he salary that is assigned. You shall charge him to look after the
said Sangley Chinese very carefully, so that they may not be annoyed
or vexed, and that no ill treatment be accorded them. You shall order
that the balance remaining each year in the said fund be left there,
and that the Chinese be assessed so much less the following year,
After the accomplishment and execution of the aforesaid, you and the
said Audiencia shall inform me of the status of matters, and what
are the facts in regard to what is mentioned by the said Fray Melchor
de Manzano, and the advantages or disadvantages, present and future,
of what he asks for; so that, after my said Council has examined it,
the advisable measures may be taken. Madrid, September 10, 1627.

_I The King_
By order of the king, our sovereign:
_Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras_

The King. Fray Melchor Manzano, of the Order of St. Dominic, has
reported to me, in behalf of the Sangley Chinese living in the Parian
outside the walls of the city of Manila, that they experience much
extortion and injury, on account of not only what pertains to the
Christianity that they profess, but their liberty, possessions, and
honor, by making them cut their hair when they become Christians--a
thing regarded as ignominious by their nation, and which is an obstacle
to their conversion, and contrary to the orders of the decree of
the king our sovereign and grandfather, who is in glory; as also
that they pay annually sixty-four reals in silver, in addition to
the ordinary tribute, or that they return to their own country,
which means that they are forced to abandon the faith which they
received with baptism. He declares that that tribute was never paid
by the Christians until it was imposed by Don Alonso de Faxardo, my
former governor of the Filipinas Islands, contrary to the advice of
my Audiencia resident therein. Fray Melchor has petitioned me that,
attentive to the above, I be pleased to order that those converted to
our holy Catholic faith be not obliged to cut their hair, or pay the
said tribute, or anything else besides the ordinary tribute paid by
the natives of the said islands; or that it be moderated so that their
conversion may not thereby be made difficult, and that those who once
receive the faith be not obliged to abandon it by returning to their
country because of their inability to pay so large a tribute--since
the majority of those converted are poor laborers, who cannot ear