leading to the ruin of the country; for the natives are in consequence
neglecting their industries and manufactures, and prices are much
higher. The royal officials, therefore, now collect the tributes
in produce only. Again the governor complains of the marriages of
wealthy widows to adventurers, who have thus "defrauded several
very honorable and worthy captains and soldiers who serve here;"
he recommends that heiresses be not allowed to marry without the
king's consent. He also advises that all collections of tributes be
made by the royal officials, who should pay the encomenderos their
dues. Another letter of the same date is especially interesting,
as containing the earliest data thus far available on the first
printing in the Philippines. Dasmariñas desires the king to provide
some suitable design for the coat-of-arms of the city of Manila. He
protests against the heavy duties levied in Mexico on goods exported
from the islands. These letters are followed by a memorandum--unsigned
and undated, but probably written about 1593--of "the troops required
in the Philippines;" this is itemized, and gives a total of 1,517. On
September 27, 1593, Dasmariñas sends a friendly letter, with gifts,
to the king of Camboja, who is threatened by the king of Siam; and
he offers to be arbitrator of their differences. An unsigned list
(1594?) is given of the villages reduced by the Spaniards under an
officer named Berramontano.

Luis Perez, son of Gomez Perez Dasmariñas, who has succeeded
to his father's office, writes to the king of Camboja (February
8, 1594) renewing his father's proffers of friendship for that
ruler. At this time Hernando de los Rios, administrator of the
royal hospital at Manila, demands from the government more aid for
that institution. Witnesses testify that there is much sickness and
mortality among the Spanish soldiery in the islands; and that the