Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 11).djvu/90

Sire:

After having given an account to your Majesty, in so far as concerns my office of fiscal of this royal Audiencia of these Philipinas Islands, of the affairs of justice, by another letter which accompanies this, it seemed best to me to give one concerning those things which touch the royal exchequer, in the following manner.

1. The royal exchequer of your Majesty in these islands is not sufficient by a large sum to supply the salaries and expenses which are here paid out and incurred. For before the royal Audiencia came here, the archbishop and bishops drew from Mexico fifteen, twenty, and some years thirty thousand pesos apiece; but, even with all this, all those who had to draw money from the royal treasury were complaining and irregularly paid. Many works were neglected, and necessary expenses were abandoned. With the new stipends and salaries of an archbishop, three bishops, four auditors, and a fiscal, which amount to twenty-four thousand pesos, we must cut down much more. All that sum, which is the salary of powerful people, must be maintained; and therefore we must suffer wretched service, and abandon, as has been