I have understood that several auditors of this Audiencia, meeting outside of the sessions and by themselves, have written to your Majesty, and have caused various persons to write by different methods and routes, things against me, [accusing me of acts] unworthy of my office, and even incredible of my character.  Perhaps [they do this] on account of what I have written to your Majesty concerning their actions, and to satisfy their unjust resentment, uniting [against me] for this reason and to justify themselves.  As it would not be just that, relying upon the great distance and the long time which is necessary to clear up the truth, and on the changes and innovations which in the course of time usually occur, any one should dare to write letters not true of persons like myself, and especially to your Majesty, I beseech you humbly to be pleased to entrust my residencia and those of the said auditors to a person who would take it from all of us, with authority to prove the facts and inflict such punishment as shall be necessary.  Copies of what has been written against me, and of what I have written, should be produced, so that whoever shall not prove his statements may be punished as the crime deserves, for informing your Majesty maliciously against other people’s reputation.  On account of the importance of this, whoever is to take the residencias should be a person not belonging to this country, and who will not have to remain here, living with these auditors, or the auditors with him.  Whether he shall find me with much or with little property, I pledge whatever I have; whatever may be lacking for it will oblige me to pay the cost of an inspection, and the condemnation of the guilty.  But I have no more than what I inherit, tied up with so many debts from this voyage that I have not been able to pay them, nor even to acquit myself of the two-thirds of my [first year’s] salary which I owe to your Majesty, as I was forced to make use of it for my living.  Although all will not be pleased at the inspection, I assure you that, if it could be general for all classes, there would be found plenty of things to be regulated, and much more in the man who thinks that he is the one most secure therefrom.  With this I will end this letter, leaving it in this state until it is time to seal it, in case anything should occur to be added. [In the margin:  “Have this clause taken to the fiscal.”  “It has been done.”]

When I had written this, and the despatch of these vessels was so far along that they would, with the help of God, pursue their way when moon and weather should favor the voyage, His Divine Majesty (to whom be thanks!) was pleased to rejoice and encourage this land by bringing safely to a port of this country, near the point of Balinao, in this neighborhood, the capitana “San Andres” which was expected from Nueva Espana.  Although thus far we do not know how much money comes in her on your Majesty’s account for the maintenance of affairs here, with it in this country, however little it may be, things will go much better than without it, and with the anxiety over its delay. [In the margin:  “It is well, and we thank our Lord for this news, and hope in His Divine Majesty that we shall have other and better news from those islands.”]