The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55 / 1625-29 / Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century.

by Unknown

Law III

The bishops do not permit the Christian Chinese who are converted to our holy Catholic faith in the Filipinas Islands to return to their own country, so that intercourse and living among heathen may not cause them to fall into the peril of apostasy; and the governor, knowing that they have no other manner of livelihood except their trading in the neighborhood, buying provisions in order to supply the community, does not allow them to leave Manila without permission, which is a very great obstacle and stumbling-block to the conversion of others. We order that no fee be charged for those permits; and the governor shall have great consideration and care, that no trouble results from them, in respect to the Chinese having free passage through those islands. [Felipe II—Madrid, June 11, 1594.]