Sixth:  It is necessary, on the arrival of the said five hundred soldiers, at the said islands, to effect immediately the purpose for which they were brought—­namely, to subjugate, settle, and explore both the said island of Luzon, and those regions nearest China:  the Japans, the Lequios, and the island of Escauchu; this is a very important matter.  It is necessary that your Majesty should send us workmen, masters to build ships and galleys, locksmiths, and blacksmiths to the number of fifty.  For all of these workmen your Majesty, if he so please, could take the negro slaves whom your Majesty has on the fortifications of Habana, considering that the fortifications are finished now, and the men are no longer needed there.

Seventh:  When the said fifty workmen have arrived, considering in these islands the great plenty and abundance of wood, iron, and other materials most necessary for building the said ships, the said workmen should build three or four vessels each year, so that the trip can be made from Nueva Espana to the said islands and return, with two fleets.  Likewise from the larger islands can be made voyages of discovery, subjugation, and colonization, and thus ascertain thoroughly the secret of the so great riches and trade possessed by the said islands, in order that your Majesty may be best served in everything.  I beseech and supplicate this, and especially that your Majesty be pleased to provide promptly everything thus requested—­seeing that delays might cause bad results, because of the small number of the Spaniards, and the great work to be done at present in this island of Luzon; and because those here deserve all the reward and kind succor that your Majesty may extend to them.

Juan Pacheco Maldonado

Encomiendas Forbidden to Royal Officials

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-sixth day of May, one thousand five hundred and seventy-six, the very illustrious doctor, Francisco de Sande, governor and captain-general for his Majesty of these islands of the West, and auditor of his royal Audiencia established in the City of Mexico in Nueba Espana, declared that it is an encumbrance and damage to the royal treasury for his Majesty’s officials to hold encomiendas of Indians; and, as such, his Majesty has forbidden this by laws, and recently in a letter which his Majesty wrote to the said officials in the year seventy-four, in which it appears they ask from him permission to own Indians.  In this letter there is a paragraph of the following tenor: 

“As for what you ask concerning repartimientos of Indians—­namely, that favor be granted you, because you have served as discoverers of these islands—­such a thing has appeared to us unsuitable, considering your offices; and therefore there is no good reason for acceding to your request in this matter.  In other affairs, there will be occasion for granting you rewards (and you will bring it to mind when you send to our Council of the Indies reports of what has been in your charge), and when it has been seen in what ways you have served.  The same will be done in regard to increase in your salaries.  Madrid, April twenty-five, one thousand five hundred and seventy-four.”