ships and artillery be constructed in the islands. He complains that
the Chinese traders are illegally compelled to pay assessments,
from which the fiscal, who is nominally their protector, receives
additional pay. Messa asks for honors and promotion for himself,
by way of atonement for the ill-treatment that he has received from
the governor; and closes with the request that Fajardo's property in
Mexico be sequestered.

With this letter is another by the same writer, dated July 30,
1622--a postscript to a duplicate of the preceding letter. He relates
how Fajardo has summoned him to resume his duties as auditor; but he
has no confidence in the governor's sincerity. He accuses the latter
of various illegal and crafty acts, among them sending contraband
gold and jewels to Mexico. Messa recounts the proceedings in the
Santa Potenciana scandal, blaming the governor's course therein. At
the end is a letter from the Audiencia advising the king to refuse
an increase of salary to the archbishop of Manila, with a note by
Fajardo recommending such increase.

The archbishop of Manila, Miguel Garcia Serrano, writes (1621) a report
for the first year of his term of office--which, however, he does
not send until 1622. He has been occupied in official visitations,
mainly in the city of Manila. Among the clergy therein he finds no
offenses, save that a few have gambled in public; these are promptly
disciplined. The cathedral is the only Spanish parochial church;
it cares for two thousand four hundred souls. Another curate is in
charge of the Indians and slaves of Manila, who number one thousand
six hundred and forty and one thousand nine hundred and seventy
respectively; but many of these confess at the convents of the various
orders. The Indians should have a suitable church of their own,