The King. To Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, knight of the Order of
Alcantara, my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands,
and president of my royal Audiencia therein: a letter of August 21,
637, has been examined in my royal Council of the Indias, in which
you advise me that you have stationed ministers of the gospel in the
islands of Mindanao and Bacilan--not only for the instruction of the
infidels who are in those islands, but for administering the holy
sacraments to the Castilian soldiers whom you leave there--and that
you have assigned them such stipends as you considered necessary. I
approve what you have done in this matter. Moreover, to provide for
future increase [in the number of infidels converted], the necessary
mission stations [doctrinas] will have to be established; but in this
you must avoid unnecessary expense, and, conformably to my royal
patronage, confer regarding such establishments with such persons
as you should consult. I trust in you that you will carry out my
intentions. [Madrid, February 3, 1639.]