ears 1649-66, is mainly
ecclesiastical in scope. An appendix, showing the judicial state
of the islands in 1842, is added. A number of the documents are
from Jesuit sources, or treat of the affairs of that order. Among
these are an account of the Jesuit missions in the islands, and their
protest against the erection of the Dominican college at Manila into a
university. The archdiocese of Manila strives to gain more authority,
both in the outlying islands of the Eastern Archipelago and over the
administration of parishes by the regular orders; and effort is made to
strengthen the power of the tribunal of the Inquisition at Manila. The
question of episcopal visitation of the regular curas is already vital,
and the later conflicts over this question are plainly foreshadowed,
and even begun. The history of the Recollect missions for the above
period shows their prosperous condition until the time when so many
of their laborers die that the work is partially crippled. As for
secular affairs, the most important is the Chinese revolt, of 1662;
this and other disturbances greatly hinder and injure the prosperity
of the islands.

Reverting to the separate documents: a curious pamphlet (Manila, 1649)
describes the funeral ceremonies recently solemnized in that city in
honor of the deceased crown prince of Spain, Baltasar Carlos. Solemn
and magnificent rites are celebrated, both civil and religious; and
a funeral pyre, or chapelle ardente, is erected in the royal military
chapel, the splendors of which are minutely described.

The Manila cabildo send a letter (June 20, 1652) to the king, praising
the work of the Jesuits in the Philippines, and urging the king to
send thither more men of that order. Their services as confessors,
preachers, missionaries, and peacemakers are recounted, and their
poverty is urged; they are sending an envoy to Spain, to ask for
royal aid, a request supported by the cabildo.

The Jesuit Magino Sola represents, in a memorial (September 15, 1652)
to Governor Manrique de Lara, the needs of the Philippine Islands. The
greatest of these is men and arms; and with these must be provided
money to pay the soldiers. Sola enumerates the many misfortunes which
have reduced the islands to poverty, and urges that the aid sent from
Mexico be greatly increased.

An account of the Jesuit missions in the islands in 1655 is furnished
by Miguel Solana, by command of Governor Manrique de Lara. He
enumerates the village