re the zeal for God's service and that of his Majesty
and the public welfare is so lukewarm, and self-interest so strong. A
further consideration is, that serious harm to the conversion of those
people may result from delay; for those people are very indifferent,
and the accursed sect of Mahoma is gaining a foothold among them. This
sect is spreading throughout this archipelago like a pest, and once
established, as it is so contagious, it will be, in order to eradicate
it, more difficult to convert ten Moros than to reduce a thousand
pagans. Likewise touching the service to be performed by Doctor de
la Vega, ordering him to do it would result in loss, because from
sixty years on, every man weighs more than he did before that age;
and it is not good for him to ascend and descend mountains, even with
the aid of another's feet.

2. Touching the second point, that reply must be made to us whether or
not our offer be accepted, in the same year when the despatches are
received, where we are not free. Replying to that, we may contradict
the opinion that in requesting an answer to so serious a matter in
so short a time, our offer is more apparent than real. We declare,
Sir, that we are going on the supposition that the relations which
were sent to his Majesty and to your Highness are truth itself,
and were made by persons who have seen what they relate, according
to the papers which have been found, the summary of which composes
the relation which is being sent there. I believe that those of
Gomez Perez and his son, and common tradition must be as fresh in
the minds of people as if their expeditions were taking place, and
that these were true reports of those former governors; and that
they proceeded with so great zeal, that their zeal served to make
us determine to thank them by responding. But this, forsooth, must
furnish opportunity for entertaining so sinister a suspicion, that
we are offering what we do not intend to fulfil in one, two, or three
years, and what would be of most service to his Majesty--although it
is of great importance to consider that any delay in the conversion
of those souls means great loss, especially if meanwhile one should
succeed in binding them more closely together.

3. Inasmuch as there might occur some uncertainty and strife among
those encomenderos possessing encomiendas within the boundaries of
La Pampanga, Canbales, Pangasinan, Ylocos, and Cagayan, in order to
avoid these it is advisable t