Because there is no mention made of the Sangleys in the clause of the letter in which your Majesty commands me to take charge of the protection of these natives, the governor has considered—­and this is his opinion—­that because we were not there named, neither I nor my agent could answer for them, as for the natives.  May your Majesty be pleased to command what is to be done in this case, because the Sangleys have so much more need of protection than the natives.  In the meanwhile, according to the wish of the governor, I shall not cease to aid in whatever may concern them, just as if I had been appointed to look after them by your Majesty; and my agent will do the same, in those matters which belong to him as such.  May our Lord preserve the royal person of your Majesty for many years.  At Manila, the twenty-fourth of June, 1590.

Fray Domingo, Bishop of the Filipinas.

[Endorsed:  “Filipinas.  To his Majesty; 1590.  The bishop; twenty-fourth of June.”  “Received and read on June 19, 1591; and answer sent him that it had been received, and that what he advised had been approved and should be continued.”]

Royal Decree Regulating Commerce in the Philippines

Don Phelippe, by the grace of God, King of Castilla, Leon, Aragon, the two Sicilies, Jherusalem, Portugal, Mallorca, Sevilla, Cerdena, Cordova, Corcega, Murcia, Jaem, the Algarves, Algezira, Gibraltar, the islands of Canaria, the Eastern and Western Yndias, and the islands and mainland of the Ocean Sea; Archduke of Austria; Duke of Borgona, Bravante, and Milan; Count of Habspurg, Flandes, Tirol, and Barzelona; Seignior of Vizcaya and Molino, etc.  Inasmuch as I have been informed [43] by the city of Manila in the Philippinas Islands that the great consignments of money sent by the wealthy from Nueva Espana, for investment in Chinese merchandise and that of other countries, have caused ruin to that country; and that the factors and others taking part in the said trade buy the goods at wholesale prices, and raise the price of all the merchandise, so that the poor and common people of the said islands cannot buy them, or buy them at very high rates; and furthermore that, because of the number and size of the said consignments of goods, and the vessels being few in number (indeed, sometimes and usually but one, and then quite filled up and laden with the said merchandise for Mexicans), no space is left for the citizens and common people [of the Philippines] to send their merchandise:  therefore, as they have implored me, as a remedy for the said annoyances, to provide and order that no consignments of money be sent from the said Nueva Espana to the said islands, and that they be not allowed to have factors or companies there, but that the citizens of the said islands alone be allowed to buy and export to the said Nueva Espana domestic and foreign products; and that, if anyone else should wish to trade and traffic there, he should