Don Geronimo de Silba has petitioned me to appoint him to the office of captain-general of the artillery, with the officials and assignment that it has in other districts. That has been refused him, inasmuch as there is nothing here for which or with which to add that expense. If I gave him the title, it was rather to fulfil your Majesty's decree ordering it, than by any necessity of there being such an office. He is also talking of a journey to that court, if your Majesty will be pleased to grant him permission. I petition your Majesty to appoint, for the third person who serves, one of such qualities and characteristics that he can succeed to this government, if a person for that should be lacking, and to the presidency, in case that your Majesty does not now wish the Audiencia to succeed to everything; for if they always avoid having more than one head, your Majesty's service will fare better--and of that we have already had experience here, as in other regions. For the same reasons it would be advisable for such a person to be governor of Terrenate, and even the castellan of this castle; even if he should not have to serve for more than his duties there, and with his counsels, your Majesty would be excellently served. With that intention I have proposed to your Majesty the persons whom I know, in my opinion, to be suitable. Likewise other persons should be sent me for other purposes, chiefly for clerkships [_officios de la pluma_] and for the administration of the royal treasury. They should have been reared in a good school and have exhibited good qualities; and they should be of no other [than the clerical] class, because of the great importance of efficient care, method, and system in the handling of papers and accounts. That care and system signifies much in such employment, and even more when it is lacking, since a deficiency therein is more grievous. Inasmuch as the accountant, Francisco Lopez Tamayo, left the department of accounts because of his advanced age and his ill-health, I appointed Pedro de Lensarra as accountant in his stead. He came in the caravels with Ruy Gonzalez de Sequeyra. I appointed him here for this purpose for I thought him a man just and intelligent in the matter, according to what I have hitherto been able to learn; and I made more of his good qualities than of the jealousy exhibited toward him by some, who call him a criminal and blasphemer--but I am not surprised that it is rather unusual here to praise any person very highly. What I can say of him is that the way in which he fills his office has not as yet displeased me. On account of his report to me and that of the royal officials, in response to an order of mine issued for the correction of certain abuses, which I shall mention below, I instituted a reform in them as follows.