Felipe iv writes to Governor Tavora (September 3, 1627), in answer to his letters of the previous year.  The king approves of his establishing a fort at the northern end of Celebes, promises to send him aid and arms, and gives him directions for procedure in various matters of detail.

From Recopilacion de leyes de las Indias are translated a group of laws (1594-1627) relating to the Chinese in the Philippines.  It is decreed that they shall be charged no fee for leaving Manila; the sale of their goods is regulated; no oppression or injury to them shall be permitted; they shall not be allowed to live in the houses of Spaniards; their suits shall come first before the governor of the Parian, with appeal to the Audiencia, and that neither auditors nor municipal officials shall begin such suits; the Audiencia shall not meddle with the affairs of the Parian, which shall be in charge of the governor of the islands; and assessments of fowls shall not be made upon the Chinese.  The governor is ordered to promote agriculture among them, and not to exact personal services; their number must be limited to six thousand, and no bribes or fees for licenses may be exacted; they must be kept in due subjection, but always through mild and just methods; provision is made regarding the fees for their licenses; Chinese converts are exempted for ten years from paying tributes; and a limit is placed to the assessment made upon them for the royal service.

The king orders the Audiencia of Manila (May 21, 1627) to punish certain Augustinians who have attacked a government official.  On June 11 following, he grants certain additional supplies to the Augustinian convent at Manila.  Later (November 4) the Council of the Indias recommend that a grant be made to the Recollects in the islands, of a certain amount for medicines.  In a decree of September 10, the king orders that a protector for the Chinese be appointed, who shall not be the royal fiscal; and that any balance in the fund that they maintain for the royal service shall be left to their disposal, or credited on the next year’s assessment.  Another decree, dated November 19, recites the oppression of the Chinese in the Parian in compelling their hair to be cut at baptism, and levying from them an extortionate tribute; and orders that both these vexations be abolished.

Juan Cevicos, a resident of Manila who is at the Spanish court, writes a memorial (December 20, 1627) on “the inadvisability of a Spanish post in the island of Hermosa.”  He thinks that the Dutch have established themselves there not so much to pillage the Chinese merchant ships, as to establish a factory on Formosa, from which they can gain the Chinese and Japanese trade.  Their success in this would result in the destruction of Macao and ruin the Japan trade for the Philippines; therefore they should be driven out of Formosa, and before they have time to lure the Chinese trade also from the Spaniards.  But,