But if these goods were not admitted to register,
the officials would not dare to lade them, because of the great risk
of their being seized as smuggled goods. Consequently great losses
would be avoided by proceeding in the above manner.
_Item_: That neither your governor nor auditors and fiscal be allowed
to act as godfathers to the citizens; for that involves very great
annoyances, as that kingdom is so new, and as all make claims.
27. _Item_: That it is the practice or abuse that fowls are given to
your governor, auditors, and other officials of the royal Audiencia at
lower prices than are current; and that the governor of the Chinese
is ordered for that purpose to allot the share of all [the Chinese],
and each one is obliged to give weekly so many fowls at a certain
low price, and he who does not give them is punished and fined. The
worst thing is that on this occasion the governor of the Chinese
steals as many more, at the same price. That amounts to a vast sum;
for, since there is no other flesh eaten except beef and pork, these
fowls amount by the end of the year to more than twenty thousand. In
this way signal injury is done to the Chinese.
They also provide their houses with rice, which is the usual bread;
and they take it as well as other things from your royal storehouses,
at the prices for which they are given to your Majesty as tributes. It
results that your Majesty's treasury, in the course of the year,
encounters a deficiency of supplies, on account of the great expense,
and these must be bought afterward at very high rates.
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