of all things sent back in the ships.  All settlements must be made on the shore, and a fort must be erected at some distance from the natives’ habitations, in which the articles for trade must be securely stowed.  No soldier shall be permitted, without leave, and under severe penalties “to go to the Indian settlements or enter their houses ... and no one shall take anything by force, in the camp or in the town, contrary to the will of the Indians where you shall have made peace.”  Men are to be appointed who shall attend to the buying of all provisions, “because not having knowledge of the products of the land, [your men] would buy more in accordance with appetite than with reason, where-from much damage would ensue, because the products of the land would be placed at a higher figure, and the value of the articles for barter ... would be lowered;” the prices for trafficking shall be assigned to these buyers and they must not go over them, but try to buy at a lower figure.  The trafficking of the merchandise shall be also in charge of experienced persons.  “You shall advise your men that, whenever they speak of the emperor, Our Lord, among the natives, they shall speak of his greatness, and how he is the greatest Lord of the earth, and that they have been sent by one of his captains of these regions.” (Nos. ii, iii, pp. 7-46.)

Puerto de Navidad, October 22, 1542.  Villalobos certifies before a notary that he has received from Juan de Villareal, Mendoza’s agent, “four ships, one small galley, and one fusta, [25] to wit:  the admiral’s ship, named ‘Santiago;’ the ‘San Jorge,’ ‘San Antonio,’ and ‘San Juan de Letran;’ the galley ‘San Christoval,’ and the fusta ’San Martin’—­with all equipment, ammunition, artillery, weapons, provisions, etc.,... in the name of his lordship [Mendoza] ... in order to go with the said vessels and with the soldiers of his most illustrious lordship, upon the pursuit and prosecution of the said voyage.”  He promises in full terms to carry out to the letter all instructions and to give true and complete accounts of everything to Mendoza or his agents.  This oath is attested in the form prescribed by the royal notary-public.  This same day the oath of obedience is taken by the captains and soldiers, and the pilots and seamen.  The oath taken by the captains is, in part, as follows:  “Your graces, captains Bernaldo de la Torre, Don Alonso Manrrique, Francisco Merino, Mathias de Alvarado, Pero Ortiz de Rueda, Christoval de Pareja, and gentlemen of this fleet, of which Rui Lopez de Villalobos goes as general for his most illustrious lordship, swear before God, Our Lord, and blessed Mary his Mother, on the holy words written in this book of the holy gospels, and on this sign of the cross [on which each one of them placed his right hand] that, as good, faithful, and Catholic Christians, you promise and pledge your faith and word, and homage as knights and nobles, by right, of Spain, once, twice, and thrice, to be faithful and obedient, and to hold