the Order of St. Augustine in those islands,
I have decided to send it to you; so that, in so far as concerns your
jurisdiction over the occupations of the priests in the missions,
you may correct the excesses mentioned in the said information,
and whatever others there may be. You will remedy them in the form
which most furthers the service of God our Lord, and myself. As to
the other matters contained in the said information concerning the
said religious--that it is understood that they are in league with
the governor of those islands and the provincial of the said Order
of St. Augustine, or he who may be in his place--you will discuss the
remedy which is made necessary by events, as well in this particular
as in general. Accordingly I charge and command you to do this,
and to advise me of what you shall have done therein. Valencia,
on the first of March, of 1599.

_I The King_

Countersigned by _Joan de Ybarra_

Signed by the Council.

Letter from the Bishop of Nueva Segovia to the King

I have no doubt that by other ways your Majesty [23] will learn of
the affairs of Manila. Even to seek correction for them I would be
unwilling to recall them to mind, were I not obliged to do so by the
service of God and the welfare of my afflicted fellow men. With the
fidelity which I owe to your Majesty, I must proclaim aloud before God
and your Majesty everything in Manila outside of the monasteries, and
declare what thing or what person is offensive to God, to your Majesty,
and to his fellow man. God is severely punishing that city by poverty
and losses of property. Such is the chastisement in spiritual affairs,
that, after so many years had passed without a prelate or father to
sympathize with and help the people, the archbishop who came last
year fell into a profound melancholy; and when he had been here two
months and a half God called him to Himself. He was removed from many
misfortunes which could not be relieved; and before he had preached
a single time, or given one call to his flock, the Lord took him. It
was said, however, that he died of a poisonous herb which was given
him; and they say that his symptoms proved it. Whether that is true
or not, this land is such that it could be suspected and said that in
so short a time they took the life of their prelate. In the temporal
government, the death of the good licentiate, Alvaro de Cambrano, was
very unfortunate for the poor and for persons of little influen