History of the Philippine IslandsMorga, Antonio de
History
History of the Philippine Islands
Morga, Antonio de
Philippines -- History
The ordinary price of the silks (both raw and woven) and the
cloths--which form the bulk of the cargo--is settled leisurely, and
by persons who understand it, both on the part of the Spaniards and
that of the Sangleys. The purchase price is paid in silver and reals,
for the Sangleys do not want gold, or any other articles, and will not
take other things to China. All the trading must be completed by the
end of the month of May, or thereabout, in order that the Sangleys
may return and the Spaniards have the goods ready to lade upon the
vessels that go to Nueva España by the end of June. However, the
larger dealers and those who have most money usually do their trading
after that time, at lower rates, and keep the merchandise until the
following year. Certain Sangleys remain in Manila with a portion of
their merchandise for the same purpose, when they have not had a good
sale for it, in order to go on selling it more leisurely. The Sangleys
are very skilful and intelligent traders, and of great coolness and
moderation, in order to carry on their business better. They are ready
to trust and accommodate freely whoever they know treats them fairly,
and does not fail in his payments to them when these are due. On
the other hand, as they are a people without religion or conscience,
and so greedy, they commit innumerable frauds and deceits in their
merchandise. The purchaser must watch them very closely, and know
them, in order not to be cheated by them. The purchasers, however,
acquit themselves by their poor payments and the debts that they incur;
and both sides generally keep the judges and Audiencia quite busy.
Some Japanese and Portuguese merchantmen also come every year from
the port of Nangasaque in Japon, at the end of October with the north
winds, and at the end of March. They enter and anchor at Manila
in the same way. The bulk of their cargo is excellent wheat-flour
for the provisioning of Manila, and highly prized salt meats. They
also bring some fine woven silk goods of mixed colors; beautiful and
finely-decorated screens done in oil and gilt; all kinds of cutlery;
many suits of armor, spears, catans, and other weapons, all finely
wrought; writing-cases, boxes and small cases of wood, japanned
and curiously marked; other pretty gewgaws; excellent fresh pears;
barrels and casks of good salt tunny; cages of sweet-voiced larks,
called fimbaros; and other trifles. In this trading, some purchases
are also made, without royal duties being collected from those
vessels. The bulk of the merchandise is used in the country, but
some goods are exported to Nueva España. The price is generally paid
in reals, although they are not so greedy for them as the Chinese,
for there is silver in Japon. They generally bring a quantity of it
as merchandise in plates, and it is sold at moderate rates.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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