much should be provided, in their opinion."]


Catholic and Royal Majesty:

Antonio Valerio, steward of the royal hospital which the discalced
religious of our seraphic father St. Francis founded in the city of
Manila, with royal expenditures and some alms, for the cure and healing
of all these natives of all these Philipinas Islands which belong
to your royal Majesty. I declare that although in this hospital we,
three religious and myself, serve for the love of God our Lord--by our
services saving the salaries of physician, surgeon, apothecary, and
other officers; and I performing the duties of steward, and the said
religious treating, as they do, all the sick, besides administering the
sacraments--the work of this hospital is continually increasing to such
an extent, by its aiding so many sick persons, and from so many places,
that although the gifts which your royal Majesty has made to this your
hospital are great, they are not sufficient to meet the necessary
expenses to which the said hospital is liable. For the usual number
of those who are cared for in it ranges from one hundred and sixty
to two hundred poor persons; besides, most of the poor people of this
city are provided from this hospital with ointments and medicines for
their ailments. On account of these expenses the hospital is unable
to accomplish many works which should be done--for instance, a house
for the workmen and servants, the improvement of the vegetable-garden,
and other things necessary for the treatment of the sick.

For these reasons I entreat and supplicate your royal Majesty, with the
utmost humility, on my own part and on that of the said poor who are
treated in the hospital, that you will do us the favor of adding some