(In Manilla, on the third day of the month of June in the year one thousand five hundred and eighty-eight. The honorable president and auditors of the royal Audiencia of these Philipinas Islands being in public session, this petition was read; and after examination by the said members of the Audiencia, they declared that the request of the bishop should be granted. _Juan de la Paraya_) (In fulfilment of the above order, I, Simon Lopez, notary of the king, our lord, and of the cabildo of this distinguished and ever loyal city of Manilla, [2] have caused to be made, from the books and papers of the cabildo which are in my possession, a copy of the relation which is mentioned in the present memoir. It is as follows:) _Relation of the natives now inhabiting these Western Islands--those who are pacified, and from whom tribute is collected, both those who are under control of his Majesty and those allotted to encomenderos; also of the religious, and the instruction given by them, among the natives; of the number of Spanish inhabitants, both in this city of Manila and in the settlements outside of it; and of the ministers of religion who are needed here_. _Manilla_ This city of Manilla was founded in the island of Luzon, which is very fertile and populous. Outside of it, within the circuit of five leagues, are settled seven thousand five hundred Indians; four thousand of these belong to his Majesty, and the rest, three thousand five hundred, are allotted to four encomenderos. There are eight Augustinian friars, in four residences, and in another house are two Franciscans, one of whom is a lay brother, all of the rest being priests. In order that sufficient instruction be furnished the Indians, five more religious are needed. This city has eighty citizens. It contains the cathedral and the bishop's house, and the ecclesiastical dignitaries--the latter consisting of an arch-deacon, a schoolmaster, two canons, thirteen clerics who are priests, and a few candidates for holy orders. The monastery of St. Augustine, which usually has seven or eight religious, four priests, and three brothers and candidates for holy orders. The monastery of St. Francis, which usually has four priests, and eleven or twelve other professed members and novices. Of the Society of Jesus, the father superior, with two other fathers and two brothers. A royal hospital for Spaniards, and another (in the Franciscan monastery) for the Indians. There are, ordinarily, two hundred soldiers in this city, quartered among the citizens and in the houses of the Indians near them. These soldiers are very poor, and are sustained by alms, as are likewise the inmates of the monasteries and hospitals--although four hundred pesos are given every year from the treasury, besides two hundred fanégas of rice, for the support of four Augustinian religious; and the royal hospital possesses an encomienda worth six or seven hundred pesos.