Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 04).djvu/96

92 Silver"—all in a box directed to the viceroy of Nueva España, so that it may be sent to your Majesty. It may be, as I believe, that, in the accounts of the officials of your Majesty's royal treasury, I also have not fulfilled well the duty of accountant, as is done at court. I humbly beg your Majesty that these faults may be pardoned, and that I may be advised of them, so that in the future my work may be more correct. When these ships are despatched, I shall begin to examine the accounts of last year, and shall send them by the first ship. I shall set down fully in these your Majesty's actual income here. I do not venture to send it with the other papers but will send it by itself. The only data accompanying this letter are in a statement of the money paid into the treasury last year, 1575; and I hope, God helping, that this amount will soon increase.

124. Because, as I have said, this year's ship from Nueva España was lost, will your Majesty please order new copies of all the papers sent in it.

125. Your Majesty sent me twelve magistracy titles for the regidores of this city, with a decree. I gave them to those magistrates whom I found living here, who numbered five, seven having died before my arrival, counting one who had become a friar. Therefore I guided myself by the precedent that there should be twelve. In addition to these five, there are the three officials of this royal exchequer, which makes the number eight; a high-constable of the city, who was already provided, and him I have left undisturbed; one Antonio Alvarez, one Franciso Bañon, and one Marcos de Herrera who are among the earliest settlers. The truth of the matter is that we would better not discuss these magistracies