_ 458 _ men in the summer, including the men of the captain and other officials. I am informed that these men-at-arms never reside in the fortress and that in their place many men are paid to go to the fortress to make up numbers, where they carry out their own business, that others do not go there but to other fortresses and towns and yet others have nothing to do with the service of my Lord the King. This is extremely detrimental to the King’s service and the good of his treasury, as His Highness is paying money for nothing and the fortress is not guarded and defended as it should be. With the advice of the said officials, I direct that in future there are to be no more than three hundred men-at-arms in that fortress, both summer and winter, and they are to remain permanently in the fortress to defend and guard it, for besides them there are always many others who go there for business purposes, as it is a seaport and busy trading place. This number includes your own men and the soldiers of your guard, the bombardiers and all the men whom the officials of the fortress have as their due. These three hundred men will be paid their wages and maintenance, which they will receive in the fortress quarterly at the end of the quarter, as they become due. These payments will
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