lady fell. She requested confession. The governor restrained himself,
and said that it was a timely request. Leaving the three men whom
he brought with him as a guard, he in person going to the Franciscan
convent, which was near by, to summon a confessor, met a secular priest
on the way, who had left his house at the disturbance. He took the
latter with him and told him to confess "that person." He confessed
her very slowly, delaying more than half an hour. The governor, in
the meanwhile, was walking up and down. When the father had finished,
he stabbed his wife, telling her to repent of her sins and to confess
to God who would pardon her. This happened at nine o'clock at night. A
large crowd gathered immediately, and the alcaldes made investigation
of what was passing. The dead bodies of the two men were guarded until
next day, for justice to do its duty. That of the governor's wife
remained there until eight in the morning, when the master-of-camp,
Don Geronimo de Silva, of the habit of St. John, ordered it to be
taken up and carried to his house, in order to have it buried from
there, according to the rank of her person, and not according to the so
disgraceful event and death that had happened. They buried her body in
the Recollect convent, with the greatest pomp possible. Then the two
bodies of the men were buried, carrying them together from the street
to the grave. The royal Audiencia took charge of the matter. They
found almost two hundred notes from the governor's wife in Juan de
Messa's possession, and in hers a great number from him. A report
was made of all and sent to his Majesty. It was the first instance
in which a so common person had an alliance with so powerful a lady,
who was here as is the queen in España. [6]

Manila, July, 1621.