Note 8 — COMMERCE OF THE PHILIPPINES WITH NUEVA ESPAÑA

“From this confusion—the depth of which cannot be ascertained, because there is no kind of proof which will make it evident—there results only the suspicion against them, a possibility which has made this negotiation8 more opportune to them, not only because money makes it all easy, but because it is not supposed that very large investments can be made with a small remnant of funds.9 But as this remains a matter of supposition (although public report states otherwise), I must confine myself to judicial terms, in order [either] to acquit or to condemn. The proportion of the indult must always remain a difficult thing, because there has been no accurate rule for deciding it, nor could it be imposed in a definite amount, in order that the contribution might be calculated in accordance with it. For this reason, we estimated the amounts, averaging their judgment and my own, from which about 15,000 pesos have resulted; and the persons who have furnished these sums are secure as to the despatch of their affairs, in virtue of the powers which your Majesty confers on me. For this I send also the record of proceedings, in which appear [the names of] other individuals besides those included in the memorandum [minuta]. I must tell your Majesty that most of them are very poor, and that what they possess is not sufficient to pay a contribution in any amount; and it, after investigation, either then lack of means or their innocence rendered the exaction of the penalty impossible, I considered it best not to engage the [royal] authority in making extortions from the vassals.