In this connection, see the interesting statement by Santiago de Vera (_Vol_. VI, p. 68) that as early as 1585 the Japanese (who then had but little communication with the Spaniards) were using Chinese quicksilver in the silver mines of Japan. Some of the Chinese mercury had been brought to Manila in 1573 (_Vol_. III, p. 245), and Sande mentions (_Vol_. IV. p. 54) the mines of silver and quicksilver in China. [69] This document is simply an abridgment or summary made by Ventura del Arco from the letter of Ledesma. [70] Cf. this statement with the royal decree of May 26, 1609, which is presented in this volume, p. 79, _ante_. [71] Valerio de Ledesma was born at Alaejos. March 23, 1556, and became a novitiate in the Jesuit order in 1571-1572. He was sent to the Philippines, where he served as rector of Cebu, associate of the provincial, rector of Manila, provincial, rector and master of novitiates at San Pedro Macati, and again rector at Manila, where he died, May 15, 1639. See Sommervogel, Barrantes (_Guerros piraticas_), and Pardo de Tavera (_Biblioteca Filipina_, Washington, 1903) as to his authorship. See also Murillo Velarde's _Historia_ (Manila, 1749), book ii, ch. vii, pp. 260-266, for a notice regarding him. In the Ventura del Arco MSS., at the end of this summary of Ledesma's letter appears a tracing of his autograph signature. [72] According to Sommervogel, Juan de Ribera was born at Puebla de los Angeles in 1565, and entered upon his novitiate at Rome in 1582. He was sent to the Philippines in 1595, and taught theology and was rector at Manila, where he died June 5, 1622. Besides the present letter, Father Ribera was the author of the _Lettera annua_ from the Philippines for 1602-1603, which was printed at Venice and Paris, in Italian and French respectively, in 1605. [73] In regard to the correction of Manila time, see _Vol_. I, p. 22, note 2. [74] That is, "the Great Mogul," meaning "the ruler of Mogor," a name applied to Hindostan. The monarch here referred to is Jahangir (or Jehanghir), the tenth of the Mogul emperors, who in 1605 succeeded to the throne by the death of his father, Akbar the Great. See account of his power and wealth, by Pyrard de Laval (publications of Hakluyt Society, London, 1888-90) ii, pp. 250-253; also _The Hawkins' Voyages_ and _Embassy of Sir Thomas Roe_ (published by the same society in 1878 and 1899, respectively). Roe and William Hawkins successively resided at Jahangir's court between 1610 and 1620. An interesting sketch of Jahangir's life is given by Valentyn in his _Oud en Nieuw Oost-Indien_ (Dordrecht and Amsterdam, MDCCXXIV), part iv, sec. ii, pp. 218-230; it is part of a series of the sketches, "Lives of the Great Moguls." [75] According to Montero y Vidal (_Hist. Filipinas_, i, p. 161) this expedition was under the orders of Alonso Vaez Coutino. [76] A small piece of ordnance; or, a long musket or matchlock.