in having imposed excommunication on those who without his permission entered the house of retirement of Santa Potenciana—­which was established by your Majesty’s order and at the expense of your royal exchequer, that orphan girls and poor maidens might be sheltered there, and instructed and taught, and remain there until they should be married—­he would not obey the act of the Audiencia, thus imposing on them the responsibility of employing the correction and severe measures which your Majesty commands by his royal laws; but if these were executed in a land so new as this it would cause a scandal, which would result in much harm that could not be remedied.  To avoid this, it was agreed to send the record of their proceedings and to make a report to your Majesty, so that you might command what should be most expedient for your royal service.

[In the margin:  “Let this clause, with the proceedings referred to, be taken to the official reporter; provision and decree have been made elsewhere.”]

He treats the Audiencia with less respect than he ought to, and desires to be preferred in matters of authority; for he will have it that those who preach, when the Audiencia and archbishop are present, should bow first to him and not to the Audiencia.  When the holy water is given on Sundays, he has ordered it to be taken to the choir, or wherever he may be; and, after he has received it, he who is giving it shall go back and give it to the Audiencia.  As this seemed to be derogatory to the authority which the Audiencia represents, a proposal was made to him that two vessels of holy water should be carried—­one to the choir for him, and the other to be left for the Audiencia; but he would not agree to this.  He has ordered that the pax which is given to the Audiencia and the archbishop should be given to him by the deacon, and to the Audiencia by the subdeacon; and he says that they should be thankful that he has consented to give them the pax, for there is no reason why it should be given to them.

In public he places his seat before those of the Audiencia; and, as they felt that consent to this ought not to be given, a message was sent to him by the court clerk on St. Potenciana’s day—­since, as she is patron saint of this city, the Audiencia and cabildo go to celebrate mass in her church on that feast-day—­to notify him that it was not proper to put his seat in front of the Audiencia.  He answered that he must place it there, as his Holiness and your Majesty ordered and permitted it.  When this determination of his was known, it was agreed that the Audiencia would not go [to mass] on that feast-day, in order to avoid another encounter of this sort; and to maintain a firm attitude in regard to what your Majesty commands to be done in his service.

He is quite at variance with the ecclesiastical cabildo, and the prebendaries in particular make many complaints of him; and it would be well worth your consideration that this should be checked.  Both they and others demand this from your Majesty, and you will be pleased to grant such relief as is most expedient.  May our Lord protect your Catholic person for many years.  Manila, July 4, 1605.