The crown may have relied too heavily on the institution of the residencia, considering the way it was conducted. The officials of the Florida treasury urged that a regular judge be sent from the Royal Audiencia of Mexico City to take a residencia, for “with the incoming governor justifying the outgoing, no one dares demand his rights.” [Note 81: Christoval de Viso to Secretary of the Council, Madrid, 6/27/1682; Francisco Menendez Marquez, Juan de Cueva, and Francisco Ramirez 1/30/1627] The bribes involved were practically institutionalized. Governor Rebolledo boasted that 4,000 or 6,000 pesos would clear him of any charge. AN449 Ex-Governor Hita Salazar said that Marques Cabrera purposely delayed his proceeding because Hita Salazar had not given him 3,000 pesos as the other ex-governor and an ex-governor’s widow had. [Note 82: Anon. 11/120/1655; Ex-Gov. Hita Salazar 7/2/1683] A bad residencia in St. Augustine was proof of nothing but poverty and a lack of friends. (Bushnell KC)