oint them. They have served in their respective
posts in these islands during their whole term with care, integrity,
and disinterestedness, that [_MS. illegible_] and they are suffering
from so great necessity and are five thousand leagues distant from
those kingdoms, burdened with large families and households. They are
grieving greatly over the prospect of so long, dangerous, and costly a
voyage. We entreat your Majesty, since it is so just that rewards and
promotions be given to your servants who have served you faithfully,
and which your Majesty has ever been wont to bestow so generously, that
you do not permit them to remain unrewarded, and that you have their
salaries paid them from the time when their offices became vacant;
for their services merit this, as well as the eagerness with which
they have always exerted themselves, devoting all their energies to
the sole service of God and your Majesty. They have ceased to exercise
their duties in-these posts--the best and chiefest of the kingdom--not
through any demerit, but through the suppression of the Audiencia. We
trust that your Majesty will look favorably upon them and upon your
other servants who have served you in this royal Audiencia; and that
you will reward them and promote them as we desire. May God preserve
the Catholic person of your Majesty. Manila, June 20, 1590.

The doctor _Santiago Devera_
The licentiate _Pedro de Rojas_
The licentiate _Don Antonio de Ribera Maldonado_

[_Endorsed_: "Filipinas; to his Majesty, 1590. The Audiencia, June
20. Seen, and no answer is necessary. Make a memorandum regarding
this auditor and fiscal."]

The Chinese, and the Parian at Manila

Sire:

As Chinese matters are so worthy of being known, I have thought best
to give your Majesty an account of them in a special letter, although
all I say will be but little in comparison with the facts. Before I
undertake to relate what God through His mercy has chosen to unfold to
us concerning the affairs of that kingdom which were so hidden to us,
I must, in order to ease my conscience, and die without this scruple,
undo an error into which I had fallen for a while. Under that error I
wrote to your Majesty as I felt then; and, although what I wrote was
true, according to the information received, I have learned since that
the contrary is the fact. As soon as I began to see the error, I wrote
to your Majesty; but it was not done with the necessary effectiveness,
for I