bearer or any other person should be stationed with the royal Audiencia without special permission from your Majesty, whom I beg to be pleased to command in this what shall be done. In the meantime, it will be continued as hitherto.
36. That public feast-days are celebrated with veneration and dignity.
I assure your Majesty that the other public feast-days, such as Corpus Christi, that of the patrons of the city, and the like, are celebrated with the utmost veneration and dignity in this land, where we are in the sight of so many heathen.
37. That it is expedient that the Indians be punished with some moderate fine of money, and not in rice.
Your Majesty has ordered that the Indians shall not be punished in money fines; but as they all, in their perverseness and evil disposition, are more afraid of the punishment of taking from them a real than of a hundred floggings, the desired results do not follow, and they do not plant, raise animals, and do other things tending to the production of supplies, and to the common good. It would be well for your Majesty to give permission for the imposition of moderate fines in money. It is particularly unfitting that the chiefs should be flogged, and in regard to this the royal Audiencia has commenced to take some action. May our Lord protect the Catholic person of your Majesty through many happy years. Manila, July 12, 1599.
Francisco Tello
An account of the religious orders which are in these Philipinas Islands; the provinces, houses, and
