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diff --git a/old/13701.txt b/old/13701.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3e60412 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13701.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8864 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, V7, +1588-1591, by Emma Helen Blair + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, V7, 1588-1591 + +Author: Emma Helen Blair + +Release Date: October 11, 2004 [EBook #13701] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS *** + + + + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Distributed Proofreaders Team + + + + + + + +The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 + +explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and +their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, +as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the +political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those +islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the +close of the nineteenth century + +Volume VII, 1588-1591 + + + +Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson +with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord +Bourne. + + + + +Contents of Volume VII + + + +Preface ... 9 +Documents of 1588 + + Relation of the Philipinas Islands. Domingo de Salazar, + and others; Manila, 1586-88 ... 29 + Letter to Felipe II. Santiago de Vera, and others; + Manila, June 26 ... 52 + Letter to Felipe II. Domingo de Salazar; Manila, + June 27 ... 64 + +Documents of 1589 + + Excerpt from a letter from the viceroy of India. Manuel + de Sousa Coutinho; Goa, April 3 ... 79 + Letter to Felipe II. Santiago de Vera; Manila, June + 13 ... 83 + Conspiracy against the Spaniards. Santiago de Vera, + and others; Manila, May-July ... 95 + Letter to Felipe II. [Gaspar] de Ayala; Manila, + July 15 ... 112 + Decree regarding commerce. Felipe II; San Lorenzo, + August 9 ... 137 + Instructions to Gomez Perez Dasmarinas. Felipe II; + San Lorenzo, August 9 ... 141 + Customs of the Tagalogs (two relations). Juan de + Plasencia, O.S.F.; Manila, October 21 ... 173 + +Documents of 1590 + + Letter from Portugal to Felipe II. [Lisboa?] ... 199 + Decree ordering a grant to Salazar. Felipe II; Madrid, + April 12 ... 205 + Letter from members of the suppressed Audiencia to + Felipe II. Santiago de Vera, and others; Manila, + June 20 ... 208 + The Chinese and the Parian at Manila. Domingo de + Salazar; Manila, June 24 ... 212 + Two letters to Felipe II. Domingo de Salazar; Manila, + June 24 ... 239 + Decree regulating commerce. Felipe II; San Lorenzo, + July 23 ... 262 + +The collection of tributes in the Filipinas Islands. Domingo de +Salazar, and others; Manila, 1591 ... 265 +Bibliographical Data ... 319 + + + + + +Illustrations + + + + Autograph signature of Doctor Santiago de Vera; photographic + facsimile from MS. in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla ... + 61 + Autograph signature of Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F.; photographic + facsimile from MS. in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla + ... 187 + + + + +Preface + + +Important events and changes occur during the four years included +in the scope of this volume. The Audiencia is suppressed, and in +its place is sent a royal governor; the instructions given to him +embody many of the reforms demanded by the people through their +envoy Sanchez. Extensive and dangerous conspiracies among the natives +against the Spaniards are discovered, and severely punished. Trade +between Nueva Espana and China is beginning, and seems to menace the +welfare of the Philippine colony. A large immigration of Chinese to +the islands has set in, and is already seriously affecting economic +interests there. The city of Manila, recently destroyed by fire, is +being rebuilt, this time mainly with brick and stone. As usual, there +is much friction between the ecclesiastical and secular authorities, +largely concerning the collection of tributes from the Indians; +the most prominent figure in these contentions is the aged but fiery +bishop, Salazar. + +Shortly after the Jesuit Sanchez had gone to Spain as envoy of the +Philippine colonists, a document was prepared (December 31, 1586), +by order of the Manila cabildo, to be sent to him for use at the +Spanish court. As this was lost on the "Santa Ana," and as Bishop +Salazar regards the supply of missionaries in the islands as very +inadequate, he applies (June 3, 1588) to the cabildo for another copy +of such part of this document as relates to the religious needs of the +natives. This he sends (June 25) to the royal Council of the Indias, +with considerable additions regarding certain islands not mentioned +in the cabildo's memorial. This document gives much interesting +information, not only on religious matters, but on the social and +economic conditions of both Spaniards and natives in the islands. In +each island or province are enumerated the population, both native +and Spanish; the number of Spanish troops, also of encomiendas and +tributarios; the number of convents and their inmates; the religious +and ecclesiastics, not only those resident, but those needed among +the natives; the officials employed by the government; the Chinese +immigrants and their occupations; the articles for sale in the public +market; and the imports and exports at Manila. The writer relates many +things of interest regarding the natural resources and products of the +country, the mode of life of both Spaniards and natives, the means of +defense possessed by the colony, the Indians who are not as yet under +Spanish rule. All this affords a valuable and curiously interesting +picture of the colony and its life; but Salazar, in presenting it, +is mainly concerned with the great need of more religious instruction +for the natives, and earnestly entreats the king to send more friars +and ecclesiastics for the purpose. + +A letter from Santiago de Vera to the king (dated June 26, 1588) +gives his report for the past year. He recounts the exploits of the +English adventurer Candish against Spanish commerce. Hereafter the +ships which carry goods from the Philippines will be armed with cannon +and other means of defense. Vera asks for more artillery with which +to defend the islands, which are menaced by great dangers in their +present weak condition. He has built some galleys, but would prefer +some light ships for navigation among the islands. The new fort at +Manila is described; it will, when completed, be sufficient defense +for the city. The governor also enumerates the artillery which he +has, and asks that more be provided by the home government. He has +punished the royal officials for engaging in trade. Vera advises +that the sale of certain public offices be deferred for some years, +until the colony shall be more prosperous. + +On the next day (June 27) Salazar writes to the king. He defends +himself against the royal reprimand for his dissensions with the +Audiencia. Further information is given regarding the capture of +Spanish ships by Candish. The resulting losses of citizens in the +islands are very great, and still more serious is the loss of Spanish +prestige in the archipelago. In Mindanao, Moslem missionaries are +conducting an extensive propaganda. The bishop complains that in +his diocese the churches, as well as their furniture, are often so +wretched and inadequate that they are a disgrace to religion, and are +"not fit to be entered by horses." This arises from the penuriousness +or the poverty of the encomenderos; nothing can be expected from +the natives, who are "so harassed and afflicted with public and +private undertakings that they are not able to take breath." The +bishop regards the calamities that have befallen the Spaniards as +punishments inflicted on them by God for their evil treatment of the +Indians. He recommends that many religious be sent to the islands, +who will be protectors of the natives; also that a governor be sent +who is not ruled by selfish or family interests. Salazar complains +of the harshness and severity shown by the viceroy of Nueva Espana, +especially as the latter will not allow certain Dominican friars to go +to the Philippines; and as he has injured the commerce of the islands +by his restrictive measures--especially by selling the vessel "Saint +Martin" to a Mexican merchant to be used in the Chinese trade. The +wreck of that ship at sea he regards as a punishment from heaven. He +urges that trade from Mexico to China be stopped, and that the viceroy +of Nueva Espana be ordered to send aid to the Philippines, especially +of troops and military supplies, and not to meddle with the decisions +of the Audiencia there regarding customs duties, etc. Salazar objects +to the presence of so many Chinamen in the islands. + +An extract from a letter of the viceroy of India to the king (April 3, +1589) complains that some of his officers have violated the prohibition +of intercourse with China and the Philippines. He has sent officials +to Macao to quell disturbances there, and order has been given that +all Castilians there shall be sent away. He is greatly opposed to +the trade which has begun between Mexico and China, and thinks that +rigorous measures should be taken against it. + +Vera writes (July 13) to the king imploring reenforcements and +supplies for the islands. Three Spaniards, among them a Franciscan +friar, have been treacherously slain by the Borneans. This proves to +be the outcome of a general conspiracy among the Filipinos, Borneans, +and other peoples to attack and drive out the Spaniards. The plotters +are detected and severely punished. Certain public offices have been +sold, account for which is rendered by the governor. He is endeavoring +to secure a small fleet of trading ships, but is obliged to ask +aid for this from the royal treasury. Not only ships, but sailors +and carpenters are needed, who should be paid in the same way. More +artillery is needed, also to be furnished by royal aid. The Chinese +trade is continually increasing. The city of Manila is being fast +rebuilt, and in stone. But the land is unhealthful and the soldiers +die fast, so that the islands have few men for their defense; and +again the king is earnestly entreated to order that men and supplies +be sent at once from Nueva Espana. The new fort has been injured by +earthquakes, but Vera is building it more strongly. He complains that +the friars have neglected his commands to learn the Chinese language +and instruct the Chinese who live on the islands. The Dominicans alone +have entered this field; they have achieved great results, and have +now among the Chinese "a village of Christians." Many more would be +converted, if it were not for the bishop's order that the long hair +of the converts should be cut off; accordingly the king orders that +a conference of religious and learned persons be held, who shall +take suitable action in regard to this and other matters concerning +the conversion of the Chinese. Vera complains of the arrogance, +obstinacy, and high temper of the bishop, and asks that the king +restrain him. There is no physician in Manila, and one is urgently +needed in the royal hospital. This document is followed by the notarial +record of proceedings in the trial of various Indians for conspiracy, +which is mentioned in Vera's letter. The punishments inflicted upon +them are specified: in each case, appeal was made to the Audiencia, +which in some cases modified the penalty, but otherwise affirmed the +former decision. + +Gaspar de Ayala, royal fiscal in the islands, makes his report to +the king (July 15). He advises that ships for the royal service be +built in the islands; also that the gold used as currency there be +exchanged in Nueva Espana for Spanish coin--both of which measures +will be of profit to the royal treasury. He renders account of the +recent sale of offices in the islands, and gives advice regarding +this method of aiding the royal exchequer. Certain encomiendas +becoming vacant, Ayala, as fiscal, undertakes to secure them for +the crown; in this he has difficulties with the governor, who also +is trying to make trouble for Ayala with the soldiers. The latter +asks to be relieved from his post in the Philippines, and sent to +some other. The Chinese trade is meager this year, owing to war and +pestilence in China; and there are rumors that it is being diverted +to Peru or Nueva Espana. If this be true, the Philippine colony will +be ruined. A second plot against the Spaniards has been revealed, +this time in Cebu; but the leaders have been captured. The Indians +of Cagayan have also revolted, and troops have been sent against +them. Ayala adds, "I am ready to certify that there are few places +in these islands where the natives are not disaffected." The Spanish +colony is in great danger, and imperatively needs reenforcements to +save it from destruction. The galleys at Manila, now useless, should +be replaced by light sailing-vessels. A further levy of tribute has +been made on the Indians for the new fortress at Manila: this is an +oppressive burden for them. Ayala relates at length the dissensions +between the bishop and the secular authorities; the king is implored +to settle the question at issue. The bishop has also offended the +Augustinians, by sending Dominican friars into their field among the +Chinese residents: The king is asked to send more friars, to instruct +the natives. The Manila hospital for Indians has no income save of +alms: Ayala recommends that the Franciscans in charge be allowed to +sell a certain amount of pepper in Nueva Espana. The members of the +Audiencia, and the magistrates and officials appointed during the +current year are enumerated by name. A fierce tempest has occurred +at Manila, causing great damage, and destroying all the vessels in +the harbor except one small one. The expedition sent to Cagayan has +returned without accomplishing anything except the destruction of the +crops belonging to the hostile Indians, which will only irritate them +and incite them to revenge. + +A royal decree (dated August 9, 1589) orders the newly appointed +governor of the Philippines, Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, to repeal the +import duties levied at Manila on provisions and military supplies, +also to suppress the retail trade conducted there by the Chinese. + +As a result of Sanchez's embassy to Spain, the king and his counselors +decide to institute many reforms in the Philippines, and to send +thither a royal governor in place of the Audiencia. For this dignity +is selected Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, and the king's instructions to +him (dated August 9, 1589) embody the changes to be made in the +government and life of the colony. The cathedral at Manila is to +be built, for which purpose the king appropriates the sum of twelve +thousand ducados. Similar aid is to be granted to the two hospitals +at Manila. More religious are to be sent to the islands. The rate of +tribute from the Indians shall be increased from eight reals to ten; +this increase shall be used for tithes and the support of troops in +the islands; and the encomenderos must support religious instruction +among the natives, and pay tithes. A grant of money for six years +is made to the city of Manila; but the king declines to abolish +the customs duties--setting aside their proceeds, however, for the +payment of the soldiers stationed in the islands--except those on +food and military supplies. Appointments and encomiendas must be +given to old citizens, or to soldiers who have done actual service; +and a list of persons who are to be rewarded for their services is +furnished to the new governor. Workmen are to be paid at Manila, +not, as heretofore, at Mexico. Trade with Mexico is restricted to the +inhabitants of the Philippines. The question whether the Chinese and +other foreign merchants are to be allowed to sell goods at retail at +the ports is left to the discretion of Dasmarinas. Only Christian +Chinese may remain in the islands. Agricultural colonists shall be +sent thither from Spain, for whom various provisions are made; and it +is expected that from them the Indians will learn the Spanish methods +of farming. Cattle and horses are to be sent to the islands; and the +farmers sent out shall be ordered to tame and breed the wild buffaloes +found there. Agriculture shall be encouraged in all ways. A convent for +girls should be established, and its inmates provided with husbands; +and Indian women should be enabled to marry poor Spaniards. Encomiendas +must be granted with great care, and must be provided with adequate +religious instruction. Dasmarinas is advised to settle lawsuits +amicably out of court, when possible. In disaffected encomiendas, +only part of the tributes should be collected. Suitable instruction +for the natives must be provided, and those who are dispersed should +be gathered into settlements where they can be taught the Christian +faith. The king appoints Bishop Salazar the official protector of +the Indians; and the governor is instructed to cultivate friendly +relations with him. A force of four hundred paid soldiers shall be +maintained in the islands, and various provisions are made for their +discipline and welfare. The minimum age for military service is fixed +at fifteen years, and the enlistment of mestizos is discouraged. The +city of Manila shall be fortified and garrisoned; and the governor is +instructed to be on his guard against various enemies, "chiefly of +the Lutheran English pirates who infest those coasts," and to build +forts and galleys for the defense of the islands. He is expected +to continue the conquests begun there by the Spaniards, but only in +accordance with instructions furnished him. He must do all in his power +to pacify the Indians in the disaffected provinces. In attempting any +military expedition, the governor must consult with the most learned +and experienced men of the community; he may contract with captains or +encomenderos for the exploration or pacification of hitherto unsubdued +regions. Provision is made for the instruction of the natives; and +extortion and oppression of the natives in collecting the tributes +must be checked. All Indians enslaved by the Spaniards shall be +immediately set free. All lawsuits concerning the Indians shall be +settled as promptly and simply as possible. Religious persons sent to +the islands must remain there, except by permission of the authorities. + +Of especial value are two relations (1589) by the Franciscan missionary +Juan de Plasencia, on the customs of the Tagalogs. He describes their +social organization, which was originally patriarchal; and rights of +property, which are partly individual and partly communistic. There +are three classes among the people--nobles, commoners and slaves. The +status and rights of each are carefully defined, and the causes and +kinds of slavery. A somewhat elaborate system of regulations concerning +inheritances is described, also the status of children by adoption, +which usage is widely prevalent among the Tagalogs. Marriage, +dowries, and divorce are fully treated. In the second of these +relations Plasencia describes their modes of burial and worship, +and the religious beliefs and superstitions current among that +people. They have no buildings set aside as temples, although they +sometimes celebrate, in a temporary edifice, a sort of worship. Their +chief idol is Badhala, but they also worship the sun and the moon, +and various minor divinities. They believe in omens, and practice +divination. A detailed account is given of the various classes of +priests, sorcerers, witches, etc., in which the natives believed; +also of the burial rites of both Tagalogs and Negritos. + +A letter to the king from Portugal (written early in 1590) gives him +information which he had requested from Portuguese officials in India, +regarding the character and results of the trade between the Spanish +colonies and those established by the Portuguese in India and the +Eastern archipelago, and China. The continuance of this trade would, +they think, ruin the prosperity of the settlements in India, and +greatly injure the commerce of Spain, and deplete that country and her +colonies of their coin. At Salazar's petition, he receives from the +king (April 12, 1590) a grant of money toward the payment of debts +incurred by him in procuring the rebuilding of Manila in stone. On +June 20 of the same year, the members of the Audiencia, suppressed +by order of the king and replaced by Dasmarinas, notify the king that +they have surrendered their posts, and ask him for various favors. + +Bishop Salazar writes to the king (June 24) a special communication +regarding the Chinese (or Sangleys) at Manila. He apologizes for +having formerly given, under a mistake as to their character, +a wrong impression of that people; and relates various instances +of their humane treatment of foreigners in their land. He blames +the Portuguese for having spread in China false reports about the +Spaniards, and thinks that by this means the devil is trying to hinder +the entrance of the gospel into that land. The bishop urges that no +hostile demonstration be made against the Chinese; for they are most +favorably inclined to the Christian religion, and many conversions may +be made among them. Most of Salazar's letter is devoted to the Chinese +residents of Manila, and their quarters there, which is called the +Parian. He narrates the gradual increase of the Chinese immigration +to the islands, their relations with the Spaniards, the establishment +of the Parian, and his efforts for their conversion. These last are +ineffectual until the coming of the Dominican friars in 1587; they +assume the charge of converting the Chinese, and build their convent +next the Parian, which brings the friars into constant and friendly +relations with the Chinese. An interesting description of the Parian +and its inhabitants is given; all trades are represented therein, and +the people carry on the manufactures to which they were accustomed +in China, but with a better finish, which they have learned to use +from the Spaniards. Salazar makes the enthusiastic statement that +"the Parian has so adorned the city [Manila] that I do not hesitate +to affirm to your Majesty that no other known city in Espana, or +in these regions, possesses anything so well worth seeing as this; +for in it can be found the whole trade of China, with all kinds of +goods and curious things which come from that country." Especially +interesting are the economic effects of their residence there; +"the handicrafts pursued by Spaniards have all died out, because +people all buy their clothes and shoes from the Sangleys, who are +very good craftsmen in Spanish fashion, and make everything at very +low cost." Salazar admires their cleverness and dexterity in all +kinds of handiwork especially as they have learned, in less than +ten years, both painting and sculpture; "I think that nothing more +perfect could be produced than some of their marble statues of the +Child Jesus which I have seen." The churches are thus being furnished +with images. A book-binder from Mexico had come to Manila, and his +trade has been quickly taken from him by his Chinese apprentice, +who has set up his own bindery, and excels his master. Many other +instances of the cleverness, ability, and industry of the Chinese +are related; and the city is almost entirely dependent on them for +its food supplies. Not the least of the benefits received from them +by the city is their work as stone-masons, and makers of bricks and +lime; they are so industrious, and work so cheaply, that Manila is +rapidly being rebuilt with substantial and elegant houses, churches, +and convents, of stone and brick. The day's wage of a Chinaman is one +real (equal to five cents of American money). So many Chinese are +coming to Manila that another Parian is being built to accommodate +them. Nearly seven thousand of them reside there, and in the vicinity +of Manila, and four Dominican friars labor among them. Salazar reports +the condition and progress of the missions conducted by that order +in the islands. Those who minister to the Chinese are securing some +converts, but many who are otherwise inclined to the Christian faith +are unwilling thus to exile themselves from their own land. After due +deliberation, the Dominicans conclude to open a mission in China, and +in that case to relax the rule compelling converts to cut off their +hair and foresake their native land. This purpose they are enabled to +accomplish, after encountering many difficulties, through the aid of +some Chinese Christians in Manila; and two friars are sent to China, +Miguel de Benavides and Juan Castro. The Dominicans have also built a +hospital for the Chinese; it is supported by alms, partly contributed +by "Sangley" infidels; and its physician is a converted Chinese +who devotes himself to its service. This institution has won much +renown and commendation in China. Salazar asks that the king grant +it some aid, and that he confirm a reward given by the governor to +the two Christian Chinese who aided the mission to China. Another +letter from Salazar bearing the same date (June 24) recounts many +things concerning affairs in the islands. He protests against the +royal orders to increase the rate of tribute paid by the Indians, +saying that the king has been misinformed regarding their ability +to pay. He makes comments on the several royal decrees which have +come in this year's mail. One commands that the conquerors make +restitution for the damages inflicted by them upon the natives; but +they or their heirs are tardy in paying the amounts levied for this +purpose, and meanwhile the Indians live in great poverty and want. The +bishop's heart and conscience are harassed not only by this, but by +the inability of the Spaniards to pay the full amount which is due +the Indians as restitution; he therefore asks the king to settle this +matter by remitting part of the amounts thus required. Salazar defends +himself for having encouraged the Indian slaves (who had been freed +by royal decree) to leave their Spanish masters; and for obliging the +Chinese converts to cut off their hair. He also explains, as being +greatly exaggerated, the accusations brought against his clergy of +engaging in traffic; and promises to do all in his power to check +them. One of the decrees settles the question of precedence between +him and the Audiencia; but, as that tribunal has been suppressed, +it is now useless. Salazar takes this opportunity to defend himself +against the aspersions cast upon him in this matter, and in regard +to certain legal proceedings wherein the Audiencia had claimed that +he defied its authority. He declares that he always complied with +its decisions or commands except in a few cases, which he explains in +detail; and complains that the Audiencia has at various times usurped +his jurisdiction, of which he relates instances. + +In still another letter (of the same date) the bishop thanks his +sovereign for recent kindness shown him, and for decrees favorable to +the Philippine colony. The money which the king ordered to be given +for building the cathedral at Manila has not yet been paid, as the +royal treasury there is so poor. Salazar comments on certain recent +decrees by the king: that the friars should not leave the islands +without permission from the authorities; that tithes be remitted for +twenty years to new settlers in the islands; and that the processes +of justice be simplified, and pecuniary fines abrogated. The bishop +reiterates his complaint against the cruelty and injustice with which +the Spaniards collect the tributes from the natives, and the dearth +of religious instruction for the latter; he feels responsible for this +instruction, yet cannot provide it for lack of religious teachers. If +more priests can be sent, great results can be achieved. The spiritual +destitution of that region is so great that "of the ten divisions of +this bishopric, eight have no instruction; and some provinces have +been paying tribute to your Majesty for more than twenty years, but +without receiving on account of that any greater advantage than to be +tormented by the tribute, and afterward to go to hell." If religious +teachers are supplied, it will be comparatively easy to complete +the pacification of the Indians who are now hostile; then the royal +treasury will receive, from the increase in the tributes, far more than +it would now expend in sending out the missionaries. The bishop asks +that, as he is now appointed by the king the protector of the Indians, +he may have also funds for the expenses and assistants necessary for +this office; also that the same protection may be extended toward +the Chinese, who need it even more than the Indians. A royal decree +(July 23, 1590) orders that the trade with China shall be confined +for six years to the inhabitants of the islands. + +Next follows a long document, a collection of papers (bearing +various dates in 1591) relating to the collection of tributes in +the islands. The first is a memorandum of the resources and needs +of the hospital at Manila; the former are so small, and the latter +so great, that the institution is badly crippled. A short letter +by Bishop Salazar (dated January 12) classifies the encomiendas +according to the amount of religious instruction given therein, +and lays down the conditions which ought to govern the collection +of tributes. He declares that the encomendero has not fulfilled his +obligations to the Indians under him by merely reserving a fourth +of the tributes for building churches; and advises that the small +encomiendas be combined to form larger ones. This letter is followed by +twenty-five "conclusions" (dated January 18) relating to this subject, +which express the opinions of bishop and clergy on the collection of +tributes from the Indians. These define the purposes for which this +tax should be collected, the restrictions under which collections +shall be permitted, and the respective duties in this matter of the +encomenderos, ministers of religion, and governors, They declare that +restitution should be made for all tribute unjustly collected from +the natives--which includes all that is taken from pagans who have +not been instructed, or from any Indian by force. Another letter +by the bishop (dated January 25) accompanies this document. He +states that he does not desire to forbid the encomenderos from +personally collecting the tributes. He advises that the amount of +such collections should be reduced, and that the Spaniards should not +be too heavily mulcted for the restitutions which should be made to +the Indians. The governor replies to these communications, expressing +much interest in the Indians and desire to lighten their burdens. The +collections should be uniform in rate everywhere, and of moderate +amount. Certain requirements should be made from the encomenderos, +especially in regard to the administration of justice; but they must +be enabled to retain their holdings. The governor wishes to adopt +some temporary regulations which shall be in force until the king can +provide suitable measures. On February 15 the city officials and the +encomenderos present a petition to the governor. They complain of the +pressure exerted upon them by the clergy and the friars to prevent +the collection of the tributes; and entreat the governor to interpose +his authority, and to secure a royal mandate, in order that they may +collect the tributes without ecclesiastical interference, or else +to permit them to return to Spain. Salazar answers (February 8) the +previous letter of Dasmarinas; this reply, and the opinions furnished +by the religious orders, we synopsize in our text, as being somewhat +too verbose for the edification of our readers. Salazar answers the +objections made to his earlier statements, and assures the governor +that the encomenderos can live on one-third of the tributes, that +there is no danger of their abandoning their holdings, and that the +chief obstacle to the conversion of the pagans is the cruelty of the +Spaniards. He urges the governor to reform the abuses practiced by +them, and to do justice to the poor Indians; and says that the clergy +will cooperate with him in this. The heads of the religious orders +(except the Dominicans) send written opinions on this subject to +the governor; and the Jesuits discuss certain measures proposed by +the bishop, with some of which they disagree. The remainder of the +document on tributes will be presented in _Vol_. VIII. + +_The Editors_ + +September, 1903. + + + + + +Documents of 1588 + + + + Relation of the Philipinas Islands. Domingo de Salazar, + and others; 1586-88. + Letter to Felipe II. Santiago de Vera; June 26. + Letter to Felipe II. Domingo de Salazar; June 27. + + + +_Sources_: The first of these documents is obtained from _Cartas +de Indias_, pp. 637-652; the others, from the original MSS. in the +Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla. + +_Translations_: The first document is translated by James A. Robertson; +the others, by Jose M. and Clara M. Asensio. + + + +Relation of the Philipinas Islands + + +Most potent Sir: + +I, the bishop of the Philipinas, declare that to your Highness [1] +it is evident and well-known that the greater number of the natives in +these islands are yet to be converted, and that many of those who are +converted are without instruction, because they have no one to give +it; and because, even in the districts where there are ministers, +they are so few, and the natives so numerous, that they cannot give +the latter sufficient instruction. I have, moreover, been informed +that in a letter which the cabildo of this city of Manilla wrote to +your Highness last year there was a section in which they gave your +Highness information of the districts and localities in these islands +where instruction is provided, and of those where it is not, and of +the number of ministers who are necessary to furnish instruction to +the natives therein. This letter, with all the others which went in +the said year on the ship "Sancta Ana," was lost. For the relief of +your royal conscience and my own, and for the welfare of the said +natives, it is best that an order be given that those natives who are +converted shall be supplied with ministers to instruct and maintain +them in the Christian faith; for it is well known that, as soon as +ministers fail them, they return to their rites and idolatries--in +some districts, because they have lacked ministers for many years; +and, in others quite near here, because those religious who had them +in charge have abandoned them. This is well known to your Highness, +through the information that has been given your Highness many times +from this Audiencia. I am ready to furnish you sufficient information +in this regard, if your Highness be so inclined. It is necessary +also that ministers be furnished to the natives yet unconverted, +that they may teach them and look after their conversion, since all +of these Indians are under the dominion of your Highness, and pay +tribute, as if they were Christians and received instruction. Unless +ministers come hither from Espana, it is impossible to make good +these deficiencies, or to supply the great lack of instruction. In +order that this matter may be manifest to your Highness, and that you +may be pleased to command that a remedy be provided, according to the +great necessity for instruction in these islands, I ask, and, in order +that the said need may be more certainly evident to your Highness, +it is fitting, that the [above-mentioned] section of the said letter +be sent to your royal hands. I beg and supplicate your Highness that +you order the notary of the cabildo of this said city to draw up from +the book of the cabildo one, two, or more copies of the said section, +publicly and duly authenticated, in order to approach therewith your +royal person--for which, etc. + +_The Bishop of the Philippinas_ + + +(In Manilla, on the third day of the month of June in the year one +thousand five hundred and eighty-eight. The honorable president and +auditors of the royal Audiencia of these Philipinas Islands being in +public session, this petition was read; and after examination by the +said members of the Audiencia, they declared that the request of the +bishop should be granted. + +_Juan de la Paraya_) + + +(In fulfilment of the above order, I, Simon Lopez, notary of the king, +our lord, and of the cabildo of this distinguished and ever loyal city +of Manilla, [2] have caused to be made, from the books and papers of +the cabildo which are in my possession, a copy of the relation which +is mentioned in the present memoir. It is as follows:) + +_Relation of the natives now inhabiting these Western Islands--those +who are pacified, and from whom tribute is collected, both those who +are under control of his Majesty and those allotted to encomenderos; +also of the religious, and the instruction given by them, among the +natives; of the number of Spanish inhabitants, both in this city of +Manila and in the settlements outside of it; and of the ministers of +religion who are needed here_. + + +_Manilla_ + +This city of Manilla was founded in the island of Luzon, which +is very fertile and populous. Outside of it, within the circuit +of five leagues, are settled seven thousand five hundred Indians; +four thousand of these belong to his Majesty, and the rest, three +thousand five hundred, are allotted to four encomenderos. There are +eight Augustinian friars, in four residences, and in another house +are two Franciscans, one of whom is a lay brother, all of the rest +being priests. In order that sufficient instruction be furnished the +Indians, five more religious are needed. + +This city has eighty citizens. It contains the cathedral and the +bishop's house, and the ecclesiastical dignitaries--the latter +consisting of an arch-deacon, a schoolmaster, two canons, thirteen +clerics who are priests, and a few candidates for holy orders. + +The monastery of St. Augustine, which usually has seven or eight +religious, four priests, and three brothers and candidates for +holy orders. + +The monastery of St. Francis, which usually has four priests, and +eleven or twelve other professed members and novices. + +Of the Society of Jesus, the father superior, with two other fathers +and two brothers. + +A royal hospital for Spaniards, and another (in the Franciscan +monastery) for the Indians. + +There are, ordinarily, two hundred soldiers in this city, quartered +among the citizens and in the houses of the Indians near them. These +soldiers are very poor, and are sustained by alms, as are likewise the +inmates of the monasteries and hospitals--although four hundred pesos +are given every year from the treasury, besides two hundred fanegas +of rice, for the support of four Augustinian religious; and the royal +hospital possesses an encomienda worth six or seven hundred pesos. + +Fifty Spaniards in the city have married Spanish women; and some of +the others, native Indian women. There are fifteen Spanish widows; +also eight or ten girls who are marriageable, and some others who +are very young. + +The president and three auditors, one fiscal, one alguacil-mayor, +two secretaries--one for the Audiencia, and the other for the +government--one bailiff, one keeper of the antechamber, two reporters, +one proctor of the exchequer, four attorneys and as many interpreters, +[3] four commissioners of examination, two alguacils of the court, +one prison warden, the officials of the royal Audiencia, an officer +to serve executions for the same, and one notary. + +The governing body of the city, with two alcaldes-in-ordinary, +an alguacil-mayor, twelve regidors, bailiffs, six notaries public, +two attorneys, a depositary-general, a chancellor, and registrar, +a superintendent of his Majesty's works, two city watchmen, and one +for vagabonds. + +There are thirty captains, only four of whom have companies in +this city. + +All the above is confined to the said eighty citizens of this city, +leaving out of account the churches, hospitals, and monasteries. Inside +this city is the silk-market of the Sangley merchants, [4] with shops +to the number of one hundred and fifty, in which there are usually +about six hundred Sangleys--besides a hundred others who live on +the other side of the river opposite this city; these are married, +and many of them are Christians. In addition to these there are more +than three hundred others--fishermen, gardeners, hunters, weavers, +brickmakers, lime-burners, carpenters, and iron-workers--who live +outside the silk market, and without the city, upon the shores of the +sea and river. Within the silk market are many tailors, cobblers, +bakers, carpenters, candle-makers, confectioners, apothecaries, +painters, silversmiths, and those engaged in other occupations. + +Every day there is held a public market of articles of food, such as +fowls, swine, ducks, game-birds, wild hogs, buffaloes, fish, bread, +and other provisions, and garden-produce, and firewood; there are +also many commodities from China which are sold through the streets. + +Twenty merchantmen generally sail hither each year from China, each +one carrying at least a hundred men, who trade from November until +May--in those vessels coming hither, living here, and departing +to their own country, during these seven months. They bring hither +two hundred thousand pesos' worth of merchandise, only ten thousand +pesos being in food supplies--such as flour, sugar, biscuits, butter, +oranges, walnuts, chestnuts, pineapples, figs, plums, pomegranates, +pears, and other fruits, salt pork, and hams--and in such abundance +that the city and its environs are supported thereby during the whole +year, and the fleets and trading-vessels are provisioned therefrom; +they bring also many horses and cows, with which their land is well +supplied. For two years, merchantmen have come hither laden with goods +from Japon, Macaon, Cian [Siam], and other places, in order to trade +in this city. The people of those countries are consequently becoming +desirous of our friendship and trade, and many of the inhabitants of +those nations are being converted. + +They carry to their own countries, from this land, gold, wax, cotton, +dye-woods, and small shells, which latter pass for money in their +country, being used besides for many things, whereby they are held +in much esteem. They bring hither silks--figured satins, black and +colored damasks, brocades and other fabrics--which are now very +commonly seen, a great quantity of white and black cotton cloth, +and the above-mentioned articles of food. + +Outside of this city and the above-mentioned villages lying within +five leagues of it, there are seven well-populated provinces in +this same island of Luzon--namely, Panpanga, Pangasinan, Ylocos, +Cagayan, Camarines, La Laguna, and Bonbon y Balayan. These include +three Spanish settlements--namely, Camarines, Ylocos, and Cagayan, +and have the following number of tributarios [i.e., Indians paying +tribute] and encomiendas. + + +_The province of Panpanga_ + +The province of Panpanga has twenty-two thousand tributarios, of +whom seven thousand belong to his Majesty, and fifteen thousand +are apportioned among eleven encomiendas. There are eight houses +of the religious of St. Augustine, and one house of St. Francis, in +which are sixteen Augustinian priests and one Franciscan. In another +house is a Dominican, who is a coadjutor of the bishop. All together, +there are eighteen priests. In order that sufficient instruction be +given in this province, twenty-six more priests are needed; because, +at the very least, a thousand tributarios means four thousand people, +who require two religious--and in this ratio throughout the islands, +where, it is believed, there will be a great increase of people and +of their instruction. This province has an alcalde-mayor, and needs +two corregidors. + +This province is fifteen leagues in circuit, and is situated, at the +very most, a like distance from this city. Between this province and +that of Pangasinan, which is adjacent to it, there are three thousand +Indians apportioned between two encomiendas; they are Canbales, and +many of them are pacified. Living at a distance of twenty-five or +thirty leagues from this city are more than three thousand others of +this same race--brave mountaineers--still to be pacified; and we have +not the wherewithal to send twenty soldiers for that purpose. This +entire population is without instruction. It needs six ministers. + + +_The province of Pangassinan_ + +The province of Pangassinan has five thousand tributarios, pacified, +but without instruction. It is forty leagues' distance from this city, +by either land or sea. His Majesty possesses one thousand five hundred +of its tributarios, and the rest are held by five encomenderos. It +has one alcalde-mayor. Ten religious are necessary. + + +_The province of Ylocos_ + +Five leagues beyond Pangasinan, by either land or sea, begins the +province of Ylocos, which is inhabited for forty leagues inland. It has +twenty-seven thousand tributarios. Of these the king has six thousand, +and twenty-one thousand are in fourteen encomiendas. There are three +Augustinian religious in two houses or districts, and two ecclesiastics +in two others. Fifty others are needed. There is a considerable +population of mountaineers who recognize no master. This province +has an alcalde-mayor, and the [Spanish] population of a small town. + + +_The province of Cagayan_ + +The province of Cagayan has many rivers and bayous. On its principal +river, by name Taxo, the city of Nueva Segovia has been founded, +being situated two leagues inland. This city has forty citizens +who are encomenderos. It has one Augustinian monastery, containing +two priests; one alcalde-mayor, two alcaldes-in-ordinary, one +alguacil-mayor, and six regidors, who constitute the cabildo; +and a royal hospital, which has for its income the tribute-money +collected here for his Majesty. There is a fort with seven large +pieces of artillery, and an equal number of small pieces--such as +small culverins and falcons--a number of muskets and arquebuses, +pikes, and coats-of-mail, which constitute the weapons and armor +used in this land. For its maintenance this fort has assigned to it +the tribute from one village, which amounts to about one hundred +pesos. It has its own governor. The forty citizens of this city +maintain in addition forty soldiers, who help to pacify, conquer, +and collect the tribute of the encomiendas. Ten of these citizens +are married, the remainder single. Twenty-six thousand Indians, of +whom seven thousand are pacified and pay tribute, are apportioned +to thirty-three of these citizens--some along the principal river +Taxo, and the remainder in the districts near the same. Along this +river and in its neighborhood his Majesty has one thousand seven +hundred tributarios, of whom a thousand are pacified and pay their +tribute. This river Taxo is very broad and deep, and large vessels +can ascend it even to the city. It has an excellent bay. It rises +fifty leagues inland, and is inhabited along its entire course by the +above-mentioned people. Its water is excellent, and the whole land is +quite fertile and healthful, and abounds in rice, swine, fowls, and +palm-wine; and there is much hunting of buffaloes, deer, wild hogs, +and birds. A great amount of wax, cotton, and gold is collected in +this district, in which articles the natives pay their tribute. Two +leagues opposite the bar of the river Taxo is the dense population of +the Babuyanes Islands. One island is an encomienda under the control +of his Majesty, and is said to contain one thousand men. The tribute +has not been collected, because the inhabitants, it is said, are not +pacified. The eight other islands are distributed among the seven +[other] citizens [of Nueva Segovia]. They number three thousand men, +more rather than less from all of whom their masters collect three +hundred tributes. All of these islands are distant three or four +leagues from one another. Sixty priests would be needed for the care +of these thirty thousand Indians, counting two priests to each thousand +tributarios. At the present time, sixteen priests are needed for those +who are pacified, as we have said. These priests are very important +for the pacification and permanent settlement of the natives, and for +[the spiritual needs of] the soldiers. This province of Cagayan lies +seventy leagues from the mainland of China and the coast cities of +that country. Seventy ministers are necessary, who, with the help and +protection of the soldiers, will gather the inhabitants together and +pacify them all, and seek out the rest of the people--who, as we are +informed, exist in great number as far as Cagayan. + + +_The province of La Laguna_ + +The province of La Laguna ["the Lake"], commences at the lake--which is +the body of water above this city of Manilla where the river of this +city rises, as well as others in the mountain hard by--six leagues +from this city. [5] It is about twenty leagues in circuit, and in +this territory, inhabited by eleven thousand Indian tributarios, +there are twelve religious houses--ten of Franciscans, with fifteen +priests and nine brothers; one of Augustinians, with three priests; +and, in the other house, one ecclesiastic. Two thousand seven hundred +of the inhabitants are his Majesty's, and two thousand four hundred +[6] are distributed among eight encomenderos. Of all the provinces +in these islands, this one has the most instruction. It needs three +more priests. It has one alcalde-mayor, and should have besides one +corregidor. Near the coast of the bay of this city is the province +of Bonbon y Balayan. + + +_The province of Bonbon y Balayan_ + +The province of Bonbon contains the people of the Lake, who amount +to four thousand men, belonging to the Mariscal. [7] It comprises +the villages of Batangas, Galbandayun, Calilaya, and the lowlands +of Balayan, which amount in all to nine thousand tributarios. His +Majesty has one thousand two hundred of them, and five encomenderos +seven thousand eight hundred. There are four religious houses--two of +Augustinians, in Bonbon and Batangas; and the other two of Franciscans, +in Balayan and Dayun. These houses contain four Augustinian priests, +and three Franciscan priests and two brothers. Ten more ministers +are necessary. + + +_Province of Camarines_ + +The province of Camarines lies fifty leagues from this city. In +it is located the city of Caceres, with thirty citizens, who have +generally thirty soldiers quartered among them. Twenty of these +citizens are married, six of them to native women. The city has +its own cabildo and governing body; also a church with one vicar, +one Franciscan monastery with two priests and two brothers besides, +and one alcalde-mayor. It could have three more corregidorships. + +This province has twenty thousand tributarios, of whom two thousand +five hundred are his Majesty's, and seventeen thousand five hundred +are distributed among twenty encomiendas. + +There are ten Franciscan houses in this province, besides the convent +of the city, with eleven priests and eight brothers in all. There +are two more ecclesiastics in two districts, not counting the curate +of the city. Twenty more priests are necessary. The faith has had an +excellent opening in this province of Camarines, and the preaching +of the gospel has shed its rays far and wide therein. The natives +are especially inclined to the sacrament of Penitence; and it is a +thing to marvel at, to see the churches continually filled, especially +during Lent, with people asking confession. + +The people of this province are simple and well disposed. Their +country is delightful in its location, being healthful and very +beautiful. The chase yields many wild hogs, deer, and buffaloes; +and there are many birds, such as hens, ducks of many varieties, the +smaller birds, and many others. There is a river where fish abound +in great plenty, especially swordfish, and many black shellfish, +the latter being gathered at the river. There is much fine scenery +in this province, and it contains many springs and rivers of fresh, +clear water, on account of which there is always abundance of excellent +water in this province. Near the boundaries of the province are two +volcanoes of great size and remarkable beauty--one of fire, and the +other of water. [8] According to the report of the natives who have +climbed up to the volcano of water, there are many royal eagles there, +besides much white honey and wax, and fruits of various kinds. + +The entire population of this province is in encomiendas, separated +two or three leagues, or even a less distance, from one another; +and all these encomiendas are contained within thirty leagues. + +Besides this island of Luzon, there are many other inhabited islands, +situated close to it, within a circuit of one hundred leagues. There +are two more Spanish colonies--one the city of Nonbre de Jesus, +in Cebu; and the other the town of Arevalo, [9] in Oton. + + +_Concerning Cubu_ + +The city of Cubu has thirty citizens, among whom are quartered twenty +soldiers. These citizens are all encomenderos, and all married to +either Spanish or Indian women. Their encomiendas are located among +the neighboring islands, there being thirty-two encomiendas with +eighteen thousand tributarios. Here his Majesty possesses some few +little hamlets, in which but little tribute is collected, and the +natives of the city--who by special privilege pay no tribute, because +from the very first they received the Spaniards in a friendly manner, +furnishing the camp with provisions, and showing themselves loyal +on many occasions. This city has a church, with one vicar; and one +Augustinian monastery, containing three or four religious. In all +those encomiendas there is no other instruction. Three more priests +are necessary. + +This city has a municipal council and alcaldes; and has a fortress +provided with three or four large pieces of artillery, and some +small ones, such as falcons and small culverins; and having its own +governor. This fort is located opposite Burney, the Malucos and +Mindanaos, and other infidel islands and kingdoms. This city has +one alcalde-mayor. + + +_The town of Arevalo_ + +The town of Arevalo is situated on the island of Oton [or Panay], +and has twenty citizens; they are encomenderos, and have thirty +soldiers quartered among them. The town has a municipal council, +alcaldes-in-ordinary, and one alcalde-mayor. In the islands near this +settlement there are twenty-two thousand tributarios; three thousand +of these are his Majesty's, and nineteen thousand are distributed +among eighteen encomiendas. There is one church and one vicar, and +one monastery with two Augustinians. Outside of the town, in certain +of the encomiendas, are four more houses of the same order. The five +houses contain ten priests. Three or four more are needed. + +All of these islands, as well as those of the settlement of Cubu, +abound in flesh of wild hogs and birds; and in all the above-mentioned +places many fowls and swine are raised. Tribute is paid in gold, +cloth, wax, cotton thread, rice, and fowls, at a valuation based on +the peso of Tipuzque. + +In addition to these islands and settlements, there are other +islands, namely, Marinduque, Luban, Mindoro, Elen, Calamianes, with +two thousand five hundred tributarios, besides a much greater number +still unpacified. None of them has any instruction, except Mindoro, +where his Majesty has five hundred Indians who are instructed. One +ecclesiastic in the islands of Calamianes collects the tribute, +in the name of his Majesty, from two hundred more. We hear of many +more who are still unpacified. The rest are in two encomiendas. Six +ecclesiastics are necessary. + + +_Summary of the Above Relation_ + +According to what is set forth in this relation, it is therefore +evident that there are one hundred and forty-six thousand, seven +hundred pacified tributarios in this island of Luzon and the other +islands of this government. Of this number his Majesty has twenty-eight +thousand seven hundred. The religious number fifty-four Augustinian +priests, and thirty-eight descalced Franciscan friars--all these +for this city and the instruction of the natives--with an additional +number of some ten ecclesiastics, in curacies and vicariates outside +of this city, as has been related. One hundred and ninety more priests +are necessary for the instruction of the said natives, which number +will furnish sufficient instruction, counting for each thousand +tributarios two religious--priests, friars, or ecclesiastics. These +thousand tributarios amount to somewhat less than four thousand +people. It is quite certain that with adequate instruction, such +as is indicated in the foregoing, many people, not yet pacified, +will become so, and the number of tributarios in the above-named +provinces would be increased to two hundred thousand. For we have +heard that in the province of Cagayan there are many more people +besides those apportioned in encomiendas, as also in the islands of +[Ca]lamianes, Mindoro, Luban, and Elin, as well as in many other +islands included in the colonies of Oton and Cebu. In all of these +the Christian instruction and conversion would be extended through +the territories and provinces adjoining them, and the inhabitants +would be rendered obedient to his Majesty without the necessity of +arms and war; whereby God, our Lord, would be much pleased and these +kingdoms greatly extended. The fathers of the Society, comprising +but three priests and two brothers, reside in this city, where by +means of their teaching they produce the greatest results. They are +studying and learning the language of the natives and of the Chinese, +in order to work among them when more of their Society come hither--a +pressing necessity, for which your Majesty should provide. + +(This relation, in its present sum and substance, was made by the +cabildo of this city, in order that it might be sent to Father +Alonso Sanchez, general agent for this city and these islands at +his Majesty's court. Made on the last of December, one thousand five +hundred and eighty-six. + +This copy was made and transcribed, corrected, and collated with +another copy in my possession, among the papers of the cabildo in +Manila, on the twenty-first day of the month of June, one thousand five +hundred and eighty-eight, Francisco de Zarate and Alonso Maldonado +being witnesses. Therefore, in testimony of the above, I, Simon +Lopez, notary of the king, our master, and of the cabildo of this +distinguished and ever loyal city of Manila, do affix hereunto my seal. + +In testimony of the truth: + +_Simon Lopez_, notary of the cabildo) + + +[The following matter is added by Salazar:] In addition to the towns +named in this relation, I feel in duty bound to give your Majesty some +general information concerning certain islands which are named in +it without making particular mention of them; and concerning others +which are not mentioned at all, which are very important, and have +a large population. + +The town of Arevalo, of which mention is made above, was founded +in the island of Panay, which is one of the best islands of this +archipelago. This island is one hundred leagues in circuit, and is +well populated. The Augustinian friars had charge of it when the +relation was written; but they abandoned it about six months ago, +on account of having an insufficient number of friars for their houses. + +Next to this island, at a league's distance, is the island of Ymaras, +which is apportioned among encomenderos. It is about twenty leagues in +circumference, and has six hundred tributarios. Instruction has never +been furnished it, although some Augustinian friars have visited it +at times. + +Next this island of Ymaras, at three leagues' distance toward the +south, is situated the island called Negros. It is much larger +than Panay, but not so densely populated. It had two Augustinian +monasteries, but they were abandoned more than five years ago, and +the baptized Christians were left without instruction. The island is +without instruction now, and the baptized Christians have returned +to their idolatries. + +The island of Bantayan is small and densely populated. It has more than +eight hundred tributarios, most of them Christians. The Augustinians +who had them in charge have abandoned them also, and they are now +without instruction. This island is twenty leagues from Zubu. + + +_The island of Leyte_ + +The island of Leyte is thirty leagues south of Cubu. It is one of the +most excellent islands of this bishopric, and produces much food. It +has sixteen or eighteen encomenderos, and fifteen or sixteen thousand +tributarios. It has never had, and has not now, any instruction. + + +_Island of Bohol_ + +The island of Bohol, situated near Cubu, is small and populated. It +has about six hundred tributarios. + +The island of Mindanao is larger than that of Luzon, although it is +believed to be not so well populated. Much of it is apportioned among +Spaniards, and some of the natives pay tribute. For three years, the +preachers of Mahoma have come into the regions hereabout, coming from +Burney to Terrenate. We have heard that there are some Moros from Meca +among them. The law of Mahoma is preached publicly at the very river +of Mindanao, and mosques have been built and are being built. And it +is to the shame of Christianity there that it does not hasten to drive +these preachers from that region, since the inhabitants are vassals +of your Majesty, and have rendered your Majesty obedience for a long +time. The galleons sailing from India to Maluco know that island, +and obtain water and provisions there. Fifty leagues from this island +of Mindanao lies the island of Jolo, which has been given over to +encomenderos these many years. It is an island where many pearls are +found, and where elephants are reared. The inhabitants have a king of +their own, who is a relative of the monarch of Terrenate. Neither in +this island nor in that of Mindanao is there much Christian teaching; +nor can there ever be, unless the people are pacified. + +The island of Ybabao, situated between this island of Luzon and that +of Cubu, is quite large, but does not contain many inhabitants. It +has a few encomenderos, is not yet entirely pacified, and has never +had any instruction. The island of Catanduanes is excellent and well +populated; it lies next to Camarines. There are four encomiendas +on it; it contains about three thousand tributarios, who up to the +present time have never had any Christian teaching. The island of +Marinduque, lying about three leagues from this island, is divided +into encomiendas. It has about eight hundred tributarios, who have +never been instructed in the faith. From this island to the strait +called Espiritu Sancto, many small islands are scatered--namely, +Masbate, Capul, Burias, Banton, Conblon, Simara, Sibuyan, the island +of Tablas, and many others--of which, because of their small size and +scanty population, no mention is made, although all are apportioned +into encomiendas and tribute is collected in them every year. They +have no Christian teaching, nor hope of any. + +Eighteen or twenty leagues west of the island of Panay, is located an +exceeding fine and well-populated island, called Cuyo; it is very low +and small. Together with seven small islands near by, it contains one +thousand two hundred tributarios. Its inhabitants are rich, and the +principal men live very well. The people of Burney have intercourse +with this island, and we suspect that they preach here the law of +Mahoma, although not so publicly as in Mindanao. Many goats, pheasants, +and fowls of larger size than those of this region, are reared in +this island. Its encomendero goes thither each year in the months +of February and March for the purpose of collecting his tributes, +and, this done, returns to his home in the island of Panay. No other +communication is held with this island. It has no instruction now, +and has never had any. + +Lying between the islands of Mindoro and Burney are a number of +islands called the Calamianes. They are scantily populated, and are +under his Majesty's control. Great quantities of wax are collected +therein. Their inhabitants pay tribute also to the people of Burney, +because the Spaniards do not trouble themselves about them further +than to collect the tribute, leaving them to whomsoever may come +from Burney to rob them. They have never had any Christian teaching, +nor is there hope of any speedily, because they are few in number +and widely scattered. + +The island of Mindoro is situated twenty-five leagues southwest of this +city. From the nearest coast of this island [Luzon] the distance to +Mindoro is about six leagues. This island of Mindoro is sixty leagues +in circumference. It contains more than five thousand families, of whom +two thousand pay tribute and are pacified. The remainder, for lack +of men to subdue them, neglect to pay their tribute. Augustinian and +Franciscan friars have been in this district, but all have abandoned +it. There is at present one ecclesiastic there, who has the care of +about one thousand Christianized tributarios. All of the remainder +of the inhabitants are infidels, and without instruction. + +Next to the island of Mindoro, and in the direction of this city, lies +the small island of Luban, with about five hundred tributarios. Its +inhabitants are well disposed, and have asked me many times for +Christian teaching; but, for lack of ministers to send to them, +they cannot have it. + +This is the most trustworthy relation that your Majesty can have, in +order that your Majesty may see clearly the great need for ministers +who shall labor for the conversion of these infidels, and for the +preservation of those who have already received the faith, but are +falling back into their idolatrous practices, because they have been +abandoned by those who baptized them. Many of the islands named in +this relation I have visited personally, and concerning the others +I have been informed by those familiar with them; and, although it +is not possible to know the exact truth, I have tried to ascertain +it as nearly as I could. All of these islands are included in your +Majesty's kingdom; all pay tribute, and in sufficient quantities +to entitle them to receive instruction. Since your Majesty has in +your dominions so many and so excellent religious and ecclesiastics, +who, if your Majesty give the order, will prepare to come hither, +may your Majesty feel so strongly the ills of this land and its lack +of religious workers, that you will order to come hither as many as +are needed for the salvation of the great number of souls who are +perishing here for want of religious teaching. Your Majesty should +understand that, when we speak of such an island or town having so +many tributarios, we mean married men, or two single men who make one +whole tribute; so that when there are one thousand tributarios, it +follows that there must be two thousand persons. And it will happen +most frequently that the number will reach three or four thousand, +counting one or two children to each household. From the foregoing +your Majesty will realize clearly the countless number of souls under +your Majesty's charge, and who are waiting for your Majesty to provide +them with ministers of religion, in order that they may be drawn out +of their present darkness, and placed on the pathway of salvation. At +Manila, June twenty-fifth, 1585 [sic; should be 1588]. + + + + +Letter from Vera to Felipe II + + +Sire: + +In the past year of 87, I sent your Majesty an account of the +condition of this land, by the usual route, and also one by way of +India. As the voyage is so uncertain and dangerous, another duplicate +is sent herewith; and I beg your Majesty to have it examined, as it +is important for your service. + +On the twenty-seventh of February of this year, I had news from the +Pintados Islands that, on the seventh of the said month, at one of +the islands about eighty leagues south of Lucon, an English ship had +been seen. With their small boat they had seized a Spanish sailor +who was coasting along carelessly in a small bark. He did not flee +from the enemy, as he took them to be Spaniards and friends; for it +is unusual for ships from England to come here. Next day the English +learned that a galleon of your Majesty was being built in the shipyard +of Caigoan on the island of Panay. An attempt was made to land troops +for the purpose, as is supposed, of burning it; but it was defended +by some carpenters and calkers who were working thereon. By this +it may be inferred that the enemy carried but a small force. After +this resistance, the enemy went to Mindanao, leaving on an islet in +their course the mariner whom they had taken prisoner. [10] From him +I ascertained the fresh destruction planned for this country. He +says that several Spaniards, who were his fellow-prisoners on the +English ship, told him that your Majesty's galleon "Santa Ana" had +been captured near California, a country on the mainland which is +continuous with Nueva Espana. The galleon left this port in June of +the past year, 87; and as no other ships but ours have ever been +sighted on this voyage, which is through so remote regions, they +have always sailed with little or no artillery, and with as little +fear from corsairs as if they were on the river of Sevilla. Thus +the English easily captured the galleon, plundered and burned it, +and hanged a canon of our church. The other persons were sent in a +small boat to land, where it is believed that some of them have died +of starvation and hardships. From this galleon there was plundered +a thousand marcos of registered gold, and there must have been as +large a sum unregistered; twenty-two and one-half arrobas of musk, +an abundance of civet, and many pearls, and the richest of silks and +brocades. At this capture, the enemy took with them [from the "Santa +Ana"] several skilful mariners and a pilot, to guide them to these +islands. The captive mariner knew these men, and in conversation with +them he learned what I have related. This ship left England with two +others, and plundered sixteen ships off the coast of Piru. One of the +three was lost; the remaining two captured the said galleon "Santa +Ana," and came to these islands. They were separated in a storm, +and only this one arrived. It brought about fifty men, most of them +pilots. This mariner noticed that this vessel carried twenty-five +pieces of bronze, and cast-iron artillery, and much ammunition. The +ship is small, of about one hundred and fifty toneladas, staunch +and well fitted. There is no doubt that they have plundered more +than a million [pesos'] worth of gold, pearls, musk, civet, and rich +merchandise, which all belonged in Nueva Espana. The Spaniards there +would have been diligent in pursuing this corsair; but, as I received +information so late, and the enemy only reconnoitered here, without +remaining at any place, to inform them would have done no good. I +sent word to Maluco, whither it seems the enemy directed his course, +to the captain-general and to the sea-captains who might be there +with their galleons; also to the petty kings friendly to your Majesty, +and to the fort at Ambueno--where, it is understood, this corsair is +going to spend the winter and repair his ship. Captain Francisco is +at an island of that archipelago called Jula, near either Macasar or +Japara. I advised the sending of a message to him, and the exercise +of diligence, as they have greater facility for obtaining news there +on account of the many ships which are usually near at hand. And +I advised them to follow the Englishman and ascertain where he was +going to winter; for it was impossible to return immediately to his +own country, because the weather began to be contrary. It would be +necessary to pass out through Sunda and other straits, of which the +Portuguese are warned; and there it would be easy to await him and cut +off his passage, as they hold him so closely. This account was given +by a sailor--a native of this land--who was seized in the galleon, +and carried away by the Englishman. He escaped at the mouth of the +channel of these islands, and I have kept him here with me. His +declarations accompany this letter. + +The first time when this galleon "Sancta Ana" sailed from here, I sent +by her some artillery removed from your Majesty's forts, in order to +provide greater security. In Nueva Espana the artillery was taken out, +and the ship returned without it. I thought that if I sent more on the +ships, and it were taken out over there, the forts here would be in +need, while the ships would gain nothing. Understanding that there was +no danger from corsairs on the voyage, I sent the ships, as usual, +without artillery. Now that I have seen the need for artillery, +and the risk that they run, if it is not carried, I am sending +two ships this year, each with four heavy pieces of artillery, two +falcon guns, and arquebuses and other arms carried by the sailors and +passengers. I am collecting what metal I can find and making thereof +some pieces of ordnance with which to fill the place of those sent +from the said forts. The merchants are paying your Majesty the value +of the artillery, arms, and ammunition carried by one of the ships, +and I have loaned the price of those of the other. They will pay +this also in the coming year, and the ships will sail armed at the +account and cost of the merchants. I beseech your Majesty to command +the viceroy of Nueva Espana to have the artillery and arms returned +by the same ships; and that the pieces carried by the "Sancta Ana" +be returned to these forts, which greatly need them. + +In another letter I have written to your Majesty about the general +fire in this city. The powder and military supplies were burned and +the artillery destroyed. Although I have had the pieces recast, using +the metal which was left, there are only twenty-five heavy pieces and +several lighter ones. This is but little artillery for the needs of +this land, for defense and the expeditions that are made. Some copper +mines have been discovered but although at first they seemed to be +very rich, on commencing to work them, it was found that the labor +was expensive and there was but little metal. Everything necessary +could be brought from Macan, if your Majesty were pleased to have +money sent from your royal treasury of Mexico for this purpose. + +I have already written to your Majesty of the necessity that, for the +preservation of this land, the viceroy of Nueva Espana send annual +reenforcements of troops, arms, and ammunition. As this has not been +done for three years, the majority of the troops have died, and there +are now so few here, that if reenforcements are not supplied according +to the requests of the governor and officers of the royal exchequer, +great risk will be run, and what your Majesty has gained and preserved +at cost of such labors and expenses will be irretrievably lost. I +especially beg your Majesty to order such provision to be made that +so propitious a beginning be not lost, and the door closed which +has been opened by your Majesty for the conversion of so large and +powerful kingdoms with untold riches and innumerable inhabitants. + +According to your Majesty's commands I had some galleys made in +these islands, and I have three at this port. They are of little use, +because of the lack of men skilled in managing and sailing with lateen +sails, and the scarcity of rowers. I have tried to keep up its crew by +hiring men; but the natives are so despicable a people that they are of +little use for this purpose, nor do they have sufficient strength for +rowing. On hearing the report of an arquebus they throw themselves on +the ground, and do not rise even at the lash. I have selected three +hundred Chinese, who are stronger, and who, if allowed liberty to +quit the work, and exemption from tribute, will bind themselves to +serve on the galleys. But although earnest endeavors have been made +to teach them, they row very badly, and have as little energy as the +natives of these islands have. They row in their own country with +a sort of oar which they call _lios lios_. By means of these the +galley moves very slowly, and therefore they may be of some benefit +among these islands. Better results would be obtained, however, if +instead of these galleys there were small ships of from sixty to a +hundred toneladas with which it is easier to navigate here. I inform +your Majesty thereof in order that provision may be made according +to the royal pleasure. As I have advised your Majesty, I have, in +anticipation of future contingencies, commenced a good stone fort +in this city, which will be entirely completed within a year. I have +levied taxes therefor upon the citizens and encomenderos; the Indian +tributarios have each paid one real, while one per cent has been +collected for two years on the coin brought from Nueva Espana. I am +sending to your Majesty the sketch and model of this fort; it is the +strongest which has been built in the Yndias, although it is not of +modern style. It was necessary to build it according to the condition +of the country; it is round in shape, high, and covered over so as to +be more capacious. The climate is so hot, the sun so fierce and the +rains so heavy, that if the soldiers who must defend the place were +not under cover they would perish from the heat, as would likewise +those who should undertake to erect the fort. The stone for the most of +the rampart is so suitable in quality that, wherever a ball strikes, +the wall remains unhurt, nor is any other injury inflicted. There +is no fear that an attack by a battery can do as much damage as if +the stone were hard and resisting. The balls cannot be fired so as +to strike, without great difficulty, as the fort is on the shore and +the country is perfectly level. Within there is fresh running water +in abundance; and in addition to that, wherever one digs, excellent +drinking water is found. It is impossible to undermine the fort, +because there is water around it, at a distance of one or two varas, +or even less in some places. The city is surrounded by water--the sea +on one side; on another the moat, which extends to the river; and, on +still another side, the river itself. Thus the city is on an island; +and, with the other bulwarks and the wooden fort, which I have had +repaired, this city is well defended, provided we had sufficient +troops and ammunition. + +I received your Majesty's letter on the twenty-second of May of this +year; and, by a royal decree of the first of December of the year 86, +your Majesty orders me to act in accordance with my best judgment, +as your Majesty had understood that the auditors of this Audiencia +according to the present regulations, cannot visit the country out +of their turn. I will fulfil your Majesty's commands and will render +an account of all transactions. + +By another royal decree of the nineteenth of August of said year, +your Majesty orders that, if it should appear necessary to me, +certain offices of notaries and magistrates in these islands should +be sold, under the condition that the persons who should be the +highest bidders should obtain confirmation of their title within +three years. These offices are of very little profit, and of none +at all in some places, as the land has been settled so recently, +and there are few inhabitants and little business therein. As it is +continually becoming more populous and well established, it would +be more advantageous to postpone the sale of these offices for some +years, until they shall be worth more. I will make the necessary +investigations, as your Majesty commands me, and will advise your +Majesty of the prices offered. If I find that for any of them I +can obtain its value in the future I will have it auctioned. In the +meantime I will make endeavors to have them sold for a price that +can be profitable to your Majesty's royal exchequer. + +By another decree of the twenty-seventh of August of said year, +your Majesty orders me to give my opinion of the arms that are in +the fort of the city of Manila, and those that are needed. In three +forts which your Majesty has here, there are twenty-four heavy pieces, +two small ones, and some culverins, as will be seen below. + +In the stone fort there are three swivel-guns, located in the three +casemates, of about twenty quintals' weight. On the first floor over +the rampart, there are seven heavy pieces, extra thick and strong at +the breech. Two are of about forty quintals' weight, three varas in +length and carry a ball of cast iron weighing sixteen libras. Two +others are of wrought iron, of sixty quintals' weight, three and +two-thirds varas in length, and carry a ball of cast iron weighing +fifteen libras. One cannon is of fifty-five quintals' weight, four and +one-third varas in length, and carries a ball of cast iron weighing +fourteen libras; one culverin, five and one-half varas in length, +weighs one hundred and one quintals one arroba, and carries a cast +iron ball weighing seventeen libras; another piece of thirty-five +quintals' weight, three varas in length, carries a cast iron ball +weighing twelve libras. + +The fort at the point has one cannon weighing twenty-five quintals; +three small cannon [_sacres_], weighing twenty-two; and a half-sacre +weighing thirteen--the last, with its apparatus, being four varas +in length. + +The cavalier of the beach has a piece, extra thick and strong at +the breech, of forty quintals' weight which carries a ball weighing +fifteen libras; and one half-sacre, of thirteen quintals' weight. + +At the river there is a large swivel-gun with cross-bars, weighing +thirty quintals; one cannon weighing twenty-six quintals, one sacre +weighing twenty-two quintals, four half-sacres weighing thirteen or +fourteen quintals, and two _esmeriles_ [a small piece of ordnance] +weighing four or five quintals. + +For the stone fort to be provided with artillery according to its +plan and embrasures, it is necessary to have twenty-five pieces, +three of them heavy, and twelve sacres and half-sacres. + +The cavalier of the beach needs five pieces, two of them heavy, +and three sacres. + +That at the point of the sea and the river needs six pieces--some +sacres, and two swivel-guns. + +For the service of the ships and galleys there are needed four +cannon, six swivel-guns, six sacres, six half-sacres, and some small +culverins. Thus sixty pieces in all are necessary to provide the +city well with artillery for defense, as well as for the galleys +and ships of the fleet, and for the succor and pacification of all +these islands. There are only twenty-four needed, for there are now +thirty-six. In the shipyard there are now four sacres of twenty-two +quintals' weight, two of which have been cast, and the other two are +about to be cast. This class of arms is the best and most important for +this land these and the swivel-guns. This artillery could be provided, +and much more be made, for other of your Majesty's strongholds in these +islands and the Yndias, should your Majesty be pleased to have six or +eight thousand pesos sent annually from Mexico so that the metal could +be bought at Macao in China, as it is very plentiful and cheap there. + +According to the commission of your Majesty, I have proceeded +against the royal officials in regard to their traffic and trade +in merchandise. By the convictions of guilt which have resulted +from the investigations and process of law, I have condemned the +guilty to pay fines to the exchequer. There seems to have been no +traffic with funds in the royal exchequer; or, if there were any, +no damage or injury to it has resulted. I am sending the testimony +of the sentences and proceedings to your Majesty's royal Council, +where your Majesty will order their examination, if such is your +pleasure. May God guard the Catholic person of your Majesty. Manila, +June twenty-sixth, of the year 1588. + +The licentiate _Santiago de Vera_ + +[_Endorsed_: "Examined, with the other letter."] + + + +Letter from Domingo de Salazar to Felipe II + + +Sire: + +In a letter which your Majesty had written to me from Madrid, on the +eleventh of January of the year 87, I see the reprimand which your +Majesty gives me, on account of information that you had received that, +on certain occasions which had arisen, I had had controversies with the +royal Audiencia here; also that this has finally resulted in scandal +and comment in the town, and that there was fault on both sides. I +receive this reprimand as from my king and lord, but, although it +comes from him, it is very serious and is sufficient to cause much +pain; nevertheless, I have not allowed myself to feel hurt, since your +Majesty judges according to the information that you have received. He +who so informed your Majesty that I was made to appear guilty will +give account to God for his good or bad intention, since for my own +satisfaction the testimony of my conscience is all-sufficient. It is +well-known in the city, and outside of it, that if I had not entered +as mediator neither the president and auditors, nor the auditors +alone, would have had peace. It would not have been possible for me +to establish peace if there had not been friendly relations between +them and me. Since they were pacified through my intercession, peace +has lasted until now; and in order that this peace be lasting, and +that there be no occasion for violating it, I humbly beseech your +Majesty to be pleased to command the president and auditors not to +interfere with me in affairs which concern my privileges--since my +life is a very open one, a fact known to all. They have no cause for +complaint because I sat down in my own church on the gospel side; +for, besides my being the father and pastor of this state, and having +in charge the souls of the auditors, it is a very usual thing for +bishops and archbishops to seat themselves in that very place in the +presence of viceroys and presidents, without that act exciting any +surprise. For the sake of peace, I have overlooked the matter, and +have not again taken my seat in that place, hoping that your Majesty +would send commands concerning this and what ought to be done, since +it is not right that I should leave to my successors the disputes +and controversies with the Audiencia whereby results so much harm to +the commonwealth. It is of no less importance that the prelates be as +much respected by the people as are the audiencias. The latter make +themselves feared by the power which they hold; but if the prelates +are not favored by those who govern, they are speedily despised by +the people. Since your Majesty sees how important this matter is, may +it be your Majesty's pleasure not to leave us in controversies, but +to order that each shall do his duty without prejudice to the other. + +The hardships and calamities sent by God to this land make me greatly +fear that we who live here have seriously offended Him. For I have +been here eight years, and not one year have I seen pass without the +happening of great calamities--loss of ships; death of the animals +which maintained us; hurricanes, called here _baguios_, which tear +up the trees by the roots and overthrow the houses completely, or +leave them so that they cannot be inhabited; and the general fire +of the year 83, of which your Majesty has been informed. Both before +and since that time, this city has been burned three or four times; +and now, as the last straw, the ship "Santa Ana," which left this +city last year, the richest ship to leave these islands, fell into +the hands of the Lutherans. With that loss, and also that of the ship +"Sant Juan" the year before, which likewise was laden with goods from +this country, some of the citizens of these islands are totally ruined, +and others have suffered so heavy losses that it will be long ere, +with much difficulty, they regain their former state. + +It is very evident, and can be denied by no one, that the loss of +that particular ship was ordained by God; for, three days before +it reached the coast [of California], another ship--from Macao, +bound for Mexico--passed the same place and was not sighted by the +Lutherans. When news was received in Piru of the coming of this pirate, +the viceroy sent in pursuit of them a good fleet, with many soldiers +and ammunition sufficient to engage an equal or greater number. When +they came to the port of Acapulco, supplies were needed; and they +requested these from the purveyor who had them in your Majesty's +warehouses. He was unwilling to give them; and they even say that an +order was given to detain some pack-teams which brought biscuits, so +that the captain of the fleet from Peru could not take them. Thus they +say that, as it was not desired to supply them with provisions, and +because Doctor Palacios [11] became dictatorial in regard to several +points, they returned to Piru; while the Lutheran remained free to +attack and capture, as he did. So great was our misfortune that, at the +time when the two captains were debating as to who should take command, +the pirate was near Puerto de la Navidad, which is not very far from +Acapulco, repairing his ships. Had they attacked him, it would have +been impossible for him to escape; but God chose to blind our men, +so that we might be punished by this pirate. The punishment of God +did not stop here; for, having set fire to the ship "Santa Ana," they +left it half burnt, set sail, and came to these islands. With more than +human courage, they passed through the midst of them with a ship of one +hundred toneladas, where the natives venture with trembling in very +light boats; but this infidel dared not only to come into our midst, +but to collect tributes from your Majesty's vassals. A Spaniard was +captured, and after having told him what they wished him to say to us, +they put him ashore. What they said was in boast that they had left +the coasts of Peru and Nueva Espana utterly ruined; and that they had +robbed and burned the ship "Santa Ana," and hanged a canon who was +on his way from this city to Mexico. In testimony of his prowess and +our misfortune he displayed the silks, brocades, and cloths of gold +which he had seized as plunder. Not content with this, he went away +threatening us that he is to return soon to drive us all hence, and +to destroy the nest that we have made here--meaning thereby the stone +fortress built here. The grief that afflicts me is not because this +barbarian infidel has robbed us of the ship "Santa Ana," and destroyed +thereby the property of almost all the citizens; but because an English +youth of about twenty-two years, with a wretched little vessel of +a hundred toneladas and forty or fifty companions, should dare to +come to my own place of residence, defy us, and boast of the damage +that he had wrought. As your Majesty has here an army of captains, +who, as I understand, are certainly as many as the companions of the +Lutheran, he went from our midst laughing, without anyone molesting +or troubling him; neither has he felt that the Spaniards are in this +land to any purpose. In this matter, I do not care to blame anyone, +because I understand that the governor did his duty--although I was +always of the opinion that the pirate should be pursued and that the +result thereof would not be so bad as some say. The belief here, +however, is that God is chastising us for our sins, and is making +us the laughing-stock of other nations, who have all hitherto stood +in such fear of us. I must explain to your Majesty two other points +bearing on this subject, although it detains me somewhat, as I consider +that I do thereby a very great service. The first is the failure of +the expedition to Maluco. We all had been certain that with fewer men +and less equipment than there actually were, the king of Terrenate +could be subdued; but, quite to the contrary, our men came back as +if fleeing from an unknown foe. The Indians of this archipelago, +who feared us, now laugh; and, together with those of Terrenate, +threaten us. The second point is that in the island of Mindanao, +which is subject to your Majesty, and for many years has paid you +tribute, the law of Mahoma has been publicly proclaimed, for somewhat +more than three years, by preachers from Burney and Terrenate who +have come there--some of them even, it is believed, having come from +Meca. They have erected and are now building mosques, and the boys +are being circumcised, and there is a school where they are taught the +Alcoran. I was promptly informed of this, and urged the president to +supply a remedy therefor at once, in order that that pestilential fire +should not spread in these islands. I could not persuade them to go, +and thus the hatred of Christianity is there; and we are striving no +more to remedy this than if the matter did not concern us. Such are +the calamities and miseries to which we have come, and the punishments +which God inflicts upon us. The reason for it, He only knows; but, +as I infer and fear, it is because we have ill acquitted ourselves +in this land, where it is so needful that we be upright and furnish +good examples. I have written to your Majesty on this point at other +times; and I think that either my letters are not read, or what I +say is not credited. I assure your Majesty that I have never written +anything which is not true, and free from all outward influence, +or self-interest, or human considerations; but I have only done my +duty. The temporal affairs of this land are in the condition which I +have related to your Majesty; and I consider that there will never be +improvement, since cupidity is increasing so immeasurably that neither +the punishments of God nor the threats of men are effectual to produce +any moderation, nor do the manifold outrages cease to be felt. + +The spiritual state, which is my concern, is in the sorriest condition, +because there is no more respect for the things of God than if we +were not Christians. I refer to the Indians and their instruction; and +because entering on this subject is like embarking on a bottomless sea, +I have determined to send to your Majesty a relation of the islands and +towns of this bishopric which are without instruction, in order that +your Majesty's conscience may be relieved by commanding that the remedy +be applied. Therefore I shall now proceed with the said relation. + +The cause of ruin in these islands--which is very menacing, although +it is not declared in Espana--is that both the villages of your +Majesty and those of encomenderos are places where the curacy is so +ill-supplied with chalices and ornaments that it is a shame to see +them. Many of the churches are so indecent that when I visited them, +from pure shame I was obliged to command that they be torn down; they +were not fit to be entered by horses. There are two principal causes +for this: the first is that the encomenderos are penurious and allow +little for the proper ornamentation of the church; and the second, +that some or the majority of the encomiendas are so small that they do +not suffice to support their encomenderos, who thus cannot attend to +matters of divine worship. Consequently, the natives come to regard +the things of God as of little worth, and have little esteem for our +faith and the Christian religion, seeing that we who profess to be +Christians pay so little attention to them. Moreover, the natives of +these islands are so harassed and afflicted with public and private +undertakings, that they are not able to take breath; nor do they have +time to observe the instruction, and hold it of so little account that +when they lack for anything, it must be in the instruction and not in +temporal affairs. I cannot picture to your Majesty, nor declare what +I feel in my heart about this matter. Moreover, I am very sure that +all the chastisements given us by God, the hardships, misfortunes, and +calamities sent us, all are because of evil treatment of the Indians +and the little heed taken for the principal reason for our coming--that +is, their conversion and protection. The remedy therefor is not that +your Majesty send decrees and orders charging good treatment of the +Indians, as in the letters which have already been received here; but +that a number of the best religious be sent. They can deal with these +natives, and defend them from the labors imposed by the Spaniards, +and from the outrages that they inflict upon them. Again, it is of +even more importance that, if your Majesty, as is rumored here, is +to send hither a governor or president, he be a man free from all +human interests, whose head could not be turned by the great gains +in this country. He should not be married, nor should he bring with +him relatives or followers for whom to provide. For under any one of +the aforesaid conditions it is impossible to avoid the destruction of +this country, beyond the power of your Majesty to remedy it. I have +written this to your Majesty several times before, and now I repeat it, +since it is the most necessary thing for the betterment of this land, +which would be surely destroyed by its lack. + +Of the viceroy of Nueva Espana, so many things are said in this +country, that if but one-tenth of them were true, it is impossible +for your Majesty to know them and fail to correct them. This is +another of the heavy afflictions that God has sent upon this land, +for even the severity which has been shown by him to those who +go from here is alone sufficient to make this land desolate. No +consideration is given to the fact that the citizens and soldiers +thereof serve your Majesty with the same hardships and loyalty with +which other men have served their king. Nevertheless, there is no +lack of persons to inform your Majesty thereof, since the loss of +temporal things is always felt more than the spiritual. I leave it +to be described by those who have felt the hurt, since it does not +concern me in any way, except the regret that I feel for the damage +done to my neighbors; for my enterprises and traffic are to remedy +the needs of the poor, and to defend and help the natives of these +islands, who have much need thereof. The complaint that I make of the +viceroy of Nueva Espana is that he has not allowed more than fifteen +Dominican friars to come here, although your Majesty sent to Mexico +forty of them. This is the greatest damage that the viceroy could do +to this country, as there is exceeding need of ministers of religion, +such as come now. If the fifteen were five hundred, the evils of the +country would be corrected, and the conscience of your Majesty quite +at ease. It is such men that your Majesty should order to come here, +and you should refuse to permit those to come who will do more harm +than good. Likewise your Majesty should order the generals of the +orders of St. Francis and St. Augustine to send hither visitors, +who are most necessary. Those of St. Augustine are to be preferred, +however, as the friars of St. Francis are more retired from the world. + +I wrote to your Majesty, via Malaca, of what had happened with the +religious in regard to the observance of the royal decrees treating +of the instruction of the Indians by the religious. As the licentiate +Ayala, fiscal of the royal Audiencia here, sent the records concerning +the subject, I shall but mention and not refer to them at length. + +At other times I have written to your Majesty explaining the +impossibility of a bishop being able to govern all the bishopric which +I have now. For this island of Lucon it is necessary to have two or +even three bishops--that is to say, I humbly beseech your Majesty to +be pleased to provide for the Pintados Islands a bishop with his seat +in the city of Cubu. By the relation which I am sending, your Majesty +will see that two bishops are not sufficient. I declare to your Majesty +that in that case the royal conscience would not be at ease nor would +mine; and I dare not leave it unsaid, for fear of my peace of mind. + +As I have said before, I had determined to write nothing whatever in +detail concerning the damages that the viceroy of Nueva Espana had +done to these kingdoms. It seems to me that your Majesty will have had +advices thereof, and will have ordered a means of correction. Moreover, +as many are interested and have grievances, there will be no lack of +a person to advise your Majesty thereof. Nevertheless, I have since +thought that I neglect my duty in failing to send a testimonial to +your Majesty which was forwarded to this city from Lope de Palacios, +captain of the ship "Sant Martin," which went to China. He sent +to this city, asking that he be granted permission to leave Macao, +because he feared that they were about to kill him in order to gain +possession of his property. I am the only person who can send this +memorial to your Majesty, as Lope de Palacios sent it to this city +with much secrecy, and in the same manner was it given to me. I +discussed the matter with the president, saying that we should send +for the captain as if the idea were our own and he had not requested +it--employing so great secrecy, so that the Portuguese who were here +would not learn of it; for the same Lope de Palacios had declared that +he would be certainly put to death if they knew that he was trying +to come here. Nevertheless, the request to send for him was in vain, +and I was moved to forward this testimonial to your Majesty. It states +therein the great harm done by the viceroy in sending the ship "San +Martin" to Macao. As the same person who went to learn the damage gives +testimony thereof, no witness more worthy of credit can be entered in +the cause. I am also writing to the viceroy of Nueva Espana in regard +to the injuries which he wrought on these kingdoms by despatching +the ship "San Martin" to China--although God supplied the remedy, +by the loss of the same ship. I tell him that if that ship had been +sent to this city a more prosperous voyage would have been made than +the investors could have expected, for so many Chinese merchants came +this year to this city, that the merchandise was worth nothing; and +if the ship "San Martin" had come here a satisfactory and cheap cargo +could have been obtained, perhaps even in greater quantity than at +Macao. Instead of damaging this city, those persons would have been +enriched, who on account of greed were unable to see the damage done +to all of us. Thus God has punished them all, by depriving them of +that profit the desire for which had blinded them to their duty. + +They also say that the ship "Sant Ana" was sold for thirty thousand +pesos and ordered to make a voyage to Macao. These proceedings also +were put to confusion by God, through means which have cost us dearly, +namely the loss, of that vessel. It can be said that if it had been +at Macao somewhat less damage would have been done to these islands +than in the burning of the ship by the Englishman. As I wrote to +your Majesty, via Malaca, for ships to go from Mexico to Macao is +to destroy both those kingdoms and these, since the Chinese raise +the prices of their merchandise to such an extent that Portuguese +and Castilians cannot live. May your Majesty be pleased to order +the viceroy to hold these lands in somewhat higher estimation, +since your Majesty considers them (and justly so) worthy of constant +attention. Ever since the viceroy came to Mexico, he has not sent to +this country any troops (except exiles or criminals), or ammunition, +or the customary supplies for this camp, as wine, flour, and other +articles; he has so reduced everything that there is great privation +here, and very little profit to your Majesty. + +Your Majesty's governor and royal Audiencia in these islands look well +to the service of your Majesty and the good of this country. Will +your Majesty be pleased to order the viceroy of Nueva Espana, +present or future, not to disturb or change what may be decided by +them? not only in the customs duties, but in the price fixed for +each tonelada, and in the mode of registration. According to our +information, the viceroy has changed everything, greatly increasing +the taxes imposed here. The labors of the citizens in the service of +your Majesty in these islands should be sufficient without still more +severe requirements from Nueva Espana. + +During the past year there was great confusion, which still continues, +about the goods which were brought to this city by your Majesty's +ships. The citizens claim that they ought to be preferred to the +merchants; and the merchants complain that, on account of the cargoes +of the citizens, their merchandise remained here. I understand that on +this point offenses' against God have been committed, and still more +serious damage may be done--some persons being ruined, as they have +no space in the cargoes for their property--unless it is checked by +your Majesty commanding what order must be followed in this affair. It +is of exceeding importance for the quiet and content of this city. + +There are so many Chinese that come to this land that the islands +are full of them. Thereby follows much damage to the natives, as +the Chinese are a very vicious people, from intercourse with whom no +good but much harm can be gained. I have tried to have the governors +remedy the matter by commanding that all the Chinese be collected in +this city. I see no improvement, however; and it is of much importance +that this be corrected, for the temporal and spiritual good of these +lands. Will your Majesty be pleased to order that this be remedied +by severe measures. May our Lord guard your Majesty many years for +the good of us who can do but little. At Manila, June 27, 1588. + +_The Bishop of the Filipinas_ + + + + +Documents of 1589 + + + + Excerpt from a letter from the viceroy of India. [Manuel de + Sousa Coutinho]; April 3. Letter to Felipe II. Santiago de + Vera; July 13. Conspiracy against the Spaniards. Santiago de + Vera, and others; May-July. + Letter to Felipe II. [Gaspar] de Ayala; July 15. Decree + regarding commerce. Felipe II; August 9. Instructions to + Dasmarinas. Felipe II; August 9. Customs of the Tagalogs + (two relations). Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F.: October 21. + + +_Sources_: All but the fifth and the last of these documents are +obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias. The decree +of August 9 is taken from the "Cedulario Indico" in the Archivo +Historico Nacional, Madrid; and Plasencia's accounts of the Tagalogs, +from Santa Ines's Cronica, ii, pp. 592-603. + +_Translations_: The first of these documents is translated by Arthur +B. Myrick, of Harvard University; the second and fourth are by Jose +M. and Clara M. Asensio; the third and fifth, by Alfonso de Salvio, +of Harvard University; the sixth, by James A. Robertson; the seventh, +by Frederic W. Morrison, of Harvard University. + + + + +Excerpt of a Letter from the Viceroy of India + + +One of the things that have seemed most surprising in Don Juan de Gama +is the following. When decrees were published by order of the viceroy; +Don Duarte, [12] in your Majesty's name, prohibiting navigation to +China and Lucoens [Luzon], which he [Juan de Gama] as captain-general +should have executed, he did the contrary. Jheronimo Pereira, captain +of the expedition to Japon, had already done likewise; thus those in +authority, who were under obligation to execute your Majesty's laws +and commands, were the first to break them, to the great scandal +of all. Therefore, as soon as possible, I ordered a remedy for such +disorders. For this purpose I appointed certain chief magistrates, +who excused themselves, either through fear of Don Juan or dread of +the sea. Things came to such a pass that, it was necessary to send by +schooner, outside the monsoon season, the licentiate Ruy Machado who +came from the kingdom this year, and who had been appointed to that +auditorship; his adjutant was Ynacio Nunez de Mancelos, the captain of +the said vessel. The latter had a few soldiers, and is also to remain +as captain of the city, since an order for the voyage will not have +arrived from India. I think that these two vessels will suffice in +every respect for this matter, both to extend the voyage for Don Juan, +and to quiet various disturbances arising in the country, on account +of the navigation from Nueva Espana. I also hope that everything will +turn out well, and that your Majesty will bestow upon him great favor +and honor for this service alone. Among the despatches brought by the +auditor is a decree ordering, the embarcation for India and Lucoens of +all Castilians, both religious and secular, so that only the original +Portuguese citizens shall remain in Machao. That will do away with +any further occasion for vessels to go there from Nueva Espana. From +this last has resulted great injury to your Majesty's vassals in these +regions, to the royal exchequer, and religion itself. Peradventure +the Castilians were the cause of again closing the door to the +preaching of the gospel, being moved by indiscreet eagerness or too +much solicitude. They are so unrestrained in this particular, that, by +trading in China without your Majesty's permission, they are the first +who broke your decrees, under pretense of religion itself. No easier +remedy can be applied than preventing them from entering this trade, +which your Majesty should have for the advantage of your own service. + +We might describe here the great inconveniences and hindrances to your +Majesty from a longer continuance of this navigation. But since this +letter will, be despatched by land, and the viceroy Don Duarte has +described these matters so fully, I refrain from doing so here. I say +only that, even if there were no other reason than not opening the +way to the English and other nations to resort to those regions (as +they did last year and this) that alone would be sufficient reason +to stop this intercourse entirely. The Englishman Don Thomas, who +came to these regions lately, has caused us much anxiety here. For +this reason the people of India are very confident that your Majesty +will order assistance in this case and apply the fitting remedy, +for the common good of these states and that of your service. + +Don Thomas, the Englishman, sailed from England with three ships in +the year 87. Entering the straits of Magallanes, he sailed to the +South Seas. Having made some prizes of large and small vessels, he +loaded two of his own vessels and sent them to that kingdom [England] +by the same route. Nearing the Philipinas, he took his course to +Java, and entered the port of Balambuao in Java itself. At that +time two Portuguese were at that port, who came immediately to the +ship thinking it was from India. The Englishman received them well, +and gave them some church ornaments and other valuable articles, +together with a letter for the bishop of Malaca and another for the +captain, the substance of which was, that he had come to explore +those regions. From the questions asked these men by the auditor of +Malaca, it was ascertained that the purpose of their coming was none +other than trade, exploration, and prizes. He asked particularly about +Achen, the straits of Meca and Malaca, and their fortifications. It is +thought that this Englishman came especially to explore the channels +of Bale, whence these men said that he would sail in March of this +year to the island of Sant Lorenzo, from which place he would lay +his course to the island of Santa Helena, following the course taken +by the Portuguese vessels. Pray God he come not hither again, as an +example for the daring of others--although the interest they have in +doing so is so great, that I fear this navigation cannot be stopped +without much trouble, and the prohibition of navigation by Castilians +and Portuguese to Nueva Espana. A blockade will be established again, +so that foreign nations will not undertake this navigation. On this +account alone, it seems to me that this navigation should always be +rigorously prohibited. + + + + +Letter from Santiago de Vera to Felipe II + + +Sire: + +This past year of eighty-eight I gave an account to your Majesty of +the condition of this land. As the voyage is so full of sea-perils +and danger from corsairs, and it is difficult for the despatches +to reach the hands of your Majesty, the duplicate of that letter +accompanies this. Therein is declared the extreme need of the islands +for reenforcements of troops and necessary supplies for the camp, +and other things, of which I gave an account to your Majesty. They +are most important to the royal service and the preservation of +this land. I beseech your Majesty to have provision made with all +possible expedition. + +A small ship leaving this port for the city of Malaca carried two +descalced religious of the order of St. Francis. As the king of Burney +was at peace with us, they stopped at the port of Mohala which is +two leagues from Burney. They visited the king, to whom they gave +my letters, and were well received by him. He commanded houses to be +given them and everything necessary to assure their sustenance. One +night many people of that kingdom attacked them, among whom, it +is said, there were a brother and other kinsmen of the king. They +killed three Spaniards, among them one of the religious, and robbed +them of all their possessions. From those who escaped I learned that +the assaulting party were people well known in Burney, and that the +spoils were sold publicly in that city. Some articles were seen in +the possession of the king's kinsmen. I learned that some chiefs of +these islands had intrigued with that people to secure their aid; +and that they had plotted together to do this, and had agreed to bring +Burney and the kings of Jolo and of Mindanao, and many other foreigners +against this city, in order to rob and kill us. As there was a Japanese +ship here, they conferred with the captain, and with people who came +from that land, all Japanese, proposing that the latter should aid +them with what they had, and with supplies and everything necessary, +and thus deliver to them this land, in accordance with the plan and +arrangements previously agreed upon. So well did they keep this secret, +during fifteen months while they were awaiting a favorable opportunity, +that they were not even suspected by myself, or the religious, or any +other person. To accomplish their design, they despatched the chiefs +of these islands to Burney, and to the other kingdoms three chiefs of +their number. They wrote to Japon, so that, at the appointed time, +all would come; and all were given orders as to what they were to +do. I made secret investigations, and found out that all the aforesaid +was true; and in a short time I had in my hands the guilty ones who +were in these islands, and also those who had gone away after the +death of the people, so that none remained uncaptured. Without any +disturbance whatever, I beheaded seven of the authors of the rebellion, +sons, nephews, and grandsons of the lords of this land. Others not so +culpable I punished by exile to Nueva Espana and by other penalties, +so that it now seems that this disturbance is quelled. After that, +in the province of Cubu and in that called the Pintados, the chiefs +held a conference, and plotted to kill the Spaniards. The majority of +those who took part in this have been imprisoned, and proceedings are +being instituted against them. I think that this will cause us but +little trouble. This boldness is caused by the natives noticing the +fewness of Spanish troops in the islands and the few reenforcements +sent from Nueva Espana. It is necessary that your Majesty should +order that there be less negligence in this respect. + +By a royal decree your Majesty commands me to sell the magistracies +of this city and four offices of notaries-public therein; also those +of the provinces of Oton, Cebu, Camarines, Ylocos, Cagayan, Panpanga, +and Bonbon. As the land is so newly settled, and the offices of so +little profit, I wrote to your Majesty that, in my opinion, it was +not time to dispose of them, and that they would bring but little if +offered at auction; but that, if anyone would buy them at a reasonable +price, I would sell them. This I did, and in order to enhance their +value at the sale, I announced that the offices could be renounced and +sold by paying to your Majesty the third part of the price they were +worth. As the offices of notary have been sold, will your Majesty +be pleased to provide that this condition be observed; or, if not, +that the price be returned to them and the offices be sold without +this condition--as the perquisites and influence of these offices are +held in such esteem in this land, that they have risen to very good +prices. The bids for the first of the magistracies that were commanded +to be sold closed at one thousand two hundred and fifty-one pesos; +and for the second, third, fourth, and fifth, at two thousand eight +hundred. The four offices of notary-public of this city brought two +thousand eight hundred and eighty pesos, at seven hundred and twenty +pesos each. That of the province of Panpanga brought one thousand; +of Oton, one thousand six hundred and twenty; that of the city and +province of Cubu, five hundred and sixty; of Ylocos, three hundred +pesos; and that of Bombon, two hundred and sixty-two pesos. The other +magistracies and offices of notary-public which were offered at auction +did not bring so high a price, as the stubbornness and competitions +which had caused the offices to rise so in value had ceased. For +this reason the remaining magistracies and offices of notary-public +have not been sold. I shall give an account to your Majesty, later, +of whatever is done with regard to them, and the sum they bring will +be placed in the royal treasury as soon as it is collected. [_Marginal +note_: "Write to the governor that, in what refers to the offices of +regidor, it is not expedient that there be the condition permitting +them to renounce the offices. The sales must be made in the usual +way. As regards the notarial offices, what has been done is approved."] + +On this route to Nueva Espana your Majesty has four ships, and the +new one that has just been finished, and which makes the voyage this +year. Of these, the viceroy of Nueva Espana sold the ship "San Martin," +to make the voyage to Macan, where it was wrecked and burned by the +Chinese. Another was taken by the English corsair, as I reported to +your Majesty; and but now when another, in the port of this city, +was ready to make the voyage, so great a hurricane burst on this and +many other Spanish and Chinese ships that only a small boat was left +unwrecked. Of the two remaining, only one is available; the other +cannot be used, as it is so old. Understanding the great need there +was of ships, I had a large galleon of six hundred toneladas, which +had been built in the Pintados Islands, placed in the shipyards of +your Majesty, for the above-named route. God willing, it may sail in +the year ninety-one. I have given orders for private persons to make +two other ships of less tonnage. One is already finished, and both +will be able to sail next year. It is most important that there be +for this navigation plenty of ships, both for the emergencies of war +which may arise, and for the preservation of these islands, which are +supported by trade. If, as I have suggested several times before, your +Majesty were pleased to have about ten thousand pesos sent annually +from Nueva Espana, two ships of good capacity can be launched very +easily, without harassing the natives in any way--and with this +help, at even less than a third of the cost elsewhere. Otherwise, +there is no way to bring it about. Your Majesty will signify your +royal pleasure in this. [_Marginal note_: "Write to the governor to +proceed with and carry out this plan, and to give orders for private +persons to build ships."] + +For the ships sailing between these islands and Nueva Espana, +and to other places which may be found, sailors are much needed, +to navigate them and to remain here to look after them; also +carpenters and calkers who must reside here to repair them. They +should be paid in Nueva Espana as this treasury is too poor. As the +money for their wages must be sent, sometimes it is not brought, +and at other times it is lost, thereby causing the sailors to die of +starvation. Therefore the sailors serve half-heartedly, and desert; +and there is great negligence in the despatch of the fleets. The only +remedy for both these evils is from the exchequer of your Majesty. If +it is to be spent therefor, it would be best for your Majesty to have +the amount of the freight-charges on the property sent from these +islands in the said ships granted annually to this royal treasury +up to the sum of three thousand pesos. Thus the needs here will be +met without taking from the treasury of Mexico. [_Marginal note_: +"A decree in accordance herewith. Meanwhile order shall not be given +that the ships of this line shall sail at his Majesty's cost."] + +I have already reported to your Majesty the removal from these forts +of a quantity of artillery, for the security of the two ships which +I despatched to Nueva Espana last year, eighty-eight. That carried by +one of the ships is paid for by the merchants, as well as the powder, +arms, and ammunition; and that on the other was at your Majesty's +expense. Part of the money received I sent to the kingdom of China +in order to buy what metal could be obtained. Thence they brought +me one hundred and twenty-five picos [13] (about five arrobas) of +copper, at thirteen pesos and eight rreals. With this artillery is +being cast; to take the place of the pieces carried by the ships, +I had others cast from the metal which I had here. The results are +very good. Bronze is so cheap in China, and so easy to transport +and cast in this country, that, if your Majesty will have money +sent hither from Nueva Espana for this purpose, artillery could +be provided in this country both for Nueva Espana and Piru. Will +your Majesty signify the royal pleasure in this. [_Marginal note_: +"Write to the viceroy of Nueva Espana that this seems expedient, and +that he may send money to the governor, in order that some artillery +may be made there, both for Nueva Espana and Peru. Advice as to what +is needed must be given to the viceroy of Peru."] + +The trade with the Chinese is continually increasing in these +islands. About four thousand men of that land are here as a general +rule, including merchants and workmen. These become citizens and settle +in the alcaiceria [silk-market] of this city. In the surrounding +villages there are also a large number of Chinese. Their houses are +being rapidly built of stone, according to the Spanish custom. They +are very strong, large and imposing in appearance. In two or three +years, God willing, all the buildings will be erected, as also the +cathedral church, the monasteries, and other churches. They are being +built very substantially and some are already finished. The materials +are so good and the workmen, both Chinese and natives, so numerous, +that everyone is encouraged to build the houses in this manner. But +it is a melancholy fact (for it all is like an empty purse, or an +inn without a guest) that the land is unhealthful, and there are no +doctors or medicines; and so there is great lack of troops, and of +men for the usual work of guard and sentinel-duty, and for expeditions +to carry succor to the settlements and to pacify the uprisings of the +Indians. The soldiers are constantly dying and passing away, in such +number that I fear there will be no troops to defend the city from any +of the many enemies by whom we are surrounded. For the remedy thereof, +will your Majesty be pleased to have the viceroy of Nueva Espana send +the troops, arms, and ammunition which may be requested by the governor +of these islands, and also the medicines and supplies necessary for +the camp. It has been three years since we have had any kind of aid +whatever, and consequently we are in extreme necessity. I beseech +your Majesty, if you wish these islands to be preserved, that you will +expressly command the said viceroy to send reenforcements annually to +this camp, of two hundred men, with powder and ammunition; medicines, +and other supplies for the hospitals; and whatever the governor may +advise is necessary. I can assure your Majesty that if this succor +fail, everything else will fail also, and everything gained by your +Majesty at so great and excessive expenses, in order to start on the +way to heaven so many millions of souls who had been dominated by the +devil, will be lost. Thus will be closed the door of this new world +which has been opened by your Majesty. [_Marginal note_: "Write to +the governor that he continue the building. To Don Luis de Velasco, +that he observe this command, and aid the settlements."] + +The fort which, as I had written to your Majesty, was being built, was +shaken, when about completed, in three places by great earthquakes. It +opened in one place more than a finger's breadth, although less in the +others. To assure its safety and construct it in the modern style, +although it was quite sufficiently strong before, I am constructing +cavaliers which are to serve as buttresses for it. The principal part, +that toward the sea, is finished; the other parts are commenced, and, +God helping, will soon be completed. These will make it so capacious +and strong that it can withstand any attack. I am sending the model, +report, and account herewith to your Majesty. _[Marginal note_: +"Let it be brought."] + +Since coming to this country, I have insisted that the religious +should try to learn the Chinese language, in order to convert and +teach the Chinese in this land, who are ordinarily about as many as I +before stated. As it is so difficult and the religious are so busily +engaged with the natives of the islands, they have not done this. When +the Dominicans came here, I entrusted to them the instruction of +the Chinese, and supplied them with interpreters to teach them the +language. I bade them build a church and dwelling in the alcaiceria +(called the Parian); and at the point of Tondo, where the Chinese live +and carry on their trade. Two of the religious have been so apt that +one of them already understands and speaks that language well, and the +other will know it in a short time. They are preaching and teaching and +have converted many people, having now a village of Christians. This +year, on Holy Thursday they held a procession in honor of the blood +of Christ, wherein they displayed much devotion. I hope in our Lord +that, as this people so clearly and firmly understand what they learn, +and as they have no particular worship, in a short time they will all +be converted. It is certain that if their long hair were not cut off +when they are baptized (according to the bishop's commands), there +would already have been a general conversion in this land, and they +would have received baptism. I gave account thereof to your Majesty, +and await your orders. [_Marginal note_: "Write to the provincial +acknowledging this, and to the bishop "in regard to cutting off the +hair of the Chinese. This is not expedient, as their conversion is +thereby retarded. Moreover, they do not dare to return to their own +country where they could teach and convert others. This custom of the +Chinese, wearing their hair long, is more usual in other parts of +the Yndias, as he knows; and hitherto this has not been considered +unseemly. Let the bishop call together the superiors of the orders, +and other learned and zealous persons. They shall confer and give +commands for what is expedient in regard to suitable measures for the +conversion of the Chinese. He shall send advices thereof, and of the +difficulties in the way, and shall provide for both."] + +The bishop of these islands, as I have at other times written to +your Majesty, does not countenance appeals made by force, and the +decrees of the Audiencia; and when he is so inclined, he refuses to +comply therewith. We have therefore been put to much annoyance and +constraint in enforcing exile and other penalties, particularly in +regard to the defense of the royal jurisdiction. This latter has +not been done because the land is new, and to avoid offending the +natives. He becomes very angry at times, with little or no occasion, +so that he often disagrees with the Audiencia, in the pulpit and out of +it, and causes others to do the same--notwithstanding what your Majesty +has commanded, and the reprimands that he has received. Although there +have been serious difficulties, I do not discuss them, in order not +to weary your Majesty with a longer account. I beseech your Majesty to +supply the remedy which you think suitable, and to order the bishop not +to publish, without reason, as he has done, causes of the Holy Office +against the Audiencia and fiscal. Although we must always do justice, +and the fiscal must act as plaintiff, there is caused much scandal and +many hindrances to the authority of your Majesty's Audiencia, by trying +to disgrace and intimidate the judges by threats of the Inquisition. + +Although your Majesty has ordered this camp and the royal hospitals to +be provided with medicines and other necessities, as there is no doctor +the soldiers are only treated by unskilled surgeons who attempt to cure +them. For this reason many people die, and I beseech your Majesty, +as it so important to your service, to order the viceroy of Nueva +Espana to send a good physician with an adequate salary at the cost +of your royal estate. The city has no money with which to pay him, +nor do the soldiers, since even the richest of them has not enough +for his own support. _[Marginal note_: "Write to the viceroy of Nueva +Espana to send a doctor and a surgeon to treat these people and give +advice thereof."] + +At the shipyard of these islands your Majesty's chief shipbuilder +and superintendent of work was Master Miguel de Palacio. He died and +his place was filled by Master Marco, a good builder of all kinds of +ships. He died also; and although I understand there is another now in +charge of the galleon which is being built in the Pintados, he is old +and cannot all alone attend to the work, to the repairing of the ships +of the line, and the building of others. There is great need of another +good officer. I beseech your Majesty to order that, if possible, men +be sent for this from the kingdoms of Nueva Espana. [_Marginal note: +"Idem."_] + +In the relation written by the Audiencia are other matters, of which +I give no account here, since they are there mentioned; your Majesty +will please order that these be examined. May God preserve the Catholic +person of your Majesty. At Manila, July 13 of the year 1589. + +The doctor _Santiago de Vera_ + +[_Endorsed_: "Provision is made for the within; let the governor +be informed."] + + + + +Conspiracy Against the Spaniards + + +_Testimony in certain investigations made by Doctor Santiago de Vera, +president of the Philipinas_ + + +In the city of Manila, on the twentieth of May in the year one thousand +five hundred and eighty-nine. Doctor Santiago de Vera, of the Council +of the king, our lord, and his governor and captain-general in these +Philipinas Islands, stated that inasmuch as it is proper and necessary +to inform the king our sovereign of the compact and conspiracy which +the Indian chiefs and natives of these islands and the vicinity of +Manila had plotted against the service of God, our Lord, and against +his Majesty, and of the inquiry and investigations made thus far in +order to ascertain and verify the facts, and the status of the case: +he therefore would order, and he did order, Estevan de Marquina, +notary-public of Manila--before whom most of the trial has been +conducted, of which an account has already been given three times to +the royal Audiencia--to draw up an attested record of the said trial +in a summary and relation, or such documents as shall be necessary, +in order to send them to the royal Council of the Indias this present +year. He also ordered him to inform his Majesty of what is occurring, +and of what has been done about the matter. This was what Doctor +Santiago de Vera declared, ordered, and signed. + +By order of his Lordship: + +_Thomas Perez_ + + +In fulfilment of the command and decree of Doctor Santiago de Vera, +governor and captain-general of these islands, and president of the +royal Audiencia, I, Estevan de Marquina, notary-public for the king our +sovereign, of the number [authorized] in the city of Manila, testify +that a trial and criminal process has been conducted and is still +pending before the said governor and captain-general. The parties are +the royal department of justice of the one part, and certain Indian +chiefs, natives of the villages of Tondo, Misilo, Bulacan, and other +villages in the neighborhood of Manila, of the other part. The cause +of this contention seems to be that on the twenty-sixth of October +of last year, one thousand five hundred and eighty-eight, Doctor +Santiago de Vera, governor and captain-general of these islands, +and president of the royal Audiencia, learned that the following +persons: Don Agustin de Legaspi, one of the chiefs of this land; +Martin Panga, governor of the village of Tondo, and his first cousin; +Magat Salamat, the son of the old lord of this land; and other chiefs, +had not long ago sent a present of weapons and other articles to the +king of Burney, and that they were quite intent upon holding meetings +and their usual drunken feasts, swearing to keep secret whatever they +discussed. He also learned that they had sold and were selling their +landed property. In order to ascertain what the condition of affairs +is, the governor made an inquiry and many witnesses were summoned. From +this inquiry and other investigations and inquests made in the course +of the trials, it appears that the said Don Agustin de Legaspi and +Magat Salamat had sent a quantity of shields, arquebuses, and other +weapons to Xapon and to the petty king of Burney, who has thus been +enabled to put himself on a war-footing. They warned these powers to +fortify themselves in their strongholds, because the Spaniards intended +to go there. They added that the said Don Agustin would notify them in +person of what was taking place; and that, for this purpose, he would +ask permission to set out on his commercial enterprises. Likewise +we learned that the people of the kingdom of Burney were thinking of +manning a fleet for the purpose of attacking the Spaniards; and that +they had killed a Franciscan friar and other Spaniards while on their +way to Malaca from Manila with messages and despatches for the king, +our sovereign. It appears that on the fourth of November of the said +year, when the inquiry had not gone further than this, Captain Pedro +Sarmiento arrived in this city from the Calamianes, which are islands +near Burney; and brought the news and information that he had left +behind in the said Calamianes three Indian chiefs of Tondo, namely, +Magat Salamat, Don Agustin Manuguit, son of Don Phelipe Salalila, and +Don Joan Banal, brother-in-law of the said Magat. Through Don Antonio +Surabao, his servant and chief of his encomienda, he had learned that +these men were going as ambassadors to the petty king of Burney, in +order to induce him to send a fleet to attack the Spaniards, and to +join the chiefs of Jolo, and Sumaelob, chief of Cuyo, who had already +come to terms and offered to help them with two thousand men. They had +persuaded the said Don Antonio Surabao to accompany them and carry +out their plans; but the latter while on the one hand he promised +to help them, in order not to arouse their suspicion, on the other +hand unfolded the plan to Captain Sarmiento. He added, moreover, +that Amarlangagui, chief of Baibai, who was within the jurisdiction +of Manila and held the office of master-of-artillery, had told him, +while in this city, that all the chiefs of this neighborhood had +plotted and conspired with the Borneans to rebel against the service +of the king our sovereign, and to kill the Spaniards of this city, +while they were off their guard. The plan was that when the fleet +of Burney reached the port of Cavite, and the Spaniards trustfully +called these chiefs to their aid, they would all immediately enter +the houses of the Spaniards with their men, fortify themselves in +them and thus take possession of them one by one. If the Spaniards +took refuge in the fortress, Indian soldiers would follow them; and, +being two to one, they would surely kill the Spaniards. Maluco offered +an example of this; for with but few people they had taken so large a +fortress from the Portuguese. To this end the people of Burney were +building seven galleys and other warships, and were getting ready +ammunition and war-material. Thus it is affirmed by the said Don +Antonio Surabao himself, who says that, under the pledge of friendship +and secrecy, he was made acquainted with all this, and was persuaded +to join the said conspiracy. Upon this, with the governor's approval, +soldiers and attendants were immediately despatched with his orders to +arrest the said chiefs, and to bring them to this city as quickly as +possible. From the inquiry and secret investigations which were taken +up anew, it appears that last year, five hundred and eighty-seven, +when Captain Don Joan Gayo and many Japanese with merchandise arrived +at this city in a ship from Xapon, Don Agustin de Legaspi became +very friendly to him, inviting him many times to eat and drink at +his house which is on the other side of the river of this city. The +agreement and stipulation which he made with Don Joan Gayo through +the Japanese interpreter, Dionisio Fernandez, and in the presence of +the said Magat Salamat, Don Agustin Manuguit, Don Phelipe Salalila, +his father, and Don Geronimo Bassi, Don Agustin de Legaspi's brother, +was, that the said captain should come to this city with soldiers from +Xapon, and enter it under pretext of peace and commerce, bringing in +his ship flags for the use of the Spaniards, so that the latter should +think his intentions peaceful. It was also agreed that the chiefs +of the neighborhood would help them to kill the Spaniards, and would +supply the provisions and everything necessary. The said Don Agustin +de Legaspi was to set out to meet them; and, in order that they might +recognize one another, he would carry some of the weapons which the +said captain had given him. After they had conquered the Spaniards, +they would make him [Don Agustin] king of the land, and collect the +tribute from the natives, which would be divided between Don Agustin +and the Japanese. They swore this after their fashion, by anointing +their necks with a broken egg. Don Agustin de Legaspi discussed and +arranged the whole plan with Amaghicon, an Indian chief of Navotas, +warned him to keep the secret, and gave him some of the weapons which +the Japanese had given him, in order that they might recognize one +another. According to the declarations of Dionisio Fernandez, the +Japanese interpreter, Don Phelipe Salalila, Don Geronimo Basi, Magat +Salamat, and other witnesses who were present at the said meetings and +compacts, and as it appears also from the trial and investigations, +it seems that when Don Martin Panga, under the charge of adultery, +Don Agustin de Legaspi, for accounts demanded of him at the time when +he was governor of Tondo, Don Gabriel Tuambacan, Don Francisco Acta, +his son, and Pitongatan were taken to the prison of this court, each +and every one of them swore, after their fashion, to help one another +with their persons and property in all matters--be it concerning the +liberty of their slaves, or in any other difficulty. + +Likewise it appears that after they left the said prison, the said +Don Martin Panga was exiled from the village of Tondo for a certain +period, and went to live in the village of Tambobo, not far from this +city. There he and Don Agustin de Legaspi invited the other leaders to +come together for a secret meeting. Under pretext of visiting said Don +Martin Panga, a meeting was held in the said village by Don Phelipe +Salalila, Don Agustin Manuguit; Magat Salamat, chief of Tondo; Don +Pedro Bolingui, chief of Pandaca; Don Geronimo Basi and Don Grabiel +Tuam Basar, Don Agustin's brothers; Don Luis Amanicalao and Calao +his son; the brothers Don Dionisio Capolo and Don Phelipe Salonga; +Don Phelipe Amarlangagui, chief of Catangalan; Don Francisco Acta and +Amaghicon; with other Indian timaguas, servants, and allies of his. For +three days they met, and drank after their fashion. During this time +they resolved to act in harmony and with one mind in everything. If +their slaves demanded liberty, they were to help one another against +them; for already they were not regarded or obeyed as before. They +possessed neither slaves nor gold, and found themselves poor and +cast down, ready to go to prison any day. Their sorrow was very keen +because their wives were being taken away from them, and given to +others to whom, they claimed, they had been first married. For all +these reasons they were very sad, and they discussed and plotted, +and took oath, according to their custom, that if an enemy came to +Manila to attack the Spaniards, they would unanimously and with one +mind aid the enemy against the Spaniards. Thus they would once more +become masters, as they had been before, and exercise the old tyranny +over the common people--who now were much favored by the Spaniards, +being promoted to superior places by them. The said Don Agustin de +Legaspi proposed to them the plan and compact which he had made with +the said Japanese Don Joan Payo [Gayo]; and the other chiefs declared +that they were ready to help him and to accede to his wishes. + +After this, it appears that in the month of February, one thousand +five hundred and eighty-eight, when we heard of the English pirate +who passed through these islands and plundered the ship "Santana," +the said chiefs made preparations, thinking he would come to this city, +to carry out their plan. + +A few days afterward, Don Estevan Taes, chief of Bulacan, came to +the village of Tondo where they were. He conferred with Don Martin +Panga; and they decided that since the Englishman had not come, and +the compact made at the meeting of Tambobo had not been carried out, +they should call another meeting to discuss what had been planned at +the former one. To this end, he offered to notify and call together +all the chiefs from his village as far as Tondo, while Don Martin +Panga was to summon the other chiefs as far as Cavite. To this end, +the said Don Martin Panga said that he would carry a letter to the +governors of Malolos and Guiguinto, and tell them to hasten to the +meeting; and that, when they were assembled, he could communicate +to them the bad or the good which he kept within his breast. After +Don Esteban Tael [_sic_] had told him to leave the matter in his +hands, Don Martin Panga declared, in the presence of Pitongatan, +that he and Don Agustin had planned to call together the men of La +Laguna and Comitan; and that, when the people were all gathered, +they would discuss the means of regaining the freedom and lordship +which their fathers had enjoyed before them; and, with all the people +collected at Tondo, would attack Manila, as arranged with Balaya, +chief of Vangos, and with the natives of Batan. It seems that the +said meeting did not take place, on account of various occupations +which detained the said chiefs. Moreover it appears that about the +same time, when certain Indian chiefs of Panpanga came to Manila on +business connected with their province, on passing through the village +of Tondo, Don Agustin Panga summoned them; and he, together with +Don Agustin de Legaspi, Sagat Malagat, and Amanicalao, talked with +them, and inquired after the business that took them to Manila. The +chiefs answered that they came to entreat the governor to command the +cessation of the lawsuits concerning slaves in Panpanga, until they +could gather in the harvest. Don Martin said that this was very good, +and that they also wished to make the same entreaty and to bring their +slaves to court; but that to attain this it would be best to assemble +and choose a leader from among them, whom they should swear to obey +in everything as a king, in order that none should act alone. The +chiefs of Panpanga said that they had [no] war with the Spaniards, +to cause them to plot against the latter, and that they had a good +king. Thus they did not consent to what was asked from them by the +aforesaid chiefs, and proceeded to Manila in order to transact their +business. In Manila they were again invited to go to Tondo, to take +food with the plotters; but the Panpanga chiefs refused. On the same +day a meeting was held in Tondo by Don Agustin de Legaspi and Don +Martin Panga; Don Luis Balaya, chief of Bangos; Agustin Lea and Alonso +Digma, his nephews; Don Phelipe Salalila and Don Agustin Manuguit, his +son; Don Luis Amanicalao, and Calao, his son; Don Grabiel Tuambacar, +Don Francisco Acta, Don Phelipe Salonga, and other natives who rendered +service. While they were thus assembled, they all resolved and agreed, +amid the usual drinking, that the abovementioned Magat should go to the +Calamianes and from that place notify the Borneans to come to Manila +to attack the Spaniards; and the chiefs would wait for them here, +and would take care to receive and help them. In fulfilment of this, +the said chief Magat Salamat went to the Calamianes, which are near the +kingdom of Burney, taking with him the chiefs Don Agustin Manuguit and +Don Joan Banal. Thence he went to the island of Cuyo, where it seems +that he discussed the matter with Sumaelob, chief of the said island, +and persuaded him to come with the Borneans to plunder Manila. At +that time he was arrested for this trial, was brought to this city, +and openly confessed that what has been said actually occurred. + +The said inquiries and investigations made in reference to the +trial of the aforesaid persons were examined by the governor and +captain-general; and he gave orders to arrest those who appeared +guilty, in the various regions and provinces in which they were +to be found, and on different days, letting no one of the guilty +ones escape. The men were arrested and their confessions were taken +down separately. At the proper time and place they were each charged +with the crime which resulted against each of them; and a copy of the +charge was given to them and to their attorneys on their behalf. Their +cases were received on trial in a certain order and for a certain +period, so as to give them, during that period, an opportunity of +clearing themselves from the charge. The time expired, and the trial +was definitely closed. The governor and captain-general reviewed the +trial, and on different days pronounced a final sentence against each +one of them, according to their guilt. The sentence is in substance +as follows: + +Don Agustin de Legaspi and Don Martin Panga, as leaders and chiefs, and +being convicted by witnesses, were condemned to be dragged and hanged; +their heads were to be cut off and exposed on the gibbet in iron cages, +as an example and warning against the said crime. All their goods +were to be confiscated and set apart, half for the royal treasury +and half for judicial expenses. The above-mentioned appealed from +the aforesaid sentence to the royal Audiencia of these islands; but +after having examined the trial, the Audiencia confirmed the aforesaid +sentence, and returned the case to the governor and captain-general +in order that justice might be done. The death-punishment was to cut +their heads off and to expose them on the gibbet in iron cages. The +sites of their houses were to be plowed and sown with salt. All their +property, after the judicial expenses had been defrayed, should be +set aside for the royal treasury. This sentence was executed upon +the abovementioned persons as here stated. + +Dionisio Fernandez, Japanese interpreter in the negotiations with +Xapon, having confessed and having been convicted, was condemned to +be hanged and to lose his property, half of it to be set aside for +the royal treasury and half for judicial expenses. He appealed from +this sentence to the royal Audiencia; but this court, after it had +examined the trial, returned it to the governor and captain-general, +in order that justice might be done. The sentence was executed upon +him as here stated. + +Don Pedro Balinguit, chief of the village of Pandaca, was sentenced to +six years of prescribed exile in Nueva Espana, and was condemned to +pay six taes of orejeras gold [14] for the treasury of the king our +sovereign, and for judicial expenses. The fiscal and he appealed to +his Majesty's chamber--I mean to the royal Audiencia--and this court +returned the case to the captain-general, so that justice might be +done. This man is about to sail in these ships for his place of exile. + +Pitongatan, chief of the village of Tondo, was sentenced to exile in +Nueva Espana for eight years. His property was to be equally divided +between the treasury of the king, our sovereign, and the judicial +expenses. He and the fiscal appealed to the royal Audiencia; and this +court on a second examination sentenced him to exile in such place +as the governor should choose, for two years--one prescribed and the +other unconditioned--and to pay costs only. + +Don Phelipe Salonga, chief of the village of Polo, was sentenced to +exile in Nueva Espana for six years. Half of his property was to be +set aside for the treasury of the king, our sovereign, and half for +judicial expenses. He and the fiscal appealed to the royal Audiencia; +but the case was returned to the captain-general, in order that +justice might be done. + +Don Phelipe Amarlangagui, chief of Catangalan, was sentenced to +exile from his village for six years, to a place prescribed. His +property was to be divided equally between the treasury of the king, +our sovereign, and the judicial expenses. He and the fiscal appealed to +the royal Audiencia; but the case was returned to the captain-general, +in order that justice might be done, except that the exile was to be +for four years. + +Daulat, chief of the village of Castilla, was sentenced to prescribed +exile from this district for four years, and condemned to pay ten taes +of orejeras gold, half for the royal treasury and half for judicial +expenses. He and the fiscal appealed to the royal Audiencia; but +the case was returned to the captain-general, in order that justice +might be done, except that of the four years of exile two were to be +prescribed and two unconditioned. + +Don Joan Basi, chief and former governor of the village of Tagui, +was sentenced to prescribed exile from this jurisdiction [15] for +four years. Half of his property was set aside for the treasury of +his Majesty, and half for the judicial expenses. He and the fiscal +appealed to the royal Audiencia, whence the case was remitted to the +captain-general, with the exception that the whole penalty should +consist only of two years of prescribed exile. + +Dionisio Capolo, chief of Candava, was sentenced to prescribed exile +from this jurisdiction for eight years, and was condemned to pay +fifteen taes of orejeras gold, half of which was to be set aside +for the treasury of his Majesty, and half for judicial expenses. He +and the fiscal appealed to the royal Audiencia, which, after having +examined the report of the trial, remitted it to the captain-general, +in order that justice might be done--save that the whole penalty +was to consist of four years of prescribed exile, and the payment of +twelve taes of orejeras gold. The sentence was executed. + +Don Francisco Acta, chief of Tondo, was sentenced to four years of +prescribed exile. Half of his goods and property was to be divided +between the treasury of his Majesty and judicial expenses. He and the +fiscal appealed to the court of his Majesty; but the case was remitted +to the captain-general in order that justice might be done--save that +the whole penalty was to consist of four years' prescribed exile, +and nothing more. + +Don Luis Amanicalao was sentenced to prescribed exile from this +jurisdiction for six years. His goods were to be divided between the +treasury of his Majesty and the judicial expenses. He and the attorney +appealed to the royal Audiencia, but the case was likewise remitted +to the captain-general in order that justice might be done--only that +the exile was to be reduced to three years. The sentence was executed. + +Don Grabiel Tuambacar, chief of Tondo, was sentenced to exile from +this jurisdiction for four years, and was condemned to pay six taes +of orejeras gold--half for the treasury of his Majesty, and half for +the judicial expenses. He appealed to the royal Audiencia, as did the +fiscal also; but the case was remitted to the governor, in order that +he might execute justice upon him--except that the penalty was to be +only four years' exile. + +Calao, chief of Tondo, was sentenced to exile from this jurisdiction +for four years. Half of his goods were to be applied as in other +cases. He and the fiscal appealed to the royal Audiencia, whence +the case was returned to the captain-general, in order that he might +execute justice--except that the only penalty was four years' exile. + +Omaghicon, chief of Navotas, was sentenced to prescribed exile in +Nueva Espana for six years, and was condemned to pay sixty taes of +orejeras gold, half of it to be set aside for the treasury of his +Majesty, and half for the judicial expenses. This money was to be paid +within a month, under pain of hanging. The fiscal of his Majesty and +the culprit appealed to the royal Audiencia; there the sentence was +revoked, and the guilty man was condemned to die, and to lose half of +his goods, the latter to be applied as specified above. Thus he was +condemned on a new trial, and put to death; and inquiries are being +made about his goods. + +Don Geronimo Bassi was sentenced to exile in Nueva Espana for ten +years. His property was to be divided between the treasury of his +Majesty and the judicial expenses. He and the fiscal of his Majesty +appealed to the royal Audiencia--which, after an examination and a +new trial, revoked the sentence and condemned him to death, and to +the loss of all his goods in favor of the royal treasury. The sentence +was executed. + +Don Phelipe Salalila, chief of Misilo, was exiled to Nueva Espana for +twelve years, and condemned to pay seventy taes of gold _de orejeras_, +of which half was to be set aside for the treasury of his Majesty +and half for judicial expenses. He was to pay the money within twenty +days under pain of death. He and the attorney of his Majesty appealed +to the royal Audiencia--which, after an examination and a new trial, +revoked the sentence and condemned him to death, and to the loss of +all his goods in favor of the treasury of his Majesty. The sentence +was executed upon him. + +Don Esteban Taes, chief of Bulacan, was sentenced to prescribed +exile in Nueva Espana for eight years, and condemned to pay sixty +taes of orejeras gold, for the treasury of his Majesty and for +judicial expenses. The money was to be paid within thirty days +under pain of death. He and the fiscal of the king appealed to the +royal Audiencia--which, on an examination and new trial, revoked the +sentence, and condemned him to death and to the loss of all his goods +in favor of the royal exchequer and the treasury of his Majesty. The +sentence was executed. + +Magat Salamat was condemned to death. His goods were to be employed +for the erection of the new fortress of this city. He appealed to +the royal Audiencia; but the case was remitted to the governor, in +order that justice might be done--except that the goods were to be +set aside for the treasury. The sentence was executed. + +Don Agustin Manuguit was sentenced to exile in Nueva Espana for six +years, and condemned to pay twenty taes of orejeras gold toward the +building of the new fortress. Failing to pay this sum, the term of +his exile would be doubled. He agreed to pay it, and the sentence +was executed. + +Don Luis Balaya, chief of Bangos, was sentenced to exile from his +village for two years, one prescribed and the other unconditioned. He +was also condemned to pay ten taes of orejeras gold toward the building +of the fortress, to which he agreed. + +Alonso Lea was acquitted on the trial. + +Amarlangagui, chief of the village of Tondo, was exiled from this +jurisdiction for four years, two prescribed and two unconditioned. He +was also condemned to pay fifteen taes of orejeras gold toward the +said building of the fortress. He agreed to this, and the sentence +was executed. + +Don Joan Banal, chief of Tondo, was sentenced to exile from this +jurisdiction for six years, and condemned to pay ten taes of orejeras +gold toward the building of the said fortress. He agreed to this, +and paid the money. + +In the case of Amaghicon, Indian chief of the island of Cuyo, sentence +is yet to be passed by the governor; for the man was brought hither +only a short time ago, as he lived very far from this city. + +The said sentences, as specified, were executed upon the above-named +persons. Those who were exiled to Nueva Espana are about to sail in +the ships which are to be despatched this year to that country. As for +the goods [confiscated], most of the men have paid their fines; but in +case of those who have failed to do this, the alcaldes-mayor have been +ordered to make investigations about them. They are already doing so, +as appears from the said trial and process, to which I refer. And, +in order that the whole matter may be evident, I give by the said +command the present record, in Manila, on the thirteenth day of July +in the year one thousand five hundred and eighty-nine. I affix my seal, +in testimony of the truth. + +_Esteban de Marquina_, notary-public. + + +We, the notaries who have here signed our names, [16] certify and +attest that Esteban de Marquina, from whom proceeds this authenticated +record, is indeed a notary-public, of the number authorized in this +city, as is stated herein, and is now exercising his office; and +that the deeds, attestations, and records which have been and are +transacted in his presence have been and are thoroughly certified +and authenticated, both within court and without. Done at Manila, +on the thirteenth day of July in the year one thousand five hundred +and eighty-nine. + + + + +Letter from Gaspar de Ayala to Felipe II + + +Sire: + +Last year I gave your Majesty a detailed account of the events that +had hitherto occurred in these islands; of what has since happened I +will give account in this letter. As soon as the ships left for Nueva +Espana, we set about building a ship of seven hundred toneladas at +the cost of your Majesty's royal exchequer. As purveyor thereof was +appointed Captain Don Juan Ronquillo, alcalde-mayor of the province +of Pintados. The ship is being built in that district, and paid +for out of the tributes which your Majesty has from that province; +and this city provided some articles which were lacking there. The +purveyor writes that he can make the voyage this coming year. This ship +will be the fourth of your Majesty's vessels on that route [to Nueva +Espana]. I understand that two of them will be of no use for this next +year, as they will have to be laid aside. Thus it will be necessary, +that the navigation on that route may not cease, that ships be built +continually. Although the Mariscal Grabiel de Rribera and Captain Juan +Pablo de Carrion are each building a ship, they will not be able to +support them, and will be obliged to sell them at the port of Acapulco +on the first voyage, for the Piru trade. Although they could be bought +in these islands on the account of your Majesty's royal exchequer, +it seems to me better that your Majesty should save the profits that +will be made after their construction; since they can easily be built +at much less cost than if they were bought after they are built. + +The accounts of your royal exchequer have been audited this year, and +are being sent with everything clearly expressed. The entire accounts +are set forth and the data in detail, each class by itself. Because +the gold was very cheap this year, on account of the great lack of +coin, some uneasiness was felt for your royal exchequer. Its income +has not reached the value of last year, although your Majesty's gold +has been more valuable than that of private persons, because it had +to be distributed in various payments. If it were possible for your +Majesty's royal treasury to keep the gold and sell it at the coming of +the ships, there would be considerable profit. However, as the gold is +being constantly needed, and there is nothing else with which to meet +the salaries and other necessary obligations, it is, when there is a +lack of coin, distributed at the common value--although, as I have said +before, a somewhat higher value is given to your Majesty's gold. If, +as I have written in other letters, your Majesty would be pleased to +command forty or fifty thousand pesos to be brought every year from +Nueva Espana to the royal treasury of these islands, returning thence +the value thereof in gold, it would give the greatest relief to this +treasury and profit to your royal exchequer; for twenty-five thousand +pesos in gold, at the price at which it is given in tribute by the +Indians, would amount to fifty thousand in Nueva Espana. This could +be done very easily, if your Majesty would assume the risk of the +transportation of the money and the return of the gold. As a result, +your royal treasury could in a short time be free from obligations, +and could aid in the maintenance of this kingdom. [_Marginal note_: +"Abstract this clause, and send it to the viceroy of Nueva Espana."] + +By virtue of your royal decree received by your governor in the past +year, concerning the sale of the magistracies and offices of notary, +by order of your said governor the following offices were sold, in the +usual manner of selling your royal property: Four public notaryships +in this city, at eight hundred pesos each; the notarial office of +Panpanga, at one thousand pesos; that of the province of Pintados, +at one thousand seven hundred pesos; that of Cebu, at six hundred; +that of Bombon, at three hundred; that of Ylocos, at three hundred; +that of Camarines is set at six hundred, and has not been adjudged +to a bidder. These offices were sold with some inducements, in order +that there should be more bidding. Of ten magistracies which were +placed at auction, five were sold--the first at one thousand four +hundred pesos, the second at nine hundred, the third at a thousand, +the fourth at one thousand two hundred, and the fifth at nine hundred +and ten. The others are left to be auctioned upon the arrival of the +ship from Nueva Espana. To increase the value of the offices sold, +there were also admitted some bonuses, after payment of which, I +understand, the offices will clear fifteen thousand pesos more or +less. That the magistracies might have more value to meet the present +necessities, your said governor commanded that they be sold with the +condition that the owners thereof could renounce them by depositing +in your royal treasury the third of the value, as is done with the +offices of clerks. Should your Majesty confirm this, it will be of +much profit to your royal exchequer. + +Besides the notarial offices which your royal decree ordered to be +sold, no mention was made of those of La Laguna, of the Coast and +Tondo, of Bulacan, of the cabildo of this city, and that of Pangasinan, +which are all large jurisdictions and have notaries appointed by +themselves. Moreover, there may thus be sold the office of notary of +the alcaiceria [silk-market] of the Chinese, where there is a separate +judge; and that of the mines and registries, with the inspection +of the Chinese ships, in the form provided by your governor, and +used by Thomas Perez. If this last office were sold with the others, +we could find a person who would give therefor five thousand pesos; +and should your governor provide the office of al-ferez-mayor and +that of depositary-general, it would come to six thousand pesos. I +understand that if your Majesty should command these offices to be +sold by open vote in the cabildo, there would be found many purchasers. + +When Alonso Veltran, your notary of the court of this Audiencia, +departed for Nueva Espana, he sold his office, by official permission, +to Alonso de Torres, an honored merchant, for four thousand five +hundred pesos. The third thereof was placed in your royal treasury +of which he made royal exhibition in the Audiencia, and asked to be +admitted to the possession and exercise of said office. When your +governor examined the records, he said that the cognizance of that +cause was not for the Audiencia, but for the governor, because the +general decree providing for the sale of offices for Nueva Espana came +addressed to the viceroy. Consequently, the Audiencia referred to the +governor the cognizance and decision of this matter; and he declared +that the said Alonso de Torres was not entitled to admission. Although +the latter appealed, he did not dare continue the case, in order, +as he said, to avoid misfortune. For this reason, your royal treasury +lost one thousand five hundred pesos. To remedy this, and to increase +your royal exchequer, it is most important for your Majesty to command +that the said general decree directed to the viceroy of Nueva Espana +in the year eighty-one, [17] which treats of the sale and renunciation +of offices, be observed in these islands. Its fulfilment should be +enforced by your president and auditors; and, when a vacancy occurs +in any office, the said office should be sold, in order that your +royal treasury may have some relief. If it is not thus commanded, +the governors will exercise the privilege of providing offices. + +Last year I reported to your Majesty that, because of the death of +Dona Ana de Palacios, there had been left vacant an encomienda owned +by her in Camarines. Petition had been made to your governor that +it be placed to the account of your royal crown, in virtue of your +Majesty's royal decree; and that twelve thousand pesos of income should +be paid to this royal Audiencia. But because Captain Joan Maldonado +presented another decree in which your Majesty commands that there +be given him two thousand pesos of income from unallotted Indians, +on account of his many services and extreme poverty, part of the +said encomienda was given him; while to your royal crown there was +assigned the other part, amounting to eleven hundred Indians, more or +less. Moreover, at the end of December of the past year, eighty-eight, +the encomienda owned by Don Luis de Sagajosa at Ylocos was left vacant +by his death. I petitioned your governor to place it to the account +of your royal crown, in compliance with the said royal decree. He +declared that it could not be allotted to the crown, but that it would +remain vacant, and the income would be assigned to your royal treasury +as royal property, until your Majesty should command otherwise. Less +than seven hundred Indians of this encomienda were apportioned to your +royal crown, in order that the income therefrom should be enjoyed by +the hospital. Appeal from this was made to the Audiencia, and the case +was continued. The result thereof was that another decree was issued +by your Majesty to the Augustinian friars, in which your Majesty +granted them a gift and alms of ten thousand ducats, payable within +ten years in unassigned Indians. In consideration of their poverty, +I consented that from the income of this encomienda there should be +given them three hundred pesos every year, until your decree should +be fulfilled. Then a revision of the decree was issued, ordering that +the said encomienda be allotted to your royal crown; but that from the +income thereof there should be given to the hospital six hundred pesos +for eight years, and to the convent of San Agustin three hundred pesos +every year until your decree should be fulfilled. After the payment +of that nine hundred pesos, the grants for religious instruction, and +the costs of the collection, I understand that there will remain clear +for your royal treasury the sum of one thousand four hundred pesos, +besides the nine hundred of the hospital and convent after their dues +are satisfied. The Audiencia placed this encomienda to the account of +your royal crown; for, although your governor was ordered twice to do +so, according to the ordinances of first consideration and revision, +he would not comply. He was ordered to give a writ, in order that +the officials of your royal exchequer could hold it as title. + +Later, on account of the death of Captain Villanueva, two encomiendas +were left vacant--one called Malgandon, and the other near this +city--which were worth two thousand pesos of income. As soon as he +died, without notice thereof having been given to me, on the first +day of last May before daybreak, your governor assigned the said +encomiendas--that of Malgandon to Cristoval de Axqueta; and the +other to Don Luis Enrriques, who abandoned another encomienda which +he held, of as much and more income, but somewhat farther away from +this city. At the same time the encomienda that he had abandoned was +assigned, half to each of two other soldiers. On the following day +I heard the news, and I presented myself in the Audiencia in order +to appeal, and to take exception to whatever possession should +be taken. I appealed from whatever writ of possession might be +provided; and I ordered that a copy of this appeal be handed to the +parties. Cristoval de Axqueta kept himself hidden, in order that notice +might not be served on him; and four or five days after my appeal +the possession which I had opposed was given him by an alcalde-mayor +of Pangasinan. The other litigants did not take possession; and, the +case being concluded, a writ was issued, by which all were protected +in their possession. The decision in respect to the ownership was +submitted to your royal Council of the Indias, I having appealed +from the writ. The case has been concluded and considered, and the +decision has not been reached; of that I shall later send a report +to your Majesty. + +For these reasons your governor is inciting the soldiers and telling +them that I am depriving them of means of sustenance, and various +other things, in order to set them against me, and make himself +popular with them, while disparaging me. Consequently, some of them +bear me ill-will. Your said governor, although he knows that he cannot +take Indians from your royal crown, has assigned some of them three +or four times; and I have had them taken away by process of law. He +satisfied himself by telling the soldiers that he had given them a +means of support, but that I had taken it away. As I took exception +to his acts, and caused several encomiendas to be revoked which +had been given by him, he says that he is not the governor, but I +am. I beseech your Majesty to be pleased to command your governor to +refrain from such indignities to me, as the diligence which I exercise +and the actions at law which I cause are for your royal service, the +increase of the royal exchequer, and the fulfilment of my conscience +and obligation. As I am hated in this country for doing my duty, +would your Majesty be pleased to favor me by granting me leave to +depart, and giving me a charge elsewhere where I may serve better and +more satisfactorily, and where no one will complain of me. When your +Majesty receives this, I shall have served in this office of fiscal +almost seven years. Should your Majesty not be disposed to grant me +this favor I shall continue in my service here until I die. + +Still later, at the death of Dona Maria de Miranda, two encomiendas +were left vacant, both worth a thousand pesos of income. They were +given to Don Fernando de Villafana, by virtue of your royal decree, +in which it is commanded that your governor should give him an +encomienda of Indians. He has served in these islands about ten years, +and for his good service and poverty but little has been given him. On +this account, and as your Majesty had commanded that he be given an +encomienda of Indians, I took no exception, as in the other cases. + +This year there came from China eleven or twelve vessels with but +little merchandise, because, as they say, there have been many wars +and a severe plague. It has been reported that a ship from Panama +or Piru, prepared to lay out a large sum of money, has arrived at +Macan, which is on the river of Canton. As I have stated in previous +communications, if it is permitted to carry on trade between Piru +or Nueva Espana and China, this country will be depopulated and +ruined. The principal means of support here is the merchandise from +China, and the profit which results from sending those goods to be +sold in Nueva Espana. This would be completely done away with, should +ships go from that country or Piru to China; for it is evident that, +if these ships bought the merchandise needed, there would be no market +or sale for the goods brought from these islands. Neither would the +Chinese come here with their ships to sell the goods, or at least +not in so large numbers; and besides the general loss to this land, +there would be lost the customs duties of import and export. + +At my petition, in view of the fact that a large part of the gold +paid as tribute had not been declared, and the fifth taken, it was +decreed that within a fortnight after the collection of tribute, the +gold should be declared, and the registers of collection displayed, +before the officials of your royal exchequer, under penalty of +losing the third part of the tribute for that year. The aforesaid was +proclaimed and notification was given to the encomenderos of this city, +and the decrees therefor were sent to the alcaldes-mayor. Nevertheless, +there is laxity in the declarations; and it would be of great benefit +for your Majesty to order the officers of your royal exchequer to +exercise great care in this, and to see that the disobedient suffer +the penalties. [_Marginal note_: "Bring the decrees in this case."] + +Last year a fragata was despatched from this city to Maluco. Therein +were two descalced friars, who were going to that court on business +connected with their order; and they carried with them a packet of +letters from this Audiencia and your governor. This fragata anchored +in a port of the island of Borney, called El Paso; and the natives +attacked them, after having given assurance of safety so that they +would land. They killed one of the friars, and all the men except +three or four Spaniards; and burned the fragata, after having robbed +it. Those who escaped say that this attack had been made by order +of the king of Burney, and that a Spanish soldier who had gone +there had been persuaded to turn renegade. They pay him a stipend +for making plans for stone fortifications, and making weapons and +powder. Your governor despatched a ship, sending a messenger to ask +for this soldier; but the reply has not yet come. Many people were +of the opinion that, if soldiers had been in these islands in any +great number, a fleet should be sent to attack the said king--both +for the reason already given, and because he was a tributario to +your Majesty, and has refused to pay tribute. But with the few +troops in these islands, no expedition can be made, nor do we who +are in Manila feel at all secure, with the forces that we have in +this kingdom. There are many enemies and but few Spaniards, and +the latter are dying in great numbers every day. Also, for lack of +troops, punishment has not been meted out for the insolence which, as +I reported to your Majesty last year, had been perpetrated by the king +of Mindanao. In the past few days the Indians of Cibu have revolted, +and have killed the encomenderos who were collecting the tribute, +and other soldiers. They seized the women, and detained them for a +long time, until the alcalde-mayor of that island, with a number of +friendly Indians and fifty or sixty Spaniards, attacked and chastised +them. Some were killed in the encounter, and those most guilty were +hanged. Thereupon the said alcalde-mayor wrote that that island was +pacified. It lies more than one hundred and fifty leagues from this +city. Later, on the seventh of last June, there came further advices +from the said alcalde-mayor, to the effect that the natives of said +islands, with other neighboring peoples, had conspired to burn the +city, and kill all the Spaniards who might be there; and that several +of the principal authors of the plot have been captured, and steps are +being taken to arrest the others. Your governor sent him instructions +as to what he should do. + +Four or five months ago two soldiers came from the city of Segovia, +located in the province of Cagayan. They were sent by the alcalde-mayor +of that province, bringing word that the province was all in rebellion +and that the Indians had killed many Spaniards. The natives were so +bold and daring that they entered into the city to murder and rob. He +begged for reenforcements of troops and ammunition, or that province +would be depopulated. It is the most important of these islands as +it is the nearest to Japon and is within fifty leagues of the coast +of China. Reenforcements were sent by the master-of-camp, Pedro de +Chaves, with four or five ships and fifty soldiers, besides what +supplies and ammunition they could take. We have received news of +their arrival only. The outcome of the expedition I will relate when +it is over. Captain Martin de Barrios was also slain by the Indians +while he was collecting the tribute from his encomienda, together with +other soldiers; and I am ready to certify that there are few places +in these islands where the natives are not disaffected. When there is +any uprising they communicate with one another, make allies, and send +messengers to keep up relations. This is because the Indians know that +there is but a small force of Spaniards, and that they are separated +from one another, and that their punishments are not inflicted as +they formerly were, under a military regime, but by a judicial order. + +The past year we were informed that the Indian chiefs of this +district had met together at different times to discuss rebellion +against your royal service, and the death of all the Spaniards in +these islands, and the mastery of this land which was enjoyed by +their forefathers. At the time when this happened there was in this +city a Japanese captain, who had come here ostensibly for trading and +carrying on commerce. The natives made arrangements with him to come +to their aid with ships and soldiers. They were to give him part of +the land, and would send messengers to the king of Borney and other +principal Indians of other provinces, in order that they might come to +their assistance. They swore very solemnly according to their custom +to keep and fulfil the agreement. They chose a king, captains, and +officers of war; and weapons were made in secret. On the discovery +of their treachery and plots, the principal chiefs were arrested; +seven or eight of them were hanged and beheaded, and their property +confiscated. Many others were exiled, some from their villages, and +others to Nueva Espana who sail in this ship. By this punishment it +seems as if the people have become somewhat cowed. May God aid us, +and free us from so many dangers to which we are exposed. This land +will be lost and ruined if your Majesty does not expressly order a +goodly number of soldiers to be sent here, and that something be paid +to the men for their support. It is pitiful to see them die of hunger, +and if they are not paid no soldiers will care to come here, to be +in captivity; and we are dying off very fast. Your Majesty should +not permit such a thing; for, although this land is of much cost and +no profit, it is a foothold and stepping-stone by which to enter the +realms of Great China. For this it is very important to learn that +language, and for some religious of the orders of St. Augustine and +St. Dominic to teach the Chinese in that tongue, since in that wise +they will become fond of our religion. May God bring this to pass, +later. It would tend greatly to the preservation of the soldiers, +should your Majesty order your viceroy of Nueva Espana to send a doctor +to these islands, although he should be given a salary from your royal +treasury of Nueva Espana. For lack of a physician and of someone who +knows how to cure sickness, many of the people die--especially the +soldiers and sailors, who have few comforts. + +Your Majesty's galleys in this city are useless, and serve for nothing +whatever. It will be more profitable and less costly to have a couple +of small ships and another couple of armed fragatas. This can be done +if your Majesty will order them to be built, and the galleys to be +broken up. + +The fort, which is being built of stone, has been fractured in some +places, from the great weight. They say that it is caused by the +small amount of cement used, and because it is near the water and +built in a round shape. It seemed as if it could be made secure by +building three buttresses with three cavaliers; and this work is +now being done. If the cavaliers had been built at first, much money +could have been saved; but, as there are no engineers here, they have +done the best they could--although several captains say that they had +given warning at the beginning of the work. For this there has been +collected a little more than four thousand pesos from certain duties +which used to be paid to your Majesty on the money brought from Nueva +Espana. Later, collections were made from the Indians of the land, +on each being levied one real--thus raising another twelve thousand +pesos, more or less. Now another tax of one real has been levied on +the Indians, who are oppressed by it; but as your royal treasury is +so poor, everything must be borne. + +In last year's letter I advised you that at my petition, taxes were +levied on the Indians in their suits, according to the tariff of Spain, +charging the Spaniards triple the amount. Finding that the clerks +could not support themselves on so small fees, and at risk of levying +too much, it was ordered that the fees be doubled, and it was so done. + +Captain Esteban Rodriguez de Figueroa, son-in-law of the licentiate +Melchior Davalos, your auditor, killed his wife and nephew, the own +son of his brother, saying that they had committed adultery. This he +proved by some Indian women of his house, although he did not find +them in the act. I conducted the trial, and, after review thereof, +condemned him to six years of exile, and a fine of five thousand +pesos for your royal court, the expenses of justice, and other things. + +This year a Japanese ship came to this port with many supplies and +arms. There must have been more than five hundred arquebuses and as +many of their kind of swords, and some battle-axes. As the conspiracy +of the Indians had taken place when the said ship arrived, it was +believed that it came for the execution of that plot. On entering the +port, this ship was boarded, and all its cargo was sequestered and +the crew imprisoned. It was learned that they were going to sell the +weapons in Cian, and they were released from custody, on condition +that they would sell the goods here. This they did, and this country +has consequently been supplied with weapons. + +As your royal treasury is usually in need and lack of money, +it happened at the beginning of February of this year that, +on petition of the prebendaries and curas of the cathedral, the +bishop of these islands commanded the royal officials, under pain +of excommunication, to pay them the stipends assigned them from your +royal treasury--amounting to one thousand five hundred pesos annually, +for four prebendaries. According to my information your said officials +owed them nothing whatever, in accordance with the agreement made with +them in the month of July of the year eighty-seven--namely, that from +that day they were to be paid their entire current salary; and of that +due them they were to be paid little by little, as your royal treasury +was so over-burdened. At this notification they replied to the bishop +that he could not be judge of that case, as it was a secular one +and they were laymen. Of necessity, they appealed to the Audiencia; +and the bishop ordered that they be declared excommunicated. This +was publicly done, and their names written on the public list, on a +Saturday evening. After the Audiencia saw what difficulties would +follow on the excommunication of your royal officials, and after +it had examined the proceedings in the report made to the judge, it +passed an ordinance, asking and requiring the bishop to absolve and +reinstate the officials until the documents could be examined in the +council-room. To this he gave a certain reply, and after considering +this, with the documents, another decree was made, in which it was +declared to the bishop that he was not the judge of the cause, which +the Audiencia ordered to be retained under its own jurisdiction. As I +was not present at this decision it was ordered that I be notified, +and that I should appear in the suit in defense of your royal +jurisdiction. Therefore, on the Monday next following, I presented +before the said bishop a petition requesting that he absolve the +persons excommunicated, and declare himself not to have jurisdiction +over that cause. To establish the fact that the recognition thereof +did not belong to him, I stated in the first argument of my petition +that it could not pertain to him as the royal officials were mere +laymen, and not subject to the ecclesiastical jurisdiction, but to +the royal. I alleged further reasons that the cause was secular and +temporal. Among other things, the bishop replied to the petition +that he was not satisfied with a proposition that I had offered, +in reference to the holy office of the Inquisition. This caused +exceeding disturbance and scandal in this city, because the bishop was +not content with saying what he did in reply to my petition; but to +every person who entered his house he said that I had been guilty of a +heresy, and unlettered persons who heard this gave it credit. Moreover, +as there is here a commissary of the Inquisition, he called together +many friars and certified this proposition, separating it from the +petition and paying no attention to my purpose therein, or to the +circumstances under which I made it. I am sending a report of all the +proceedings, in order that your Majesty may provide for the future, +as to whether the bishop is to be the judge, and have entrance and +privilege to cause the salaries to be paid from your royal treasury, +which your Majesty in kindness and mercy had ordered to be assigned to +the prebendaries and curates. The bishop, for the sake of peace, after +he had kept your royal officials excommunicated many days, refusing to +obey or fulfil the ordinances of your royal Audiencia, issued a decree +in which he gave up the decision of the cause to his Holiness and to +your Majesty. He protested that he would proceed with the case when he +saw fit. Although I stated in petition that the bishop had not complied +with the ordinances of the Audiencia, and that thereby he had incurred +the penalties provided--which I begged to have executed--everything was +passed over, and it was not deemed proper to exact the penalties. In +this wise, whenever any dispute over jurisdiction occurs, the bishop +displays like obstinacy, as he has done in other cases which are being +added to the principal one. If a penalty should once be imposed that +would hurt him, he would obey and comply with the ordinances of the +Audiencia. But he says publicly that nothing can be done which will +restrain him, and this is what he desires. Because of this case the +prebendaries and bishop abandoned the cathedral church and did not +enter it, or celebrate the divine offices therein from the fourth of +February until the twenty-second of March--when, as it was holy week, +they returned. During this time only the cura came to the church, to +say mass; and thereby great complaint, scandal, and discontent were +caused among all the people. I beseech your Majesty to be pleased to +order this case to be summarily settled. The bishop declares that he +will use the right, which he claims to own, when he sees fit to do so; +and it should be decided if it is right to suffer this thing. Also, +because I as fiscal attend to the defense of your royal jurisdiction, +should the bishop have license to declare in writing that I had made +a proposition touching the Holy Inquisition? It was not only this, +but that the statement went from one pulpit to another, by his +command, that to say that the bishop was not judge of that cause +was a heresy. These and other words of which the Audiencia will +give information caused no little scandal in this city. Likewise he +refuses to obey the ordinances of the Audiencia, making light of and +disputing over them, for which he may be restrained and condemned in +temporal matters. + +It is quite common for controversies to arise between your governor and +the bishop as to which of them is to assign the salary to be given to +the ecclesiastics who administer instruction, both in the encomiendas +of your royal crown and in those of private individuals. Since the +salaries in the encomiendas of the crown are paid from your royal +exchequer, it is but just that your governor assign them, or at +least that they do so jointly. In this way your royal patronage +will be better guarded, and it will be known for whom the bishop is +providing. I beg your Majesty to be pleased to have suitable orders +given in this matter, and that it be done shortly, for every day more +and more difficulties arise. + +A case has been considered in the Audiencia, between the bishop and +the order of St. Augustine, as to whether the said order and the +religious thereof are to administer instruction to the Chinese living +in the village of Tondo. Ever since the settlement of this town, +they have had a convent there, ministering to the natives in their +own language. They say that they have also instructed the Chinese, +who understand what they say. The bishop placed in this town friars +of his own order, the Dominican, so that they could minister to the +Chinese in a chapel there. The Augustinians complained, saying that +by a brief of his Holiness, and a royal decree which they presented, +two monasteries of different orders should not be situated in the same +town, or in its vicinity. The Audiencia passed an ordinance requiring +that within thirty days the bishop should appoint ministers of one +order, to administer instruction to the natives and the Chinese. As +this ordinance concerned a matter already adjudicated, the bishop +asked for a declaration of their position; and it was thereupon +declared that by that ordinance the Dominicans were not excluded +from the administration of instruction to the Chinese. An appeal was +then made on the part of the order of St. Augustine; and they said +that some of their religious would in a short time know the Chinese +language. They were commanded by ordinance to observe the past decree, +until your Majesty should have been consulted and should provide +otherwise. Afterward, when the Augustinians saw that they were not +by the said ordinances excluded from administering instruction to +the Chinese, they commenced to undertake this work. The bishop, as he +desired a religious of the said order who was said to know the Chinese +language to preach to the Chinese on the afternoon of St John's day, +went to the town of Tondo, which is opposite this city, on the other +side of the river. He had trouble with the Augustinian friars, and +the abovementioned religious would not consent to preach. Thereby was +caused much severe comment and scandal, both among the natives and +Chinese, and among the Spaniards. The Augustinian friars complain that +the bishop, being a Dominican, favors his own order and persecutes +them; and that before the coming of the Dominicans to these islands +they did not have this persecution, but peace and concord. + +There is great need of religious to administer instruction to the +natives, since of the few who were here a large number have died, +this year and last. There are many places without instruction, and +in still others there are ecclesiastics who do not know the language, +from which it results that the natives cannot be well instructed. It is +of much importance for the welfare and pacification of this land that +religious should come here, because in those places where they are now +stationed the Indians live more peaceably and with less license. I +beseech your Majesty to be pleased to give orders for their prompt +despatch, since their coming is so necessary for the service of God +and the good of souls. They should be of the three orders already here. + +In this city there are two hospitals, one for Spaniards and the +other for the natives. That of the natives is under the charge of a +Franciscan friar, [18] who cares for them and ministers to them with +much charity. It seems as if God supports them as by a miracle; for +there are usually more than a hundred patients, sick with all kinds +of diseases, and they are maintained by alms, as they have no other +income. It would be very injurious if the Franciscan friars should +abandon it; and thus it will be expedient for your Majesty to order +that they hold and administer it, as has been done hitherto. Moreover, +license should be given for said hospital to send four toneladas +of pepper as cargo on the ships which sail every year from these +islands to Nueva Espana. There should be levied on them neither +duties in these islands, nor freight charges at Acapulco; for with +this privilege, which would little affect your Majesty's interests, +they can further the work, and support themselves. + +Those who are serving your Majesty in this royal Audiencia are: +the doctor Santiago de Vera, your president; the licentiate Melchior +Davalos, the licentiate Pedro de Rrojas, and the licentiate Don Antonio +de Rribera, your auditors. The first two suffer from many ailments +and infirmities. There are also myself, a secretary, a reporter, +three attorneys, and interpreters and other officials of the Audiencia. + +The persons who have been provided with offices this year are the +following: Don Fernando de Villafana, alcalde-mayor of La Laguna, with +a salary of three hundred pesos, the amount usually given to other +alcaldes-mayor; Pedro Manrique, alcalde-mayor at Pangansinan, who has +served your Majesty nine years, in these islands; Cristoval de Leon, +chief magistrate at Calompite, an elderly man, long in the land, and +with wife and children; Gaspar de Ysla, chief magistrate at Lubao, +one of the early colonists, and married; Captain Gomez de Machuca, +alcalde-mayor of Camarines, who has served ten years in this country, +and married here; Bartolome Pacheco, alcalde-mayor of Bulacan, who has +seen six years' service in this land; Captain Don Alonso Maldonado, +alcalde-mayor of the alcaiceria of the Chinese, who has served here six +years; Clemente Hurtado de Monrreal, alcalde-mayor of the coast of this +city, who has seen six years' service here; Lorenco Lopez de Abiste, +alcalde-mayor of the island of Cubu, who has served here six years; +Captain Don Diego de Alcaraso, who was appointed by your governor +as warden of the old fort, at the death of Captain Juan Maldonado, +who used to hold it, and draws a salary of three hundred pesos; Juan +de Bustamante, who was appointed by your governor as inspector to the +Indians, and is now inspecting in the province of Ylocos; Don Gaspar +de Vera, son of your governor, who was appointed as general of the +sea; and Joan, Cantero, alcalde-mayor of Calompite, who has served +seventeen years in this land. + +On the twenty-ninth of June returned the messenger sent by your +governor to the kingdom of Burney to ask the king to deliver to him +the soldier who had turned renegade, as I have said above. Although +the king made some excuses for his acts, he nevertheless refused to +deliver the renegade. + +On the same day there was an unusually severe tempest of wind and +water in this city. The natives say that they never saw such a +one. The sea and the river Madre rose until they joined and reached +the fort. Much damage was done in the houses; and worse still, two +ships which were here loading a cargo for Nueva Espana--one belonging +to your Majesty, and the other to the mariscal Grabiel de Rivera--were +driven on the coast by the force of this tempest, and it is understood +that they cannot be repaired. Even should one of them be repaired, +it cannot make the voyage this year. In all the port not one ship +or fragata escaped, except one small boat, which was taken to send +advices to Nueva Espana of the condition of this land, which is +most unpropitious. By this calamity, so injurious to the community, +the people have become greatly disheartened. Moreover, as I write +this clause, we have had thus far no news of ships from Nueva Espana, +although this is the seventh of July. The entire support of this land +depends on the coming and going of the ships; and if they are not +here by May or the middle of June, by delaying longer they run great +risk of being lost, and with them the welfare and support of this +land. Sailing from the port of Acapulco at the beginning of March, +they would arrive here in good time and without risk from storms. As +this is of so much importance, I beseech your Majesty to be pleased to +order your viceroy of Nueva Espana to exercise the utmost diligence +in the early despatch of the ships which are to come to this land, +in order that they may accomplish the purpose of the voyage. + +On the first of July, arrived the master-of-camp, Pedro de Chaves, +who had gone to chastise the Indians of the province of Cagayan, +who as I have said before, were at war. Although he had gone out +with sixty soldiers and more than eight hundred friendly Indians, he +did nothing whatever except to cut down their palm-trees and destroy +their crops. He says that the Indians themselves burned their villages +and went to the mountains. It is known, however, that he left that +province in a worse state of war than before, and when the Indians +see our men turn back and leave them they regain courage. + +We Spaniards are very few in number, and are surrounded by enemies +on every side. If we are not relieved in time by the despatch of +reenforcements, it will be impossible to apply a remedy when it +is wanted. As I have already said, we are but few, and the troops +die very quickly. When the Indians see an opportunity to crush us, +they are not likely to let it slip. I beseech your Majesty to be +pleased to order your viceroy that, when your governor sends to ask +troops and ammunition, or other necessaries, he should send them; +and also that he should send some money, because on account of the +many extraordinary occasions for expense which every day arise, your +royal treasury is usually much embarrassed and in debt. Sometimes, +for lack of money, important things are left undone. + +On Sunday, the ninth of this month, I was in the cathedral, where +were gathered all the people and the orders, as there was to be a +solemn procession and sermon. The deacon came out to sprinkle the +holy water, and went directly to the choir and sprinkled it on the +bishop and all the persons who were in the choir. It is the custom +to give it first to the Audiencia. When the deacon came back from +the choir, your president and auditors told him that if the bishop +would not cause precedence to be observed for the Audiencia, they +would go to hear service elsewhere. When the bishop learned this, +he left the church immediately, and sent orders to the preacher not +to preach; and we were left without a sermon, to the great scandal +of the people gathered there. + +There is nothing else at present. Only I pray that our Lord may +preserve your Majesty many years in perfect health, and with increase +of greater kingdoms and seigniories, in His holy service. At Manila, +July 15, 1589. + +The licentiate _Ayala_. + + + + +Royal Decree Regarding Commerce + + +The King: To Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, [19] knight of the order of +Santiago, and appointed by me governor and captain-general of the +Phelipinas Islands. As soon as Father Alonso Sanchez, a religious +of the Society of Jesus, came here, ordered and empowered by all +the estates of the islands to discuss certain matters regarding +the service of our Lord, and the welfare and preservation of the +inhabitants and natives of those islands, I ordered certain members of +my councils to come together to hear him. This they did, and a thorough +examination was made of certain memorials which that religious had +been ordered to present. [20] After they had consulted with me upon +certain points of the said memorials, I decided, with the approval +of the above-mentioned councilors to whom the matter was delegated, +upon the following instructions which are given to you. I order you +to fulfil your duties, in every respect, with the consideration, +care, and diligence which I expect from you. The father has also +entreated me, in behalf of the said city, to order that no persons +entering the ports of the said islands from without shall be made to +pay duties--whether they be Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Siamese, +Borneans, or any other people whatsoever, especially when they bring +provisions, ammunition, and raw material for these articles. These +taxes are a grievance to the Chinese, and trade is hindered, and there +are other resultant disadvantages, as the said Father Alonso Sanchez +has informed me at length; accordingly I have held and do now hold it +best that for the present no more of the said duties be levied upon +provisions and ammunitions. Therefore you will not permit any duty +to be levied until otherwise ordered and decreed. Another advisable +measure discussed was that no Chinese or foreign ships could sell at +retail the goods which they carried to the islands, as is done now; +nor could the inhabitants buy the goods, openly or in secret, under +severe penalties. The purchase of the said goods was to be discussed +by the Council, and as many and so qualified persons as the business +demanded were to be appointed. These persons alone should buy in a +lot all the merchandise brought by the ships, and then distribute it +fairly among the citizens, Spanish, the Chinese, and the Indians, +at the same price at which it should be appraised. The matter was +discussed and examined by the members of the said Council, and it +has seemed best to send you the decision reached in this affair, +as I now do. I order you, keeping this in mind, to give the orders +which you may think acceptable to me. You will keep me informed of +your proceedings, and will not permit or allow any person to go to +the ships except the ones appointed to do so by a special order. You +will endeavor to give products of the islands in exchange for the +said merchandise, so as to avoid, if possible, the introduction of so +much coin into foreign kingdoms as has been customary. Besides the +good results which will follow from carrying out the provisions of +the preceding clause, we may expect another of no less importance; +and that is, that by enforcing the regulations, not only will you +rid yourself of the Chinese retailers, who conceal and sell their +merchandise, but there will be also avoided many other losses, +expenses, and scarcity, and the secret sins and witchcraft which +they teach. Their shops, which are necessary for the sale at retail, +could, in the course of the year, be given up to Spaniards, so that +they might remain in their possession and bring them profit. Such a +course would also bring together a larger number of citizens. You might +permit the Chinese Christians and other old inhabitants to remain, +who do not come and go, and are not retailers in the true sense of +the word; but who work as mechanics, carpenters, gardeners, farmers, +and in other labors for food production. Considering the importance +of this affair, you are warned not to permit or allow the presence of +infidels and retailers in the said islands; and to prevent their coming +together in so large numbers as to give rise to difficulties. All this +you will carry out with the care and diligence which I am confident +lies in your character and prudence, and the zeal which you will show +where my service is concerned. San Lorenzo, August 9, 1589. + + + + +Instructions to Gomez Perez Dasmarinas + + +The King: To Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, knight of the order of Santiago, +whom I have appointed as my governor and captain-general of the +Philipinas Islands. Upon the arrival of Father Alonso Sanchez, a +religious of the Society of Jesus, who came, by order and authorization +of all estates of the said islands, to confer about certain matters +pertaining to the service of our Lord and the welfare and preservation +of the inhabitants and natives of the islands, [21] I convened certain +members of my councils in order that they might hear him. After they +had done so, and had examined in great detail certain memorials +that the father presented, in accordance with his orders, and had +consulted with me in regard to all the points of the said memorials, +I resolved, with the advice of the aforesaid my counselors, to whom +I committed the matter, upon what will follow here, which will serve +as your instructions. I order you to observe and fulfil them to the +letter, with the consideration, care, and diligence that I expect +from your person. + +2. Infinite thanks should be given our Lord, and I hereby offer +them to Him, for the great mercy that He has been pleased to show +me, in that, during the period while I, by His mercy and will, +rule as king, and through me as the instrument, those so remote +islands have been discovered; and that at present, as I have heard, +more than two hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants enjoy in those +islands evangelical instruction, besides the great inclination which is +manifest to spread the knowledge of our holy Catholic faith throughout +the other islands with which all that great archipelago is sown and +inhabited for the space of more than nine hundred leguas of latitude, +and more than five hundred of longitude. This does not include the +vast kingdoms of the mainland--China, Cochina, Conchinchina, Champa, +Canvoja, Siam, Patan, Joor [Johore], and others--notwithstanding +that I wish and desire that a pathway to them be opened. In order +that this end be attained, it is necessary that for the present, and +until our Lord so dispose and direct it, the conservation of what +has been pacified and conquered, by so great labor and at so vast +expense to my exchequer, be looked after carefully. I charge you +straitly to see to this, taking note of the condition of affairs, +what is advisable for their continuous improvement and settlement, +and giving them a sound foundation, so that among so many enemies, +not only may they be preserved, but continue to increase daily. + +3. First: The above-mentioned father, Alonso Sanchez, has reported +that the cathedral of those islands, located in the said city of +Manila, has no building, ornaments, or other adornments pertaining +to the service of divine worship; or income, or alms for its aid, or +in order to provide it with sacristans, verger, or other necessary +assistants; and that being, as is the case, in the gaze of so many +idolatrous enemies and Mahometans, both natives and foreigners who meet +there--especially the Chinese, who have observed this condition--it +is very annoying that they should see it served so inadequately +and covered with wood and thatch--poor, dilapidated, and without +provision. And because it is very just, and in accord with my will +and desire, that the above-mentioned church be built and served with +all possible propriety, you shall, as soon as you arrive at the said +islands, especially further the building and construction of the +said church. You shall apportion for this purpose the sum of twelve +thousand ducados, in three parts--to wit, one from my royal exchequer, +another from the encomenderos, and the third from the Indians, as is +done in Nueva Espana. The said twelve thousand ducados shall be spent +upon the said building within four years, spending three thousand +each year. And in order that it may be better done and be commenced +immediately, I have ordered two thousand ducados paid, in anticipation, +on the account of my third, from my royal treasury of the said Nueva +Espana. As you pass there, you will ask them to send this amount. + +4. I have been told that there are two hospitals in the said city of +Manila--one for Spaniards, and the other for Indians--and that both +of them suffer extreme need; for to that of the Spaniards resort many +soldiers, sailors, and other poor folk, who become ill through certain +exertions in my service, and those common to that country; while that +of the Indians is sustained by themselves, by means of their fruits, +work, and tributes. All those who are treated in the latter hospital +fall sick in the same manner as the others, and in the foundation +and preservation of the settlements. Both classes die in discomfort, +through having no building in which to be protected from the ravages +of the climate, and through the lack of beds, food, medicines, nurses, +and other necessities. It would be advisable to send these supplies +from the said Nueva Spana, together with some blankets. This is, +as you see, a work of the greatest charity, and it is especially +desirable to assist with great care in the consolation and treatment +of the sick. And besides that, you shall have diligence to examine +the hospital built there, and ascertain what care is taken of the +sick. From the first repartimientos that may become vacant in the +said island, you shall apply to the principal hospital sufficient +for an income of five thousand pesos annually; and to that of the +Indians, five hundred ducados annually, granted from the increase of +the tributes of the Indians (which shall be collected in the manner +set down in the sixth section of these instructions), so that both +may enjoy the said income as long as may be my pleasure. From these +amounts the necessary buildings shall be constructed, and other things +provided, so that both may be properly conducted. In order that this +may be commenced immediately, I have granted four hundred ducados +to the principal hospital, and two hundred to that of the Indians, +to be paid from my royal treasury of the said Nueva Spana, as you +will see by the decree that will be given you. + +5. The said Father Alonso Sanchez also reported that the need of +ministers of instruction in the said islands is so great that many +Indians die without baptism; that because of the same need, the +conquest and conversion of other islands are neglected; and that +it would be advisable to send religious from the orders established +there, with instructions to remain there and not go elsewhere. Already +permission has been granted and the needful care taken, so that +some religious may go there, and others will be provided as soon as +possible. All of them shall be notified to resolve upon staying in the +said Philipinas Islands, and not to go to any other place without the +express permission of the bishop and of yourself. Therefore I charge +you that, whenever any religious shall offer themselves to you to +leave the said islands, you shall confer with the said bishop, and +shall consider and discuss the matter; but you shall grant the said +permission only after thorough consideration. + +6. Another section of the above-mentioned memorials indicates how +instruction may be provided, not only where there is none, but also +where there is some, although inadequate; that it would be advisable to +increase the tributes and clear up the appraisements of the tributes, +for they are at present in a very confused and dangerous condition, +because of many scruples and injuries connected with them; and that, +as each Indian's tribute has hitherto generally been collected in +pesos of eight reals apiece, it should reasonably be raised to the +value of ten Castilian reals to each of the said pesos--provided that +the Indian may not be forced to pay it in any designated article, +but only in money, if he have it, or shall choose to give it, or in +some other article produced by him, or in goods acquired in trade, +according to their valuation at the time of payment. Because, after +discussing this point, it is believed that each peso may be increased +by two reals to make up the ten, as is petitioned, therefore you shall +order that this increase be paid into my royal treasury, and that half +a real be used to pay the obligations of the tithes, and the other one +and one-half reals be used for the pay of the soldiers stationed in +the said islands, and for other things pertaining thereto; and that +the encomenderos be obliged to pay, from the eight reals remaining, +for the necessary instruction, and their share of the building of +the church, during the time of its construction, in accordance with +the foregoing. The said Indians shall reserve the choice to pay the +tributes in money or in products, in whichever one they wish. + +7. Another section of the said memorials also petitions that in +order that this increase of tributes may be more justifiable, the +encomenderos be ordered to pay the tithes, according to the use and +custom in Mexico; for, inasmuch as the commonwealth previously had +neither church, bishop, curates, nor settled rule, the tithes have +not been paid. This is a just order, and as such you shall enforce it, +providing that the said tithes due be paid from the products of their +farms and their animals. + +8. On the part of the said city of Manila, I have been petitioned to +have it granted some public property, in order that it may attend to +the affairs of peace, war, government, and other matters pertaining to +its conservation and defense, and for suits that may arise--granting it +for this purpose some Indians, or something from the duties on Chinese +merchandise, or on the storehouses or shops where they trade. After +advising with my counselors, I have determined to bestow upon the +said city for six years, for its public property, one-half of the +fines and pecuniary penalties paid into my treasury, and the incomes +from the said storehouses; with the obligation that, each three years, +the account of money thus obtained be sent, as well as a statement of +what is expended. You shall take care to procure the advancement of the +said city in this, to watch in what manner this grant is used, and to +order that the said account and statement be sent at the proper time. + +9. I have also been petitioned, in the name of the said city, to +order that neither in the said city nor in any other part of the +other islands shall be paid the three per cent duty [22] imposed by +Don Gonzalo Ronquillo, as the country is very new and needy, and the +inhabitants have to assist in many other things. Although I would be +very glad to relieve them, still expenses are so heavy, that I must +aid myself by whatever is available. Therefore it will be advisable to +collect the said three per cent. You shall give orders to this effect; +and that the amount that is collected from these duties on merchandise +be placed in my treasury on a separate account, and it shall be used +for paying the soldiers stationed there; and that of the rest that +is collected this duty be discontinued for the present. [23] + +10. I have also been petitioned, in the name of the said city, to order +that none of those who resort from foreign parts to the ports of the +said islands--as Chinese, Portuguese, Japanese, Cianese, Burneyes, or +any others--pay duty, especially on food, ammunition, and materials +for ammunition. Because of this, much annoyance is caused--as, for +instance to the Chinese--and the steady course of trade is hindered, +and other troubles follow. After receiving detailed information from +the said Father Alonso Sanchez, I have considered and still consider +it advisable that, for the present, the collection of the said duties +on provisions and ammunition be repealed; and therefore you shall +not allow them to be levied until I order and provide otherwise. + +11. I was also petitioned by the said islands to order that, inasmuch +as none of the merchandise from Sevilla to Mexico pays any duties +on the first sale, it be not paid on the merchandise sent from +those islands to the port of Acapulco, or other places. So little is +collected in said port of Acapulco, namely, twelve pesos per tonelada +of freight on the goods of the inhabitants--the duty imposed by Don +Goncalo Ronquillo--and because likewise the proceeds of this duty are +needed to pay the said soldiers, you shall order that it be collected +for the present for the above purpose. + +12. One of the things most conducive to the good government of the +state and the happiness of the members and parts composing it, is +the equitable administration of distributive justice. Accordingly, I +command that the offices at your disposal and the advantageous posts +of the country be given to men who merit them by their services and +capacity, in such manner that the offices be filled by old citizens, +who have lived in the country at least three years, and are citizens +of it; and the encomiendas to soldiers who shall have lived there in +actual military duty and service. Among them you should always give the +preference to those who are most deserving; including, with the other +circumstances of greater and better services in the country, their +length of residence there. They must not be sons, brothers, relatives, +servants, or friends of yours; for--besides that you are advised that +you are not to grant encomiendas of Indians or provide offices to +such men; and, with this end in view, a sufficient salary is given +you to enable you to help them--it is not right for men who are but +new arrivals, and have done no work, to enjoy the fruit of another's +toil. If rewards are bestowed justly, all will serve willingly in the +hope of attaining reward. Therefore it is my will that you observe +this order; and, that it may be thus inviolable, I declare that, now +and henceforth, your said sons, brothers, servants, and friends shall +be incapable of holding the said encomiendas or offices. And because +certain persons, who already hold encomiendas in the said islands, +and with these easily [can satisfy] whatever needs they may have, +are begging for further reward, you are advised not to grant them +any more until many others--who, as I have been informed have been +there for so long a time and are deserving, and have toiled in the +conquest and maintenance of the country, to a much greater extent +than those who are petitioning anew; but who have not been rewarded, +and therefore are poor, irritated, and querulous--shall be provided +and rewarded with encomiendas and other posts and means of gain. You +shall take especial care to reward those whose names follow: + +13. Diego Ronquillo, former governor and captain-general of those +islands, who, I am told, exercised the said offices excellently and +to the complete satisfaction of the country. + +Don Rodrigo Ronquillo de Penalosa, son of the governor Don Goncalo +Ronquillo. + +Captain Antonio Rodriguez Chacon. + +Captain Agustin de Arceo. + +Captain Don Goncalo Vallesteras Saavedra. + +Captain Diego del Castillo. + +Captain Don Juan Ronquillo del Castillo. + +Captain Caravallo. + +Captain Rodrigo Alvarez. + +Captain Gomez de Machuca. + +Hernando Munoz de Poyatos, regidor of Manila. + +Ensign Juan de Medrano. + +Miguel Rodriguez. + +Ensign Antonio Guerrero. + +Charavia, an old and good soldier. + +Gaspar Ruiz de Morales. + +Aguilar, likewise an excellent soldier. + +Villalobos. + +Bartholome Rodriguez. + +Sargeant Cantero. + +Gaspar de Ysla. + +Ensign Christoval de Azcueta. + +Geronimo de Cuellar. + +Luis Nunez Hernandez. + +[14]. Others, who are said not to have been there so long, but who +are men of worth and account, are as follows: + +Don Francisco de Porras y Guevara. + +Joan de Alcega. + +Don Luis de Velasco. + +Don Fernando de Villafane. + +Christoval Gueral. + +Joan Verdugo, who has lost his right arm in my service. + +Joan Diaz Guerrero. + +Blas Garcia. + +Joan de Cuellar. + +Gaspar de Mena. + +Diego de Carate, who is returning with you, and who, I have been +told, has usually been a commander, and has put down a rebellion, +and has served faithfully. + +15. You shall provide for and reward all of the above according to age, +merits, and individual qualifications; and shall give them preference +over all others who do not possess the above qualifications, in the +distribution of encomiendas, posts of government and war, and other +means for the advancement of the country. + +16. I charge and order you to observe the same plan in all that +pertains to the commissions and sources of profit, on land or on +sea--especially in the choice of masters and officers of vessels. For +besides observing, in regard to them, that they must have rendered +service and deserve the appointment, the others will be encouraged, +it will attract hither those who have gone away, and the country will +be settled and increased. + +17. I have been petitioned also, in behalf of the said city, that +all those who have worked, or have held appointments for wages or +pay, in the said islands be paid their wages there--as for instance, +sailors, carpenters, smiths, and all others who live there, and they +must live there permanently; and that the money for this purpose be +paid from the said royal treasury of Mexico--in order that the country +may become more thickly settled, and other good results follow. In +regard to this, since there will be a treasury there, from which it +may be paid, you shall be careful to order that those who labor be +reimbursed fully for their services; and, if there is insufficient +money to meet the obligations, you and my royal officials shall advise +my officials of the said Nueva Espana thereof, where an order will be +given to furnish that portion which appears, by sufficient testimony +and report, to be needful. + +18. In place of the third office of my royal treasury--namely, the +office of factor, which I ordered to be suppressed--they petition for +a ship-purveyor, in order that the vessels may leave better equipped +and more promptly; for the other two officials are so busy that they +cannot attend to it. As it would be advisable to place this in charge +of the factor whom I am having appointed, you shall have care to see +that he attends to it, as far as may be necessary, so that there may +be no grievance or lack in this matter. + +19. In regard to the trade of the said islands, on which their growth +likewise depends, the said Father Alonso Sanchez relates that the +large consignments of money sent there by wealthy people of Mexico, +who do not quit their homes, is one of the things which has ruined +the country; for great injuries result from it. The first is that +all Chinese goods are bought by wholesale and are becoming dearer, +so that the poor and common people of the said islands cannot buy +them, or must buy them at extremely high rates. The second is that, +as the said consignments are many and large, and the vessels few in +number--being at times, and in fact generally, not more than one; and, +by this one being quite laden and filled with goods for Mexicans, +there is no space left for the citizens and common people to embark +their goods. They have petitioned me that, as a remedy for the above +wrongs, I forbid the sending of consignments of money from Mexico, +or the maintenance of agents or companies in the said islands for any +person of Nueva Espana; that only the inhabitants of the islands be +allowed to buy and export domestic and foreign goods to the said Nueva +Espana; and that, if anyone else wishes to trade and traffic, it must +be on consideration of his becoming a citizen and residing there for +at least ten years, and of not trading with the property of another, +under penalty of its confiscation, besides that of his other personal +effects. Since, by this method, some goods would still be sent to +Mexico, the money now taken by the Chinese would not be withdrawn from +the country, and goods would be bought more cheaply and in exchange for +products of the islands. Now, because I am desirous of the advancement +of the said islands, and the best interests of their inhabitants, +I have therefore granted them by one of my decrees [24] that, for +the space of six years, only the said inhabitants may trade in China +and in the said Nueva Espana. You shall observe the said decree, and +shall not allow anything to be done in any wise contrary to its tenor. + +20. The question was also discussed whether it would not be better +to prohibit Chinese or other foreign vessels from selling at retail +the merchandise that they bring to the said islands (as is done +now), and the inhabitants of the country from buying those goods, +in public or private, under heavy penalties; and to provide that, +for the purchase of the said merchandise in bulk, as many and as +capable persons as the matter requires be there deputed and appointed, +so that they, and they alone, may buy in mass all the goods brought +in the vessels, and afterward divide them among the Spanish, Chinese, +and Indian inhabitants, with just and fair distribution, at the same +prices which they paid for them. After discussion and conference by +the members of the said assembly, it was decided to refer the entire +matter to you, as I hereby do. I order you, since you will have the +matter in hand, to ordain therein what you deem best. You shall advise +me of what you do, and shall not permit or allow any person to go +to the vessels except those assigned for that purpose, in the order +that shall be prescribed. You shall see that their said merchandise +is exchanged for other products of the islands, so that the taking +of so much coin as is now carried to foreign kingdoms may be avoided. + +21. In addition to the good effects, that, it is said, will result +from the execution of what is ordered in the above section, it is +presupposed that another, no less important, will follow--namely, +that, through the operations of the aforesaid, the Chinese hucksters +who lurk there and hawk their goods, will not stay there. Moreover, +other very heavy expenses and increase in prices, and the secret +sins and sorceries which they teach, would be avoided; while their +shops, which are necessary for retail trade, in the course of the +year could be given to Spaniards, so that the profits could remain +among the Spaniards, and there would be an opportunity for more +persons to acquire citizenship. The Chinese Christians and other old +citizens who are not transients, or who are not expressly hucksters, +but workmen--such as mechanics, carpenters, gardeners, farmers, +or those engaged in other food trades--might be permitted to remain +there. Inasmuch as this is a matter of importance, you are advised not +to permit or allow any infidel hucksters in the said islands; or so +many to become residents there that they may give rise to any trouble. + +22. Should you consider it advisable to permit and allow the +inhabitants of the said islands to go to Japon, Macan, or other +kingdoms, or settlements, whether of Portuguese or heathen, in order +that those countries may admit our commerce, you may do so--first +taking especial care that no trouble arises therefrom, and that it +is attended with no danger. + +23. You shall cause the fifty settlers and fifty farmers whom you are +to take with you to assemble, and go with you, according to the order +contained in my decree that treats of this. In order to incline them to +make the voyage, you shall give them the rewards and privileges which I +have granted to them, which you shall maintain to the utmost. You shall +take especial care that they attend to their settlement and farming; +and that for the space of fifteen years, they and the Indians who aid +and accompany them in their farming are not to be compelled to go to +war, or to engage in any other personal service, such as manning the +vessels, building, or any other services which may hinder or fatigue +them. And since it is fair that, if these rewards and accommodations +are given them, they, on their part, engage only in the work for which +they go; and since peaceful men who are not forced from their trade +and mode of living, apply themselves better, you shall see to it that +those who enlist and are taken be married farmers, of humble estate +and quiet disposition. From each one of them you shall take accredited +bonds, to the amount that seems advisable to you, that for the period +of six years they will not change to any other occupation or means of +gain, or do anything else beyond the thing for which they enlisted, +under the penalties which you may impose, and which you shall inflict. + +24. You shall see that the chiefs and timagua Indians have just +contracts and shares with the farmers, so that they may conceive +a liking for and learn farming as practiced here; and so that the +Spaniards may have those who can supply them with people and other +necessities. You shall see that these Indians are intelligent and know +how to keep their contracts with the farmers, especially if they are +peaceful, as above stated. + +25. The said islands, as I am told, need stallions, mares, cows, +and other domestic animals. In order that they may be bred there +in numbers, I am writing to the viceroy of Nueva Espana to send +to the said islands twelve mares, two stallions, twenty-four cows, +and two bulls. You shall ask him for these as you pass there, and +shall take them with you in your vessels as you go upon your voyage; +and whatever you think needful for the animals can be brought from +China and Japon. You shall order those farmers who are about to go +to the said islands, and the chiefs, to tame and breed buffaloes, +so that with all these animals there may be a sufficiency to carry +on the farming, and for other needful services. + +26. It was also petitioned in behalf of the said islands that, +now and henceforth, the encomiendas be given under the obligation +and condition that the encomendero shall work a patch of ground, +and assist the farmers and Indians, so that they also may work and +cultivate the soil. You shall strive to begin this, and shall give +lands and homesteads, farms and horses, for breeding and farming, +to the settlers and farmers, without any prejudice to the Indians. + +27. Upon your arrival at the said islands, you shall find out how +and where, and with what endowment, a convent of secluded girls may +be established, so that both those who go from here, and those born +there may stay in it, and live respectably and well instructed, and +go out therefrom to be married and bear children. By this method +and by the naturalization of persons in the land, its population +will increase continually. You shall endeavor to find some good plan +or method for doing this without encroaching on my royal treasury, +or so that it may be relieved as much as possible. You shall advise +me of it on the first opportunity, as well as of the method that can +be employed in endowing the said poor girls; and how and from what +source other smaller dowries may be established, in order that the +Indian women may marry poor Spanish soldiers and sailors. + +28. In regard to what is petitioned by the said islands about +appointing citizens of the islands to the posts therein, and not +selling the offices, as former governors have tried to do, you shall +look to it carefully, and favor and reward the citizens. + +29. Further, it was proposed also that, as far as the natural fitness +of the land and the settlements of the Indians permitted, it would be +advisable to order that encomiendas of not less than eight hundred +or one thousand Indians be granted, for there are tithes for the +instruction, and the other expenses of maintenance, which small +encomiendas cannot bear; and that those who have but few Indians +be allowed to transfer or sell them at their pleasure to other and +neighboring encomenderos, so that, by this union, the encomiendas may +be larger, and may be able to meet the above expenses. Inasmuch as +all matters pertaining to the sale of encomiendas have been enacted +with great care, and it is not fitting to violate these enactments, +you shall not permit this request. But you shall see to it carefully +that the repartimientos have enough for instruction, and for the +maintenance of the encomenderos. You shall endeavor to establish the +Indians in settlements, which shall have adequate instruction. This +you shall attend to with the most rigorous care and attention. + +30. Among the things most wasteful of property, and which +embarrass, and may cause harm in, a country so new, because of +the animosity and quarrels resulting therefrom, are the suits and +controversies engendered among the citizens, and among the Indians +themselves. Although it is my will that complete justice be observed +in each case, I charge you that, in so far as may be possible, and +can be rightly done, you settle the differences and suits which +arise, without having recourse to the technicalities of the law +or proceeding by the ordinary methods, or condemning to pecuniary +fines; but observing throughout the provisions of the decrees that +shall be given you. And in order that all may enjoy the blessings +which must ensue from so mild a government, and may live in ease and +contentment, and without any perturbation in the great undertakings +that, God helping, will be accomplished, I am writing in like tenor +to the bishop of the said islands in regard to what touches their +ecclesiastical service. You shall give him my letter, which shall be +delivered to you, and you shall charge him straitly in my name. + +31. I have been informed that there has been and is poor system, and +worse observance and fulfilment of the ordinances, in the collection of +the tributes of the disaffected or never-pacified encomiendas; and that +it would be advisable to command that the ordinances be kept, and that, +since such encomiendas ought not to be abandoned, at least the entire +tributes should not be collected, but only a small portion of them, as +a token of recognition. For since the Indians of the said encomiendas +receive no spiritual or temporal benefit from their encomenderos, it +is not right that they pay the tributes--especially as soldiers are +sent annually to make the collection. This latter renders impossible +the pacification of the country; and hence a large portion of the said +islands are in revolt, and we must subdue Burney, Maluco, Mindanao, +and other neighboring islands and mainlands. This matter demands much +reform as you may plan. Therefore I charge you to ordain for this +purpose what you may deem best, after consulting with the bishop; +and that you carry your resolution into prompt and rigorous execution, +in order that so great and injurious annoyances may cease. + +32. As I have been informed, there is but little instruction in the +said islands, and much difficulty in providing it, which is greatly +increased by the natural conditions of the country, since it all +consists of islands. Most of them, too, are so small that they do +not have a population of more than three to five hundred Indians, +and some even of less than one or two hundred. It is also prevented +by the long and dangerous navigation, the heat, the rains, and the +poor roads of the country. It is not right that even all of these, +or the many other greater hindrances and difficulties should turn +aside the accomplishment of what is so important. Therefore I order +and charge you straitly that, immediately upon your arrival in the +said islands, you shall note very particularly how this instruction +can be furnished. After ascertaining the opinion of the bishop, with +whom you shall meet and whom you shall charge, in my name, to aid in +this matter with his person, as I expect from him--since, in truth, +this matter is one for him to procure and bring about, by reason of +his office--you shall enact what you consider advisable, so that all +parts of the islands may have sufficient instruction. This shall be +done with kind and gentle methods, in accordance with the will of the +chiefs; and all the Indians who are dispersed shall be established +in settlements, in order that account of them can be taken. You shall +have the greatest care possible in procuring the accomplishment of what +is ordained and enacted, since without that all the work will be lost. + +33. Since I desire the welfare and conservation of the said Indians, +and their protection and defense, and as I think that the said bishop +can procure this better than anyone else, I am writing to him, and +charging him with their protection. I am quite sure that he will be +very glad to undertake this, inasmuch as it pertains to the service of +our Lord and the relief of his conscience. And in order that everything +may be done better and more smoothly, you shall maintain the best of +relations throughout with the said bishop; and on your part, you shall +have the greatest care to protect the said Indians and to aid them. + +34. I have been informed that, because the soldiers who are stationed +in the said islands receive no pay, nor have any other remuneration, +they obey orders very unwillingly, and are discontented, since +they endure the greatest poverty and affliction; that they are all +spiritless, sick, necessitous, and compelled to become servants. Many +die from their discontent, hunger, lack of comfort, and less provision +for their sicknesses; and others escape by claiming to be married, +sick, or bound to religion. As a consequence, the country has fallen +into disrepute, and men of the requisite valor and quality do not +go there, but only a very few poor, unarmed, and worthless men. If +any of these do have weapons, they pawn or sell them for clothes and +food. Their needs constrain them to commit injuries upon the natives, +so that the latter are irritated. It is said that not only is there no +increase in what has been conquered, but that even that pacification +is becoming more doubtful each day; that domestic and neighboring +enemies are being aroused; and that all of this would be remedied by +giving pay to the said soldiers, who should be regularly and promptly +paid. Inasmuch as it is my will that this be done, it was decided, +after having considered how many soldiers it is necessary and advisable +to maintain usually in the said islands, that there be four hundred +soldiers; and that each one receive a monthly wage of six pesos, +the captains thirty-five, the ensigns twenty, the sergeants ten, +and the corporals seven. Also that the sum of one thousand pesos +additional pay be distributed annually and proportionally among all +of the companies, each person not to receive more than ten pesos each +year; and that this additional pay be given according to the order +and manner set forth in the decree that will be handed you. You shall +order that the said soldiers be regularly paid, and see that they are +satisfied, armed, and well disciplined; that the said number of four +hundred soldiers be not lessened; and that they be divided into what +companies you deem fitting. When you shall appoint the said captains, +officers, or soldiers to any encomienda or other post, you shall not +permit them to draw their pay any longer; and while they receive pay +they cannot trade or traffic, for their solicitude in that pursuit +necessarily occupies their minds and distracts them from their proper +object and the practice of war. For the same reason, likewise, you +shall not grant the said pay to any soldier who acts as servant to +another person, whoever he may be. Whenever any repartimientos of +Indians become vacant in the said islands, you shall apportion some +of the Indians to my crown, as an aid toward the said pay. + +35. In respect to the said captains, officers, and soldiers, you shall +observe, and cause to be observed, their privilege of exemption from +arrest for debt contracted while they were in the service; or the +seizure of their weapons, horses, or other things needful and proper +to military service, in satisfaction therefor. + +36. Whenever you shall send any captain with men on any commission +or business that arises, you shall order him also to maintain his +privileges, in whatever pertains to the usual exercise of the power +and authority requisite to command, direct, and punish his inferiors; +as well as all the other things peculiar to the service, and which +are conceded to and exercised by officers. + +37. It is my will that you have a body-guard of twelve halberdiers, +who shall be paid the same sum as the soldiers. The said halberdiers +shall have a leader or captain, who shall receive pay of fifteen +pesos monthly. Although their principal service shall be to act as a +body-guard, and this is determined and ordained by that which pertains +to the authority and dignity of your position, you shall take note +that they also must go to war upon any occasion that arises. + +38. Inasmuch as I have been informed that many of the soldiers, +who are sent to the said islands from Nueva Espana, are mere lads, +mestizos, and a few Indians, and unarmed; and that a portion of them +are pages and servants of the captains or other persons, who under the +title and name of soldier draw their pay but neither they nor their +masters are soldiers: you shall allow none of them to be enrolled +as soldiers unless they are more than fifteen years old; and accept +no page or servant of any person, while he serves as such, as above +stated. You shall receive only those mestizos who are worthy, but +shall not open a gateway for this in general. I charge and recommend +you to pay especial attention to this. + +39. Immediately upon your arrival at the said islands, you shall +give orders to enclose the city of Manila with stone, along that +portion where it is necessary and advisable, and on the other sides +by water. You shall construct a fort in the place assigned and deemed +best there. You shall erect a tower at the junction and point made +by the river and sea. All this shall be very thoroughly done, and +with most careful planning and consideration; and shall be done at +the least possible expense to my treasury--since, as you know, the +buildings can be constructed there with great ease and cheapness. + +40. You shall assign what garrison you judge advisable to the said +fort and tower, so that the country may be defended, and that they +may check the designs and hopes of the enemy, and the fear of revolts +and risings. + +41. Although you ought to live in great vigilance and the continual +caution demanded for the conservation of a country so new, distant, +and surrounded by enemies, you must beware chiefly of five classes of +them. First, of the natives of the land, who are numerous, and but +partially settled and established in the faith. Second, of four or +five thousand Chinese Indians who live there, and go back and forth in +their tradings. Third, of the Japanese who usually go thither. Fourth, +of the natives of Maluco and Borney, who are aroused, and already +display themselves boldly and openly. Fifth and chiefly, of the +Lutheran English pirates who infest those coasts. In order to check +their incursions, and present a superior force and defense to them all, +you shall construct another fort in Yllocos or Cagayan, to oppose the +Japanese and Chinese robbers; a second in Cebu, to oppose the Borneans +and Malucos; a third in Panpanga, to oppose the Cambales. All shall be +located in places where they may be effectual, and shall be carefully +planned and substantially built by good engineers. The cost will be +very little, because of the great abundance of materials, and because +almost all of the Indians are workmen. You are to see that each fort +has an adequate and desirable garrison. + +42. Besides these forts and presidios, it is presupposed that a +moderate-sized fleet of a few galleys or fragatas would be necessary, +to cruise along the coasts in order to protect them, and to prevent +the thefts and injuries wont to be committed along them by the +Japanese, especially in the districts of Cagayan and Ylocos. They +seize the Chinese vessels that bring food and merchandise to the said +islands, whereby great loss is suffered, and commerce and plenty +checked. This fleet would also serve to prevent the Chinese, when +they are returning to their own country, from going among the said +islands and committing depredations on the natives of them, and as a +countercheck to other Chinese or Bornean pirates, as well as against +all other undertakings, and troubles with foreigners. This appears +advisable to me, and desirable. Therefore, as soon as you shall arrive +at the said island, you shall construct six or eight galleys. You +shall note what Doctor Sande, my former governor of those islands, +and Father Alonso Sanchez say--namely, that it will cost but from +one hundred and fifty ducados upward; and that there are, moreover, +the necessary accommodations. You shall order these vessels to be +well equipped, strengthened, and provisioned, so that they may be +effectual. You shall give me an itemized account of the cost of the +said galleys and facilities for building them. + +43. It is advisable to set about the construction of the said forts +and galleys as quickly as possible, in order to avoid the troubles +and harm that might ensue if the Spaniards, upon the occasion of any +danger from enemies, were compelled to retire inland among the Indians, +who are all irritated and offended because of the ill-treatment that +they have received; and I charge you straitly with this. + +44. Upon your arrival at those islands, and when the situation +is actually before you, you shall investigate the new method and +circumstances with which the new entrances and pacifications are and +can be justifiably made, as well as the few soldiers, slight cost, +and the great ease and profit with which they can be made, because +of the country being divided into many islands, and there being many +petty rulers. These fall out among themselves on slight occasion, +and make treaties with the Spaniards, and hence are kept in order +with but little assistance. Since the petition made there in regard +to the pay and the number of soldiers has been granted--and you are +to maintain the soldiers in good discipline, and keep them quiet, and +punctually paid--you shall make the said entrances and pacifications +with great circumspection and just cause, in which you shall observe +the rules of the instructions, which shall be furnished to you, +regarding new discoveries. + +45. It is said that there is great need of such pacification in the +said islands, especially in the very districts where the Spaniards +live and travel, for all of the natives are in revolt and unsubdued, +because of the lack of soldiers, and of the injuries and annoyances +inflicted upon the natives by what soldiers are there. Moreover, +as we are informed from there, many provinces of the island of Lucon +either have never been subdued, or, if subdued, have revolted--as, +for instance, those of Cagayan, Pangasinan, Payasondan, Cambales, +Balente, and others, which are situated among the pacified provinces +quite near and round about Manila; all the provinces, therefore, +are in confusion and disorder. Upon your arrival at the said islands, +you shall ordain in this whatever is advisable. You shall proceed in +this as shall seem expedient, commencing as shall be right, and be +attentive to the remedy for these evils, with very special care and +assistance, since evil may happen to what is distant, if one's own +house is left in suspicion and unsubdued. Besides there is the great +obligation to endeavor to instruct the many people converted already, +who are under my royal protection. These, because of their lack of +the requisite peace and quiet, live in great hardship and danger; +for those who are in revolt and unpacified harass them daily, kill and +assault them, and burn their crops. Because of this, and because they +also kill many Spaniards, not only is there no increase in what has +been gained, but each day that is becoming less. Everything demands +and requires so prompt a remedy, which is thus committed to you. + +46. Beyond and beside the said provinces which are here and there +disaffected among the Spaniards and the Indians already converted, are +others, which although not so near, owing to their remoteness and the +nature of their inhabitants, still cannot be called new discoveries, +because they have been visited and known already. These are Babuyanes, +the island of Hermosa, the island of Cavallos ["horses"], Lequios, +the island of Ayncio, Javas, Burney, Paca, Guancalanyanes, Mindanao, +Siao [Siam], Maluco, and many others. Because it has been reported +that they are falling into a worse condition daily, and having been +advised that their welfare and the safety of the Spaniards demand +their pacification, and that delay might render it difficult, you shall +ascertain the manner and method with which the said pacification and +subjection can be best and most quickly brought about, and you shall +execute it, as seems best to you. + +47. Since it seems advisable that you, from whom I expect so much, +should have authority and power to make all the said entrances and +pacifications at the cost of my royal estate, in respect to which if +you were constrained to await a reply from here, in a land so distant, +important occasions and opportunities might be lost, I have resolved +to give you authorization for this. Accordingly I grant it to you, +and order the officials of my royal estate of the said islands that, +in all matters under your control, they shall honor and pay all the +orders that you present to them for the said purpose. But you shall +observe that you are to use the said authority only in the most +important matters which shall arise, after consulting about matters +of law with the ecclesiastics and the lawyers, and those of action +with the captains and men of experience and conscience, and taking +account of all other necessary conditions, so that the expense may +be no greater than can be avoided, and profitable. + +48. In order that you may accomplish them better and avoid expense, I +authorize you to covenant and bargain with captains, encomenderos, and +any others, in respect to the said entrances and pacifications, they +to make them wholly or partly at their own cost, as seems advisable to +you; and to give them title, for a limited time, as governors of the +islands or provinces that they explore or pacify, and as captains and +masters-of-camp, providing you do not give them title as adelantado +or mariscal. You shall advise me of it, when anyone undertakes this, +reporting the services, capacity, and merits of such person. The said +covenant and agreement which you shall make may be kept in force until +I approve them, because time will be saved thus--but with the condition +of sending them to me, so that I may confirm them. You shall bind the +parties to the agreement, upon the arrival of the said confirmations, +to some brief period, such as you may assign for it. + +49. I have been told that, although a few of the encomenderos of +the said islands, who fear God and their consciences, are trying to +establish ministers of religious instruction in their encomiendas, +others are not doing this, and refuse to do it as they are obliged, +and as is advisable, notwithstanding that there are plenty of the +said ministers; that there are encomiendas which have been paying +tribute peacefully for fifteen, twenty, or twenty-five years, without +the Indians of them ever having seen a minister or heard a word +of Christian instruction; and that also many other encomiendas pay +tribute by pure force of soldiers and arquebuses, who rebel and revolt +because of the oppression and severity with which they are treated, +without knowing the reason why they should pay it, since they have no +instruction. Since, besides the obligation to procure the welfare of +those souls, their conversion, instruction, and teaching, which should +be the chief constraining force; and since even for temporal affairs, +for the peace and tranquillity of the country, so that those pacified +should not revolt, and so that those in revolt should be subdued, the +best method is that of instruction--for which the common treatment, +mildness, upright life, and counsels of the religious and ministers +of the gospel incline and regulate their minds: therefore I charge you +that, after consulting with the bishop you shall, in my name, provide +what is advisable in this, so that the necessary instruction may be +furnished, that my conscience, and his, and your own may be relieved. + +50. I have also been informed that, in collecting the tributes from the +Indians, there has been in the past, and is at present, great disorder, +because the former governors of the said islands have done things very +confusedly and haphazardly. Because the tribute of each Indian is +of the value of eight reals, paid in what the Indian might possess, +some persons take advantage of certain words of the said assessments, +and of the articles in which tributes are designated--such as cotton +cloth, rice, and other products of the country--to cause the said +lawlessness. This disorder has consisted in each one collecting +whatever he wished, to the great offense and injury of the said +Indians; for when gold is abundant, their encomenderos demand coin +from the Indians; and when coin is abundant and gold scarce, they +demand gold, although the said Indians have to search for and buy +it. In short, they always demand their tributes in those things which +are scarce, by reason of which, for the tribute worth eight reals, +some collect fifteen, and others twenty, twenty-five, thirty, and +more, according to the value of those things that are demanded. They +cause the Indians to seek them and bring them from other parts, to +their great vexation and affliction. It is advisable to check this +lawlessness and excess. Therefore I charge you to ordain that, in +the payment of the said tributes, the order referred to in section +six of these instructions shall be observed. That section treats +of the Indians being allowed to pay their tributes in coin, gold, +or products, as they may choose. + +51. Another section of the said memorial also pointed out that, +although certain Spaniards of tender conscience have freed their +slaves, native to the said islands, in fulfilment of the provision +of my decrees, many others have retained them, and do not allow +them to have houses of their own, or to live on their own land under +the ordinary instruction. It is advisable to remedy this also; and +I therefore commit it to you, and order you that, immediately upon +your arrival at the said islands, you shall set at liberty all those +Indians held as slaves by the Spaniards. + +52. I am informed that the said Indians have suffered many grievances +and burdens from all the ministers of justice, because the latter +have incited many suits, not only of cases after the country was +discovered, but of others that had happened in its pagan days, +among both the living and their forefathers, and both civil and +criminal cases. These are not summary, but have all the terms, +demands, preliminary hearings, and reviews, which can be found in any +chancilleria of these kingdoms. In these the Indians have wasted and +continue to waste their possessions. Although in section twenty-nine +of these instructions, it treats of what you and the bishop have to do +or provide as a remedy for these vexations of suits by Spaniards and +Indians, once more I charge you and recommend you to strive to have +the suits finished and decided promptly and summarily. You must take +note that this will be one of the matters in which I shall consider +myself most faithfully and fully served by you. + +53. In regard to the confusion existing, past and present, in the +religious leaving the said islands for the mainland of China and other +places, without permission of the governor or bishop--asserting that, +through their all-sufficient power, those who hinder them shall be +excommunicated--the advisable course has also been pointed out in time +past--namely, that the religious should go there with the resolution +to settle in the said Philipinas Islands, and not go elsewhere without +your permission and that of the said bishop. This must be construed +in respect to the religious who shall have been assigned to make a +settlement and to live there, and not with those who have license +from me to pass farther and to go to other regions; for when this is +given or permitted to them, it is after much consideration. + +54. It has been said that, for the remedy of past confusion and +wrongs, which have resulted from people going from the said islands +to China and other districts without order or permission, it would be +advisable to ordain, under severe penalties, that no secular Spaniard +may leave them for any place or on any business, or supply a fragata, +provisions, or any other assistance to any of the said religious, +without my special order, or your permission and that of the said +bishop. Inasmuch as this fits in with the provision of the above +section, the same provision there is to be noted by you, so that +likewise you may know what pertains to this, and doing that you shall +understand it thoroughly. + +You shall attend to all of the above with the care and close attention +that I expect from your character and prudence, and from your earnest +zeal in affairs touching my service. San Lorenco, August nine, one +thousand five hundred and eighty-nine. + +_I The King_ + +By order of the king, our sovereign: + +_Juan de Ybarra_ + +Countersigned by the council. + + + + +Customs of the Tagalogs + +(_Two Relations by Juan de Plasencia, O.S.F._) + + +After receiving your Lordship's letter, I wished to reply immediately; +but I postponed my answer in order that I might first thoroughly +inform myself in regard to your request, and to avoid discussing +the conflicting reports of the Indians, who are wont to tell what +suits their purpose. Therefore, to this end, I collected Indians from +different districts--old men, and those of most capacity, all known +to me; and from them I have obtained the simple truth, after weeding +out much foolishness, in regard to their government, administration +of justice, inheritances, slaves, and dowries. [25] It is as follows: + +_Customs of the Tagalogs_ + +This people always had chiefs, called by them _datos_, who governed +them and were captains in their wars, and whom they obeyed and +reverenced. The subject who committed any offense against them, +or spoke but a word to their wives and children, was severely punished. + +These chiefs ruled over but few people; sometimes as many as +a hundred houses, sometimes even less than thirty. This tribal +gathering is called in Tagalo a _barangay_. It was inferred that the +reason for giving themselves this name arose from the fact (as they +are classed, by their language, among the Malay nations) that when +they came to this land, the head of the barangay, which is a boat, +thus called--as is discussed at length in the first chapter of the +first ten chapters--became a _dato_. And so, even at the present day, +it is ascertained that this barangay in its origin was a family of +parents and children, relations and slaves. There were many of these +barangays in each town, or, at least, on account of wars, they did +not settle far from one another. They were not, however, subject to +one another, except in friendship and relationship. The chiefs, in +their various wars, helped one another with their respective barangays. + +In addition to the chiefs, who corresponded to our knights, there +were three castes: nobles, commoners, and slaves. The nobles were the +free-born whom they call _maharlica_. They did not pay tax or tribute +to the dato, but must accompany him in war, at their own expense. The +chief offered them beforehand a feast, and afterward they divided +the spoils. Moreover, when the dato went upon the water those whom he +summoned rowed for him. If he built a house, they helped him, and had +to be fed for it. The same was true when the whole barangay went to +clear up his lands for tillage. The lands which they inhabited were +divided among the whole barangay, especially the irrigated portion, +and thus each one knew his own. No one belonging to another barangay +would cultivate them unless after purchase or inheritance. The lands +on the _tingues_, or mountain-ridges, are not divided, but owned in +common by the barangay. Consequently, at the time of the rice harvest, +any individual of any particular barangay, although he may have come +from some other village, if he commences to clear any land may sow it, +and no one can compel him to abandon it. There are some villages (as, +for example, Pila de la Laguna) in which these nobles, or maharlicas, +paid annually to the dato a hundred gantas of rice. The reason of this +was that, at the time of their settlement there, another chief occupied +the lands, which the new chief, upon his arrival, bought with his own +gold; and therefore the members of his barangay paid him for the arable +land, and he divided it, among those whom he saw fit to reward. But +now, since the advent of the Spaniards, it is not so divided. + +The chiefs in some villages had also fisheries, with established +limits, and sections of the rivers for markets. At these no one could +fish, or trade in the markets, without paying for the privilege, +unless he belonged to the chief's barangay or village. + +The commoners are called _aliping namamahay_. They are married, and +serve their master, whether he be a dato or not, with half of their +cultivated lands, as was agreed upon in the beginning. They accompanied +him whenever he went beyond the island, and rowed for him. They live +in their own houses, and are lords of their property and gold. Their +children inherit it, and enjoy their property and lands. The children, +then, enjoy the rank of their fathers, and they cannot be made slaves +(_sa guiguilir_) nor can either parents or children be sold. If they +should fall by inheritance into the hands of a son of their master who +was going to dwell in another village, they could not be taken from +their own village and carried with him; but they would remain in their +native village, doing service there and cultivating the sowed lands. + +The slaves are called _aliping sa guiguilir_. They serve their master +in his house and on his cultivated lands, and may be sold. The master +grants them, should he see fit, and providing that he has profited +through their industry, a portion of their harvests, so that they +may work faithfully. For these reasons, servants who are born in the +house of their master are rarely, if ever, sold. That is the lot of +captives in war, and of those brought up in the harvest fields. + +Those to whom a debt was owed transferred the debt to another, thereby +themselves making a profit, and reducing the wretched debtors to a +slavery which was not their natural lot. If any person among those +who were made slaves (_sa guiguilir_)--through war, by the trade of +goldsmith, or otherwise--happened to possess any gold beyond the sum +that he had to give his master, he ransomed himself, becoming thus +a _namamahay_, or what we call a commoner. The price of this ransom +was never less than five taels, and from that upwards; and if he gave +ten or more taels, as they might agree, he became wholly free. An +amusing ceremony accompanied this custom. After having divided all +the trinkets which the slave possessed, if he maintained a house of +his own, they divided even the pots and jars, and if an odd one of +these remained, they broke it; and if a piece of cloth were left, +they parted it in the middle. + +The difference between the _aliping namamahay_ and the _aliping sa +guiguilir_, should be noted; for, by a confusion of the two terms, +many have been classed as slaves who really are not. The Indians seeing +that the alcaldes-mayor do not understand this, have adopted the custom +of taking away the children of the _aliping namamahay_, making use +of them as they would of the _aliping sa guiguilir_, as servants in +their households, which is illegal, and if the _aliping namamahay_ +should appeal to justice, it is proved that he is an _aliping_ as +well as his father and mother before him and no reservation is made +as to whether he is _aliping namamahay_ or _atiping sa guiguilir_. He +is at once considered an _alipin_, without further declaration. In +this way he becomes a _sa guiguilir_, and is even sold. Consequently, +the alcaldes-mayor should be instructed to ascertain, when anyone +asks for his _alipin_, to which class he belongs, and to have the +answer put in the document that they give him. + +In these three classes, those who are _maharlicas_ on both the father's +and mother's side continue to be so forever; and if it happens that +they should become slaves, it is through marriage, as I shall soon +explain. If these maharlicas had children among their slaves, the +children and their mothers became free; if one of them had children +by the slave-woman of another, she was compelled, when pregnant, to +give her master half of a gold tael, because of her risk of death, +and for her inability to labor during the pregnancy. In such a case +half of the child was free--namely, the half belonging to the father, +who supplied the child with food. If he did not do this, he showed +that he did not recognize him as his child, in which case the latter +was wholly a slave. If a free woman had children by a slave, they +were all free, provided he were not her husband. + +If two persons married, of whom one was a _maharlica_ and the other +a slave, whether _namamahay_ or _sa guiguilir_, the children were +divided: the first, whether male or female, belonged to the father, +as did the third and fifth; the second, the fourth, and the sixth +fell to the mother, and so on. In this manner, if the father were +free, all those who belonged to him were free; if he were a slave, +all those who belonged to him were slaves; and the same applied to +the mother. If there should not be more than one child he was half +free and half slave. The only question here concerned the division, +whether the child were male or female. Those who became slaves fell +under the category of servitude which was their parent's, either +namamahay or sa guiguilir. If there were an odd number of children, +the odd one was half free and half slave. I have not been able to +ascertain with any certainty when or at what age the division of +children was made, for each one suited himself in this respect. Of +these two kinds of slaves the sa guiguilir could be sold, but not the +namamahay and their children, nor could they be transferred. However, +they could be transferred from the barangay by inheritance, provided +they remained in the same village. + +The maharlicas could not, after marriage, move from one village to +another, or from one barangay to another, without paying a certain +fine in gold, as arranged among them. This fine was larger or smaller +according to the inclination of the different villages, running from +one to three taels and a banquet to the entire barangay. Failure +to pay the fine might result in a war between the barangay which +the person left and the one which he entered. This applied equally +to men and women, except that when one married a woman of another +village, the children were afterwards divided equally between the two +barangays. This arrangement kept them obedient to the dato, or chief, +which is no longer the case--because, if the dato is energetic and +commands what the religious fathers enjoin him, they soon leave him +and go to other villages and other datos, who endure and protect them +and do not order them about. This is the kind of dato that they now +prefer, not him who has the spirit to command. There is a great need +of reform in this, for the chiefs are spiritless and faint-hearted. + +Investigations made and sentences passed by the dato must take place +in the presence of those of his barangay. If any of the litigants +felt himself aggrieved, an arbiter was unanimously named from +another village or barangay, whether he were a dato or not; since +they had for this purpose some persons, known as fair and just men, +who were said to give true judgment according to their customs. If the +controversy lay between two chiefs, when they wished to avoid war, +they also convoked judges to act as arbiters; they did the same if +the disputants belonged to two different barangays. In this ceremony +they always had to drink, the plaintiff inviting the others. + +They had laws by which they condemned to death a man of low birth +who insulted the daughter or wife of a chief; likewise witches, +and others of the same class. + +They condemned no one to slavery, unless he merited the +death-penalty. As for the witches, they killed them, and their +children and accomplices became slaves of the chief, after he had +made some recompense to the injured person. All other offenses +were punished by fines in gold, which, if not paid with promptness, +exposed the culprit to serve, until the payment should be made, the +person aggrieved, to whom the money was to be paid. This was done in +the following way: Half the cultivated lands and all their produce +belonged to the master. The master provided the culprit with food and +clothing, thus enslaving the culprit and his children until such time +as he might amass enough money to pay the fine. If the father should +by chance pay his debt, the master then claimed that he had fed and +clothed his children, and should be paid therefor. In this way he kept +possession of the children if the payment could not be met. This last +was usually the case, and they remained slaves. If the culprit had +some relative or friend who paid for him, he was obliged to render +the latter half his service until he was paid--not, however, service +within the house as aliping sa guiguilir, but living independently, +as aliping namamahay. If the creditor were not served in this wise, +the culprit had to pay the double of what was lent him. In this way +slaves were made by debt: either sa guiguilir, if they served the +master to whom the judgment applied; or aliping namamahay, if they +served the person who lent them wherewith to pay. + +In what concerns loans, there was formerly, and is today, an excess of +usury, which is a great hindrance to baptism as well as to confession; +for it turns out in the same way as I have showed in the case of the +one under judgment, who gives half of his cultivated lands and profits +until he pays the debt. The debtor is condemned to a life of toil; +and thus borrowers become slaves, and after the death of the father +the children pay the debt. Not doing so, double the amount must be +paid. This system should and can be reformed. + +As for inheritances, the legitimate children of a father and mother +inherited equally, except in the case where the father and mother +showed a slight partiality by such gifts as two or three gold taels, +or perhaps a jewel. + +When the parents gave a dowry to any son, and, when, in order to +marry him to a chief's daughter, the dowry was greater than the +sum given the other sons, the excess was not counted in the whole +property to be divided. But any other thing that should have been +given to any son, though it might be for some necessity, was taken +into consideration at the time of the partition of the property, +unless the parents should declare that such a bestowal was made +outside of the inheritance. If one had had children by two or more +legitimate wives, each child received the inheritance and dowry of +his mother, with its increase, and that share of his father's estate +which fell to him out of the whole. If a man had a child by one of his +slaves, as well as legitimate children, the former had no share in +the inheritance; but the legitimate children were bound to free the +mother, and to give him something--a tael or a slave, if the father +were a chief; or if, finally, anything else were given it was by the +unanimous consent of all. If besides his legitimate children, he had +also some son by a free unmarried woman, to whom a dowry was given +but who was not considered as a real wife, all these were classed as +natural children, although the child by the unmarried woman should +have been begotten after his marriage. Such children did not inherit +equally with the legitimate children, but only the third part. For +example, if there were two children, the legitimate one had two parts, +and the one of the _inaasava_ one part. When there were no children +by a legitimate wife, but only children by an unmarried woman, or +_inaasava_, the latter inherited all. If he had a child by a slave +woman, that child received his share as above stated. If there were +no legitimate or natural child, or a child by an inaasava, whether +there was a son of a slave woman or not, the inheritance went only +to the father or grandparents, brothers, or nearest relatives of the +deceased, who gave to the slave-child as above stated. + +In the case of a child by a free married woman, born while she was +married, if the husband punished the adulterer this was considered +a dowry; and the child entered with the others into partition in the +inheritance. His share equaled the part left by the father, nothing +more. If there were no other sons than he, the children and the nearest +relatives inherited equally with him. But if the adulterer were not +punished by the husband of the woman who had the child, the latter +was not considered as his child, nor did he inherit anything. It +should be noticed that the offender was not considered dishonored +by the punishment inflicted, nor did the husband leave the woman. By +the punishment of the father the child was fittingly made legitimate. + +Adopted children, of whom there are many among them, inherit the +double of what was paid for their adoption. For example, if one gold +tael was given that he might be adopted when the first father died, +the child was given [in inheritance] two taels. But if this child +should die first, his children do not inherit from the second father, +for the arrangement stops at that point. + +This is the danger to which his money is exposed, as well as his being +protected as a child. On this account this manner of adoption common +among them is considered lawful. + +Dowries are given by the men to the women's parents. If the latter are +living, they enjoy the use of it. At their death, provided the dowry +has not been consumed, it is divided like the rest of the estate, +equally among the children, except in case the father should care to +bestow something additional upon the daughter. If the wife, at the +time of her marriage, has neither father, mother, nor grandparents, +she enjoys her dowry--which, in such a case, belongs to no other +relative or child. It should be noticed that unmarried women can own +no property, in land or dowry, for the result of all their labors +accrues to their parents. + +In the case of a divorce before the birth of children, if the wife left +the husband for the purpose of marrying another, all her dowry and +an equal additional amount fell to the husband; but if she left him, +and did not marry another, the dowry was returned. When the husband +left his wife, he lost the half of the dowry, and the other half was +returned to him. If he possessed children at the time of his divorce, +the whole dowry and the fine went to the children, and was held for +them by their grandparents or other responsible relatives. + +I have also seen another practice in two villages. In one case, upon +the death of the wife who in a year's time had borne no children, +the parents returned one-half the dowry to the husband whose wife had +died. In the other case, upon the death of the husband, one-half the +dowry was returned to the relatives of the husband. I have ascertained +that this is not a general practice; for upon inquiry I learned that +when this is done it is done through piety, and that all do not do it. + +In the matter of marriage dowries which fathers bestow upon their +sons when they are about to be married, and half of which is given +immediately, even when they are only children, there is a great deal +more complexity. There is a fine stipulated in the contract, that he +who violates it shall pay a certain sum which varies according to the +practice of the village and the affluence of the individual. The fine +was heaviest if, upon the death of the parents, the son or daughter +should be unwilling to marry because it had been arranged by his or +her parents. In this case the dowry which the parents had received +was returned and nothing more. But if the parents were living, they +paid the fine, because it was assumed that it had been their design +to separate the children. + +The above is what I have been able to ascertain clearly concerning +customs observed among these natives in all this Laguna and the +tingues, and among the entire Tagalo race. The old men say that a +dato who did anything contrary to this would not be esteemed; and, +in relating tyrannies which they had committed, some condemned them +and adjudged them wicked. + +Others, perchance, may offer a more extended narrative, but leaving +aside irrelevant matters concerning government and justice among them, +a summary of the whole truth is contained in the above. I am sending +the account in this clear and concise form because I had received no +orders to pursue the work further. Whatever may be decided upon, it is +certainly important that it should be given to the alcal-des-mayor, +accompanied by an explanation; for the absurdities which are to be +found in their opinions are indeed pitiable. + +May our Lord bestow upon your Lordship His grace and spirit, so that in +every step good fortune may be yours; and upon every occasion may your +Lordship deign to consider me your humble servant, to be which would +be the greatest satisfaction and favor that I could receive. Nagcarlan, +October 21, 1589. + +_Fray Juan de Plasencia_ [26] + + +_Relation of the Worship of the Tagalogs, Their Gods, and Their +Burials and Superstitions_ + +In all the villages, or in other parts of the Filipinas Islands, +there are no temples consecrated to the performing of sacrifices, +the adoration of their idols, or the general practice of idolatry. It +is true that they have the name _simbahan_, which means a temple or +place of adoration; but this is because, formerly, when they wished to +celebrate a festival, which they called _pandot_, or "worship," they +celebrated it in the large house of a chief. There they constructed, +for the purpose of sheltering the assembled people, a temporary shed +on each side of the house, with a roof, called _sibi_, to protect the +people from the wet when it rained. They so constructed the house +that it might contain many people--dividing it, after the fashion +of ships, into three compartments. On the posts of the house they +set small lamps, called _sorihile_; in the center of the house they +placed one large lamp, adorned with leaves of the white palm, wrought +into many designs. They also brought together many drums, large and +small, which they beat successively while the feast lasted, which was +usually four days. During this time the whole barangay, or family, +united and joined in the worship which they call _nagaanitos_. The +house, for the above-mentioned period of time, was called a temple. + +Among their many idols there was one called. Badhala, whom they +especially worshiped. The title seems to signify "all powerful," +or "maker of all things." They also worshiped the sun, which, on +account of its beauty, is almost universally respected and honored by +heathens. They worshiped, too, the moon, especially when it was new, +at which time they held great rejoicings, adoring it and bidding it +welcome. Some of them also adored the stars, although they did not +know them by their names, as the Spaniards and other nations know the +planets--with the one exception of the morning star, which they called +Tala. They knew, too, the "seven little goats" [the Pleiades]--as +we call them--and, consequently, the change of seasons, which they +call Mapolon; and Balatic, which is our Greater Bear. They possessed +many idols called _lic-ha_, which were images with different shapes; +and at times they worshiped any little trifle, in which they adored, +as did the Romans, some particular dead man who was brave in war and +endowed with special faculties, to whom they commended themselves for +protection in their tribulations. They had another idol called Dian +masalanta, who was the patron of lovers and of generation. The idols +called Lacapati and Idianale were the patrons of the cultivated lands +and of husbandry. They paid reverence to water-lizards called by them +_buaya_, or crocodiles, from fear of being harmed by them. They were +even in the habit of offering these animals a portion of what they +carried in their boats, by throwing it into the water, or placing it +upon the bank. + +They were, moreover, very liable to find auguries in things they +witnessed. For example, if they left their house and met on the +way a serpent or rat, or a bird called _Tigmamanuguin_ which was +singing in the tree, or if they chanced upon anyone who sneezed, +they returned at once to their house, considering the incident as an +augury that some evil might befall them if they should continue their +journey--especially when the above-mentioned bird sang. This song had +two different forms: in the one case it was considered as an evil +omen; in the other, as a good omen, and then they continued their +journey. They also practiced divination, to see whether weapons, +such as a dagger or knife, were to be useful and lucky for their +possessor whenever occasion should offer. + +These natives had no established division of years, months, and days; +these are determined by the cultivation of the soil, counted by moons, +and the different effect produced upon the trees when yielding flowers, +fruits, and leaves: all this helps them in making up the year. The +winter and summer are distinguished as sun-time and water-time--the +latter term designating winter in those regions, where there is no +cold, snow, or ice. + +It seems, however, that now since they have become Christians, the +seasons are not quite the same, for at Christmas it gets somewhat +cooler. The years, since the advent of the Spaniards, have been +determined by the latter, and the seasons have been given their proper +names, and they have been divided into weeks. + +Their manner of offering sacrifice was to proclaim a feast, and offer +to the devil what they had to eat. This was done in front of the idol, +which they anoint with fragrant perfumes, such as musk and civet, +or gum of the storax-tree and other odoriferous woods, and praise it +in poetic songs sung by the officiating priest, male or female, who +is called _catolonan_. The participants made responses to the song, +beseeching the idol to favor them with those things of which they +were in need, and generally, by offering repeated healths, they all +became intoxicated. In some of their idolatries they were accustomed +to place a good piece of cloth, doubled, over the idol, and over the +cloth a chain or large, gold ring, thus worshiping the devil without +having sight of him. The devil was sometimes liable to enter into +the body of the catolonan, and, assuming her shape and appearance, +filled her with so great arrogance--he being the cause of it--that +she seemed to shoot flames from her eyes; her hair stood on end, a +fearful sight to those beholding, and she uttered words of arrogance +and superiority. In some districts, especially in the mountains, when +in those idolatries the devil incarnated himself and took on the form +of his minister, the latter had to be tied to a tree by his companions, +to prevent the devil in his infernal fury from destroying him. This, +however, happened but rarely. The objects of sacrifice were goats, +fowls, and swine, which were flayed, decapitated, and laid before +the idol. They performed another ceremony by cooking a jar of rice +until the water was evaporated, after which they broke the jar, and +the rice was left as an intact mass which was set before the idol; +and all about it, at intervals, were placed a few buyos--which is a +small fruit [27] wrapped in a leaf with some lime, a food generally +eaten in these regions--as well as fried food and fruits. All the +above-mentioned articles were eaten by the guests at the feast; the +heads [of the animals], after being "offered," as they expressed it, +were cooked and eaten also. + +The reasons for offering this sacrifice and adoration were, in addition +to whatever personal matters there might be, the recovery of a sick +person, the prosperous voyage of those embarking on the sea, a good +harvest in the sowed lands, a propitious result in wars, a successful +delivery in childbirth, and a happy outcome in married life. If this +took place among people of rank, the festivities lasted thirty days. + +In the case of young girls who first had their monthly courses, their +eyes were blindfolded four days and four nights; and, in the meantime, +the friends and relatives were all invited to partake of food and +drink. At the end of this period, the catolonan took the young girl +to the water, bathed her and washed her head, and removed the bandage +from her eyes. The old men said that they did this in order that the +girls might bear children, and have fortune in finding husbands to +their taste, who would not leave them widows in their youth. + +The distinctions made among the priests of the devil were as follows: +The first, called catolonan, as above stated, was either a man or a +woman. This office was an honorable one among the natives, and was +held ordinarily by people of rank, this rule being general in all +the islands. + +The second they called _mangagauay_, or witches, who deceived by +pretending to heal the sick. These priests even induced maladies by +their charms, which in proportion to the strength and efficacy of the +witchcraft, are capable of causing death. In this way, if they wished +to kill at once they did so; or they could prolong life for a year +by binding to the waist a live serpent, which was believed to be the +devil, or at least his substance. This office was general throughout +the land. The third they called _manyisalat_, which is the same as +magagauay. These priests had the power of applying such remedies to +lovers that they would abandon and despise their own wives, and in +fact could prevent them from having intercourse with the latter. If +the woman, constrained by these means, were abandoned, it would bring +sickness upon her; and on account of the desertion she would discharge +blood and matter. This office was also general throughout the land. + +The fourth was called _mancocolam_, whose duty it was to emit fire +from himself at night, once or oftener each month. This fire could +not be extinguished; nor could it be thus emitted except as the priest +wallowed in the ordure and filth which falls from the houses; and he +who lived in the house where the priest was wallowing in order to emit +this fire from himself, fell ill and died. This office was general. + +The fifth was called _hocloban_, which is another kind of witch, of +greater efficacy than the mangagauay. Without the use of medicine, +and by simply saluting or raising the hand, they killed whom they +chose. But if they desired to heal those whom they had made ill by +their charms, they did so by using other charms. Moreover, if they +wished to destroy the house of some Indian hostile to them, they +were able to do so without instruments. This was in Catanduanes, +an island off the upper part of Luzon. + +The sixth was called _silagan_, whose office it was, if they saw anyone +clothed in white, to tear out his liver and eat it, thus causing his +death. This, like the preceding, was in the island of Catanduanes. Let +no one, moreover, consider this a fable; because, in Calavan, they +tore out in this way through the anus all the intestines of a Spanish +notary, who was buried in Calilaya by father Fray Juan de Merida. + +The seventh was called _magtatangal_, and his purpose was to show +himself at night to many persons, without his head or entrails. In +such wise the devil walked about and carried, or pretended to carry, +his head to different places; and, in the morning, returned it to his +body--remaining, as before, alive. This seems to me to be a fable, +although the natives affirm that they have seen it, because the devil +probably caused them so to believe. This occurred in Catanduanes. + +The eighth they called _osuang_, which is equivalent to "sorcerer;" +they say that they have seen him fly, and that he murdered men and +ate their flesh. This was among the Visayas Islands; among the Tagalos +these did not exist. + +The ninth was another class of witches called _mangagayoma_. They +made charms for lovers out of herbs, stones, and wood, which would +infuse the heart with love. Thus did they deceive the people, although +sometimes, through the intervention of the devil, they gained their +ends. + +The tenth was known as _sonat_, which is equivalent to "preacher." It +was his office to help one to die, at which time he predicted the +salvation or condemnation of the soul. It was not lawful for the +functions of this office to be fulfilled by others than people of +high standing, on account of the esteem in which it was held. This +office was general throughout the islands. + +The eleventh, _pangatahojan_, was a soothsayer, and predicted the +future. This office was general in all the islands. + +The twelfth, _bayoguin_, signified a "cotquean," a man whose nature +inclined toward that of a woman. + +Their manner of burying the dead was as follows: The deceased was +buried beside his house; and, if he were a chief, he was placed beneath +a little house or porch which they constructed for this purpose. Before +interring him, they mourned him for four days; and afterward laid him +on a boat which served as a coffin or bier, placing him beneath the +porch, where guard was kept over him by a slave. In place of rowers, +various animals were placed within the boat, each one being assigned +a place at the oar by twos--male and female of each species being +together--as for example two goats, two deer, or two fowls. It was +the slave's care to see that they were fed. If the deceased had +been a warrior, a living slave was tied beneath his body until in +this wretched way he died. In course of time, all suffered decay; +and for many days the relatives of the dead man bewailed him, singing +dirges, and praises of his good qualities, until finally they wearied +of it. This grief was also accompanied by eating and drinking. This +was a custom of the Tagalos. + +The Aetas, [28] or Negrillos [Negritos] inhabitants of this island, had +also a form of burial, but different. They dug a deep, perpendicular +hole, and placed the deceased within it, leaving him upright with head +or crown unburied, on top of which they put half a cocoa-nut which was +to serve him as a shield. Then they went in pursuit of some Indian, +whom they killed in retribution for the Negrillo who had died. To +this end they conspired together, hanging a certain token on their +necks until some one of them procured the death of the innocent one. + +These infidels said that they knew that there was another life of +rest which they called _maca_, just as if we should say "paradise," +or, in other words, "village of rest." They say that those who go +to this place are the just, and the valiant, and those who lived +without doing harm, or who possessed other moral virtues. They +said also that in the other life and mortality, there was a place +of punishment, grief, and affliction, called _casanaan_, which was +"a place of anguish;" they also maintained that no one would go to +heaven, where there dwelt only Bathala, "the maker of all things," +who governed from above. There were also other pagans who confessed +more clearly to a hell, which they called, as I have said, casanaan; +they said that all the wicked went to that place, and there dwelt +the demons, whom they called _sitan_. + +All the various kinds of infernal ministers were, therefore, as has +been stated: _catolonan; sonat_ (who was a sort of bishop who ordained +priestesses and received their reverence, for they knelt before him as +before one who could pardon sins, and expected salvation through him); +_mangagauay, manyisalat, mancocolam, hocloban, silagan, magtatangal, +osuan, mangagayoma, pangatahoan_. [29] + +There were also ghosts, which they called _vibit_; and phantoms, +which they called _Tigbalaang_. They had another deception--namely, +that if any woman died in childbirth, she and the child suffered +punishment; and that, at night, she could be heard lamenting. This +was called _patianac_. May the honor and glory be God our Lord's, +that among all the Tagalos not a trace of this is left; and that +those who are now marrying do not even know what it is, thanks to +the preaching of the holy gospel, which has banished it. + + + + +Documents of 1590 + + + + Letter from Portugal to Felipe II. [Unsigned and undated.] + Decree ordering a grant to Salazar. Felipe II; April 12. + Letter from members of the suppressed Audiencia to Felipe + II. Santiago de Vera, and others; June 20. + The Chinese and the Parian at Manila. Domingo de Salazar; + June 24. + Two letters to Felipe II. Domingo de Salazar; June 24. + Decree regarding commerce in the Philippines. Felipe II; + July 23. + + + +_Sources_: These documents are obtained from the original MSS. in +the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla--except the fourth, which is +taken from Retana's _Archivo del bibliofilo filipino_, iii, pp. 47-80. + +_Translations_: The first document is translated by Arthur B. Myrick, +of Harvard University; the second, third, and sixth, by James +A. Robertson; the fourth, by Alfonso de Salvio, of Harvard University; +the fifth, by Isaac J. Cox, of the University of Pennsylvania, and +by Jose M. and Clara M. Asensio. + + + + +Letter from Portugal to Felipe II + + +After the king, our lord, succeeded to the crown of Portugal, there +began to open a new commerce between the Philipinas Islands and the +western Yndias belonging to the domain of Castilla and China, Maluco, +Amboino, Banda, and other parts of the Portuguese conquest. As soon +as this was known in the eastern Yndias, the viceroys and governors +thereof were continually writing to his Majesty, that from this new +commerce many heavy injuries were sustained by his Majesty's service, +in regard to the preservation and support of that state of eastern +Yndia, and the quiet of its inhabitants. + +His Majesty after reading their letters and going over truthful +reports of the great injury that the continuation of this new trade +might cause, both to the crown of Castilla and to that of Portugal, +resolved to prohibit anyone from going from the western Yndias to +China, Maluco, Amboino, and Banda, and other places belonging to the +crown of Portugal; or from the Eastern to the Western Yndias. Decrees +for this prohibition, signed by his Majesty and by the Portuguese +ministers, were passed and sent to Yndia, where they were published +and ordered to be observed under heavy penalties. The same was to be +done by the ministers of the crown of Castilla and certain memoranda +of it were to be given. We do not know whether this has been done yet. + +Because they have again written and continue to write from Yndia +that the said decrees prohibiting the said commerce are not being +observed by the Castilians, and because they everywhere encourage it +and increase to a great extent the evils that result therefrom, which +might be very serious indeed, and difficult to remedy, and involve the +total destruction and loss of those states: his Majesty ordered, for +the more thorough understanding of these details, that they should make +this report of the existing causes for not continuing this commerce, +and even for prohibiting it. These reasons are as follows: + +The state of Eastern Yndia is very large, and its cities and +garrisons very distant and remote from one another, and situated in +the territories of kings and princes of great power. On this account +they are maintained by regular soldiery and very powerful fleets, of +large and small galleys and galleons. All the Portuguese resident in +those places, and other Christian vassals of his Majesty, easily bear +the excessive expense. The latter is made up by the income from those +cities and strongholds. This income, although it exceeds a million, is +not sufficient to obviate its being always pledged. Some aid in money +is sent from Portugal. This income from Yndia consists principally +in imposts from the said cities, which are paid for entries and +clearances. The entire amount of these imposts is raised on merchandise +from China, Maluco, Amboino, Banda, and other regions of the south; +for the taxes that are raised on merchandise coming from the northern +districts are of so much less importance, and the merchandise likewise, +that they cannot be compared with those of the south. The principal +commerce that the Portuguese have to live upon, is that from China +and other southern districts, because the other traffic is contracted +for by his Majesty's treasury and belongs to it. The better and more +valuable trade through the southern districts belongs to the crown. + +From all this it may be inferred that if we continue this commerce +with China and other southern regions by way of the western Yndias, +the income from the customs duties, on which Yndia is supported, +will necessarily be lost. Nor will there be money or forces with which +many large fleets may be organized by his Majesty for its preservation +and defense, or with which to pay the soldiery stationed there, or to +bear all the other state expenses incurred by the public government, +or those incurred by his Majesty for the ecclesiastical estate in +those places the conquest of which was granted to him by the apostolic +bulls. The rest of these reasons which concern his Majesty's service, +the profit and loss of his treasury, and what is expedient for common +good of the inhabitants of that state, should be considered in this +case with the greatest care. For the inhabitants of Yndia have no +other resources to live upon except trade and commerce; and of these +the principal is the trade with China and other places to which +reference has been made. On this account, they feel very strongly +the seizure of this commerce by the Castilians, saying that they and +their fathers and forefathers conquered it for the royal crown with +their blood and lives. There are and were on this subject practices +and complaints of base character, principally in the city of Goa, +the capital of that state. + +And even if all the above (in respect to what concerns Portugal and +the preservation and quiet of Yndia) were not of so great moment and +consideration for his Majesty's service, so great are the injuries +to the crown of Castilla which result from this new commerce that +only for that (both for reasons of state and finance) it should be +strictly prohibited. For if navigation is permitted from the western +Indias to China, all the money and coin in the kingdom will flow +thither and none will go to Hespana, because China is so large and +has so much to exchange and sell that, however much coin is sent, +that country will absorb it all. The Indias will come to have no need +of Hespana, because all the products obtained from this country can +be obtained from China in much greater abundance and more cheaply, +except wines and olives, which can be very easily introduced in the +Yndias. They might also do without them, because they are not very +necessary or requisite. So they would care for trade with Hespana +only on that account, especially since they may get them from China +itself through the Portuguese traders. Of how much consequence and +importance this is in state matters, it is unnecessary to point out, +because it may be well understood. It is, moreover, understood that +the Indians have wine of their own. + +And above all, when Chinese merchandise is in the western Indias and +money is flowing toward China, trade and commerce with Hespana will +necessarily fall off, together with the income of the custom house +at Sevilla, while money will be scarce there and throughout Espana. + +Let it be further noted that among the sworn promises which his Majesty +made to the kingdom of Portugal, there is one clause (the copy of +which accompanies this) in which it is said that traffic with Yndia, +Guinea, and other regions belonging to the kingdom of Portugal, both +discovered and to be discovered, will not be wrested from them or any +innovation made in present conditions; and the officials who are to +go out for the said commerce and on the ships for that purpose shall +be Portuguese. According to this clause, no alteration can be made +in the commerce with China, Maluco, Amboino, Banda, and other parts +of the Eastern Yndias. The Castilians shall not go there, nor shall +the Portuguese go from here to the Castilian Yndias. [30] + +The Lord Cardinal Archduke, [31] to whom his Majesty has entrusted +the government of Portugal, seeing and considering all these dangers, +wrote many times to his Majesty that it would be greatly to his +interest to prohibit this commerce; and besides what he says in +many of his letters, in one letter of December 23, of last year, 89, +he wrote as follows: + +"In this despatch is sent a report of all that has been written to your +Majesty by the viceroy Don Duarte, and by the governor Miguel de Sosa, +and other persons, affirming that it is of no use to your Majesty, +and unsafe for the state of Yndia, to continue the commerce which has +begun to be opened from the Indias of the Castilian crown to China; +and what your Majesty has had written in regard to it--in order that +your Majesty may have it examined. According to the information +which I possess in this matter, I advise your Majesty to order, +under heavy penalties, that no one shall further this commerce from +the said districts to China, nor from China the other way, because it +is known that if there is no remedy applied, we will lose the customs +receipts of the state of Yndia, and the trade of the merchants. It +seems to me that the lack of confidence and the suspicion which the +ships and embarkations of the Castilians cause in the Chinese are of +even greater consequence. The latter is referred to in the letter which +the city of Nombre de Dios wrote to your Majesty, on this matter." + +Hereunto is added the copy of one clause from a letter by the governor +of Yndia (which was received a few days ago, having come by land) +that what he says in regard to this matter, and the way in which this +commerce is looked upon there, may be known. He concludes by explaining +how well it suits his Majesty's service, and how advantageous it is +to both Castilla and Portugal, to prohibit this commerce in such a +way that all the ports shall be closed to it. + + + + +[_Instructions_: "On the new commerce of the Western Yndias, with +China. His Majesty orders that this shall be examined in the Council +of the Indias. The Council shall then advise him of their opinion, +so that his Majesty can determine what measures must be taken, before +the sailing of the ships. Pardo, March 3, 1590."] [32] + + + + +Decree Ordering a Grant to Salazar + + +Sire: + +From information received _de officio_ in the royal Audiencia of the +city of Manila, of the Philipinas Islands, and from the opinion of +the said Audiencia, it has been evident that, upon the arrival of +the bishop [Salazar] in the islands, all the houses were built of +wood and bamboo, and thatched with straw. As he saw that they were +burned frequently, and especially in the year eighty-three, when, in +but one fire, the city was nearly all destroyed including, with the +property of the citizens, the cathedral church, monastery, hospital, +fort, supplies, and artillery; seeing also the constant danger from +fire and from the natives of whom there was great fear, the said +bishop exerted himself to aid the citizens and soldiers with three +thousand pesos of his own and others' money, dividing this sum among +all of them, in order that they might rebuild their houses. By this +means he relieved their extreme necessity, and afterward endeavored +to persuade the governor and city to have the buildings constructed +of stone and roofed with tile; and although everyone placed decided +obstacles in the way, he set about this himself, and put great effort +into it, even to the seeking and opening of quarries, and procuring +the making of mortar and roof-tiles. Through his diligence, the result +was obtained and great increase followed therefrom to the said city, +for he built houses with the utmost toil and expense. Thereupon many +of the citizens began to do the same, and the city has been made +safe and fortified. Now, a fort, hospital, church, and monasteries +are being built--all of stone. In addition to the above, when he +went to those islands, he took altar-pieces, ornaments, and other +articles of value for the service of divine worship; and afterward +he bought there some buildings for the church, at an expense of +eight hundred ducados. As, for both this and the bishopric, there is +nothing left of the five hundred thousand maravedis paid him yearly +from your Majesty's royal exchequer--which sum, even, has not been +paid because there is no money there--he is deeply in debt and in +need. He beseeches your Majesty that, attentive to his great labors +in the service of our Lord and of your Majesty, and for the good of +that state, your Majesty will bestow upon him a sum equal to what he +has spent, in order that he may pay his debts; and that he be given +an order for it on the royal treasury of Mexico. The said Audiencia, +in its opinion cited above, declares that his debts amount to six +or seven thousand pesos; that his request seems to them very just; +and that any concession made to him will be a great aid to the +bishop. After deliberation in the council, it is our opinion that, +in consideration of the above, a concession of three thousand pesos, +the equivalent of three thousand six hundred ducados, might be made +the said bishop, as an aid in paying his debts: this sum to be given +him once from the tributes of unassigned Indians in those islands, +or from those that shall first become vacant. Your Majesty will act +herein as suits your pleasure. Madrid, April xii, 1590. + + + + +[_Endorsed_: "Council of the Indias. April 12, 1590. That the bishop +of the Philippinas be granted three thousand six hundred ducados +in unassigned tributes of those islands, as an aid in paying the +debts that he has contracted in the service of our Lord, and of your +Majesty, and the welfare of that state." "The opinion of the council +is approved, although the former concessions and assignments would be +preferable; for I suspect that in such favors irregularities are wont +to occur in the payment to the loss of the collectors." "A warrant +[for that sum] has been drawn up, in accordance with his Majesty's +commands."] [33] + + + + +Letter from Members of the Suppressed Audiencia to Felipe II + + +Sire: All vessels sailing to Nueva Espana, since the Audiencia was +established here, have taken advices to your Majesty of everything that +has appeared fitting to your royal service. The orders of your royal +decrees and the ordinances of the royal Council have been observed +with all care. Whenever any trouble has arisen in the execution of +these decrees and ordinances, advice thereof has been given in the +letters from this royal Audiencia, as your Majesty may see, should +you wish information thereof. + +With the arrival of Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, governor and +captain-general of these islands, the president, auditors, and fiscal +of this Audiencia ceased to exercise their duties, and the trials of +cases pending in that body were suspended, so that, in accordance with +the orders of the royal decrees despatched in regard to this matter, +they might be concluded in the royal chancilleria of Mexico. + +Doctor Sanctiago de Vera, former president of this Audiencia, intended +to go to Nueva Espana this year to assume his post as auditor in the +royal Audiencia of Mexico, to which your Majesty appointed him. Just as +he was about to embark, he was forced to remain here in these islands +this year, because of a certain very severe sickness of his wife, from +which she nearly died. He will sail next year. Licentiate Pedro de +Rojas remains in these islands in the capacity of lieutenant-governor +and counselor in government and military matters, in accordance with +his letters-patent. Although this country proves very unfavorable to +his health, so that he remains here at evident risk of life--because +of a disease from which many die, and which has brought him twice +or thrice to the verge of death--yet he thinks it his duty to +continue his service to your Majesty here, and to remain at his post, +notwithstanding all the danger. We beg your Majesty kindly to appoint +him to another post elsewhere, where his health may be preserved, +for he has always suffered here from weakness and ill-health. Not only +would this prove to be an assurance of his life; his services, which +are so acceptable and well-known, are such that he merits this favor +from your Majesty. Inasmuch as he was auditor of this Audiencia, and +the oldest member of it, because of the death of the licentiate Abalos, +he should not be permitted to remain now as lieutenant-governor; for +he is a person of whom your Majesty can make use in the government, +and in any post whatever of great importance and trust. + +The licentiate Don Antonio de Rivera, auditor of this royal Audiencia, +and the licentiate Ayala, [34] its fiscal, remain here without +office. They were detained here one year in order to be present +in this city during the four months of their residencia. They are +very much disheartened over this, for they do not know to what post +your Majesty will appoint them. They have served in their respective +posts in these islands during their whole term with care, integrity, +and disinterestedness, that [_MS. illegible_] and they are suffering +from so great necessity and are five thousand leagues distant from +those kingdoms, burdened with large families and households. They are +grieving greatly over the prospect of so long, dangerous, and costly a +voyage. We entreat your Majesty, since it is so just that rewards and +promotions be given to your servants who have served you faithfully, +and which your Majesty has ever been wont to bestow so generously, that +you do not permit them to remain unrewarded, and that you have their +salaries paid them from the time when their offices became vacant; +for their services merit this, as well as the eagerness with which +they have always exerted themselves, devoting all their energies to +the sole service of God and your Majesty. They have ceased to exercise +their duties in-these posts--the best and chiefest of the kingdom--not +through any demerit, but through the suppression of the Audiencia. We +trust that your Majesty will look favorably upon them and upon your +other servants who have served you in this royal Audiencia; and that +you will reward them and promote them as we desire. May God preserve +the Catholic person of your Majesty. Manila, June 20, 1590. + +The doctor _Santiago Devera_ +The licentiate _Pedro de Rojas_ +The licentiate _Don Antonio de Ribera Maldonado_ + + +[_Endorsed_: "Filipinas; to his Majesty, 1590. The Audiencia, June +20. Seen, and no answer is necessary. Make a memorandum regarding +this auditor and fiscal."] + + + +The Chinese, and the Parian at Manila + + +Sire: + +As Chinese matters are so worthy of being known, I have thought best +to give your Majesty an account of them in a special letter, although +all I say will be but little in comparison with the facts. Before I +undertake to relate what God through His mercy has chosen to unfold to +us concerning the affairs of that kingdom which were so hidden to us, +I must, in order to ease my conscience, and die without this scruple, +undo an error into which I had fallen for a while. Under that error I +wrote to your Majesty as I felt then; and, although what I wrote was +true, according to the information received, I have learned since that +the contrary is the fact. As soon as I began to see the error, I wrote +to your Majesty; but it was not done with the necessary effectiveness, +for I was not yet completely undeceived. Now that I am, it would +be a very serious matter if I did not try to undo the deception. As +at that time I wrote to your Majesty what I felt, under an erroneous +impression, I shall write what I feel, now that I am fully undeceived; +for one ought always to present the entire and naked truth, with no +confusing elements, to all men, and much more to your Majesty. + +Before reaching these islands, I heard that no foreigner could without +danger of death set foot in the kingdom of China unless he received +special permission from those having that kingdom in charge; and that +the native who took a foreigner into the land without permission would +be executed, and the foreigner sent to prison for life. When I reached +these islands, I first interviewed some Portuguese who came here, +and I heard them declare and affirm the same thing which I had heard +before. Since I had that impression at my coming, I easily believed +what the Portuguese told me, and persuaded myself that it was true that +no foreigner could enter China without risk of losing his life. For +a long time I have had the conversion of that kingdom at heart, and +with that thought I came to these islands. One of the reasons which +made me accept this bishopric was the fact that these islands were +very near China, and that many Chinese had come to live here. Being +grieved over the thought that by not allowing foreigners to set foot +in that land the preaching of the gospel there might be hindered, I +drew up a report signed by many Portuguese witnesses from Macan and +Yndia who were here. In this report, which I sent to your Majesty, +I gave evidence that the rulers of China, who are styled "mandarins," +allowed no one to enter the kingdom without their permission; and that +for this purpose they kept large fleets to guard the coast, and to kill +or arrest all who land there. Relying upon the information given me by +the Portuguese, I wrote to your Majesty, asserting that it would be +justifiable for your Majesty to send your fleet to that kingdom, and +in case the preachers were denied entrance, to open a way by force, +and make the Chinese receive them--it being understood that this +opposition was from the mandarins alone, and that the common people +offered no resistance and would receive them well. While all those in +the islands, including myself, held this view, it pleased our Lord to +reveal this deception and to deliver us from this error. It so happened +that a ship left these islands for Mexico, and reached the coast of +China in distress. At first the crew were somewhat ill-treated by the +soldiers who guard the coast, because the latter had taken them for +thieves or spies; but as soon as they were brought before the mandarin +governor and it was learned that they had set out from the Lugones, +as they call these islands, the governor treated them well, gave +orders to return what the soldiers had taken from them, and punished +those who had taken it. They sent the Spaniards in peace to Macan, +whence they came to this city. The captain of the ship is living here +at the present day, as well as two Augustinians who were on board; +and they have told me all that happened to them. + +From this time I began to be undeceived, and to understand that +the kingdom of China was not so inaccessible as the Portuguese had +represented it. Then I wrote to your Majesty the aforesaid letter, +asserting that the ill-report concerning the mandarins of China was +rather an invention of the Portuguese than a true report. Later on, my +belief in this truth was confirmed by certain persons, both religious +and laymen, who have gone to China from these islands. When these +persons arrived there the Chinese arrested them, in order to find out +whence they came and what they were seeking; and when it was learned +who they were, they were allowed to return in peace and were even +given supplies for the journey. While writing this, I have met two +Franciscan friars who tell me that, as soon as they reached China, +they were arrested and taken, handcuffed, before the mandarin. When he +learned who they were he gave orders to set them free, and to provide +for their support until they could return here. What fully confirms +me as to the truth of all this is the report which I received of the +kind reception given in the province of Chincheo to a ship which +the viceroy then governing Nueba Espana sent to Macan, and whose +captain was Lope de Palacios, the brother of the auditor Palacios, +auditor of Mexico. This ship was driven to Chincheo under stress +of weather, and there everyone in her was well received, when the +inhabitants of Chincheo learned that they were coming to trade in +China. They persuaded them to go no farther, saying that they would +give them a cargo there for their ship; but God, who had chosen to +punish those who by that means sought to destroy this land against +the wish of your Majesty, blinded them, so that they would not take +the most salutary advice that could have been given them. The three +Dominican religious who were on board the ship were well received and +lovingly treated by the mandarin of that province. He took them to +the city and lodged them in his own house, giving them an apartment +where they could celebrate mass. This they did with as much quiet +and safety as if they had been at your court. The mandarin kept +them with him for one week, after which he allowed them to go to +their ship and proceed to Macan. I had this relation from the very +religious who were there. At present I am entertaining at my house a +man who came from Mexico in that ship, and who, being an eyewitness, +has told me of all the occurrence; but, since this account and other +events which occurred were reported to your Majesty two years ago, +and I am sure that the report reached its destination, I shall not +detain you with a more detailed account of those matters. + +I have said all this in order to correct the wrong opinion held +about the rulers of China; and although it is true that they are +cautious and suspicious, prudently seeking to protect their nation +against the entrance of foreigners who might harm and disturb the +land, still, without any question, what has been said against them +is a false accusation; for until now we know of no person whom they +have killed for setting foot in their land, nor do we know of any +one whom they have thrown into prison for life, as the Portuguese +reported. If any of the Spaniards who went to that land received +ill-treatment at the hands of the Chinese, it was due to the evil +reports of us which the Portuguese spread among them, warning them +to beware of Castilians as a people addicted to stealing and seizing +foreign kingdoms; and who, as they had become masters of Nueva Espana, +Peru, and the Philipinas, would strive likewise to obtain China. The +people of that kingdom, being the most cautious people in the world, +believed quite readily what the Portuguese told them of us; and in +consequence they ill-treated the Castilians who went there. What I +say here is a well ascertained fact, known by people who have seen +themselves in great danger of being killed in China, just because the +Portuguese had pointed them out to the Chinese as spies. One of the +Franciscan religious whom I mentioned above has affirmed to me that +he himself had heard it said that the Portuguese had reported them +as spies, and that for this reason they had been handcuffed. Were +I not sure that this was so, I would not dare to affirm it to your +Majesty, for these are serious matters which do not speak well for the +Portuguese. Although it is not to be believed that all of them say +these things of us, still it needs only a few of them to speak such +words in order to persuade the Chinese; and those few have caused +no little harm, for, had not God provided a remedy, they would have +greatly hindered the gospel from ever entering that kingdom. However, +since the Chinese have experienced the contrary of what had been told +them, and the Chinese or Sangleys (which mean the same thing) who go +there from here tell them of the fairness with which we treat them +here, and of the freedom that they enjoy among us, they have regained +confidence, and are not offended at seeing us there, as is proved by +those two ships which were driven on their shores. Doctor Sanctiago +de Vera told me last year that he intended to make arrangements with +the mandarins of Chincheo by which they might give us an island not +far from that coast where the Castilians might settle and establish +their commerce; he added that this plan met with no great opposition +on the part of the Sangleys. But this was not carried out, and I do +not know who was the cause of the failure. To corroborate the fact +that the mandarins do not keep the gates of that kingdom so tightly +closed as the Portuguese affirmed, something else has occurred quite +recently which shows it clearly. When the Portuguese expelled all the +Castilian religious from Macan and ordered them to go to Yndia, and +not to return here, two friars fled secretly to the city of Canton, +and thence they went to Chincheo by land, covering a distance of +about one hundred leagues, without receiving any harm whatever; on +the contrary, they were well treated, and the mardarin of Chincheo +sent them back to this city in one of his own ships. The captain +who brought them has visited me several times, and I have thanked +him. At present these religious are in this city, and have spoken to +me of what occurred to them on the journey from Macan to Chincheo, +and of the presents which the captain who brought them here from +Chincheo gave them. From all the aforesaid we infer that what has been +reported of the refusal of the Chinese kingdom, and of its rulers, +to permit entrance to foreigners has been invention and slander by the +Portuguese, who did this for their own private interests, fearing that +their commerce with the Chinese would cease if the Castilians gained +an entrance there. We who live here have attributed this slander to +that cause--or, more properly speaking, it has been the cunning of +the devil, who has tried in this way to hinder the results which we +hope to obtain by introducing the gospel into that great kingdom, +in such manner as Jesus Christ, our Lord, commanded his disciples +and apostles to preach it throughout the whole world, not trusting in +their own strength, or in human wisdom or power, but only in the power +of God. For He, when it pleases Him, smoothes out all difficulties +which may arise; and if at times He allows his ministers to suffer, +it is for their best good, in order that the perfection and power of +God may shine forth with more brilliancy. Therefore, I say that if +once I thought it possible to make war on China because of the false +report given me of the hindrance and obstacles offered by the rulers +of that kingdom to the preaching of the gospel, by not allowing those +who could preach it to enter the land, now that I know the truth, +I declare that one of the worst offenses which could be committed +against God, and the greatest possible obstacle and opposition to the +spread of the gospel, would be to go to China with the mailed hand, +or to use any sort of violence. For we have had at no time, nor do +we have, any cause, right, or reason to enter that kingdom by force +of arms; for it is evident that we have not told them, nor do they +know, our intention. On the contrary they take us for people whose +only aim is to usurp foreign kingdoms; and, since they think thus, +it is well for them to guard against us. In order to correct the +wrong opinion which they entertain of us, we should not go there +with large fleets and armies equipped, because the only result would +be to vex and offend the greatest and best kingdom in the world; +but if we go there in the way that God commands and desires, and at +the time appointed by His Divine Majesty (for we men cannot know), +we shall make one of the largest conversions ever seen since the time +of the primitive church. This is what the devil tries to hinder by +spreading abroad the notion that the only way by which China can +be entered is by force of arms. The truth is, that until now no +people has been discovered so ready to receive the gospel as this, +or of whom can be entertained such hope of great results by going +to preach the gospel as our Lord Jesus Christ commanded; and if any +one, be he even an angel from heaven, were of a different opinion, +may your Majesty consider him an agent of the devil, who tries to +convince people that the gospel of Jesus Christ is to be preached +with zeal and not with knowledge, with violence and force of arms, +like the alcoran of Mahoma. This is a principle which may God remove +from the minds of all Christian princes, and from all men who are well +acquainted with the law of God and evangelical truth. I am confident +that, when your Majesty learns the truth, you will not allow anything +to be done contrary to the will of God. + +Now I shall speak of the Sangleys, of whom there would be much to +say had I not in the past given to your Majesty an account of many +things concerning them. Therefore I shall be brief, in order not to +make this account longer than is necessary. + +When I arrived in this land, I found that in a village called +Tondo--which is not far from this city, there being a river +between--lived many Sangleys; of whom some were Christians, but +the larger part infidels. In this city were also some shops kept +by Sangleys, who lived here in order to sell the goods which they +kept here from year to year. These Sangleys were scattered among +the Spaniards, with no specific place assigned to them, until Don +Gongalo Ronquillo allotted them a place to live in, and to be used +as a silk-market (which is called here _Parian_), of four large +buildings. Here, many shops were opened, commerce increased, and more +Sangleys came to this city. Anxious for the conversion of this people, +I soon cast my eyes upon them, and took precautions that they be well +treated, for in that way they would become attached to our religion--as +I was aware that this was your Majesty's desire. Considering that, +wherever Spaniards are to be found, there will always be some unruly +ones, who, forgetting the good example which they ought to give +these infidels, ill-treat them at times, I began on this account to +protect and to assist the Chinese, reproaching those who maltreated +them. I took care to have their grievances removed so as to give them +freedom to attend to their mercantile interests, and to sell their +goods. In this there has been very much abuse in this city by those +who were under obligation to furnish a remedy for it. For this reason +the Sangleys began to have much love for me, for they are the most +grateful people I have ever seen. Gradually commerce has so increased, +and so many are the Sangley ships which come to this city laden with +goods--as all kinds of linen, and silks; ammunition; food supplies, +as wheat, flour, sugar; and many kinds of fruit (although I have not +seen the fruits common in Spana)--and the city has been so embellished, +that were it not for the fires and the calamities visited upon her +by land and by sea, she would be the most prosperous and rich city +of your Majesty's domains. As I have written to your Majesty in +other letters, this city has the best possible location for both +its temporal and spiritual welfare, and for all its interests, that +could be desired. For on the east, although quite distant, yet not +so far as to hinder a man from coming hither, with favorable voyage, +lie Nueba Espana and Peru; to the north, about three hundred leagues, +are the large islands of Japon; on the northwest lies the great and +vast kingdom of China, which is so near this island that, starting +early in the morning with reasonable weather, one would sight China on +the next day; on the west lie Conchinchina, the kingdoms of Sian and +Patany, Malaca, the great kingdom of Dacheu (the ancient Trapobana), +and the two Xavas [Javas], the greater and the smaller; [35] and on +the south lie the islands of Maluco and Burney. From all these regions +people come to trade in this city; and from here we can go to them, +for they are near. As to spiritual advantages, if we had preachers +of the gospel to send thither, these regions all stand open to us, +and we could gain good results from it, because Franciscan religious +have gone to some of these places and have been well received, although +on account of many wars and the lack of interpreters they were forced +to return. It is not so certain that they would be received in China +as they are elsewhere; but up to this time no one of those who went +thither has been killed or thrown into prison. + +When I came, all the Sangleys were almost forgotten, and relegated to +a corner. No thought was taken for their conversion, because no one +knew their language or undertook to learn it on account of its great +difficulty; and because the religious who lived here were too busy with +the natives of these islands. Although the Augustinian religious had +charge of the Sangleys of Tondo, they did not minister to or instruct +them in their own language, but in that of the natives of this land; +thus the Sangley Christians living here, were Christians only in name, +knowing no more of Christianity than if they had never accepted it. I +was much grieved that a nation of such renown should lack priests to +teach and instruct them in their own language. This led me to make +arrangements with Don Goncalo Ronquillo for a special location to be +assigned to them for their own use, and priests were to be given them +who should learn their language and teach them in it. When this had +been all arranged, and a priest had been appointed, the whole thing was +undone through obstacles which arose at that time. Then I appealed to +all religious orders to appoint some one of their religious to learn +the language and take charge of the Sangleys. Although all of them +showed a desire to do so, and some even began to learn it, yet no one +succeeded; and the Sangleys found themselves with no one to instruct +them and take up their conversion with the necessary earnestness, +until, in the year eighty-seven, God brought to these islands the +religious of St. Dominic. Their coming was for the welfare of the +Sangleys, as the result proved, and as I shall relate further on. God +soon showed us that the religious had come by His will, to take charge +of the Sangleys. This city, being built on a narrow site with the sea +on one side and a river on the other, was all occupied, and there +seemed to be no place where the Dominicans could settle; but there +was soon discovered a site of which no one had thought until then, +and which now is the best in the city. The site adjoins the Parian +of the Sangleys, and that gave the religious of that order occasion +to begin to hold intercourse with them, and for the religious and +Sangleys to become mutually attached to one another. For, whenever +the Sangleys come and go from the Parian, they pass by the church of +Sancto Domingo, and, being a very inquisitive people, they often stop +and watch what is taking place there. When the confraternities of the +Rosary and of the Oaths, which are founded in that house, hold their +processions, a great many Sangleys come out to watch them. They live +so near the monastery that in the night they hear the religious sing +matins, and are not a little edified by it; for they also have their +own form of religion, and there are among them religious men who lead +a very austere life and claim to live in profound meditation. When +it shall please God to enlighten them, Christianity will undoubtedly +profit much by this characteristic. + +I said above that the monastery of Sancto Domingo stands close by +the Parian of the Sangleys, which is built in a marshy place on the +border of this city between its northern and southern sides. The +Sangleys were transferred thither by Diego Ronquillo, during his +governorship, because the Parian which Don Gonzalo Ronquillo had built +was destroyed by fire. At first it seemed absurd to think that human +habitations were to be built in that marsh, but the Sangleys, who are +very industrious, and a most ingenious people, managed it so well +that, in a place seemingly uninhabitable, they have built a Parian +resembling the other, although much larger and higher. According to +them it suits them better than the other, because on the firm ground +where the four rows of buildings are located they have built their +houses and the streets leading through the Parian, a separate street +for each row of buildings. + +There are long passages and the buildings are quadrangular +in shape. This Parian was also destroyed by fire on account of +the houses being built of reeds; but through the diligence of the +president and governor, Doctor Vera, much better houses were built, +and covered with tiles for protection against fire. This Parian has +so adorned the city that I do not hesitate to affirm to your Majesty +that no other known city in Espana or in these regions possesses +anything so well worth seeing as this; for in it can be found the +whole trade of China, with all kinds of goods and curious things +which come from that country. These articles have already begun to be +manufactured here, as quickly and with better finish than in China; +and this is due to the intercourse between Chinese and Spaniards, +which has enabled the former to perfect themselves in things which +they were not wont to produce in China. In this Parian are to be found +workmen of all trades and handicrafts of a nation, and many of them +in each occupation. They make much prettier articles than are made in +Espana, and sometimes so cheap that I am ashamed to mention it. If we +Castilians were as cautious as the Portuguese in trading with them, +these articles would be much cheaper, and the Chinese would still +gain by it. For goods are sold at a very low cost in China; and, +no matter how little profit they make there, when these objects are +sold here they yield large profits. But no restraint can be put upon +the Castilians, nor can they be regulated--the consequence of which +is that everything is going to ruin; for the Sangleys, who were not +born as fools, begin to understand the Spaniards' disposition, and +to take advantage of their lack of prudence, thus becoming richer +than they would did the latter observe moderation. + +This Parian is provided with doctors and apothecaries, who post in +their shops placards printed in their own language announcing what +they have to sell. There are also many eating-houses where the Sangleys +and the natives take their meals; and I have been told that these are +frequented even by Spaniards. The handicrafts pursued by Spaniards +have all died out, because people buy their clothes and shoes from +the Sangleys, who are very good craftsmen in Spanish fashion, and make +everything at a very low cost. Although the silversmiths do not know +how to enamel (for enamel is not used in China), in other respects +they produce marvelous work in gold and silver. They are so skilful +and clever that, as soon as they see any object made by a Spanish +workman, they reproduce it with exactness. What arouses my wonder +most is, that when I arrived no Sangley knew how to paint anything; +but now they have so perfected themselves in this art that they have +produced marvelous work with both the brush and the chisel, and I +think that nothing more perfect could be produced than some of their +marble statues of the Child Jesus which I have seen. This opinion is +affirmed by all who have seen them. The churches are beginning to +be furnished with the images which the Sangleys make, and which we +greatly lacked before; and considering the ability displayed by these +people in reproducing the images which come from Espana, I believe +that soon we shall not even miss those made in Flandes. What I say of +the painters applies also to embroiderers, who are already producing +excellent embroidered works, and are continually improving in that art. + +What has pleased all of us here has been the arrival of a book-binder +from Mexico. He brought books with him, set up a bindery, and hired a +Sangley who had offered his services to him. The Sangley secretly, and +without his master noticing it, watched how the latter bound books, +and lo, in less than [_blank space in Retana_] he left the house, +saying that he wished to serve him no longer, and set up a similar +shop. I assure your Majesty that he became so excellent a workman +that his master has been forced to give up the business, because the +Sangley has drawn all the trade. His work is so good that there is +no need of the Spanish tradesman. At the time I am writing, I have in +my hand a Latin version of Nabarro bound by him; and, in my judgment, +it could not be better bound, even in Sevilla. + +There are many gardeners among the Sangleys, who, in places which +seemed totally unproductive, are raising many good vegetables of the +kinds that grow in Espana and in Mexico. They keep the market here +as well supplied as that of Madrid or Salamanca. They make chairs, +bridles, and stirrups of so good a quality and so cheaply that some +merchants wish to load a cargo of these articles for Mexico. + +Many bakers make bread with the wheat and fine flour which they bring +from China, and sell it in the market-place and along the streets. This +has much benefited the city, for they make good bread and sell it at +low cost; and although this land possesses much rice, many now use +bread who did not do so before. They are so accommodating that when +one has no money to pay for the bread, they give him credit and mark +it on a tally. It happens that many soldiers get food this way all +through the year, and the bakers never fail to provide them with all +the bread they need. This has been a great help for the poor of this +city, for had they not found this refuge they would suffer want. The +Sangleys sell meat of animals raised in this country, as swine, +deer, and carabaos (a kind of Italian buffalo, whose flesh is equal +to beef). They also sell many fowls and eggs; and if they did not +sell them we all would suffer want. They are so intent upon making +a livelihood that even split wood is sold in the Parian. The city +finds most of its sustenance in the fish which these Sangleys sell; +they catch so much of it every day that the surplus is left in the +streets, and they sell it at so low a cost that for one real one can +buy a sufficient quantity of fish to supply dinner and supper for +one of the leading houses in the city. + +In the remaining space within the four fronts of the Parian is a +large pond, which receives water from the sea through an estuary. In +the middle of the pond is an islet, where the Sangleys who commit +crimes receive their punishment, so as to be seen by all. The pond +beautifies the Parian and proves to be of great advantage, because +many ships sail into it through the aforesaid estuary at high tide, +and bring to the Parian all the supplies, which are distributed thence +all over the city. + +Among the benefits which this city receives from the intercourse +with the Sangleys, by no means the least important is that, while in +Espana stone-masonry is so expensive and difficult to produce, here, +through the diligence and industry of the Sangleys, we are able to +build fine houses of hewn stone at a low cost; and in so short a +time that in one year a man has been able to complete a house, all +ready for habitation. It is wonderful to see with what rapidity many +sumptuous houses, churches, monasteries, hospitals, and a fort are +being built. The Sangleys also made very good bricks and roof-tiles +at low cost. At first, lime was made with stone as in Espana; but now +the Sangleys are using a kind of pebble, called "white corals," which +they find on this coast; and also shells of large oysters, of which +there is a large quantity. At the beginning this lime did not seem to +be of good quality; but the kind produced ever since has been so good +that no other kind of lime is being employed in this city. It came to +be sold at so low a price that for my house as well as for others we +bought a cahiz [36] of lime for four reals, and one thousand bricks +for eight--although this is not the fixed price, for it fluctuates +according to the money which comes from Mexico. The Sangleys know how +to take advantage of the right time; they sell their goods dearer when +they know that there is money to buy them, but they never raise the +price so as to make it unreasonable. They agree to bring all the lime, +bricks, and tiles to the house of the purchaser, thus saving him a +great deal of labor. It is of great advantage also to have the Sangleys +construct the building; they agree on so much per braza, including the +cutting of stones and the carrying of the sand. If they are given the +lime, they will furnish all the rest, and will thus deliver the house +or work without any trouble to the owner. The day's wage of a Sangley, +when he does not work by the job, is one real, and he provides his own +food. The Sangleys are hard workers and very greedy for money. The +number of those who have come to this city is so large that another +large Parian is being built by the side of the above-mentioned one, +resembling it in shape. Many Sangleys have built their houses in it, +and it would be filled with people by this time had not the bricks of +Mexico failed us last year through the Marquis de Villa-Manrrique--who, +according to report, prevented the shipment of the bricks to us, thus +causing no little injury and loss to this city and to the Sangleys. He +shall give an account to your Majesty, and a more exact one to God, +of the injuries and loss that he has caused to this land. Had not your +Majesty set matters right by sending a successor to him, [37] and so +good a one as you did send, he would have brought ruin upon this land; +and, even so, he leaves it sufficiently harassed and afflicted. + +The Sangleys who live in this Parian number ordinarily between three +and four thousand, not counting the two thousand and more who come +and go in ships. These, together with those residing in Tondo, and +the fishermen and gardeners who live in this neighborhood, number, +according to the Dominican fathers who have them in charge, from six +to seven thousand souls. Four religious of that order are engaged in +their conversion and instruction. + +I have mentioned many small matters here, and it does not seem very +considerate to write so long a letter to one who is so occupied in +affairs of moment as your Majesty is; but my great zeal deserves +forgiveness. For, considering how far distant these regions are, and +how extraordinary are these people--of whom we have known so little +hitherto, on account of the opposition shown by the Portuguese to our +gaining any knowledge of them--it seemed right for me to send your +Majesty a relation and more specific news concerning the matter, so +that your Majesty may know what exists and occurs here in his realms, +and may enjoy through experience what was denied to his predecessors +to hear even through report. Had I not already given your Majesty +news of many other things which occur here, I would not dare to omit +them now, even if I might be considered prolix. + +This was the condition and disposition of the Sangleys in temporal +matters, when the Dominican religious came to these islands in May, +eighty-seven. I have already sent to your Majesty an account of what +took place from the time of their arrival until the following year. I +reported the singular change which had taken place among the Sangleys +after the Dominican religious took charge of them, and the results +which began to be obtained among them; and that they willingly began +to accept Christianity, in which they have persevered until now. I +will not here reiterate that, although there are many things worthy of +being known, and for which many thanks are due to God, who shows how +wonderful is His power when it pleases Him. What is left for me to +relate, is the departure of the Dominican religious for China; and, +although we do not know how it has fared with them, as they set out +so recently, still the beginnings give us reason to hope that with +the help of our Lord, they will be very successful. + +Of the Dominican religious who came to these islands, four are +engaged in ministering to the Sangleys. Two of these four officiate +in the church of Sant Gabriel, which, together with the house where +the religious live, stands close to the Parian. Another church with +its house is on the promontory of Bay-bay, near Tondo--which a river +divides, separating it from Manila. Two of the four have learned +the language of the Sangleys so well, and one of these two how +to write also (which is the most difficult part of the language), +that the Sangleys wonder at their knowledge. The opportunity which +the infidels of both towns had to hear the sermons preached by the +fathers to the Christians, made them acquainted with many matters +relating to our faith, and some of them desired to be baptized. But +when they saw that, by becoming Christians, they would not be allowed +to return to their own country, on account of the danger which the +faith encounters in a country where the people are all idolaters, +they said that our religion was too severe, since in embracing it one +has to forsake his native country, and to deprive himself of father, +mother, wife, children, and relatives. The arguments that they set +forth were such that it seemed as if they wished to persuade us to +baptize them without cutting off their hair, and without forbidding +them to return to their own country. We saw that it was not advisable +to do as they desired, and left matters as they stood. The Sangleys +themselves told us to send fathers to their country to preach to them, +saying that there they would become converted without so much risk as +here. After due consideration of the matter, the Dominican fathers +and myself decided that it was necessary to go to China; for, if +God permitted the religious to remain in that land, we could baptize +the Sangleys here without cutting off their hair, or preventing them +from returning to their country to rejoice in their children, wives, +and property. The Sangleys were much pleased at this decision; but +there were differences of opinion regarding the manner in which the +religious should go. The president thought that it would be best for +them to go in a fragata accompanied by Spaniards: but the Chinese said +that the friars should go alone, and not in the company of Spaniards; +thus many arguments were presented on both sides. Two or three times +I saw our endeavors thwarted, because the devil was laboring with +all his might to prevent them. A fragata had already been bought, +the captain and the men who were to take the friars over had been +chosen, and almost everything was ready for their setting sail, when +the plan was defeated I know not whence or how. My disappointment and +the great sadness which I felt in seeing the defeat of an expedition +which I so much desired, and for whose fulfilment had not sufficed his +Holiness's permission and the special ordinance from your Majesty, +made me think that this was the will of God; thus I was forced to +abandon the attempt. But God, whose plans do not depend upon the +advice of men, arranged matters better than I could have hoped, for +He moved the hearts of the Sangley Christians, Don Francisco Zanco, a +Christian and the governor of the Sangleys, and Don Tomas Syguan. The +latter I baptized about two years ago, without cutting his hair, +for I thought that God was to accomplish some great work through him, +as well as through the other--who, being one of the oldest Christians +in this island, also wore his hair long. When these two saw that the +Spaniards were not going to China, and that the friars remained here +because there was no one to take them over, they went to Fray Juan +Cobo, one of the two friars acquainted thoroughly with the language, +and who has charge of, the Sangleys of the Parian, and manifested to +him their grief at seeing how little they were trusted. They said that +since the fathers remained here because no Spaniards went to China, +they who were Christians and natives of that land would take them over +in more safety; they added that there should be no hesitation to accept +their company, for they would lose their own lives before any harm +should befall the religious. This we understood as an inspiration of +the Holy Spirit, because until then we had never heard that a Sangley +would dare to take any Spaniards to China; accordingly, we decided +to send the friars with the Chinese. When this was announced in the +Parian, all the friendly Sangleys, of whom there are many among the +infidels, were much pleased. One of the Sangley Christians had not +taken a mouthful of food for two days, through grief at seeing us +abandon the expedition; but when he heard that it was going to be +made, and how it was going to be carried out, his joy knew no bounds, +and he declared that it was just as he had hoped, and that it was +the necessary method to pursue. I called two Sangley infidels--who, +although without the faith, are endowed with all the qualities of +good men, and who, I hope, through God's blessing will soon become +Christians--and asked them what was their opinion concerning the +expedition. They answered that they were very glad to see the way in +which the religious were going; for, if they went with Spaniards, +all would be lost. Thus we decided upon the departure, sending at +present no more than two religious: Fray Miguel de Benavides, [38] +who was the first to learn the language of the Sangleys; and Father +Juan de Castro, who came as vicar of the religious, and who was made +provincial here. We preferred these two, as one is well acquainted +with the language, and the other is much loved and esteemed by the +Sangleys on account of his venerable gray locks and blessed old +age; and we know that in that land old people are much respected +and revered. As our Lord sent His disciples, so went these fathers, +stripped of all human support, and carrying nothing with them except +their own persons, their breviaries, and Bibles, for in this manner, +and not with encompassing soldiers, should the gospel be preached. + +I give many thanks to God that this expedition, so much desired by +me, started under the best auspices which could be desired; for it is +being undertaken by special permission of the Pope and by a decree of +your Majesty, and with the consent of the governor, of myself, and +of the auditors of this Audiencia. This enterprise has caused great +happiness to all the religious orders, and to all the inhabitants of +this city; and many demonstrations of rejoicing on the part of all the +Sangleys. May it please the divine Majesty that the end be as we all +desire. Another event occurred at the time of the expedition, which +gave us a great deal of pleasure, and kindled in us the hope that +God was really about to open the gates of that great kingdom. The +aforesaid captain who brought the two Franciscan friars to this +city received a letter, which they call _chapa_, for the president, +in which the latter is entreated to do justice to the captain who +brought the letter, so that he might collect some money which was due +him in this city; in the letter, he anxiously entreats the two great +fathers Juan and Miguel, who know the language, to help the captain, +for they are known in that country to favor the Sangleys. Their names +occur twice in that chapa, the first letters of the two names being +written in red ink, which is considered a mark of veneration among +the Chinese. A Sangley woman who lives in Chincheo wrote a letter to +Fray Juan Cobo, thanking him for having helped her husband in a matter +of business. These were the first indications by which we knew that +this expedition was starting under the guidance of God. So on Tuesday, +the twenty-second of May, of this year ninety, I went to the church of +the Parian, and said mass there; after which the two Sangleys who had +offered their services went through a ceremony worthy of notice. They +knelt down before the altar where I said mass, and remained there +for the space of two _credos_, speaking to one another in their own +language and holding each other's hands; after that they embraced one +another, and I learned afterwards that they had sworn to each other +friendship and fidelity. From that place the fathers went to embark, +and I went with them, accompanied by many Sangleys. On account of a +contrary wind, the ship in which they were going could not set sail; +and there were sent, to tow it out, four champans, which are the +small boats of the Sangley ships. They gladly pulled it out to sea, +for more than a league, where we left them under God's protection, +and returned to the city. The captains of two Sangley ships who are +about to follow in the same course have asked me for letters for the +religious, promising me to place them in their own hands, and I shall +not fail to write to them. + +In conclusion, I must announce to your Majesty that a hospital has been +built by the Dominican friars who have charge of the Sangleys of the +Parian, which is close by their house. The hospital takes care of sick +Sangleys and subsists on no other income than what the fathers gather +as charity, and what the Sangley infidels contribute towards it. This +fact has been so rumored in China, that the whole country feels very +kindly towards the fathers, knowing of the friendly reception given +to their countrymen here. About a year ago a prominent Sangley was +converted. He was a doctor and an herbalist; but, forsaking all other +worldly interests, he has offered and devoted himself to the service +of the hospital. He cures the sick, bestowing upon them much love and +charity, and prescribing for them his purges and medicines. In short, +it was God who led him thither for the welfare of that hospital, and, +to make the fame thereof more widely spread throughout China. Therefore +I humbly beg your Majesty to be pleased to order that this hospital be +endowed, so that the sick may be cared for. Moreover, if your Majesty +attend to this personally, that fact will be very well received in +China and will be of more benefit than the presents which your Majesty +ordered to be sent to the king. + +Doctor Vera, who is now president, on seeing the good will with which +those two Sangley Christians, Don Francisco Canco and Don Tomas Siguan, +offered their services for taking the fathers to China, exempted them, +in the name of your Majesty, from paying taxes for the use of a ship +for six years. I entreat your Majesty to be pleased to confirm this +grant, and to extend it for life; for they certainly performed a great +deed, and one considered of much importance by all the inhabitants +of this city, both Spaniards and Sangleys. They deserve this favor +from your Majesty, even if we should not gain the desired result, +because they for their part have offered what they could. + +Fray Juan Cobo, the Dominican religious--who, as I have said before, +knows the language of the Sangleys and their writing, and who is +most esteemed by them--is sending to your Majesty a book, one of a +number brought to him from China. This intercourse which is taking +root between them and ourselves is not a bad beginning for the object +we have in view. The book is in Chinese writing on one half of the +leaf, and Castilian on the other, the two corresponding to each +other. It is a work worthy of your Majesty, and may it be received +as such, not because of its worth, but because it is so rare a work, +never seen before in the Parian, or outside of China. According to +my judgment, it contains things worthy of consideration, by which +is seen the force of the human reason; since without the light +of the faith those things approach so near to those taught us by +the Christian religion. From this your Majesty will see how much in +error is the person who pretends that in kingdoms like that of China, +where such things are taught, we should enter by force of arms to +preach to them our faith. It is clear that with a people like this, +the force of reason has more power than that of arms. May our Lord +direct this affair according to His will; and may He be pleased that +within the days of your Majesty we may see these kingdoms converted +to the faith, and that your Majesty may enjoy this reputation first +on earth and then in heaven. Amen. Manila, June 24, 1590. + +_Fray Domingo_, Bishop of the Philipinas. + + + + +Two Letters from Domingo de Salazar to Felipe II + + +Sire: + +Five decrees of your Majesty came to me this year of ninety in the +ship "Santiago," which arrived at this port on the last of May. They +are all dated at Madrid, four on the twenty-third of June of the +year eighty-seven, and the fifth on the eighteenth of February of +eighty-eight. After perusing the contents of the said decrees, I can +truly not restrain my surprise that there can be men in the world who +dare to say and declare things which are not certainly proved to be +the truth, much less to give such information to their king. To report +to one's sovereign the contrary of what happens, or to affirm what +one is not certain is the truth, is a most grave offense, worthy of +all punishment and chastisement. Such persons may properly be called +destroyers of their countries, because, in not giving information +in accordance with the principles of truth, they fail to remedy the +evils and provide the good which is necessary for the preservation +of the land. As this commonwealth is so far away from your Majesty, +it has to be governed, not by what your Majesty sees and knows, +but by the information received by him regarding it. This must be +according to the good or bad intention of the informer. Consequently, +this commonwealth is subjected to many hardships and misfortunes, by +the fault not of your Majesty--with whose most holy zeal and desire +for the welfare of this land we are well acquainted--but of us here +who send information. There are but few of us who, oblivious of our own +interests and pretensions, now fix our eyes on the common good alone, +and seek only this; but the most of us seek only our own interests, +our informations and reports are shaped by these, as appears by the +increase of the tributes which your Majesty commands to be made. As +this is discussed, however, in another letter, I will go to no greater +length than to say that, if your Majesty were present here, no orders +would be given to increase the tributes of these miserable people, +but rather they would pay less. But he who informed your Majesty +that more tribute can be paid has already accounted or will account +to God also. I am affected in part by these hardships and dangers, +as it is now two years since your Majesty wrote me a reprimand, as +if I were the man to blame for the dissensions of the Audiencia. God +knows, as do all in this community, that if I had not made peace, +the dissensions between the president and auditors would have lasted +until today. The same I say of the five decrees which I received +this year. Among them are several which show that he who informed +your Majesty did so in an account entirely malicious and totally +contrary to the truth. Others show that, although the informer told +something of the truth, he did so in an entirely different manner from +the way in which things happened, concealing what he ought to say, +and affirming what he should not. This will appear by my reply to +each decree--not as an excuse for myself, as I consider myself to be +very rightly judged elsewhere; but in order to satisfy your Majesty, +as I shall proceed to relate. + +Beginning with the first decree, which treats of the confessions of the +conquerors, they being constrained to make restitution _in solidum_, +I say that I have never done anything in this bishopric which leaves +me so vexed and conscience-stricken, as that I dealt so mildly with +those who came to this country nominally as conquerors, but actually +as destroyers. According to the true and sound doctrine of St. Thomas, +and of all right-feeling men, they are all bound to pay _in solidum_ +for the damage which they have done. I, with more than necessary +boldness, have planned so that no one has been asked to pay more +than he himself has confessed that he owed; but that is nothing in +comparison with the innumerable injuries which have been committed in +this country. Four years have passed since I gave this order obliging +them to pay one hundred pesos, and then another two hundred pesos, +the largest amount not exceeding five hundred pesos. There were +very few persons taxed for the larger sum, and they were captains or +leaders of expeditions. They have put me off from one year to another +and even yet they have not paid me, always alleging poverty. I have +found it necessary to take from the little that I have to pay some +of these obligations, on account of the needs of the Indians, and +because the Spaniards had not the wherewithal to pay them. When I +considered the hardships suffered by Spaniards in this land, and that +it will utterly ruin them, if the matter with which we have to deal be +treated severely by the theologians, I dared, on this account, to do +what no one else would have done. There is no lack of religious who, +since their arrival here, condemn my action, and say that I am obliged +to constrain the conquerors still further, or to pay the compensation +myself. I assure your Majesty that these scruples have constrained me, +and do so today, to such an extent that this is the principal thing +among other matters of considerable import of which I have to give +an account to his Holiness and to your Majesty. There is no doubt +whatever that he who does the damage is obliged to make restitution; +and all the more when the injured persons are living as they, or their +children and heirs, do in these islands. From investigations which +I have had made regarding those persons who inflicted the injuries, +I am assured that the sums collected as restitution do not amount to +the hundredth part of the valuation of the damages. As my age makes it +impossible for me to go to Spain, and since your Majesty, as a most +Christian prince, so earnestly desires and strives for the welfare +of these natives, I shall send herewith a memorandum of what I have +done in this case, and of what each of the conquerors has paid, and +of the injuries committed--although it would be impossible to relate +them all. I do this so that your Majesty may be pleased to grant to me +and to all this land mercy and grace, when my actions are considered +there; and, if it should be necessary, to procure the approbation +of his Holiness to compromise the matter by releasing them from the +remainder of the restitutions, as full restitution is impossible. To +attempt to do more would be only to harass them, with no other result +than burdening their consciences. Thus I will be freed from these +intolerable scruples and continuous vexations in which I am placed. + +Your Majesty seems to hold me guilty for having encouraged the slaves +to leave the Spaniards. I do not know how blame can be placed on me +therefor, since the Indians held as slaves by the Spaniards (who were +unwilling to let them go) have been declared free by your Majesty. It +was evident that the former could not be absolved, any more than +if they had stolen property; and your Majesty knows that, in the +jurisdiction of the conscience, there is not the liberty that there +is in external matters. Your Majesty may pardon a life, or remit the +penalty of the law to him whom he may consider meet; but the tribunal +of conscience is not free to pardon anyone, or to absolve persons from +any sin, except when they act as they ought. Confession being thus +rigorous, even greater laxity was permitted than should have been. Your +Majesty must believe that I am trying to do everything possible here, +so as not to exceed my duty, and I never take such action without first +consulting with such persons of learning and conscience as are here. + +In the second decree, your Majesty orders that when the Sangleys +wish to be baptized, their hair shall not be cut off. He who reported +this to your Majesty deceived you, for there are not only a hundred +houses occupied by Sangleys who remain here for negotiations with +their merchandise, but more than [_blank space in MS_.] who live in +the alcaiceria of this city, called Parian, and more than [_blank +space in MS_.] [39] in all the neighborhood. It is certain that +in both places there are at the very least more than [_blank space +in MS_.]. Since the religious of St. Dominic came to this country, +more than two hundred have been baptized, and every day many more are +receiving baptism. But inasmuch as what concerns the Sangleys, and the +great compassion with which God has dealt with them and with us, will +go in a separate letter, in order not to increase the length of this, +your Majesty will read therein matters that will prove how well you +are served, and you will give abundant thanks to God. He who reported +this to your Majesty must have some zeal, but not with knowledge; for +I consider all the conditions, desire the conversion of these Chinese, +and obtain it, better than he who wrote to your Majesty. I would not +decide to have their hair cut off, if it were not so necessary that +not to do so would be to endanger greatly the faith and the persons +with whom I deal. These affairs are of such a nature that no matter +what opinion were given, I could not do anything else, even though I +should wish to do so. Because I considered it fitting to baptize two +of them without cutting off their hair, I thereby did myself much +harm; your Majesty may thus see how contrary to actual facts are +the things written you from here, and that the death-penalty is not +suffered for cutting off their hair, as was written to your Majesty; +for after the Dominican fathers learned the language we discovered +vast secrets of that land, which were formerly well hidden. + +The third decree states that there are many ecclesiastics in this +bishopric who trade and carry on traffic, to the great scandal of +and bad example to both Spaniards and Indians. He who wrote your +Majesty told the truth in part, since two ecclesiastics from Nueva +Espana furnished this bad example, although I did what I could to +prevent them. Nevertheless, God punished them more severely than I +did; for all the property of one was taken away by the Englishman, +[40] and the other died here, and lost what he had sent to Nueva +Espana. Those ecclesiastics who are under my government, however, +have not exceeded their duty in this respect as much as your Majesty +has been informed. Moreover, they are not so many as has been said +in Spain, for there are not more than five who are stationed among +the Indians, and these are so poor that they do not even have enough +to eat. More than one and one-half years before this decree came, I +had taken measures to correct the excess which might result, having +ordered that no ecclesiastic should carry on traffic. This appears +by the ordinances which I had made concerning this. That your Majesty +may order them to be considered and amended, I enclose them with this +letter. In the future this order will be more rigorously observed, +according to your Majesty's command. + +In the fourth decree, your Majesty says that the president of this +Audiencia wrote that when he came to this land, he agreed with me +as to the order [of precedence] to be followed when the Audiencia +and I should encounter each other in public. He further says that, +disregarding this arrangement, I sat in the place which did not belong +to me, and turned my back on the Audiencia. I would be very glad to +meet the president before your Majesty, and hear his reason for daring +to inform your Majesty in such a manner. It is very certain that no +such agreement was ever made between him and me, except that, when +there was to be a procession in the church, the president should go +with the auditors, and I with my clergy; for he claimed the right hand, +and I did not have it to take. Thus we came to this agreement. The +place, however, was not discussed, nor was there any excuse for doing +so, as it is well known that the Audiencia is always seated on the +gospel side in the body of the chapel; and, although the bishop is +usually in the choir, he may, when he wishes to do so, sit on the +gospel side, above the steps. Wherever I have been, this has been +the practice; and I sent an account thereof, with the testimony of +an eye-witness, to the Council of the Indias. Your Majesty provides +and commands by this decree that I shall take the place belonging to +me. This order means that I take the same place which I took then, +as that is the proper place belonging to a bishop, without giving +any cause whatever for the Audiencia to feel injured, as the places +are very distinct from each other. Although the vexation ceased, +because of the suppression of the Audiencia, the injury done me by +the president, in writing to your Majesty, has not yet come to an +end. I ought not to fail to reply to what is so unjustly imputed to me. + +He who informed your Majesty of the matter contained in the fifth +decree, namely, that when appeal is made to the royal Audiencia in +cases of fuerca, [41] I do not allow the notaries to give an account +thereof; and that I seize the writs and records of proceedings, so that +they cannot be issued, the Audiencia having requested me in vain to do +otherwise--whoever, I say, gave this account to your Majesty did me +greater injury than any of the others. For not only is this not so, +but I even urge the notary to give a report; and I am so far from +[what has been said] to the contrary, that I assure your Majesty +that I much regretted the suppression of the Audiencia. For I was +very glad that, whenever I denied anything on appeal, the Audiencia +examined my reasons therefor; and, whatever was determined there, +my conscience was freed and at rest. Moreover, I always accepted, +without making any objection, the decisions of the Audiencia; for +I would consider it a grievous offense to deny your Majesty's right +to make the final decision in cases of fuerca, and would not presume +to contradict it in any manner whatsoever. If he who made that report +based it on two cases which came up--one when they erased my name from +the prayer at the mass of the Audiencia, and substituted their own +names; the other when, in an investigation, they claimed the right to +examine the proceedings which had been conducted in secret--in these +two cases I confess that I refused to give up the records. I did so in +one instance because there were therein very secret matters touching +the office of the Inquisition, of which I was then in charge. When +they commanded that report of this case be given, I said that it +would be furnished in so far as concerned the chaplain of the said +Audiencia. This was what they had asked, and claimed the right to +try this case. Nevertheless, they would accept nothing but the entire +proceedings; but with this I could not comply, for it would have been +impossible to do so without very grave damage to my office. After +considering my reasons therefor, the Audiencia insisted no more in +the case. The other case concerned the general investigation which I +had made of the prebendaries and clergy--two of whom appealed against +the sentence which I imposed, stipulating that the tenor thereof +be observed as is expressly commanded by the Council of Trent. They +had recourse to the Audiencia; and when an order was given for the +record of the case to be presented, I replied that there were secret +matters touching the honor of the clergy, which I could not show, +but that I would show that part referring to the two ecclesiastics; +as they wished their offenses to be known. Nevertheless, it was not +right to exhibit the guilt of the others, as they did not feel that +their sentences were unjust. There were many arguments over this point, +and all the theologians of this land said that I was right. To avoid +scandal I openly consented that the two ecclesiastics should appeal +to the archbishop. [42] Both then and now I have felt much aggrieved +by the injustice done me by the Audiencia. I have sent a complaint +thereof to your Majesty, and do not know why the testimony I sent has +not yet arrived there. I had then and still have reason for complaining +that the Audiencia usurped my jurisdiction and discussed proceedings +which properly belong to me, but in which they have forestalled me. A +citizen of this city left a piece of land whereon was built a hospital +and church for the poor. Although this was ecclesiastical property, +they deprived me of judgment in this case, and retained it in their own +body. At another time, the Indians had dared to take a friar from his +convent, and they dragged him to the place where I was. I commenced to +try the case, and gave a verdict against the Indians, as it was doubly +sacrilegious to take the friar from his convent, and to place hands +on an ecclesiastic. This case came to the Audiencia by way of appeal, +and it still remains there, with the records. A beneficed priest, +who was performing the duties of his office, was refused its dues +by the encomendero, and came to me for justice. After I had ordered +the encomendero to make the payment, he appealed to the Audiencia, +and they retained the suit there, claiming that the property given to +beneficiaries in this land is secular. As I am poor, and have little +power, these injuries and similar ones have not been heard of in +Spain. I have suffered them and have kept silence, in order to avoid +scandal; but for having resisted in but two cases, in which I was +obliged to defend the right of my jurisdiction, in order to comply +with the duties of my office, they made a damaging report of me to +your Majesty. They say that I would not permit a report to be made, +and took the records of the suit from the notary, so that they could +not be dealt with. In order that your Majesty may see the difference +between what I here declare (which is the actual truth), and what +they wrote to your Majesty, accusing me of resisting _in toto_ the +commands of the Audiencia in regard to the cases of fuerca (which +was glaringly false testimony against me), I have decided--although +everything touching the Audiencia is now settled, since your Majesty +has commanded it to be suppressed--to answer the account which they +gave your Majesty about the places and the cases of fuerca. Although I +am sure that my cause has been justified before God and those men who +know what has happened, I do it to satisfy your Majesty, to whom I owe +all obedience and subjection as to my king and lord. I am even bound +to explain my conduct; because, by the grace of God, your Majesty has +no one in this kingdom who serves you with greater love and zeal. I +claim no payment nor temporal interest whatever, because this I +neither desire nor demand; but I do only my duty, and that I do with +all my might. I could send your Majesty good and sufficient proofs +of everything which I have said here; for I certify, in all truth, +that everyone to whom I have shown these decrees has crossed himself +in surprise that there should be a person or persons who would dare +to make such malicious reports to your Majesty. It suffices me to say +that, if credit be not given me, not much time will pass before this +truth will be revealed, beyond all possibility of hiding. + +May our Lord guard the royal person of your Majesty, and preserve +you many years. At Manila, the twenty-fourth of June, one thousand +five hundred and ninety. + +_Fray Domingo_, Bishop of the Filipinas. + +[_Endorsed_: "To the king our lord, in his royal Council of the +Indias. Filipinas. 1590. The bishop; June 24." "Received and read, +June 19, of the year 1591. It is unnecessary to respond thereto."] + +Sire: + +The letter which your Majesty ordered to be written to me from San +Lorenco el Real [i.e., the Escorial], on the seventeenth of August of +eighty-nine, I received by the hand of the secretary of the governor, +Gomes Perez Dasmarinas, in the village of Tabuco, outside of this +city, on the first of June of this year ninety. And for one so beset +with afflictions, labors, and difficulties as I am, the favor which +your Majesty therein shows me was no little comfort; for I have been +freed by it from the pains of conscience, which I continually bore in +my soul, at seeing the course of affairs in this land. I held myself +obliged by conscience to go in person to inform your Majesty of these +matters, as it appeared to me that my letters were accomplishing +little, in accord with my hope that your Majesty would at once amend +what you knew stood in need of betterment. And this thought gave me +more anxiety because, as at other times I have written your Majesty, +among the calamities and misfortunes under which this land suffers, +none the least is that your Majesty must get information of them +through the very men who have destroyed this land, and who work +for their private interests rather than for the common good. As +the reports are made by such persons, your Majesty can well see the +result. Therefore this land has come to its present misery; and the +new governor will have no small task if he maintains it, and saves it +from ruin, and it is even now all but lost. I am emboldened to say this +because hitherto there have been made to your Majesty many perverse +reports; and by this ship we have received the decrees, by which it +clearly appears that false reports were given your Majesty, because +of the provisions made in these decrees, as I shall explain elsewhere. + +The greater part of the religious and other principal persons of this +land were of the same opinion as I, maintaining that I was in duty +bound to go in person and give your Majesty an account of affairs here, +because they see that everything here is going to ruin; and that this +common expedient was of greater importance than the harm that might be +done by my absence. But thanks be to God, in whose hands are the hearts +of kings, and who put into the heart of your Majesty what is provided, +ordained, and commanded by this letter for the weal and betterment of +all this land. If this be executed as your Majesty has ordered, the +country may be helped; but hitherto there has been so much sloth and +carelessness in executing what your Majesty provides and orders for the +good of this land, that thus it has come to its present extremity. I +trust in our Lord that this state of affairs will not continue, but +that the principal aim of the governor and of all the rest will be +to procure the good of these natives whom we have so afflicted. + +This whole country has been well satisfied at your Majesty's +suppression of the Audiencia, for without doubt it was a greater +burden than a country so feeble and poor could bear; although I was +always of the opinion that, if it were paid from Mexico, the Audiencia +would work no harm here. But what your Majesty orders and commands is +expedient for all of us; and so we hold it a great favor, especially +as your Majesty sends in place of the Audiencia, as governor, Gomez +Perez Dasmarinas--who, from the good example which he has furnished +and the zeal which he has disclosed in the service of your Majesty +and the good of these realms, has given universal satisfaction, and +the hope that he will improve the condition of the land, and give it +the orderly condition which it was losing. May the divine Majesty +preserve in him these excellent intentions, and give him strength +and grace to execute them; because as the heart of man is so hard to +understand, and of itself so variable, and this land is so exposed, +it is not strange that we fear some alteration, having seen it in +others who also gave excellent examples. But if the governor who has +now come to us shall persevere in what he has begun (as I hope in +God he will persevere), your Majesty has sent us the man whom we need. + +When Doctor Santiago de Vera came by command of your Majesty to +establish the Audiencia in this country, he set up for himself a seat +of honor in the church, as the viceroys do. The adelantado, Miguel +Lopez de Legaspi, did not establish one, nor did the governors who +afterward succeeded him. Gomez Perez, who is now governor, did not +wish to set one up; for in this and in all other things he has shown +himself very moderate. But it seemed to me that he should not fail to +establish it, and thus at my importunity, and that of other persons, +he has done so. Because your Majesty has already honored him in other +respects, favoring him with a guard of halberdiers, and as people from +all the kingdoms of the infidels by whom we are surrounded resort to +this city, and as these barbarians respect their superiors as gods, +it did not appear to me to be right that the person who represented +your Majesty should discontinue the dignity which was required to +represent you. And in order that your Majesty in the future may be +pleased to provide this land with a governor who shall be capable +and worthy to use his authority, I beg your Majesty to approve this +and send him the order to continue and make permanent the practice. + +The twelve thousand ducats which your Majesty has ordered to be paid +in three installments for the work on this church, were necessary +enough, although I fear that they are to avail as little as the +rest; because, although your Majesty has so often commanded it, +and we on our part have exercised the greatest possible diligence, +it has not been possible to draw out from the royal treasury what was +due from it for the said work; and so it has come to a standstill, +or so little is done that it never advances. It really is a pity to +see a cathedral church, in a city containing so great a concourse of +heathen, where divine offices are celebrated in a church of straw, +in which, on the coming of a storm, no one can remain. Your Majesty +will see what the condition of the rest of the churches must be. It +certainly is a pity to see the little care there is in this matter, +and the scandal occasioned to the heathen and the recent converts by +the little veneration that we who have so long been Christians bestow +upon the temples in which we worship our God, for really many of them +are not fit to serve as stables. I have given your Majesty an account +of this before now. The two thousand ducats which your Majesty ordered +paid from the treasury of Mexico for this work were not brought, +because the governor could not bring the securities that were necessary +to obtain that sum there, because of his hurried departure. Moreover, +it should be understood that it will be very difficult to collect the +portions to be paid by Indians and encomenderos, because of their want +and poverty. And for this reason we do not dare to press them much, +deeming it better that the work should be done slowly than to harass +one who is unable to do more; and it has been the treasury of your +Majesty which has aided us least. + +Your Majesty's command that the religious should not depart from the +bishopric without license of your Majesty, or that of the governor and +myself, is a very just thing, and therefore it will be carried out; +because it also seems fitting to me not to let the religious depart +from here, where they are so few and so many are needed. Before this +ship arrived the president and I had despatched two Dominican religious +to Chincheo, which is the province of China nearest to this land, and +the place whence all the Sangleys who come here to trade set forth. In +this departure there was a punctual observance of what your Majesty +commands in this clause of your letter, although we had not then +received it. And owing to the fact that before we determined to send +them, and at the time when we sent them, there occurred many notable +things from which your Majesty should receive much satisfaction, +I thought it better, in order not to make this letter so long, to +place them by themselves in another, which will accompany this one, +in order to give your Majesty a more detailed account of things so +worthy to be heard. + +With regard to what your Majesty orders concerning the remission of +tithes for twenty years to those who now come to settle and who may +come in the future, I would to God that the Spaniards were inclined to +cultivate the land and to gather the fruits from it, rather than that +we should ever afflict the natives by tithes. But your Majesty should +know that when a man comes to this country, even if he were a beggar +in Spain, here he seeks to be a gentleman, and is not willing to work, +but desires to have all serve him; and so no one will give himself to +labor, but undertakes trafficking in merchandise, and for this reason +military and all other kinds of training have been forgotten. From +this fact not a little damage will come to this land, if the governor +does not regulate this. In the letter which the cabildo of the church +wrote to your Majesty a much longer account is given of this. + +To proceed informally [_de plano_], without insisting on legal +technicalities [_sin llegar a tela de juicio_], and not to impose +pecuniary punishments in the suits which occur in these regions, +is a most holy and necessary practice. I desire greatly that in the +tribunals of your Majesty this be observed; in mine I have so provided, +and this practice has been observed and henceforth will be observed +with greater rigor. + +He who informed your Majesty of the disorderly manner in which have +been collected the tributes of the encomiendas which are not fully +pacified, and how poorly the ordinances of your Majesty have been +observed, spoke the truth in this matter. The excess in this has +been so great that it has been the cause of all the riots and the +revolt of the Indians, and of the deaths which have occurred among +the Spaniards. I have given your Majesty news of this, grieving +for the evils which have sprung from it. For the Indians of this +province, in those places where the name of God has never entered, +nor that of your Majesty, must feel resentful where they have seen +neither ministers of instruction nor of justice; but only see that +each year a dozen of soldiers with arquebuses come to their houses +to take their property away from them, and the food upon which they +live, although their all is little enough. These collectors afflict, +maltreat, and torment them, and so leave them, until they return +another year to do the same. What else can these natives think of us, +but that we are tyrants, and that we come only to make our gain out +of their property and their persons? And this will be very difficult +to remedy, so distant from the rest are some of the encomiendas, +with water between, and so little fear of God have those who make +the collections. It may be that with the arrival of the new governor +there will be much improvement in this; although if he does not bear +an order from your Majesty to change some measures which up to the +present have been in force, I have no hope of betterment. + +In the next to the last clause of this letter your Majesty says that +to remedy the present lack of instruction is my own special obligation, +which I confess; and I have so appreciated this that, seeing the great +present need of instruction and the little help which I can offer, +I am so disturbed and so filled with anxiety that, if I were able to +leave the bishopric, I would try to flee from it. But if, inasmuch as +your Majesty declares to me my obligation, and puts in my charge what +is lacking, you should give me, together with it, authority to right +affairs, your Majesty would be relieved of responsibility, and I of +anxiety, other than to make progress in learning my obligations. If +I do not have authority and power to remedy this, I must live all my +life in anxiety and perturbation of spirit, because every year I see +them collect tribute from a race that is never given to understand +why it is collected; nor is there any hope that they may be able to +have instruction, because of the great difficulty there is in giving +it to them. Knowing that this is the legitimate title which we have +in seeking tribute, your Majesty may see what peace of conscience +he can have who has all these souls in his charge, both those who +collect and those of whom collection is taken. To relieve me from the +anguish in which I live, the only means of removing all difficulties +is for your Majesty to send us a great number of religious of the +four orders already established here--without giving ear to those who +speak of a matter about which, in my opinion, they have no means of +judging here. They say that some have tried to persuade your Majesty, +with no other spirit than that of the devil (who wishes to hinder +so much good), that we have all the religious that are necessary. In +addition to the thirty-seven Augustinians now here, more than three +hundred others are needed; and even these will not be enough. Yet, +with this number great results would be accomplished. + +The first is that your Majesty would be fulfilling the obligation +which you have toward these nations, in giving them instruction. They +need this, because of the ten divisions of this bishopric eight have +no instruction; and some provinces have been paying tribute to your +Majesty for more than twenty years, but without receiving on account +of that any greater advantage than to be tormented by the tribute +and afterward to go to hell. + +Second, all the Indians who are to be pacified will then be found, +because experience has already shown us that to think of finding the +Indians with a force of soldiers is rather to lose them, and never +to pacify them; while with religious they all become obedient with +great good will. And, when they are pacified and converted, much +larger tributes can be exacted, and the increase of revenue in the +treasury of your Majesty from their tributes would be greater than the +amount spent in sending them religious; while the conscience of your +Majesty would be free from the greatest weight which, in my judgment, +it has in this land, because tributes are collected from Indians +who have never rendered obedience, and do not, as I have said above, +know why they are paying it. + +In the last clause your Majesty orders me to charge myself with the +protection of the Indians of this bishopric. I receive this charge +as a special favor; because, as it was, I was burdened with the same +responsibility, and with this commission I shall have, as your Majesty +says, more authority in order to render aid. And this provision was +so necessary because, without it, I was able to do almost nothing to +succor the Indians. And with this I think I shall be able to serve your +Majesty more, and to advance the cause of those who shall come with +the charge of bishop, although the one joined to the other is of very +great consequence. The Indians who have learned of it are very glad, +since the obligation which is due them from the Spaniards is of no +concern to the latter. And as it is from the hand of your Majesty, +this office, then, is of greater importance for the relief of the +conscience of your Majesty and the preservation of the natives, +than any other one of all that are provided for afterward by the +governor. I have not the wherewithal for the expenses which occur; +for there must necessarily be a notary, interpreter, and lawyer, +and persons who with my authorization shall be present to plead the +suits--which will not be a few, and cannot be carried through without +spending money--since I am not able, nor is it right that I should be +on hand to present the petition, or to plead the causes and business +of so much weight and authority. To take this task of being my agent, +some honest man, however honorable his station, should be glad to do +it. It is necessary that he be a person of great credit and of resolute +mind, that he may not fear to defend the Indians, although at the risk +of injury from those who harm them, and this seldom fails to come to +pass, as the disputes are often with those who are very powerful. + +It will also be necessary to send persons from this city through +all the bishopric to investigate the injuries that the Indians +suffer. Before they go to do this, I shall have notice of what is +happening; and this is to be done at the cost of your Majesty's +treasury, in order not to give occasion for the robbery of the +Indians, if they should have to pay them. All this is necessary in +order that I should be able to perform well this office, and relieve +the conscience of your Majesty and my own; because many are the wrongs +which the Indians receive in this bishopric from your encomenderos, +the alcaldes-mayor, and the tax-receivers; and, the farther away they +are, the greater the wrongs and the more difficult the remedy. I humbly +beseech your Majesty to be pleased to command provision to be made as +I here request, because otherwise my protection will be only nominal +and ineffectual. I have already discussed this with the governor, +and I understand that he will make provision in some of these things, +because the necessity is very urgent; and for the remainder we wait +what your Majesty is pleased to command. The friendly intercourse which +your Majesty commands me to observe with the governor, your Majesty +may be assured will not be lacking on my part; and I understand that +without doubt there will be as little lack on the part of the governor, +because in the little intercourse that I have had with him I have +conceived very great hopes of him. And I believe that God inspired +your Majesty to send him to us--although, as I have known him only +a little while, I am not able to express more than what I hope. + +Because there is no mention made of the Sangleys in the clause of +the letter in which your Majesty commands me to take charge of the +protection of these natives, the governor has considered--and this +is his opinion--that because we were not there named, neither I nor +my agent could answer for them, as for the natives. May your Majesty +be pleased to command what is to be done in this case, because the +Sangleys have so much more need of protection than the natives. In +the meanwhile, according to the wish of the governor, I shall not +cease to aid in whatever may concern them, just as if I had been +appointed to look after them by your Majesty; and my agent will do +the same, in those matters which belong to him as such. May our Lord +preserve the royal person of your Majesty for many years. At Manila, +the twenty-fourth of June, 1590. + +_Fray Domingo_, Bishop of the Filipinas. + +[_Endorsed_: "Filipinas. To his Majesty; 1590. The bishop; +twenty-fourth of June." "Received and read on June 19, 1591; and +answer sent him that it had been received, and that what he advised +had been approved and should be continued."] + + + + +Royal Decree Regulating Commerce in the Philippines + + +Don Phelippe, by the grace of God, King of Castilla, Leon, Aragon, +the two Sicilies, Jherusalem, Portugal, Mallorca, Sevilla, Cerdena, +Cordova, Corcega, Murcia, Jaem, the Algarves, Algezira, Gibraltar, the +islands of Canaria, the Eastern and Western Yndias, and the islands +and mainland of the Ocean Sea; Archduke of Austria; Duke of Borgona, +Bravante, and Milan; Count of Habspurg, Flandes, Tirol, and Barzelona; +Seignior of Vizcaya and Molino, etc. Inasmuch as I have been informed +[43] by the city of Manila in the Philippinas Islands that the +great consignments of money sent by the wealthy from Nueva Espana, +for investment in Chinese merchandise and that of other countries, +have caused ruin to that country; and that the factors and others +taking part in the said trade buy the goods at wholesale prices, +and raise the price of all the merchandise, so that the poor and +common people of the said islands cannot buy them, or buy them at very +high rates; and furthermore that, because of the number and size of +the said consignments of goods, and the vessels being few in number +(indeed, sometimes and usually but one, and then quite filled up and +laden with the said merchandise for Mexicans), no space is left for +the citizens and common people [of the Philippines] to send their +merchandise: therefore, as they have implored me, as a remedy for +the said annoyances, to provide and order that no consignments of +money be sent from the said Nueva Espana to the said islands, and +that they be not allowed to have factors or companies there, but that +the citizens of the said islands alone be allowed to buy and export +to the said Nueva Espana domestic and foreign products; and that, +if anyone else should wish to trade and traffic there, he should be +compelled to become a citizen of the islands, and reside there for at +least ten years, or as might be my pleasure; and because my will is to +concede favor to the said islands, in order that their condition may +continue to improve, and the inhabitants thereof to be advantaged--I +grant that, for the present, they alone, and no others--whether of +Nueva Espana, or any other part of the Indias--may trade in China, +and export, take, or sell to the said Nueva Espana the merchandise and +articles thus traded for in both the kingdoms and mainland of China, +and in the said islands, for the time and space of six years, first +commencing from the date of the departure of the first vessel with a +cargo of merchandise for the said Nueva Espana. I prohibit and forbid +all other persons whomsoever, of whatever rank and preeminence, from +trading in the said islands and in China for the space of the said +six years, reckoned as above stated, under penalty of confiscation +of the merchandise that they have traded for therein. I order that +this my provision be promulgated in the City of Mexico, and that +my royal officials there enter it in their books. Those of the said +islands shall do likewise, and they shall endorse on the back of this +said provision the date upon which it took effect, by the departure +from port of the first vessel with the said merchandise. They shall +send me a separate attestation of the same, so that I may know when +the said six years are to be in force. And neither one nor the other +shall do anything contrary to this order. [_Blank spaces for place, +day, and month_] one thousand five hundred and ninety. + +So that for the period of six years only, the citizens and inhabitants +of the Philippinas Islands and none others, whether in Nueva Espana +or other places, may trade and traffic in China. [44] + +[Accompanying this decree is a separate paper reading as follows: +"/ By the crown of Castilla. Provision allowing the people of Manila +to trade in China. His Majesty omitted to sign this decree, because +he wishes your Lordship to summon Pedro Barbosa and Pedro Alvarez +Pereira, and to ascertain from them what is written on the subject +from India from Don Christoval de Mora to Pedro Alvarez. This latter +will show your Lordship all the papers that he has bearing upon this +matter; and after you shall have examined them, you shall advise his +Majesty of your opinion. Sant Lorenzo, July 23, 1590." Without other +signature than a rubrica or flourish.] + + + + +The Collection of Tributes in the Filipinas Islands 1591 + + +_Source_: This document is obtained from copies of the original MSS., +in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla. + +_Translation_: It is synopsized, and partially translated, by Emma +Helen Blair; the remaining translation is by Frederic W. Morrison, +of Harvard University, and Norman F. Hall. + + + + +The Collection of Tributes in the Filipinas Islands + + + +Memorandum of the Resources of the Hospital of Manila and Its Needs + + + +The royal hospital for the Spaniards possesses about +one hundred taes of gold in the encomienda of Darandum +in Ylocos, which was assigned to the said hospital +by Doctor Sande. DC pesos + +It possesses, further, six hundred pesos, which were +granted to it by the president from the encomienda +which fell vacant because of the death of Don Luis +de Sahajosa, in Ylocos. DC pesos + +It possesses one thousand five hundred fanegas of rice, +and one thousand seven hundred fowls, assigned by +the president from the tributes of Caruya and Lubao, +which belong to his Majesty. DLXX pesos + +It possesses what your Lordship assigned it in the +encomienda of Bondoy Moron, which, it is thought, +will amount to more than eight hundred or nine +hundred pesos. IU pesos + + ---------------- + IIU.DCCLXX pesos + + + +With the above, the said hospital cannot even support the expenses +incurred for food and for services rendered by the Indians. It likewise +needs a doctor, medicine, nurses, and other services, as well as +exceptional delicacies, bed clothes, and tents. Indeed half the +money is expended in the anointings and sweatings which are applied +throughout the year. + +There is also needed a chaplain, who is usually attached to the said +hospital, to administer the sacraments to the sick. + +The building of the said hospital does not suffice for its needs. It +contains but one hall, where all classes of sick people are packed +together, to their own detriment. Another infirmary is greatly needed +for patients who suffer from buboes, and for anointings and sweatings; +there are many sick with this disease, since this country is well +suited to produce it. The said hospital also needs a room for the +convalescents, for lack of which many relapses are wont to occur. + +We also need quarters for sick women, for many poor creatures do not +recover because they have no money, and no place where they can go. + +Likewise, the said hospital is in need of a kitchen, utensils, and +quarters for its servants, all of which things are needful therein +for the suitable outfit and service of the said hospital. + +The captain _Cuenca_, as director of the hospital. + + + +Discussion and Conclusions of the Bishop Concerning the Matter +of Tributes + +_Jesus_ + +Inasmuch as I understand that some of the encomenderos, and especially +those from Camarines, have gone, or desire to go, to ask permission +of your Lordship to collect from their encomiendas, in which they +never have, nor do they at present, maintain religious instruction, +I have deemed it best to send to your Lordship a brief statement +of what I and the theologians of this bishopric feel concerning the +collections in the aforesaid encomiendas, in order that your Lordship +may understand how and in what way they are to be licensed to make +these collections. [45] Although the king, our lord, has unburdened +his royal conscience by entrusting it to your Lordship and to myself, +I see no reason why we should weigh down our own souls and consciences +with what others are to eat and expend. + +The encomiendas existing in these islands are, in general, divided into +two classes; for some of them have had and do still have religious +instruction, and others have never had it in the past, nor do they +enjoy it at present. The encomiendas which do not possess instruction +are themselves divided into two classes: the first consists of those +which have not had, and now have not, any religious instruction, +nor have they ever received from their encomenderos spiritual or +temporal benefits; on the contrary, their present condition is such +that it would seem the Spaniards had never gone thither to do aught +else than to reduce and conquer them in order to exact tributes. We +may even say that the encomiendas are in worse condition than if the +Spaniards had never come, for, with the harsh treatment and oppression +that they have received at our hands, they are at present further +from receiving the law of God than if they had never known us. The +second class consists of the encomiendas which, although they have +not been instructed, have received from their encomenderos, or by +means of them, some temporal advantages which tend toward spiritual +benefits, which prepare them so that they may be instructed, and +that one may live among them in security. In the first division are +included the encomiendas of Calamianes, which at present belong to +Captain Sarmyento; the islands of Cuyo, which belong to Captain Juan +Pablo de Carrion; the encomiendas which are in the islands of Mindanao +and Jolo, and on the coast opposite, Mindoro and Elin; the encomiendas +called Zambales, which extend from Maribeles to Pangasinan; in Ylocos, +the valley of Dinglas, and the encomiendas which extend from Ylagua to +Cagayan, and all those of Cagayan; and those which extend along the +farther coast from Cagayan to Mavban; and, finally, all those other +islands of like character, which I do not at present remember. In all +the aforementioned places, it has been hitherto impossible to collect +the tributes, and it will likewise be impossible in the future, should +they continue to maintain their present attitude; but whatever has +thus far been collected from them we are under obligations to restore. + +In the other division are included all the remaining encomiendas of +the Pintados, with the exception of a few in Panay where there is +religious instruction. In the above division are included the islands +of Leite, Negros, Babao, Balon, and Bohol; and, in the island of Panay, +the encomienda of Captain Pedro Sarmiento; the encomienda of Axuy, +which belongs to his Majesty and to Francisco de Rribera; the tingues +[hills] of the river of Araud which belong to his Majesty and to +Captain Juan Pablo de Carrion and two or three other encomenderos; +the islands of Marinduque and Masbate, and all the others which +extend thence to the mouth of the channel; in Camarines, the islands +of Catanduanes and Lagunay, and those along the coast and many others +which are in this condition. In all the aforesaid places it may be +considered a general rule that religious teaching did not, and does +not exist--or at least has existed for so short a time that it is +practically the same as if it had never existed. Moreover, from all +the aforesaid places and from others like them, since they have been +in such condition that one could travel through them in security (and, +if ministers should come, their inhabitants could be instructed), it +has been possible to collect a certain amount of tribute, for aid, +and support, and expenses. Not all, or even half, of the tributes, +however, could be collected; if the encomiendas are rather large, only +the third part is obtained, and if they are small, only half. Moreover, +whatever collections were made from these encomiendas could not be +made until they had been prepared as aforesaid. Inasmuch as this +matter is a most difficult one, on account of the danger incurred +in collecting from the Indians what they do not owe, and when they +are not willing that it should be collected, and of depriving the +encomenderos of what is due them in case they have fulfilled their +obligations toward the Indians, this shall be the rule regarding +such action as has been taken hitherto by the confessors, namely, +that an encomendero who has simply made collections among the Indians, +without having done them any temporal or spiritual good, shall not be +entitled to collect any tributes; if, however, through his endeavors, +or by trading with them, they are so well-inclined that he can go about +safely among them, and they themselves can be instructed when they +have ministers, the encomenderos shall be entitled to collect from +them the portion which we have named above. In order that from this +time forth, the king in the royal encomiendas, and the encomenderos in +theirs, may, as has been stated, collect the third part or the half, +the following conditions must be observed: + +First: That the encomenderos shall endeavor, with the utmost diligence +and care, to establish sufficient religious instruction in their +encomiendas. In case they are unable to do so, they shall write +to his Majesty, requesting him to provide the necessary number of +ministers to teach the Indians; and they shall ask this so earnestly +and effectively that his Majesty will feel himself under obligation +to send ministers. They shall likewise offer, if it be necessary, to +pay a part of the expenses which his Majesty shall incur in sending +the ministers. + +Second: In case ministers cannot at once be found to instruct the +natives, orders shall meanwhile be given as to how the encomenderos +are to reside in their lands. This should not be done in the manner +which has been hitherto practiced, when some of the encomenderos +hoping thus to reduce their expenses go to live in their encomiendas +(indeed, I know not if there are any who act otherwise), and there +employ the Indians in the service of themselves, their families, +and their houses, taking away their possessions at the lowest price, +and treating them as if they were their slaves. They care nothing +for instructing the natives, or setting them a good example, or +preparing them to receive baptism; on the contrary they exasperate +the Indians with their harsh treatment, and cause them to abhor the +law of God. Such encomenderos as these should not reside in their +encomiendas: the governor ought to forbid them even to visit those +places, and should himself appoint such person or persons as would +fulfil toward the Indians the obligations which rest upon encomenderos. + +Third: In the encomiendas of the king, and in those of the encomenderos +who, for the aforesaid reasons, ought not reside in their encomiendas, +such persons shall be appointed, with the approbation of the bishop +(to whom his Majesty has entrusted this care, and which of right falls +to him), as shall fulfil those obligations toward the aforesaid natives +which are incumbent upon encomenderos, conformably to the law of God +and to what his Majesty has provided and commanded in his laws and +ordinances--in order that in this manner the Indians may be pacified +and appeased; and so prepared that, when they shall have ministers, +they can receive instruction from them. Under these conditions and +limitations, the king in his encomiendas, and the encomenderos in +theirs, may collect from the said encomiendas something from their +current products, for help, maintenance, and expenses. That would be +a third part of the tributes, if the encomiendas are large and the +religious teaching sufficient therein; but if the encomiendas are +small it would be half, as has already been stated. + +Among the encomiendas which maintain religious instruction +(although none, or very few, have enough of it), there are some whose +inhabitants, although including some Christians, are for the most part +infidels, and so ill-disposed and so unfavorably situated that it is +impossible for them to receive the instruction, since there are not +enough ministers in the said encomiendas. Even though instruction +exists therein, no tribute, or at least very little, ought to be +exacted of the infidels until they have ministers to teach them, +and the encomendero influences them to give consent, so that they can +be taught. In this class of encomiendas are included the tingues of +Silanga, Pasi, Tabuco, and Maragondon; those of Pangasinan, and others +in Ylocos; and the rest in the island of Panay. These encomiendas +are among those which have religious instruction: the others have +already been enumerated. + +The encomenderos of these islands have fallen into an error, based upon +a misunderstanding of a decree of the king, in which he commands that +a fourth part of the tributes from the encomiendas shall be set aside +in order to construct churches and to provide for divine worship. They +imagine that by virtue of this decree those encomiendas which have +never had religious teaching may collect the entire tribute, after +setting aside a fourth part of it. Moreover, but a small number have +set aside this fourth part, and they have done it very seldom. It +is an unbearable deception for the encomenderos to hold this view, +for this decree does not refer to the encomiendas which, as we have +said, are deprived of religious teaching. As for the latter, not only +can the king not give them license to collect their tributes, but, +even were he here, he himself could not collect them. The aforesaid +decree, moreover, treats not of these, but of the encomiendas whose +inhabitants are already Christian. It is with regard to these that the +king commands that a fourth part of the tributes be appropriated for +the construction of churches; and that in place of the tithes which +they, as Christians, owe to the ministers for their maintenance, a +certain part of the tributes be appropriated in such wise as may be +here decided. Afterward, I shall satisfactorily prove that it never +entered the king's mind that the encomenderos would, by renouncing +the fourth part of the tributes, fulfil their obligations toward +their encomiendas. + +The above is a summary of the contents of the opinion which I am +preparing, wherein may be found a more extensive treatment of what I +have here set down. In that document your Lordship will find complete +proofs of what is contained in this summary, accompanied by arguments +so cogent and convincing that there is neither room nor possibility +for doubt in this matter. + +Two other points are to be found in the clauses furnished to me by +the secretary, Juan de Cuellar, drawn from the instructions which the +king, our lord, gave to your Lordship for the good government of this +land. In one of them there is a discussion of the two reals which his +Majesty ordered to be added to the tributes hitherto collected. It +also contains the views of the theologians of this bishopric, and +my own, concerning this increase. Your Lordship will find them all +in the document which, as I said above, I am preparing. Inasmuch as +the execution of that clause is not immediately pressing, it has not +seemed to me necessary to discuss it here. + +The other clause deals with the means to be employed in establishing +religious instruction in the small encomiendas and districts where +the said instruction does not exist. Concerning this we shall have +but little to say at present, not because the affair is free from very +great difficulties, in undertaking to accomplish his Majesty's orders +as contained in the aforesaid clause; but because there is no present +occasion for anxiety regarding the establishment of this instruction, +inasmuch as there are no ministers to undertake the work. I will only +say that, if his Majesty does not decree that the small encomiendas +be made into a few large ones, it will be most difficult (and indeed +almost impossible) to establish therein religious instruction. + +In conformity with this, your Lordship will see how you are to give +permission to the encomenderos who do not maintain instruction, so +that they may collect from their encomiendas, if your Lordship wishes +to make secure your own encomienda [46] which I, by this statement, +have enabled you to do. + +May Jesus Christ, our Lord, bestow upon your Lordship the light of +His grace, so that in all matters you may be enabled to accomplish +His holy will, and secure the welfare and protection of these natives, +which they so sorely need. From our house, on the twelfth of January +of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-one. + +_Fray Domingo_, Bishop of the Filipinas. + + + +Summary of the Decision Reached by the Bishop of these Philipinas +Islands, and the Other Theologians of this Bishopric, Concerning the +Collection of the Tributes Therein + +_Jesus_ + +The first conclusion: From the encomiendas which have not had and +do not have religious instruction, and have never received from +the encomenderos any other benefit or advantage, either spiritual +or temporal, than the collection of the tributes, then being left +in their former condition (and such are most of the encomiendas in +this bishopric), the tributes should not be exacted. But in case +they have already been exacted, or shall be in the future, and the +encomenderos shall have done no more good therein than they have thus +far, those who have made these collections shall be compelled to make +restitution therefor to the natives of the said encomiendas. This +same obligation also binds those who, being obliged by their office, +and having the power to prevent this evil, shall give license, or +consent, or permission, that these collections be made. + +Second conclusion: In the encomiendas which, although they may not +have had or at present have religious instruction (or so little, +and for so short a space of time, that no result can be observed), +have been pacified through the earnest endeavors and good works of +the encomendero, and whose inhabitants are so subdued as to permit of +travel and residence among them, and favorably disposed to receive +instruction in case there should be anyone to impart it to them; +the encomenderos shall be allowed to collect a certain portion of the +tributes--as, for example, the third part, if the encomiendas are of +average size (for, if they are large, it is a great deal to collect the +third part), and one half, if they are small--by which we understand +a population of three hundred Indians, or a less number. The tributes +thus collected are granted as aid for the encomendero's maintenance, +and for the expenses of said pacification. + +Third conclusion: All that was collected from the Indians before they +were thus rendered willing to pay must be restored to them by those +who made such collection, or by those who permitted it, as is stated +in the preceding clause. + +Fourth conclusion: All the rest of the said half or third part +which has been or shall hereafter be levied upon the Indians, +before they shall have received sufficient religious instruction, +must be restored by those who have made or permitted to be made the +aforesaid collections. + +Fifth conclusion: From the encomiendas which have received sufficient +religious instruction and whose inhabitants are all, or for the +most part, Christians; or when those who are not Christians have +voluntarily held back from conversion--all of the tributes may be +collected, provided that care be ever taken that the infidels be +persuaded and not compelled or forced to make these payments: indeed, +as much concern should be had for them as for the others. Let it +be understood that the said infidels do not refuse or be adverse to +becoming Christians; for in this case the tributes may not be exacted +from them--or, at least, not all, and even then with their consent. + +Sixth conclusion: In the encomiendas where there are infidels who, +through lack of adequate religious instruction, have not received +baptism, taxes should not in the past nor shall they at present +be collected in full, but according to the manner set down in the +second clause. + +Seventh conclusion: Although all the inhabitants may be Christians, +if their religious instruction has been insufficient the encomenderos +are obliged to deduct from the tributes all that should be expended for +a sufficient number of ministers to impart the necessary instruction. + +Eighth conclusion: In order that an encomienda may be said to possess +sufficient and adequate religious instruction, the minister should not +be burdened with the care of more souls than he can properly instruct +and direct in spiritual matters, so that he can give to all those who +are infidels suitable instruction in Christian doctrine--not merely +so that they know it by rote, but also so that they may understand +(so far as they are capable of this) the signification of the words, +and the mysteries contained therein. Thus, too, he will be able to make +each and every one of them understand all that is necessary for them +to believe, and know, and do, in order to be good Christians. All this +should be done before baptism is conferred upon them; and like efforts +should be made that no one shall die without the sacrament. When the +minister undertakes to baptize them, he must see that they know well +what it is, and are prepared for it, and understand what they are +receiving--namely, that they are dead to their past life, and are +commencing a new one, and from that time forth are new men. As the +inhabitants of many of these islands have received baptism without +the aforesaid solicitude and preparation, many sacrileges have been +committed; and, as a result, many and great misfortunes have ensued, +which we can now clearly discern, and yet but poorly remedy. + +In order that the Indians, after their conversion, may have adequate +religious teaching, and be taught and instructed and guided in the +conduct of their souls, a minister should not have the care of more +Indians than he can know, visit, and minister to in such wise that +all may understand and comprehend the doctrine. Then, if anyone is +sick, the minister can know of it, and visit and console him in his +sickness; and if the sick man be poor, the minister can give him what +he may need, or shall find someone to do so, so that the sick man may +not die without confession or extreme unction. To the living who are +prepared for it, he can administer the eucharist, and can persuade +everyone to prepare himself so that he can receive communion, and +can labor with all earnestness in making known the great benefits +which are contained in the most blessed sacrament, and how much is +lost by those who do not partake thereof, and the obligation of all +Christians to receive it. The minister can thus also personally care +for the burial of the dead; and, in short, fulfil with solicitude and +concern all the demands and obligations of his office as a priest, +and in the care of souls. It is because the ministers in the Indias +are burdened with so many souls, that we observe so little Christianity +there, that so many die without the sacraments, and there are so many +infidels to be converted. + +Ninth conclusion: As soon as the Indians shall have become Christians +the encomendero may with good conscience exact from them the tributes +which are imposed and regulated by his Majesty or by persons +commissioned by him; and the Indians are bound by conscience and +justice to pay them, if they have adequate religious instruction +and the encomendero fulfils the obligations imposed upon him by his +acceptance of the encomienda. + +Tenth conclusion: The encomenderos are under obligation to observe, +exactly and faithfully, the instructions given them, that they may not +transgress these in regard to the kind of tributes to be paid, or to +the age or condition of those who must pay them--under pain of mortal +sin, and of making restitution for what they shall have exacted in +violation of law or beyond the amount assessed. The damages moreover, +which are sustained by the natives in compelling them to pay tributes +which they are not bound to pay, and the expenses incurred in making +the collections, should be at the cost of the encomenderos and not +that of the Indians. + +Eleventh conclusion: It is grievous inhumanity and a sort of cruel +tyranny to seize the chiefs and keep them prisoners until they pay +the tribute of those who fail to do so; and it is a much greater +wrong to afflict and torture them while in durance. He who shall +make collections in this manner, or permit them to be thus made, +is, aside from the mortal sin which he commits, bound to restore to +the chiefs the tributes thus exacted from them; and would be most +fittingly punished by being deprived of the encomienda of which, +through his own wrong-doing, he has made himself unworthy. + +Twelfth conclusion: Although the encomiendas are given to the +encomenderos in return for their services to the king, our lord, the +principal aim and object of his Majesty in giving them has not been, +nor can it be, only that the Indians should pay tribute and render +service to the encomenderos; but, on the contrary, that in return for +the tributes which are paid them, the encomendero shall be obliged +to provide the Indians with ministers to instruct and care for them, +to defend and protect them, to see that they are not ill-treated, +and to answer for them in all necessary matters. It therefore follows +that the encomiendas are and should be instituted rather for the +good of the Indians than for that of the encomenderos; and that the +encomenderos cannot be termed, nor are they, the lords of the Indians, +but their attorneys, tutors, and protectors. + +Thirteenth conclusion: The tributes which the king, our lord, has +imposed upon the Indians are not, nor can, nor should they be, all for +his Majesty or for the encomenderos--to whom he allots them in order +that from this fund may be taken all that is necessary to support the +ministers of religious instruction, and for the embellishment of the +churches and divine worship. + +Fourteenth conclusion: The encomenderos who, to avoid or lessen +expense, neglect to employ in their encomiendas all the ministers +needed to accomplish and fulfil what has been set down in the eighth +conclusion are in mortal sin, and cannot be absolved. Moreover, it +is not enough to say that their encomiendas already have ministers; +they must employ as many of these as are necessary to fulfil all the +duties there enumerated, according to the number of souls contained +in their encomiendas. And the said encomenderos are responsible +for all the injuries and evils referred to in the said conclusion, +if through their fault there are not ministers to do what should be +done. The minister or ministers, moreover, are responsible if, when +they have in their care so many Indians that they cannot properly +minister to them, they shall be unwilling to receive or to look for +other ministers to help them. + +Fifteenth conclusion: The number of ministers required for each +community cannot be readily determined, since there are not in all +the encomiendas the same conditions existing; in some, the people live +closer together than in others; and where they are more scattered, or +more difficult of access, more ministers will be needed than when they +live nearer one another. When they are thus near, and well disposed, +five hundred Indians are a sufficient number for one conscientious +minister to take in charge; and when we shall have an abundant +number of ministers, they should be stationed in each encomienda, +in that ratio. + +Sixteenth conclusion: If through lack of ministers enough cannot be +placed in each encomienda to give adequate instruction, such as can +be obtained at the time should be employed, and the encomenderos +shall remain under obligation to deduct from the tributes what has +been stated in the seventh conclusion. + +Seventeenth conclusion: All that the Indians have expended in erecting +churches and houses for the ministers, and in their maintenance, +through the unwillingness of the encomenderos to pay therefor, the +latter are obliged to make good--the entire amount expended, for the +maintenance of the ministers; and of that expended for churches and +houses, their share. + +Eighteenth conclusion: In order that, from this time forth, the +encomenderos who do not maintain religious instruction may collect from +their encomiendas the portion which is stated in the second conclusion, +the following conditions shall be observed: (1) They shall endeavor, +most assiduously and earnestly, to establish religious instruction +in their encomiendas, that such establishment shall not be delayed; +or, if it be not made, so that the lack cannot be imputed to their +negligence and indifference. And, inasmuch as we have not here +the requisite number of ministers, the encomenderos shall inform +his Majesty how great is the lack, and supplicate him promptly to +send ministers hither--offering, if it shall be necessary, to pay +a part of the expenses to be incurred in sending them hither. (2) +The encomenderos shall endeavor, personally or through the medium of +persons skilled and competent, in whom may be placed entire confidence +that they will deal with the Indians as God requires and the king +commands, to defend the Indians and protect them against the injuries +inflicted upon them. They shall strive to influence them, by good +works and example, to accept the law of God, most carefully preparing +them so that, when they have ministers of the Christian doctrine, +they can be instructed. They shall not act as do some encomenderos +(and most of them are of this sort) who visit their encomiendas +not for the good of the Indians, but for their own profit; and who, +through their presence, work more injury to the Indians by the many +grievances which they occasion, and the bad example that they set, +than the latter are advantaged in being thus pacified. + +Nineteenth conclusion: It has been a very great error on the part +of the encomenderos in these islands who do not maintain religious +instruction to think that because they contribute a fourth part of the +tributes they may collect and keep for themselves the remainder. This +is based upon their misinterpretation of a decree of the king which +states the portion which is to be appropriated from the tributes for +the erection of churches and the support of the ministers (although +this decree has already been annulled by others). This decree did +not apply to the encomiendas which we here mention; for if the king +himself cannot levy tributes, he could ill permit others to do so, +excepting the encomiendas which we discussed in the ninth conclusion. + +Twentieth conclusion: What has been already said in the preceding +conclusions concerning the encomenderos likewise applies to the +encomiendas which belong to the royal crown; for the king is under even +greater obligation than are the encomenderos to provide his Indians +with religious teaching; and to the same extent as they, he is bound +to make restitution of all that has been unjustly collected. It +follows from this that the officials of the royal exchequer, who +are charged with the collection, of the tributes for the king, are +obliged in conscience to observe and fulfil all that is stated in the +preceding conclusions, and to make restitution of all the tributes, +or such part of them as has been or shall be collected contrary to +the tenor of the said conclusions. This obligation is all the greater +for the governor than for the officials of the royal exchequer; since +he, by reason of his office, is bound to care for all the natives of +these islands, and not to permit them to be wronged, and to require +satisfaction from anyone who may wrong them. + +Twenty-first conclusion: Former governors were under obligation, as +are those who rule both now and hereafter, to observe and fulfil, in +the repartimientos which they assign or shall assign, the provisions +contained in section 144 of the royal ordinances drawn up in Segovia +in the year 73, the tenor of which is as follows: "When the country +has been pacified, and its rulers and inhabitants have been reduced +to obedience to us, the governor shall, with their consent, direct +the partition of the lands among the colonists so that each of them +shall be responsible for the Indians of his repartimiento, defend +and protect them, and provide a minister who shall teach them to live +in civilized ways, and shall do for them all else that encomenderos +are bound to do for the Indians of their repartimientos." In the +following section: "The Indians who shall be reduced to our obedience +and allotted to the conquerors shall be persuaded, in recognition of +universal seigniory and jurisdiction which we hold over the Indians, +to assist us by the payment of a moderate tribute, from the fruits of +the soil. It is our will that the tributes thus paid us be collected +by the Spaniards to whom encomiendas shall be given, for which reason +they fulfil the duties to which they are bound." What his Majesty +commands in these two sections of the said ordinances conforms to both +natural and divine law, both of which would be violated if even the +king should contravene these ordinances. From this the governors will +recognize the obligations under which they are to heed the attitude +of the Indians whom they must allot in encomiendas, in order not to +work against a law as just and necessary as this is. + +Twenty-second conclusion: If in any case the governor allot an +encomienda whose inhabitants shall not be in the frame of mind +which the aforesaid law requires (a condition which must needs be +very rare, and the result of causes so forcible that the king, upon +consultation, would consider them of sufficient weight), in order that +the governor may not be under obligation to make restitution of what +shall be collected therefrom, he is bound to order such encomendero +not to collect the tributes until he has, by his earnest endeavors +and just treatment, brought the Indians to that disposition which, +in the aforesaid two sections, his Majesty requires. In case the +encomendero shall collect the tributes beforehand, the governor shall +command him to make restitution; and if, for lack of such orders, +the Indians shall suffer any wrong, the governor shall be responsible. + +Twenty-third conclusion: The religious who are in the Indias are not +under obligation to go to Spain to obtain other religious; and if they +could avoid it they would do wrong in going on account of the great +deficiency of ministers caused by such departures. But as the need +of ministers is so great, and as they are not sent hither from Spain, +those who go thither to procure them should be well rewarded for the +great hardships that they undergo in bringing religious. His Majesty, +moreover, and the members of his royal Council are under obligation +to send back at once, and with suitable provision, those who in their +service to God and the king, and for the welfare of these souls, +have suffered such hardships. + +Twenty-fourth conclusion: The king our lord and his royal Council +of the Indias are bound to send to these islands so many ministers +that they can give adequate instruction to all the natives therein, +even if our religious do not go or send for others. + +Twenty-fifth conclusion: His Majesty is bound to give orders and to +make all possible efforts for the conversion of the infidels--not +only those who recognize him and pay tribute, but those who are +not under his sway and do not recognize him as their lord--so that +they may all come into the knowledge of God and enter the bosom of +the Church. Nor should this be accomplished in the manner hitherto +employed employed--namely, by the perversion of all law, divine +and human; by murders, robberies, captivities, conflagrations, and +the depopulation of villages, estates, and houses. These wrongs are +inflicted and perpetrated by those who, under pretext and in the name +of preaching the gospel, entered the Indias, and have thus profaned the +sacred name of God and made the holy gospel odious; and it is by them +that our holy religion has been dishonored. But now that his Majesty +knows what excesses have been committed in these islands, he should +order that henceforth they shall cease, and that in the promulgation of +the holy gospel the instructions and rules be observed which our Lord +Jesus Christ ordained, and which His holy evangelical law directs and +commands, and which the holy apostles and the apostolic men who came +after them practiced and observed until our wretched times. Since the +Spaniards entered the Indias, their excessive cupidity has devised +new methods of preaching the gospel such as our Lord Jesus Christ +never ordained, or His holy apostles knew; they are not permitted by +the law of nature, nor do they agree with reason. + +I shall send the proofs of these conclusions to your Lordship as soon +as my occupations give me opportunity and leisure to prove them. At +Manila, on the eighteenth of January, 1591. + +_The Bishop of the Filipinas_ + + + +Letter from the Bishop of the Philipinas to the Governor + +_Jesus_ + +In the document which I sent to your Lordship the other day was +contained the substance of the opinion which I and other theologians +of this bishopric hold concerning the collection [of tributes] from +the encomiendas in these islands. I then stated that all the matter +outlined therein would be sent later to your Lordship, proved in detail +by convincing arguments. This, however, I have not been able to do, +nor will it be possible as long as I must remain in this city; for day +and night I am beset by necessary business. For this reason, I would be +glad to be able to leave the city for a few days in order that I might +conclude this matter--to which, since it is to be brought before his +Majesty and his royal Council, persons who are to consider it with +care, it would seem but right that I should also give most careful +attention. And yet the truth of all that I say is so manifest that I +would be put to little trouble if I were compelled to prove it; but +considerable time would be necessary to put it in order. Having sent +the aforesaid opinion to your Lordship, I ceased to concern myself +about the matter, for it seemed to me that the document contained +(although in outline) all that the truth required, and all that I +had to say thereon. Accordingly, what remains for me to set down will +not be an addition to the aforesaid, but merely an effort to explain +it further, and to prove by arguments and authority what has already +been stated in brief. + +The dean informed me this morning that your Lordship was awaiting my +opinion, and had suspended action until I should send it. I told him +that, as far as I was concerned, I had already given it--that is to +say, I had told your Lordship how I, as well as the other theologians, +and right-thinking persons of this bishopric, felt in this matter. It +is true, I did not send, as soon as I might, what remained to be said; +but that, after all, matters but little for the truth of the affair. As +I stated in the opinion which your Lordship has in your possession, +all that I might afterward say is contained therein. However, in +order that your Lordship may have a clearer statement of what I sent +in that document, and of all else that I have to say, it has seemed +expedient to send to your Lordship another paper, which accompanies +this letter; therein are contained twenty-five conclusions, in +which there is a summary of all that may be said in relation to the +encomenderos of these islands, concerning both the collection of the +tributes, and the obligations of the encomenderos towards the Indians +of their encomiendas. Further, I have stated therein the duties of +the governors in respect to their treatment of the Indians and the +collection of tributes. I thought it best to state those conclusions +in the same order as before, since I shall place them in that order +in proving them. + +I fully realize that for those who are accustomed to collect tributes +with no other care for the Indians of their encomiendas than to +obtain their money and then leave them to bear their afflictions, +those conclusions must of necessity appear very severe; but, although +the truth always hurts those whom it chastises, it should not on +that account be suppressed--for, as St. Gregory says, one should not +be hindered by any obstacle whatever from uttering the truth. The +difficulty of this affair, moreover, does not consist in knowing what +the truth is (for that is perfectly evident); but in the fact that +unrighteous custom favors the powerful, and is hostile to those who, +although they can do little, are unwilling to submit to what those who +are in power choose to command. But the weak have given thanks to God, +who has moved the heart of our most Christian king to order that a +remedy be applied to so many and so great disorders and excesses, which +up to the present time have been so contrary to natural law, and proved +so great an impediment to religion and evangelical preaching, and so +harmful and prejudicial to the inhabitants of these islands. Indeed, +if we should hear, as God does, the complaints and outcries which +continually arise in the hearts of these people, we would clearly see +how much more cause there is for comforting them than for favoring +those who have inflicted upon them such injury. And yet, if we but +consider this carefully, we shall see that the Spaniards have done +themselves still greater harm, since they have deprived the Indians +merely of their property, but have incurred the condemnation of their +own souls. + +I, my Lord, do not wish, nor do I pretend, that the encomenderos +should die of hunger, or that your Lordship should lack the means to +fulfil your obligations; but I do maintain that we should have such +care for what is right for the Spaniards as not to sicken more souls, +or cause the gospel to be received in this land not gladly, but by +force, and in such wise that it will not avail those who receive it. + +The king, our lord, need only decree that this matter be left to the +conscience of those who govern here; for his Majesty cannot examine +it with his own eyes, and, consequently, the entire burden falls upon +your Lordship and upon those of us who have to decide what shall be +done. This affair is not one of so little risk as not to require a +most careful consideration; for to deprive the Spaniards of the right +of collecting the tributes from their encomiendas, when they might +just as well do so, is to deprive them of their very property, and +give them permission to collect from those who do not owe tribute, +and to free them from obligation to the Indians. Thus the entire +responsibility would fall upon those who might express their opinion; +consequently, it has been necessary, as I have already said, to +consider the matter most carefully. This I have done by consulting +persons who know and thoroughly understand the point at issue; and +by comparing therewith what I have seen and know from experience, +and from my knowledge of the law. + +Such are the contents of the conclusions which I herewith send your +Lordship. I trust that you will be pleased to read them and will expect +from me no other opinion than the one therein contained; for I have, +and shall have, no other, and there is not a right-minded person in +the bishopric who dares maintain the contrary. + +Two points should be especially noted among those which I here +set down. The one concerns the second conclusion wherein I make the +following statement: From the small encomiendas may be collected half +of the tributes even where there is no instruction, if the encomendero +fulfils his duties; and from those of average size a third part of +the same. Although there is, in strictness, no reason why one-half +should be collected from the small encomiendas and only a third part +from the others, yet after careful consideration, it has seemed to +us both equitable and reasonable that, in a very small encomienda, +the encomendero should collect from each inhabitant somewhat more +for his maintenance than if the inhabitants were numerous and thus +could provide, even when a less sum was levied, better support for +the encomendero. + +The other matter for consideration relates to the statements in the +third and fourth conclusions concerning the restitution of what has +thus far been taken from the natives. In this matter some moderation +should be displayed, in view of the present needy condition of the +encomenderos. This subject, however, will be discussed later, and +the best possible arrangement will be made for assuring the peace +of consciences, which we who are here strive to do. It is, too, no +small grace to your Lordship, that this matter should be considered +in your time. I can assure your Lordship that there has been much +criticism concerning what past governors have permitted, and I do not +know how in the end they are to fare with God; for a governor, from +the very character of his office, is under obligation to prevent, +within his jurisdiction, evils which can be remedied. God will +know how to call to account those who have permitted these abuses, +and will free your Lordship from these difficulties before they have +entangled you. Your Lordship indeed owes much gratitude to God, for, +whether or not the encomenderos make any collection, nothing will be +cast into your purse without your experiencing much scruple at not +having remedied the evil. God knows the scruples and anguish which +the past has caused my soul, for, although it seems that I could have +done no more than to raise my voice in opposition, and write to his +Majesty, I am not sure that this will avail me with God, who is wont to +dispose of such matters quite otherwise than we imagine; therefore, by +giving my views upon this question, and by expressing to your Lordship +my sentiments. I feel myself exonerated in the sight of God and of +men. Let your Lordship reflect what it is meet to do, for my opinion +has been already given. May God, our Lord, so enlighten your Lordship +that in all things you may do what is right. Amen. From this, your +Lordship's house, today, Friday, the twenty-fifth of January, 1591. + +_The Bishop of the Filipinas_ + + + +The Governor's Reply + +Assuming it to be his Majesty's will that, in the encomiendas where, +for lack of ministers, instruction is not given, some tribute +shall be collected, if only in recognition of services rendered, +it seems but fitting that enough should be collected to sustain the +encomendero--or, if he should abandon the encomienda, some person +who should continue, in his stead, intercourse and relations with the +Indians, so influencing and directing them that, when they are given +instruction, they may receive it willingly; and settling the minds of +the Indians, so that we can deal with them and travel among them. Such +persons or encomenderos are accessory to the gospel, and should be +supported, as ministers are, by the tributes of the Indians--who, +if deprived of their presence and left without this intercourse, will +doubtless become intractable, and a country which is at present secure +and orderly will require a fresh pacification. Accordingly I say that +if your Lordship should order the encomendero to appropriate, for his +own maintenance and for necessary expenses (which are so great, and +the encomiendas so small), [three--M.] [47] fourths of the tributes, +and if the remaining fourth should [be used--M.] for the erection of a +church, for ornaments, and other accessories of religious instruction; +or, if this fourth part should be remitted to the Indians (although, +in reality, if they think that by not becoming Christians less will be +exacted from them, they will never become Christians or admit fathers +into their territory; and it is certainly better for the Indians to +have this fourth part held as a deposit for the three years, since at +the end of that time [they can add--M.] to it a tribute, and assist +in paying the expenses of erecting the church and the costs of other +accessories of instruction and other necessary expenses which may +arise); and if the above should be asked from them in advance, and +as a whole--I maintain, that all this could not be exacted without +great injury to the Indians. + +This tribute should be collected with much gentleness toward the +Indians, without the presence of soldiers and firearms, and without +entering their houses. One house should, however, be set apart for +the purpose of making these collections, where the Indians, summoned +in friendly terms, may come voluntarily to pay their tributes; and +no other force or pressure should be imposed upon them. Moreover, +of the increase of two reals in the tributes, only one (and no more) +should be exacted, and the aforesaid collection of the three-fourths +should be general in all the encomiendas. There are no grounds for +making a discrimination between the Indian of the large encomienda and +the Indian of the small one; and if it is right to collect in the one, +the same procedure holds good in the other, for the same thing applies +to [four--M.] as to forty, which in this case would mean not to change +the present and past condition of things, or the universal practice +throughout all the Indias, by interfering with his Majesty's decree. + +We should consider how little there is in this country besides +the tributes, for the support of the encomendero or such person +who has to represent him; and that, if the Indians should cease +to pay the tributes, all would go to destruction; and even were +religious instruction to exist, there would be no system for applying +it. This instruction, moreover, is not at present in the hands of +the encomenderos, for they have asked me, as I believe they have your +Lordship, to make provision for the same, offering the necessary salary +and expenses. Accordingly, since this charge is not in their hands, +the above means might be justly employed; so that the districts which +are disaffected might, with such intercourse, be prepared to receive +the gospel in due time. + +This plan can be followed temporarily, until information concerning +it shall reach his Majesty--who, I assure your Lordship, will +straightway adjust the matter by providing these islands, as well as +those most distant and as yet unpacified, with sufficient religious +instruction; and by determining what share of the cost shall fall to +the encomenderos according to the detailed information and report +which shall be sent hence to him, together with your Lordship's +statement. Thus all will come to enjoy the fruits of the gospel, +which is our principal end and object with these peoples. In return, +they are to offer this moderate tribute, which is to facilitate +their conversion, to which end everything is directed; and to prepare +them for it by this means, without which there would be no way for +endeavoring to interest anyone, even if the tribute should amount to +many millions. But, with this justification, it can be levied. + +The encomenderos shall maintain their residence, and, as your +Lordship justly suggests, shall provide a good example and fair +treatment toward the Indians of their encomiendas. And, in order +that the latter may receive (as your Lordship says) some recompense +in return, orders shall be given that all the encomiendas, however +remote they may be, shall be provided with some administration of +justice, with orders to the alcaldes-mayor in whose district these +encomiendas chance to be to visit, at stated periods of the year, +the Indians thereof. The officials shall then settle the disputes +and redress the grievances of the Indians, bringing them by kind +acts into intercourse and friendship with us. Where the present +number of alcaldes-mayor is not large enough, others shall be sent, +in order that thus may be facilitated our intercourse and influence +among them. Under this pretext of administration of justice and of +defense, at least a sufficient maintenance may be derived. + +Let your Lordship take this matter into careful consideration. For +my own part, cogent reasons oblige me to believe that, if this plan +be not carried out, the encomenderos much of necessity abandon their +encomiendas, as has [_illegible in MS._] and no one will be found +willing to burden himself with this charge and enter into relations +with the Indians, in return for so small a stipend. Even if there were +such persons, we could not place in them the confidence that we now +have in the encomenderos, in whose virtue and Christian spirit his +Majesty's conscience remains at rest. This would not be so secure in +the care of substitutes, who replace persons who have abandoned their +holdings, for lack [_illegible in MS._] without much fear of being +obliged to give a bad account of either themselves or the Indians; +and, consequently, instead of introducing our holy faith among them, +would only irritate the natives by oppression and ill-treatment. + +This being so, if the encomenderos should abandon their offices, and +no capable persons could be found in their stead, the rule of the +Spaniards would come to an end in this land; for, as they possess +here nothing beyond the encomiendas as a source of profit and a +recompense for their services, if they should be deprived of these +I fear that they all would depart from the country and it would be +depopulated. In such a case, let your Lordship consider which of +the two evils is the less, and which should be preferred: namely, +that matters should remain in their present and past condition until +his Majesty, after thorough information, make suitable provision; +or that, in order to remedy this insignificant evil, we should run +the risk of ruining and depopulating all the islands. I, my Lord, +have not the slightest inclination to go to hell merely because the +encomendero collects one or two thousand. After all, whatever your +Lordship may consent to, and whatever we resolve to do, must be carried +out, and I must order it to be executed, with the utmost promptness; +for I understand this to be a matter which concerns the welfare of +my conscience, wherein his Majesty unburdens his. But at present, +I am thinking only of the difficulties involved in the execution of +this act, which must be so hard for the encomenderos. When, in the +establishment and accomplishment of a thing which in itself may be holy +and good, there exist such obstacles that by means of them the whole +is exposed to risk and danger, and the principal [_illegible in MS._], +as your Lordship may discern in the case of the religious fathers, +who, because they attempted to place the Indians in charge of justice, +desired them to give up all, and thus there was constraint. Yet they +had charity and love for them, for otherwise all would be lost. The +same injury will be inflicted on the encomendero, if we oblige him to +relinquish the tribute, and give him no other means of support. This +the king can do, by the decree which is expected. + +It is certain that the very success of the affair admits of no other +outcome than this. For, assuming that his Majesty, to unburden his +own conscience, should commit to your Lordship and to myself the +conduct and decision of what should be done in this matter, and should +order me to execute what we both might determine, and agree upon, +provided your Lordship should decide that what you have set down in +your opinion and in your conclusions, ought in conscience to be done; +and if I should find that, although such action is just and right +according to law, yet in attempting to carry it out it would be in +no wise proper to run the risk of ruining these islands--in this case +your Lordship and I do not hold the same opinions, and we should report +this to his Majesty. In the meantime matters will remain as they now +are; and, if resolutions must be adopted, it is much better that we +should propose them conjointly to his Majesty, with complete harmony +and satisfaction on our part, in order that he may give such orders +as shall seem best to him. In the meantime we should not undertake +[_illegible in MS._] all the more because, considering the affair +in its beginnings, the commission and order of his Majesty--which +instruct me to see that your Lordship consider what should and can +be done in this matter; and also to execute the resolutions made +by our joint agreement, with all the punctuality which is required +therein--clearly express the will and determination of his Majesty, +who mentions only the encomiendas which are at present disaffected, +or have never been pacified. It is only concerning these latter, +that doubts may be entertained as to the question of collecting +the tributes, either in whole or in part (by way of recognition, +as is stated in your opinion). These encomiendas are not reached by +religious teaching, or by the administration of justice, or by other +advantages; and, consequently, are the ones concerning which, as I +have said, doubts are entertained. As for those encomiendas which may +possess any of the aforesaid benefits, such as religious teaching, +the administration of justice, intercourse, and other advantageous +relations, there is no occasion for any dispute concerning them; nor +should the management of these (as far as our present knowledge goes) +be committed to your Lordship. It is, therefore, needless to include +them in the general rule; but in dealing with the encomiendas which +are disaffected, and in those not yet pacified, only a part of the +tribute should be collected, for the unburdening of his Majesty's +and our own consciences. Your Lordship's, etc. + + + + +The Petition Presented to the Governor by the City and the Encomenderos +on the Fifteenth of February, 1591 + + +We, the corporation and magistrates of the city of Manila, for +ourselves, and in the name of all these Filipinas Islands, and of their +encomenderos, settlers, and discoverers, do declare the following: As +is well known, many of us came here twenty-seven years ago, when these +islands were discovered, and have spent years in the propagation of +our holy Catholic faith, the defense of the preaching of the gospel, +and the service of the king, our lord. On account of this devotion +we abandoned our fatherland, and forgot our parents, brothers, and +relatives, and the comforts which each one of us possessed; and after +having endured the great dangers of a long and hitherto unknown voyage, +we settled in a land where we have shed our blood, and suffered the +fearful miseries of hunger, thirst, exposure, and many other hardships, +so great that they have cost the lives of the many thousands of men +who are known to have come to these islands--not to mention all those +valiant soldiers who serve his Majesty throughout his realm. At the +conclusion of so many toils and misfortunes--after we had made this +discovery, and had pacified and brought under the royal crown the +many vassals who today are to be found throughout these islands, +and had brought to the bosom of our faith the great number of souls +who have already received baptism--his Majesty and the governors +in his name have rewarded us by allotting to us a certain number of +natives. But these grants are under such limitations and the tributes +are so moderate that the most prosperous among us (and there are but +few) are living in straitened circumstances, and the others do not +receive the half of what is necessary for their sustenance; many of +these have no recompense. Although our possessions are so scanty, we +have been content therewith, inasmuch as we consider them as being a +reward which we have won with our blood and so great labors; for we +are thereby encouraged to serve our Lord and his Majesty--enjoying, +as we do, these tributes and encomiendas in tranquil and peaceable +possession of them, after they have been assigned to us. The king, +our lord, also is profited by those who hold positions in the service +of his royal crown; for they, with the tributes, assist in the great +expenses which his royal patrimony incurs for the churches, religious +orders, and ministers of the evangelical teaching, and for the +supplies necessary for their maintenance. In this state of affairs it +seems that on the part of the bishop of these islands and some of the +religious thereof--not only generally, in sermons and in the pulpit, +but privately, in the confessional--obstacles and difficulties are +imposed upon our consciences by maintaining that we cannot exact the +[_illegible in MS._] his Majesty those which he exacts, and that we +are going straight to hell [_illegible in MS._] and that we are under +obligation to make restitution for them. For this reason they refuse +us the sacraments of absolution and communion; and, finally, they +so obstruct us in the collection of this slender means of livelihood +that we, and in fact the whole colony, are continually disconsolate +and afflicted, and our consciences disturbed and ill at ease. We know +not what plan we are to pursue in making these collections; for if we +submit to the constraint which the aforesaid bishop and a portion of +the religious would impose upon us, the necessary result will be that +we cannot support ourselves, or even live; and his Majesty will be +unable to meet the costs and expenses necessary for the preservation +of the land--although our aim now as always, is to live and die in +the service of his Majesty like faithful and loyal vassals. + +We therefore entreat and supplicate your Lordship--inasmuch as the +royal presence is so distant, and his authority is delegated to +you in order to preserve us in peace and justice--to decree, in the +name of his Majesty, as the person from whose hand we possess these +encomiendas, that orders and explicit statements be given us as to what +extent and in what manner we are to collect the aforesaid tributes, in +order that with definite knowledge and freedom from misunderstanding, +and without this present trouble and confusion, we may collect them +by virtue of the order which your Lordship may give us to make such +collections. And so likewise do we entreat your Lordship to command +that his Majesty be informed as promptly as possible of what your +Lordship shall order and decree, so that he may confirm and approve it, +and determine what plan shall be pursued in this matter; and so that +we may know and abide by it, and thus be delivered from these scruples +and anxieties. In case the above should not be done as we petition, +we would be deprived of part of the little that we possess; and, +if compelled to make our collections in conformity with the ideas of +the bishop and some of the religious, we shall not be able to support +ourselves. We therefore entreat your Lordship, inasmuch as we do not +depart from or fail in what we owe to the service of his Majesty as his +loyal vassals, to give us permission to depart for Spain, where we may +serve his Majesty in what he shall command us to do, and where he may +favor us in proportion to the quality of the services of each one of +us; thus we shall receive grace and justice, which is what we request. + +_Francisco Mereado Dandrade_ +_Pedro Davalos y Vargas_ +_Juan de Moron_ +_Diego de Castillo_ +_Juan Pacheco Maldonado_ +_Don Francisco de Poca y Pendara_ +_Hernan Gomez de Cespedes_ +_Don Luis Enriques de Guzman_ +_Antonio de Canedo_ +_Alonso Garrido de Salcedo_ + + +[The remaining documents on tributes are presented partly in full, +partly in synopsis, because of the repetitions and diffuseness which +are frequent therein. Such parts as are thus synopsized will appear +in brackets.] + + + +Letter from Salazar to the Governor + +[Replying (February 8) to the governor's letter, the bishop makes +various suggestions. He considers that the responsibility for deciding +questions connected with the tribute rests upon himself and the +governor, and that it is unnecessary and undesirable to refer them +to the king in ordinary cases.] This has been done for the welfare +of these natives, or, to speak more exactly, in order that our holy +faith may be received in these realms. On account of the many and +glaring instances of lawlessness and disorder, this result is not +yet accomplished in the greater part of these islands; and even +those who have accepted the faith have received from it very little +benefit. [Salazar urges the governor to meet this responsibility, +and with him to determine the amount and methods of collection of +the tributes. He remonstrates with the latter against his intention +of collecting the whole or most of the tributes from the pagan +Indians. Salazar says:] You state that the encomenderos will not +desire the encomiendas, since they will obtain from them so little +advantage, but will abandon their holdings; that the Indians will +become unmanageable, and it will be necessary to pacify them anew, +in order to have them instructed; and (which would be still worse) +when the encomenderos can not be supported it will be necessary to +abandon the country, and the faith will be ruined. This is certainly +a very great difficulty, and would be the greatest which could befall +us. But God, who has established here the faith, will not permit it +to be so easily destroyed. Accordingly I maintain, first, that what is +assigned to the encomenderos is not too small to support adequately any +one of them whatsoever--not with the opulence and abundance that they +desire, but as the extreme poverty and wretchedness of the Indians +allows, and as the little that they have accomplished and are doing +requires. For, if the encomienda be of good size, the encomendero +can support himself very comfortably with the third part of the +tribute, if it is expended in the same encomienda, where goods are +held at lower prices; and if the encomienda be small, he may, by way +of equity--although by the letter of the law he should take no more +than does he who owns a large one--be allowed to collect the half of +the tribute, since it would seem that he could not support himself +with less. If they must have more, the encomenderos are not of so +poor standing as not to have other relations and dealings by which +they can increase their property and help to meet their expenses, +in order that all the burden may not be laid upon the Indians; since +even what they collect from the latter according to law they are not +entitled to, until they pay the Indians what is due them. + +[Salazar goes on to say that there is no danger that the encomiendas +will be abandoned under this plan; and that the arrangement which he +proposes is for only such time as is necessary to provide adequate +religious instruction for the natives. Then the full amount of +tribute may be collected, and the encomenderos will enjoy all their +revenues. Most of them will shirk their obligations to the Indians, +as they have done in the past, unless they are compelled to meet them; +and Salazar thinks that they will be more ready to provide religious +instruction if they are restricted from collecting the tributes until +they shall have done so.] He who plants a vine expects to wait until it +can mature its fruit; it is only with the Indians that the encomenderos +will not wait until they are prepared to yield fruit, but are ready +at once to cut their throats to make them yield it. And since they +have thus far collected so many tributes from the Indians without +justification for exacting them, it will be right that henceforth +they should labor with them, without collecting from them the taxes +so harshly, waiting until the Indians are prepared for having to pay +the tribute; and the real preparation for this is to strive that they +shall have instruction. + +... For this they deserve some reward, such as the concession made +to them in the second conclusion, which seems sufficient return +for the little value of all that will be done for the Indians until +they receive instruction. In order that your Lordship may be fully +convinced that, even if further limitations should be imposed on the +encomenderos, they need not for that abandon their holdings, your +Lordship should remember that, after coming here, you reduced the +salaries of some alcaldes-mayor, and took away those of some deputies; +and yet they did not cease on that account to discharge their duties +cheerfully, for they can with good conscience take whatever your +Lordship shall assign to them. Why, then, should we fear that the +encomenderos will leave their encomiendas, even if they are ordered +to collect no more than the third part of the tributes?... Former +governors, as well as your Lordship, have allotted encomiendas, +imposing upon them an annual charge, for a limited period, for +the benefit of the hospital or of some individual. These were most +willingly accepted, the owners knowing that when the annual pension +expired the encomiendas remained to them, which they might freely +enjoy. It is certain, too, that what the encomenderos collected +while the pension lasted was not equal to the third part. Why, then, +will not the encomenderos endure this pension for so short a time, in +order afterward to enjoy the encomiendas freely and with consciences +at ease? for they can do that now. + +[The bishop declares that the conversion of the pagan Indians +will not be hindered by his plan. Not the least hindrance to the +conversion of these islands is the harshness with which the tributes +are collected from the Indians.] It is certain that when the faith +is preached to the Indians on the plan and with the gentleness which +our Lord ordained, attended with kind treatment and good examples, +in accordance with the requirements of God's law, the infidels will +never consider whether or not they have to pay tribute. For if they +once reach a real understanding of what it means to be converted to +God, and of the benefit which they receive from it, and the evils +from which they are set free, not only will they not heed whether or +not they are paying tribute, but they will, if necessary, surrender +their goods and estates, in order not to remain without baptism. We +need not vex ourselves to secure the baptism of infidels who avoid +baptism in order not to pay tribute; since it is not such whom God +chooses, or whom the church needs. + +The greatest difficulty for the Sangleys who sought baptism has been +the command to cut off their hair. It is certain that on this account +many have failed to become Christians, whereat I have been exceedingly +grieved. Not that I have not always wished, and still desire, that +all of that nation might be converted, and I have exerted myself to +that end with all my strength; but when I see one of them hesitate +as to cutting off his hair, it seems to me that he has not come for +baptism in the right spirit, and for that reason I do not admit him +to baptism. Those, however, in whose hearts God has moved, and who +truly understand what they are receiving (and there are many such), +are not disturbed because their hair is cut, or because they are +forever abandoning their native land. On the contrary, these persons +have broken all ties, and submitted to every requirement, that they +might not remain without baptism. It is true that we have baptized +some of that nation without requiring them to cut off their hair, +through our reasonable consideration toward them; but we have never +consented that anyone of them should be baptized until he had made up +his mind to allow his hair to be cut: and then he did not know that we +intended to baptize him without removing his hair. From the above it +may be inferred that the payment of little, or much, or none of the +tribute is not in itself a reason for the infidels to avoid baptism; +they do so because we oppose so many obstacles to the preaching of +the gospel, and set so bad an example, and because it is so preached +that they do not understand it. + +[Salazar protests against the notion entertained by the encomenderos +that "all their festivities and superfluous expenses should be at the +expense of the wretched Indians, when they themselves do not fulfil +their obligations toward the latter." Other persons can support +themselves without an encomienda; so those who possess such aid can +certainly do something outside of it to meet their expenses. The method +of collecting the tributes hitherto has been little more than slavery +for the natives; the bishop pleads in eloquent terms that the governor +will reform this abuse, and consider the subject from the standpoint +of the Indians as well as from that of the Spaniards.] In order that +they may endure their hardships cheerfully, it is well that they should +understand the change among the Spaniards which has occurred since the +coming of your Lordship; for their burdens have been lightened by the +reduction of the tributes from the former amount; and the Spaniards +have done what they did not previously--that is, to treat the natives +well, and to converse with them in a friendly manner. This, without +doubt, will greatly incline them toward our holy Christian religion; +and then the Indians cannot make this a matter of complaint against +the Spaniards, but will keep silence and yield to whatever commands +are given them. [The Spaniards have might on their side, and terrorize +the weaker natives; but the right only should be considered, and is +mainly on the side of the Indians. The conquerors have brought forward +many specious arguments to justify their oppression, which for a time +deceived even the bishop, who expresses his regret and remorse for +his own mistakes; but his long experience has opened his eyes, and he +espouses the cause of the oppressed Indians, urging the governor to +consider their needs, without allowing the Spaniards to influence him +in favor of their selfish and unjust practices. Salazar complains that +the orders of both the king and the governors have been systematically +violated or ignored; that no one has been punished for infractions +of law save the poor Indians, who often have been justified in these +actions.] But even this has not availed them to escape punishment +in their persons and property. Yet thus far there is no instance +known when an encontendero or collector has been punished for even +the grossest acts of injustice and injury which they have inflicted +upon the Indians. And this is the Christian spirit and the justice +with which we have thus far treated this unfortunate people--we, who +came hither to bestow upon them a knowledge of God! Notwithstanding +all that, we demand that they shall not dare to move, or to open +their lips in complaint. But we have a righteous God, who hears them, +and in His own time will bestow upon each man according to his deserts. + +[The Audiencia had enacted laws favorable to the Indians, which the +governor should enforce. For this purpose, it is useless to depend +upon the alcaldes-mayor, since most of them care only for their own +interests and profit.] On this account the president undertook to +reduce the number of the alcaldes-mayor, and to increase the salaries +of those who were left, in order to remove from them the temptation +to plunder. He also wished to abolish entirely the office of deputy, +as he had already begun to do; this would have been no little benefit +to the country. [The country will only be injured by attempting to +increase the number of officials; they aid in the oppression of +the Indians, and care nothing for the bishop's efforts to oppose +them. If the condition of affairs in Luzon is so bad, what must it +be in Mindanao, or Xolo, or other remote districts? The Indians can +not come to the governor with their grievances, and are helpless in +the power of their oppressors.] + +[Salazar briefly state the opinions given by the religious persons whom +he has consulted regarding some of the chief points at issue. Most of +them decide that the third part of the tributes will be enough for +any encomendero, no matter how small his holding may be. As for the +restitution of tributes unjustly collected, they all conclude that to +require the return of all the goods thus acquired by the Spaniards +would be too severe a penalty for the latter; but that hereafter no +encomendero should be allowed to collect tributes from Indians unless +he shall provide them with religious instruction, and if he shall +so collect, he shall be compelled to restore to them the goods thus +unjustly obtained. The governor is urgently entreated to investigate +the manner in which the encomenderos are dealing with the Indians; +to adopt and enforce the orders recommended by the clergy; and to +permit no Spaniard to make collections of tributes unless he fulfil +all obligations due from him to the natives. The same course should +be pursued in the encomiendas belonging to the royal crown. If the +governor will follow this course, the clergy will cooperate with him +by refusing absolution to all who disobey.] From our house, February +8, 1591. + +_Fray Domingo_, Bishop of the Philipinas. + + + +Opinions of the Religious + +[At the request of the governor, the members of the various religious +orders furnish him with their opinions regarding the collection of +tributes. The Augustinians thus conclude, in brief: The natives who +enjoy the benefits of Spanish protection, the administration of +justice, and religious instruction, should pay the entire amount +assessed on them as tribute; for it is but just that they should +bear the expenses of these benefits. It was Spain to whom the Holy +See allotted the work of converting the pagans of the Indias; and, +although she has in doing so inflicted many injuries on the natives, +she has also conferred upon them many benefits in converting and +civilizing them. If she should abandon the islands great evils +would result. Even tyrannical treatment does not justify vassals in +refusing obedience to their rulers--in support of which position many +citations are made from the Bible and from historical precedents. The +Spanish rulers are accordingly entitled to collect the moderate +tribute which they have imposed on the Indians, if they protect and +instruct the latter--the condition on which their right to tribute +is based; but all should pay alike, infidels as well as Christians, +when they receive alike those benefits. As for the Indians who have +not been provided with instruction and the protection of law, no +tribute should in any case be demanded from them and whatever has +been thus far collected ought to be restored to them in full, as +having been unjustly and unrighteously exacted. In the encomiendas +which, although once pacified, have since rebelled, a small amount +of tribute should be collected, not to maintain the encomendero, +but to meet the expenses of restoring order and obedience therein. In +other cases, where the encomendero fulfils his obligations in other +respects, but fails to provide religious instruction for the natives +through lack of ministers, he is entitled to collect only part of +the tribute designated--that is, what remains after deducting the +amount due for the support of ministers (estimated in proportion to +the number of the people), and for the erection and maintenance of +churches. In short, the natives should pay only for such benefits as +they actually receive. The amount to be paid should be based on the +amount expended by the government and the encomenderos in providing +those benefits.] In these islands the number of five hundred Indians +(and in some places even a smaller number) has been assigned to +each minister as sufficient for his charge; and to each minister +of religion has been given a hundred pesos and a hundred fanegas of +rice, all which is worth at least one hundred and twenty-five pesos; +this is the fourth part of the five hundred pesos which the five +hundred Indians are worth to the encomendero. It is then a fair rate +of taxation, and usually the most exact, to deduct, when religious +instruction is lacking, the fourth part of the tribute. [If the +encomienda is governed with justice, its holder may in reason collect +the other three-fourths. The fathers remonstrate against the proposal +to allow the holder of a small encomienda to collect more than he may +who has a large one, as unjust and dangerous. If the fourth part is +to be withheld from the encomendero, they think that it should be at +once returned to the natives from whom it was taken. They recommend +that the governor give orders that the administration of justice be +everywhere established in the encomiendas, and then three-fourths +of the tributes may be collected. For this, however, they advise +the appointment of deputies directly by the governor, to inspect +the encomiendas regularly--a duty which will not be satisfactorily +performed by the present alcaldes-mayor, or by deputies whom they +would appoint; and these persons should be given adequate salaries, +to obviate the possibility of their defrauding the natives. The +paper is signed by the Augustinian provincial, Juan de Valderrama, +and eleven others of the order.] + +[The Franciscans base their opinion upon the right of the king of +Spain to impose tribute, as derived from the commission given to +that country by the Holy See for the evangelization of the Indians; +but this right exists only where the gospel is actually preached. They +partially agree with the Augustinians, but hold a radically different +view as to the amount of collections to be made when the encomendero +does not or cannot provide religious instruction, but does protect and +defend the natives, and set them a good example. For these services, +as tending to prepare the Indians for receiving the true faith, he +may be entitled to collect one-third of the tributes; but considered +simply as temporal benefits, they do not give him any right to do +so. Even the administration of justice to the Indians confers upon +him no right in itself; it does so only as it may aid in or support +the preaching of the gospel. This opinion is signed by Fray Pedro +Baptista and three of his brethren.] + +[The Jesuits regard both religious instruction and the administration +of justice as just ground for the imposition and collection of +tributes. When the Spaniards take possession of any land without +providing these benefits, they are only "establishing divisions of +territory between the crowns of Castilla and Portugal," which has +nothing to do with levying tributes on the natives of such region. In +encomiendas where instruction is not given through lack of ministers, +only such part of the tribute may be collected as belongs to the +administration of justice; and the part which would be used for the +support of religion must be returned to the natives. The fathers +cite, in support of their opinion, various learned theologians. They +would permit the encomendero who protects his Indians, but is +unable to maintain religious teaching, to collect means for the +support of himself and family--for which purpose they would allow him +three-fourths of the tributes. The other fourth should be returned to +the Indians; and, in districts where there is not and will not soon +be religious instruction, this should be done without telling them +the reason for such action; otherwise, they will not wish to become +Christians. They urge that definite and prompt action be taken in +regard to this matter. Their opinion is signed by Antonio Sedeno and +two other fathers, and is dated February 20.] + +[The Jesuits also send to the bishop a long and learned discussion of +the question, answering some of the twenty-five "conclusions" which +were adopted by the bishop and clergy (_ante_, p. 276 ff.). Their +position is the same as that already stated to the governor; but they +make a more detailed and full statement of their opinions on certain +points mentioned by the bishop. They think that, in encomiendas where +both religion and justice are administered, the infidels as well as +the Christians should pay tribute; for they also are vassals of the +king, and receive from him those benefits, and they alone are to blame +if they do not profit by the instruction placed before them. Where +justice is administered, without instruction, the tributes should +be collected, after deducting the amount needed for the support of +religion.] The fundamental reason why your Lordship and we cannot +agree in this matter is, that your Lordship measures it by standards +of sustenance, and we by those of income and just and due tributes; +for since there are so many Christians here, there is no doubt that +the king holds these lands by just title, nor can he in conscience +abandon them. [In regard to making restitution to the Indians for +tributes unjustly collected, the Jesuits would exempt from this the +governors and royal officials; but it should be required from the +encomenderos. If in these matters, however, the bishop and governor do +not agree with them, the fathers will support the position taken by +those authorities. They desire that the latter shall make definite +decision on such points as can be settled, without unnecessary +delay. They oppose the bishop's desire to permit the collection of +a larger part of the tributes from small encomiendas than from large +ones, because this would be not only unjust, but a dangerous precedent +and a source of intolerable confusion and uncertainty. The tributes +should be considered not as the means of support for the encomendero, +but as the right and revenue of the king--a consideration which must +shape all conclusions reached upon this subject. The Indians are not +bound to support the encomendero; that is due him for his services +to the king, who gives him the encomienda for this purpose, and for +means to carry out the obligations of the king to the Indians. If +from this some encomenderos grow rich, that concerns only the king; +it is well that he should have in his colonies powerful men, "who +are the bone and sinew of commonwealths." Besides, the labors and +responsibilities of these men increase in proportion to the size of +their encomiendas; accordingly, they should be duly recompensed. The +services rendered to the natives by the king and the encomenderos are +enumerated; even those which are secular help to maintain religious +instruction, and are also more costly than that; they should then +be well recompensed. The restitution to be made by the encomenderos +is a matter to be decided by the secular rather than the religious +authorities; and such restitution need be only one-fourth of previous +collections. A curious piece of information is here furnished: +"It is known that a priest's district, even if it is not very large, +yields him eight hundred to one thousand pesos; and besides this he +has fees for burials, marriages, etc. There are reports, and even +numerous complaints, from both secular and religious sources, that +for lack of means to pay the fees, many persons do not marry, but +live in concubinage." The Jesuits think that this fee-system is wrong, +and that the priest should be content with his stipend, at least among +the poor, whether Indians or Spaniards; this applies both to regular +clergy and to friars. The bishop is urged to remedy this abuse.] + +[This is followed by another paper, which discusses minutely, +from the standpoint of the logician and theologian, the question of +collecting tribute from infidels who are not provided with religious +instruction; it contains abundant citations from the Scriptures and +from ecclesiastical writers. As it simply elaborates the opinions they +have already stated, we do not here present it.] (_To be concluded_.) + + + + + +Bibliographical Data + + +_Relation of 1586-88_.--The text of this document is obtained from +_Cartas de Indias_, pp. 637-652; but the location of the original +MS. is not indicated by the editor of that work. + +_Decree of August 9, 1589_.--This is obtained from the "Cedulario +Indico" in the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid; its pressmark is: +"Tomo 7, fº 301, nº 449." + +_Customs of the Tagalogs_.--This is one of the appendices to Santa +Ines's _Cronica_; see vol. ii, pp. 592-603. + +_The Chinese and the Parian_.--This is translated from Retana's +_Archivo del bibliofilo filipino_, iii, pp. 47-80. + +All the remaining documents presented in this volume, are obtained +from the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla, and are translated either +from the originals or from transcripts thereof; the pressmark of each +is indicated as follows: + +1. _Letter by Vera_ (1588).--"Simancas-Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas; +cartas y expedientes del gobernador de Filipinas, vistas en el Consejo; +anos 1567 a 1599; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 6." + +2. _Letter by Salazar_ (1588).--"Simancas-Eclesiastico; Audiencia de +Filipinas; cartas y espedientes del arzobispo de Manila vistos en el +Consejo; anos de 1579 a 1599; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 32." + +3. _Letter by viceroy of India_.--"Simancas-Secular; Audiencia de +Filipinas; cartas y expedientes del presidente y oidores de esta +Audiencia vistos en el Consejo; anos 1583 a 1599; est. 67, caj. 6, +leg. 18." + +4. _Letter by Vera_ (1589).--The same as No. 3. + +5. _Conspiracy against the Spaniards_.--The same as No. 3. + +6. _Letter by Ayala_.--The same as No. 3. + +7. _Instructions to Dasmarinas_.--"Simancas-Secular; Audiencia de +Filipinas; registros de oficio y partes; reales ordenes dirigidas a +las autoridades y particulares del distrito de la Audiencia; anos 1568 +a 1605; est. 105, caj. 2, leg. 11, lib. i, fol. 171b-195a, part 2." + +8. _Letter from Portugal_.--The same as No. 3. + +9. _Grant to Salazar_.--"Simancas-Audiencia de Filipinas; consultas +originales correspondientes a dha Audiencia desde el ano 1586 a 1636; +est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 1." + +10. _Letter by Audiencia_.--The same as No. 3. + +11. _Letter by Salazar_ (1590).--The same as No. 2. + +12. _Decree of July 23_, 1590.--The same as No. 3. + +13. _Collection of tributes_ (1591).--The same as No. 2. + + + + + + + +NOTES + +[1] This document is published in _Cartas de Indias_ (pp. 637-652), +under the title, "Letter of petition from the bishop of Manila to the +president of the Council of the Indias, giving information of the +religious condition and needs of the Filipinas Islands; December, +1585." This date is incorrect, as shown by the internal evidence +of the document itself, and probably arises from some error in +the transcription from the original; the cabildo's letter was dated +Dec. 31, 1586, and the bishop's on June 25, 1588 (incorrectly printed +1585 in _Cartas de Indias_). The allusions in this letter indicate +that it was addressed to the king, rather than to the president of +the council. + +[2] Span., _ynsigne e siempre leal ciudad de Manilla_; see the royal +decree conferring this title, in _Vol_. III, pp. 250, 251. + +[3] Span., _naguatatos_, originally a Mexican word. + +[4] The alcaiceria (silk-market) for the Chinese, where their trade +was exclusively carried on, was at first located on the Pasig River, +opposite Manila, and was established by Penalosa (1581?). In 1583 +it was brought within the city (_Vol_. V, p. 237) by his temporary +successor, Diego Ronquillo, and was generally styled "the Parian." An +interesting description of it is given by Salazar in a document, +dated 1590, which appears in the present volume, _post_. The Parian was +long the property of the city; it was destroyed under Governor Basco y +Vargas (1778-87), to make room for other edifices, but was rebuilt by +him in another location; it was finally destroyed in 1860. See Buzeta +and Bravo's _Diccionario_, ii, p. 229; and _Los Chinos en Filipinas_ +(Manila, 1886). + +[5] Lake Bombon, or Taal (_Vol_. III, p. 82). + +[6] We here follow the text as given in _Cartas de Indias (dos mill)_; +but this number, if all the Indians in this province were allotted, +and the number of those in the royal encomienda is correctly given, +should be seven thousand four hundred. + +[7] In 1579 Gabriel de Ribera, who had been one of Legazpi's officers, +was sent to conquer Mindanao--an undertaking, however, which was +unsuccessful. Later, he explored the coasts of Borneo and Patan, and +was afterward sent by Penalosa to Spain, to render an account of the +conquests thus far made in the Indian archipelago. As a reward for +Ribera's services, Felipe II conferred upon him the title of Mariscal +de Bonbon; it is he who is referred to in our text. + +[8] According to _U.S. Philippine Gazetteer_ (pp. 9, 10, 286), there +are now in the province of Ambos Camarines no active volcanoes, +although its mountains form a volcanic chain. The peaks of Labo, +Colasi, Isarog, and Iriga are extinct volcanoes, their height ranging +from 4,000 to 6,450 feet. + +[9] This town was founded by Penalosa (_Vol_. V, p. 26), and named +for his native town, Arevalo in Castilla. The former is located a +few miles west of Iloilo. + +[10] See Candish's own account of this affair in Hakluyt's _Voyages_ +(Goldsmid ed.). xvi, pp. 43-45. + +[11] "The licentiate Palacios, alcalde of court in the Audiencia of +Mexico, who in 1581 made official visits to the ports of Guatulco and +Acapulco, where he had charge of the construction of ships intended +for the Philippine archipelago." (_Cartas de Indias_, p. 820.) + +[12] The Portuguese admiral Don Duarte de Meneses--who had been present +in the negotiations between Legazpi and Pereira in 1569 (_Vol_. II, +pp. 295, 298, 310)--was viceroy of India from November, 1584 until +his death, May 15, 1588. He was succeeded in that office by Manuel de +Sousa Coutinho, the writer of this letter. See Linschoten's _Voyage_ +(Hakluyt Society's trans., London, 1885), pp. 174, 200-203. + +[13] The following table of Chinese weights is given in Clarke's +_Weights, Measures, and Money_ (N.Y., 1888): 10 mace = 1 tael; 16 taels += 1 catty or kan; 2 catties = 1 yin; 50 yin = 1 pecul or tam. The catty += 1 1/3 lbs., or 604.8 grammes. Hence the pecul = 133 1/3 lbs. The shik +is a weight of 160 lbs. In China almost everything is sold by weight. + +[14] _Orejeras_ was the name of a fine grade of gold used by the +Malays; see _Vol_. III, p. 224, and IV, p. 99. + +Exile thus inflicted was of two kinds. The Spanish phrase here is +_seis anos de destierro precisos_--the last word meaning that the +culprit's residence was prescribed in a certain place. In the other +form of exile, read, for _precisos, voluntarios_ ("at will"), which +may be translated "unconditioned"--that is, he might choose his place +of residence. + +[15] Span., _corte_; a now obsolete use of the word, to signify a +district of five leagues around the court. It will be remembered that +Sande, in 1577, fixed the boundaries of the city of Manila within +this limit. (See _Vol_. IV, p. 107.) + +[16] As the names of these notaries do not appear on the MS. from +which our transcript was made, it was probably one of the duplicate +despatches sent to Spain, rather than the first and original document. + +[17] Apparently a reference to the law found in _Recop. leyes Indias_ +(ed. 1841), lib. viii, tit. xx, ley i, which enumerates the offices +that may be sold in the Indias. Cf. ley i, tit. xxi, which relates +to the renunciation of such offices after purchase. + +[18] This was a lay brother, Juan Clemente, who came with the first +Franciscan mission. (1577). He devoted himself to the care of the +sick among the natives, and was in charge of a hospital for them +(founded by himself) for many years. For an account of this charity, +see Santa Ines's _Cronica_, i, pp. 379-392. + +[19] Gomez Perez Dasmarinas was corregidor of Murcia and Cartagena +in Spain when (in 1589) he was appointed governor of the Philippine +Islands. Arriving there in May, 1590, he at once began the task of +providing suitable fortifications for Manila, and a body of paid troops +in place of the irregular and unpaid soldiers who had hitherto been the +only dependence of the Spanish colony. In October, 1593, he formed a +naval expedition to recover the fortress at Ternate; but on the way +thither he was treacherously slain, with nearly all the Spaniards +in his galley, by the Chinese rowers thereon. See Morga's account +of him in _Sucesos_, cap. v, or in Stanley's translation (Hakluyt +Society's publications, no. 39), pp. 32-39; also La Concepcion's +_Hist. de Philipinas_, ii, pp. 177-213. + +[20] The proceedings of Sanchez at the Spanish court, and the +decisions of the government regarding the Philippine colony, are +fully recounted by La Concepcion in his _Hist. de Philipinas_, +ii, pp. 103-148. Sanchez did not return to the Philippines, being +assigned by the general of his order to various duties in Spain; +his death occurred not long afterward. + +[21] For account of Sanchez's embassy, and of his instructions, see the +"Memorial" adopted by the junta of 1586, with accompanying documents, +in _Vol_. VI. + +[22] Regarding the rates thus levied, see _Vol_. V, pp. 29, 30. + +[23] This last sentence is literally translated from the MS which we +follow; but there is evidently a defect or error in the text--probably +arising from some mistake made by the first copyist, as the MS. is +not the first original, but a copy made apparently by some government +clerk. + +[24] For the text of this decree, see p. 137, _ante_. + +[25] With this document cf., throughout, the "Relation" by Miguel de +Loarca, in _Vol_. V of this series. + +[26] Juan de Plasencia, who entered the Franciscan order in early +youth, came to the Philippine Islands as one of the first missionaries +of that order, in 1577. He was distinguished, in his labors among +the natives, for gathering the converts into reductions (villages in +which they dwelt apart from the heathen, and under the special care +of the missionaries), for establishing numerous primary schools, for +his linguistic abilities--being one of the first to form a grammar and +vocabulary of the Tagal language--and for the ethnological researches +embodied in the memoir which is presented in our text. He died at +Lilio, in the province of La Laguna, in 1590. See account of his life +in Santa Ines's _Cronica_, i, pp. 512-522; and of his writings, _Id_., +ii, pp. 590, 591. + +[27] The betel-nut; see _Vol_. IV, p. 222. + +[28] The Aetas, or Negritos, were the primitive inhabitants +of the Philippine Islands; but their origin is not certainly +known. It is perhaps most probable that they came from Papua or New +Guinea. For various opinions on this point, see Zuniga's _Estadismo_ +(Retana's ed.), i, pp. 422-429; Delgado's _Historia general_, part i, +lib. iii, cap. i; and _Report_ of U.S. Philippine Commission, 1900, +iii, pp. 333-335. Invasions of the islands by Indonesian tribes, of +superior strength and culture, drove the Negritos into the forest +and mountain regions of the islands where they dwelt; they still +remain there, in a state of barbarism, but in gradually decreasing +numbers. See the _Report_ above cited (pp. 347-351), for habitat and +physical characteristics of this race. + +[29] For much curious and interesting information regarding these +superstitions, beliefs in demons, etc., see Blumentritt's "_Diccionario +mitologico_," in Retana's _Archivo_, ii, pp. 345-454. + +[30] This paragraph is a quite literal translation of the clause +therein mentioned; the latter (in Portuguese) is at the end of the +original MS. of this document. + +[31] This was the Cardinal Archduke Albert of Austria, nephew of +Felipe II, who in 1583 appointed Albert viceroy of Portugal. In that +post he remained until 1594, when he was removed to the archiepiscopal +see of Toledo. + +[32] The above instructions were intended doubtless for this +document. They occupy a separate sheet in the collection of documents, +but their position warrants this inference. + +[33] The first sentence is the official endorsement by the Council; +the second, evidently that of the king; and the third, that of the +Council's secretary. + +[34] The collection of documents of which the above forms a part +contains a letter from the licentiate Ayala to the king, under date +of June 25, 1590. As in so many letters from royal officials, Ayala +narrates his devotion to the king's service, and especially in the +Philippines, whither he had been ordered suddenly from the Canaries, +his previous post. He begs for a position in Mexico, and means to +return to that country. The king orders that one-half his salary be +given him. + +[35] At that time, Java was supposed to contain two islands; +the western part, inhabited by the people of Sunda, was thought +to be separated by a river from the other, forming an entire +island. Trapobana is a misprint for Taprobana, the ancient name of +Sumatra; and Dacheu, for Achen (Achin). + +[36] The cahiz is equal to twelve fanegas, or nearly nineteen and +one-fifth bushels. + +[37] Villamanrique was removed from his post in 1589, and in his stead +as viceroy of Nueva Espana was appointed Luis de Velasco, Conde de +Santiago, a son of the second viceroy; he reached Mexico on Jan. 25, +1590. "The country made steady progress in every branch of industry +during Velasco's rule; political, commercial, and social conditions +were improved, and prosperity prevailed." (Bancroft, _Hist. Mexico_, +ii, p. 766.) He held the office until 1595, when he was appointed +viceroy of Peru. + +[38] Miguel de Benavides was born about 1550, and came to the +Philippines as one of the first Dominican missionaries (1587). Soon +after his return from China, he sailed (1591) for Spain, where he +acted as procurator of his province. Early in 1598, he returned +to the Philippines as bishop of Nueva Segovia; but the archbishop +Santibanez dying in that same year (Aug. 14), he was succeeded by +Benavides. Under his administration was begun the college of Santo +Tomas at Manila. He died there July 26, 1605. + +[39] Regarding the numbers of Chinese residents at Manila, see +Salazar's own statement in his account of the Parian (p. 230 _ante_.) + +[40] The English pirate Candish, who plundered the "Santa Ana." + +[41] _Fuerca_: as here used, indicates violence to law, done by +ecclesiastical judges; _see_ note 46, in _Vol_. V, p. 292. + +[42] Reference is here made to the archbishop of Mexico, who +had ecclesiastical jurisdiction over the Philippines until the +archbishopric was created there. At the time when Salazar's letter +was written, the see of Mexico had no incumbent, the diocese being +governed by the dean and chapter. + +[43] The MS. from which this document was translated is evidently a +copy of a decree prepared in answer to the request of the citizens of +the Philippines (see the "Memorial" of the general junta, in _Vol_. VI, +p. 166 ff.). + +[44] On the back, this document is signed by members of the royal +Council of the Indias. + +[45] This statement by the bishop, and the twenty-five "conclusions" +which follow it are, in the original document from which we copy, +misplaced in order of time; we therefore restore them to their proper +place, as indicated by their respective dates. + +[46] Apparently a metaphorical use of the word, a religious _double +entendre_. + +[47] The original MS. is in places torn or illegible; and matter +enclosed in brackets, with the translator's initial, gives his +conjectural readings of lacunae. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, V7, +1588-1591, by Emma Helen Blair + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS *** + +***** This file should be named 13701.txt or 13701.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/3/7/0/13701/ + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Distributed Proofreaders Team + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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