The Spanish Governance

The Chinese

Sangleys reside in:

• the city of Manila
• all Spanish settlements

They have come from Great China, besides the merchants.

They have appointed settlements and are engaged in various trades, and go to the islands for their livelihood.

• Some possess their pariáns and shops.
• Some engage in fishing and farming among the natives, throughout the country; and go from one island to another to trade, in large or small champans. [424]

The annual vessels from Great China bring many Sangleys, especially to Manila, for the sake of the profits that are gained from their fares.

There is a superabundance of population in China, and the wages and profits there are little.

So they whatever they get in the Filipinas as important.

Very great annoyances result from this.

The Sangleys are a wicked and vicious race.

There is little security ta a country with so many infidels.

The natives improve little in Christianity and morals because of their intercourse and communication with them.

They come in great numbers and are so great eaters. So they raise the price of provisions, and consume them.

The city could not be maintained or preserved without these Sangleys. They are the mechanics in all trades, and are excellent workmen and work for suitable prices.

But fewer of them would suffice for this, and would avoid the inconvenience of so many people as are usually in Manila when the ships arrive—to say nothing of the many Chinese who go about among the islands, under pretext of trading with the natives, and there commit innumerable crimes and offenses.

They explore all the country, the rivers, creeks, and ports, and know them better than the Spaniards do.

They will cause great harm in case of any revolt or hostile invasion of the islands.

In order to remedy all the above, it was ordered that:

• the vessels should not bring so many Sangleys, under penalties that are executed
• when the vessels return to China, they take these Sangleys back with them
• only a convenient number of merchants remain in Manila, in the Parián
• the mechanics of all necessary trades must have written license, under severe penalties.

In the execution of this, an auditor of the Audiencia is engaged by special commission every year, together with some assistants.

On petition of the city cabildo, he usually allows as many Sangleys to remain as are necessary for the service of all trades and occupations.

The rest are embarked and compelled to return in the vessels going to China, and a great deal of force and violence [425] is necessary to accomplish it.

Those merchants and artisans who remained in Manila before the revolt of the year 1603 had settled the Parián and its shops.

The Parián is a large enclosed alcaicería of many streets, at some distance from the city walls.

It is near the river, and its location is called San Graviel. There they have their own governor, who has his tribunal and prison, and his assistants.

These administer justice to them, and watch them day and night, so that they may live in security, and not commit disorders.

Those who cannot find room in this Parián live opposite, on the other side of the river, where Tondo is, in two settlements called Baybay and Minondoc.

They are in charge of the alcalde-mayor of Tondo, and under the ministry of the religious of St. Dominic, who labor for their conversion, and for that purpose have learned the Chinese language.

The Dominicans have:

• 2 monasteries with the requisite assistants
• a good hospital for the treatment of Sangleys.

In a district kept separate from the infidels, they have a settlement of baptized Sangleys, with their wives, households, and families, numbering 500 inhabitants.

The religious are continually baptizing others and settling them in that village.

But few of them turn out well, for they are a vile and restless race, with many vices and bad customs. Their having become Christians is not through the desire or wish for salvation, but for the temporal conveniences that they have there, and because some are unable to return to China because of debts incurred and crimes committed there.

Each and all, both Christians and infidels, go unarmed and in their national garb.

This consists of long garments with wide sleeves, made of blue cangan (but white for mourning, while the chief men wear them of black and colored silks); wide drawers of the same material; half hose of felt; very broad shoes, according to their fashion, made of blue silk embroidered with braid—with several soles, well-sewed—and of other stuffs. Their hair is long and very black, and they take good care of it.

They do it up on the head in a high knot, [426] under a very close-fitting hood or coif of horsehair, which reaches to the middle of the forehead.

They wear above all a high round cap made of the same horsehair, in different fashions, by which their different occupations, and each man’s rank, are distinguished.

The Christians differ only in that they cut their hair short, and wear hats, as do the Spaniards.

They are a light-complexioned people and tall of body. They have scant beards, are very stout-limbed, and of great strength. They are excellent workmen, and skilful in all arts and trades. They are phlegmatic, of little courage, treacherous and cruel when opportunity offers, and very covetous.

They are heavy eaters of all kinds of meat, fish, and fruits; but they drink sparingly, and then of hot beverages.

They have a governor of their own race, a Christian, who has his officials and assistants. He hears their cases in affairs of justice, in their domestic and business affairs.

Appeals from him go to the alcalde-mayor of Tondo or of the Parián, and from all these to the Audiencia, which also gives especial attention to this nation and whatever pertains to it.

No Sangley can live or own a house outside these settlements of the Parián, and of Baybay and Minondoc. Native settlements are not allowed in Sangley settlements, or even near them.

No Sangley can go among the islands, or as much as two leguas from the city, without special permission. Much less can he remain in the city at night, after the gates are shut, under penalty of death.

There are generally some Japanese, both Christian and infidel, in Manila. These are left by the vessels from Japon, although they are not so numerous as the Chinese.

They have their special settlement and location outside the city, between the Sangley Parián and the suburb of Laguio, near the monastery of La Candelaria.

There they are directed by discalced religious of St. Francis, by means of interpreters whom the fathers keep for that purpose. They are a spirited race, of good disposition, and brave.

They wear their own costume, namely, kimonos of colored silks and cotton, reaching half way down the leg, and open in front; wide, short drawers; close-fitting half-boots of leather, [427] and shoes like sandals, with the soles of well-woven straw. They go bare-headed, and shave the top of the head as far back as the crown. Their back hair is long, and fastened upon the skull in a graceful knot.

They carry their catans, large and small, in the belt. They have scant beards, and are a race of noble bearing and behavior. They employ many ceremonies and courtesies, and attach much importance to honor and social standing. They are resolute in any necessity or danger.

Those who become Christians prove very good, and are very devout and observant in their religion; for only the desire for salvation incites them to adopt our religion, so that there are many Christians in Japon.

Accordingly they return freely, and without opposition, to their own country. At most there are about five hundred Japanese of this nation in Manila, for they do not go to other parts of the islands, and such is their disposition that they return to Japon, and do not tarry in the islands; consequently very few of them usually remain in the islands.

They are treated very cordially, as they are a race that demand good treatment, and it is advisable to do so for the friendly relations between the islands and Japon. [428]

Few people come from the other nations—Sian, Camboja, Borneo, Patan, and other islands—outside our government; and they immediately return in their vessels.

Consequently, there is nothing special to be said of them, except that care is exercised in receiving and despatching them well, and seeing that they return quickly to their own countries.