s vassal kisses your feet,

_Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera_

LETTER FROM THE BISHOP OF NUEVA CACERES TO FELIPE IV

Sire:

We vassals and servants of your Majesty, who behold ourselves so far
from your presence and in so remote districts in these Filipinas
Islands, are ever desirous of knowing of your Majesty's health,
which may God our Lord give you for many years; and in much greater
troubles we declare with the holy king Josias: _Cum ignoremus quid
agne debeamus hoc solum residum havemus ut oculos nostros dirigamus_,
etc. This remedy alone is left us, namely, to turn our eyes toward your
Majesty, as to our natural lord and sovereign; indeed there is great
need that your Majesty apply with your powerful hand that remedy that
is necessary in the affairs in these islands that are happening with
the archbishop of this city of Manila, and the orders of St. Dominic,
St. Francis, and the Recollects of St. Augustine. They, irritated
because Don Sevastian Hurtado de Corcuera, who is now governing
these islands, has restrained them and limited their excesses, have
united with the said archbishop, and have endeavored to impair his
[_i.e._, the governor's] Christian actions directed to the service
of God our Lord and of your Majesty, and the increase of your royal
treasury. They preach in the pulpit things unworthy of that place,
trying to seduce the citizens, both in that place and in their houses,
irritating them and making them restless, and disturbing the peace and
quiet of the community. They cause innumerable scandals, by reporting
which I might enlarge this letter to great details. In fact, Sire,
they are trying to make themselves masters of the spiritual and
temporal. In all the provinces of these islands they live so absolute
masters of all things that they do not recognize your Majesty. For
they say openly in their missions that they are kings and popes. They
hold the Indians so subject, and have such control of the wills of the
alcaldes-mayor in their districts that the latter neither administer
justice nor can do more than the religious wish. And if, perchance,
they exceed that, the religious impeach them, and try to discredit
them. They live without God, without king, and without law. For
them there are neither bulls of his Holiness nor decrees of your
Majesty, nor Council of Trent or of Mexico; nor do they recognize
any bishop; for, even in regard to the administration of sacraments,
they say th