ilege
which your Lordship holds, and then the king begins to present. I am
very plain in this, for all I wish is to know what and how many have
been filled by you and how many remain to be filled, in order that we
may agree on this, as well as on provision for the beneficed curacies
and the administration of religious instruction, which are assigned
to the clergy. In these his Majesty always presents one of two whom
you propose, according to his edicts. It will be well to know if the
number is full or if there are some places to be filled, and if those
which are filled are so with establishment in a parish and canonical
installation by your Lordship, preceding presentation by his Majesty,
or if they are, as I have heard of some, only in encomienda, accepted
with your Lordship's consent; because in this way, by taking away
one and placing another [_illegible in MS._], and not in right of
possession, the royal right of presentation is defrauded. I do not
understand how it is that, when your Lordship had ordained Father
Salinas under pretext of [giving him] the benefice of Catanduanes, it
remained as it was, and he is serving in Valayan. I say all this only
through desire that your Lordship may lose nothing of your rights,
and that I may not give a bad account of what I am responsible for
to his Majesty; and that affairs may be settled with the clearness
and certainty which is desirable. I had other things to tell your
Lordship, but they will wait for a better opportunity in order not to
weary you; and if any doubt or difficulty arises between your Lordship
and me concerning what has been said, there are learned men here who
can easily solve it by examining it and discussing it, and by their
decision and determination I will abide very willingly. Our Lord,
etc. From this house of your Lordship, March 19, 1591.

Letter from Salazar to Dasmarinas

_Jesus_

Yesterday afternoon I received a letter from your Lordship,
and intended to begin a reply immediately; but there are so many
occupations crowding upon me that they do not leave me time to take
breath; and although I came out here to finish the little treatise
which I had promised your Lordship, I see that neither here nor there
have I opportunity to do anything.

I was much pleased with the earnest zeal which your Lordship showed
in your letter, but you must know that as I am old and have seen so
many things, I do not care very much for what I hear, but wait for