The letters that will accompany this letter are duplicates of last year, both of what I wrote via Mexico and via Yndia; and although at that time I wrote as I did in them many more and better things can be said now. For besides the fact that lawless acts are so prevalent, they are increasing with the presence of their master, who, to be explicit, is the governor. It is advisable for the honor and respect of your Majesty, to put a stop to as much as possible. For that reason, I shall merely touch upon the following particulars of what is new, with all possible brevity; for in order to satisfy your Majesty some things are requisite. Hence, Sire:
1. First, after fifteen months of imprisonment and retreat, while I was very heedless, and distrustful that the governor would take such action (although very confident in the mercy of God), the governor sent an order to me at St. Dominic to come out and assume my duties. Although I hesitated considerably about going out on account of the great peril in which I was placing myself, the force of your Majesty’s service drew me out, a fortnight or thereabout before the arrival of the ships from Acapulco. I was encouraged considerably by the religious who assured me that the whole town was clamoring for me to go out, except certain persons who hate justice. Consequently I persuaded myself that I would be doing your Majesty a service, and for that I did not think that I was doing much in endangering myself, since I shall do my duty in losing my life. It seems miraculous, and there are few who understand how the governor came to do this, for, although it is true that he fell out with Licentiate Legaspi, on finding that the latter while enjoying so great friendship with him, had written against him; and because of the great friendship between Licentiate Legaspi and Licentiate Juan de Baiderrama the governor’s displeasure was also extended toward the said Licentiate Baiderrama: still they maintained friendly relations, although the governor ceased to extend to him the accommodations and profits of former times. Although it is reported that the governor made numerous investigations, I have not heard from one who knew the whole truth that he did it with violence, but with great mildness, giving the witness liberty to make his deposition. On the contrary I have always understood, Sire, that he made no further investigations, nor has he wished to do so; and I even believe that it was done for reasons of state, in order not to irritate Licentiate Legaspi too much, in case that the latter should take part in his residencia, for the governor must consider him as a revengeful and hot-headed person. But Licentiate Legaspi, fearing that the governor intended to arrest him, withdrew into the [convent of] the Society of Jesus. It is said that on that account he allowed me to come out. All persons of good judgment are not sorry for it, especially since they know the inclination of the governor, who, it is feared, would not lose much pleasure if all the world were destroyed—although in his falling out with Licentiate Legaspi, a matter that began some four or five months ago, it is understood that that has aided considerably in his having repented of my imprisonment and the affronts that he put upon me; for it is understood that his chief counselor and instigator was the said Licentiate Legaspi under pretext of desiring, and advising him of, his welfare, as to an associate in the matter of his duty. For that reason he did not wish me to be present, as I would be a considerable hindrance, as I write your Majesty in the duplicates. The same is said of Don Juan de Balderrama, although it is also understood that he did it with moderation; for all does not seem sufficient for the governor’s relenting toward me. Consequently I consider it more correct to ascribe everything to the great goodness of the Lord, who well knows how to plan all things. What I can say, Sire, is that notwithstanding all the above, I do not believe the governor’s intention a sincere one, because of what is known concerning him. I have never seen him do anything, although a good act, that did not have a private aim. Consequently I think that if he took me from prison it was for his own end. The same is true of the investigations concerning, and his falling out with, Licentiate Legaspi, notwithstanding that he says he is zealous for your Majesty’s service in it, and although it is true that the deeds of Licentiate Legaspi are many and very serious.
2. Secondly, that although the governor, while I was in the Audiencia, tried to deprive the Audiencia of all authority, and the auditors gave him considerable opportunity for it (with the exception of me only, and as such he expelled me), however, during the time of my absence, he has gained such foothold and influence over everything, that scarcely has one liberty to live in the Audiencia. This is especially so in regard to myself; for although I desire and try to secure your Majesty’s service, I cannot feign or dissimulate in the things in which I am unable to secure your service, although I try to flee any occasion of dispute with him, with extraordinary endeavor. Consequently, for my part, Sire, I declare that in many offenses that concern him, the punishment is deferred, with great regret, until your Majesty send a remedy; besides, there are many other criminals whom he has sent from here, so that they should not harm him.
3. The third, which is of the manner of the above, namely, that it is said that one Gregorio de Vidaña, whom the governor despatched to Yndia during that time on his private business at the expense of your Majesty’s authority—for, in violation of your royal will and your royal decrees that prohibit the sale of offices, the governor gave Vidaña an appointment as regidor gratuitously, in order that the cabildo might appoint him as procurator (for which he schemed) and that they give him a considerable number of ducados—obtained or stole in Yndia certain letters written to your Majesty by the Audiencia and despatched via Yndia in the time of Don Antonio Rodriguez, which were the duplicates of others written via Nueva España. He directed them to this city, together with other letters written by the inhabitants and religious. The governor opened and read them, with so little fear and respect that one of his adherents went about the streets publicly reading to private persons the letters that the Audiencia wrote to your Majesty. Consequently he has taken occasion to write to your Majesty with tricks and cunning, as is said.
4. The fourth is that, in consequence of this and other things, occasion was given for it to be said very openly, this year, that he opened the packets from your Majesty, which were handed to him first, and extracted whatever he wanted, if they contained anything that answered his purpose; and then resealed them and ordered the person who bore them (and whom he sent for them) to return very secretly as he had entered, and to enter a second time publicly with the packets damp, so that it could not be seen that they had been opened. In this too was involved your Majesty’s new seal which they said would be found in one of the packets, but it does not appear. Therefore they charge the governor with concealing it; and all that is without the aid of authority to make investigation.
5. The fifth is that your Majesty orders by a decree that came to the Audiencia this year that the vessels that sail hence to Acapulco be not despatched late. The fact of the matter in this is, Sire, that the Audiencia is powerless to remedy that, beyond the repeated telling of it to the governor. If they should do more, besides not being obeyed by a single man, at the least little thing, the governor would seize the auditor who said it and clap him into prison; and, as he is the sole and absolute ruler, he is, notwithstanding what has been said to him this year, despatching the vessels when he wishes, and answers that he is attending to it very well and is doing his duty. It is said that, this year as in others, he has made a great cargo by the schemes and methods mentioned in the duplicates. Others say that he has done it, because it is common talk that news came to him that in Acapulco a small casket of gold in bars, and jewels and pearls, had been confiscated from him as contraband goods, although the officials did not know the owner of it; and that one Don Fernando Falcon, who took under his charge a considerable amount of the governor’s property last year, went to Piru from Acapulco with most of it, and the governor is obliged to claim compensation. Because of awaiting ships from Macan to make chests, the ships are not yet despatched, and it is the thirtieth of July; nor does anyone imagine that they will leave the islands even by the fifteenth of August. That, the governor says, is because of the enemy. Thus and with other schemes, although certain new pretenses are alleged, and with absolute power, does the governor act just as he pleases. It is impossible to remedy matters unless the governor be a man who fears God and your Majesty; for if he wishes to send depositions that the sun gives no light, as one might say, [he can do it]. What occurs to me, Sire, is that, since it is sufficient for the good sailing of the ships that they sail by the middle of July, if unable to sail before, your Majesty should set a time-limit by ordering that they sail between the middle of June and the middle of July, if they cannot sail before; and that they shall not sail after that. In that way, since it will be known that they have to sail, all those interested in the cargo, even though it be the most influential persons, the governors, will have their despatches ready. But they will not do it in any other way, for although your Majesty says that they shall not sail late, the governors do what they wish in this matter. Will your Majesty be pleased to order your pleasure.
6. The sixth is that your Majesty orders the Audiencia to send a relation of what occurred in certain crimes at Santa Potenciana. Since the Audiencia writes it through its president, namely, the governor, scarcely could he refrain from telling the truth in order not to lie. Consequently I think it advisable to answer that in this letter. What passes, Sire, and it is the truth, is that the seminary called Santa Potenciana is a house of retreat, not for religion but for single or married women, and almost without retirement, as it has relaxed considerably. For that reason it is a cause for wonder that there are men who some years are willing to leave their wives there during their absence. Consequently, the majority of women there are mestizas. It happened perchance that Lucas de Vergara Gaviria left his wife there when he went to Terrenate as governor, as did another who went later, namely, Sargento-mayor Antonio Carreño de Baldes. It was said (and not covertly, but quite openly) that the governor solicited the wife of Lucas de Bergara, but that he was angered at her purity and virtue. Also it was said that the same thing occurred with the wife of Carreño de Baldes, although she is not considered a person of so great virtue as the other woman. And this being so, they say that Licentiate Hieronimo de Legaspi, while I was on that occasion in bed indisposed, proceeded against one Juan de Mohedano, because it was said that he had entered Santa Potenciana to hold carnal communication with a married woman. Upon my recovery, and when I went to the Audiencia, I found that Juan de Mohedano was presenting a petition challenging their jurisdiction by saying that he was a soldier. When I learned the cause, I wondered, for the woman was married and one of the chief women here, namely, the wife of the said Antonio Carreño de Baldes, who was in Terrenate. I resolved to investigate the matter, as it was only verbal, so that it might not become public. The Audiencia had made a judicial writ and secret information and merits, by a secret and outside method, without arresting Mohedano in order to exile and punish him, so that it might not be known; for by any other way it would have been contrary to law, and would have meant the irreparable loss and deprivation of the honor of an influential woman and to the blamelessness of her husband if perchance she has secretly committed certain acts of imprudence, or written papers, or made pretensions, and I do not know whether such were more than indications. At that juncture the governor took up the matter, by whom it is said Mohedano was persuaded to challenge the jurisdiction [of the Audiencia], by promises to free him; he did it, as was seen, thus deceiving him in order to avenge himself, as it is said, as soon as he had the woman with him. Thus the governor came to the session, and, with his usual heat, caused the case to be remitted to him without greater justification, as he was the captain-general. Licentiate Legaspi and Licentiate Alcazar did it through compulsion, but I, Sire, for the reason above stated, did not agree to it, and so voted in the meeting. Being then, Sire, the leader in the cause against Mohedano and that wretched woman, he proceeded therein, as well as in another that he began against one Don Fernando Becerra for the same thing. This he did with an alcalde-in-ordinary, or with Don Hieronimo de Silva, or with both, going and coming to and from Santa Potenciana with soldiers and the torture-rack, besides indulging in other demonstrations, as they affirm, that scandalized the city—where, as this city is but small, everything was instantly divulged. And as evil men are not wanting, there was one who gave notice of a certain slander against General Don Juan de la Vega, son of Doctor Juan Manuel de la Vega, ex-auditor of this Audiencia. There was a certain report of meetings with the wife of Lucas de Vergara, auditor of Terrenate. Since the governor was also angered by her said purity and virtue, which truly are great, it is said that he considered it a good opportunity for vengeance. He himself, seeing the door opened by Licentiate Legaspi in the case of the other woman, conducted the cause. In the case of Mohedano and Don Fernando Bezerra, there was dispute; while that of Don Juan de la Vega came on appeal to the Audiencia. Since this is so small a place, and was so scandalized, and these households were ruined (for the matter was all immediately made known publicly), the Audiencia thought, since only the husband can take action in an adultery suit, and since all that had been done was illegal, because the women were immediately published, together with the investigations and intent [yntencion], that also in consequence of that, and the lack of proof, and because of other considerations, it would be advisable, besides doing justice in what came to their hand, to repair the honor of those influential men and women. Consequently the Audiencia acquitted Juan de la Vega, whereat the whole city rejoiced, for all were persuaded that such accusations were lies. However, as this matter is so serious, when the husbands learned of it upon their arrival, they refused to live with their wives or to enter an adultery suit, for the adultery could not be proved. Consequently, even with such an effort by the Audiencia, those families are ruined; although it is quite true that, if the governor had executed the sentence, it is regarded as certain that they would have killed their wives. This is the truth, Sire, and it could not be written in the Audiencia’s letter. If other things have been written to your Majesty by the governor, they must be a part of his schemes to bleed himself safely, under pretext of your Majesty’s service, as all see that he is doing.
The residencia of Licentiate Don Juan de Saavedra for the period of his fiscalship, which your Majesty orders me to take, has come to my hands. I am resolved to take it on the departure of the ships, for this residencia does not have the troubles of that of Don Juan de Silva and of Don Hieronimo de Silva, as these duplicates of the letters of the past year which I wrote your Majesty and which will be in these letters that I am writing [will relate]. In those residencias I shall make, as I say in the duplicates, efforts to take them, proceeding throughout as in duty bound, looking to the greater service of God and that of your Majesty. Thefts committed by the soldiers because they are not paid, and many other calamities of the country, I shall not relate because of what I have promised, and as that would be impossible. And also because that aids in putting an end to sorrow and just resentment, will your Majesty give what orders you please in everything.
I petition your Majesty for God’s sake to please give me satisfaction for the insults and injuries that I have received from the governor for your Majesty’s service, and also to withdraw me from this country, honoring me and showing me favor, for I have no strength to serve your Majesty here. May God preserve the Catholic person of your Majesty. Manila, July 30, 1622.