hand."]

I was expecting the bishop of Nueva Caceres this year, according to
letters sent me last year. Not only has he not come, but also not
even have I had any letter from him. Consequently I am appointing a
governor of that bishopric for the good and necessary expedition of
the ecclesiastical causes, which are falling behind for lack of the
judge of appeals. Although those appeals could go to the tribunal of
the bishopric of Zibu, it is necessary to conclude definitively that
there be a third tribunal, according to the brief obtained by your
Majesty regarding appeals. Consequently, it is necessary to provide
now and henceforth for the government of the bishopric of Nueva
Segovia, until the arrival of the rightfully-appointed bishop whom
your Majesty may be pleased to send to that church. [_In the margin_:
"That it is well, and that the necessary provision has been made in
this, and the viceroy directed to make him embark."]

Because we have settled in the island of Hermosa, our obligations to
send ministers to those heathen nations who inhabit it, and are without
the light of the holy gospel, are increased. The conquest or settlement
has been effected by the energy of Fray Bartolome Martinez of the
Order of St. Dominic, the present provincial of this province. To
him is due the excellent success that it has hitherto had; for he
himself, with other three or four associates, and no other order,
went to explore it. They remained there and sent one religious here
to Manila to report what had been done, and to get an order from the
governor for what was to be done in the future. The island is densely
populated, as they will relate to your Majesty. It will be a pity for
those peoples to remain in the obscurity of their blindness, without
the light of our holy Catholic faith, for lack of ministers. Since the
fathers of St Dominic have taken that conquest in charge, it will be
very advisable for the present to settle it with religious of that
order, if your Majesty be pleased to have a goodly consignment of
religious sent to them; for, although eighteen or twenty of them came
in these ships, the need of this province was so great, because of
the many who have died, that scarcely are there sufficient for their
ministries, even if they did not have the island of Hermosa, as I
have said. [_In the margin_: "They have been given to them already."]

Governor Don Juan Nino will report on the other matters touching this
communi