By Royal Decree, dated in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, on September 28th 1676, King Charles II of Spain approved the formation of "Towns of Spaniards for the protection of Indians", ordering "that near the populated Missions and that from now on "Towns of Spaniards" be populated and founded up to 30 or 40 neighbours, of good life and example to serve to restrain in their escapes, to hold in their drunkenness and to suppress in their riots the Indians, and to accompany the said Spaniards to the missionaries for the reduction of the Gentile Indians".