The King:  To Gomez Perez Das Marinas, my governor and captain-general of the Philippinas Islands.  I have received the letters that you wrote me by the last fleet from Nueba Espana.  You have done well to advise me so minutely of the condition in which you found affairs in those islands, and how ill their government was being carried on.  You shall continue on all occasions to do this, acting in the islands according to your obligation, and in conformity with the hope and satisfaction that I have had, and have, in you.  You have done very well in having observed so punctually, as you say, what was ordered you in the instructions that I had given you.  You shall do likewise with the other matters in your instructions.

I was very glad to hear how far advanced work was on the cathedral church of that city.  I was pleased to see the care and promptness with which you have attended to what I ordered you in regard to this.  I consider this as a service from you, and charge you that, if there be anything lacking to finish the work, you shall see that it is done as quickly as possible.  Although you have been sent in duplicate the decrees that you carried, they are now being sent again, without considering that fact, to the officials of Mexico, so that they may, upon the first opportunity, provide you with the supplies mentioned.

You have done very well in applying the one thousand pesos of income to the hospital for Spaniards, and the five hundred to that for the Indians, as I ordered you in your instructions.  I charge you that you aid and protect them to the best of your ability, since the work is so charitable.

Since you say that the blankets that I ordered sent from Mexico for the said hospitals are not needed, as you have there all you want, and at a cheaper price, and that the money spent on them might be better spent on other indispensable necessities of the said hospitals, you shall advise the viceroy, Don Luis de Velasco, so that he may convert the money for them into what you consider most needful.

You advise me that you wished to audit the accounts of certain brothers of the habit of St. Francis, who have charge of the hospital for the Indians, but that they refused to show the accounts, and asserted that I had nothing to do with it; and that, until I should endow that house and satisfy its needs, I could have nothing to do with it, nor in the other charitable works of that bishopric.  You say that the bishop had abetted that, and that he had sided with and aided the brothers.  And although you ought, notwithstanding his reply, to continue your investigations, which have not yet been made, you shall, as soon as you receive this letter, take possession of the said hospital, and of any others in the said islands, in my name, as patron of them—­for such I am by right and by apostolic bull.  Likewise you shall call to account all who shall have had charge of the incomes, alms, and other matters pertaining to them.  I am writing to the bishop not to hinder you in this; and that, if he desire, he may be present at the said settlement of accounts.