Note 53 — Chapter VII · THE AUDIENCIA AND THE GOVERNOR: THE MILITARY JURISDICTION

In further illustration of the same subject, we may note the instructions of the king to Governor Silva, dated March 27, 1616. On this occasion the king prescribed a course of action for the governor to follow in case of the invasion of the Islands by the Chinese and Japanese. He was especially directed to prevent a union of the Chinese in the Parián with the forces of the expected invaders. Silva was ordered to take no steps without first consulting the oidores.53 On July 25, 1619, having received news of the insubordination of the Chinese in Manila and of the danger of a revolt among them, the king wrote to the “president and oidores” expressing the belief that too many Chinese had been admitted to the Islands and that thereafter only enough should be permitted to man the ships and carry on trade.54 The authorities to whom this letter was directed were charged not to allow the royal will relative to this matter to be disregarded, which, of course, implied the exercise of an executive power on the part of the magistrates, in addition to consultative authority.