Whereas, the city of Manila, on the thirtieth day of March of this year, issued an ordinance forbidding the natives from wearing silks and stuffs from China, for many reasons mentioned in the said ordinance, which are of importance to the general welfare and the good government of these islands; we, the cabildo and government of the city of Manila, command that the said ordinance be submitted to the royal Council of the Indias for confirmation, in order that the said causes, and any others that may exist, may be certified to his Majesty. We entreat your Lordship to send us information, in accordance with the questions sent you herewith, and that an authorized copy of said information be sent us for transmission to his Majesty, with the said ordinance; for which purpose, etc.

The witnesses are to be asked if they know whether, when first the Spaniards discovered these islands, all the natives wore any other garments than those made in the islands, planting cotton and weaving cloth for their own use, and continuing to do so even for many years after the Spaniards had settled in the islands; and whether the one or two ships that came from China each year, brought any cloth or silks to the islands. For these were not sold among the natives; and all that was carried in these ships was earthenware, horns, herbs, desaumerios, and other trifles of little importance. Also whether, after the Page 73Spaniards settled here, and the Chinese began to increase their trade with them and to bring many ships to these islands laden with cloth, the natives began to wear garments of said cloth from China, discarding their own, which they formerly used; and whether this use has reached such a pass that there is no year when the said natives do not buy and use for their clothing over two hundred thousand robes of cotton and silk, which at the present time are worth as many pesos—and in a few years will, unless this injury [to our trade] is opposed and checked, be worth twice as much. For as the natives are not a people who strive to acquire much property for the purpose of leaving it to their heirs, but spend all they get in food and drink and clothing, and as no one needs more than one or two pieces of cloth a year, they care not whether these garments be cheap or dear, but pay for them whatever is asked; and in this way the price has risen so high, that a piece which at first could be bought for two reals, now sells for ten, and very soon will cost twenty.

Also whether, for the reasons given in the preceding question, there results what would be a serious loss to these islands, and injury to his Majesty—that is, whether it be true that, whereas the Chinese formerly, in payment for the clothing they brought, carried away from these islands thirty thousand pesos in money, they now, on account of the recklessness and extravagance of the natives, take away two hundred thousand pesos. This money leaves the realms of his Majesty, and is carried to a foreign country, in violation of royal edicts; this would be prevented if the said natives were not to clothe themselves with the said stuffs. Page 74

Also whether the said natives have, since the Spaniards have been trading in these islands with the Chinese, abandoned the tillage of their lands, as regards not only the cultivation of cotton, but that of rice, wine, and other products of the country; and have given themselves over to vice and idleness, refusing to work. For, as there is money in the country, brought hither by the Spaniards, some of it gets into the hands of the natives, in payment for services and in many other ways. And thus the natives, finding the stuffs brought by the Chinese ready at hand, and having money to pay for them, have abandoned work and the cultivation of their lands, and become vagabonds, both men and women—courting the favor of the Spaniards, and committing and causing numberless offenses against God. For the natives are addicted to theft and licentiousness, and the women are ready to sell their persons; and for these reasons there is, here, more than an intimacy of men and women.

Also whether the evils and disorders above mentioned would disappear with the observance of the said ordinance. For the natives would then be at work, and there would be an abundance of fruits and provisions in the country, and at very low prices, as there has been hitherto, and thus the country would be supported; and there would not be taken out of the kingdom the large sums of money which the Chinese now carry away for the provisions which they bring to sell—such as flour, sugar, lard, and other things. Moreover, the natives would dress in their own stuffs, which are better woven and more economical than those from China; and besides making cloth for their own use, they would have some which the Spaniards could buy for their trade; and Page 75another large quantity of money would remain in the country, which now is taken from it because the said natives do not make the said cloth. Another serious evil would cease; the natives would no longer sell raw cotton to the Chinese, who take it to their own country and make it into cloth, and then return to sell it to the natives, and with these goods deprive them of their money. Most of all, there would be an end to the evils and sins against God above mentioned.

Also whether the observance of the said ordinance will induce the natives and the Chinese to carry on trade as they formerly did, without using money; for if the natives should wish to trade or barter in the islands (which is not forbidden to them), they can and will obtain goods, as they formerly did, in exchange for such articles as siguey (a small white snail), dye-wood, and carabao horns; to this mode of trading the Chinese will adapt themselves, and the outflow of money will cease.

Also whether all these islands, or most of them, are well adapted to the cultivation of cotton, so that, if the natives are set to the task, enough will be produced to supply all the islands with, provisions and clothing; and whether cloth will be made, as good as, or better than, that which comes from China, and a surplus be left for shipment to Nueva España in exchange for necessaries, and a larger surplus of cotton to be used in exchange for Chinese wares; and whether as much money will be taken out of the country as is now taken away. Let the witnesses tell what they know on these subjects; and whether the facts above stated are notorious or well-known, and matters of public discussion and report. Page 76

In the village of Bacolor, province of Panpanga, of the Philipinas Islands, on the thirteenth day of the month of May, in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-one, Captain Juan de Alcega, alcalde-mayor of the said province for our lord the king, declared that, inasmuch as the cabildo, magistracy, and government of the city of Manila, among other ordinances which they enacted for the welfare and government of that city, and for the benefit of the state, issued one forbidding the natives of these islands to dress in silks or stuffs from China, for the reasons and difficulties mentioned in the said ordinance; and because the enforcement and observance thereof is very just and expedient for these islands, Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, knight of the habit of Santiago, governor and captain-general of the islands for our lord the king, in his royal name approved and confirmed the same. But as Don Frai Domingo de Salazar, bishop of these said islands, in the name of the natives as their protector, has protested against the said ordinance on the ground of its being injurious to the natives, the captain-general, in behalf of the said natives, and in order to ascertain the truth, makes the statements contained in this mandate. And in order to ascertain whether the observance of the said ordinance would put an end to the troubles therein mentioned, or whether a fulfilment of the same would result in the injuries to the said natives which the said bishop, as their protector, mentions, I hereby command that the following investigation be made, and that the witnesses be examined in accordance with the interrogatory submitted by the said cabildo.

Signed:

Juan de Alcega