your Majesty that he is one of the discreet and sensible
judges in your service; and less than his going to
take part in what he deserves and in what can commend
him to your Majesty’s eyes, could not console
me at seeing him separated from me. For I do not
know how one who wishes to rule aright can have anything
more to his taste than such a counselor and one of
so great experience in matters—such an
one whom, until now, I have been unable to have.
And since I was so assured of his good qualities,
when I was about to embark in the fleet to fight the
Dutch fleet, I persuaded the said licentiate Alcaraz,
that if I died on that occasion, under no considerations
was he to forsake this country and the Audiencia until
your Majesty should have taken measures for all things.
Although I gave clear reasons for it, namely the long
experience of the said licentiate Alcaraz and other
reasons, without thus touching on my distrust of the
good government of the other two auditors—although
I could perhaps give some different reason, if it
were necessary—such was the spite that
those two exhibited toward us, that Licentiate Alcaraz
tried to avoid the charge of the government.
At the end he conquered me and convinced me to have
Don Fray Miguel Garcia Serrano, archbishop elect of
this city, summoned to aid him in it; he was then
absent from the city. The latter is one in whom,
besides his qualifications of devotion, virtue, and
learning, combine other qualities so good that they
can commend him for governments more important than
this. Accordingly he came to me at my request,
and at the same entreaty he is staying, and is daily
putting me under new obligations to him, the greatest
of which is my seeing him so intent on and inclined
to the service of your Majesty, both in whatever pertains
to his own office and in what can aid me in mine.
To conclude the account of what ensued with the auditors—Licentiate
Geronimo de Legaspi y Echabarria and Doctor Don Albaro
de Messa y Lugo—I shall say that whether
for the causes here written, or because of restraining
them and trying to reduce them to harmony and a desirable
moderation; or because the correction of justice is
also overtaking the members of their families (a matter
on which I could debate by writing more); or, finally,
whether it be by deductions from these things (which
I know not), the two have so grudged their courtesies
that they do not visit me since I have come from outside—although
I have been careful to go to their houses oftener
than was sufficient. Neither do their wives visit
mine. Will your Majesty be pleased to have them
advised that what they ought to do in this matter
to another president than to me, be not lacking to
me. In other things, I shall manage with the fitting
mildness and delicacy, so that we all may proceed very
conformably to the service of your Majesty. I
hope for this, for on my part there is the desire
and on theirs so many obligations. Very soon they
will make a trial of the obligations that they have