readiness and with so little expenditure
of time and money, [public] works which [otherwise] could not have
been finished in ten years of hard labor, with half a million pesos,
and the exhaustion of the weak natives of the neighboring provinces.

His Lordship summoned a council, in which by his command were read
the letters from the mandarins who were directors and guardians of
Cot-sen's estate, written by order of his son, in which was discussed
the stipulation which they made a condition of peace--the restitution
of the property which their agents had left here in trust, and
other merchandise which the alcaldes-mayor of Ylocos and Cagayan had
withheld. In accordance with the [decision of the] first council, this
one ordered that such restitution be made. Therein was also discussed
the question whether the Sangleys should be permitted to live in the
islands; this was done by a few ecclesiastics (only three in number),
who opposed such permission; they had attempted, both in the pulpit and
in private conversation, to persuade the rest to their opinion. All of
the council agreed with only one dissenting voice, that the Sangleys
ought to be allowed to remain here up to the number which the decrees
of his Majesty regarding this matter have prescribed--that is, 6,000
men--provided that they be not allowed to spread into other provinces,
nor go beyond the villages included in the jurisdiction of Tondo
(which is in the territory of this city) conformably to the royal
ordinances which have fixed these limits. All recognized our need of
that [Chinese] nation, in the lack and scarcity of all things to which
we see ourselves now reduced--all because the number of the Sangleys
has been diminished, since the natives have neither energy nor strength
to support the burdens that the Chinese carry; and much more on account
of our dependence upon their trade, for everything. For not only does
everything necessary for life come to us from China--as wheat, cloth,
and earthenware--but it is the Sangleys who carry on all the crafts,
and who with their traffic maintain the fortunes of the citizens
(without those other products of vineyards and olive-groves that
are furnished in the industries carried on in Nueva Espana) from
the merchandise of China, having secured in their hands the entire
commerce of these islands, since that of Yndia and Japon failed. His
Lordship, having handsomely entertained the ambassador, dismissed him,
with letters