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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 27 of 55: 1636-37; 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 27 of 55: 1636-37; 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

Therefore it is to be noted that it is not, and cannot be, the
intention of the inhabitants of the islands to have the illegal acts
that shall have been committed in that commerce remain unpunished, or
that liberty be given for the continuance of these and the commission
of greater transgressions. They are honest in this, as they ought
to be in obeying and observing the royal orders and mandates,
which they reverence and respect with so much more obedience, love,
and good-will, as the distance which separates them [from España]
is greater, and it is more difficult for their great services (for
they are great) to be seen and valued, and for them to obtain the
rewards and favors which they deserve. What they solicit with the
humility of vassals of so Catholic a monarch, and represent under
the arguments of expedients and good government which they propose
(subject in everything, to what should be of greatest service to
your Majesty), is, that the past be punished in such manner that the
penalty be not equal for those who have not been equally guilty--and
if any have been, it was rather because they have been carried away
by their need and hardships than for the sake of the profit of their
business; since whatever they have acquired in their business (which,
according to the wealth that they possess, is known to be little),
has been spent and intended to be spent in your Majesty's service,
in ministering to and maintaining those islands, at the cost of their
blood and possessions. They ask that, at present, attention be given to
what is hidden and concealed; and that this be corrected and reduced
to the amount that is permitted and ordered, without the inhabitants
being proceeded against or punished for what they have done through
ignorance, until it shall be known in the islands what they ought
to do, and new orders issued. For the future they petition that the
increase of duties on the goods within the permission be avoided,
whether it be silver or merchandise; that there be no innovation in
the appraisals of it; that their boxes be not opened or appraised
in a different manner from that which has been observed, followed,
and kept--since, as has been seen, they pay more than they are able,
although not as much as they owe. [_In the margin_: "In number 91."]



Number 100. Summary of what is alleged in this memorial

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 27 of 55: 1636-37; 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

Therefore it is to be noted that it is not, and cannot be, the
intention of the inhabitants of the islands to have the illegal acts
that shall have been committed in that commerce remain unpunished, or
that liberty be given for the continuance of these and the commission
of greater transgressions. They are honest in this, as they ought
to be in obeying and observing the royal orders and mandates,
which they reverence and respect with so much more obedience, love,
and good-will, as the distance which separates them [from España]
is greater, and it is more difficult for their great services (for
they are great) to be seen and valued, and for them to obtain the
rewards and favors which they deserve. What they solicit with the
humility of vassals of so Catholic a monarch, and represent under
the arguments of expedients and good government which they propose
(subject in everything, to what should be of greatest service to
your Majesty), is, that the past be punished in such manner that the
penalty be not equal for those who have not been equally guilty--and
if any have been, it was rather because they have been carried away
by their need and hardships than for the sake of the profit of their
business; since whatever they have acquired in their business (which,
according to the wealth that they possess, is known to be little),
has been spent and intended to be spent in your Majesty's service,
in ministering to and maintaining those islands, at the cost of their
blood and possessions. They ask that, at present, attention be given to
what is hidden and concealed; and that this be corrected and reduced
to the amount that is permitted and ordered, without the inhabitants
being proceeded against or punished for what they have done through
ignorance, until it shall be known in the islands what they ought
to do, and new orders issued. For the future they petition that the
increase of duties on the goods within the permission be avoided,
whether it be silver or merchandise; that there be no innovation in
the appraisals of it; that their boxes be not opened or appraised
in a different manner from that which has been observed, followed,
and kept--since, as has been seen, they pay more than they are able,
although not as much as they owe. [_In the margin_: "In number 91."]



Number 100. Summary of what is alleged in this memorial

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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