the seminary more than fifty boys.  Your Majesty, having examined the despatches, was pleased to send me a royal decree, ordering the governors of these islands to protect and favor this seminary with incomes.  In these islands revenues are so few, that Governor Don Fernando de Silva assigned three hundred pesos in chattels—­namely, certain small shops, which are suppressed today and opened to-morrow.  In order that this enterprise may go on increasing for the service of God and of your Majesty, will you order that an encomienda be given to us.  With it and my feeble efforts we could support ourselves, and so great a work as this is would not fail.

I beseech your Majesty, for the love of God, that when my life is over, [the Confraternity of] La Misericordia may take charge of the seminary, with the brothers of the third order; and that a boy who has been very long in this college may remain to shelter them, so that this work, that is so acceptable to God our Lord, may continue to increase and not to diminish.  May God preserve your Majesty for many years, as Christendom desires and as is necessary.  Manila, August first, one thousand six hundred and twenty-six.

Your Majesty’s humble vassal,

Brother Juan Geronimo Guerrero

[Instructions: “Let the governor be again charged to observe what has been ordered him.  May 11, 628.”]

ROYAL DECREES

Ordering the correction of abuses by the Augustinians

The King.  To Don Juan Nino de Tavora, member of my Council of War, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of the royal Audiencia therein:  In a letter written to me by Don Fernando de Silva, in whose charge that government was ad interim, dated August four of the past year one thousand six hundred and twenty-five, he declares that there is not so great need anywhere else as in those islands for the governors to have authority to remove or promote religious teachers because of their unbridled or steady lives; and that the religious have come to lose respect, by their deeds, for the alcaldes-mayor, and pay no attention to the royal jurisdiction and patronage—­especially the Augustinians who are more extravagant than the others.  They are entirely masters of the wills of the Indians, and give out that in them consists the quietness or disobedience of the Indians.  Inasmuch as the alcalde-mayor of Bayaban tried to moderate the excesses that were being committed, the religious entered his house, attacked him, and beat him.  Another alcalde-mayor, who resides in Bulacan, having arrested two Indian seamen of my royal fleet so that they should go to serve in their places, the religious there took them from him; and every day more dangerous incidents are occurring, in which they need some intervention.  It would therefore be advisable to send them the decree that was issued in the former year of six hundred and twenty-four for