Land Ordinances, 1567, 1695 
175 
towns and provinces of the district and informing the fiscal of it, so that, 
in conformity with the royal decrees, he may charge them by new calcu¬ 
lations. From this vigilance and good management it results that while 
the cry is almost universal in all the Indies that the natives are dying out, 
and even the foreign nations attribute this to the ill-treatment which they 
receive from the Spaniards, New Spain is found on the first of the current 
month with 12,325 tributaries, one-half more than it had on the fifteenth 
of October of the year 1664, when I took charge of this government, 
as appears from the enclosed affidavit of the auditor-general of tributes 
and real hacienda. There is also to be noted an increase of more than 
23,000 dollars in revenue every year, as appears from the final account, 
for the reduction of the tenths, when changed into specie, can never exceed 
seven or eight hundred dollars a year. Of this I have thought it proper to 
inform your Majesty, whose royal Catholic person may God keep, for 
Christianity’s sake. Mexico, April 5, 1671. The Marquis of Manzera. 
This is a copy of the original which is with the secretary of this office, 
from which it was copied in order to send it to the auditor’s office of the 
Council, in virtue of the decree of the eleventh of this month. Madrid, 
September 28, 1671. There is a rubric. 
Land ordinances and regulations for measuring sitios , criaderos de gana¬ 
dos mayores and menores, caballerías, and other lands; taken from 
those made and issued by the members and chamber of the royal 
Audiencia of Mexico and confirmed by the excellent lord, Don 
Antonio de Mendoza, former viceroy of this New Spain, and pub¬ 
lished in the public plaza of this city by the mouth of Juan de Mon- 
tilla, public crier, on July 4, 1336; witnesses whereunto are, etc. . . . 
These ordinances are of force for all of this New Spain, for thus they 
ordered, signed, and prescribed on the said day, month, and year. 
Confirmation of said Ordinances, with corrections and additions. 
In the City of Mexico of New Spain, on the nineteenth day of the month 
of September of the year 1577, the most excellent lord, Don Gaspar de 
Peralta, 11 Marquis of Falces, Count of Santiestévan, majordomo of his 
Majesty in the kingdom of Navarre, his viceroy, governor, and captain- 
general in this New Spain, president of this royal Audiencia during the 
time in which it was governed by his excellency in the name of his majesty: 
There has been conceded and granted a large quantity of farming land, 
for sitios de ganado mayor and sitios de ganado menor, caballerías, and 
other lands, but the proper method and procedure have not been com¬ 
pletely enunciated for locating, setting up the boundaries, measuring, and 
giving possession to these sitios and other lots of land, [wherefore the 
viceroy] commanded that these ordinances be corrected by amplifying 
them and adding certain ones which are lacking, retaining the punishment 
