In the city of Manila, on the fifth day of the month of August, one thousand six hundred and sixteen, Licentiate Andres de Alcarez, senior auditor of the royal Audiencia of these islands, who exercises the duties of president and captain-general of them, while in the houses where the Audiencia resides, called a treasury meeting to discuss matters advisable for the service of his Majesty.  Licentiate Manuel de Madrid y Luna, Don Juan de Alvarado Bracamonte, auditor and fiscal [respectively], in the royal Audiencia, and the royal officials of the royal treasury—­namely, Captain Pedro de Saldiernos Demariaca, factor; Juan Saez de Hegoen, inspector; and Alonso de Espinosa Saravia, accountant—­having attended it, and being thus assembled before me, the present scrivener of the administrative and war departments, he proposed the following.

Petition. A petition was read from Don Fray Pedro de Arce, bishop of the city of Zibu, and governor of this archbishopric, which was of the following tenor.  “Most potent Sire:  I, Don Fray Pedro de Arce, bishop of the city of Sanctisimo Nombre de Jesus, and governor of this archbishopric by virtue of a brief of our very holy Father Paul Fifth, and a decree of the royal person of your Highness, declare that, in order to obey the said orders and fulfil my obligations in the common welfare of this archbishopric, I have come to this capital, and have left the comfort of a house that I had built, in the said city of Zebu, and have established myself with greater obligations for expenses in house and servants, in order to sustain some little of the greatness due the honor of the archiepiscopal dignity.  I represent, as is well known to your Highness, that the expenses of this capital are excessive, for the rent of a moderate-sized house costs more than three hundred pesos and the ordinary food is very dear.  For these reasons and others, well known to your Highness, and because the duties of the ministry are not lessened by the said government, it is in accord with justice that, since I bear the weight and obligations of archbishop, I be granted the salary assigned to his person.  Therefore, I beg and petition your Highness to have the said grace conceded to me, in fulfilment of the said will of his Holiness and the royal person of your Highness.  I ask for justice.

Fray Pedro, bishop of Sanctisimo Nombre de Jesus.”

Resolution. Having heard and examined the said proposition, and discussed and conferred as to what should be done, all unanimously and in accord, with one determination and sentiment, resolved, in respect to what the said bishop Don Fray Pedro de Arce petitions, that, inasmuch as he must reside in this city and archbishopric, if he fulfil his obligations to govern it, and must have a house and servants, and the other things required by his dignity; and inasmuch as he cannot do this with the salary of five hundred thousand maravedis that he receives in his bishopric: