of Serrano's letter is the papal bull changing the date on which the
feast of Corpus Christi may be celebrated in Oriental regions.

A letter from Gerónimo de Silva to the king (August 1, 1621) states
that one of the ships to Nueva España has been forced back to Manila
by adverse weather, which has caused great distress in the islands. The
annual relief for Ternate has been sent; attacks on Luzon by the Dutch
and English are expected, but result in the enemy capturing only
a few Chinese vessels. Silva mentions the pitiably small forces of
the colony for defense, and urges that reenforcements and other aid
be sent for this purpose. Undesirable inhabitants of the country are
being sent away, especially the Japanese, who are more dangerous than
the Chinese. Silva refers to the difficulties between the governor
and auditors, and asserts that these are due to the existence of the
Audiencia there, which is a costly and useless burden on the colony,
and a hindrance to the administration of justice and to the fulfilment
of the governor's duties.

Affairs in the Franciscan province of the Philippines are in
unsatisfactory condition; an account of them is sent to the king
(July 31, 1620) by the provincial of that order, Pedro de San Pablo,
in behalf of the province. He states that a visitor has been sent
to it from Nueva España who is not one of the discalced, and is
therefore _persona non grata_ to these (of whom are the Franciscans
of Filipinas); also that other friars "of the cloth" have slipped in
among the discalced, simply to gain admission to the regions of the
East. Hence arise factions, dissensions, and loss to their religious
interests and work; and these intruders seek to rule the others. San
Pablo asks the king to issue such decrees that only one branch
or the other of the order may send religious to the islands; thus