years. For six or seven years it has been held by Diego Sanchez, a
common person, who is married to a mestizo woman of Nueva España. He
has no greater merit therein than to be the brother-in-law of Auditor
Alcaraz. The same is true of other provisions.

4th. _Item_: That if any person connected with any of the auditors
commits a crime or crimes, such a one is not brought to justice for it,
however grave and enormous his crime. This very year a very grave case
has happened in this city, in the person of a son of Auditor Vega,
who committed adultery with a woman married to an inhabitant of this
city, an honorable man, and of a good family. The woman betook herself
to a convent; and the adulterer fled. The aggrieved man begged justice
of the governor and the Audiencia. The said Auditor Vega not only did
not do his duty as judge, but defended his son with unfurled banners,
to his own great infamy and censure as a person whom his Majesty
maintains, to administer justice. The preachers have denounced him in
the pulpits, demanding that justice be done. The people are exceedingly
scandalized at so grave a matter remaining unpunished, only because the
criminal is the son of an auditor. Not only do they not punish him,
but the said adulterer was even made captain of infantry in the war
with the Dutch, to the great offense of all. That appeared so unjust
that a grave religious, who was going to the said war, said that
he feared the wrath of God, and that the enemy would be victorious,
because of so mischievous a man going on our side, who had offended God
so deeply. Yet he was not punished, for the sole reason of being the
son of an auditor, and because his father defended him so earnestly.

5th. _Item_: That the said auditors in this country can rather be
called honorable traders and merchants than ministers of justice, since
they trade and engage in commerce quite openly. Under their protection