the
friars outruns their discretion, and some have gone to Japan. Serrano
asks the king to interpose his authority, and restrain the friars. The
bishop of Nueva Segovia is dead, and Serrano has placed an ecclesiastic
in charge of that diocese. The officials of the Philippine government
should be officially inspected, for which duty he recommends one
of his own subordinates, Juan Cevicos. He asks the king to aid the
Jesuit college at Manila.

The accession of Felipe IV is celebrated at Manila (January, 1623) with
"royal festivities"--bull-fights, games, decoration of the streets,
etc., which are described in picturesque and enthusiastic terms by a
citizen of Manila. Fernando de Silva, appointed successor to Fajardo,
notifies the king (August 4, 1625) of his arrival in the islands,
and reports the condition of affairs there, and various events of
interest. He complains that the Audiencia arrogates undue authority
to itself, and he has already annulled their action in assigning
encomiendas. Geronimo de Silva has been deposed by them from the
military command, and some of them have made illegal appointments to
army and navy offices; the governor has annulled these also. Hostile
Dutch ships are menacing the rich trading vessels that ply to Nueva
Espana; Silva has taken measures of defense and precaution against
them. A powerful Dutch fleet has already reached Ternate; he hopes
to obtain some ships, provided by the missionaries, to defend the
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 Espana 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 need