pitiful to see the state of this land.  Moreover—­as I report elsewhere to your Majesty, and send papers thereon—­for the new danger from hostile Japanese, against which I am guarding, I need troops, in order to defend a land so destitute and far away that it cannot expect succor in time of necessity.  Although I have sent earnest petition therefor to Mexico, I think that they will neglect my request, just as they do everything else, unless they see an order from your Majesty I beseech your Majesty to have compassion for this new plant of the faith of Jesus Christ, which costs your Majesty and your subjects so dearly to establish and preserve.  May your Majesty grant me grace and send me troops, and let those who come be from those realms of Castilla—­a matter of moment and importance—­and not the creoles or exiles from Mexico.  I should also be provided with ammunition, arms, and men to cast artillery.  An order should be sent to Mexico to supply me with money, to meet the needs and contingencies.  I trust in our Lord, and in the excellent arrangement and plan that this city is assuming, that if there are supplied barely sufficient troops to defend a town of this size, your Majesty need not fear all Xapon, nor any other more powerful enemy that might attack us.  This I discuss at greater length elsewhere; but here I only remind your Majesty of the completion of this fort, and the necessity of troops therein, as also of the workmen and their wages for which, in my former letters, I have petitioned your Majesty.

By a decree which I have received here from your Majesty, I am ordered to make inquiries as to whether there is quicksilver here, or if it can be brought from the Chinese realms and taken to Mexico, and at what price.  I will say that I have dealt with these Chinese, and they are so distrustful that unless the money is given them beforehand, they will not bring the goods the following year.  It is true, nevertheless, that they guarantee the fulfilment of their commission.  They ask one hundred ducats for a pico of quicksilver, the equivalent of one hundred and thirty Castilian libras.  If this price is satisfactory, will your Majesty order as suits your royal pleasure; for they can bring from their land whatever quantity is desired.  May our Lord preserve your Majesty for many long years, with increase of better kingdoms and seigniories, as is needed for Christendom.  At Manila, May xxxi, 1592.

Gomez Perez Dasmarinas

Rules for the Manila Hospital

Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, knight of the order of Santiago, governor and captain-general of these islands and districts of the West, for the king, our sovereign.  Inasmuch as it is advisable, for the service of God, to reform certain matters in the royal hospital of this city that require such remedy, and to decide and establish other matters for its better government and service, for the welfare of its poor sick, and for the perpetuity of the said hospital, as it is a work of so great piety and so much needed in this community:  Therefore, by this present, he ordained and ordered that the following articles be observed and kept to the letter, as permanent rules and regulations.