And since this royal Audiencia has no more authority than at present, to suppress it will be of great service for your Majesty, and even necessary, as the poor auditors are as much annoyed and molested as are other private persons.  What is worse, your Majesty’s authority has been seen humbled by so many nations who know that this Audiencia immediately represents your royal person.  It will be less troublesome for us private persons to suffer than that so great authority be seen in such decay.  I petition your Majesty to be pleased to have the importance of a matter of so great moment considered, as may be most fitting to your royal service.

It is a fact that this city of Manila, both at the instance of the governor and by its own action, has caused representations to be made in that royal Council, that this royal Audiencia should refrain from making appointments in which the children and relatives of the auditors occupy the best offices of war, without ever having fired an arquebus in their lives.  These men become captains at one stroke, to the grievance of the old soldiers who have served, just as if your Majesty had not provided for this by making such men incapable of offices—­in which intention, I consider, enter the offices of justice and war.  However, even though it is not agreeable to them, it should be so understood; and if your Majesty be pleased to order this to be declared, and that favors and rewards for services can be expected only from your royal hands, this difficulty would be remedied.  For I avow that it is vastly prejudicial, since, when a man has an auditor to defend his causes, and those inclined to him favor those causes, his negligence comes to be rewarded.  In a matter of war, the present condition of things very often is wont to be of irreparable damage, as we in these islands have experienced on various occasions. [August 15, 1624.]

ROYAL ORDERS REGARDING THE RELIGIOUS

Regulating their privileges

The King.  Inasmuch as the king my sovereign and father (whom may holy Paradise keep) was informed that the religious who resided in the Philipinas Islands, busied in the instruction and conversion of the Indians, were meddling in things that did not concern them, he ordered Gomez Perez das Marinas, then governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, or the person in whose charge the government might be—­by his decree, dated June eleven, of the former year five hundred and ninety-four—­not to allow the religious to have prisons or jails, or to make arrests or condemn, unless they have commission from the bishop for the things in which he can give it in accordance with law; or not to appoint as fiscals others than those whom the bishop might assign them, together with other declarations contained in the said decree.  Afterward the king my sovereign and father, who is in glory, by another decree dated May six, six hundred and fourteen, ordered the aforesaid to be obeyed and observed, according to its contents, without violating or exceeding its tenor and form, as is contained more at length in the said decree and its reissue, which are of the following tenor: