[12] The term situado was also applied, among other things, to the increase (1590) of two reals on each tribute (see VOL. XIV, p. 247, and XVI, p. 160). Torrubia explains this clearly in his Dissertacion, pp. 95–98; and he makes the following statement about the fund of “the fourths:” “The said father ministers are paid from the ‘fourths’ of the eight reals which remain (and these are distinct from the situado), and from the former the ministers were paid before the increase of the tributes. The present method is, to collect the ten reals, as the Ordinances provide, from each entire tribute; from this two reals are taken for paying the soldiers, etc., and this is called situado. After that, the fourth part of the eight reals (that it, two reals) is taken out, and this it to pay the ministers—to whom for every hundred tributes that are under their ministry are paid twenty or twenty-five pesos (according to various customs of provinces and tributaries, which it would be difficult to explain at this time), with which sum the support assigned to the ministers is completed. For this purpose was instituted the royal fund of ‘fourths,’ which is explained in the Recopilacion by ley 14, tit. 3, lib. 1; for this fund the encomenderos of tributes who, on account of being unbelievers, have no parish priest contribute (after having paid the two reals of the situado, which amount is set apart and separately administered) another two reals for every infidel tribute, which is called the ‘fourth’ of the eight remaining reals; thus six reals remain, which is the amount that has always been estimated for the tribute. The destination of the money from the ‘fourths’ was the support of hospitals and charitable funds; but such is not now its use, because, thanks to God, all the tributes in encomiendas are Christians. Accordingly, with those two reals of the ‘fourths’ the encomiendas pay the ministers, and hand over the two reals of the situado to the royal treasury for its fund allotted to troops, etc. This is the usual arrangement, although in some villages and encomiendas the procedure is somewhat different.” [↑]
[13] Verecus (for biricús): meaning “sword-belts.” [↑]
[14] Spanish, pandillas: one of its meanings is, “a party of persons joined together for recreation in the country, or for mischief,” which is quite equivalent to the Americanism “gang.” [↑]
[15] Thus in the text (y vna mitad mas deloque yo regulo), but evidently thus written by some oversight; for Viana certainly meant to say here, as in other places (see allusion to the increase of the tributes, in this and subsequent paragraphs), that the Mexican impost was twice that which he was proposing to establish in Filipinas. [↑]
[16] On the margin of the MS. is the following note, written in a different hand, probably by some official of the India Council, or some friend of Viana’s: “It was necessary to speak thus in a country of ignorant ecclesiastics.” [↑]
[17] Millones: “the voluntary impost which the kingdoms had granted to the king, on the consumption of the six commodities of wine, vinegar, oil, meat, soap, and tallow candles (see VOL. XLIV, p. 299, note 91); it was renewed every six years.” Sisas: “the impost on food-stuffs, reducing the measure; a tribute reputed as a nuisance—which, notwithstanding that, still exists under another appellation.” (Dominguez.) [↑]
[18] Marginal note by Viana.—“In the Royal Audiencia is pending the expediente of the provincial ordinances, in which I have asked for various things which are beneficial, and proper for good government.” [↑]
[19] Marginal note by Viana.—“In the expediente for the regulation of storehouses I explain what would be proper for checking the abuses that are detrimental to the royal treasury, and present a plan for the orderly management and accounts of all the towns and military posts of these islands, and [records of] information about them.” [↑]
[20] On the matter of ecclesiastical tithes in the Spanish colonies, see Recopilación de leyes de Indias, lib. i, tit. xvi; laws xi and xii declare that the Indians shall not be responsible for tithes, but that the encomenderos shall pay these on what they receive from the Indians as tribute. In the Philippines, the crown had from the first made special provision for the support of the ecclesiastical estate; and tithes were not exacted there. [↑]
[21] Presumably citing the Historia of Jacques Auguste de Thou (the Elder), originally published in Latin at Paris, 1604–08, but afterward appearing in many editions and translations. This book was “the history of his own time,” covering the period 1543–1607. [↑]