manner and under any circumstances whatever, any vessel from sailing from the provinces of Peru, Tierra Firme, Guatimala, Nueva Espana, or any other part of our Western Yndias, to China, for trade or traffic or for any other purpose.  Neither can they go to the Philipinas Islands, except those from Nueva Espana, which are permitted to go by another decree of this same date.  We have ordained that, should this be done, such vessel will be regarded as confiscated, with all its money, merchandise, and other cargo.  One third part of all of this shall be applied to our exchequer, a second third to him who shall give information thereof, and the other third to the judge who shall pass sentence.  And further, we forbid that any merchandise brought to the said Nueva Espana from the Philipinas Islands be transferred to the said provinces of Piru and Tierra Firme, even when the duties imposed on such merchandise have been paid.  For our purpose and will is that nothing from China and the Philipinas Islands be used in the said provinces of Piru and Tierra Firme, except what may be there at present, and for which we allow them four years, to be determined from the date on which this our decree shall be promulgated.  For this purpose every person shall register what he has at present before the justice of the city, town, or hamlet, where he lives, or of which he is a citizen.  Henceforth whatever of the aforesaid merchandise shall be taken to the above-named provinces, or whatever shall be found in the possession of any person whatsoever, outside of the said register, or after the conclusion of the above time-limit, we order that it be confiscated also, and divided and shared as above stated.  But we permit them to bring to these kingdoms, anything of the above-named articles that they may have had hitherto, within the limit of the said four years.  I order my viceroys of Piru and Nueva Espana, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas, the presidents and auditors of my royal audiencias of the Yndias, and all other magistrates therein, that they observe and fulfil this our decree, strictly, inviolably, and punctually; and that they execute the penalties contained herein without any remission or dispensation whatever, as is thus my will, and as is fitting for my service.  They shall promulgate it in all places where this shall be necessary and desirable, so that all may have notice of it, and none may plead ignorance.  Given in Madrid, February eleven, one thousand five hundred and ninety-three. [53]

I The King

Bibliographical Data

The papal decree of 1591 is taken from Hernaez’s Coleccion de bulas, i, p. 108; the account of encomiendas, from Retana’s Archivo del bibliofilo filipino, iv, pp. 41-111; the letter by Clement VIII, from Hernaez, ii, p. 357.  All the remaining documents of this volume are obtained from the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla, being translated from the original MSS. or from transcriptions thereof; the pressmarks are as follows: