the fact that it is in the center of the kingdom, is Manila. Within
its jurisdiction are included other smaller provinces. These are the
two lake provinces, Bonbon and Bay; and (the most important of all)
Panpanga, which, at the outside, is not more than twelve leguas from
Manila. This is an inundated valley, and yields a great amount of
rice, owing to the richness and location of its lands, as well as to
the wealth and superior character of its natives--among whom there
are at present many who have aided and served as faithful subjects
and friends, whenever opportunity has offered. In Panpanga your
Majesty has as many as six thousand tributes in the four governmental
districts and principal villages, among which are Betis, Lubao, Guagua,
Mexico, and other smaller places. All the neighboring country, and
particularly the royal magazines, secure their rice from this province
[of Pampanga]. There must be in the province of Manila forty thousand
tributes belonging to private individuals, and almost twenty thousand
belonging to your Majesty. There must be in all more than five hundred
thousand people, of whom one-fourth are Christians. In this, however,
estimates vary. The adelantado, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, settled the
important city of Manila in the year fifteen hundred and sixty-one,
[24] after having lived for six years in the islands of Zubu and Panay,
of which I shall speak more in detail in another place.

_The judicial offices in the province of Manila_.

The offices to which appointments are made in the province of Manila,
not to mention the judicial officers of greater or less importance
who are maintained by the city within its walls, are as follows:

The alcaldia-mayor of the Parian or alcayzeria of the Chinese; the
alcaldia-mayor of the coast near this city, its capital being the