10. The eighth point. In regard to the appointments to, the judicial offices and encomiendas, they say that I discuss them with the royal Audiencia in accordance with the decree in which your Majesty orders that, but that their opinions are not written down. Although I am not aware that the decree orders such a thing--since it only says that if the auditors are of a contrary opinion, what the governor resolves shall be done, and they shall advise your Majesty of their opinion--yet a book has been kept ready, in which to inscribe those opinions. I do not know that any occasion has arisen where it was necessary, for of all the propositions which I have made only one has been contradicted by all the Audiencia, and which I tried to execute, although they were of the contrary opinion, In the end, I did not execute it, yielding to their judgment, and thus there was nothing to write. _The little reason that the auditors have for complaining to the city of the appointment of admiral, which was given to Captain Diego Lopez Lobo_. 11. The ninth and last point that they tell me is written in this letter is, to petition your Majesty to order that, since the posts of commander and admiral are of the most importance of all that are provided in these islands, appointments to them be subject to consultation with the Audiencia. For this, I am told that they take occasion from the appointment that I have made this year of admiral in the person of Captain Diego Lopez Lobo--alleging that he is not a citizen but a foreigner, and that he is interested in the capture of the Siamese junk, which they say is reported to be valued at more than three hundred thousand pesos. Commencing with this last, what they say is outside of all truth, as will appear by the accounts made by the accountant and adjuster of accounts, Juan Bautista de Cubiaga, whose certification I enclose herewith. What Captain Diego Lopez Lobo did was to capture that junk and bring it to Manila, in which he is so far from having incurred displeasure, that on the contrary, by that action alone, he merited the place of admiral which is given him; for, besides having attained what was ordered him, he conducted himself so honestly in the capture of the vessel that neither for himself nor for others did he allow anything of importance to be taken--putting aboard it a trustworthy commander with ten soldiers, who brought the junk as it was to Manila, without wasting any of the merchandise. Thus did he obey the order given him that there should be no sack, but that he should bring it as he had found it, with all fidelity; since it was not taken as an absolute prize, but by way of reprisal, as I have written in another letter. In regard to the said Diego Lopez Lobo not being a Castilian citizen but a Portuguese (which has been the rock of offense to auditors and citizens, and the motive which has induced the city to complain to your Majesty), I am not aware that it is a crime or a demerit to be a Portuguese.