WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 3II 



Chapter III 



Of What Remains To Be Said of the Government of the City, 

 and of the District of Its Diocese. 



919. The Governor appoints a Lieutenant General, and takes cog- 

 nizance of matters pertaining to the government, war, and the preser- 

 vation of the Indians ; his lieutenant or he attend in person to the 

 clearing of ships. The Sergeant Major of the garrison has jurisdiction 

 over controversies among the soldiers and over the two Captains, 

 whose nomination Hes with the Governor and the War Council (Junta 

 de Guerra) of the Indies. 



920. There are 2 regular Alcaldes, and 2 of the Hermandad 

 (Confraternity), an Alguacil Mayor (Head Constable), and 12 

 Regidores (Aldermen), with a Receiver General (Depositario), At- 

 torney General (Procurador), and Secretary of the Council, in which 

 the Governor and Alcaldes have no vote. The Lieutenant General 

 and Alcaldes are such as one finds elsewhere, both the regular ones 

 and those of the Hermandad ; appeals from their decisions, if for 

 any considerable amount, go to the Circuit Court at Bogota. 



921. The Judges and Royal Officials handle cases dealing with 

 ships, putting in under stress, legal discharge of cargo, disposition of 

 smuggled goods, customs fraud, and other matters pertaining to the 

 payment of the royal revenues ; appeal is taken from their decision 

 to the Circuit Court at Bogota ; and in this instance the case is tried 

 before them, and the Lieutenant General, being a lawyer, is their 

 counsel. 



922. The Galley Chief (Cabo de la Galera) has jurisdiction over 

 matters and cases pertaining to the galleys and their soldiers ; he has 

 his Auditor, Inspector (Veedor), and Paymaster; appeals from their 

 decisions are taken to the Royal Council of the Indies, the War 

 Council, and (in some cases) the Circuit Court. 



923. There is a Tribunal of the Holy Office with two Inquisitors, 

 an Attorney, and a Secretary and other functionaries. There is 

 a Tribunal of the Holy Crusade with its functionaries ; appeals are 

 taken from it to the Tribunal Mayor of Bogota. There is an Episcopal 

 Tribunal with its Provisor and Vicar General, Attorney, Notaries, 

 Chief Constable (Alguacil Alayor), and other functionaries; appeals 

 from their decisions must be tried before the Circuit Court of Bogota 

 in the New Kingdom of Granada, which is 200 leagues away. This 

 inconvenience is such that it should be considered and remedied, for 

 this city is so important that it could well have its own Circuit Court, 

 or one could move that of Bogota here, or that of Santo Domingo ; 



