The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 16 of 55: 1609; 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
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 16 of 55: 1609; 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
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
The governor likewise takes part with the royal Audiencia, as
its president, in whatever pertains to its duties. The Audiencia
consists of four auditors and one fiscal--each of whom receives an
annual salary of two thousand pesos de minas [245]--one reporter,
one court scrivener, one alguacil-mayor, with his assistants, one
governor of the prison of the court, one chancellor, one registrar,
two bailiffs, one chaplain and sacristan, one executioner, attorneys,
and receivers. The Audiencia tries all causes, civil and criminal,
taken to it from all the provinces of its district. [246] These
include the Filipinas Islands and the mainland of China, already
discovered or to be discovered. The Audiencia has the same authority
as the chancillerias of Valladolid and Granada in Espana. At the same
time, the Audiencia provides whatever is advisable for the proper
and systematic management of the royal exchequer.
His Majesty's revenues in the Filipinas Islands are in charge
of and their tribunal consists of three royal officials. They are
appointed by his Majesty, and consist of a factor, an accountant, and
a treasurer. They each receive an annual salary of five hundred and
ten thousand maravedis. They have their clerk of mines, and registrars
of the royal revenues, and their executive and other officials, all
of whom reside in Manila. From that city they manage and attend to
everything pertaining to the royal revenues throughout the islands.
His Majesty has a number of encomiendas apportioned to his royal crown
throughout the provinces of the Filipinas Islands. The tributes of
those encomiendas are collected for his royal treasury by his royal
officials and the collectors engaged for that purpose by the royal
officials. From year to year these amount to thirty thousand pesos,
after deducting costs and expenses. They collect, from one year to
another, eight thousand pesos in tributes from the Sangleys--both
Christians and infidels. [247]
They also collect the fifth of all gold dug in the islands. By
special concession for a limited period, the tenth is collected
instead of the fifth. There is a declaration concerning it, to the
effect that the natives shall pay no fifths or other duties on the
jewels and gold inherited by them from their ancestors before his
Majesty owned the country. Sufficient measures have been taken for
the clear understanding of this concession and its investigation,
for that on which the tenth has once been paid, and the steps to
be taken in the matter. From one year to another they collect ten
thousand pesos from these fifths, for much is concealed. [248]
The assignment of two reals from each tributario inures to the royal
treasury and is paid into it, for the pay of the soldiers and the
stipend of the prebendaries. These are collected from the encomenderos,
in proportion to, and on the account of, their tributes, and amount
annually to thirty-four thousand pesos.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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