Item: We decree that these present letters must and shall be valid, firm, and efficacious; that they shall have and obtain their plenary and complete effects; and that thus and in no other manner ought they be judged and defined by any judges, ordinary or delegated, even though such be the auditors of the causes of the apostolic palace, and cardinals of the Holy Roman Church. And further, if any person, of whatsoever rank he be, should perchance attempt to contravene the decree herein contained, whether knowingly or ignorantly, his opposition shall be void and invalid, notwithstanding the apostolic constitutions and ordinances, or in any necessary rules of the said order--statutes, customs, and any other contrary things--even if accompanied with oath, apostolic confirmation, or any other validity, corroboration, or authorization. Given at Rome, in Santa Maria la Maggiore, under the Fisherman's seal, November twenty, one thousand six hundred and forty-five, in the second year of our pontificate. Marcos Aurelio Maraldo TRADE WITH ENGLISH NOT DESIRED + Sire: Don Alonso de Cardenas, in a letter to your Majesty of November 23 of last year, states that your Majesty was pleased to have him informed in a letter of September 14, that, inasmuch as the proposition of the East-Indian merchants of that kingdom regarding permission to trade in Manila and other ports of Philipinas, has not been thought advisable, he may close the discussion as civilly as possible. He should try to ascertain whether the said company [53] of English merchants is introducing any regular navigation from that kingdom to the Philipinas, in what form, whether it may be expected that it will continue to acquire strength, and any other information that he may be able to obtain, and advise you of what he may discover. Conforming to these instructions he has begun to mistrust that the merchants cannot accomplish what they have proposed, and has learned that the said Company of India is not sending any vessel directly to the Philipinas; but that two or three vessels that they despatch annually to the city of Bantan, in the kingdom or province of Simatria [54]--which is subject to the king of Surat, called Magol--proceed yearly to Manila and return to Bantan where the English of this company have commerce and settled communication, and where one of them lives, with the title of president of the company. This company is not confirmed by the parliament, nor does it enjoy the privileges that they wish for its establishment. However, they expect both these shortly in reference to which a merchant of the said company told him [i.e., Alonso de Cardenas] that the commerce of India would increase, and that six or seven vessels would be sent annually to Bantan, whence two or three would go to Manila and other ports of the Philipinas. The above is the extent of his knowledge acquired in order to inform your Majesty. The Council having examined it, and Don Francisco