s the governor to reform the abuses practiced by
them, and to do justice to the poor Indians; and says that the clergy
will cooperate with him in this. The heads of the religious orders
(except the Dominicans) send written opinions on this subject to
the governor; and the Jesuits discuss certain measures proposed by
the bishop, with some of which they disagree. The remainder of the
document on tributes will be presented in _Vol_. VIII.

_The Editors_

September, 1903.

Documents of 1588

Relation of the Philipinas Islands. Domingo de Salazar,
and others; 1586-88.
Letter to Felipe II. Santiago de Vera; June 26.
Letter to Felipe II. Domingo de Salazar; June 27.

_Sources_: The first of these documents is obtained from _Cartas
de Indias_, pp. 637-652; the others, from the original MSS. in the
Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla.

_Translations_: The first document is translated by James A. Robertson;
the others, by Jose M. and Clara M. Asensio.

Relation of the Philipinas Islands

Most potent Sir:

I, the bishop of the Philipinas, declare that to your Highness [1]
it is evident and well-known that the greater number of the natives in
these islands are yet to be converted, and that many of those who are
converted are without instruction, because they have no one to give
it; and because, even in the districts where there are ministers,
they are so few, and the natives so numerous, that they cannot give
the latter sufficient instruction. I have, moreover, been informed
that in a letter which the cabildo of this city of Manilla wrote to
your Highness last year there was a section in which they gave your
Highness information of the districts and localities in these islands
where instruction is provided, and of those where it is not, and of
the number of ministers who are necessary to furnish instruction to
the natives therein. This letter, with all the others which went in
the said year on the ship "Sancta Ana," was lost. For the relief of
your royal conscience and my own, and for the welfare of the said
natives, it is best that an order be given that those natives who are
converted shall be supplied with ministers to instruct and maintain
them in the Christian faith; for it is well known that, as soon as
ministers fail them, they return to their rites and idolatries--in
some districts, because they have lacked ministers for many years;
and, in others quite near here, because those religiou