the next thing is to be watchful and exert one’s self in the service of the King, our Lord, and to strive to keep him from being troubled.  His Highness is the head of Christendom.  See the proverb which says that when the head aches, all the members ache.  So that all good Christians should entreat that he may have long life and health:  and those of us who are obliged to serve him more than others must join in this supplication with great earnestness and diligence.  This reason prompts me now with my severe illness to write you what I am writing here, that his Highness may dispose matters for his service:  and for the better fulfilment I am sending your brother there, who, although he is a child in days, is not a child in understanding; and I am sending your uncle and Carbajal, so that if this, my writing, is not sufficient, they, together with yourself, can furnish verbal evidence.  In my opinion there is nothing so necessary for the service of his Highness as the disposition and remedying of the affair of the Indies.

“His Highness must now have there more than 40,000 or 50,000 gold pieces.  I learned when I was there that the Governor had no desire to send it to him.  It is believed among the other people as well that there will be 150,000 pesos more, and the mines are very rich and productive.  Most of the people there are common and ignorant, and care very little for the circumstances.  The Governor is very much hated by all of them, and it is to be feared that they may at some time rebel.  If this should occur, which God forbid, the remedy for the matter would then be difficult:  and so it would be if injustice were used toward them, either here or in other places, with the great fame of the gold.  My opinion is that his Highness should investigate this affair quickly and by means of a person who is interested and who can go there with 150 or 200 people well equipped, and remain there until it is well settled and without suspicion, which cannot be done in less than three months:  and that an endeavour be made to raise two or three forces there.  The gold there is exposed to great risk, as there are very few people to protect it.  I say that there is a proverb here which says that the presence of the owner makes the horse fat.  Here and wherever I may be, I shall serve their Highnesses with joy, until my soul leaves this body.

“Above I said that his Highness is the head of the Christians, and that it is necessary for him to occupy himself in preserving them and their lands.  For this reason people say that he cannot thus provide a good government for all these Indies, and that they are being lost and do not yield a profit, neither are they being handled in a reasonable manner.  In my opinion it would serve him to intrust this matter to some one who is distressed over the bad treatment of his subjects.

“I wrote a very long letter to his Highness as soon as I arrived here, fully