yal
Council of the Indias, it was ordered by a decree despatched November
ten, one thousand six hundred and thirty-four, to send all the papers
which were presented in behalf of that city to the governor and
Audiencia of Manila; and commission was given to them so that, after
examination of the documents by the fiscal and the royal officials
(to whom a decree of like tenor was sent), they might apply in this
matter such remedy as they deemed most advisable, and as a matter so
important for the preservation of those islands demands.

King Don Felipe Second, having considered and foreseen the many
difficulties [involved in decreeing] that no one of his vassals go to
China to buy merchandise from the Chinese, ordered the said decree
to be despatched January eleven, of the said year, one thousand
five hundred and ninety-three (a copy of which is here presented),
by which he ordered Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, governor of Manila,
not to allow any inhabitants of those islands to go to China to buy
merchandise from the Chinese; but to have the latter come to that
city to sell them, at their own risk. That decree was enforced until
the year one thousand six hundred and six; but it is now violated
because the Portuguese have crossed over, contrary to the order of
the said decree. They go to China, which is the act prohibited in
the decree; and not only do they cause that damage, but they also
deprive the inhabitants [of Manila] of the benefit which they had
of receiving on credit the merchandise from the Chinese who go to
that city. Further, they bought the goods at very low prices, since,
in accordance with the terms of the said decree, the governor and the
city set the prices for the merchandise, which was a thing of great
importance. And in order that the Chinese might return to Manila, and
the inhabitants enjoy the profits and accommodations of former times,
and the terms of the said decree of 593 might be obeyed, in which all
the trouble that happens now was anticipated; and for confirmation of
the above statement, and so that your Majesty may see that not only do
the inhabitants of that city suffer damage because the Portuguese go
to it with Chinese merchandise, but that your Majesty also loses vast
sums of which the royal duties are defrauded: will you be pleased to
order the certification which the writer presents, from the accountant
of the official visit to be examined. From this, it is apparent that
during the last thirt