that the amount of such collections should be reduced, and that the Spaniards should not be too heavily mulcted for the restitutions which should be made to the Indians.  The governor replies to these communications, expressing much interest in the Indians and desire to lighten their burdens.  The collections should be uniform in rate everywhere, and of moderate amount.  Certain requirements should be made from the encomenderos, especially in regard to the administration of justice; but they must be enabled to retain their holdings.  The governor wishes to adopt some temporary regulations which shall be in force until the king can provide suitable measures.  On February 15 the city officials and the encomenderos present a petition to the governor.  They complain of the pressure exerted upon them by the clergy and the friars to prevent the collection of the tributes; and entreat the governor to interpose his authority, and to secure a royal mandate, in order that they may collect the tributes without ecclesiastical interference, or else to permit them to return to Spain.  Salazar answers (February 8) the previous letter of Dasmarinas; this reply, and the opinions furnished by the religious orders, we synopsize in our text, as being somewhat too verbose for the edification of our readers.  Salazar answers the objections made to his earlier statements, and assures the governor that the encomenderos can live on one-third of the tributes, that there is no danger of their abandoning their holdings, and that the chief obstacle to the conversion of the pagans is the cruelty of the Spaniards.  He urges the governor to reform the abuses practiced by them, and to do justice to the poor Indians; and says that the clergy will cooperate with him in this.  The heads of the religious orders (except the Dominicans) send written opinions on this subject to the governor; and the Jesuits discuss certain measures proposed by the bishop, with some of which they disagree.  The remainder of the document on tributes will be presented in Vol.  VIII.

The Editors

September, 1903.

Documents of 1588

Relation of the Philipinas Islands.  Domingo de Salazar, and others; 1586-88.  Letter to Felipe ii.  Santiago de Vera; June 26.  Letter to Felipe ii.  Domingo de Salazar; June 27.

Sources:  The first of these documents is obtained from Cartas de Indias, pp. 637-652; the others, from the original MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla.

Translations:  The first document is translated by James A. Robertson; the others, by Jose M. and Clara M. Asensio.

Relation of the Philipinas Islands

Most potent Sir: