of documents to mislead the Council and to further
their own reckless proceedings; they even notified the ex-governor,
Don Juan de Vargas, that he must go into exile to Pangasinan, to
which place he had banished the archbishop. He made an urgent plea
for his absolution, in view of his Majesty's decree which ordered the
archbishop to absolve him, but the latter would not listen to it. On
the day when they carried him into exile, he entered the house of the
archbishop, and, ascending the stairs on his knees until he reached
the prelate's feet, Don Juan begged him, with tears in his eyes, to
absolve him; but the archbishop, with a heart like a tiger's, refused
to hear him, and answered him only with harsh words. He told Don Juan
that he must submit to the penance imposed, which required him to wear
the sackcloth robe, the halter round his neck, the yellow breeches,
etc., going through the churches, as he had been commanded to do;
and that, if he did not consent to this, he must go to Lingayen
without absolution. Thence he repaired to the royal Audiencia, who
issued a royal decree to the archbishop that he must absolve Don
Juan; but immediately the governor and archbishop joined hands to
avert this pressure, and drew up an iniquitous accusation against the
auditors, containing many falsehoods and charges. Among other things,
they brought forward evidence that the auditors had illicit relations
with Dona Isabel, the wife of Don Juan de Vargas, and this by several
witnesses. It may be imagined what sort of a country this is, and how
much credit is due to the accusations that are made here--and to the
witnesses in Manila, who swear to anything that suits a governor. This
done, the archbishop replied to the royal decree by challenging the
auditors, for the causes which he proved against them. This answer
was made a very short time before the governor's death; it was sent to
him sealed, and afterward was found with the above accusation--which
as some declared, was for the purpose of ruining this Audiencia as
he had destroyed the other.

In this condition are affairs at present. Father Fray Raimundo Verart,
the instigator of so many disturbances, is going there [i.e., to
Espana], summoned by his Majesty. May it please God that now the
misfortunes of this unhappy land may cease.

Information from Filipinas and Nueva Espana

With the arrival of the galleon from Filipinas in this Nueva Espana
has been unladen a raft [flota]