In undertaking the construction of the galleys, you shall advise me of its progress, and of their cost, and for what purpose they can best be used.

I am ordering Joan de Ledesma to send you, with this, signed copies of the decrees prohibiting Peru and Guatemala from trading in those islands and in China.  In accordance with these decrees, you shall regard as confiscated everything that may be traded in violation of those orders.

It is not advisable to make any innovation in regard to the permission which you request—­namely, power to despatch vessels to Peru and other points; but you should observe the decree.

The other points of your letters are being discussed, and an answer will be sent to you upon the first occasion.  Madrid, January 17, one thousand five hundred and ninety-three.

I The King

By order of the king, our sovereign: 

Joan de Ybarra.

Countersigned by the council.

[In the margin, at the beginning of this document:  “Reply to Gomez Perez das Marinas, governor and captain-general of the Philippinas Islands.”]

Two Royal Decrees

Lawsuits in the Philippine Islands

Don Phelipe, etc.  When I ordered the suppression of my royal audiencia and chancilleria resident in the city of Manila of the Filipinas Islands, and established there a governor and lieutenant-governor (the latter of whom is a lawyer), to take care of matters of justice, one of my decrees was ordered to be promulgated, in which was declared the order to be followed in the hearing of suits and causes that might arise in the said islands.  This is of the following tenor: 

“Don Phelipe, by the grace of God, king of Castilla [his other titles follow].  Inasmuch as, for certain reasons advantageous to my service, I have resolved to order the suppression of my royal audiencia, at present established in the Philipinas Islands, and have appointed as my governor and captain-general of them Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, knight of the order of Santiago, and you, the licentiate Pedro de Rojas (at present my auditor in my said royal Audiencia), as his lieutenant-governor and counselor, to determine matters of justice; and inasmuch as, the said Audiencia not having existence, it is advisable that for the peace and tranquillity of the said islands and the citizens and inhabitants thereof, and the good administration of justice therein, you should understand the system that you are to observe and follow in the hearing and determination of the suits, which were moved and were pending in the said Audiencia, or that will be moved hereafter:  I declare, desire, and will that in all cases you shall hear, sentence, determine, and execute in the following form and manner.  All the suits that were pending in the said Audiencia, and were not concluded on trial, you shall resume in