es,
et les Manillois ne les abordent guere pour leur en demander, sans
se precautioner auparavant du rameau d'or; seul et unique moyen de
se les rendre favorables. Un soir etant alle voir le Gouverneur,
in 1767, a peine m'eut-il demande des nouvelles de ma sente qu'il
alla me chercher une bouteille de verre de chopine, mesure de Paris,
(half-pint) pleine de paillettes d'or, il me la fit voir en me disant
que c'etoit un present dont on I'avoit _regale_ ce jour-la meme; _Oi_,
me dit-il, _me regalaron de este_." _Voyage dans Les Mers de L'Inde_,
Paris, 1781, ii, pp. 152-153. Le Gentil was in the Philippines about
eighteen months in 1766-67 on a scientific mission. His account of
conditions there is one of the most thorough and valuable that we
have for the eighteenth century. As a layman and man of science his
views are a useful offset against those of the clerical historians.

[56] _Voyage_, ii, p. 153. "The Royal Audience was established to
restrain the despotism of the Governors, which it has never prevented;
for the gentlemen of the gown are always weak-kneed and the Governor
can send them under guard to Spain, pack them oft to the provinces
to take a census of the Indians or imprison them, which has been done
several times without any serious consequences." Zuniga: _Estadismo de
las Islas Filipinos o mis Viages por este Pais_, ed. Retana, i, p. 244.

[57] "Cuando se pusieren edictos, publicaren, y pregonaren las
residencias, sea de forma que vengan a noticia de los Indios, para
que puedan pedir justicia de sus agravios con entera libertad." _Law
of 1556_, lib. v, tit. xv, ley xxviii of the _Recopilacion de Leyes
de los Reinos de las Indias_.

[58] _Recopilacion_, lib. v, tit. xv, ley vii.

[59] Churchill's _Voyages_, iv, pp. 427-428.

[60] "I request the reader not to infer from my opinion of the
tribunals of residence, my confidence in their efficacy. My homage is
immediately and solely addressed to the wisdom of the law. I resign all
criticism on its operation, to those who know the seductive influence
of Plutus over the feeble and pliant Themis." De Pons: _Voyage to the
Eastern Part of Terra Firma or the Spanish Main in South America during
the years 1801, 1802, 1803, and 1804_. New York, 1806, ii, p. 25.

[61] "Une loi tres-sage, mais malheureusement sans effet, qui devrait
moderer cette autorite excessive, est celle qui permet a chaque
citoyen de poursuivre le gouverneur veteran devant son successeur;
mais