Coming, then, to what concerns us, not even the least important incident has occurred in which he has not shown himself opposed to an order such as ours, causing us infinite annoyance—­as if it were not we who discovered these regions for your Majesty, and founded with infinite toil this new church, and by whose industry your Majesty has innumerable vassals.  Every day, too, we are expecting to open up a greater conversion [of the heathen]; and we continue what was begun by those first fathers who trained us here.  We desire not only that the number of the faithful be multiplied, but that the royal crown of your Majesty be increased.  To this end, there has been no expedition in which we did not send religious for the consolation and encouragement of the troops.  And on the so sudden and dangerous occurrence of the rising of the Chinese, we doubt not that the governor has given your Majesty an account of our proceedings; for in public and aloud he thanked us in your Majesty’s name for our humble services, though our desire was great for the service of our king and lord.  Not a fortification has been made upon land, nor a ship or galley built, where we have not rendered service; and in ministries to the Indians and Spaniards, we believe that no religious order has surpassed us.  In spite of all this, the opposition which the said archbishop displays toward us in everything is well known.  Thus we find ourselves without protection and in a very wretched state, whence we hope to extricate ourselves with the aid and powerful protection of your Majesty, who will consider himself pleased with these his household, and will command that we be treated in all matters as is right.  If it were not for the president and royal Audiencia, who restrain these acts of violence, this poor commonwealth would be separated by five thousand leguas from its real deliverance and father, who is your Majesty—­whom may our Lord prosper, and increase his realm, according to the desire of us his faithful vassals.  Dated in this your city of Manila; [undated].

Fray Lorenzo de Leon, provincial of the Augustinians. Fray Jhoan Baptista de Montoya Fray Estevan Carrillo, definitor. Fray Pedro de Aguirre, definitor. Fray Roque de Varrio, new definitor.

[Endorsed:  “No. 6.  Manila; to his Majesty.  No date; the religious of the Order of St. Augustine.”]

Sire: 

Considering its importance to the service of your Majesty, it has seemed best to this Audiencia to give an account of the manner in which the archbishop of these islands proceeds; for he is harsh of temper and resents the acts of the Audiencia which declare that he has committed fuerza. [2] He has often said, for this reason, that they treat him very ill, and put him in such a position that he must retire to his cell and give up his office altogether; for they do not esteem him nor allow him to administer justice.  The Audiencia having declared him guilty of fuerza