said orders of this ordinance, so that they may observe it. Given in
Madrid, April six, one thousand six hundred and twenty-nine.

_I the King_

By order of the king our sovereign:

_Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras_



Letter from Manila Dominicans to Felipe IV


Sire:

Responding to our obligation, as religious of St. Dominic our father,
and as vassals of your Majesty, to advise you of the condition of the
lands of your seigniory, where we now reside in this country of the
Philipinas and the city of Manila (where we are at present assembled
in our provincial chapter and defínitory), we say that this land
is greatly afflicted because these seas are so infested with the
Dutch. The trade with neighboring nations, which was formerly rich
and supported this country, has lost its power. The result of the
Dutch attacks is, that your vassals here have no sea forces, and but
few for land; and those are widely scattered in various presidios of
little importance, that serve no good purpose and cause very great
expense to your royal treasury. At those presidios the soldiers die
in great numbers from the unhealthful climate, insufficient and poor
food, and their own inactivity and vicious lives. We believe that a