October 24, 1518.  Magallanes writes the king enumerating and amplifying certain information and requests concerning the fleet, contained in a letter written by him to his majesty on the fifteenth of the same month.  This letter had been despatched by a post sent by the House of Trade.  Besides giving a full account of the preparations of the fleet, [206] it begs that the balance of the 16,000 ducats, “without which we cannot finish” be provided; and that the 5,400 ducats lacking be taken from the 11,000 ducats in the house.  He asks also an increase of the 3,000 ducats for merchandise, “since the profits accruing therefrom might be twenty-fold, estimating conservatively; and therefore I desired all the gain to be your Highness’s.”  Also, he asks that the officials pay for the armament, weapons, and powder of the fleet, which have been paid out of the 16,000 ducats, but which the king was to provide.  He complains of the antagonism of the officials at Seville, relating a serious conflict that had taken place two days before.  He had caused his banners, bearing his arms to be flung from one of the vessels.  The Spaniards, incited thereto, claimed that they were those of the King of Portugal, and attempted to arouse sentiment against him and cause his arrest.  This evil treatment, in which he did not receive the aid and countenance of the officials, he says, was not done to him “as Fernando de Magallanes, but as your highness’s Captain.” [207] (No. vii, pp. 124-127.)

March 30, 1519.  By a royal decree Luis de Mendoza is appointed treasurer of the fleet, and 60,000 maravedis are assigned as his annual salary during the voyage.  Juan de Cartagena is appointed inspector-general, “and he shall exercise the duties of that trust in accordance with the instructions [q. v. post] given him under the King’s signature.”  He is to receive “70,000 maravedis from the time of the departure of the fleet from Spain until its return.”  The latter is also appointed “Captain of the third ship of the fleet of Fernando Magallanes and Rui Falero,” “with an annual salary of 40,000 maravedis.” (Nos. viii-x, [208] pp. 127, 128.)

April 6, 1519.  Gaspar de Quesada is appointed “Captain of the fourth or fifth ship of the fleet in the expedition of discovery of the spice regions, and Antonio Coca accountant, who shall have account of everything contained in the ships, giving note of everything to the Treasurer.”  The latter is to receive 50,000 maravedis a year. (Nos. xi, xii, pp. 128, 129.) [209]

Barcelona, May 5, 1519.  A letter from the king to the “officials of the House of Trade of the Indies” states that there are to be two hundred and thirty-five men [210] in the fleet, and orders, “because calculation would have to be made for them in the provisioning and in other things, if there were a greater number,” “that they do not allow, or give place in the said fleet, for any reason whatsoever, for more than the two hundred and thirty-five