[83] Martin Enriquez writes to the king (January 9, 1574), urging that a new governor for the Philippines be appointed:  “I beg your Majesty to appoint, within a very short time, some person who shall have the necessary qualifications for governing that land; for otherwise neither Christianity nor the royal estate will be able to make much progress there.  Even since I wrote to your Majesty, I have heard fuller details of certain things from among the many which are bound to occur, and all through lack of justice.  I had charged Don Pedro de Luna to bring me a detailed relation of everything that he should hear concerning matters there, and, as he died at sea, I sent word to the Alcalde Mayor of Acapulco to look through his coffers for all his papers, and send them to me, suspecting that I would not like to trust everything to his memory.  In this way I have ascertained from them that there is beyond question need that your Majesty should endeavor to secure better administration of justice there, and provide some one to take greater care of your Majesty’s finances.”

[84] The Munoz letter (see Bibliographical Data at end of this volume) says, “four varas.”  The reading of our text is uncertain, as the number is not written in full, but is designated by a contraction difficult to read.

[85] The Ultramar MS. has the following:  “It is enough to say, and I swear it on my oath as a Christian, that there is said to be more gold in this one island than iron in Vizcaya.”  This is very similar to the reading in the MS. copied by Munoz.

[86] The red sulphuret of arsenic.

[87] This and what follows was apparently added by the officials in Mexico.

[88] Corredor de Lonja (Lonxa) is undoubtedly a commission merchant:  apparently the decree confers upon the city the right to appoint brokers of this class.—­A.P.  Cushing.

[89] This document is evidently addressed to the governor, then Guido de Lavezaris.

[90] The ganta = 8 chupas = 3 liters.

[91] An ancient province of Luzon, so called from the name given in Manila to the many porticos constructed out of the nipa palm.  It was erected into a province during the governorship of Guido de Lavezaris, and was conquered by Salcedo.  It is mountainous, and contains rich mines of various metals, and a fertile soil.  It is now (since April 27, 1901), under American government, known by the name of Ambos Camarines.

[92] The early name of the islands now known as Visayas (or Bisayas)—­the group lying between Luzon, Mindanao, and Mindoro; so named from their inhabitants, known as Pintados ("painted men”) from their tattooed bodies.

[93] Referring to the abaca, or wild plantain (note 68).

[94] Referring to the birth of a son to Felipe II and Anna of Austria—­probably that of Jacobo (or Jaime), born in 1572 or 1573, who died in 1582.

[95] The name and title of this commander are, by some lapsus calami, omitted in the MS. The reference, however, is obvious, to Don Juan of Austria, illegitimate son of Carlos I (but finally publicly acknowledged by him); this prince gained signal renown in wars against the Mahometans.