and they are suffering from so great necessity and are five thousand leagues distant from those kingdoms, burdened with large families and households.  They are grieving greatly over the prospect of so long, dangerous, and costly a voyage.  We entreat your Majesty, since it is so just that rewards and promotions be given to your servants who have served you faithfully, and which your Majesty has ever been wont to bestow so generously, that you do not permit them to remain unrewarded, and that you have their salaries paid them from the time when their offices became vacant; for their services merit this, as well as the eagerness with which they have always exerted themselves, devoting all their energies to the sole service of God and your Majesty.  They have ceased to exercise their duties in-these posts—­the best and chiefest of the kingdom—­not through any demerit, but through the suppression of the Audiencia.  We trust that your Majesty will look favorably upon them and upon your other servants who have served you in this royal Audiencia; and that you will reward them and promote them as we desire.  May God preserve the Catholic person of your Majesty.  Manila, June 20, 1590.

The doctor Santiago Devera
The licentiate Pedro de Rojas
The licentiate Don Antonio de Ribera Maldonado

[Endorsed:  “Filipinas; to his Majesty, 1590.  The Audiencia, June 20.  Seen, and no answer is necessary.  Make a memorandum regarding this auditor and fiscal.”]

The Chinese, and the Parian at Manila

Sire: 

As Chinese matters are so worthy of being known, I have thought best to give your Majesty an account of them in a special letter, although all I say will be but little in comparison with the facts.  Before I undertake to relate what God through His mercy has chosen to unfold to us concerning the affairs of that kingdom which were so hidden to us, I must, in order to ease my conscience, and die without this scruple, undo an error into which I had fallen for a while.  Under that error I wrote to your Majesty as I felt then; and, although what I wrote was true, according to the information received, I have learned since that the contrary is the fact.  As soon as I began to see the error, I wrote to your Majesty; but it was not done with the necessary effectiveness, for I was not yet completely undeceived.  Now that I am, it would be a very serious matter if I did not try to undo the deception.  As at that time I wrote to your Majesty what I felt, under an erroneous impression, I shall write what I feel, now that I am fully undeceived; for one ought always to present the entire and naked truth, with no confusing elements, to all men, and much more to your Majesty.