[1] The earliest compilation of laws regarding the Spanish colonies of Nueva Espana was made, by royal command, by Vasco de Puga (an auditor of the Audiencia of Mexico), and printed in 1563. Francisco de Toledo, viceroy of Peru from 1569 to 1581, prepared a code of ordinances for that country (see Markham's _Hist. Peru_, pp. 149, 156-159, 538). In 1570, Felipe II ordered that a revised compilation of the laws and ordinances for the government of all the Indias be made. After many efforts and delays, this was accomplished in 1628, but the work was not printed until 1681. It is the fifth edition (_i.e._, reprint) of this compilation from which we obtain the laws presented in this document; it was printed in Madrid in 1841. [2] See _Vol_. VIII, p. 253. [3] "The present state of affairs in that which relates to this titulo is that set forth by the decree of March 10, 1785, establishing the Company of Filipinas. In regard to this law and those following in this titulo, the reader should remember that a royal order of July 20, 1793, permitted the Company of Filipinas to trade directly between those islands and the ports of South America in one or two voyages, to the amount of five hundred thousand pesos apiece, on condition of paying the foreign duty and the 9 1/2 per cent on the silver taken back. This permit, which was limited during the war with France, was, by a new royal order of September 24, 1796, made general for all succeeding wars, if carried on with maritime powers." The above note is translated from the _Recopilacion_, where it follows law 1. Space permitting, the decree of March 10, 1785, mentioned above, will be given in this series. [4] This law and all those treating of the prohibition of commerce between Peru and Mejico, Tierra-Firme, etc., were completely superseded by a royal decree dated El Pardo, January 20, 1774. That decree was ordered to be kept and observed by the superior government of Lima, August 1, of the same year; and separate copies were ordered to be drawn, so that all might know that his Majesty had repealed and revoked the general prohibition of reciprocal commerce by the South Sea between the four kingdoms of Peru, Nueva Espana, Nueva Reino de Granada, and Guatemala." We transfer this note from law ix, of this titulo of the _Recopilacion_, an editorial note to law lxviii referring to law ix. [5] Such a citation as this shows the hand of the editors or compilers of the _Recopilacion_. Law lxvii bears as its earlier date March 3, 1617, and refers to the sending of contraband Chinese goods to the House of Trade of the Indias in Sevilla.