my continual occupation in the sessions of the Audiencia and rendering
opinions. This year I am probate judge, and for the first four months
of the year provincial alcalde; and since people find that matters are
readily settled I am beset by the natives with their petty lawsuits. I
wish that I might have had more time to collect what can be put
together, and to write on law. However I shall not neglect perchance
to make some slight report. The following is a clause from a letter of
your Majesty which I found, addressed to the adelantado Miguel Lopez
de Legaspi, the first discoverer of these islands, in effect this:

"We have also been petitioned in your behalf concerning the Moro
islands in that land, and how those men come to trade and carry on
commerce, hindering the preaching of the holy gospel and disturbing
you. We give you permission to make such Moros slaves, and to seize
their property. You are warned that you can make them slaves only
if the said Moros are such by birth and choice, and if they come to
preach their Mahometan doctrine, or to make war against you or against
the Indians, who are our subjects and in our royal service. But in
no way or manner shall you enslave the Indians who have embraced the
doctrine of Mahoma; on the contrary, you shall endeavor to persuade and
convert them to our holy Catholic faith by kind and lawful methods."

To make universal arrangements is to pass infallible rules, and in
law we can hardly find such a rule; therefore we must distinguish
in both times and occasions. With due respect, it seems to me that
all Mahometans are enemies of the Church; and all the Ismaelites,
their allies, confederates, and descendants must have the words of
the Scriptures (as found in the 16th chapter of Genesis) written in
their hearts: _Hic erit ferus homo, manus ejus contra omnes et manus
omnium contra eum_. [6] Wonderful events occurred (and it would be