5. In another decree from Madrid, dated May 4 of the same year, your Majesty commands, that in order to prevent the frauds which hitherto have been committed on the ships which sail with merchandise to Nueva Espana, I shall, since this port is so near, sometimes go to examine and direct the lading, or entrust this duty to some careful person. Before the said decree arrived, I came (as I have informed your Majesty in another letter) to the said port to serve as a royal official; and I have already laden the capitana--which is an undertaking of so much importance that the governor who does not attend to it in person, but entrusts it to some one else whom he supposes to be trustworthy, does not comply with the dictates of his conscience or with the obligations of his office. Notwithstanding that your Majesty has royal officials to whom this task pertains, I have thanked God that I had begun to render this service to your Majesty before I could know your wishes, and whether you had commanded such action. Now that I know what you desire, I will carry it out more expeditiously; for here in the Yndias I need only to show the orders of your Majesty, in order to defend myself from the jealousy and complaints of your vassals, and with these they respect and obey me better. I follow my natural inclination in obeying, as a Christian and a loyal vassal, the orders and commands which your Majesty shall be pleased to give me. [_Marginal note_: "Seen."] 6. In another decree, dated May 4 of the same year, your Majesty commands that, on account of the losses which have resulted therefrom, I shall not allow the trade and commerce of the Portuguese with these islands, so that the Chinese trade may not be broken off. I shall obey this very punctually, according to its tenor. Judging that this very thing which your Majesty commands was best, I had, before receiving the decree, sent advices to the city of Macan that they must not send any merchandise to these islands; and that only one ship could come from Macan, which should bring some anchors, muskets, and arquebuses, of which these islands are in great need. Although when I came here I found three of their ships in the port, this year only one has come; and hereafter this commerce will be dispensed with, inasmuch as it will not be expedient to send [to Macan] for anything save what the Chinese cannot bring--such as anchors and firearms, which often get broken. But in everything which shall not be expedient for your Majesty's service I shall prevent the Portuguese from coming to this port, or to any other, to trade with the Castilians. With the welcome and kind treatment which has been shown to the said Chinese thirty-three of their little ships have come this year, and have brought so great a quantity of merchandise that your Majesty's vassals have not for many years past seen stuffs so cheap. This has been caused by receiving them hospitably, treating them well, and despatching their