Don Manuel de Leon, the new Governor of these islands,took possession on the 24th of September, 1669. The first act of hisgovernment was to declare that Señor Bonifaz, who had beenGovernor ad interim, had not been duly authorized, and though heconfiscated his goods, he did not succeed in his attempt to imprisonhim, as the moment he gave up his government, he retired to the conventof the Franciscans. The Governor found the commerce [2]of Manila ata very low ebb, as there were only two ships which sailed from theisland, one from Cavite, and another from Lampon, and there was verylittle doing in the commerce with China. To remedy this, he sent toMacao Captain Losada and the Jesuit Mesina to revive it, and by theprudence of these two, and the disinterestedness of the Governor, suchan extended commercial intercourse took place not only with China, butwith the adjacent coasts, that these islands were filled with goods,which was of course highly beneficial to the royal coffers. On the 11thof April, 1677, the Governor, while at the nuptial ceremony of theOidor Coloma, was taken suddenly ill in the church, and being removedto a house on the river side close by, he expired the same day.[3]

Don Juan de Vargas took possession of his governmentthe 21st of September, 1678, and began his administration withuniversal applause; but in a little time the passion of avariceeffected a thorough transformation of his character: disputes betweenthe civil and ecclesiastical authorities alone engaged the publicattention during the whole period of his government. [...