Part 29

The powder that has been wasted in Manila and in the outside presidios in firing salutes to the persons who govern the provinces, and on festal days, as appears by the different accounts of the administration of the royal estate, is considerable; and inasmuch as this cannot be regulated with certainty, it is diminished by eight hundred pesos per year, for according to the revision, powder must not be so used in the future 800 p. 0 0

The standard-bearers of all the companies of these islands and the Molucas (who, as we have said above, are twenty-four in number) received ninety-six pesos apiece per year. According to the revision, they have been cut down by the half. The half that is saved amounts to one thousand one hundred and fifty-two pesos 1,152 p. 0 0

Of five standard-bearers of five infantry companies of the Pampango nation (who are in Terrenate, the island of Hermosa, Cagayan, and Çamboanga) those of Terrenate received seventy-two pesos apiece per year; and the others, forty-eight apiece. Now they receive the half of those sums, and one hundred and forty-four pesos are saved 144 p. 0 0

Of the five shieldbearers of the said five companies, two received seventy-two pesos apiece, and the others forty-eight. They have all been abolished, and the amount saved in this is two hundred and eighty-eight pesos 288 p. 0 0

Increase. The clerk of the royal magazines of Cavite received one hundred and forty pesos per year, and a ration of forty-eight fanegas of rice in the husk. Now he receives one hundred and fifty pesos, but the ration has been taken away 10 p. 0 0

There are about one hundred artillerymen--more rather than less--in this city of Manila, the fort of Santiago, the port of Cavite, the fort of Oton, Cagayan, the island of Hermosa, Çibu, Caraga, Çamboanga, and the Malucas Islands. Each of them formerly received two hundred pesos per year. The revision now gives them one hundred and seventy pesos, and each one has been decreased by thirty pesos. The saving in this item amounts to three thousand pesos 3,000 p. 0 0

In the reduction of the additional pay of the corporals from the nobility in the forts of Terrenate--who received thirty pesos of additional pay per year, besides the ordinary pay--and who are six in number and belong to the six companies in the said forts, the sum saved amounts to one hundred and eighty pesos per year 180 p. 0 0

The said six companies in the said forts received thirty Castilian ducados to distribute among those who received additional pay. Now and henceforth, in accordance with the revision, they receive thirty escudos of ten-real pieces. Three pesos six reals are saved on each company; and in all six, twenty-two and one-half pesos per month; and per year 273 p. 0 0

Each of eight corporals of the Pampango nation, for the two Pampango companies who serve in the said forts of Terrenate, receives one peso per month as additional pay. That amounts to ninety-six pesos per year for the eight 96 p. 0 0

There are infantry of the Pampango nation in the island of Hermosa, Çamboanga, Cagayan, Oton, Çibu, and Caraga. Among them are three captains, who received two hundred and eighty-eight pesos per year apiece; and three alférezes, who received one hundred and ninety-two pesos per year apiece. The total sum of those salaries is one thousand four hundred and forty pesos. Now the captains receive two hundred and fifty pesos, and the alférezes one hundred and fifty; or a total for all six of one thousand two hundred pesos. Two hundred and forty pesos are saved annually 240 p. 0 0

General summary of the amounts saved for his Majesty in these islands in certain salaries

Pesos Tomins Granos Cleaned rice (gantas) 450 0 0 1,080 0 0 1,085 951 0 0 3,650 5,788 3 3 109,500 2,978 4 0 3,507 3,405 0 0 2,737 951 0 0 3,650

3,925 0 0 49,830 500 0 0 4,205 650 0 0 23,045 450 0 0 ------- 20 0 0 197,519 235 0 0 2,304 0 0 Rice in the husk (fanegas) 2,475 0 0 2,384 0 0 200 3,789 4 0 84 ------ -- -- 48 31,435 3 3 --- 332

Increases of pay (pesos) 1,656 792 10 ----- 2,458

pesos tomins granos

Consequently, according to the revision of salaries and rations made by the governor--which, exactly copied from the original, accompanies this certification--it appears that the amount annually saved for his Majesty is thirty-one thousand four hundred and thirty-five pesos three tomins and three granos, 31,435 3 3

in reals; one hundred and ninety-seven thousand five hundred and nineteen gantas of cleaned rice, which is appraised at one-half real per ganta (about the usual price in the market), and hence is equivalent to twelve thousand three hundred and forty-four pesos seven tomins and six granos; 12,344 7 6

and three hundred and thirty-two fanegas of rice in the husk, of forty-eight gantas to the fanega, valued at twelve reals per fanega, and thus worth four hundred and ninety-eight pesos. 498 0 0

That gives a total of forty-four thousand two hundred and seventy-eight pesos two tomins and nine granos. 44,278 2 9

Subtracting from that sum two thousand four hundred and fifty-eight pesos 2,458 0 0

for some places that the governor created anew, as the said revision declares, the remainder is forty-one thousand eight hundred and twenty pesos two tomins and nine granos. 41,820 2 9

That is the amount that is saved for his Majesty annually, in deducting it from the former pay and rations attached to the positions cited by the said revision. Of those posts, and of all others that his Majesty has sustained and sustains in these Filipinas Islands, there is a full account in this auditing department of the royal exchequer which is in my charge. And now, so that it might be apparent to his Majesty in his royal Council of the Yndias, and in any other place, I attest the same, referring to various books, accounts, and other papers of the said office, where it appears, in fulfilment of the command given by the said decree of the governor and captain-general, Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera. Manila, June twelve, one thousand six hundred and thirty-six.

Juan Baptista de Çubiaga

Sire:

With the approval of your royal Audiencia, it has been decreed that the negro slaves of the Indians shall pay tribute to your Majesty, in the same manner as it is paid by their masters and by the Indian slaves whom these hold, who are of their own countrymen and people. No one has opposed it, except that the religious of St. Dominic, St. Francis, and St. Augustine say that this is a new imposition, and that it cannot be collected. They do so, because there is nothing else in which they can oppose the government. These Indians, Sire, formerly cultivated their lands, and they served the Spaniards for what the latter chose to pay them, on the ships and in other kinds of service; but now, as they have become slothful and do not render these services, they purchase these negro slaves and use them for making money--with which gains they pay their tributes and support themselves. It stands to reason that since the Indian slaves of these people pay the tribute as their masters do, the negro slaves should do the same. Your Majesty will be pleased to command that this matter be considered, and to give me such orders as shall be most expedient for the service of your Majesty--whose Catholic person may our Lord preserve in your greatness, as Christendom has need. Manila, June 30, in the year 1636. Sire, your vassal kisses your Majesty's feet.

Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera

LETTER FROM FATHER CRISTOBAL DE LARA TO FATHER FELIPE DE CARDENAS

Pax Christi vobiscum