5th. Item:  That the said auditors in this country can rather be called honorable traders and merchants than ministers of justice, since they trade and engage in commerce quite openly.  Under their protection their sons, relatives, and connections trade very extensively.  This is a cause of very great injury to the poor, and to the inhabitants of this city; and they are defrauded in the division of the cargo, for the auditors’ freight is better looked after.  Hence it follows that the auditors possess very large estates.  They build elegant houses, at a cost of twelve or fourteen thousand pesos.  They generally keep embroiderers at work in their houses publicly, just as any merchant keeps them.

6th.  Lastly, after the arrival of the governor last year with the decrees that he brought from his Majesty, if the royal Audiencia was before a harm or of little use, it is now useless; because then its possible service was to oppose the said governor and to undo any injury or violence committed by the governor, but now that is prohibited by the said decrees of his Majesty.  In them his Majesty orders the royal Audiencia not to contradict their president and captain-general in whatever the latter wishes to do, but to advise him of the governor’s actions, without opposing the latter, in order to avoid scandals.  In order to give information of the governor’s want of prudence, no Audiencia is needed, for there are enough people here to advise you.

During former years this city petitioned his Majesty that he would be pleased to order the establishment of an Audiencia, because it was believed that it would be a check on the governor’s actions, which were not so well considered.  Now this ceases with the said precautions brought by the governor, in which his Majesty orders that the auditors shall not oppose the governor, but that they only advise his Majesty of everything.  As to the said Audiencia, their hands have not been tied by these new precautions, nor do the auditors pay any attention to them, for they have so ingratiated themselves with the governor, because he has advantaged them and their relatives and followers, and his Majesty is so far away.

RELATION OF 1609-1610

Extract from the Relation of Events in the Filipinas During the Years 1609 and 1610, By Father Gregorio Lopez [21]

This country heard last year, by way of Jolo and Mindanao, that the Dutch were going to come in the year 1609, to harass it with a strong force.  Consequently Governor Juan de Silva entered upon his government with the intention of fortifying the port of Cavite, where our ships anchor, distant about three leguas from the city.  For as Cavite was unprotected, not having even a cavalier or rampart mounting a couple of pieces with which to head off the Dutch ships, which might attempt to anchor in its harbor, the Dutchman could enter with all safety to himself, and be quite