In order to make effective collections from the debtors to the crown the treasury officials in the Indies were elevated to the dignity of royal judges (jueces oficiales reales) in 1567. In some regions they established autonomous courts and constabularies, but not in Florida, where after the first or second abandonment of Santa Elena the only bailiffs or justices were adjutants of the governor. In vain the crown warned “It is our will that our officials do the attachments, imprisonings, sales and auctionings of property and other judicial proceedings that are necessary to collect what is owing to us,” and “Let the bailiffs of that land execute the orders of the royal officials in the things relative to the treasury without delay.” [Note 25: Recop 2/18/1567; cedulas re the royal officials 6/10/1580, and to Gov. Menendez Marquez 4/19/1583] After 1621 the overseas treasury officials, who had become somewhat high-handed, were no longer supposed to call themselves judges or engage in law enforcement. If this ruling ever reached Florida, it was ignored. The treasurer, accountant, and factor continued to style themselves royal judges and to carry staves of justice. [Note 26: Recop 6/11/1621 and 4/28/1617; acclamation of Philip V 1/7/1702; Nicolas Ponce de Leon 7/3/1632] If they had no private constabulary, there were other means of collection. Anybody wanting to leave the provinces was supposed to obtain their fiscal clearance. If a debtor to the crown had managed to escape to another jurisdiction they could pursue him, with royal consent, and require the help of the law. [Note 27: Gov. Menendez Marquez 1/23/1581, reply to Domingo Gonzalez n.d.; Nicolas Ponce de Leon, Mexico City 9/25/1642, and cedula in response 8/4/1643] In practice, they found that only a situador or a royal appointee like themselves was likely to get so deeply in debt to the crown as to be followed out of Florida. The last resort, if a debtor was in prison or deceased, was religious pressure. Letters of excommunication (paulinas) were taken out and read in the main churches of Havana and St. Augustine, calling on anyone holding property of the debtor, owing him money, or knowing of someone who did, to declare it forthwith or call down the wrath of God upon the whole town. AN153 After the letter was read, a solemn procession of parishioners in black veils, carrying a cross draped in black, marched back and forth across town chanting the Laus Deo. [Note 28: Baltasar del Castillo y Ahedo, Havana, 2/12/1577; Alonso Sanchez Saez 1/4/1596] Little was recovered by this means, which suggests either that there was little to recover or that a Spaniard prized his purse as ardently as his soul. (Bushnell KC)