The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 12]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. 12

if there be any delay, it may be known that it has not
been by my fault. I wished to make this statement
to your Majesty, so that you might give orders to be
informed in the matter because of what may happen
in Terrenate. In my opinion the coming of a fleet
from Yndia to Maluco incurs the difficulties of
which I wrote to your Majesty from Mexico. The
voyage is long and dangerous for galleys and galliots; and the worst is, that the enemy knows that
they are remaining three or four months in Ambueno, waiting for favorable weather. Hence I fear
that evil results may follow, because the troops and
other requisites for defense may be made ready in
advance by the islands subject to Terrenate and by
the other friends of their sect.
In these islands there are many veterans who have
done good service. Some are sick or wounded; and
since there is here no occupation or support for them
all, and since they are at such a distance from your
Majesty that they cannot come before you to ask that
you will show them favor in return for their services, some suffer the extremity of want, and feel
greatly discontented and discouraged at seeing themselves in such misery, without anyone to turn to for
relief. Hence it seems that it would be just if they
were to receive rewards and gifts as your Majesty
commands, and as is done in Espania for those who
come from other regions to ask for such bounty. Inasmuch as affairs of greater consequence are entrusted to me, I beg your Majesty to be pleased to
give me authority to aid such persons from the royal
treasury of these islands, bestowing upon them annually such an amount as their service to your Majesty shall have deserved. I beg also for authority