establishing justice among them, but did so in order that they should
furnish to the natives religious instruction--which always, and in
every instance, can and ought to be given them. [No tribute should
be imposed upon the Indians unless religious instruction is given to
them; and to allow them the fourth part of the tax is not to benefit
their souls. The bishop insists that the governor is responsible for
taking such measures as shall remedy the present abuses, and urges
him to accept the plan proposed by the clergy.] If your Lordship,
after reading what I here state, shall decide to pursue and carry into
execution the opinion and resolution which you have communicated to
me, I cannot, without violating the obligations of my office, decline
to release the consciences of those whom I have in charge. From this
your Lordship's house, on the fourth of March of the year 1591.

_Fray Domingo_, Bishop of the Filipinas.



Letter from the Governor to the Bishop


[Two days later (March 6) Dasmariñas answers, at considerable length,
the letter written by the bishop. He adopts a conciliatory tone,
disclaiming any intention to be arbitrary, unfair, or unfriendly. He
explains his position in regard to the collection of tributes,
saying that the plan laid down in his recent decree is but temporary,
awaiting only the provision by the king of a sufficient number of
religious teachers. He reminds Salazar that encomiendas and tributes
were established in the land as soon as the Spaniards had obtained
a foothold there, when only some half-score priests were to be