LETTER FROM THE MANILA CABILDO
TO FELIPE II
Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty:
Section 1. Last year, eighty-five, this city of Manila wrote to your Majesty, sending a relation of affairs in these islands. Because of our extreme and continually increasing necessities, and the magnificent opportunities for your Majesty's service that are lost daily, and on account of our having no one at court to look after our affairs, or anyone to inform your Majesty, as is requisite, of matters pertaining to this realm, we resolved to request Father Alonso Sanchez, a master of sacred theology and a religious of the Society of Jesus, to go to confer with your Majesty about all these things, as a man who is experienced in all these matters, and one who will discuss them with all sincerity and certainty. Therefore he agreed to undertake this task for the service of God and of your Majesty, and indeed of this state, having therefor the permission and order of his superior. In order to decide what must be laid before your Majesty, and what petitions made, many assemblies were held, composed of the president, auditors, fiscal, bishop, superiors of the orders, cities, royal officials, captains, and other men who were intelligent, and zealous for the service of your Majesty. The said father is authorized by those men and by
