from the fines that you may impose. You will exercise especial care and judgment in all ways and means that are practical and possible, to introduce the greatest possible profit and benefit that can be obtained from the trade in cloves, by such measures as may appear to you best, buying the spice for money or cloth, or in whatever way may be most convenient. If for this purpose it be necessary to provide money or cloth, you will do so as shall be expedient, conferring in regard to everything with the Audiencia, the royal officials, and other persons of experience, choosing the best and soundest course advised. For all this is necessary, and is undertaken in order to direct our energies to the defense of the islands, and to try to extirpate the enemy from them. If the latter end cannot for the present be accomplished by force of arms, yet this communication, trade, and bartering of cloves with the natives, and the employment of gentle but necessary means to secure their obedience, will diminish the strength of the enemy, which consists solely in the advantages that they possess. All this is hoped from your prudence, although in my royal Council of the Yndias the expediency of a factory or administration is being considered, and of one person who should have the management and responsibility of all in Terrenate, as may be best for the benefit of my royal exchequer. As the number of six hundred infantry for the garrison of the fort of Terrenate besides the two hundred Pampangos who are also in service there, seems more than is necessary for its defense, considering that they do not go out into battle, you will take under advice whether this body can not be reduced to a smaller number at a less expense, without being greatly crippled. For the principal thing to be aimed at is the preservation and defense of that fort, and after that the sparing of my royal exchequer. You will order that the supplies and money for the soldiers be at your own disposal, with the sworn statement of a notary, for there is no royal official there; thus, as these troops will be effective, they will not be defrauded as they have been in the past. You will likewise try to abolish all the superfluous strongholds, both in those islands and in Terrenate; for those named in the memorial which accompanies this, signed by Juan Ruiz de Contreras, are not considered necessary. You will advise me when you have done this.