isfactory persons; and it was ordered that there should be no more
than the said four captains there, as any more would be superfluous,
since there were so few soldiers. Doctor Antonio de Morga, auditor of
this royal Audiencia, has reached such arrogance and restlessness of
mind, caused by his having wrought so many injuries to this afflicted
commonwealth through the power and authority which he has, both
in general and in particular, to many citizens thereof; but, with
his customary facility for speaking ill to some one's prejudice, he
escapes, without anyone daring to speak of the matter. In the little
time which he had spent in this country, he found himself rich and
powerful through his trading and commerce. Accordingly he commenced to
procure taking away the employments and offices from soldiers and men
of war whom your Majesty has here, and appropriated them to himself
and his relations. Thus, contrary to the said limitation of number,
and in violation of what your Majesty commands by your ordinances
and decrees--namely, that offices of profit shall not be given to the
auditors, or to their kindred, servants, or dependents--Governor Don
Francisco Tello appointed, as alcalde-mayor of the island of Mindoro,
a certain Pedro Cotelo de Morales, a first cousin of the wife of the
said Doctor Morga, who came with the latter to these islands; and
passed by, in giving it, many of the conquerors and poor settlers. But
the said Doctor Morga would not accept this, saying that he would
have no appointment for him unless it was a paid captaincy. The man
was a mere youth, and in all his life had never fired an arquebus,
and was not skilled or experienced in war. On the contrary, he had
led a very evil life, which cannot be fittingly described to your
Majesty, and so is left unsaid. Accordingly, to give some color to
what he desired to do, and in order that he might not appear to
be exceeding the said number of four captains, the said governor
appointed this man captain of infantry, so that he could go out of
this city to the said Pintados provinces, where they were in fear
that the said enemies were going. He was assigned the regular salary
for a captain, and in like manner the other officers of his company
were established with pay; and they likewise were men of the same way
of life and the same amount of experience in war as the said Pedro
Cotelo. He went with the troops to the city of Santisimo Nombre de
Jhesus, which is in the