about fifty pesos; while here it costs only one-tenth as much.  As great preparation has been made in the candles for the lanterns, [31] and other things, for the same purpose of lessening the expense.  And, while discussing this matter, I cannot refrain from again petitioning your Majesty, in order to fulfil my obligations and my desire for your royal service, to order that the clerks and the treasury employees that I have requested for this place be sent to me; for they are very necessary in order to aid more efficiently the service of your Majesty, whose Catholic person may our Lord preserve, as is necessary to Christendom.  In this port of Cavite, and bay of Manila, August 10, 1618.

Already on this day (the above date) the ships are to leave this bay, because of the favorable weather that has come.  All the pilots are of opinion that they will not be lost, and that our Lord will guide and convey them with all safety.  It has seemed best to the Audiencia that a certain report be sent to your Majesty in this letter, of which it took charge, made against Don Hieronimo de Silva; consequently I am sending it in accordance with their opinion, since they are lawyers.  Nevertheless, my opinion was that it should be suspended until the trial of the said Don Hieronimo, and the truth were known with certainty; and not to discredit him beforehand with depositions of certain persons, by whom he has been accused, without allowing him any opportunity to defend himself.

Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenca

[Appended to the letter are the following letters on Moluccan affairs, mentioned by Fajardo.]

Letter from Manuel Ribeyra, S.J.

As I arrived from this voyage from Maluco ailing and crippled in one foot, I have not gone to pay my respects to your Lordship and to welcome you, in accordance with my obligations, to these islands, whither in a time of so great need our Lord has brought you for the relief of all of them.  I give a thousand thanks to your Lordship for the so signal grace that you do me in ordering me to advise you briefly of the condition of Maluco, and of whatever I deem in need of reform, trusting that I shall only pay attention in this to the question how their two Majesties, the Divine and the human, may be better served; and that I shall proceed throughout truthfully and with integrity, as a religious of the Society, which I am.  In order that I may comply with what your Lordship orders, I declare, sir: 

That the forts of Terrenate, Tidore, Gilolo, Tafongo, and Payagi (which are all that the king our sovereign possesses in the Maiucas Islands) are in the best condition in which they have ever been; because for a year past, since Master-of-camp Lucas de Bergara Gaviria has been governing them, he has labored at their fortification, so that all are in an excellent state of defense.  At present there is no cavalier in Maluco that is not built of stone, although until now many were built of fascines, and whenever it rained