Translations:  All these are made by James A. Robertson.

Letter from Felipe IV to Fajardo

The King.  Don Alonso de Tenza, knight of the Order of Alcantara, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia thereof:  The letter which you wrote me on August 20, 1622, containing information regarding the state of those islands, has been received; and in my royal Council of the Indias the points that belong to their province have been considered, and you will be furnished with the resolutions adopted thereon.

You mention the revolt and retreat to the hills of certain natives of the provinces of Pintados, Nueva Segovia, and Cambales, and the reason which you think they had for it.  I appreciate the care which you have exercised in that matter, since on other occasions when you have been directed to see that the Indians be treated as well as possible, you have endeavored to have my orders carried out, for in this way they will be preserved as we desire.  Again I charge you that you inform the superiors of the convents, and religious who are busied in the conversion and teaching of the Indians, how important it is to treat them well.

Since you were unable to attend to the mines of the province of Pangasinan, in the mountains and the lands of the Ygolotes, on account of the press of business which you have had, you will now carry on their exploration, since you see that it is desirable to accomplish this enterprise. [50] As for the efforts that you have made to discover certain fruits of the land, and your assertion that a considerable quantity of nutmeg [51] has been discovered similar to that from the Malucas Islands, you will make the necessary investigations to ascertain this accurately.  I also charge you to continue what you have begun, and to send a quantity of the said nutmeg to the officers of my royal exchequer in the City of Mexico in Nueva Espana, so that they may send it to these kingdoms; and there also shall the investigation be made, according to the orders sent in my decree.

As regards your remarks concerning the Licentiate Geronimo de Legaspi, auditor of that Audiencia, you will execute your orders in the matter, and I shall await the result.  What you write in response to my decree, which was sent you on June 8, 1621, that you should investigate the mode of life of the wives of the auditors and other officials therein mentioned, is noted; and all this is placed in your charge and on your conscience.  You are to correct the abuses which you find existing, no matter whom they concern, and shall read this section in the Audiencia, so that they may know my will.

I am advised of what you say, and have often represented, as to the necessity that the persons who are appointed to that Audiencia shall be well-known and approved.  I am also advised as to what you say of the person of Don Geronimo de Silva, and the assistance which you have had from him.  The embassy for Japan—­with a gift, which shall not seem an acknowledgment—­you say, could not be sent off last year, which is well.  In the future, you will execute your orders in this matter.