self so
honestly in the capture of the vessel that neither for himself nor for
others did he allow anything of importance to be taken--putting aboard
it a trustworthy commander with ten soldiers, who brought the junk as
it was to Manila, without wasting any of the merchandise. Thus did
he obey the order given him that there should be no sack, but that
he should bring it as he had found it, with all fidelity; since it
was not taken as an absolute prize, but by way of reprisal, as I have
written in another letter. In regard to the said Diego Lopez Lobo not
being a Castilian citizen but a Portuguese (which has been the rock of
offense to auditors and citizens, and the motive which has induced the
city to complain to your Majesty), I am not aware that it is a crime
or a demerit to be a Portuguese. Diego Lopez is a son of the second
Lopez Lobo, a nobleman, of the rank that can be easily ascertained in
that Council. He went to East Yndia in the service of your Majesty,
where he lived for ten years. Thence he came to these islands, where I
found him serving worthily with a company of infantry, which had been
given him by Don Fernando de Silva during the year while he governed,
here. During all that year and the four of my government, he has had
his house, and dwelling in Manila, which seems to be sufficient for him
to call himself a citizen. Opportunity lately offered to send him to
that court to discuss the union of the posts and arms of the South Sea,
about which I am writing in a separate letter. As he is a man who had
been under both crowns of Portugal and Castilla, and because of his
rank and good qualities I thought there was no other to whom I could
better trust a matter of so great moment. Imagining that, as it was
a service, for your Majesty, the city would consider it favorably,
I gave him charge of that matter. But since there is no other aim
than self-interest, there are few who yield their own advantage for
the common welfare and the service of your Majesty. Eight or nine
citizens--all encomenderos, the least of whom has four hundred
and fifty-six tributes--without their having killed many Moros,
[a service] for which they ought to claim a post for Castilla,
presented a petition to the city, signed by their names, by which
they asked the city to oppose the said choice. The city accepted
the petition, and sent it to me at my council, with a number of the
decrees of your Majesty, which discuss the matter of appointme