The governing body of the city, with two alcaldes-in-ordinary, an alguacil-mayor, twelve regidors, bailiffs, six notaries public, two attorneys, a depositary-general, a chancellor, and registrar, a superintendent of his Majesty’s works, two city watchmen, and one for vagabonds.

There are thirty captains, only four of whom have companies in this city.

All the above is confined to the said eighty citizens of this city, leaving out of account the churches, hospitals, and monasteries.  Inside this city is the silk-market of the Sangley merchants, [4] with shops to the number of one hundred and fifty, in which there are usually about six hundred Sangleys—­besides a hundred others who live on the other side of the river opposite this city; these are married, and many of them are Christians.  In addition to these there are more than three hundred others—­fishermen, gardeners, hunters, weavers, brickmakers, lime-burners, carpenters, and iron-workers—­who live outside the silk market, and without the city, upon the shores of the sea and river.  Within the silk market are many tailors, cobblers, bakers, carpenters, candle-makers, confectioners, apothecaries, painters, silversmiths, and those engaged in other occupations.

Every day there is held a public market of articles of food, such as fowls, swine, ducks, game-birds, wild hogs, buffaloes, fish, bread, and other provisions, and garden-produce, and firewood; there are also many commodities from China which are sold through the streets.

Twenty merchantmen generally sail hither each year from China, each one carrying at least a hundred men, who trade from November until May—­in those vessels coming hither, living here, and departing to their own country, during these seven months.  They bring hither two hundred thousand pesos’ worth of merchandise, only ten thousand pesos being in food supplies—­such as flour, sugar, biscuits, butter, oranges, walnuts, chestnuts, pineapples, figs, plums, pomegranates, pears, and other fruits, salt pork, and hams—­and in such abundance that the city and its environs are supported thereby during the whole year, and the fleets and trading-vessels are provisioned therefrom; they bring also many horses and cows, with which their land is well supplied.  For two years, merchantmen have come hither laden with goods from Japon, Macaon, Cian [Siam], and other places, in order to trade in this city.  The people of those countries are consequently becoming desirous of our friendship and trade, and many of the inhabitants of those nations are being converted.

They carry to their own countries, from this land, gold, wax, cotton, dye-woods, and small shells, which latter pass for money in their country, being used besides for many things, whereby they are held in much esteem.  They bring hither silks—­figured satins, black and colored damasks, brocades and other fabrics—­which are now very commonly seen, a great quantity of white and black cotton cloth, and the above-mentioned articles of food.