ineyards or the planting of cotton, living in idleness and
vagabondage; some have taken service with the Spaniards and others with
the Chinese. All this has resulted in a corruption of their morals;
for, being paid in money for their services, and having a livelihood,
as stated in the question, they buy their clothes from the Sangley,
abandoning all labor, being encouraged and favored by the Spaniards;
and this has led to the offenses against God our Lord which are
mentioned in the question--which are very numerous, as the natives
are so many; and unless a remedy is quickly applied, these crimes
will increase more and more each day. Thus he replied to this question.

In reply to the fifth question this witness declared that he knows
that, if the ordinance mentioned in the question is enforced with
rigor, the evils and offenses against God, before mentioned, will
cease entirely; and, the said ordinance being observed, all the people
will work, as they did before the coming of the Spaniards. Thus the
country will be maintained and well provided with all necessaries,
and the money which now goes from it will remain here, and the natives
will be rich; and besides all this the natives will weave much cloth,
and make their garments from it, as it is three times better than that
from China. There would also be a large quantity of cloth for sale
to the Spaniards, and even much which they could use for themselves,
as they did before the Sangleys began to bring goods hither. Thus
would another large sum of money remain in the country. Of all these
advantages there is great need in this country, which has suffered
because an ordinance so just and advantageous to the entire country was
not framed sooner. There would be an end of another great evil to which
the country has hitherto submitted--namely, that the Chinaman buys
cotton and takes it to his own country. And the other abuses mentioned
in the question would also cease. Thus did he reply to this question.

To the sixth question he said that the proposals therein contained
are very just for the natives of these islands, and the Chinese, if
they continue to come to this country (which will not be necessary),
will be glad to barter their goods for the articles mentioned in
the question, and will be satisfied; for they traded thus before the
coming of the Spaniards, and went away well contented. And thus will
end the outflow of the money which has been hitherto carried from
this