It must be taken into consideration that each auditor or fiscal brings with him, his household, wife, children, and relatives, who are drawn by the idea of coming to the Yndias, and has other creatures and connections; and for one and all of them he must procure aid and favor so that they may become rich; for this is the aim and intention with which they come here.  Accordingly, although your Majesty has commanded that the livings and offices of these islands be given to the old citizens and those deserving of these rewards, the auditors and their wives bring it about that the said relatives, dependents, and other persons whom they bring with them are the first to be provided for.  If the governors do not consent to this, the auditors dislike them, and seek means and expedients whereby the worthy persons to whom the said offices and livings are given shall not be received therein.  Accordingly the governors, in order not to displease the auditors, give up their claims and dare not insist upon them.

The said creatures and connections of the said auditors trade and traffic a great deal in merchandise from China; and the citizens complain that it is with the auditors’ money (their own, or borrowed), and that with the favor they receive they cause great injury to the commonwealth, for they take up the whole cargo.  They desire to be preferred therein, and in buying the cloth, and in every other way, try to take advantage.  If the president wishes to remedy this they do not cease to offer him little annoyances; for the auditors know how to magnify themselves, in such a manner that they give one to understand that any one of them is greater than he; and they attain this by saying that what the president and governor does they can cancel, and that what the auditors decree has no appeal, recourse, or redress.

This country is not at peace but at war; and it is therefore more fitting for the time being to attend particularly to military affairs and to the government, for our defense, than to keep courts of high justice.  For in countries so new the rigor of the law should not be applied in all cases; and, when some punishment must be applied, they say that it shall not be done, and are of no use except to undo what the governor and captain-general orders (as well in matters of war as of government), although these things may be quite just.

All the resources of this land are scanty, but if there is anything good the auditors also say that they want it for themselves; and when there is a Chinese embroiderer, tailor, carver, or other workman, they proceed to take him into their houses and have him do much work—­in such a way that the Sangley himself has no freedom.  Such benefits do not extend to the citizens; but rather, if any of these things are available, the said auditors demand them and by entreaty or intimidation get possession of them.  It is the same thing in regard to jewels, slave men and women, articles of dress, and other