we not fear any adversity,
nor can we desire greater things in this new world.

In order that we might better celebrate this news, we heard at the
same time of the victory won by the most serene [95] of Austria over
the fleet of the Turk, a victory which has proved as great and signal
as we expected from the zeal of his Holiness and from your Majesty;
for God having seen that both had taken His honor so at heart, has been
pleased to show part of His strength, so that in a single day He has
made your Majesty master of the sea. Considering the great Catholic
zeal of your Majesty, God will be pleased also to make your Majesty
master of the land in which His holy faith is exalted, and afterward
He will grant you a share in heaven, as one employed in matters so
holy deserves. I pray that God may preserve your Majesty and so great
a brother many years for the welfare and prosperity of Christianity.

On account of the necessity of visiting the islands of Cubu, Panae, and
others near by, and for the arrangement of matters therein necessary
for the service of your Majesty, and the preservation of those natives,
I went there in the month of November, of last year, seventy-three,
and found that the town of Nombre de Jhesus in the island of Cubu was
almost deserted, and that its inhabitants were roaming about in the
neighboring islands. I ordered them to assemble and resettle the said
town; and since in doing so they would be poor and needy, I gave and
distributed among them in the name of your Majesty all that was near
at hand. Then I visited all the other towns until I reduced all things
to the order and arrangement necessary, and left the natives quiet
and reconciled. It took me four months to accomplish this so that I
returned to the city of Manila in the month of March of this year.

As I considered the friendship of the king of Borney an important
matter for the service of your Majesty, I sent to him a Moro, a native
of this island, as messenger, with certificates of security so that
his people may freely come to these islands to trade, as they were
accustomed to do. For the friendship of this king and the commerce will
open us a way for the establishment of a community and the erection of
a fort in that island; and if people come [hither from Nueva Espana]
it will be necessary for me to go or to send others to settle that
island, for the service of your Majesty requires it.

The lord and chief of Bindanao River [96] has a