The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 18 of 55: 1617-1620; 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 18 of 55: 1617-1620; 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
3. _Item_: That your Majesty has granted to the citizens the toneladas
of the said trading-ships, and that your governors allot these,
to each one according to his rank and wealth. The citizens have
been greatly injured in this, as happened in the year 613, when the
governor despatched two small ships, and did not give the citizens one
single tonelada; and under pretext of granting gratuities to retired
officers, the citizens were obliged to buy space for their freight
from those officers, at exorbitant prices. Further, he apportions
a considerable number of toneladas to charitable institutions, so
that they may sell the space and use, and the price obtained for
it; and thus these toneladas are given to the great injury of the
common welfare. The further disadvantage follows from this (besides
defrauding the citizens of the reward given them by your Majesty)
that the toneladas are sold to whomever will pay most for them, and
they are bought for this reason by merchants who have companies in
Mexico. Consequently, it is quite common for such men to own a great
part of the said merchandise of the ships, and thus the citizens are
deprived of the profits with which your Majesty has rewarded them.
He petitions your Majesty to order that these be not distributed at
will, but that the orders given in this regard by your royal decrees
be obeyed, and that the violation of your royal will in this be made a
clause of the residencia, with the penalty that may be assigned to it.
4. _Item_: That your Majesty has ordered that four vessels be built
for the trade, of 200 toneladas' burden; and that two of them make
voyages each year, while the other two remain in port getting ready
for the next year.
He petitions your Majesty that they be not employed in other matters
by your governors, unless it be an urgent necessity, as happened last
year, when they went out to drive off the Dutch enemy who had besieged
us. In such case the citizens themselves shall go out in them to defend
the city, since the profit of the citizens is so necessary in order
that that community may be settled, and have the sinews with which
to defend and preserve itself. They shall not be sent to Maluco or
any other district, since thus your Majesty is no less defrauded of
your royal duties.
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