l of the Indies."]

[Endorsed: "Philippinas. + To his Majesty, 587; from the bishop,
June 26." _In a different hand:_ "Seen. Have its points abstracted."]

Letter from the Audiencia of Manila to Felipe II

Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty:

In the past year of eighty-five, we gave your Majesty a report on
the condition of this land, and some other matters concerning your
service, which are contained in the duplicate accompanying this present
letter. If it has not been examined, we beg your Majesty to have this
done, and to make suitable provision for these matters.

_That the tributes shall be increased by one real for married men,
and a half-real for single men, in order to pay the soldiers._ [49]
Section 1. By your Majesty's order, the soldiers usually come from
Nueva Spana with one hundred and fifteen pesos as pay, out of which
they clothe themselves and purchase their weapons. They continue to
spend their money until they embark at Acapulco, so that, when they
arrive at these islands, they have nothing more to spend and find no
one to give them food. Unable to find a way to earn their sustenance,
they are forced to seek it among the natives, whom they annoy and
maltreat. They live in extreme distress, and so fall sick. The
greater number even die soon, without the possibility of assistance
from their neighbors, because they also are poor. The royal exchequer
is also always in difficulties, and embarrassed by many debts. Your
governor has been unable to give them any assistance from the royal
treasury. Considering that the natives of this land commonly have
treasure and means of gain, and furnish less in tribute than do the
natives of Nueva Spana (who are in fact poorer), and that without
oppression they might pay more, it has seemed right to us, if it be
your Majesty's pleasure, that the rate of tribute shall in general
be increased by one real for married men, one-half real for single
men, and for young men who possess means of gain, but who do not pay
tribute, the sum of one real. It will be easy for them all to pay this
every year. By this increase twenty-five thousand pesos, or even more,
would be realized, with which many of the soldiers living here could be
paid; meanwhile, as the others enter paid employment, they would be on
like footing with those just mentioned, and could support themselves;
and they would willingly do their duty in war, to which they must at
present be forced. Soldiers would willi