who are engaged in various labors for the Spaniards are often kept waiting a long time for their pay, or even cheated out of it; when such pay is due them, it should be sent to them promptly and safely.  Rewards should be given to deserving soldiers; and the troops should no longer be recruited with exiles and criminals.  The troops should be paid more liberally and punctually; and one meal a day should be given to the poor Spaniards, whether soldiers or not.  The soldiers, moreover, should be paid from the time of their arrival; for, as it is, they must serve long without pay, which causes great suffering and immorality among them.  Half of the advance pay now given them in Mexico should be held back until their arrival at Cavite.  The desirability of aiding needy Spaniards is again urged, and this charity should be placed in charge of the Confraternity of La Misericordia.  The seminary of Sancta Potenciana is well conducted, and a most important work; it should be further aided, and now needs that some order of professed nuns be represented in it.  Again the writer urges that the vessels plying between the islands and Nueva Espana be commanded by inhabitants of the Philippines, in order to correct the abuses now prevalent.

Upon the arrival of the ships from Nueva Espana, bringing the members of the reestablished Audiencia, the royal seal, which represents the authority and person of the king, is received by the governor (June 8, 1598) with great solemnity and pomp, and deposited in the royal building; the official record of this proceeding, with the oaths taken by the new governor, is here presented.

The new archbishop of Manila writes to the king (June 24, 1598) complaining of the neglected and impoverished condition of his see, and the little interest or attention given to religion by the laity therein.  He denounces the governor as avaricious, corrupt, vicious, and tyrannical.  The archbishop asks that a new governor be appointed, who shall have no selfish aims in accepting the post, preferably an ecclesiastic.  Some check must be placed on the immigration of Chinese, who are ruining the country and demoralizing the natives.  The Inquisition should be reestablished in Manila.  In another letter (dated July 26) Santibanez explains to the king his attitude in regard to the marriage of one of his relatives, and complains that the governor has, in consequence of this affair, slandered and persecuted him.  The archbishop again denounces Tello’s vices, and asks that he himself be permitted to return to Spain, as he cannot remain with Tello in that land.

Fray Miguel de Benavides, bishop of Nueva Segovia, sends to the king (June 30, 1598) a complaint against the conduct of the new governor, Francisco Tello:  the latter has contracted an unlawful marriage, and is also very licentious; he has seized the property of a citizen; and he is cowardly, extravagant and reckless, even wasting the public stores for his own uses.  Benavides asks that Luis Dasmarinas be appointed governor in Tello’s place.  A postscript to this letter (dated July 5) complains of the wrongs done to the Chinese by the Spanish officials, and for details refers the king to Fray Diego de Soria, who is going to Spain.