e governor who does
not attend to it in person, but entrusts it to some one else whom he
supposes to be trustworthy, does not comply with the dictates of his
conscience or with the obligations of his office. Notwithstanding
that your Majesty has royal officials to whom this task pertains,
I have thanked God that I had begun to render this service to your
Majesty before I could know your wishes, and whether you had commanded
such action. Now that I know what you desire, I will carry it out
more expeditiously; for here in the Yndias I need only to show the
orders of your Majesty, in order to defend myself from the jealousy
and complaints of your vassals, and with these they respect and obey
me better. I follow my natural inclination in obeying, as a Christian
and a loyal vassal, the orders and commands which your Majesty shall
be pleased to give me. [_Marginal note_: "Seen."]

6. In another decree, dated May 4 of the same year, your Majesty
commands that, on account of the losses which have resulted therefrom,
I shall not allow the trade and commerce of the Portuguese with
these islands, so that the Chinese trade may not be broken off. I
shall obey this very punctually, according to its tenor. Judging
that this very thing which your Majesty commands was best, I had,
before receiving the decree, sent advices to the city of Macan that
they must not send any merchandise to these islands; and that only one
ship could come from Macan, which should bring some anchors, muskets,
and arquebuses, of which these islands are in great need. Although
when I came here I found three of their ships in the port, this year
only one has come; and hereafter this commerce will be dispensed with,
inasmuch as it will not be expedient to send [to Macan] for anything
save what the Chinese cannot bring--such as anchors and firearms,
which often get broken. But in everything which shall not be expedient
for your Majesty's service I shall prevent the Portuguese from coming
to this port, or to any other, to trade with the Castilians. With the
welcome and kind treatment which has been shown to the said Chinese
thirty-three of their little ships have come this year, and have
brought so great a quantity of merchandise that your Majesty's vassals
have not for many years past seen stuffs so cheap. This has been caused
by receiving them hospitably, treating them well, and despatching their
affairs graciously and promptly; and by not allowing the officers of