Licentiate Don Alvaro Messa y Lugo

Sire: 

The letters that will accompany this letter are duplicates of last year, both of what I wrote via Mexico and via Yndia; and although at that time I wrote as I did in them many more and better things can be said now.  For besides the fact that lawless acts are so prevalent, they are increasing with the presence of their master, who, to be explicit, is the governor.  It is advisable for the honor and respect of your Majesty, to put a stop to as much as possible.  For that reason, I shall merely touch upon the following particulars of what is new, with all possible brevity; for in order to satisfy your Majesty some things are requisite.  Hence, Sire: 

1.  First, after fifteen months of imprisonment and retreat, while I was very heedless, and distrustful that the governor would take such action (although very confident in the mercy of God), the governor sent an order to me at St. Dominic to come out and assume my duties.  Although I hesitated considerably about going out on account of the great peril in which I was placing myself, the force of your Majesty’s service drew me out, a fortnight or thereabout before the arrival of the ships from Acapulco.  I was encouraged considerably by the religious who assured me that the whole town was clamoring for me to go out, except certain persons who hate justice.  Consequently I persuaded myself that I would be doing your Majesty a service, and for that I did not think that I was doing much in endangering myself, since I shall do my duty in losing my life.  It seems miraculous, and there are few who understand how the governor came to do this, for, although it is true that he fell out with Licentiate Legaspi, on finding that the latter while enjoying so great friendship with him, had written against him; and because of the great friendship between Licentiate Legaspi and Licentiate Juan de Baiderrama the governor’s displeasure was also extended toward the said Licentiate Baiderrama:  still they maintained friendly relations, although the governor ceased to extend to him the accommodations and profits of former times.  Although it is reported that the governor made numerous investigations, I have not heard from one who knew the whole truth that he did it with violence, but with great mildness, giving the witness liberty to make his deposition.  On the contrary I have always understood, Sire, that he made no further investigations, nor has he wished to do so; and I even believe that it was done for reasons of state, in order not to irritate Licentiate Legaspi too much, in case that the latter should take part in his residencia, for the governor must consider him as a revengeful and hot-headed person.  But Licentiate Legaspi, fearing that the governor intended to arrest him, withdrew into the [convent of] the Society of Jesus.  It is said that on that account he allowed me to come out.  All persons of good judgment are not sorry for it, especially since they