In the city of Manila, on the fifteenth day of the month of April, one thousand five hundred and ninety-four, Colonel Hernando de los Rios, steward of the Spanish hospital of this city, in answer to the contents of the petition and interrogatory above set forth, presented as witness Fray Diego Muñoz, prior of the convent of Sant Pablo de San Agustin of Manila, and commissary of the Holy Office. Oath was taken from him _in verbum sacerdotis_, and he promised to tell the truth. Being interrogated in accordance with the inquiry, he deposed as follows: 1. To the first question he answered that he knew of the royal hospital of this city of Manila from the time of its establishment by Doctor Santiago de Vera. This was his answer. Being asked the usual questions prescribed by law, he said that he was thirty-four years old and competent to be a witness. 2. To the second question, he answered that he knew there is no other hospital for treating Spaniards throughout these islands except that of the said city of Manila. Therefore Spaniards from all the islands, especially ordinary soldiers and mercenaries, go there for treatment. This was his answer. 3. To the third question he answered that he knew the number of patients in the said hospital, as he had been in it many times. He thought it contained ordinarily fifty or sixty sick soldiers. This was his answer. 4. To the fourth question he answered that he knew that by not giving proper attention to the sick, his Majesty would suffer greater expense and cost in being compelled to send other men in their place to this country. This will be a great expense to his Majesty, because of the high cost of transporting each of those who go to the said islands; besides, on account of the great distance of the country, and the difference of its climate from that of our España, many men die. This was his answer. 5. To the fifth question he answered that his reply was the same as to the preceding question. 6. To the sixth question he answered that besides the mercenaries and ordinary soldiers who are treated in the said royal hospital, many others are also treated--namely, sailors, and old and poor Spanish soldiers, who because they have not the means to be treated, have recourse to the said hospital. These his Majesty is under obligation to assist, because of their services. This was his answer. 7. To the seventh question he answered that he referred to the attestation and certifications given by the officials of the royal exchequer of these islands, and that he knew that the income is insufficient for the heavy expense incurred by the said royal hospital--as this witness and the other superiors of the religious orders of this city have written to his Majesty, begging him to assist the said royal hospital by increasing its income, since it is not sufficient. This was his answer. 8. To the eighth question he answered that his reply was the same as to the preceding question.