is sent from Nueva España is so meager, and the expenses here are so
great, the governors my predecessors were obliged to take, by way of
loan, all that sum on different occasions. For the same reason I have
not been able during my term, to repay it, nor do I hope to be able
to do so, unless your Majesty order that sum to be sent from or paid
in Nueva España on a separate account, in consideration of the fact
that it is property of parties who are suffering, and, most of all, the
goods of deceased persons. I give this information to your Majesty, as
to the master and sovereign of it, and for the relief of my conscience.



_Fourth point of the letter_


The office of the notary of government and war which became
vacant by the death of Captain Pedro Alvarez, was put at auction
and adjudged to the heaviest bidder, who was Pedro de Heredia,
governor of Terrenate. He bought it and placed it under charge of
one of his sons. It was knocked down for the value of fifty-four
thousand pesos--ten thousand to be paid on the spot, in reals,
another ten thousand from his pay, and the thirty-four thousand
remaining in the pay-warrants of various persons. It seems to have
been a sale of importance for the services of your Majesty. And in
order to avoid the suits which the secretaries of government have
had with the governors my predecessors, as to whether that office
should include the secretaryship of the permits to the Sangleys and
the inspection of the Chinese ships (which are special commissions
of the governor), and in order to avoid suits with my successors,
I ordered that in the sale of that office it be made a condition that