n, public, and notorious.

The eighth reason, a very urgent and cogent one, is that since the year
six hundred and seven, when the said commerce was in a much better
condition, and the said Dutch had not begun to make their raids, or
all the great damages that they have inflicted on the said islands and
those near by, and on the said Sangleys and Chinese--nevertheless,
the said governors, Don Rodrigo de Vivero, Don Juan de Silva, and
Don Juan Nino de Tabora (who succeeded him), seeing the difficulties
involved in the said imposition, did not consider it advisable,
nor did they dare, to put it into force. Much less could it be done
today, after the lapse of almost thirty years, at a time when the
inhabitants are suffering from so great distress and necessity,
caused by the many losses, as above stated, of many ships--some of
which have sunk, while others have of necessity sought port on the
coasts of Japon and other districts where so great riches were lost
without its being possible to secure them, or for anything to be saved;
and by the fires which they have suffered, on one occasion the greater
part of the city, as well as the possessions of the inhabitants being
burned. A few years ago our flagship "Nuestra Senora de la Vida"
[_i.e._, "Our Lady of Life"] was wrecked on the island of Verde [9]
while en route to Nueva Espana, with the possessions and capital of
the aforesaid citizens. In the former year of thirty-one, the ship
"Sancta Maria Magdalena" went to the bottom in the port of Cabite
with all the goods and cloth aboard it. Although the cargo was taken
out, it was after it had been in the water more than one and one-half
months. Consequently the damage to the owners was great and notable;
and on that account all the capital was ruined, the trade limited,
and the goods destroyed--so much so that if the said two per cent be
put in force, it will have the above defects, and the said trade will
be ruined.

The ninth reason is of great importance, and consists in the many
great services that have been performed for your Majesty by the said
city of Manila, and those which its inhabitants are performing every
day; for when occasion demands--as it does often, when there is a
lack of regular infantry, because it has gone away or been employed
in something else--the inhabitants enter the guard, as that city is
surrounded by so many heathen; and they have always hastened with
all the loyalty and love possible to serve on