No ship has come from Yndia as yet, for they are late. That causes us to doubt whether we may expect the return of three citizens [who have gone] from this place, besides those who generally cross these seas. I think that they are detained in Malaca, and that they have not gone past that place, because they found the enemy on the sea. At least, I am assured by letters from the king of Macasar that fourteen urcas were on his coasts on the tenth of January of last year, where they remained for forty days. They asked him for refreshment, but he denied it to them. He said that the enemy had returned to the strait with another ship (with which they had succored Malayo), and the one that had fought. At that same time the king of Cochinchina wrote me that twelve other urcas had left his shores, which on their way from coasting along China, brought at least six which had been lost in a storm; but that they were rich with the booty captured from the Sangley prizes they had made. All those ships took their station in the strait of Malaca, and consequently, I do not expect any from Yndia this year. May our Lord preserve and prosper the royal person of your Majesty, as we your vassals desire and need. Manila, August 10, 1634. _Don Juan Cereso Salamanca_ [_In the margin_: "This letter is accompanied by the plans of the old and the new city of Manila."] _Ecclesiastical affairs_ Sire: There is but little for me to mention in ecclesiastical matters; for the orders are conducting themselves in an exemplary manner, except that they often usurp the royal jurisdiction, under pretext of defending the natives; and they take away the authority from the alcaldes-mayor, so that nothing that the latter order is carried out, so that sometimes a layman is obeyed better than they. It is advisable to correct this, and to order that the bishops live in their dioceses, and not in this city. [107] The bishop of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus is governing this metropolitan see during the vacancy. He is an apostolic man. I have consulted with him in regard to the appointments for the prebends that have become vacant by the death of the archdean and precentor. The prebends have only been changed by promotion; and the only one to enter new is Don Juan de Olaso Aclotequi, whom--because of his great virtue, and because he is the uncle of Don Lorenzo Olasso, master-of-camp of these islands and formerly captain-general of them--I presented as treasurer. He had before been canon. With that this holy church is well administered, and has good subjects. In particular, the bachelor, Pedro Diaz de la Rivera, is considered a good ecclesiastic; and his gray hairs are worthy of whatever favor your Majesty will be pleased to show him. May our Lord preserve the royal person of your Majesty, as is necessary to us your vassals. Manila, August 10, 1634. _Don Juan Cereso Salamanca_ BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA