Don Phelippe, by the grace of God, King of Castilla, Leon, Aragon,
the two Sicilies, Jherusalem, Portugal, Mallorca, Sevilla, Cerdeña,
Cordova, Corçega, Murçia, 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 Borgoña,
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 España,
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 España 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 España domestic and foreign products; and that,
if anyone else should wish to trade and traffic there, he should be
compelled to become a citizen of the islands, and reside there for at
least ten years, or as might be my pleasure; and because my will is to
concede favor to the said islands, in order that their condition may
continue to improve, and the inhabitants thereof to be advantaged--I
grant that, for the present, they alone, and no others--whether of
Nueva España, or any other part of the Indias--may trade in China,
and export, take, or sell to the said Nueva España the merchandise and
articles thus traded for in both the kingdoms and mainland of China,
and in the said islands, for the time and space of six years, first
commencing from the date of the departure of the first vessel with a
cargo of merchandise for the said Nueva España. I prohibit and forbid
all other persons whomsoever, of whatever rank and preeminence, from
trading in the said islands and in China for the space of the said
six years, reckoned as above stated, under penalty of confiscation
of the merchandise that they have traded for therein. I order that
this my provision be promulgated in the City of Mexico, and that
my royal officials there enter it in their books. Those of the said
islands shall do likewise, and they shall endorse on the back of this
said provision the date upon which it took effect, by the departure
from port of the first vessel with the said merchandise. They shall
send me a separate attestation of the same, so that I may know when
the said six years are to be in force. And neither one nor the other
shall do anything contrary to this order. [_Blank spaces for place,
day, and month_] one thousand five hundred and ninety.
So that for the period of six years only, the citizens and inhabitants
of the Philippinas Islands and none others, whether in Nueva España
or other places, may trade and traffic in China. [44]
[Accompanying this decree is a separate paper reading as follows:
"÷ By the crown of Castilla. Provision allowing the people of Manila
to trade in China. His Majesty omitted to sign this decree, because
he wishes your Lordship to summon Pedro Barbosa and Pedro Alvarez
Pereira, and to ascertain from them what is written on the subject
from India from Don Christoval de Mora to Pedro Alvarez. This latter
will show your Lordship all the papers that he has bearing upon this
matter; and after you shall have examined them, you shall advise his
Majesty of your opinion. Sant Lorenzo, July 23, 1590." Without other
signature than a rubrica or flourish.]