I offer my petition to your Majesty that you will make a grant against the following sources of income: In the first place, against the royal treasury of Mexico, and especially against the saleable offices; against the royal treasury of Manila; against the dues collected on the merchandise brought to Manila by the Chinese and Japonese; against the tributes collected from the Chinese in the island of Manila; against the dues and tributes collected from the Chinese in Cebu and Oton; against the Indians who are assigned to the royal crown, so long as funds remain in the treasury of the fourth. [34]

The Camara [i.e., Council]; let this be now examined. At Valladolid,
January 14, 1605.

The licentiate Alonzo Fernandez de Castro

I, Pedro Chirino, of the Society of Jesus and procurator thereof for the Philipinas, affirm, in the name of the residence of the said Society in the city of Santo Nombre de Jesus, that when your Majesty had examined the official reports conveyed in letters from the royal Audiencia of Manila and from the bishop of the said city of Santo Nombre de Jesus, and the ex parte statement made at the request of the said residence, your Majesty decreed that the matter should be considered at the present time. Since the present necessity of the residence is so urgent, as appears from the documents presented, and since the service which it will perform to our Lord God and to your Majesty is so great, provided that the grant desired for the said residence shall be given, I supplicate your Majesty anew to be pleased to consider again the documents which in virtue of a royal decree of your Majesty were made and have been presented. From the four Statements of testimony officially presented, will plainly appear the care and attention with which the religious of the said Society have attended and do attend to the administration of the holy sacraments, and to preaching and hearing confessions, not only from the Spaniards of the said city of El Santo Nombre de Jesus but from the natives and Sangleys. They give their assistance in all the necessities of the people, both spiritual and temporal, with special care; and the said residence has schools in which their children are not only taught to read and write, but also receive instruction in good morals and habits, and, for all those who desire it, in Latin also. There are many students, from whose education and instruction results much good and advantage to all that country. At the same time, the aforesaid residence is very poor, since it has no fixed income to sustain it. The result is that it suffers great need; and if it receives no assistance there is no doubt that the necessity in which it at present is will be increased, since the country is very poor, and the gifts which are made to it are extremely small. At the same time the expenses are heavy; and it is now housed in a very small, old, wooden building, which at the present time is decaying and is in great need of repairs. The members of the said Society receive for the masses, administration of the sacraments, preaching, reading and all their other ministries to their fellow-men nothing whatever, but do all these things gratis. It should further be observed that the citizens of the said city of Santo Nombre de Jesus are few and very poor, and are unable to aid the said religious with any gifts or alms. In addition to the aforesaid affirmations, which are contained in the official evidence, there are other statements in the ex parte testimony in which the same things are said by twelve witnesses, one of whom is Bishop Don Fray Pedro de Agurto. Besides the above, he has written a letter, which is enclosed herewith, in which he declares as an eye-witness the great service done to our Lord God in those regions by religious of the aforesaid Society; and the great value of their residence there, from which great profit results to the said city and all that province of Cebu, distant from Manila one hundred and fifty leguas by sea. This said residence is, as it were, a nursery and asylum for all the missions and centers of teaching that are under the charge of the aforesaid Society in that province. There are two letters from the royal Audiencia in which they state that which they consider necessary to relieve the wants of the aforesaid residence, and the excellent use to which such a grant would be put. I pray your Majesty that, in view of these considerations, this favor may be granted, by giving commands that a regular income of two thousand ducados of eight reals may be allowed, as has been requested, for the support of the religious who reside therein. The aforesaid sum is to be charged against the royal treasury of Mexico, from the proceeds of offices which are sold, deposited therein; and therewith the Society will receive a great grace from your Majesty.

Father Pedro Chirino

Granted by the Camara, May 26, 1607:
The licentiate Alonzo Fernandez de Castro

DECREE REGULATING COMMERCE WITH NUEVA ESPAÑA

The King: The king my lord and father (may he rest in peace!) by various decrees prohibited trade and commerce of the Western Indias with the Philipinas Islands and China generally, to obviate the loss that resulted therefrom to these kingdoms and to their trade and commerce; and he ordered and commanded that no vessel whatsoever should go from the provinces of Peru, Tierra Firme, Guatimala, or any other part of the Western Indias, to the said kingdoms of China and the Philipinas Islands, under the penalties which were for that purpose imposed. But further, considering the importance of the preservation of the parts of those lands that are reduced to our obedience and to the Christian faith (which had been established there), and likewise for the greater extension of the gospel and of our holy Catholic faith, he allowed and gave permission for two ships to go each year from Nueva España to the said Philipinas Islands, each of three hundred toneladas, in which were to be conveyed reënforcements of troops and other things necessary, and the goods for trade which were to come thence to Nueva España, and which were shipped on account of the royal exchequer; the cost of sending these ships was to be taken from the freight-moneys for the goods, and the quantity and value of the goods freighted each year was not to exceed two hundred and fifty thousand pesos of eight reals, nor the return in money five hundred thousand for principal and profit, this trade being restricted to the citizens of the said Philipinas Islands. All the said goods must be consumed in the said Nueva España, or brought to these kingdoms; and in no case might they be taken to Peru nor to any other part of the Indias, [35] under the penalties imposed for such violation, as more fully explained in the decrees cited, to which we refer. Although it has been ordered by other decrees at various times that these should be observed and complied with, I have been informed that this has nut been done, and that the quantity allowed has been and is being greatly exceeded in the amount taken each year, with the knowledge and permission of my viceroys, audiencias, and governors—goods to the extent of more than two millions of ducats being registered and openly sent, besides what is secretly shipped. All this money finally makes it way into infidel kingdoms, whereby their power is increased; and from this have resulted great losses to our exchequer and to the commerce of these kingdoms with the Western Indias. Those chiefly interested in this trade are the citizens of Nueva España, Peru, and other provinces; they have taken the said merchandise there against the provisions and commands of the said decrees, and the warnings sent to the said viceroys, audiencias, and governors, and the measures that have been and are now being taken are not sufficient to prevent these violations. As the correction of these lawless acts and a remedy for the greater injuries that may be expected, are of so great importance and moment (all these difficulties having been represented to me), and as I have been petitioned by the prior and consuls of the mercantile corporation of Sevilla, and other persons who are zealous in behalf of my service that, in order to stop this, I should command the entire prohibition also of the trade of the said Nueva España with the said Philipinas Islands: Having discussed and considered this in my royal Council of the Indias, and consultations being held on all that should be considered in this matter, as it appears that they desire to prevent and avert future losses, and likewise aim to secure the preservation and growth of the Christian religion in the said islands, and the neighboring kingdoms, wherein the service of our Lord is so greatly concerned, I have decided that for the present the trade and commerce of the said Philipinas Islands with Nueva España should be maintained according to the ordinances; that the quantity of merchandise which may be carried each year from the Philipinas Islands to Nueva España is by no means to exceed two hundred and fifty thousand pesos of eight reals, as is provided; and the return of principal and profit in money is not to exceed five hundred thousand pesos, which I have permitted. For no pretext, cause, or reason to be alleged therefore is this to be exceeded, and the traders in every case must be citizens of the said Philipinas Islands, and none others whatsoever, as is likewise ordered by the royal decrees of the king my lord, and under the penalties therein provided. These I command to be executed without fail against the trangressors, without there being any exemption or excuse.

Further, in order that this may be better accomplished, and to remove the opportunities for shipping a great deal of merchandise, and likewise that the crews may go and come in safety, it is my will and I permit that there be four ships in this trade, each of two hundred toneladas burden, and no more; and they shall be my vessels, and shall sail on my account, two each year; and the others shall remain in port making ready for the voyage of the succeeding year, as is ordered—for in this way they will sail at the proper time, without waiting for one another; nor shall they exceed this number and capacity. These ships shall be built expressly for that route, of the said size and of the required strength, on account of the inconveniences that have heretofore resulted from the ships being large and having been navigated on the account of private persons, in whose charge they were placed—which last must without fail cease.

Furthermore, in order to avoid such large expenses as have hitherto been incurred on that route, owing to the large number of agents and officials who have gone in the ships thereon, it is my will and command that from now on there shall be only one commander of the two ships, and one lieutenant, who shall be admiral. Each vessel shall take not more than one captain of war, besides the ship-master, and there may be as many as fifty effective soldiers in each ship, drawing pay; and the sailors who shall be necessary to go and return. These shall be kept under discipline, that they may be effective and practiced. There shall be two examined pilots and one assistant pilot for each vessel, of the necessary qualifications. For the present, and until further orders, I desire, and it is my will, that since the property to be traded will be that of the citizens of those Philipinas Islands, all these officials—commander, lieutenant, captains, masters, and pilots—shall be appointed by my governor and captain-general of the said Philipinas Islands and the archbishop of Manila, the present or the future incumbents of those offices, notwithstanding that they have heretofore been appointed and furnished by my viceroy of Nueva España; and him I command to cease doing this from now on. If the said governor and archbishop do not agree in this selection, I command that they shall join with them the senior auditor of the Audiencia, and the decision of the majority of these shall be carried into effect. The persons appointed for these offices shall be chosen among the principal and honored citizens of the said islands, and the fittest to be found for the duties that they must perform. They shall give securities in the form and amount that may seem best to the said governor and archbishop, for the greater security of what may be in their charge. Their residencias shall be taken for each voyage by the auditors of my said Audiencia of Manila; and I command that they shall not be allowed to make a second voyage until they shall have given the said residencia, and account satisfactorily for what was in their charge.