[47] The offices of those in charge of the building of ships would seem, from the following law, to have been a sinecure in the islands. This law is taken from _Recopilacion de leyes_, lib. v, tit. xv, ley viii. "The governors of Filipinas appoint persons to build the galleons or boats, who are wont to cause great thefts and injuries to our royal treasury, and on the Indians. For their occupation they are given ten or more toneladas of cargo in the trading ships, on account of being relatives or followers of the governors. Some have had as many as forty toneladas, and have filled them with gold at forty reals per tae, or seven and one-half castellanos--forcibly seizing it from the Indians at an unjust price, in order afterward to sell it at ninety-six reals per tae. Inasmuch as they are persons of influence, their residencia is never taken. We order that the residencias of such builders, and of the others who shall have received and had money from the royal treasury for shipbuilding or any other sea or land expense, shall be taken, at the same time as those of the presidents and ministers who are obliged to give them. In respect to the governors not employing their relatives and kinsmen, servants, or followers, or those of the auditors, in these matters or in any others, they shall keep the rules and ordinances." Felipe IV, August 19, 1621. [48] Short, round-headed tarpauling nails. [49] Apparently another name for the palm-tree called by the Tagals _cauong_ (_Arenga saccharifera_--Labill.; _Caryota onusta_--Bl.), also known as _negro cabo_ ("black head"). The leaf yields fibers that are long, black, and very strong; the cordage made from them is very durable, resisting even salt water. This is evidently the product elsewhere mentioned as "black cordage." See _U.S. Gazetteer_, p. 72; Blanco's _Flora_, p. 511. Concerning the abaca, see _Vol_. III, p. 263. [50] That is, the natives were drafted from their respective villages for public works--nominally for wages paid them, but in reality, as this document alone would show, kept in a condition of practical slavery. Cf. the royal decree of May 26, 1609 (_Vol_. XVII, p. 79), regulating the services of the Indians. [51] _Habas_: a species of bean. _Garbanzos_: see _Vol_. XII, p. 88, note 17. [52] _Gerguetas_, for _jerguetas_: a coarse frieze or other coarse cloth. [53] Our transcript reads at this point: "_quedaron en la ciudad de manila y puerto de cabite siete galeones los seis el uno de los quales._" We omit translation of the words "_los seis_," "the six," as being apparently a _lapsus calami_. [54] See description of this naval contest _ante_, p. 37. [55] See _Vol_. XVI, p. 272, _note_. [56] The prebends of Spanish cathedrals directly above the prebends of canonries; or, the incumbents thereof. [57] The racionero and medio racionero are prebendaries of Spanish cathedrals, ranking in the order named.