In the letter that we wrote to your Majesty via Malaca, notice was given of the arrival in these islands of the Dominican fathers, informing you that it was not expedient to send any more religious orders to this country.  Of those orders already here—­namely, the Franciscans, the Augustinians, the Dominicans, and the Society—­it is very desirable that your Majesty send many religious, because there is a great lack of instruction; and unless many of each order are sent, the natives cannot be instructed as befits the duties imposed upon your Majesty’s and the bishop’s consciences, under whose charge they are, as the bishop will inform you in the letter that he is writing to your Majesty.  We beg your Majesty to see to this matter and provide for it.  May God preserve the Catholic person of your Majesty.  At Manila, on June 25 of the year 88.

The licentiate Santiago de Vera
The licentiate Melchor Davila
The licentiate Pedro de Rojas
Don Antonio Rivera Maldonado

Bibliographical Data

Foundation of Audiencia.—­See Vol.  V, p. 320.

Royal decrees of 1584.—­The first is found in Santa Ines’s Cronica, ii, p. 606; the original MS. is in the Archivo de San Francisco at Manila—­pressmark, “caj. nº. 2 (dra.), leg. 1º.”  The second is in the “Cedulario Indico” of the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid; its pressmark is “Tomo 31, fol. 161b, nº. 157.”

Mendoza’s History of China.—­Such part of this work as relates to the Philippines is here presented; it is obtained from a copy of the Madrigal edition (Madrid, 1586), in the Library of Congress.  Full details regarding this work will be given in the final bibliographical volume of this series.

Brief of Sixtus V (1586).—­The text of this document is printed in Hernaez’s Coleccion de bulas, i, p. 530; it is also given in Santa Ines’s Cronica, i, pp. 524-527.

The remaining documents presented in this volume—­which are translated from either the originals or transcripts thereof—­are obtained from the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the pressmark of each is indicated as follows: 

1. Income of royal estate.—­“Simancas—­Filipinas; descubrimientos, descripciones y poblaciones y gobierno de Filipinas; anos 1582 a 1606; est. 1, caj. i, leg. 3|25, ramo 16.”

2. Letter by Davalos.—­“Simancas—­Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas; cartas y espedientes del presidente y oidores de dicha Audiencia vistos en el Consejo; anos 1583 a 1599; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 18.”

3. Letter by Vera (1585).—­“Simancas—­Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas; cartas y espedientes del gobernador de Filipinas vistos en el Consejo; anos 1567 a 1599; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 6.”

4. Letters by Guzman and Vascones.—­“Simancas—­Filipinas; descubrimientos, descripciones y poblaciones de las Yslas Filipinas; anos 1582 a 1606; est. 1, caj. 1, leg. 3|25;” this title varies slightly, as will be seen, from that of No. 1.