The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898, by Ed. by Blair and Robertson

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I have responded to almost all the points of a paper which your
Majesty ordered me to write on the sixteenth of February of the past
year 1602--as your Majesty will command to be examined in my answer,
to which I refer you, merely saying that there I explain everything
which might be said in this.

Christoval de Azqueta, captain and sargento-mayor of this camp,
has passed more than twenty-eight years in these islands. During all
this time he has been occupied in the service of your Majesty in the
affairs of war, and a very good account of him has been given. He
is one of the most serviceable men I have for this employment; for,
besides being a very good soldier, he has wide experience in all the
islands and their ports. Likewise I was very well satisfied with
his person on account of his having so well and so industriously
attended to his duty as sargento-mayor at the time when the Sangleys
had invested this city. It being understood that a great body of
them had fortified themselves at San Pablo and another at Batangas,
and that they were in a region where much food could be obtained on
short notice, as it was near the harvest time in those provinces,
it was resolved that some person of tried valor should go to punish
them, being provided with a number of Indian arquebusiers, archers,
and other soldiers, and a few Japanese, with one hundred and fifty
Spaniards, and the necessary munitions for that purpose. I chose for
this the said sargento-mayor, Christoval de Azqueta, and he left with
his troops. He went about it so skilfully that the undertaking was
successful, and all the Sangleys were left dead except a few whom
he brought for the galleys. Therefore, considering the condition in
which this colony was, and the risk which he ran in this service, it
was one of the most important which have ever been performed in these
islands for your Majesty. I have desired to give the sargento-mayor
some testimonial for his honor and gratification, but I have not done
so because I had not the means to do so. I have therefore offered
him this, to give him a good encomienda; and accordingly it will be
given and allotted to him in the name of your Majesty, at the first
opportunity. He has, moreover, earned it by the services which he
performed long ago. It is fitting that it should be known that your
Majesty favors and honors those who serve him, so that others may
be encouraged to do the same. It has seemed best to me to give an
account of this to your Majesty and to beseech you, as I do, that
you should be pleased to command that the affairs and claims of the
sargento-mayor always be favored, and that honor and grace be done
him; for in this affair I can assure you, the service which he has
done here was greater than appears by this writing.

The punishment of the Sangleys being accomplished, there remains
to us another care no less great, which is the suspicion we have
that within a short time a great fleet is to come from China to take
possession of this country, as I wrote your Majesty last year. This
arises from the coming of the mandarins, and from information that
some of those Chinese who were punished for their guilt in their
uprising were trying to circulate. Accordingly all the people were
persuaded that this rebellion depended upon that; and at one time a
rumor was current to the effect that seven hundred Chinese ships had
been seen not far from here--on which occasion it seemed best to me to
put things in order as thoroughly as if I had certain advice that the
said fleet was on this coast. Among other precautions which I took,
I appointed for the company left vacant by Don Tomas Brabo (my nephew,
whom the Sangleys killed in the uprising), Captain Juan de Villacon,
as he is a soldier who has spent many years in Flandes, and during
that time had been the alferez of Don Luis Brabo de Acuna, my brother;
and because he has had experience in the conduct of war in besieged
cities--as it was expected this one must be so in a short time, and
as we had very few or none to whom we could have recourse in such a
case. It was necessary for me to urge and coax him, and he accepted
it because it was on such an occasion, and to please me. Although the
auditors were in the midst of so many cares, and I was hard at work
fortifying the weak places, erecting bulwarks and opening trenches,
they issued an act in which they commanded me to make appointments
according to the royal ordinances, and that in the meantime there
should be no changes--as if that were the time for such offices to be
filled by whomsoever the auditors wish and ask to do it, or in which
to be considering ordinances, instead of what was most fitting for your
Majesty's service and the good of the cause. It was necessary in order
to make them understand this, or make them willing to understand it,
to use much time and energy; and they finally approved of it as if
they were doing me some great honor. By this event your Majesty may
see to what tune the affairs of war were going, with demands and
responses. God was pleased to bring it about that the information
which I sent from Macan caused the Chinese not to collect any
fleet in China for the present, and that the merchant ships came;
I accordingly dismissed Captain Villacon, giving him his discharge,
seeing that the reason for his accepting the said company had ceased;
I have thought best to give an acount of this to your Majesty, that
you may be informed thereof, and may have given such order as may be
expedient in similar cases which may arise in the future.

The decree which your Majesty ordered to be sent to me with the
declaration of the places which must be taken in the processions and
public acts by the president, auditors, and prelates when they take
part therein together, arrived at a very opportune time, and has been
necessary to avoid the troubles which have arisen with the archbishop
in this regard, as he would not be persuaded that this was the will
of your Majesty; but he is satisfied with the decree.

We are on good terms with the emperor of Japon, and likewise with
his vassals who come here to trade and to make money on flour, hams,
tunny-fish, nails, iron, weapons, and other things which they bring to
sell. They go back with loads of deerskins and Chinese merchandise, as
they have always done. This year, owing to the loss of the ship from
Macan, they brought some money and spent it. I have overlooked this
for the present, and allowed it to be done in order not to displease
them. But I have warned them not to bring any more, or I shall not
give them any chance to employ it.

The accountant Juan de Bustamante, who acts in that capacity for
the royal exchequer of your Majesty in these islands, is very old,
infirm, and crippled, for which reason the affairs of his office are
not so well expedited as they should be. I last year besought your
Majesty to order him retired and pensioned, and to appoint a person
in his place. At present I shall again make the same suggestion,
as it appears to me important for the service of your Majesty.

The Marques of Montes Claros, [31] viceroy of Nueva Hespana, last year
made the allotment of the money which your Majesty has graciously
permitted to be assigned to the citizens of these islands. As this
cannot be done punctually in Mexico, and there are in that country
interested persons--perchance the very ones who are apportioning
the money, or giving their advice therein--there have been many
complaints. This could not be otherwise, as Mexico is so far away
and they cannot know there what each of the citizens here has and
deserves, and what ought to be given them. The viceroy writes that
he did the best he could, and could do no better, and accordingly
I believe him. He likewise wrote me to send him some information in
regard to this matter. What I have done is to appoint eight persons
from the most honored of this colony, and disinterested in the matter
of partnership, to make the allotment among the citizens, as is done
with the cargo, considering what is most expedient and most just
and satisfactory for the people; and it has been so done. I have
allotted to the distributers themselves their own part because I was
not willing that they should allot it. I have sent the memorandum
to the viceroy. Your Majesty will be pleased to order that the said
allotment be made in accordance therewith, as well as the licenses; and
that, this be continued from year to year; for it is most expedient,
and with it there will be less uncertainty and fraud.

The royal treasury of these islands is in great need of inspection
and reform. It should be put in good order and well regulated; for,
according to the officials, there are no ordinances, nor is there
proper government and administration for the property. Although
I do what I can to maintain it, some measure must be taken in this
regard which will be more radical and put it on an entirely different
footing from the present one. The original inspection made in past
years was by the factor, Francisco de las Missas, alone. I have this
in my possession, and a copy of it was sent to the Council by Doctor
Morga, who took it. As the commission for the inspection of the other
officers--delivered to me in order that the late licentiate Cambrano,
might make it--covers only the time of four months (which is not
even a long enough period to look over the papers), I instructed
them to take a further adjournment, so that this vacancy in the
inspector's office should not cause the neglect of necessary work;
and accordingly I am doing so at present. Your Majesty will command
according to your pleasure.

It has likewise seemed best to give your Majesty an account of the
inexpediency of appointing as inspector of the auditors any of their
companions, especially those who have exercised that office at the
same time with them, and given judgment in the same affairs; for if
one of them has acted unjustly, the other one may have done so as
well, and might not perform his duty in reprimanding or inspecting
those whom he should. Your Majesty will order as is most expedient.

In the despatches which I have sent from here since I arrived via Nueva
Hespana, I have advised your Majesty of the great difficulty which
lies in the appointment by the viceroy of Mexico of persons there,
as the commanders, admirals, and other officials who come and go on
the ships; and how important it was that they should be appointed
here from those who have here served your Majesty, for the reasons
which I there gave, as your Majesty will command to be examined. The
same matter confronts me now, and every day I am coming more to see
the great injury which this commonwealth suffers, without finding any
means for its redress. I promise your Majesty that I am not moved to
this step by the greater importance which this office will then have,
but only for the service of your Majesty, and by seeing that this
is as I have said in my other letter; and that there is great need
of reform, in order to ward off disaster at all points, for it is
very near. May our Lord protect the Catholic person of your Majesty,
in the prosperity which is necessary for Christendom. Manila,

July 15, 1604.

_Don Pedro de Acuna_

It is not expedient that there should be an Audiencia in the
Philipinas.

Sire:

For a long time I have been reflecting upon the matter which I shall
here mention, and many times I have resolved to give your Majesty
an account of it, and of others as important. I have been kept back
and restrained, by fear that it might or could be suspected that
I was moved by some personal interest or passion; but owing to the
difficulties which have confronted me in one way and another, having
consulted and conferred with serious religious and other persons,
both ecclesiastical and lay, who look at the matter dispassionately
[_MS. defective_] resolved not to delay any longer, for it appeared
to me that otherwise I did not act in accordance with the obligations
of my office, or the favor which your Majesty has done me by putting
me in this position.

Your Majesty has a royal Audiencia in these island with four auditors,
one fiscal, and other officers, whereby your Majesty spends each
year sixteen thousand five hundred pesos. It seems that this might
be dispensed with for the reasons set forth in the paper which goes
with this, and to which I refer, only adding (what I may say in all
truth) that, although this commonwealth is in the greatest trouble,
through the many causes of death, wars, conflagrations, afflictions,
shipwrecks, and the destruction of so much property, as your Majesty
has learned, there is nothing which it feels more keenly today, or
which afflicts it more, than to have the Audiencia here judging, and
with it to lack all freedom of person or property. The name of auditor
is so odious here that it alone offends; and we have come to such a
state of affairs that because I, in conformity to what your Majesty
has ordered, have attempted to maintain and have maintained amicable
relations with the auditors; and have shown, on various occasions,
more patience and endurance than the people considered right; and
more than seemed fitting to my situation, in order not to give rise
to scandal: some have conceived hatred for me, publicly saying that,
to comply with the expenditures and opinions of the said auditors,
I was neglecting to look after them, and that I could correct the
evil which the Audiencia was doing. But as I cannot do that, it has
seemed to me the best means to let the public see that there was good
feeling between me and the Audiencia, and to give an account to your
Majesty now of the reasons which lead me to this conclusion, in a
letter separate from other matters, as I am now doing, and to which
I refer you. I shall end by saying that I remind your Majesty that no
private interest moves me to take this step, but merely the obligation
and zeal which I have always had and now have for the service of your
Majesty. This is vouched for by the fact that, a year ago, I sent my
brothers the order and authority to beseech your Majesty to be pleased
to grant me the favor of commanding an appointment for this charge,
and giving me permission to go to Espana, where I might continue
my service more nearly in the sight of your Majesty; and although I
hold it certain that this was not neglected, I would again on this
occasion lay on them the same obligation, and beg your Majesty to be
pleased to command that my request be favorably regarded. May our Lord
protect the Catholic person of your Majesty through many long years,
with the prosperity necessary to Christendom. Manila, July 15, 1604.

_Don Pedro de Acuna_

[_In the margin_: "Let it be answered that his letter is received,
and have him thanked for his zealous interest and care in all that
he mentions. Respecting what he says of abolishing the Audiencia,
suitable measures have been taken, and for the present nothing will
be done in regard to it. As to the general statements made in his
report, in regard to the trade and traffic which he speaks of and the
proceedings of the Audiencia, let him give particular information
of what auditor or officer is trading in this way, and whatever is
worthy of correction--so that, having considered it in the Council,
fitting measures may be taken."]

[_Endorsed_: "Manila, to his Majesty; 1604. Don Pedro de Acuna, on the
fifteenth of July, concerning the inexpediency of having an Audiencia
in the Philipinas. July 20, 1606, examined and decreed within."]

Reasons why there should be no Audiencia in the Filipinas Islands,
and why the one there should be abolished.

In all the islands there are not more than twelve hundred Spaniards;
and the suits are so few that for the greater part of the year the
Audiencia has nothing to do, and there is no business to be despatched
therein, and the auditors are dismissed after having passed judgment on
a few petitions from Indians--and sometimes not even these, because
none are presented. The administrative session is just the same,
and most of the time only exists in name.

There are no cases here of importance which cannot be adjudged by the
alcaldes-in-ordinary; and if we had a lawyer for a lieutenant-governor,
as we used to have before the said Audiencia was established, that
is sufficient for business--which would be despatched with less
difficulty, and without the Audiencia being missed; for when there
is any suit of importance, which seldom happens, appeal can be made
to the Audiencia of Mexico, as was formerly done.

It must be taken into consideration that each auditor or fiscal
brings with him, his household, wife, children, and relatives, who
are drawn by the idea of coming to the Yndias, and has other creatures
and connections; and for one and all of them he must procure aid and
favor so that they may become rich; for this is the aim and intention
with which they come here. Accordingly, although your Majesty has
commanded that the livings and offices of these islands be given to the
old citizens and those deserving of these rewards, the auditors and
their wives bring it about that the said relatives, dependents, and
other persons whom they bring with them are the first to be provided
for. If the governors do not consent to this, the auditors dislike
them, and seek means and expedients whereby the worthy persons to
whom the said offices and livings are given shall not be received
therein. Accordingly the governors, in order not to displease the
auditors, give up their claims and dare not insist upon them.

The said creatures and connections of the said auditors trade and
traffic a great deal in merchandise from China; and the citizens
complain that it is with the auditors' money (their own, or borrowed),
and that with the favor they receive they cause great injury to the
commonwealth, for they take up the whole cargo. They desire to be
preferred therein, and in buying the cloth, and in every other way,
try to take advantage. If the president wishes to remedy this they do
not cease to offer him little annoyances; for the auditors know how to
magnify themselves, in such a manner that they give one to understand
that any one of them is greater than he; and they attain this by
saying that what the president and governor does they can cancel,
and that what the auditors decree has no appeal, recourse, or redress.

This country is not at peace but at war; and it is therefore more
fitting for the time being to attend particularly to military affairs
and to the government, for our defense, than to keep courts of high
justice. For in countries so new the rigor of the law should not
be applied in all cases; and, when some punishment must be applied,
they say that it shall not be done, and are of no use except to undo
what the governor and captain-general orders (as well in matters of
war as of government), although these things may be quite just.

All the resources of this land are scanty, but if there is anything
good the auditors also say that they want it for themselves; and when
there is a Chinese embroiderer, tailor, carver, or other workman,
they proceed to take him into their houses and have him do much
work--in such a way that the Sangley himself has no freedom. Such
benefits do not extend to the citizens; but rather, if any of these
things are available, the said auditors demand them and by entreaty
or intimidation get possession of them. It is the same thing in
regard to jewels, slave men and women, articles of dress, and other
things--in such manner that, as experience has proved to me since
I have considered it very well, when there were very few officers
in this colony affairs went more smoothly, and the affairs of the
service of God and your Majesty in a more orderly manner. Aid could
be given to the one or the other, and to the defense of this land,
with fewer hindrances and less difficulty; for in my opinion there
is no one who in one way or another is not seeking his own gain and
private interest, and the more there are of them the greater injury
is wrought. We are compelled to overlook these things, and others of
more importance, that we may not experience worse trouble; for we are
unable to do more, as your Majesty is five thousand leguas from here,
and redress comes so slowly.

The same trouble arises in the matter of provisions, each one looking
after the care of his own house without considering the needs of others
or of the poor, who should be looked after; consequently nothing can
be heard but complaints and clamors from the people--poor and rich,
and of all conditions--loudly asserting that the auditors are seeking
everything for themselves.

Since in what regards the payment of their salaries they consider
and assert that these must be preferred and the first paid even
if it be from the stated fund for the religious orders, bishops,
ministers of instruction, and for the military forces, who are before
them in order--they have difficulties and misunderstandings with the
royal officials; and as the said auditors do not care for the great
importance of paying the soldiers, and look only to their private
interests, I have had many complaints from the said royal officers,
as they must have written you.

The soldiers, captains, master-of-camp, and military officials are
greatly discontented and grieved at the ill-treatment which the said
auditors accord them; and at seeing that they are hindered by them,
an auditor commanding at his will the arrest of a captain, official or
soldier, without cause or reason, and interfering in all the details of
service--even going so far as to inspect their quarters, and send them
to the public prison, for very trivial affairs, against all military
precedents. If affairs are going in an orderly and concerted way, it
is when the auditors do not meddle with them; for all this concerns
primarily the chief commander and officers provided therefor. Judging
by the state in which things are in the Filipinas today, and in the
opinion of right-thinking men, soldiers are of more use and benefit
in the commonwealth than are judges, for the former do more than
their share, and the others are deficient. Considering the evil which
results to the soldiers from seeing themselves punished and checked by
so many magistrates; the hardships which they so commonly endure, and
the occasions which are every day arising where these are necessary;
and in view of the scant and poor pay which is given them, and as
they are the defenders of the land, and are so far distant and little
favored; and seeing the great hindrance which the Audiencia is for
military affairs--for they will give no opportunity for the execution
of edicts, nor do they attend to what is necessary, as it appears
to them that they are sufficient for everything; and that they can
manage this matter like those which they have studied--we may fear
some irreparable injury. We should immediately prepare for this,
especially as the enemies which we have here are not like those in
other parts of the Yndias, but much greater in number and more skilful
in war, and accordingly more adroitness and prudence are necessary
to maintain us; and the soldiers must be content and well paid,
and ordered by their leaders, of whom they should not have so many.

The property which your Majesty has here is very little for the
ordinary expenses which every day arise; and if it is not brought
here from Mexico with more care and punctuality than hitherto,
affairs cannot be maintained here in any way. Even with that which
is sent we suffer much hardship; and accordingly it is necessary to
avoid expense, so far as is possible. That which is incurred for the
auditors and Audiencia is not so insignificant, as it is not less than
sixteen thousand five hundred pesos, not counting other expenses; and
then the fines from condemnations, which they apply to suit their own
convenience. These amounts, taken altogether, would be enough for an
armed fleet, with which to help in the defense of this land--which is
needed badly enough, but which for lack of money we cannot equip--and
many other things could be remedied. In the future there will be
still more difficulty in this matter, because of the extraordinary
expenses which have resulted from the uprising of the Sangleys, and the
deficiency which on this acount has this year resulted in the royal
duties on merchandise from China, which goes as high as thirty-five
to forty thousand pesos; and there is a further loss of five or six
thousand pesos each year, which is the amount of the tributes from
the Sangleys--an income that we formerly received, which is now at
an end. Consequently, I do not believe that the Audiencia will be of
any use at all, but rather it will cause great injury to the service
of your Majesty and the welfare of this commonwealth. Even if the
two were not rivals, I doubt very much if the Audiencia could be
maintained without there being great deficiency in everything else,
if their salaries are to be paid here. I consider it more advantageous
and safe to spend what the said Audiencia draws in salaries, to aid
in paying the soldiers and maintaining the fleet of galleys which
[_MS. defective_] we defend, and not the presence of the said auditors
and Audiencia, as they themselves assert who were of the opinion that
the Audiencia should again be established; for this country is not even
in a state to be able to bear such a burden, as it is so ill provided,
as I have said, and so borne down with troubles and even with war.

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