nd
of the admiral's ship was Lanverto Viesman. They were heretics who,
with other ships, had set out from the port of Nostradamus [_i.e._,
Amsterdam] in Olanda, on the twelfth of September in the year 98;
and had come by the Canaria Islands and by Brasil, through the Strait
of Magallanes and along the coast of Chile, to these islands.

As I thought from the beginning, as soon as I knew of the loss of
our flagship, that they would try to conceal it from your Majesty,
I made an investigation about it, a copy of which is subjoined. [48]
From this it can be seen who was to blame; and whatever is written to
your Majesty contrary to this, or to what is contained in the report on
the investigation, is not to be relied upon. The president has made an
investigation in this matter, trying to shield himself and the guilty
ones; and it has been carried on in such a way that it is known that
no witness has dared to tell the truth. On this account I presented a
petition to the president, asking that he refrain from trying the case,
because the witnesses did not speak freely for fear of the power of the
guilty, and because I intended to ask your Majesty to appoint a judge
who could try the case, since the president could not do so. I also
asked that a copy might be given to me of all that had been written
about this matter, in order that I might give it to your Majesty and
ask for what might be proper. This was denied me by the president,
and I appealed to the royal Audiencia, but for lack of auditors,
of whom there was only the licentiate Tellez de Almazan, no action
was taken. If a judge were to be appointed, there would be none who
would dare to declare against the will of the guilty. Although the
licentiate Don Antonio de Rivera Maldonado has come since, it has
been impossible for me to take up this matter, because I have been
ill now for more than forty days. So I beg your Majesty to order
that this report be examined, and that whatever is proper may be
done. Our Lord keep the Catholic and royal person of your Majesty,
with a greater increase of realms and power. From Manila, which is
in the Philipinas Islands, on the sixteenth of July of the year 1601.

_Hieronimo de Salazar y Salcedo_

Complaint of the Cabildo of Manila Against Morga

Sire:

The most faithful city of Manila in the Philipinas Islands humbly
informs your Majesty that for some years past this city and realm
have suffered, and are at present sufferi