to offices—­and to this end a sufficient salary is paid you to enable you to support them—­and also it is not right that those who go last should profit by the sweat of another’s labor.  Moreover, if rewards are dealt out where they are due, all will serve assiduously, as they will hope to attain like rewards.  My will is that this order be observed, and that it be kept so rigidly, that, now and henceforth, the said sons, brothers, and servants of yours are declared incapable of holding the said encomiendas and offices.  Inasmuch as certain men who already hold encomiendas in the said islands and have therein a sufficiency of what they need, are begging for further bounty, you are advised not to grant them anything more, until many others have been provided and rewarded with encomiendas and other posts and rewards.  These others, as I have been informed, are as old residents, and as meritorious as they, and have performed many more services in conquering and maintaining the country than those who are begging now; and yet they have not been rewarded.  On this account they are poor, irritated, and querulous.  However, if when any good repartimiento falls vacant, you think it advisable to grant it to one who, because he has an encomienda already, deserves it less, you may do it, providing you deprive him of the one he had before, so that you may grant it in the form above stated.

You shall provide for and reward all these men, according to the seniority, merits, and capacity of each one.  You shall prefer such men to any others who do not possess these requisites, in the said allotment of encomiendas and governmental and military positions, and all other rewards of the country.  I charge and order you to observe the same in regard to commissions and appointments on land and sea, particularly in the appointment of masters and officials of vessels; for, the grant will be made to those who have worked, and deserve the appointment, and will give hope to the others, and, will persuade those who are absent to return.  Thus the country will be settled and will grow, your government will be so much more mild and easy, and a condition of general and individual happiness will exist.

As I was informed that it would be desirable not to allow Chinese or other foreign vessels to sell at retail the merchandise that they might bring to the said islands, or those of the country to buy them, publicly or secretly, under heavy penalties, it was resolved that as many persons of the requisite qualifications as were necessary should be deputed and chosen to purchase the said merchandise in the bulk.  They were to buy at wholesale all the goods brought in the ships, and afterward to distribute them to the Spanish, Chinese, and Indian inhabitants justly and fairly, at the cost price.  Now, since in regard to this matter, I ordered the said Gomez Perez, in his instructions, to enact what he judged fitting, without allowing anyone except those assigned by his orders, to go to the