, in a council of
all the estates called by the governor about two months ago, in which
he asked whether it would be advisable or not to go out to fight the
enemy then in the mouths of this bay--who had seized them with nine
very strongly armed ships, while the governor had four ships (two of
them powerful galleons) and four galleys--the city forbade him to go
out under any circumstances. Among other reasons it was said that if
the governor went out, he would leave the city of Manila unprotected in
his absence, and exposed to the will of so great a number of enemies,
composed of Chinese and Japanese. That argument was not the one of
least weight in the council in determining that our fleet should
not sail against the enemy. I think that there has been neglect and
laxity in the matter of not driving out the Japanese. But, in the
case of the Chinese [it is] the greed for the eight pesos that each
one pays for the license to remain in the country, and the excessive
profits gained by the numerous agents of justice whom the governors
have introduced, unnecessarily and in violation of what your Majesty
has so piously ruled and ordained--namely, that only those remain who
cannot be spared for the service of the country, and it is certain that
we cannot live without them. If your Majesty's decrees were observed,
all would be well managed, and we would live more comfortably and in
less fear of them than we now have. I do not know, Sire, what expedient
can be adopted in this. I know only that it is advisable to execute
the orders of your Majesty's royal decrees, for that was the care
and anxiety of the former archbishops and of the entire community,
who always petitioned for this same thing. Hence I am surprised
that your Majesty has not ordered that what restraint you are able
to place should be imposed, so that your royal decrees be obeyed. I
do not know for what reason (since all or nearly all of them concern
the good government and advantage of these wretched inhabitants) they
are directed either against the governors, the Audiencia, or their
agents, tying their hands with their prohibitions. Since they are the
executors of the decrees, it results that nothing is done. Even the
city is very much interested in this matter of the Chinese remaining,
in order to get their profits and rents in their alcaicerias. Hence I
do not think that it would be worth while to petition for [limitation
of] the number of the Chinese, unless your