102.  I have set about fortifying this city; but this work is not yet completed, as the site is large, and I would not leave the friars outside, from whom we all receive our instruction; moreover, we have had so much work and hardship, and the Indians help us but little, and I do not wish them to neglect their fields.  It will, however, soon be completed.  It will be a palisade joined with keys, all along the shore and across the river; and a cavalier [10] for defense—­where some artillery is to be mounted when the Indians have gathered in their harvest—­will be completed very soon.  Likewise twenty thousand fanegas of rice for the support of your Majesty’s camp and fleet will be stored away.

103.  The province which, in all this island of Lucon, produces most grain is that called Pampanga.  It has two rivers, one called Bitis [Betis] and the other Lubao, along whose banks dwell three thousand five hundred Moros, more or less, all tillers of the soil, and taxed to the value of eight reals each.  This city and all this region is provided with food—­namely, rice, which is the bread here—­by this province; so that if the rice harvest should fail there, there would be no place where it could be obtained.  Throughout the province there are not sufficient Indians belonging to the royal crown who could give one thousand fanegas of income to your Majesty.  These two rivers were not included in the encomiendas made by the late Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, governor of these islands (who apportioned a part of that province), in order that he might request them from your Majesty for himself.  After his death, Guido de Lavasares, who succeeded him, placed them openly to his own account, and apportioned the rest; but I revoked the decree, and apportioned them to the royal crown of your Majesty, where they are now; and the officials of the royal exchequer have collected their tribute from them this year.  It seems that your Majesty has been pleased to bestow this encomienda upon the son of the defunct adelantado, Legaspi.  If this should pass to him—­as it is only reasonable to expect that it should, since such is your Majesty’s pleasure, and it is a favor to the children of him who died in your Majesty’s service—­it would be most serious damage to the condition of these islands.  For not only has your Majesty no income in grain, nor any place from which to obtain it, but these Indians, as they are near, work very well, when told that they are tributarios of your Majesty; and they serve in cutting wood, and do other things which are very useful and important here.  If perchance the heir of the defunct governor should come to ask for his rights, I believe that it would be well to ask him to do us the favor of waiting until this point in my letter can be answered.  Some plan might be arranged, if it pleased your Majesty, so that he should be recompensed in Nueva Espana.  This will prove advantageous, since this encomienda has been already allotted to the royal crown.  I entreat your Majesty to please to have the matter examined, because it is important.  For this reason I mention here the number of Indians, and their tributes.  It is a healthful and rich land.