
and is followed, namely, of not permitting the royal officials to make
any payments from the royal treasury without his advice and decree,
can be tolerated; for in such cases the other viceroys and governors
are wont to provide the same, notwithstanding that it is ordered that
they allow the royal officials to perform their duties freely. Madrid,