The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 2]

1521-I569]

RESUME OF DOCUMENTS

97

them to go freely, giving them to understand the
greatness of the king,... and that he wishes
his vassals to harm no one." Pirates are to be dealt
with as shall be deemed best. All trading must be at
the lowest possible price, and fixed figures shall be
established. Native weights must be used. The
royal officials are to have entire charge of all trading,
of whatever nature, and no individual shall presume,
under severe penalties, to trade for himself, for in
that case prices will be raised by the natives. These
officials shall trade first, merchandise to the value of
fifty thousand pesos of gold dust43 for the king,
and then ten thousand pesos for private individuals;
then another fifty thousand for the king, and so on;
but all drugs, spices, and some other articles are the
king's alone, and no one may trade for them without
his express permission. Careful entries of all trading must be made, and the king shall receive onetwentieth of all the return cargo of individuals in the
fleet. Any merchandise belonging to private individuals who do not embark in the fleet shall be traded
last, and seven per cent of its returns shall be paid to
the king. Slaves may be bought, for use as interpreters, but good treatment is to be accorded them. No
Indian shall be captured, nor shall any soldier buy
any slave during the time of the voyage; but when
a settlement is made they may do so, unless the king
4 The total cost of the preparation of Legazpi's fleet was
382,468 pesos, 7 tomines, 5 grains of common gold; and 27,400
pesos, 3 tomines, I grain of gold dust. These expenses cover
the period from December 13, 1557, until March 2, 1565. See
Col. doc. ined. Ultramar, iii, no. 36, pp. 461-463.
The gold dust here mentioned (Spanish oro de minas) means
gold in the form of " gravel" or small nuggets, obtained usually
from placers, or the washings of river-sands. The "common"
gold (oro comun) is refined gold, or bullion, ready for coinage.