Folks,
Went to the website of the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum and found a number of similar and very interesting papers, similar to the one being discussed here.
http://www.melfisher.org/1622fleetresearch.htm
There is one by the same author and titled Crime And Punishment On A Galleon, which gives us a bit of an idea about on board discipline. After reading it, I tend to concur even more with Dmitry that violent behaviour by sailors would not have been tolerated on a Spanish galleon and that this article undermines the author's suggestions re navajas and sailors.
Cheers
Chris