he promised to tell the truth. Being
interrogated in accordance with the inquiry, he deposed as follows:

1. To the first question he answered that he knew of the royal hospital
of this city of Manila from the time of its establishment by Doctor
Santiago de Vera. This was his answer.

Being asked the usual questions prescribed by law, he said that he
was thirty-four years old and competent to be a witness.

2. To the second question, he answered that he knew there is no other
hospital for treating Spaniards throughout these islands except
that of the said city of Manila. Therefore Spaniards from all the
islands, especially ordinary soldiers and mercenaries, go there for
treatment. This was his answer.

3. To the third question he answered that he knew the number of
patients in the said hospital, as he had been in it many times. He
thought it contained ordinarily fifty or sixty sick soldiers. This
was his answer.

4. To the fourth question he answered that he knew that by not giving
proper attention to the sick, his Majesty would suffer greater expense
and cost in being compelled to send other men in their place to this
country. This will be a great expense to his Majesty, because of the
high cost of transporting each of those who go to the said islands;
besides, on account of the great distance of the country, and the
difference of its climate from that of our Espana, many men die. This
was his answer.

5. To the fifth question he answered that his reply was the same as
to the preceding question.

6. To the sixth question he answered that besides the mercenaries and
ordinary soldiers who are treated in the said royal hospital, many
others are also treated--namely, sailors, and old and poor Spanish
soldiers, who because they have not the means to be treated, have
recourse to the said hospital. These his Majesty is under obligation
to assist, because of their services. This was his answer.

7. To the seventh question he answered that he referred to the
attestation and certifications given by the officials of the royal
exchequer of these islands, and that he knew that the income is
insufficient for the heavy expense incurred by the said royal
hospital--as this witness and the other superiors of the religious
orders of this city have written to his Majesty, begging him to assist
the said royal hospital by increasing its income, since it is not
sufficient. This was his answer.

8. To the eighth question he answer