God have
granted light to your Majesty, and continue to give you light always,
in order that your Majesty may be guided aright in a government so
far away from the royal eyes as this, where the governors have so
many opportunities to cause the destruction of the poor vassals of
your Majesty. Tulac, May 17, 1599.

_Fray Miguel de Benavides_,

Bishop of Nueva Segovia.

Letter from Bishop Benavides to Joan de Ibarra

May it please our Lord that this letter shall find your Grace and
Senora Dona Catalina and your children enjoying all the grace of God
and the health and contentment that I wish them, and which I every day
beseech for them in my poor masses and prayers. I cannot write now in
regard to the news which should come this year, because I am far from
Manila, and the ships depart hence for Mexico when those from Mexico
come, and sometimes earlier. I am writing what has occurred here to
the Council, and as one who knows your Grace's zeal, I have no need to
urge the necessity here of having a man come as governor who is known
to fear God. Oh, my lord secretary, if your Grace could see some of
this, and if I could cause the eyes of those lords to perceive the
need of this unfortunate country, and the mighty things which depend
on it, for the glory of God and the faith, and for the honor of the
crown of Castilla! The king cannot settle a matter of such importance
in the Yndias--and certainly I shall not err in expatiating upon
it. There is need here of a man so moderate and disinterested, and
so staunch a friend of the general weal--and in a word, so fearful
of God and His judgment--as is fitting for the government of the
Philipinas. But, as I say, by his discretion in matters concerning
his Majesty, and his zeal for the service of God and the king, there
is one who is qualified for it--that is, Don Luis Perez Das Marinas;
for it is necessary that the governor of this country be even more
a preacher of the faith of Jesus Christ our Lord, and of His law,
than are the preachers themselves. His life is an example of effort
to conciliate to Christianity, or to keep at a distance the Chinese,
Japanese, Sianese, Cambojans, and numberless other nations whom God
has placed here. I have heard much good of Don Pedro Bravo de Acuna,
formerly governor of Cartagena; and it seems to me that he, too, would
be very fit for this country. Gomez Perez Dasmarinas brought with
him a nephew named Don Fernando de Castro, of as good