to give a good account of himself
in everything." The pressmark of this document, which exists in
Archivo General de Indias at Sevilla, is: "Simancas--Filipinas:
Descubrimientos, etc., anos 1566 a 1586; Est. 1, caj. 1,
leg. 2|24." Morga says that Ribera was created Mariscal of Bonbon
while in Spain. The effect of his mission was the establishment of
the Audiencia of Manila, whose president was to fill the offices of
governor and captain-general of the islands. This was attained after
the death of Ronquillo, although that event was unknown in court at
the time.

[26] Gonzalo Ronquillo was governor from 1580 until his death in
1583. Morga says that trade with the Chinese was increased during his
governorship. He attempted to discover a return route to New Spain
through the southern seas, but was unsuccessful. He opened trade
with Peru. A duty of two per cent on merchandise sent to New Spain
was imposed by him, and one of three per cent on goods imported by
the Chinese.

[27] Taking the words "twenty years" literally would make the date of
this letter in 1584, but it must have been prior to that date. Ribera
was sent to Spain in 1581, and Ronquillo died in 1583. The date of
this letter therefore is conjectured to have been the latter year.

[28] Retana's text here reads thus: "El precio que tenian las cosas,
despues que los Espanoles introduxera la moneda de plata, que por la
mayor parte son tostones, que asi llaman a los reales de a cuatro
cientas gantas de arroz, y por otro [real], ciento de vino, y por
otro, doce y catorce y a un diez y seis gallinas." The bracketed
word _real_ was supplied by Retana. A more satisfactory emendation
would be _toston_, the equivalent of _real de a cuatro_. The passage
should read thus: "reales de a cuatro [por un toston cuatro] cientas
gantas de arroz, y por otro [toston] ciento," etc. This supposition
is borne out by a later passage where Salazar states that in former
times four hundred gantas of rice cost one toston.--_H.E. Bolton_.

[29] Ronquillo was governor of the entire archipelago.--_Retana_.

[30] He alludes, as will be seen below, to the encomenderos, against
whom, chiefly, this accusation by the famous bishop Salazar is
directed--_Retana_.

[31] A mistake for "Gonzalo;" Father Salazar commits the error again,
as will be seen farther on.--_Retana_.

[32] The word "taels" is Retana's conjecture; but it is possible that
the doubtful word was _joyas_ ("ornaments"). From t