THE KING

Since you yourself, Governor Álvar Núñez Cabeça de Vaca, resident of the city of Seville, gave us an account, saying that you had written a book entitled Account of What Occurred in the Indies, in the fleet with which you went as Governor, and that likewise you had written another one entitled Commentaries, both of which deal with the conditions of the land and the customs of the people in it, very useful works for those going to those places. And because one book and the other were the same thing, and it was practical to make them one volume, you asked us to give you license and permission so that it could be printed and sold for ten or twelve years, noting the benefits and utility that would come from it, or as we pleased; which, noted by the members of our Council together with the said books mentioned below, it was agreed that we should order the granting of our authorization in this matter. Therefore we grant you license and permission so that for the period of the next ten years, counted forward from the date of this our authorization, you or whoever may have your proxy may print and sell in these our kingdoms the aforesaid books, both in one volume, the forms having first been assessed by members of our Council and with our authorization and the said price at the beginning of the book, and not in any other manner. And we order that during said period of time, ten years, no person may print or sell it without your proxy, under penalty of loss of the copies by the person doing so and selling the book as well as the forms and equipment; and that he would further incur a penalty of ten thousand maravedís, to be divided as follows: one third for the person making the accusation, one third for the judge pronouncing the sentence and one third for our Chamber. And we order all and any of our representatives, and each within his own jurisdiction, to keep, comply with and execute this our authorization and what is contained in it, and that they not go against or beyond its tenor or form, nor allow anyone else to do so, under penalty of punishment and of ten thousand maravedís for our Chamber, to be paid by any violator. Given in the city of Valladolid on the twenty-first day of March, in the year one thousand five hundred and fifty-five.

The Princess.

By order of His Majesty,
Her highness in his name,

Francisco de Ledesma.