The King. To the president and auditors of my royal Audiencia of the
city of Manila: in a letter written to me by the archbishop of that
church, July 31 of the past year, 638, he states that the natives
of those islands are greatly exhausted and burdened by the many
assessments made on them every year, in all the products of the
country, by my governors. The latter take the products from them
at a loss, gathering and collecting them with great trouble to the
natives, and no money is given them; while they are seized and beaten,
and thrust into prison for many days, because they do not give what
they do not possess--although the goods can be bought at a somewhat
higher price in the market-place. On account of this, and by the
hardships consequent on sending them to the forests to cut wood, the
natives are being exterminated, and are dying off. The matter having
been examined in my royal Council of the Yndias, I have considered
it fitting to issue the present. By it I order you not to make any
innovation; and you shall not, under any consideration, cause new
troubles or burdens to the Indians. Madrid, December 17, 1639.