The Royal Audiencia is Established

The captain:

• met his Majesty in Portugal
• gave him a few pieces of gold and other curiosities
• stated the matters of which he had come to treat

His Majesty, among other favors, appointed him marshal of Bonbon for his hardships during this voyage.

They resolved to address the matters in the islands.

The First Bishop of the Philippines: Don Fray Domingo de Salazar

During the administration of Don Gonzalo Ronquillo, the first bishop of the Filipinas was appointed.

He was Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, of the Dominican order, a man of great learning and piety.

He took charge of:

• the Augustinian friars who had come during the conquest
• the discalced Franciscan religious, who had arrived at the time of the conversion.

The bishop erected his cathedral in the city of Manila, by apostolic bulls, with prebends paid by the royal exchequer, until there should be tithes and ecclesiastical revenues to maintain themselves.

He took Antonio Sedeño and Alonso Sanchez, both priests and grave members of the Society of Jesus, with him.

They were the first to establish the Society of Jesus in the Filipinas.

Don Gonzalo Ronquillo died in 1583.

His kinsman, Diego Ronquillo, by virtue of his appointment through a decree of his Majesty, succeeded him.

During the same term of Diego Ronquillo, a fire broke out in Manila, which started at midday in the church of the convent of St. Augustine.

The fire increased so rapidly that all the city was burned in a few hours, as it was built of wood.

There was great loss of goods and property. The city was rebuilt with great difficulty and labor, leaving the Spaniards very poor and needy. [32]

This led to the order to establish a royal Audiencia in Manila.

• Its president was to be governor and captain-general of all the Filipinas.

The presidency was given to Doctor Sanctiago de Vera, alcalde of the Audiencia of Mexico, and a native of the town of Alcala de Henares.

He went to the Filipinas with the usual reënforcements from Nueva España, taking with him:

• the royal seal of the Audiencia
• the auditors whom his Majesty was sending
• the fiscal
• other officials and assistants

The auditors and fiscal were:

• Licentiates Melchior de Avalos
• Pedro de Rojas
• Gaspar de Ayala—[the latter] as fiscal

At the end of 2 years, Don Antonio de Ribera went as third auditor.