Gambling, 1594 
167 
government might determine what ought to be done, and give general 
orders suitable to the purpose; if such orders were executed, much would 
gradually be done in the service of God for the conversion of the Indians. 
If this is not done we shall always be working blindly. Your lordship 
will pardon me if I have written too profusely, as I should not have done 
to a person who is so busy. The character of the business is my excuse, 
as is the fact that your lordship has commanded me to present this 
memorial. 
This memorial was presented by the Bachiller Luís Sánchez, who lives 
in Chillaron de Pareja. He gave it to President Espinosa in Madrid on 
August 26, 1566. 
T0 the viceroy of New Spain concerning what is to be done to remedy the 
excess of gambling and gambling-houses. [ 1594 .] 
The King. Don Luís de Velasco, my viceroy, governor, and captain- 
general of New Spain: By divers means I have learned that certain of 
the ministers of justice of your Audiencia are so remiss and so careless 
of their offices, and so given to their own entertainment and private inter¬ 
ests, that the proper administration of justice which preserves kingdoms 
and maintains them in peace and quiet suffers much. But the criminal 
judges, who ought to set a better example upon all occasions by correcting 
and punishing excesses, are the very ones who commit them and give their 
consent to them. Especial notice has been taken of the licenciado Fran¬ 
cisco Tello, the oidor, and his wife, and of the licenciado Marcos Guerrero, 
alcalde del crimen, who have in their houses public gaming-tables with 
all manner of people, both men and women, where both by day and by 
night estates and honors are lost, especially those of certain women, both 
single and married. There is no reform of this situation, which is so 
notorious and public that even the preachers reprehend it in their pulpits 
and demand improvement without effect. Inasmuch as I consider this 
situation so serious that it cannot be passed over without scruple of con¬ 
science, I am surprised that you, knowing it and hearing the complaints and 
knowing the astonishment of the public, have neither remedied the matter 
nor reported it to me; and since I desire and it is my pleasure that it should 
stop at once, I command you that immediately upon your receipt of this 
you call into consultation the said licenciados Don Francisco Tello and 
Marcos Guerrero, and tell them for me that it has displeased me much to 
learn of this their great excess, for, aside from its being so reprehensible 
in themselves, it has occasioned such great notoriety and scandal, and to 
others such great losses of both honors and estates, that, if it is indeed 
true, it will be fitting to make a special example of them; but that I have 
withheld the punishment hoping that in the future they will so comport 
themselves that the entire people may know and see their reformation; 
and that they shall by no means permit gaming in their houses for any 
sum either large or small; nor shall they or the wife of the oidor go to 
