_Fray Pedro_, bishop of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus. _Dean Arellano_ The archdeacon of Manila. The schoolmaster of Manila. _Precentor Sanctiago de Castro_ The treasurer of Manila. _Canon Tomas Gimarano_ _Canon Garcetas_ _Canon Juan de la Cruz_ _Canon Alonso Garcia de Leon_ _Racionero Don Francisco de Caldes_ _Racionero Tomas de Bega_ _Racionero Pedro Flores Benegas_ Before me: _Alonso Ramirez_, secretary of cabildo." And my royal Council of the Indias having examined the said statute, I have considered it advisable to have it confirmed and approved, as by the present I do confirm, and approve it. And I request and charge the archbishop of the said metropolitan of the city of Manila--the one now in office, and those who shall be archbishops hereafter--to observe, fulfil, and execute it, and cause it to be observed, fulfilled, and executed, completely, according to its contents. I declare such to be my will. Given in Madrid, February nineteen, one thousand six hundred and nineteen. _I The King_ Countersigned by Juan Ruiz de Contreras; and signed by the council PROPOSAL TO DESTROY MACAO The royal Council of the Indias has tried many methods to prevent considerable amounts of silver being sent to the Philipinas from Nueva Spana; but those methods have been without result, as experience has demonstrated. One has occurred to me, and I think, God helping, that it will have good results. It is as follows: The inhabitants of the said islands have no other means of support than commerce, and in the shelter of their trade is sustained all that church which now numbers so many faithful that it already has an archbishop and three suffragan bishops for its government. Inasmuch as that trade has hitherto consisted of Chinese merchandise with Nueva Espana, it has been, and is, necessary to obtain from that country the value of the merchandise in money, and to take the money there in order to make the investment of the following year. Trade is there [_i.e._, in the islands] like sowing in order to reap; and consequently, if the door were to be partly closed to this trade, the said inconvenience would cease. The door might be shut without any harm to the said islands, if another door were to be opened to them, which would be also as remunerative as the other, and would not be with his Majesty's countries. In this way his money would not be taken away, for they could engage in that trade with Japon. In this same manner as the inhabitants of Manila lade the silks that they buy in that city from the Chinese, and send them to Nueva Espana, they should lade them to send to Japon, where there is a great consumption of these goods and much excellent silver with which to buy them. This would be a very good thing for the people of Manila; for, although the profits for any year might be less than those of Nueva Espana, still they would be more sure, because of the much greater frequency and shortness of the voyage.