EXPENSES INCURRED FOR THE EXPEDITION TO THE WESTERN ISLANDS
1569–72
I, Melchior de Legazpi, chief accountant for his Majesty in this Nueva España, hereby certify that from the original books and orders for payment pertaining to his royal accountancy, now in my possession, it appears that from the twelfth of February of the year five hundred and sixty-nine—when the alcalde Bernardino de Albornoz entered upon his duties as royal treasurer in this Nueva España—until the end of December in the year five hundred and seventy-two, there has been audited and paid from his royal chest (the three keys of which are in charge of the treasurer of the royal estate) the sum of three hundred and twelve thousand one hundred and seventy-six pesos, seven tomines, and eight grains of common gold, each peso of the value of eight reals.[1]
- ↑ The peso was a money of account, commonly supposed to be worth fifteen reals vellón. There was also a silver coin called a peso, which was valued at eight reals of silver, and weighed one onza (a trifle more than the English ounce). The real (=34 maravedis) is equivalent to nearly five cents of United States money; it is no longer coined, but is still a unit of value throughout Spain. The tomin for gold was equivalent to 8.883 grains (United States weight), and for silver to 9.254 grains. From a document published in Doc. inéd. Ultramar, vol. ii, pp. 461-463, it appears that seven tomines of gold were equivalent to one peso of gold.
