The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898: Volume XVII, 1609 1616 by Various

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Your Majesty might wish to have these arguments in briefer form;
but, although I have omitted some things, the matter is of so great
moment that I have not been able to pass over anything that I judge
essential for your proper decision in this matter.

May God preserve your Majesty as Christendom has need. Los Reyes,
April 12, 1612.

LETTER FROM THE BISHOP OF NUEVA SEGOVIA

_Jesus_

I hold it certain that our Lord has placed your very reverend Paternity
in this place--as he did Joseph, for the good of his fatherland and
his brothers--in the government of the kingdoms of this province
of Philipinas, which is one of the most religious that exist at
present, I understand, in our holy order. Although it is one of the
most remote of those therein, it is at present in the greatest need
that your very reverend Paternity extend to it your protection in
a matter which is most just, and which his Majesty is in conscience
bound to aid. It is a fact that the foundation of a college has been
begun in connection with the convent of Santo Domingo in Manila,
in which is to be studied the teaching of our father, St. Thomas,
which is pure and righteous. This enterprise has been so thoroughly
approved in this city that several of the citizens, even before the
walls of the college were finished, began to endow scholarships of a
hundred pesos of income each per annum, wherewith the students may
be supported and clothed, and the more virtuous and worthy can be
selected. As a copy of the rest of the reasons will accompany this,
I do not choose to set them down here, lest I tire your very reverend
Paternity, whose time is so fully occupied.

The fathers of the Society of Jesus some years ago established another
college, which is of no use for the public good; since those who
enter it to study have to clothe themselves at their own expense,
and give a hundred pesos a year for their board, which only the very
rich can do. Accordingly, though many have entered, thus far none have
been ordained priests and ministers; for all turn to the fleshpots of
Egypt. These blessed fathers, it is understood, have made opposition
to our college, and have caused his Majesty to issue a decree to his
governor, Don Juan de Silva, to give information as to whether it is
desirable to continue further the said college. This knight is very
much opposed to the order, because its religious have done their duty
by preaching the truth, and persuading to observance of the royal
decrees of his Majesty, which he has with so much wisdom issued for
the good government of these islands. And even I have suffered a part
of the persecution, because I preached the same thing at the feast
of the Rosary, in the year 612; they took from me my stipend for a
year, and the archbishop sent the sermon to his Majesty. Just now two
other copies are being sent for examination, for he persecutes the
preachers and bishops; accordingly, we may dread information from
the governor--although, on the other hand, the truth has so great
power that I think he will utter it, and particularly as at present
we have peace, thanks be to the Lord. Your very reverend Paternity
should be informed that although this governor is a good soldier,
in matters of government he lacks the best qualification, which is
executive ability and exemplary conduct. Accordingly this country is
in a wretched condition, and he is rich indeed who has the means to
stop the mouths of all that complain.

This province is in great need of religious, as they are the best
ministers, and on account of their vow of poverty are best liked
by the Indians, and those who are most desired; but it seems that
the Council is deliberating whether to give permission for them to
come. As all we who are bishops are informing his Majesty, those
from whom that permission could with justice be taken away are the
calced Augustinian friars; for this province of that order is very
lax, and all who come from there become inactive, and most of them
become traders, and skin the natives. There is a Master Solier there
[_i.e._, in Espana]--who, it is said, is confessor to the president
of the Indias, Marques de Salinas--who is said to have carried [from
here] more than thirty thousand pesos, and to be claiming a great
bishopric. May God free His church from such prelates. This year
there goes from these islands, sent by the governor on his affairs,
another friar of the Augustinians, named Fray Diego de Gevara,
who has been confessor to the said governor, to the great scandal
of this community. He also made visitation of this his province,
and it is public report that he visited the purses. I believe it is
beyond doubt that he is taking letters very favorable to himself,
and he is so kind a man that he promises bishoprics. I write this to
your very reverend Paternity for the relief of my conscience, for I
know that this matter of the bishoprics must rest in your hands; and
bishops may cause great injury here if they are not very exemplary,
fathers of the poor, and free from all avarice.

Father Fray Diego Duarte went to that court as procurator for this
province to bring religious here, which he did in the manner of a
messenger of God. Now, after he had come with the second reenforcement
of them to help carry the burdens of this province, at the command of
his obedience he is returning again to bring more religious; for his
virtue is already recognized in that court, and he too is acquainted
with those who have influence there. I beseech your very reverend
Paternity to receive him as one recommended, and favor him on any
occasions that may arise. May our Lord protect your very reverend
Paternity for many long years, for the good of His church, with many
gifts from His divine favor. Manila, August 15, 1613.

_The Bishop of Nueba Segobia_ [67]

LETTER FROM FELIPE III TO SILVA

The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my
governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president
of my royal Audiencia there. Your letters of July 20, 612, have been
received and examined in my Council of the Yndias, and I was pleased to
learn that you had sent to Nueva Espana, by the ships going that year,
the two hundred quintals of quicksilver [68] of which you informed me;
also of the friendly reception and kind feeling that you encountered
among the Chinese in the matter of selling this metal and bringing
it to Macan, where you say there is established a factory [_i.e._,
trading-post] for this purpose. I feel gratified at the diligence and
care that you have exercised in the matter, and earnestly charge you
to advance this matter, and strive that the quantity of quicksilver
that you shall purchase and send to Nueva Espana may be as large as
possible, in accordance with the request of the viceroy. You will
keep in close correspondence with him, and not draw on any money
that he may have sent you or shall send you in the future for this
purpose, for any of your own needs, however great. You will try to
foster this trade in such manner that it may be at as little cost as
possible. It has been thought best to advise you to consider whether
it would be possible to procure the quicksilver by having the Chinese
bring it with a clearance direct to the Philipinas, and thus do away
with the factory in Macan. For with the latter there cannot fail
to be difficulties, as the Portuguese merchants do not trade in the
quicksilver; besides, it would seem that the metal would be furnished
by this method at a lower price. I do not mention other objections
that have been considered. However, the documents that you mention
will be sent through the Council of Portugal.

What you mention in regard to the eight pesos paid by the Sangleys
who last year remained in the country, for each license, is well;
and I charge you to exercise the care which is of so much importance,
that no difficulties shall result from their presence and intercourse
in those islands.

All the papers that you send regarding the violations of law that are
imputed to the royal officials have been examined in my said Council;
and provision has been made therefor, as you are already aware by
the despatches which were sent to you. In view of the fact that the
investigation and process concerning their guilt, which you wrote me
you would send, is at present being awaited, and you have not done so,
I order you to comply with the orders that you received by the said
despatches (duplicates of which accompany this) so that, if you have
not received the originals, you may by these understand what is to be
done regarding the appointment of persons which you say you have made,
to serve in their offices in the interim.

What you say concerning the measures you have taken to regulate
the dues which the encomenderos of those islands enjoy, from the
encomiendas which they possess, has been considered, and the result
will be awaited at the first opportunity.

You did well to advise me of what the king of Japon wrote you to
the effect that he can not obstruct the friendship into which he has
entered with the Dutch, and the desire that he also has to maintain
friendly relations with my vassals. The matter is being looked into,
and at the proper time the result will be written to you.

It was likewise proper to give me an account of all you mention in
regard to the permission that Sebastian Vizcayno gave in Japon for
a ship to go thence laden with merchandise for Nueva Espana; and the
difficulties that in your opinion may result from the opening of this
trade, of which I am informed.

In the matter of the assessments and contributions which you say the
Indians pay, and the annoyances which they suffer on this account from
the religious who are instructing them, you speak in general terms of
all the orders in those islands; whereas it would have been best to
write to me particularly as to which orders have thus transgressed,
and to send the investigations that have been made. And, since
the protection and guardianship of the Indians is in your charge,
you should attend to them, in so far as lies in your department,
so that they may not receive any injury or grievance. You should
always carry out the provisions and ordinances in their favor,
proceeding with the religious by discreet and legal measures, and
advising with the Audiencia. You will strive to deal prudently with
the archbishop of that city, maintaining amicable relations with him,
so that from the government of both may follow the good results that
are desirable; for any lack of harmony between those who govern must
always result in evil, besides the general scandal and the bad example
that is furnished. The same is being written to the archbishop,
and he is ordered to avoid the exercise of censures in the cases
that you describe in your letter, since it is not proceeding against
the religious to give me information concerning occurrences. You are
informed of this, that you may understand the matter. As for what you
say regarding the entrance of the said archbishop in his pall, in spite
of the decree sent him which directs the contrary, I have written to
him that he should not have done this, but should have complied with
the decree, and observed the custom in these kingdoms; of this, too,
you are informed so that, being aware of it, you may take care that the
said decree is complied with as I command you to do. As to the other
matters contained in your letters, decisions will soon be reached,
and the result will be written to you soon. Pardo, December 2, 1613.

_I The King_

Countersigned by:
_Juan Ruiz de Contreras_
Signed by the members of the Council.

DOCUMENTS OF 1616

Recommendations regarding the archbishopric of Manila. [Council
of the Indias?]; 1613-16.
Letter to Felipe III. Valerio de Ledesma, S.J.; August 20.
Portuguese and Spanish expedition against the Dutch, 1615. Juan
de Rivera and Valerio de Ledesma, S.J.; [1616?].

_Sources_: The first document is obtained from the original MS. in the
Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla. The second, and the first part of
the third, are found in the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), i,
pp. 403-429; the remainder of the third, in Colin's _Labor evangelica_
(Madrid, 1663,) pp. 802-810.

_Translations_: The first document is translated by Robert W. Haight;
the remainder, by James A. Robertson.

RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE ARCHBISHOPRIC OF MANILA

Sire:

Licentiate Diego Vazquez de Mercado, archbishop of the metropolitan
church of the city of Manila in the Philipinas Islands, by a
letter written your Majesty on the first of July, 610, submits
that, as that church has been without a prelate for a long time,
he finds the affairs of the church in a condition far from what
they should be, and much in need of correction; but, owing to his
great age and the hardships he has undergone, he is very deficient
in health and strength to fulfil the obligations of a good prelate,
and that therefore he finds it necessary to appeal to your Majesty,
that you may be pleased to relieve him from that burden, and receive
his resignation of the archbishopric, which he tenders. And he asks
that, in case this favor is not extended to him, there be named and
appointed a person of suitable qualifications as his coadjutor,
with the future succession, and this should be done as soon as
possible. This has been examined in the Council; and they regard as
actual and valid the hindrances which he represents. Considering the
urgent request which he makes in the letter to your Majesty and in
others which he has written to private persons to the same effect;
his advanced age and his failing health, and the great distance from
Espana to that church, where a person would have to be sent to take
his place in case he should fail; and the great inconvenience that
would result if it was so long without a prelate as has been seen by
experience--it has appeared very expedient to appoint for him, with
the future succession a coadjutor, of the requisite qualifications,
age, and vigor, so that he can fulfil the obligations of a prelate,
and attend to the pastoral ministration. It is recommended that he
he given, for his fitting support, a third part of the income of the
archbishopric, besides the occasional fees [_ovenciones_] and its
visitation--it being understood that the archbishops of that church
are granted a decree to the effect that if the returns do not amount to
three thousand ducados a year, what is lacking will be furnished them
from the royal exchequer. If your Majesty be pleased to approve this,
the persons who appear best fitted for that church will be proposed
to you, so that at the same time when you write to his Holiness on
the matter, the presentation of the person whom your Majesty would
nominate, may be sent to him. Madrid, June 28, 1613.

[_Endorsed_: "In order not to institute coadjutorships in such cases,
let the Council ascertain whether there is any person for those regions
who, being appointed in his own right, might aid in performing the
archbishop's duties; and if such a one be found, advise me of it, and
of what is to be done regarding the resignation of the archbishop."]

Sire:

In the year 613, your Majesty was given an account of the reasons
set forth by Licentiate Don Diego Vazquez de Mercado, archbishop
of the metropolitan church of the city of Manila in the Philipinas
Islands, why he should be given a coadjutor. The Council was of
opinion that your Majesty might command it to be examined, with the
enclosed advice; and your Majesty was pleased to answer: [Here is
repeated the endorsement on the letter preceding this]. In order
to give better satisfaction to your Majesty, and to report on the
state of affairs in those islands, we have waited for the coming of
the letters. As for himself, the archbishop persisted in his claim,
which was explained to your Majesty in writing on the fourth of May,
614, and the second of August, 615. He considers himself of no use
in the government of his church, as he is more than seventy years of
age, with many infirmities; and he is anxious over the failure that
gives cause for regarding him as remiss, and the fact that he can not
fulfil his obligations, nor make easy the conscience of your Majesty,
and is burdening his own. As a result of this his jurisdiction is
becoming every day less; and owing to his inability to punish them,
and take needful measures, there is cause to fear that there may be
increase of certain sins. It is but right that this should be remedied
in due time, by sending a successor. Again he beseeches your Majesty
to appoint one, so that he may continue to fulfil the obligations of
that office; and that, for his own support, he be left two thousand
of the three thousand ducados which your Majesty has commanded to
be given him. In the letters from the religious orders of these
islands it is evident how fitting and just it is to concede to the
archbishop what he asks. Having considered and examined into this,
the Council is of the same opinion as in the said advice of 613;
and thinks that your Majesty, conformably thereto, may consider it
desirable to ask his Holiness to grant the archbishop a coadjutor with
the future succession, who will be given a third of the stipend of that
archbishopric--namely, one thousand ducados--besides the occasional
fees and the visitation of the archbishopric, leaving to the archbishop
the other two-thirds. It should be through a coadjutorship, because
in this form it appears more suitable, and in accordance with the
petition he makes, and with the customary action in similar cases. If
your Majesty be pleased to approve, persons in that region and in the
archbishopric will be considered in regard to the qualifications that
are required for that church. Madrid, the first of July, 616.

LETTER FROM LEDESMA TO FELIPE III

_Abstract of a letter from the provincial of the Society of Jesus,
Valerio de Ledesma, to the king, informing him of the condition of
the Filipinas Islands._ [69]

In this letter Father Valerio made complaint to the king that the
condition of the country was most unhappy and unfortunate, and
resembled a sick man in the throes of death. He declared that the
trade of the ships from China and Nueva Espana, which was sustaining
and enriching the islands, had fallen off in great measure, and much
more in its profits; for in the year 1616 no more than seven ships
had gone there, although formerly as many as fifty or sixty were
wont to go; and as for Acapulco, no ships had been sent in either
direction. Even if they should be despatched, they were in danger
not only from corsairs but from stormy weather.

Great armaments had been organized in a short time, to drive out the
Dutch; but for that very reason, the inhabitants had been compelled to
make vast sacrifices at the cost of their fortunes. Hence they were
in so ruined a condition that the three or four wealthiest citizens
had been unable to equip a ship to be sent to Acapulco. The Indians
were so exhausted and harassed with tributes, new impositions, and
personal services, [70] that it became necessary for many, after they
had nothing more to give (since they had given all their possessions),
to give their persons to others, as slaves, so that the latter might
give for them what they themselves did not possess.

The enemies with whom the Spaniards had to contend were numerous
and gave them no respite--namely, the Mindanaos, Caragas, Sanguils,
Joloans, Dutch, and English and of these last, all those eastern
districts were full of their boats, so that no voyage could be made
without meeting them; and there was no security from them.

To these calamities was due the death of Governor Juan de Silva,
who, all had hoped, was to free these islands and those of Maluco
from the invasions and piracies of the Dutch.

He closed by petitioning the king to send forces to sustain the
declining colony, as it was so important, and so precious a portion
of the Spanish monarchy.

[Dated Manila, August 20, 1616, and signed _Valerio de Ledesma_,
[71] provincial of the Society of Jesus.]

PORTUGUESE AND SPANISH EXPEDITION AGAINST THE DUTCH, 1615

After the Dutch pirates began to sail the seas of Eastern India
and the archipelago of Filipinas, and to carry cloves from Maluco,
silks from China, and drugs from the adjacent islands, they began
also to cripple the cities that were sustained by the trade, which
are the principal cities; because the seas were infested, and there
was little security on them from those pirates. They, from the first
year of their entrance into the Orient, coasted the shores, sounded
the ports, and established trading-posts in the chief places, which
they filled with people whom they brought from Holanda. Consequently,
by the year 1614, the Dutch had eighteen armed galleons in the South
Sea, and they burned the city of Arevalo, where the food for Maluco was
stored, and committed many other depredations, which obliged Don Juan
de Silva, governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, to
prepare a large fleet to attack them and drive them from our seas. But,
thinking that the forces of the Filipinas were insufficient to attend
to so many things at once--the support of the camp in Maluco; the
defense of the city of Manila, which is in sight of twenty thousand
Chinese (who had already, in 1603, risen against it and incited a
war); and sallies to fight the enemy--it was determined to ask help
from the viceroy of India and to join the two forces, Castilian and
Lusitanian, who are especially being attacked by the Dutch. Indeed,
the letters-patent given to them by Count Mauricio read that they are
to make war on the Castilians and Portuguese. Besides this argument,
it is evident that Yndia is not less interested in driving out those
enemies than are the Filipinas.

Father Juan de Rivera, [72] then rector of the residence of the
Society of Jesus at Manila, was appointed to negotiate this league and
reenforcement. He prepared himself in a few days and left for Yndia on
November 21 of the year 1615. He reached Malaca on Tuesday, December 9,
by Manila reckoning, but Wednesday by that of Malaca; for the date for
those sailing west is later, and earlier for those sailing east. [73]

From Malaca he journeyed to Cochin, and from Cochin to Goa, at the
time when Yndia was engaged in the wars of the north; because peace
with the great Mogor [74] had been broken. The viceroy had gone with
a powerful fleet to capture, if possible, four English ships anchored
at Surate, where he received the letters belonging to our voyage and
embassy. Considering the importance of the matter, he hastened his
return and went to Goa. There he furnished four galleons for the said
help, and three hundred or more soldiers, appointing as commander of
the latter Don Francisco de Miranda Enrriquez. [75]

The latter left Goa May 12. The voyage, which is generally
thirty days, lasted three and one-half months. We ran short of
water in the middle of the open stretch, and thought that we were
lost, on account of having been despatched with broken tanks and
hogsheads. Together with this was the disorder among the soldiers of
Yndia, who surreptitiously took with them many servants of their own
and of other people, so that it was necessary to support these people
aboard the vessel. These afterward consumed the food, and then caught
and spread a pestilence. Although there were only one hundred and
ten soldiers in our galleon, there were about seven hundred persons,
mostly negroes and Cafres; of these many were free, although nominally
slaves, as Don Gonzalo de Silva, bishop of Malaca, who was aboard
the same galleon, testified. He declared that many lads were free,
even some whom they were taking as captives. This is a general sin,
wherefore some Portuguese authors say, with Father Hernando Rabelo,
that God is punishing Yndia and the Portuguese nation, which alone
has more slaves than any other nation of the world.

July 30 we met two Dutch ships, which were apparently going from
Palliacate [_i.e._, Palicat] to carry aid to Maluco. Our galleon fought
singlehanded with those two ships, because the other galleons were
far to leeward. The enemy had waited two days between us, without our
knowing it, in order to show themselves at a favorable opportunity. So
great is the confidence of the Portuguese that they did not fear
them. They said that they were ships from Cochin, and that, had they
known in time that they were enemies, they could have captured them
easily. In short they remained a cannon-shot from the flagship, and so
fought until night, when they made off badly battered--as we learned
later from the people of Achen, on whose coast one of the ships was
immediately wrecked, having sprung a leak through the effect of our
balls and their own firing. They only killed two of our men. After the
battle, our galleon ran aground on a shoal, on the eve of our Lady of
the Assumption, near Pulo Parcelar. At the first shock, the helm was
shifted seaward, and all that night we tossed up and down dreadfully
until, next morning, we miraculously got off the shoal. We reached
the strait of Sincapura on August 10, where, as the pilots said the
Manila monsoon was over, we determined to run to Malaca.

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