customs duties of Sevilla and of Vera
Cruz are being decreased and lost, to the great detriment of the
merchants. Four or five thousand pesos, more or less, are brought to
this city from Nueva Hespana, whence they are taken to the foreign
kingdom of China. Finally, the royal incomes and customs duties
are being decreased, the merchants of Castilla are suffering loss,
the silver is taken to a country of infidels, and these islands will
be ruined entirely, if your Majesty do not correct these evils by
ordering that no merchants come hither from Nueva Hespana, or send
money for investment here, but that the citizens of these islands
alone have the right to trade and traffic. This will only be done
in small amounts, and will result in fewer troubles; while those who
are engaged in pacifying and maintaining this country will have some
reward for their toils, instead of all the profits being reaped by
those who go to Mexico, after trading here with so much resultant
loss to this state and to the seigniories of your Majesty, as Father
Alonso Sanchez will inform you in greater detail.

Section 6. Father Fray Rufino, of the Franciscan order, is sailing
to those kingdoms for the sole purpose of soliciting religious of
his order for these islands, where they are greatly needed for the
preaching of the gospel. We beseech your Majesty to order his superiors
to send them with all haste, and the same to the Augustinian order.

Section 7. Since Father Alonso Sanchez will, on account of his
thorough knowledge of affairs in this country, China, and the
states of Eastern India, discuss with your Majesty these and many
other things--all touching the service of God and your Majesty--and
petition you concerning them, we humbly beg that your Majesty will
please to grant him free audience; for in all, and by all, we ratify
everything that he may relate and declare to your Majesty. May God,
our Lord, preserve and exalt your Majesty's sacred royal Catholic
person, with the increase of kingdoms and seigniories that we, your
subjects and vassals, desire. Manila, June 25, 1586.

Don Juan de Bivero, archdeacon of this holy cathedral church, has
served in it for twenty years, and has taken part in all the work of
pacification in these islands, in administering the holy sacraments to
the soldiers and citizens--in all, serving God and your Majesty very
religiously. At present he is in dire need, for he has been given
no recompense for his services,