rly widows with whomsoever they may
choose. They are old and but ordinary women, as they were those who
first came here. Their husbands pacified the best encomiendas, and
died; and these widows are left with five or six thousand pesos of
income. They marry and have married despicably and irregularly, and
old soldiers, honorable gentlemen, and noblemen have been defrauded,
who by their descent would have inherited and succeeded to these
encomiendas. I have thought of a plan suitable to correct this evil,
about which I have conferred with grave religious persons--namely,
that the childless widow who shall marry after the age of forty years
shall hold but a life-interest in the encomienda. Will your Majesty
have this considered and provide accordingly, considering the extreme
importance of it.

Your Majesty's treasury is greatly embarrassed, as I have noted in the
letter pertaining to the royal finances. It occurs to me to declare
here what may be done in this regard, should it appear best to your
Majesty. The Chinese who come here to trade every year bring eight
hundred thousand pesos and sometimes more than a million. During the
ten days they spend here they gain more than a hundred per cent; and
this year, according to the universal opinion, fully two hundred per
cent. They find plenty of money and sell as they would in their own
land. Each outgoing ship pays as anchorage five hundred pesos and
the duties that are paid to your Majesty are only three per cent,
as imposed by Don Juan Rronquillo. If your Majesty would increase
the duties by another three per cent, it would not hurt them to pay
that amount, and your Majesty's royal treasury would receive much
relief thereby. The goods brought by these heathen Chinese are silks
of little cost and value, the scum of what they have; and they take
back in return gold and silver.

I humbly beseech your Majesty in respect to this point, as to all
my other suggestions, to accept so much as may be best for the royal
service, which my zeal but desires to further. May our Lord preserve
your Majesty for many long years, as we your Majesty's servants and
vassals need. Manila, June 19, 1598.

_Don Francisco Tello_

Sire:

The report which by your royal instructions your Majesty commands me
to send, as to the religious orders in these islands, the number of
houses and religious that they contain, and the number needed--whom
may your Majesty order to be sent, so that there may be s