lavishly;
and even assails Fajardo's personal character. He relates, in tedious
detail, various difficulties between himself and the governor, and
arbitrary acts of Fajardo against him; and recounts his deliverance
from prison through a miracle wrought for him at the intercession of
the Virgin Mary. Messa has taken refuge in the Dominican convent, and
entreats the king to redress his wrongs and punish the governor and his
abettors. He recounts at much length the reasons for which he supposes
the governor arrested him. In this connection Messa relates his version
of Fajardo's killing his unfaithful wife, adding much gossip of the
town that is uncomplimentary to the governor. He also states that the
Audiencia is virtually non-existent, and so there is no high court
in which justice may be sought. Messa urges the king to send a new
governor, and gives his advice as to the character of him who should be
sent. He intimates that Fajardo has illegally obtained wealth to the
value of perhaps almost a million pesos, and that even this sum will
not repay the claims held against him. Messa gives account of certain
residencias entrusted to him, and claims that all his efforts to do
this work have been blocked by the governor, especially in the case
of Juan de Silva. He complains that the authority of the governor and
that of the Audiencia conflict, especially in time of war; and that the
former has too wide a jurisdiction in that he may try cases brought
against the auditors. Messa recommends that aid for the Philippine
colony be sent in the form of men and money, and that the necessary
ships and artillery be constructed in the islands. He complains that
the Chinese traders are illegally compelled to pay assessments,
from which the fiscal, who is nominally their protector, receives
additional pay. Messa asks for honors and promotion for himself,
by way of atonement for the ill-treatment that he has received from
the governor; and closes with the request that Fajardo's property in
Mexico be sequestered.

With this letter is another by the same writer, dated July 30,
1622--a postscript to a duplicate of the preceding letter. He relates
how Fajardo has summoned him to resume his duties as auditor; but he
has no confidence in the governor's sincerity. He accuses the latter
of various illegal and crafty acts, among them sending contraband
gold and jewels to Mexico. Messa recounts the proceedings in the
Santa Potenciana scandal, blamin