id hospital, and to me who am seeking this in its name. As it is
a work of such piety and service for our Lord, I have dared to make
this request. May He protect your Majesty many happy years, for the
good of His church. Manila, the twentieth of July, of the year one
thousand six hundred and eleven.

_Fray Pedro Arce_, bishop-elect of Nueva Caceres.

[_Endorsed_: "Manila; to his Majesty, 1611; the bishop-elect of Nueva
Caceres, July 22. Let the governor and royal officials of Manila send
information, together with their opinion. June 15, 1612."]

LETTERS FROM FELIPE III TO SILVA

The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my
governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of
my royal Audiencia there. Your letter of July 24, 609, was received and
examined in my Council of the Yndias, and I was glad to learn by it of
your arrival in those islands, and that you had a prosperous voyage. As
for what you say concerning the anxious efforts of certain religious
to cause the governmental and military offices in their districts
to pass through their hands, and the disturbances and troubles which
have occurred among the natives, and the assemblages of people, and
the reduction of villages which has been accomplished, when there
was an opportunity for the same to hinder the royal jurisdiction by
opposing the corregidors and others who are governing--as happened
a short time before you arrived, in a district of the province of
Nueva Segobia, where you found it necessary to send troops of war
with the sargento-mayor Christoval de Axqueta to pacify and punish
some Indians who had rebelled because the religious had tried to
unite them and make them sedentary without giving account to the
governor: it has seemed best to me to charge you, as I do charge you,
that you shall endeavor that such measures be taken in these matters
that suitable provision be made against such troubles, and manage
affairs considerately and prudently; for we confide in you to avoid
the difficulties which you describe, and others which may occur.

The bishoprics of Cibu and that of Nueva Caceres are already provided
for, as you will be informed. [50]

In the lading of the ships for that trade it is understood that there
has been great evasion of the law, as you likewise say in your letter;
and because this, as is known, causes much trouble, I order you to
take great care to observe inviolably, in regard to