islands, certify that, according to the books, accounts, and papers of
the office and records of the said royal exchequer, it is not, since
the past year of fifteen hundred and eighty-one, when the cathedral
church of this city was founded by Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, first
bishop of these islands, up to the present year of fifteen hundred
and ninety-nine, evident nor apparent that there have been given from
the royal exchequer to the said church any bells, images, ornaments,
chalices, candelabra, missals, or choir-books for the service thereof;
nor has there been paid over for that purpose any coins of gold, as
appears by the said books and papers to which I refer. In certification
whereof, and that this may be apparent, I have, on the petition of the
dean and chapter, _sede vacante_, given these presents in Manila on the
fifth of July of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine."

[13] _Vosotros_: the familiar form of the second person plural of
the personal pronoun; its use in this case was a mark of contempt
for his audience.

[14] The convent of San Francisco del Monte was situated at
somewhat more than a league from Manila; and an estate was granted
to the Franciscan order by Santiago de Vera, for the support of the
convent. See Santa Inés's _Crónica_, i, pp. 531-534, for full account
of its foundation.

[15] This dignitary was Fray Miguel Benavides, of the Dominican order;
see _Vol_. VII, p. 234.

[16] Morga says of this affair, in his _Sucesos_ (Hakluyt Soc. trans.),
p. 62: "Ronquillo was set at liberty on showing a private letter
from the governor, which he had sent him separately with the first