The vassals of the king of Mindanao who were formerly your Majesty’s subjects have for some years back been acting very insolently, and have been committing so many and so great depredations that already they are causing considerable anxiety.  Consequently, it is necessary to undertake to restrain them, and to lay hands on them.  I shall accordingly try to do so as soon as possible, and for that purpose I shall use the galliots which I have said that I intend to build.

I am writing to the viceroy of Nueva Espana, asking him to send me the aid that he is wont to send other years, in the quantity now necessary, and as is declared in a memorial signed with my signature and those of the royal officials of these islands.  I have asked that the money sent be the amount that was asked last year, since that sent then did not amount to the sum generally sent in other years; while the occasion that obliged us to ask for it has not ceased, but rather the necessities caused by the disasters and losses above mentioned have arisen.

Because of the short time since I arrived here, and the many occupations that I have had in overcoming the hindrance of despatches, in arrears, and in attending to the preparation for many necessities that demanded it, and to the furnishing of these ships that are being despatched now to Nueva Espana—­in which there were very many things to do, to which no beginning had been made—­I have not been able to ascertain with certainty who is to blame for the wreck of the six galleons, and why they did not sail out to drive from the coast the enemy who were pillaging along it.  Consequently, I shall leave that report to your Majesty for another occasion.  However, I can send with this letter an information regarding this matter, the taking of which I entrusted to Auditor Geronimo de Legaspi, on the advice of the Audiencia.  The Audiencia gave it so that it might be made secretly, on the occasion of a petition that was presented against Don Geronimo de Silva.  That petition declared also that neither I nor any one else could be judge without a special commission from your Majesty; but that it was necessary to make the said investigation, in order to see by it whether it was advisable or not to prevent the said Don Geronimo from going hence to Espana, as he wishes and is resolutely undertaking to do.  For that he assigns as a reason that he considers it a disgrace that one who has governed in this country, in the position and post with which your Majesty honored him, should remain here, removed from his office, and liable to ruin, and in danger of uncivil treatment—­which one can fear who has so many rivals as he confesses that he has, because of having exercised his duties with integrity.  I am trying to deliver him from that inconvenience.  He insists on his intention, justifying it with these and many other arguments.  As yet the writ has not been examined, and consequently I can not say whether he will go or stay.