de Vascones [1585?] ...
76

History of the great kingdom of China (extracts relating to the
Philippines). Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza; Madrid, 1586 ... 81

Documents of 1586

Memorial to the Council by citizens of the Filipinas
Islands. Santiago de Vera, and others; Manila,
[July 26] ... 157

Letter to Felipe II. Alfonso de Chaves, and others;
Manila, June 24 ... 234

Letter from the Manila cabildo to Felipe II. Andres
de Villanueva, and others; Manila, June 25 ... 242

Letter to Felipe II. Antonio Sedeno; Manila, June 25
... 247

Letter to Felipe II. Domingo de Salazar; Manila,
June 26 ... 251

Letter from the Audiencia to Felipe II. Santiago de
Vera, and others; Manila, June 26 ... 254

Letter to Felipe II. Pedro de Rojas; Manila, June 30
... 265

Letter to Felipe II. Juan de Moron; Manila, June 30
... 275

Measures regarding trade with China. Felipe II, and
others; Madrid and Manila; June 17-November 15 ... 279

Brief erecting Franciscan province of the
Philippines. Sixtus V; Rome, November 15 ... 290

Documents of 1587-88

Letter to Felipe II. Alvaro, Marques de [Villa]
Manriquez; Mexico, February 8, 1587 ... 295

Letter to Felipe II. Santiago de Vera; Manila, June
26, 1587 ... 297

Letter from the Audiencia to Felipe II. Santiago de
Vera, and others; Manila, June 25, 1588 ... 311

Bibliographical Data ... 323

Illustrations

Title-page of _Historia del gran reyno de China_, by Juan
Goncalez de Mendoca (Madrid, M.D.LXXXVI); from copy (Madrigal
edition) in Library of Congress ... 83

Title-page of "Itinerario" at end of Goncalez's _Historia_,
from copy in Library of Congress ... 135

Signature of Alonso Sanchez, S.J., from MS. in Archivo general
de Indias, Sevilla ... 228

Preface

The present volume covers the period of 1583 to 1588 inclusive. At
the close of two decades of Spanish occupation in the Philippines,
the native population is decimated, and the Spanish colonists are poor,
heavily burdened with taxation, and largely non-producing. The islands
are but nominally defended by a small, irregular, demoralized force of
unpaid soldiers, whose lawlessness and arrogance render them dangerous
to their