this was done.  In consequence of this, he likewise forbade that any island or any province whatsoever where there were cloves, cinnamon, or other spices should be assigned in encomiendas.  Accordingly, from that time on, the transportation of spices by private persons to Nueva Espana was cut off.  All this with the lapse of time, and the interest of certain persons, has been neglected, so that, it is understood, a great quantity of spice is taken to Nueva Espana every year.

23.  The other expedient which occurs to me is that the income from silk to the kingdom of Granada is registered as seventy-two millions, with the condition that no twisted or loose silk can be taken to the Yndias, which does not come from the said kingdom—­although, indeed, to fill up this quantity, there is sometimes added silk from the kingdom of Murcia and Andalucia; but it passes through the custom-house of Granada, pays its duties, and is sealed there.  In order that there may be no fraud in this, there is in Sevilla an administrator and a commissioned judge, who is ordinarily one of the alcaldes of the criminal court of the royal Audiencia.  From the kingdom of China a quantity of crude silk is brought in bundles to these islands, and is taken to Nueva Espana, where it is woven into fabrics, and part of it is dyed.  This silk is usually worth in this city a hundred and fifty pesos, although at present it sells at two hundred and forty pesos a pico.

From the transportation of this silk the royal exchequer suffers the following losses.  In the first place, the silks brought from Castilla, whether woven or loose, are worth less; and accordingly the royal duties do not amount to so much.  In the second place, there are not so many silks brought as would come if these were lacking.  Although these pay duties, there is a loss in this, as duties are not so great as those from Castilla pay.  Crude silk is neither necessary nor useful for ordinary maintenance or support; and accordingly it seems best that your Majesty should, if such be your pleasure, obviate these losses which are occurring, and obtain satisfaction for them in some way and meet the great expenses which you have here.  Your Majesty should leave liberty, as you always have done, for your vassals to trade in all merchandise with China in all kinds of goods; but should have monopolized and forbidden this trade in crude silk, commanding that no ship which comes from China shall neglect to bring five picos of crude silk, which is a very small quantity.  They should be paid a reasonable price for it.  In this way there would be the profit which they make in bringing it from China here, whence it is sent to Mexico; and, sold at retail, there will be the profit on it of four hundred per cent.  There come usually from China to this city thirty ships and some years fifty, so that the profit on this would be large; and there would remain to the citizens of these islands a great deal of merchandise with which to trade, without their