received here this year, grants concession to the archbishop-elect of a third part of the salary which the dead archbishop would have received. Your Majesty orders that another third be given to the cathedral. In accordance with this, there is much more justice and reason in giving suitable maintenance to him who is serving the cathedral. I petition your Majesty in all humility to be pleased to confirm what was done with so great a desire of serving you well--acts which were so thoroughly grounded on justice and right. I assure you that we desire to economize your royal revenues, and that economy is the very thing which is necessary. I have written to the visitor, Don Francisco de Rojas, a document (a copy of which I enclose herewith) in regard to the matter of the proceedings which he is attempting to obtain from the treasury councils, after having first consulted with the Audiencia in regard to it. He replies as will also be seen by the same copy. I have thought best to inform your Majesty of everything, so that you may be advised of the matter. What he appears to take as his basis of action, and on which he places more stress, according to what he has told me, is a section of a decree of your Majesty sent to Don Alonso Fajardo, dated Madrid, December 10, 1618, in which your Majesty uses the following language: "We have also learned that, through the opportunity furnished by fulfilling an order which my officials of my royal treasury of those islands had--that, if a necessary and unavoidable case arose in which some new expense would have to be incurred, the governor, Audiencia, and the royal officials should assemble and discuss it, and what should have the majority of votes should be executed, giving me advice thereof--on this account many expenses, salaries, and wages have been incurred and increased without any necessity, for the private ends of each one. Consequently, I order you not to make these expenses, except in sudden cases of invasion by enemies; for by doing the contrary so much injury to my royal treasury results." There are two chief points in this section which can be discussed. The first is that your Majesty says that you have heard that the expenses have been incurred for private ends, and not because they are justified. He who told your Majesty that the wills of the governor, auditors, and royal officials in Filipinas could be unanimous, even for their private interests, has deceived you; for experience shows the contrary. Neither should your Majesty believe that we are all so vile that we would be making unlawful expenditures of your revenues in order to pleasure one another. Well assured can you be of this by the limitation and restriction that would have to be because of the majority of votes; and because the governor, in whom your Majesty trusts most fully, does not have the final decision. Scarcely any authority is given him in this, and a great deal is taken away from him.