Islands on the merchandise taken thither by the Chinese be increased by
another three per cent." El Pardo, November 20, 1606. (Ley xxiii.) The
above laws are from _Recopilación de leyes_, lib. viii, tit. xv.

[240] The agave (_Agave americana_; the _maguey_ of Mexico) is found in
the Philippines, and is called _pita_, but Delgado and Blanco think
that it was not indigenous there. Its fibers were used in former
times for making the native textile called _nipis_, manufactured
in the Visayas. As used in the text, _pita_ means, apparently, some
braid or other ornament of agave fibers.

[241] The ducado of Castilla was worth slightly more than two
pesos.--_Rizal_.

[242] These imposts and fetters, which the products of the country
did not escape, are still [1890] in force, so that foreign markets
must be sought, since the markets of the mother-country offer no
greater advantages. According to a document of 1640, this commerce
netted the government 350,000 pesos annually.--_Rizal_.

[243] The salary is now [1890] 40,000 pesos.--_Rizal_.

[244] _Recopilación de leyes_ (lib. iv, tit. i, ley v) outlines the
governor's and Audiencia's power in regard to conquests by private
individuals, as follows: "We grant permission to the governor and
president of the Filipinas Islands and its Audiencia to make contracts
for new explorations and conquests [_pacificaciones_] with persons,
who are willing to covenant to do it at their own expense and not at
that of our royal treasury; and to give them the titles of captains
and masters-of-camp, but not those of adelantados [_i.e._, governors]