_Revision of pay and rations made September 4, 1635_
Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, knight of the Order of Alcantara,
member of his Majesty's Council, member of the Council of War in the
States of Flandes, governor and captain-general of these Filipinas
Islands, and president of the royal Audiencia, resident in the city
of Manila:
From the discovery of these islands until now there has been no
instruction or fixed order given by his Majesty in regard to the
pay and rations which have been and ought to be given to many of the
persons who have served and who shall serve in his service in various
posts of the sea and in other employments, both in this city of Manila
and along the coast and in the port of Cavite, in the shipyards for
the construction of ships which are built for the royal service in the
provinces of these islands, in the presidios of the islands, and in the
voyages to and from Nueva Espana, Terrenate, the island of Hermosa,
Macan, India, and other places; but the governors my predecessors,
and the councils of the treasury, made some regulations, by virtue
of decrees from his Majesty (as the matter was referred to them,
so that they could decide on what was best). Some of the wages paid
were thus very greatly increased, thereby causing, from that time
until the present, a heavy burden and debt on the royal estate. So
heavy has been this burden that the royal estate has come to so low
an ebb by reason of some salaries that are especially excessive, that
it is obliged to demand loans quite ordinarily from the inhabitants
of this said city; and, because of the heavy loans that have been
made for many years, it has been impossible to free itself from its
many debts. Now therefore, on account of all these considerations,
and because the matter has been examined and considered attentively,
as well as the little profit of the royal patrimony in these islands
(or rather its many expenses) because of the constant reenforcements
of men, money, ammunition, food, and other things that must be sent
to the presidios of the islands (which, being many and so distant and
separated from one another), meet a much greater cost and expense than
his Majesty is told--in especial the great cost of the preparation
and equipment of the two ships sent annually to Nueva Espana for the
usual reenforcement of men and the other things that maintain this
land; and almost the chief reason for which those ships sail and
are sent seems not to be for reenforcements, but only to carry and
to bring back the goods of the inhabitants and merchants of Manila,
in which they traffic to the extent that is well known, and to so
much greater a sum than his Majesty has permitted, at so great an
expense to the royal estate, and little or no profit from the duties
and freights that they owe), it is advisable to revise and adjust some
of the posts and wages and rations, to abolish some and add others,
and to create some new ones which are obligatory and necessary for
the service of his Majesty. Therefore, and because it is advisable,
according to the present condition of matters, and in order to relieve
the said royal treasury and to help it as far as may be possible
(as his Majesty commands by various decrees), and in order to attend
better to what is obligatory and necessary, and to see that the royal
treasury be not pledged so deeply as it has been hitherto and is now,
he ordered by a decision communicated and conferred over with persons
zealous for his Majesty's service--and he did so order--the official
judges of the royal estate of these islands, and all the other persons
who administer the royal revenues, both in the royal treasuries of the
garrisons at Terrenate and the island of Hermosa, under the titles of
accountants, factors, and royal officials, and in the other provinces
(whence they come to this royal treasury of Manila to report what has
entered into their possession)--each one in so far as it concerns him,
or can concern him--to give the necessary orders in his Majesty's
name, so that from the first of the month of October next of this
present year, and thenceforth, all shall understand what is to be
paid and given to the persons who shall serve his Majesty in the
posts mentioned in this order, and which will be mentioned in every
case. That sum is that which they are to receive as their proper pay;
and it must be observed and kept in the following form.
The assayer and weigher of the royal treasury of this city shall
serve for two hundred and fifty pesos per annum, without any ration.
The executor of the royal estate shall receive one hundred and fifty
pesos per annum, without any ration.
The keeper of the provisions in the royal magazines of this city shall
receive a salary of three hundred pesos per annum, without any ration.
The keeper of the provisions in the royal magazines of the port
of Cavite shall receive a salary of three hundred pesos per annum,
without any ration.
The keeper of the royal magazines, provisions, arms, and ammunition
for the forts of Terrenate shall receive a salary of three hundred
pesos per annum, without any ration.
The keeper of the provisions, arms, and ammunition for the presidio
of the island of Hermosa shall receive three hundred pesos per annum,
without any ration.
The keeper of the provisions, arms, and ammunition for the port
of Yloylo shall receive a salary of three hundred pesos per annum,
without any ration.
The clerk of the royal magazines of this city shall receive one
hundred and fifty pesos per annum, without any ration.
The shore-master of the port of Cavite and of all the naval dock-yards
there shall receive a salary of six hundred pesos per annum, without
any ration.
The overseer at the royal works of all the day-laborers and assistants
at the said port of Cavite shall receive a salary of six hundred
pesos per annum, without any ration.
The artillery founder of this city shall receive a salary of five
hundred pesos per annum, without any ration or anything else.
The shipbuilder and the master-workman of the works at the port
of Cavite shall receive a salary of six hundred pesos per annum,
without any ration.
The manager of the powder that is made for his Majesty on the other
side of the river shall receive a salary of four hundred pesos per
annum, without anything else.
The manager of the rigging which is made in the province of Balayan
for his Majesty shall receive a salary of two hundred and fifty pesos
per annum, without any ration.
The castellan of the fort of Santiago in this city of Manila shall
receive a salary of six hundred pesos per annum, and shall hold
the place by virtue of regular appointment. He who exercises that
office _ad interim_ shall receive one-half that sum as his Majesty
has ordered.
The lieutenant of the said fort of Santiago in this city, who has
hitherto been appointed at a salary of four hundred and twenty pesos,
is now removed and discharged; for there is no need of him in the
said fort, since there is an alferez and a sergeant.
There shall be two infantry adjutants in the forts of Terrenate. One
shall receive a salary of three hundred and sixty pesos per annum,
while the other shall receive ninety-six pesos per annum--the pay of
a simple soldier. They shall receive nothing else.
All the Pampango soldiers who serve in the forts of Terrenate shall
receive annual pay at the rate of forty-eight pesos of eight reals
apiece. They shall be in two companies, which shall be under the
command of the master-of-camp and his sargento-mayor, each of whom
shall receive a salary of two hundred and fifty pesos per annum.
The two alferezes of the said Pampango nation shall receive an annual
pay of one hundred and fifty pesos apiece.
Each of the sergeants of the said [Pampango] nation shall receive an
annual pay of one hundred and twenty pesos.
There shall not be an artillery captain in the forts of Terrenate,
for that place is abolished.
The surgeon of the royal hospital for the said forts of Terrenate shall
receive a salary of six hundred pesos per annum, without any ration.
The field captain of the said forts shall receive an annual pay of
one hundred and fifty pesos, without anything else.
The military notary of the said forts, who has hitherto received a
salary of two hundred pesos per annum, shall not receive that sum
from the said day and thenceforth; and the accountant of the said
forts shall under no consideration pay it to him.
The four substitutes [_entretenimientos_], who were reduced to their
[opportunities for] advantage in the said forts of Terrenate, shall
be given nothing by way of additional pay or allowances; and they
shall not be paid in advance from the said day and thenceforth by
the accountant of those forts.
The infantry adjutants of the presidios in the provinces of Cibu, Oton,
Cagayan, Caraga, and Cambuanga, shall serve as simple soldiers for the
annual pay of ninety-six pesos--the same as the simple soldier--without
anything else.
The field _borrechel_ (which means the field captain and borrechel
in one) shall serve for an annual pay of one hundred and fifty pesos,
without anything else.
The military notary, who has been hitherto stationed in this city,
with an annual salary of two hundred pesos, shall not receive that sum,
and the royal officials shall not pay it to him.
The head drummer shall be paid at the rate of one hundred and twenty
pesos per annum--the pay of a musketeer.
The chief gunners--in this city of Manila, he of the fort of Santiago
in this city, and those of the port of Cavite, the island of Hermosa,
and Terrenate--shall receive annual salaries at the rate of two
hundred and fifty pesos.
The apothecary of the royal hospital in this said city of Manila shall
receive an annual salary of two hundred pesos, without any ration.
The galley captains of this city of Manila, the port of Cavite,
the island of Hermosa, and Terrenate, shall be abolished; for the
duties of galley captain shall be performed by the master of the
galley. The latter shall receive the royal revenue, and shall give
account of it. He shall give bonds to the satisfaction of the royal
official judges. He shall receive an annual pay of two hundred and
fifty pesos, and, when afloat, the ration which shall pertain to him
in addition to the pay; but, when not afloat, he shall not receive
anything in addition to the pay.
The boatswains of the said galleys shall receive an annual pay of two
hundred pesos without ration, when in port, and when they are afloat
their ordinary ration, as aforesaid.
The boatswains' mates of the said galleys shall receive when ashore an
annual pay of one hundred and fifty pesos, and thirty gantas of rice
[per month], which must be given them on account of their pay; and,
when afloat, the said one hundred and fifty pesos and the ordinary
ration, as aforesaid.
The guards of the said galleys of this city, Terrenate, and the island
of Hermosa shall be abolished, as they are unnecessary.
The corporals of the said galleys are removed and abolished, for they
are unnecessary.
The captain of the said galleys shall receive an annual pay of two
hundred pesos, without any ration; when afloat, he shall be given his
ordinary ration as an officer of said galley, in addition to his pay.
The pilots who sail on any voyage from these islands shall receive
an annual pay of five hundred pesos, besides their ordinary ration,
which shall be given them from port to port, wherever they may be
anchored; but while not afloat they shall receive only two hundred
pesos as an allowance, and nothing else.
The mates of his Majesty's ships shall receive an annual pay of two
hundred and fifty pesos, besides the ordinary ration, when afloat,
and during any voyage; but when not afloat, even though they be
employed on the ships which are to sail on any voyage whatever, they
shall receive one hundred and fifty pesos per year, and their ration
of thirty gantas of cleaned rice per month, as do the other sailors,
and it shall be charged to the account of their pay.
The second mates of the said ships shall receive an annual pay of
two hundred pesos when afloat, and their ordinary ration; but in the
interval when they are not afloat, even though employed in the ships
that are to sail, they shall receive one hundred and fifty pesos
per year, and the ordinary ration of the sailor, of thirty gantas of
cleaned rice per month, at the account of their pay, as aforesaid.
All the sailors who are employed and shall be employed on the Cavite
coast, and anywhere else, shall receive pay at the rate of one hundred
and fifty pesos per year, and thirty gantas of cleaned rice apiece
per month. The rice shall be charged to the account of their pay,
as aforesaid. When afloat they shall receive the said one hundred
and fifty pesos, and in addition the ration that has been given
them hitherto.
The Spanish common seamen who are employed anywhere shall receive
pay of one hundred pesos per year, and the thirty gantas of rice
per month on account of their pay, as aforesaid. When afloat they
shall receive their ordinary ration, as do the rest of the sailors,
in addition to their pay.
The Indian common seamen who are employed anywhere shall receive
forty-eight pesos per year, and fifteen gantas of cleaned rice per
month on the account of their pay, as aforesaid; and when afloat,
the said pay, and in addition the ordinary ration which has hitherto
been given them.
The Spanish carpenters, both those who work in the port of Cavite,
and those who work at shipbuilding in other places, shall receive an
annual pay of two hundred and fifty pesos, and no more, without any
ration while on shore; but when afloat, the said pay, and in addition
the ordinary ration, as hitherto.
The chief calker who shall be employed in any place shall receive
an annual pay of three hundred pesos, without any ration; but when
afloat, the said pay, and in addition his ordinary ration, as hitherto.
The Spanish calkers shall receive two hundred and fifty pesos per
year, without ration while in port; but when afloat, the said pay
and in addition their ordinary ration, as hitherto.
The Spanish coopers shall receive each two hundred and fifty pesos per
annum, without anything else; but if afloat, their ordinary ration,
as hitherto.
The Indian coopers shall receive an annual pay of sixty pesos per
year, and fifteen gantas of cleaned rice per month; and afloat,
their ration in addition to the said pay.
The diver in the port of Cabite shall receive two hundred pesos per
year, and a ration of thirty gantas of cleaned rice per month, which
shall be charged to the account of his pay; and afloat, the ordinary
ration, as hitherto.
The Spanish boss of the rope-factory at the port of Cabite shall
receive an annual pay of one hundred and fifty pesos, and thirty
gantas of cleaned rice per month, which shall be paid on the account
of his wages.
The two Indian artisans in the rope-factory shall receive fifty-four
pesos per year apiece, and fifteen gantas of cleaned rice per month,
on the account of their pay.
The Spanish boss of the smithy at the port of Cabite shall receive
an annual pay of four hundred pesos, without any ration.
The Indian smiths at the said port of Cabite and in the foundry and
arsenal of this camp shall receive--the boss, one hundred pesos per
year, and fifty gantas of cleaned rice per month; and the others,
the pay that they are receiving. The latter shall all receive fifteen
gantas of cleaned rice per month, which shall be charged to the
account of their pay.
The Sangley champan men, and sailors in the champans that belong to
his Majesty in any place, shall receive the pay in money that has
hitherto been given them, and in addition fifteen gantas of cleaned
rice per month, instead of the twenty gantas that have been given them,
besides their pay.
The Sangley carpenters and sawyers who are actually working in the
port of Cabite and other places shall receive the pay in money that
has hitherto been given them; and in addition, fifteen gantas of
cleaned rice per month instead of the twenty.
The sawyers of _brazas_ [27] shall receive four reals for each _braza_
one braza long and one vara wide, but nothing else. However, if they
prefer rice on their account, it shall be given them at its market
price to his Majesty.
The Sangley smiths who work on the Cabite shore and in other places
shall receive the pay in money that has been given them hitherto;
and, in addition, fifteen gantas of cleaned rice instead of twenty.
The Sangley calkers who ordinarily work at the royal works in Cabite
and other places shall receive five pesos per month, and, in addition,
fifteen gantas of cleaned rice.
The Indians who are employed to row in the sentinel boat at Mariveles,
shall receive one peso in money and fifteen gantas of cleaned rice
per month.
The Lascars who are employed in any capacity in Cabite, either on sea
or on land, shall receive--the two bosses one hundred and fifty pesos
per year, and in addition fifteen gantas of cleaned rice per month;
while the others shall receive the pay that they receive at present,
and they shall be given in addition fifteen gantas of cleaned rice
per month, apiece.
The other two sub-bosses of the Lascars shall receive one hundred
and twenty pesos per year, and fifteen gantas of cleaned rice per
month. All the others shall receive the pay that they received before,
and fifteen gantas of cleaned rice per month, besides their pay.
There shall be twenty musketeers in each one of the companies of this
city and in the companies of the other presidios outside the city,
but no more. They shall be paid at the rate of two pesos per month,
one for additional pay for the musket; but no more, inasmuch as each
one has been reduced four reals.
The acting sergeants of the company of this said city of Manila, and
the others in the presidios outside it, shall receive an increase of
two pesos per month, in addition to the ten pesos that they received
before, because of the severe labor that they have to perform.
Likewise, the corporals of all the companies in this said city,
and outside it, shall receive an increase of one peso per month,
as additional pay, besides what they were receiving before.
There shall be no shield-bearers to any company of this said city,
or in the other presidios; and consequently, they shall not be paid
at his Majesty's account. But the captains shall have them at their
own cost, and the captains shall not go without them, nor station
the guards without the said page.
The commander of the ships which are despatched annually to Nueva
Espana shall receive a salary of three thousand pesos per annum,
besides the usual ration while sailing from port to port--even though
he anchor at any other port in the islands, if he reach it in distress,
even though it be not the legitimate port whence he sailed.
The admiral of the said ships shall receive an annual salary of two
thousand pesos, and the usual ration while sailing from port to port,
in the same manner as the commander.
The notaries of the said ships which sail to Nueva Espana, or on any
other voyage, shall receive one hundred and fifty pesos per year,
with the usual ration, as hitherto, while sailing from port to port.
The stewards of the said ships, and those making any other voyages from
these islands, shall receive one hundred and fifty pesos per year,
besides the usual ration, while sailing in the same manner as above;
but when they reach land their pay or ration shall not run on.
The guards of the water on the said ships, and those making other
voyages, shall receive one hundred and fifty pesos per year, and
their ration while sailing in the above manner.
The office of the controllership of the royal exchequer must be held
by such a person as that office requires. For in that office, not only
is he under obligation to examine and review the transactions in all
the other offices--the paymaster's, the factor's and the chief office
[of the exchequer]--but it is instituted from their beginning, and
must keep an equal number of books, which must agree with them and be
made as they. He exercises the duties of the paymaster, of the factor,
and of the chief official of the said exchequer, in order that the
despatches made in the said offices may be collated and compared
with the duplicates which he shall have made at that same time in
his office of the controllership. Finding that they conform, those
pay-checks and payments will be despatched more properly. He shall be
given two clerks to help him, at a salary of ninety-six pesos per year,
without anything else. He who shall exercise the said duties of the
controllership shall receive two hundred and fifty pesos per year,
without anything else.
In the pay-office of the infantry, in the accountancy of the treasury,
there shall be a chief official, who shall receive three hundred
pesos per year, but nothing else. This is the same sum that he has
received and is receiving in the said office.
In the said pay-office and accountancy, there shall be a subordinate
official with an annual salary of two hundred and fifty pesos,
without anything else, which is the sum that he has been receiving.
There shall be two clerks in the said office, so that they may
become experienced in the management and handling of papers; they
shall succeed to the others who shall be employed in the other higher
places; and they shall work there and aid them, because of the press
of matters there, as I have been informed. Each of those clerks shall
receive one hundred and fifty pesos per year, without ration.
In addition to the chief clerk and the sub-clerk at present employed
in the office of the factor of the exchequer, at the pay that they
receive, there shall be another clerk; so that he may help them, and so
that he may become experienced in the office for the future. He shall
receive a salary of one hundred and fifty pesos, without anything else.
In the chief office of the exchequer, there shall be, in addition
to the chief clerk and the other sub-clerk, who shall receive the
salaries that they have been receiving, another clerk to help them,
and to render himself useful in the office. He shall receive one
hundred and fifty pesos, but nothing else. The said clerks in any of
the said offices shall be Spaniards.
No powder shall be wasted in salutes for the commandants of the
presidios when they enter or when they go out of them, with a fleet
or without it, or any other things, in any of the redoubts and forts
of this city or in the others outside it--except on the day of the
Resurrection and on Corpus Christi. It shall be done with moderation
on those days. If they wish to fire salutes on the days of the patron
saints of the city of Manila and other places in these islands, it
shall be at their own cost; and they shall pay his Majesty for the
powder and other things that are used.
Furthermore, after the said day the standard-bearers of the alferezes
of all the companies of this city, and of those outside the city,
shall receive only the half of what they now receive. They were
receiving ninety-six pesos of eight reals, the half of which is
forty-eight pesos; and they shall receive that sum, and nothing else.
Furthermore, the standard-bearers of the companies of the Pampango
nation shall only receive, from the said day and thenceforth, the
half of the sum paid to a soldier of that nation, and no more, and
the pages of the said nation shall be dismissed.
All the above shall be observed and obeyed and executed, without any
violation of it by any other meaning and interpretation that might be
given to it in any circumstance, under penalty of being punished as
disobedient to the royal commands, so long as there is no change made
in them by his Majesty, by myself, or by any other person in his royal
name. The said royal officials, in order that they may so understand
it, shall enter this order in the royal books, and shall despatch the
necessary orders to the places where that is advisable. The royal
officials are to note that the salaries and other payments made in
this city, in any manner, must be authorized and paid by decree of
the government, as is ordered to them; and not in any other manner,
by issuing pay-checks and payments in form. The auditor of accounts
shall also take note of this order, so that, in accordance with
it, the payments that shall have been made shall be placed in the
accounts of the royal estate that he shall audit which shall have been
administered not only by the said royal official judges, but by those
of Terrenate and the island of Hermosa, and by the alcaldes-mayor,
overseers, ship-masters, and all others who in any manner have to do
with his Majesty's revenues, and in no other manner. Given in Manila,
September four, one thousand six hundred and thirty-five.