swer is given in this present letter. He says that the relationship
with Japon has been destroyed because the Dutch have angered that
king by their accustomed trickery, under pretext of the religious
who have preached--by reason of which, fearful of new conquests, all
his oldtime friendship has been converted in those parts into hatred,
and he makes use of severe methods with the Catholics--and that many
of the said religious who have gone to that kingdom have acted with
some imprudence, causing more trouble than gain. For the remedy of
that, he considers it advisable to charge the provincials not to
grant such licenses. Notwithstanding that that has been commanded on
other occasions, as you will understand by the decrees that have been
issued, it has seemed best to me to advise you of it, so that you may
pay heed to this matter, and so that you may take such measures as are
most advisable for my service and the conservation of those islands.

He also advises us that there is a lack of people in those islands,
and that their inhabitants are decreasing in number by reason of
the unhealthful climate; and that it would be important to provide a
remedy for that, because of the need for it. I charge you to avoid,
as far as possible, the giving of passports for granting passage from
the islands. The viceroy of Nueva Espana is ordered to have a care
in this, and to send more people than is his regular custom. Madrid,
February 16, 1635.

_I the King_

By order of the king our sovereign:
_Don Gabriel de Ocana y Alarcon_

The King. To the auditors of my royal Audiencia of the Filipinas
Islands: the letter which you wrote me under date of August 8 of the
former year 1633 has been received and examined in my royal Council
of the Yndias, and answer is made to you in this present letter.

The reformation that you have made in the licenses that were given by
the government for rice-wine stills, in which so great a quantity of
rice was consumed, is well advised for the present, as it is beneficial
to the common welfare; and if you shall encounter any difficulties
in regard to this in the future, you shall advise me of them.

You say that when that Audiencia was governing because of the death of
Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenza, they began to introduce the inspection
of the prisons of the Parian and of Tondo, on the Saturday of each
week, as they are very near that city. Afterward in the time of
the other governors, that custom wa