It is very advisable and necessary for the Indians to have a protector and defender, as is the case in Piru and Nueba Spana.  And since, as you say, the bishop, to whom I had entrusted it, is unable to attend to the affairs, acts, and judicial procedures which require personal attention, you, as governor, shall appoint the said defender and protector, to whom you shall assign a suitable salary.  This salary shall be paid from the tributes of the Indians, distributed proportionally among those assigned to my crown and those allotted to private individuals, without at all infringing for this purpose upon my moneys that proceed from other sources.  Notwithstanding this, you are to understand that the bishop is not to be deprived of the general superintendence of the protection of the said Indians.

You report that, upon your arrival at those islands, you found that the Indians of Sirean, Yllocos, and Cagayan were paying ten reals, and had been doing so since the tribute was imposed, because, as they were more wealthy, heavier tribute was imposed on them than on the others.  You say that you are in doubt, because your instructions state that the tribute of eight reals is to be increased and raised to ten, whether you are to understand that all the tributes are to be raised two reals; for if so, then those who formerly paid ten must now pay twelve, just as those who were paying eight now pay ten.  Inasmuch as the intention was that all the tributes should be raised two reals, you shall order that those Indians who were paying ten reals shall pay twelve, now and henceforth.  You shall adjust this with the mildest possible means.

Respecting the duties that are to be paid on the gold dug in those islands—­about which you say there has been a dispute, since the former fiscal of the Audiencia there claimed that it should be the fifth, while the city contradicted him, and petitioned that it be but the tenth—­you shall endeavor, conveniently and mildly, now and henceforth to introduce the fifth, since it is the right that pertains to me.  If you shall encounter in this great difficulties and annoyances, you shall leave the matter in its present shape.  You shall advise me of the condition of the country and the mines, and the annual amount of the said fifth, based on the present value of the tenth, so that after examination in my royal Council of the Yndias, the most advisable measures may be enacted.

You say also that, inasmuch as you found Don Bernardino de Sande very poor, you were unable to collect from him the proceeds of the encomienda of Baratao, in accordance with the writ issued by my royal Council of the Yndias.  In consideration of this, and because he had served well, you say that you left him in possession of the encomienda, providing that he annually put one-third of the income arising from it into my treasury.  Also, that you have allotted the other villages that he occupies in La Laguna of that city to Don Juan Ronquillo and Don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Ballesteros in equal portions, as a reward for their services; and that likewise you have appointed Captain Gomez de Machuca (who is a very meritorious person) to the post of treasurer, with a salary of five hundred pesos, until the owner of the office should arrive.  All of the above is well done.