t with this
guide you may govern to better advantage; likewise, exactly what has
occurred in every matter will be clear to me. It would also be well
if all the documents, letters, and other papers that you may have
in relation to this subject were placed in separate files. In this
book recapitulate the papers briefly, referring to the originals;
and as you are aware of the importance of good counsel, you will
try to avail yourself of the persons whom you may think most capable
of giving it to you. If you think it well to convene any assembly,
you will do so whenever expedient. In this way you may be advised
not only of the importance of this matter, but likewise of the best
means available for this country, so that, with your prudence, you
may choose the most useful, and avail yourself of whatever benefits
or funds may be secured from them. Madrid, December 19, 1618.

_I The King_

By command of the king our lord:
_Juan Ruiz De Contreras_

Signed by the members of the Council.

[_Each letter is endorsed_: "To the governor of the Filipinas, on
various matters."]

FILIPINAS MENACED BY DUTCH

As I think that this will be a service to the Divine Majesty and
to the human, and a benefit to this new world--in the west, to the
Philipinas; and in the east, to Yndia (whither I went some years ago on
an embassy for Don Joan de Silva and this commonwealth of Manila, and
took note of its temporal and spiritual condition)--I am resolved to
write this letter to your Lordship, in whose hands our Lord has placed
the preservation of this kingdom, and consequently the conversion of
numberless souls; perhaps our Lord will choose that in this way may be
attained that which numerous letters from these islands to the royal
Council of the Yndias have failed to accomplish. Your most illustrious
Lordship may rest assured that if his Majesty does not actually send
a great reenforcement of military aid to these islands, they must be
lost; and, besides, the royal crown of Espana will meet the necessity
of defending itself, with greater expenses, from the nations who will
make war against it from this direction. Although I am no prophet, I
dare to assert that in these seas we shall see the bloodiest battles
that have been fought for many years, and that they must result in
great injury to the kingdoms of Nueva Espana [and Espana].

This discourse of mine is based on a syllogism. All nations of the
world are moved by interest, which