islands against the foe. The royal treasury and magazines are, however,
empty; and he has had to send a cargo to Japan to buy supplies. But the
persecutions of Christians in that country lead to great restrictions
on the commerce of Spaniards there; and the embassy sent from Manila
was not even received by the Japanese. The rebellion in Cagayan
will be punished as severely as possible; and Silva will endeavor
to improve the condition of affairs in the Moluccas. He recommends
that the captive Ternatan king be restored to his own country. The
attempt to work the Igorrote gold mines has been abandoned. Silva
has sold certain municipal offices, but recommends that hereafter
these be conferred on deserving citizens. The export duty on goods
sent to Nueva España should be lowered. The governor complains of
the lawless conduct of the religious, who pay no heed to the civil
authorities and do as they please with the Indians; and he asks for
more authority to restrain them. More troops are needed in the islands;
and Silva desires to check the Dutch who are getting a foothold in
the island of Formosa. Complaint is made that the treasury officials
of Mexico exceed their rights in auditing the accounts sent them from
Manila. Silva closes by recommending to the royal favor certain of
the Spanish citizens of Manila, and asking for his wife permission
to absent herself from the islands in case of his death.

The archbishop of Manila writes to the king (July 25, 1626) about
various ecclesiastical matters. He enumerates the salaries of the
archbishop and his prebendaries, and asks that these be increased. The
cathedral's income is very inadequate, and needs aid. Serrano
enumerates the number of secular benefices in his diocese, and the
number of convents and priests belonging to the respective orders,
with the number of souls under their spiritual charge. The same
enumeration is made for the suffragan dioceses under his care. The