It is my will that you have a retinue of twelve halberdiers as a bodyguard; the said halberdiers shall draw the same pay as soldiers, and shall have a chief or captain, who shall draw fifteen pesos monthly.  Although their principal duty must be to act as a retinue, and this is done and ordered on account of what pertains to the authority and dignity of your offices, you are advised that they must likewise perform military service whenever occasion demands.

Inasmuch as I have been informed that many of the soldiers sent from Nueva Espana to the said islands are lads, mestizos, and some Indians; that they have no weapons; and that a portion of them are pages and servants to the captains and other persons, who, together with their masters, under the pretext and name of soldiers draw their pay—­I charge and order you, now and henceforth, not to receive or admit as soldiers any Indians from Nueva Espana.  On the contrary, the viceroy [of New Spain] must be informed that he is not to send them; and the Indians, that they shall not be received or admitted; and of the mestizos only those who merit it, and whom you think very well fitted for it.  None of the others shall be sent who has not attained the age of sixteen years and over, and a soldier shall not be the page or servant of any person; for while he acts in such capacity, he shall not receive soldier’s pay.  In all of the above, I charge you to take strict account, so that nothing may be done, nor shall you permit it, to the contrary.

Gomez Perez Dasmarinas left the city of Manila walled with stone wherever it was necessary, and constructed a fort and tower in those parts where he was ordered.  Because of the importance of keeping that citadel well defended, you shall, as soon as you shall arrive, inspect the said forts and wall, and shall see that they are kept in order and well maintained.  If they are incomplete, you shall finish them, and advise me of everything.

The said Gomez Perez was likewise ordered to construct another fort in Yllocos or Cagayan as a protection against the Indian, Japanese, and Chinese robbers; another in Cebu, as a protection against the Borneans and Malucos; and another in Panpanga, as a protection against the Cambales.  He was instructed to maintain the continual care and vigilance required for the preservation of lands so new, remote, and surrounded by enemies.  He was ordered especially to beware of the natives of the country, who are numerous, and have but little endurance and permanence in the faith; of four or five thousand Chinese who live there, and go to and fro upon their trading voyages; of the Japanese who resort there regularly; of the Malucos and Borneans, who are irritated, and have vaunted themselves boldly and openly; and most especially of the English Lutherans, who go to those coasts.  Although I have been told that the said Gomez Perez had constructed the said forts, whereby to check the incursions of those nations, I charge you that, if they have been constructed, you look carefully to their maintenance.  If they need anything for their completion, you shall complete them.  You shall proceed cautiously, and keep ever on the watch, since you see what happened to the said Gomez Perez by trusting to the apparent good faith of the Sangleys.