Juan de Salcedo, grandson of the governor Miguel Lopez, has served and serves your Majesty in these districts in the capacity of captain of infantry.  He is one who has exerted and does exert himself in whatever he has been commanded—­not only in the conquests, discoveries, and pacification of these islands, but in everything else that has occurred and occurs from day to day in your Majesty’s service.  In all of these, and in expeditions of great importance entrusted to him in this land, he has given a very good account of himself.  He merits, and it is fitting that your Majesty should resolve to grant him, some favor.  In paying his grandfather’s debts and for the repose of his soul, he has spent all his possessions.  What the governor left was but little, and did not suffice for this, because he had spent his income in helping some poor soldiers, and in other matters of your Majesty’s service, and was therefore poor and needy.

The governor, Miguel Lopez, in this city of Manila appointed in your Majesty’s royal name certain regidores to serve as long as it should be your Majesty’s pleasure.  I did the same in the town of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus. [53] The said governor changed the cabildo of the said town at the end of the year, and I believe would have done the like in this city, had he lived; because I assure your Majesty that it is a thing of great inconvenience and disturbance to have perpetual regidores.  The regidores in this city from its foundation discharged their duties little more than a year, during which time there were among them parties and factions; as a result of this, the governor, seeing certain of them maltreat or affront one of the alcaldes-in-ordinary in the town-hall, sent two of the said regidores with the record of their trial, referred to your royal Audiencia in Nueva Espana.  I removed the said cabildo, and appointed new regidores, as in the first town.  And so I think it a matter very important to your Majesty’s service that, for the present, there should be no perpetual regidores in these parts, but those who are elected annually; because in this way they will do their duties well, understanding that the office is to last but a short time.  On the contrary, they will, if elected in perpetuity, become careless, as experience shows.  I advise your Majesty of this so that if perpetuity of these offices is demanded, you may do what seems best.

After the departure of these ships if it be our Lord’s will, I shall continue the repartimiento of this land, in those places discovered by Captain Juan de Salcedo and the master-of-camp in this island of Luzon, on the coast of Yloco; for it would be impossible for this fleet to sustain itself in any other way, on account of the great privation and poverty endured in the past and present by the soldiers, especially since they are not now permitted to make raids.  These were wont to be made formerly, in order to support