Diego Lopez is a son of the second Lopez Lobo, a nobleman, of the rank that can be easily ascertained in that Council. He went to East Yndia in the service of your Majesty, where he lived for ten years. Thence he came to these islands, where I found him serving worthily with a company of infantry, which had been given him by Don Fernando de Silva during the year while he governed, here. During all that year and the four of my government, he has had his house, and dwelling in Manila, which seems to be sufficient for him to call himself a citizen. Opportunity lately offered to send him to that court to discuss the union of the posts and arms of the South Sea, about which I am writing in a separate letter. As he is a man who had been under both crowns of Portugal and Castilla, and because of his rank and good qualities I thought there was no other to whom I could better trust a matter of so great moment. Imagining that, as it was a service, for your Majesty, the city would consider it favorably, I gave him charge of that matter. But since there is no other aim than self-interest, there are few who yield their own advantage for the common welfare and the service of your Majesty. Eight or nine citizens--all encomenderos, the least of whom has four hundred and fifty-six tributes--without their having killed many Moros, [a service] for which they ought to claim a post for Castilla, presented a petition to the city, signed by their names, by which they asked the city to oppose the said choice. The city accepted the petition, and sent it to me at my council, with a number of the decrees of your Majesty, which discuss the matter of appointment to the posts of commander and admiral--as if I had not seen them, or looked to see whether the person of Diego Lopez had place among them. The post of commander was granted to a citizen, the most honored of the most honored in this city. The post of admiral for the return voyage (which is an advantageous post) was given to another citizen, also married in this city, and one of its worthy men. Only the outward trip has been granted to Diego Lopez, so that he may come before the eyes of your Majesty more fittingly, since the advantage is not more than one-half the pay and accommodation of his own post. Eight or nine citizens who enjoy good incomes (one of them has two or three thousand pesos), without being better knights or soldiers than Diego Lopez, complain. It was all contrived by one or two uneasy spirits, simply to make merits, from vengeance at not having succeeded in obtaining the office of stewardship of the city, and who claimed to negotiate for a certain person who was not suitable. Here whatever differs from and opposes the governor is done with a sinister intention, and not through zeal for the public welfare. The gist of the petition is enclosed herewith, in case that the city shall forget to send it. I petition your Majesty to grant me the favor to have it examined; and