ffairs of government. Cerezo again
points out the importance of the trade with China and Japan. The
relations of Manila, however, with Japan are no longer friendly--a
condition of affairs for which the governor blames the "zeal without
discretion" of certain religious who, disobeying the royal decrees,
go to Japan as preachers. He asks the king to command the religious
orders to send no more friars to that country. The trade with
China is falling off, mainly because the Portuguese of Macao have
absorbed much of it. Cerezo recommends that their trade with Manila
be prohibited. He comments on the scantiness of the male population;
commends the administration of Rojas, the royal inspector; and makes
some minor recommendations to the king.

In regard to the public revenues, Cerezo states that the treasury
is burdened with debts; the shipyards are bare of supplies; and
the contraband trade with Mexico has attained large proportions. To
check this latter evil, the governor recommends that all money sent
to Manila be openly registered at Acapulco, imposing on it a duty of
five per cent; and a different system of inspecting the Philippine
cargoes there be adopted.

In compliance with royal command, the archbishop of Manila reports
(August 3, 1634) on the public bakery at Manila. He finds it well
built and managed, and recommends that all ovens in the city should
be merged in this bakery.

A Jesuit letter from Manila (August 20, 1634) gives interesting
news from Japan. The persecution there is still very cruel, and many
missionaries have been arrested lately; but the emperor is becoming
for the time more lenient, through the influence of certain omens
and of his cure from an illness through the prayers of the captive
missionaries. The writer hopes, therefore, that Iyemidzu "may be the
Constantine of the church" in Japan.

The annual report of Governor Cerezo for 1634 begins with affairs of
the revenue. The treasury officials refuse to obey the orders left
for them by Rojas; the governor therefore arrests them, which soon
brings them to terms. Nevertheless, he excuses their disobedience
to some extent, on account of the rigorous and difficult nature
of Rojas's orders; he instances some of these which embarrass both
himself and the royal officials. The king has ordered an additional
duty to be levied on goods exported to Nueva Espana; the citizens
object to paying this, and finally the matter is temporarily settled
by a coun