ber of souls of the natives ministered to in
the said bishopric of Nueva Segovia is one hundred and twenty-eight
thousand.

There are six secular benefices in the bishopric of Camarines, whose
seat is in the city of Caceres. They minister to ten thousand six
hundred souls.

The Order of St. Francis has twenty-four convents, with guardianias
and presidencies, in this bishopric, and minister to forty-five
thousand souls.

All the souls ministered to in the said bishopric of Camarines amount
to fifty-six thousand eight hundred.

These two churches of Caceres and Nueva Segovia (and the bishop
of Zibu gives account of the church there to your Majesty) have no
prebendaries; and there is no one besides the cura, who serves the
said church and ministers to the few Spaniards there.

Each of the secular beneficiaries in these islands has an annual
stipend of one hundred and ninety pesos, which are paid from
your Majesty's royal treasury to those who minister to your royal
tributarios. The same sum is paid to the religious, except that the
ninety pesos are given in rice. To both classes is given one arroba
of Castilian wine, and flour for the mass. The other encomenderos
give the same to the ministers of their encomiendas.

Now then I have satisfied what your Majesty orders me by the aforesaid
royal decree, as clearly as possible. If I have not named the villages
and chief places of the benefices, the reason is that I believe myself
excused from that labor.

The government of Don Fernando de Silva, knight of the habit
of Sanctiago, during this interim in these islands has been very
successful; and he has proceeded as prudently as if he had exercised
the government for many years. He has secured peace both with the
royal Audiencia and with all the other corporations.

He has occupied a port of the island of Hermosa--the best or only good
one--which was so recommended and ordered to be occupied by his Majesty
Phillippo Second, your Majesty's grandfather, in the instructions
ordered given to Governor Don Francisco Tello; of its importance, time
will tell. It has seemed a desirable thing, at least in the present,
so that the Dutch shall not have the opportunity that they desire
for taking the silk from China and transporting it to Europa and to
Japon. That brought them very great wealth; for, selling it for the
bars of silver with which the latter kingdom abounds, the Dutch had
money enough to continue the trade with China.