Chapter 9

Then the licentiate Pedro de Rojas, lieutenant-governor, said that the substance of the reply to the king of Xapon's letter, as read, was very prudent and discreet, and that its warmth and spirit were proper in view of the arrogant words written by the emperor in his letter; but that in his opinion, it would be well to follow the reserved and dignified style generally used among such personages, and to leave out some words, especially in that part referring to the falsity of the prophecies, where other arguments could be advanced. The master-of-camp and other captains present were of the same opinion. The decision of the question was, therefore, postponed until the next day, when an amended reply would be presented. This resolution was signed, by the licentiate Pedro de Rojas, Diego Ronquillo, Juan Xuarez Gallinato, Gomez de Machuca, Pedro de Chaves, Don Juan Ronquillo, Diego de Castillo, Pedro de Arceo Cuevasruvias, Juan Esquerra, Hernando Muñoz de Poyatos, Don Francisco de Poça, Francisco de Mercado Andrade, Christoval de Azqueta, Juan de Alcega, Don Diego Jordano, Antonio Decanedo, Gaspar Perez.

Before me:

_Juan de Cuellar_

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-eighth day of April, one thousand five hundred and ninety-four, the master-of-camp and captains who attended the preceding council of war met a second time at the royal house by order of and in the presence of Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, governor and captain-general, to decide concerning the reply to be sent to the letter of Cuambaco, the emperor of Xapon, as had been agreed upon the day before. It had then been decided to omit from the said reply some of the arguments, and to substitute others, briefer and less likely to provoke or annoy him, leaving in it only such things as are required for the fulfilment of our duties as Christians, and as subjects of our king, and for the sake of our good name. In conformity with this decision, the letter having been so amended, the governor ordered it to be read aloud, so that the said master-of-camp and captains could give their opinion as to whether it was proper and desirable to send it; and it was read as follows:

_The Letter_

The letter addressed by your Grandeur to my father was received by me as the person left in charge of the government of this land at his death, which occurred on the way to Maluco. He was treacherously killed while sleeping one night, without apprehension or precaution, as one who did not dream of having enemies or traitors with him. The traitors were the Sangleys, whom he took with him to work his galley. Like the ineffably low, vile, and cowardly people that they are, they killed my father because he trusted them, and set them loose for their own comfort. The news of this event reached me far from the place of its occurrence, while I was awaiting him with the fleet and troops, that we might depart. Although after his death I endeavored to continue my journey, I was prevented because of several events and considerations. I came back here, desirous of hearing news from your Grandeur and of seeing your letter replying to those sent by my father through father Fray Pedro. Although two vessels arrived here from Xapon, they could not give me the desired news. The arrival of Pedro Gonçalez has given me great pleasure, especially in view of the fact that I was unable to understand his delay, and of the rumor here that your Grandeur was going to send your armies, a report very different from the agreement made in your name with my father by your ambassador and servant Faranda, which was for firm peace and full amity. Through the letter brought by Pedro Gonçalez, I have learned that it is your royal desire that such relations be continued, and this has greatly pleased me; for it is to be hoped that as the kings are great, great will be the friendship, and greater still the fruits of it. Equally great is my desire that hereafter we treat each other in every way as friends, with less formality and more frankness than in your royal letters hitherto received. Since your Grandeur speaks of vassalage, I wish your Grandeur to understand that my king's power is so great and so extensive, and the kingdoms and states ruled by his Christian hand are so many, that they are beyond compare with the greatness of many kings, though these be most powerful each by himself. His dominions here are nothing but a corner, and my king's possessions are not to be judged by his dominions here. The reason that they are so small is, that our Christian and divine laws do not permit us to do injury or damage to anyone by taking away that which belongs to him. I say this to your Grandeur that you may know that, although we are in a confined and narrow region, we do not recognize other ruler, other power, other dominion, or other lord, than Jesus Christ, the almighty and true God and Lord, and our most Christian king Don Phelipe. Concerning the friendship that your Grandeur suggests we ought to maintain forever, it will be kept by us; and I feel assured that your Grandeur will keep it on your part, since it is so declared in your royal letters. I will advise my lord and king at the earliest opportunity of the peace and friendship established, so that he may ratify it from there; and I trust in the Lord that everything will be done as desired by your Grandeur, whom I wish to serve and please as the friend of my king and our own. For such purpose I should have been glad if I had some curious things from Castilla to send as presents to your Grandeur; but I cannot do it now, and will send them later when they come. Should your Grandeur wish that as friends we send each other men of rank and of a high station, so that our intercourse might be more friendly and informal--not that the religious who have gone are not among us respected and highly esteemed as ministers of God, or are not sufficiently high in station--but from now on a layman could be sent of higher rank than that of those who have gone heretofore. Should your Grandeur desire to send someone to visit the court of my king and see its splendor, and the power and dominion of his Majesty, he will be sent on from here, and will be well received and highly favored by my king, because he is very fond of receiving and entertaining foreigners--especially such as might come from your Grandeur, who would receive especial favor. Your Grandeur can advise me of your decision in regard to this as well as the other matters; and may our Lord keep and enlighten you with His divine light.

After the letter thus amended was read, the above-mentioned persons unanimously and of one accord stated that it was a good and proper reply to the letter of the king of Xapon, and that the said reply complied with what was required by the good service of the Lord and of his Majesty, and with the good name and repute of the Spanish nation; and it was, accordingly, signed by Licentiate Pedro de Rojas, Diego Ronquillo, Gomez de Machuca, Juan Xuarez Gallinato, Pedro de Chaves, Don Juan Ronquillo, Pedro de Arceo Cuevasrubias, Diego de Castillo, Hernando Muñoz de Poyatos, Francisco de Mercado Andrade, Don Francisco de Poça, Juan Ezguerra, Christoval de Axqueta, Jhoan de Alcega, Antonio de Cañedo, Don Diego Jordano, Gaspar Perez, Agustin de Urdiales.

Before me:

_Juan de Cuellar_

Letters from Luis Perez Dasmariñas to Felipe II

Sire:

The seminary for girls of Sancta Potenciana which was commenced by my father in pursuance of your Majesty's orders is now finished, thanks be to God. It is one of the most splendid buildings of this city, and for some days the cloister has been occupied by the mother superior and by some good women of this town, who with holy zeal and in the desire of serving God in retreat and solitude, have entered there. Their sincerity and integrity of life was proved before their entering the convent, which is thereby greatly benefited. By the good example of these women, and the influence of their virtue, retirement, and modesty, I have no doubt that the girls who are now there, and those who shall enter hereafter, will be greatly benefited and improved in the service of God. The advantage of such good surroundings must aid in their improvement and help them in marriage, thus accomplishing the end for which the holy zeal of your Majesty was striving in founding this work so pleasing to God. In this connection it should be said, that since this establishment is so meritorious and necessary in this commonwealth, which is young and poor, and greatly in need of a general fund for the public honor and welfare, its maintenance and perpetuity should be assured. The establishment entails little expense, and the work has been carried on according to your Majesty's orders, without burdening the royal exchequer; and hence the gain has been great. The opportunity is no less favorable which is now offered your Majesty to employ your liberal and royal hand in favoring and aiding this seminary with an income. Thus by its increase will God our Lord, be glorified, by the exercise of charity. Daily prayers are held there for your Majesty, that God may grant you many happy years of this life, and life everlasting. There are now about thirty persons in the seminary, and others are entering every day.

Another holy work has, by the favor of the Lord, been established in this town in these days; and I hope that His Divine Majesty is no less pleased by it, than by that which I have just described. It is very similar to that and is a confraternity of mercy in which there have entered as brethren the most illustrious and prominent persons of this city. The object thereof, in conformity with its appellation of mercy, is to exercise the latter in all the works and occasions which may arise, of which there is no lack, as this land of yours is so poor. As I say, this confraternity is occupied in feeding all the worthy poor, of whom there are many; and in arranging marriages for orphan girls, the daughters of the conquistadors and of persons who have served your Majesty and died in the royal service, leaving their children without inheritance, in poverty and bereavement. These are persons to whom your Majesty owes a recompense; and any favor to this confraternity is granted to them and to all this community. It also persuades people to come willingly to settle here from other parts, as they see that they may find here a refuge and relief for their needs. The land has hitherto been discredited for the little comfort which poor men, both married and single, find here in a country new, unknown, and of scanty resources. Even these resources are under obligation to be given to others who have settled the place and served your Majesty; and for them alone there is not enough, much less for those newly arrived. For their relief there should be a lodging-house, so that poor married men may be sheltered there and given what is necessary, until they find it convenient to go out and support themselves. In addition to all the aforesaid institutions, another no less important one must be mentioned. A hospital should be established for the treatment of all the servants and slaves of the Spaniards. This is a very necessary undertaking and a work of exceeding charity; for there are many of these servants who die, as they have nowhere to go for treatment. Even their souls suffer, as there is some neglect in administering the sacrament to them. Although there are two hospitals--the royal, and that for the natives--the servants are received in neither, on account of the poverty of the hospitals, and the many sick who are usually there, and the lack of conveniences for so many. As I have written in a former letter, your Majesty should also favor these hospitals, and in particular this holy confraternity of mercy. Thus I beg your Majesty to do so, in the name of our good God and Lord. His Divine Majesty will reward, as is His wont, all that is done for His love and service. In the name of this state, and the poor, and for my own sake, I humbly beg this of your Majesty; and if there be anything of sufficient worth in me to be presented before the royal presence of your Majesty as deserving reward and recompense; I should but ask for favor for these two hospitals, which are so needy, and particularly for this holy confraternity of mercy. There should also be provided means according to the income, to provide dowries for a certain number of the girls who are sheltered every year in the Seminary of Sancta Potenciana. Thus it is evident that the state will be totally healed of its evils; and these works of charity will, I believe, be glorious in the eyes of God, especially if your Majesty will look upon them with your royal and compassionate eyes, and encourage them with your royal aid. May our Lord preserve your Majesty for many long years, as Christendom has need. At Manila, June 15, 1594.

_Luis Perez Dasmariñas_

Sire:

In the papers I send your Majesty by these vessels, I give an account of Japanese affairs and suspicions. In this letter I shall content myself with saying that when my father made answer to the second Japanese embassy, he sent with father Fray Pedro Baptista, to accompany and take care of the fathers, and with further orders to treat with that king, one Pedro Gonçalez, a man who, by trade and commerce, had acquired some knowledge of that land, and acquaintance with some of its inhabitants. He went and performed his mission well. The Japanese king, either because he is a man of unusual good-will, or because he harbors designs, tells me in his original letter that he wishes to have your Majesty see it, and to have the same Pedro Gonçalez, who brought it, take it with him to España, together with an account of what he saw in that kingdom. He indicates with some insistence that he wishes this, and I am advised by letters from there that, if it be not sent, as he knows everything that is done here, he will be vexed and take it as a pretext for making an earlier declaration of war. Therefore in my opinion his wishes ought to be observed since no harm will be done. Pedro Gonçalez carries the original letter and its translation, together with the reply which was sent from here. Although, as I say, the bearer goes ostensibly only to comply with the wishes of the king of Japon (for I have already written to your Majesty respecting this matter), yet your Majesty may, if such be his pleasure, hear from Pedro Gonçalez certain peculiarities of that kingdom which he has observed. So, because he is an honorable man, prudent, straightforward, of good reputation and abilities, and because he labored and incurred heavy expenses on these voyages, kindly grant him some favor; for he has deserved it, on account of the affection, good-will, and care that he has displayed in everything which he has been ordered to do in your Majesty's service. May our Lord preserve your Majesty for many prosperous years. Manila, June 22, 1594.

_Luis Perez Dasmariñas_

Sire:

After despatching a letter to your Majesty in the vessel "Sant Phelippe," which it was thought best to send first, as it was in Çibu, I had other letters from Japon from father Fray Pedro Baptista, the originals of which I send herewith. From these letters, and from one from the emperor of Japon, a copy of which is enclosed, we can easily infer how little security is assured us by his friendship and promises, and be sure that any slight occasion would induce him to break them. But I am continuing to treat with him, in order to gain time to complete the fortifications of this city. I am showing kindness to the Japanese ships that put in here. And, although I am sending the emperor, as answer to his letter, the one which I transmitted to your Majesty in the vessel "Sant Phelippe" (a duplicate of which I enclose herewith), I am thinking of sending him a present because of the treaty of amity he has made with us. In this way, as I say, I shall dissimulate and keep him in good humor. For this purpose I am striving to spread the rumor here that the peace is firm; but I am not slackening work on the fortifications. On the contrary, I am speeding them forward with added watchfulness. God be praised, the wall is now completed, and the forts are in fair condition for defense. I hope, God willing, that the enemy will find this quite different from what they must be congratulating themselves that they will find. It is decidedly important to have a large contingent of troops sent from Mexico. This is the most pressing need, and the viceroy of Nueva España should be urgently ordered to attend to it. For if the Japanese come, they may be able, in case help does not arrive, to gain the land after a long siege and with a large force, and thus put us to great straits. But to whatever extremities we come, we here will not, at least, be found to lack the necessary energy and determination, and we will give your Majesty a good account of your land and our obligations. We trust matters to the omnipotent hand of our God and Lord. May He ordain what is most befitting His service and the glory of His sacred name. May He preserve your Majesty for many long years, as Christendom has need. Manila, June 23, 1594.

_Luis Perez Dasmariñas_

[_Addressed_: "To the king, our sovereign. In his royal Council of the Yndias."]

[_Endorsed_: "Philippinas. To his Majesty. Luis Perez Dasmariñas, 1594, June 23."]

Documents of 1595

Letter to Felipe II. Pedro Gonzalez de Carbajal; [1595?] Formation of new dioceses. Felipe II; June 17. Letter to Felipe II. Antonio de Morga; June 25. Expedition to Camboja. Gregorio da Cruz, and others; August 1--3. Instructions to Figueroa. L. P. Dasmariñas; November 13--16. The Audiencia of Manila reëstablished. Felipe II; November 26. Letter to Felipe II. L.P. Dasmariñas; December 6.

_Sources_: The second document is taken from _Doc. inéd. Amér. y Oceania_, xxxiv, pp. 86--94; all the others are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla.

_Translations_: The first document is translated by Arthur B. Myrick, of Harvard University; the second, by Frederic W. Morrison, of Harvard University; the third and part of the seventh, by José M. and Clara H. Asensio; the fourth and fifth, by Robert W. Haight; the sixth and part of the seventh, by James A. Robertson.

Letter from Pedro de Carbajal to Felipe II

Sire:

It is well known that the emperor of Japon is powerful in men and arms, and that his people are of great courage. He was making ready two hundred ships, and casting quantities of artillery. Japon is distant from the realm of the Philipinas four hundred leagues, which is a voyage of fifteen or twenty days by sea. On his friendship depends the preservation of the Philipinas, and of two hundred thousand Christians in that same kingdom of Japon, as well as of the rest of its people, who are being christianized from day to day. We have great hopes that all of them will become Christians, because it is known surely that many of the principal people of Japon would become Christians, if they were not hindered by their fear of the said emperor's indignation. He ordered me [21] to say to your Majesty, on his part, that, if your Majesty would make friends with him, he would always provide the governor of the Philipinas with what assistance was necessary, even to ten thousand men. When the governor of Meaco (who is the person who governs all that kingdom) delivered me the letter which he brought for your Majesty, he told me to tell your Majesty that the emperor was your friend, and that on his part the friendship would not fail; and that your Majesty should not, because he was so far away, consider it as of little account. Gomez Perez de Las Marinas, governor of the Philipinas, sent me with father Fray Pedro Baptista and three other fathers of St. Francis, to take a letter to that emperor in response to the one which he had written. We went with this arrangement, that the fathers would remain in Japon (as they did) and that I should return with the answer that the governor desired. Having delivered the letter to the emperor, when he learned from the letter that the governor of the Philipinas wished to notify your Majesty of this emperor's intentions, he said, without giving me an answer, that since the governor wished to advise you, he could not do it better than through me. That I might be the better able to do so, he ordered that I should examine his fortresses, cities, and rich palaces, and the indications of his great power, so that I could give your Majesty a good account of it all, as well as of the kind treatment that was always given to me, and to the Franciscan fathers who remained there. These fathers asking him for a small piece of ground on which to build a house and church, he told them that he would give them a large piece in the place where they were, and also furnish them food. Then he ordered that the site and house that they might select should be given to them. And because the land was so cold, he ordered the fathers (who are barefooted) to be shod and clothed; and said that he would give them these things and would treat them as his children if they would obey him as their father. He sent me word to say that he would await your Majesty's answer. While we were in Japon at that time, the fathers and myself knew for certain that some of the Japanese chiefs asked the emperor's permission to go to subjugate the Philipinas, and make him lord of them, without any cost to him. The latter replied that he would have nothing to do with it, until he saw your Majesty's response. It is quite necessary that your Majesty should send an order to the bishop of Great China at Macan, and the fathers of the Society of Jesus, to the effect that all the ships should leave there and go to Japon. These should investigate, and look to it that they carry no people who have not a good understanding of Christianity and fidelity; because that emperor is desirous of meeting people who will teach him to construct ships and artillery in our manner. All this will be of considerable harm and inconvenience; for, although he has artillery and ships, they are less effective than ours.

They tell me that on this coast is father Fray Miguel de Venavides, [22] of the order of St. Dominic, by whom your Majesty can be very well informed of all these matters, because he has dealt with some Japanese, and has gone through Great China.

_Pedro Gonzalez de Carbajal_

Formation of New Dioceses