n,
and is considered as such. Those who come from Espana do not recognize
it--not because there is a lack of observance there, but because the
habit here is most severe; and since the country is so unsuitable
for austerity, necessarily that is a cause for keen regret, and those
who wear the habit are wont to wear a hair-shirt perpetually. These
most religious fathers have charge of the Sangleys, for whom they
have had finished linguists, and they do not lack such now. They
have built so fine a wooden church in the Parian of Manila--that is,
the alcaiceria, where the Sangleys have their shops--that it might
be sightly even in Espana, and in it the Sangleys have generously
assisted. [86] For they had a common fund for current expenses, and
they amass in it yearly about twenty thousand pesos. Each Sangley,
pagan or Christian, pays, if he wear a cue, three reals of four to
the peso, in two payments. For this fund there are Spanish collectors
with a sufficient salary. What I regret is that, in all these cunning
devices to obtain their money, and the exaction of these contributions,
the money is taken from the Spaniards, as the Sangleys are their
creditors. And the Sangley himself says when they collect it, "I do
not pay this, but the Castilian." For since we get our food, clothing
and shoes through them, and it is necessary that everything come from
the hand of the Sangleys, therefore they avenge themselves very well,
by putting up prices on everything, and shortening measures, so that
the loss is greater than is realized. Watchful Spaniards do not fail
to take note of this, and they grieve over it; but they endure it,
for the communal fund, or the tribute, or the other things are not
demanded of them--as if in what they buy, or order to be made, they
did not pay double. When I came to the islands in the year 1610, when
not so much was exacted from the Sangleys, there was a large bale of
paper of eighty large sheets, from each one of which six small sheets
were made, so that there were four hundred and eighty sheets. This
could be bought for three or four reals. But after the contributions
were levied on them, I saw and bought these large bales of paper, of
but fifty large sheets, and from each one could be cut no more than
four small sheets; and they cost three pesos. They could not have so
high a price in Espana. I bought a small piece of linen of fourteen
or fifteen varas for four reals. Now they measure by varas, and it