Page:The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803 (Volume 08).djvu/96

 little for food and clothing; and, not valuing the cloth that they already have, they buy what they need—in order not to weave it, as this witness has said—paying whatever is asked for it. Even the most prominent and the richest of the natives finds three pieces of cloth enough for an entire year; and these he buys, whether cheap or dear, never hesitating to give whatever is asked for them in barter, rather than to weave them—although that would not be more work than they could easily accomplish. If this be permitted, all goods will, as before stated, grow dearer every day. A piece of cloth which this witness has known to be sold, and himself has bought, in former years for three or four reals, sells today for eight and twelve reals; and it will very soon cost twenty, if no check or remedy be applied. Thus he answered this question.

To the third question he replied that the evil referred to in the question is as therein specified. Last year it was stated to this witness that the Sangleys carried away to their country more than three thousand pesos, which he knows leave these dominions. This evil should be corrected; and the remedy would lie in forbidding all the natives of these islands to buy any cloth whatever for their own use, and in requiring them to weave the same, as they formerly were accustomed to do. Thus he replied to this question.

In answer to the fourth question this witness declared that he knows that, since the Spaniards have traded with the Chinese in these islands, the natives have begun to desert their villages—some of them leaving their rice-fields, and others the cultivation of their vineyards or the planting of cotton, living in idleness and vagabondage; some have taken service