Registry fees in Sanlucar. In Sanlucar is the third stopping-place.  Here, however well a man may have managed his business in getting out of Sevilla, there are never lacking hindrances; for whenever religious are registered there for passage they always meet with some obstacle, if it be nothing more than being asked for fees.  These fees are demanded by the clerk of the registry and by the inspector of the ships, who is usually an official of the House of Trade at Sevilla.  This demand for a fee for every religious who goes through is a very base thing.  As for me, I was asked for three reals apiece by the clerk.  As I thought that the act was an injustice, I went to the accountant and reported the case to him; it seemed even worse to him, and he told me that he would correct it.  He did so by telling me on the following day that I should give the clerk what he asked for, and a real and a half more for every one; and that, if I did not do so he would not permit me to go aboard.  This is the truth, in verbo sacerdotis.  It seems to me that since the king does not require us to pay fees for our books and clothes, still less ought we to be asked to pay fees for our persons.  I sent a complaint to the duke of Medina, who was greatly offended, and condemned the act, so finally they gave me my despatch for almost nothing.

Fees on the Northern Sea. At sea there is another registry at the time of the inspection of the ships, which generally takes place in mid-ocean at some time when the wind is fair, at the pleasure of the commander of the fleet.  In truth, it seems as if it were invented solely for the gain which the officials obtain from it.  They exact twelve reals from every passenger; and since the poor are usually by that time drained so dry that most of them go on board without a single real—­having spent everything on expenses in port, the king’s fees, and the ingenious exactions of the custom-house officers and excise-men—­they suffer more from this than from everything else that they have previously spent.  In my case they did me the honor to excuse me from the fees for the religious, but refused to do so for the servants whom we brought with us.  Finally, however, we brought them to the point of agreeing to this because it was plain that we all had come by the order of his Majesty.  This affair was the cause of no small embarrassment and resentment for all.

From San Joan de Lua to Mexico. In the port of San Joan de Lua [12] in Nueva Espana is the fourth station on the route.  It is not the most comfortable one, although it ought to be so, since all arrive there much exhausted and worn out by the voyage.  There one begins anew to deal with royal officials, to whom money must be given.  Thus after we have passed the ocean the torments begin, which have no mercy upon those whom the ocean has many times spared.  At that port it is very necessary to have something left over from one’s sea-stores, for the expenses