boy who has been
very long in this college may remain to shelter them, so that this
work, that is so acceptable to God our Lord, may continue to increase
and not to diminish. May God preserve your Majesty for many years,
as Christendom desires and as is necessary. Manila, August first,
one thousand six hundred and twenty-six.

Your Majesty's humble vassal,

_Brother Juan Geronimo Guerrero_

[_Instructions:_ "Let the governor be again charged to observe what
has been ordered him. May 11, 628."]

ROYAL DECREES

_Ordering the correction of abuses by the Augustinians_

The King. To Don Juan Nino de Tavora, member of my Council of War,
my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and
president of the royal Audiencia therein: In a letter written to
me by Don Fernando de Silva, in whose charge that government was
_ad interim_, dated August four of the past year one thousand six
hundred and twenty-five, he declares that there is not so great need
anywhere else as in those islands for the governors to have authority
to remove or promote religious teachers because of their unbridled
or steady lives; and that the religious have come to lose respect, by
their deeds, for the alcaldes-mayor, and pay no attention to the royal
jurisdiction and patronage--especially the Augustinians who are more
extravagant than the others. They are entirely masters of the wills
of the Indians, and give out that in them consists the quietness or
disobedience of the Indians. Inasmuch as the alcalde-mayor of Bayaban
tried to moderate the excesses that were being committed, the religious
entered his house, attacked him, and beat him. Another alcalde-mayor,
who resides in Bulacan, having arrested two Indian seamen of my royal
fleet so that they should go to serve in their places, the religious
there took them from him; and every day more dangerous incidents are
occurring, in which they need some intervention. It would therefore be
advisable to send them the decree that was issued in the former year of
six hundred and twenty-four for Nueva Espana, ordering that the heads
of the religious, especially he of St. Augustine, order the religious
to restrain themselves. Notwithstanding that the said decree has been
sent already to those islands, and now goes in duplicate, I order
you to summon the provincial of the Augustinians and tell him that
it is greatly advisable to punish that religious; and that he shall
accordingly do so.