Part 14

I have been pleased to hear of the improvement in the orders regarding the good treatment of the natives, and the very great care which you exercise in looking after them, and in seeing that they be relieved from all hardships which can be avoided; and I command you to continue to do so. I charge you also not to relax in the efforts which you say that you are making that the work on the great church may be urged on; and that you gather materials and begin to rebuild the hospital for the Spaniards, which was burned in the fire in the year 1603--although difficulties will not fail to arise therein, in accordance with the poverty which you say exists in that country.

I thank you for the care which you have taken of the seminary of Santa Potenciana, and that its inmates should live in due seclusion; and I have been pleased to hear that you should make efforts to have me send orders to the viceroy of Nueva España to send some religious women thither for the improvement of the seminary.

It will be well if you have my royal arms placed on the houses of the cabildo of that city, as you say that you will do. Ventosilla, November 4, 1606.

_I The King_ By order of the king our sovereign: _Juan de Ziviza_

DOCUMENTS OF 1607

Petition for a grant to the Jesuit seminary in Leyte. January 18. Artillery at Manila in 1607. Alonso de Biebengud; July 6. Letter from the Audiencia to Felipe III, on the Confraternity of La Misericordia. Pedro Hurtado de Esquivel; July 11. Trade of the Philippines with Mexico. December 18. Passage of missionaries via the Philippines to Japan. Conde de Lemos, and others; 1606-07.

_Sources_: The first three of these documents are obtained from the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the last two, from the Archivo general at Simancas.

_Translations_: The first document, and the third paper in the fifth, are translated by James A. Robertson; the second and third, by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University of Wisconsin; the second paper of the fifth, by Norman F. Hall, of Harvard University; the remainder, by Robert W. Haight.

Petition for Grant to the Jesuit Seminary in Leyte

Sire:

The religious of the Society of Jesus of the Philipinas Islands, considering that that country was so new, and that it was advisable that the Indians be reared from its beginning in good customs and Christian civilization, founded a seminary in the island of Leyte, located in the province of Pintados. There they instruct the native children of the island in good customs and in the matters of our holy Catholic faith, and teach them to speak Spanish, and other things which conduce to virtue. Inasmuch as the governor of the said islands was made cognizant of the above, he ordered in the year 601 that one hundred pesos of common gold and two hundred fanegas of unwinnowed rice be given the said religious annually for four years, for the support of the said seminary, to be taken from the fund of the fourths [_i.e.,_ fourths of the tributes] of the city of Manila--provided that the Jesuits could obtain a decree in which your Majesty should give your consent to this grant. On behalf of the said religious it has been represented that excellent results have been attained from the foundation of the said seminary, which still continue; and that it is advisable that it be maintained. They entreat your Majesty to consider the matter, and have the above-mentioned gift approved, and the said alms continued to them for ten years more; for otherwise it cannot take effect. Having examined this in the Council, we think that, because of the great need for the said seminary in that country, the provision of the governor for a grant to them for four years may be confirmed; and, in order that the seminary be preserved and continued, that the concession of the said one hundred pesos of common gold and the two hundred fanegas of rice, taken from the fund of the fourths, may be made for ten years more, as they petition. The governor should be ordered to have it all very carefully distributed for the said purpose, and give advice thereof. Your Majesty will order as suits your pleasure. Madrid, January 18, 1607.

[Four signatures follow.]

Artillery at Manila in 1607

_Memorandum of All the Artillery in the Fortifications of Manila, June_ 20, 1607

_Fort of Santiago_

One half-culverin, old casting of Manila, choke-bored, caliber fourteen libras, twenty calibers in length.

One full-sized saker of the same casting, caliber ten libras, length thirteen calibers.

Another of the same casting, a paterero, [37] caliber eleven libras, length fourteen calibers.

Another paterero of the same casting, caliber ten libras, and thirteen calibers in length.

Two bastards, casting Mexican--one of twenty-seven calibers, and the other choke-bored--of twenty-four calibers, caliber ten libras.

One saker, old Manila casting, caliber six libras, length thirty calibers.

One culverin, caliber nineteen libras, old Manila casting, choke-bored, twenty-nine calibers in length.

One demi-saker, Mexican casting, caliber three and a half libras, length thirty-two calibers.

One bastard saker, Genoese casting, caliber six libras, length twenty-four calibers.

One paterero, Portuguese casting, caliber eleven libras, length fourteen calibers.

One demi-saker, cast in Piru, caliber three and a half libras, length twenty-nine calibers.

One saker, caliber six libras, cast in Flandes, thirty calibers in length.

Another saker, cast in Mexico, caliber six libras, thirty-four calibers in length.

One paterero, old Manila casting, caliber eight libras, length fourteen diameters.

Another similar paterero.

Two catapults, new Manila casting, caliber twenty libras.

One paterero of the same casting, caliber fifteen libras, length fourteen diameters.

One saker, cast in Mexico, caliber five and a half libras, length thirty calibers.

One cannon, old Manila casting, caliber thirty-seven libras, length twenty calibers.

One demi-saker, cast in Flandes, caliber four libras, length thirty calibers.

One demi-saker, cast in Flandes, caliber four libras, length thirty calibers.

One demi-saker, cast in Piru, caliber three libras and a half, length twenty-nine calibers.

One demi-saker, old Manila casting, caliber four libras, length thirty-one diameters.

One paterero, cast in Portugal, caliber thirty-one libras, fourteen calibers in length.

In all, there are in the said fort twenty-six pieces.

_Breastwork of S. Gabriel in Parian of the Sangleys_

One paterero of Portuguese casting, caliber fourteen libras, length thirteen calibers.

One demi-cannon cast in Manila, old style, caliber sixteen libras, length twenty-two calibers.

One passe-volante, cast in Flandes, caliber five libras, length four calibers.

One paterero, cast in Manila, caliber thirteen libras, length thirteen calibers.

One demi-saker, old Manila casting, caliber three and a half libras, length thirty-two calibers.

One saker cast in Mexico, caliber five libras, length thirty calibers.

In the said breastwork there are six pieces.

_Breastwork of Dilao_

One demi-saker of three libras caliber, old casting of Manila, length thirty-three calibers.

One saker, old casting of Manila, caliber seven libras, length twenty-nine calibers.

Another saker, cast in Mexico, caliber one libra, length thirty-two calibers.

One paterero, cast in Portugal, caliber thirteen libras, length thirteen calibers.

In the said breastwork there are four pieces.

_Breastwork of S. Andres near the Foundry_

Two patereroes, new casting of Manila, caliber eight libras, length thirteen calibers.

One demi-saker of the same casting, caliber three and a half libras, length thirty diameters.

Another demi-saker, old casting of Manila, caliber three and a half libras, length thirty calibers.

One passavolante [_i.e._, small culverin], cast in Flandes, caliber five libras, length forty calibers.

One saker, cast in Mexico, caliber seven libras, length twenty-eight calibers.

In the said fort there are six pieces.

_Breastwork of S. Pedro near the New Port_

One saker cast in Mexico, caliber five libras, length thirty-two calibers.

One demi-saker cast in Manila by Sangleys, caliber three libras, length thirty calibers.

Two patereroes, new casting of Manila, caliber eight libras, length thirteen calibers.

One demi-saker, new casting of Manila, caliber three and a half libras, length thirty-one calibers.

One demi-saker of the same casting, caliber two libras, length thirty diameters.

In the said fort are six pieces.

_Fort of Nuestra Señora de Guia_

One demi-cannon, old casting of Manila, caliber sixteen libras, length twenty-two calibers.

Two sakers, old casting of Manila, caliber six libras, length twenty-eight calibers.

One paterero of the same casting, caliber twelve libras, length eleven calibers.

Another paterero, new casting of Manila, caliber eight libras, length thirteen diameters.

One bell-mouthed piece, caliber six libras, length twelve calibers.

One demi-cannon, old casting of Manila, caliber sixteen libras, length twenty-two calibers.

In the said fort there are seven pieces.

_Curtain on the Water-front_

One paterero, new casting of Manila, caliber eight libras, length thirteen calibers, in front of the palace.

One saker, cast in Mexico, caliber six libras, length thirty-one calibers, in the middle of the curtain.

There are on the water-front two pieces.

_Plaza de Armas_

One demi-saker, cast in Acapulco, caliber three libras, length thirty calibers.

One saker, cast in Acapulco, caliber three libras, length thirty calibers.

One saker, cast in Yngalaterra, caliber eight libras, length twenty-eight calibers.

One demi-saker cast in Flandes, caliber four libras, length thirty calibers.

Another demi-saker, of the same casting and the same style.

Another demi-saker, old casting of Manila, caliber four libras, length twenty-eight calibers.

Another demi-saker of the same casting, caliber four libras, length thirty calibers.

There are in the said plaza six pieces.

_In Cavite_

There are two sakers which came from Terrenate--one cast in Manila, caliber six libras; and the other in Flandes, caliber seven libras.

There are also four falcons, large patereroes, which were brought in the said ship.

In the magazines there are two or three falcon patereroes.

_Flag-Ship of the Galleys_

One piece, one-third cannon caliber, cast in Acapulco, caliber eleven libras, length twenty-two calibers.

Two small culverins [_moyanas_]--cast one in Ynglaterra, caliber three libras; the other in Manila, caliber two libras.

Four catapults, two discharging stone balls of twenty-five libras, and the other two of thirteen libras, new casting of Manila.

On the said galley there are seven pieces.

_Second Galley, "San Lorenço"_

One piece, one-third cannon caliber, cast in Acapulco, caliber eleven libras, length twenty-two calibers.

Two catapults, new casting of Manila, caliber seventy-three libras.

Two small culverins [_moyanas_] of the said casting, caliber one libra.

On the said galley are five pieces.

_Recapitulation of the Artillery_

Fort of Santhiago 26 pieces Breastwork of S. Gabriel 6 ,, Breastwork of Dilao 4 ,, Breastwork of S. Andres 6 ,, Breastwork of S. Pedro 6 ,, Fort of Nuestra Señora de Guia 7 ,, Curtain of the Water-front 2 ,, Plaza des Armas 6 ,, Cavite 2 ,, In the said Cavite, falcon patereroes 4 ,, Magazines, falcons 2 ,, Flag-ship Galley 7 ,, Second Galley 5 ,,

83 ,,

I, Alonso de Bienbengud, commander of the artillery of our lord the king in this his royal military station of Manila in the Philipinas Islands, certify that the artillery declared in this list and memorandum is placed and distributed in the forts, breastworks, traverses, and other places named therein, and that it is of the character described; in witness whereof these presents are signed with my name. Manila, the sixth of July, one thousand six hundred and seven.

Letter from the Audiencia to Felipe III

_On the Confraternity of la Misericordia_

Your Majesty gives commands in a letter dated the seventeenth of April, 1606, for information to be sent regarding the nature of the Confraternity of La Misericordia of this city, when and with what official license it was organized, its constitution, the amount of its income and the manner in which the income is distributed, the good results which have followed from the establishment of the Confraternity, and what are its constitutions [_i.e._, rules of organization]. Your Majesty also asks that a copy of these constitutions be sent, and information as to whether the present income of the Confraternity is sufficient for its purposes, and whether some grant may properly be made to it; and, if so, the amount and form of grant that would be suitable--so that your Majesty may be furnished with full information on the whole matter. Since, as has been stated, the departure of these vessels is so near at hand, a copy of the constitutions of the Confraternity is not sent, but a summary of them, which is enclosed. Your Majesty will see by this abstract that the works to which this Confraternity is dedicated are those of great charity and of service to God our Lord. To all such works it attends with great fervor, using the charitable gifts which are bestowed for this purpose. Although this Audiencia asked the brethren of the Confraternity to make a statement of the manner in which your Majesty might make them a grant, and as to the amount thereof, they were unable to discover any way in which the grant could be made; nor could this Audiencia perceive any, so much exhausted and indebted is the treasury of your Majesty. Accordingly, your Majesty may make such grant as shall please your Majesty, which will be well employed by them, and much to the service of God and your Majesty. [_In the margin_: "There is no answer. Let a copy of this section be given to the secretary, Señor Contreras, that he may know the deliberations and decree."]

The activity of the Confraternity of La Misericordia in this city began fourteen years ago. At that time the governor associated with himself some twelve of the chief persons here, and they gave every week from their own households what was necessary for the support of widows, the poor, persons in secret distress, and others in pressing need. This they continued to do until they received the rules governing the Confraternity in the city of Lisboa, where it was first established. By these rules they have been governed ever since, the number of brethren being now a hundred and fifty.

1. In the first place, knowing that women, both Spanish and mestizas, suffered greatly in case of sickness, for lack of a hospital in which to be treated, the Confraternity determined to establish one, which is still called the hospital of La Misericordia. They bought land and erected a building with the money given in alms; and they pay the expense of keeping a physician and a surgeon, of medicines, and of the maintenance of two Franciscan religious, who administer the sacraments and care for the welfare of the souls of the patients. In addition, the Confraternity has made up for the lack of a hospital for slaves by setting apart some rooms where slaves go to be cared for, and are attended to with special care of both their bodies and their souls.

2. The principal matter to which the Confraternity gave its attention from the first was the succor of needy persons who committed themselves to its protection--as widows, married persons, orphans, cripples, and deserted persons of good life. To them the Confraternity give what is necessary for their daily support. This matter is attended to once a week by two brethren who give them aid in their own houses, within and without the walls of the city, doing the work with all the secrecy in the world. Upon this are spent weekly sixty or seventy pesos, more or less, according to the amount of contributions received.

3. The Confraternity has always attended to the support of the poor in the prison. A brother is assigned to this duty, who causes food for the poor prisoners to be prepared daily at his own house, and takes care to have it sent to them with great regularity. He also provides the said prison with water sufficient for the prisoners, which is their greatest want. [38] Thus they alleviate the misery of the prisoners. The said prison is always attended by one of the brethren of high station, that he may attend to the care and prompt decision of the cases of poor prisoners.

4. This Confraternity attends to providing a shelter for the daughters of poor conquistadors and colonists, and for other women whom they consider thus in need; and has placed them in a seminary in this city, supporting them there until they enter the married state, and then it gives them assistance according to their rank.

5. The Confraternity takes great care to place orphan boys where they may be cared for, and to protect them. Those who desire to give themselves to exercises of virtue and learning it places in a college of the Society of Jesus, paying for each one a hundred pesos for his board.

6. The Confraternity also aids with clothing, which it collects from charitable persons, which the said brethren give to both men and women, who would suffer greatly without this assistance and care, from lack of clothes. Many women would not go to mass for lack of cloaks and other things needed, if this alms were not given them.

7. It gives aid to many sick persons who, as incurable and beyond remedy, are discharged from the royal hospital--the physicians directing them, if they wish to recover, to go to certain baths about twelve leguas from the city. [39] They are assisted to do this, that they may recover their health.

8. Every week when they hold their meeting and assembly they give assistance to many persons who do not receive continued assistance, and they also aid many who are on their way to Nueva España--discharged ensigns, sergeants, and soldiers. These are assisted in proportion to their rank, as their need and their service to your Majesty are known.

9. The Confraternity has also given aid outside of this city, by sending to the provinces of Pintados much aid to the Portuguese, of both the higher and the lower classes, who by the destruction of Maluco and Ambueno by the Dutch have been obliged to come to these regions with their families and households. Without this assistance they would have suffered severer privations.

10. It has undertaken to provide persons to go [_i.e._, to the scaffold] with those who suffer under the law, and to bury them; and it takes up the dismembered bodies of those who have suffered, and the bodies of the drowned, burying them in consecrated ground with much care, and showing honor to their bodies and bones, thus greatly edifying the natives.

11. It attends with the necessary secrecy to securing reconciliations between persons at enmity--sometimes of husbands with their wives, and sometimes between other persons; and thus the brethren bring to an end many evils and prevent injuries. They likewise correct many persons of vices of which they have secret knowledge, which without doubt greatly redounds to the service of God our Lord.

12. It attends to the execution of many wills, which are entrusted to it by persons who leave their property to be distributed for pious works and for chaplaincies. Leaving the matter in the care of this Confraternity, they feel certain that their trusts will be executed forever. It is a great consolation to them to know that the execution has been accepted by the Confraternity. In particular, the execution of the wills of poor persons who leave heirs in Nueva España and España, and in Yndia, is accepted by the Confraternity.

13. All of these works of charity are performed by the said Confraternity from the alms which are received from the citizens, from the brethren, and from persons who at death leave them bequests because they see how well is allotted and spent that which is collected. The income is obtained with much pains, because of the smallness of the population. Should your Majesty make a grant to the Confraternity, it could accomplish more in caring for cases of need which every day occur, requiring aid and claiming pity.

_Pedro Hurtado Desquivel_, clerk of court.

This is an accurate copy of the original section:

_Juan Lopez de Hernani_

Trade of the Philippines with Mexico

_Report from the Council of State_

Sire:

Your Majesty was pleased to order that the enclosed reports from the Council of the Indias and that of Portugal be examined in the Council, and that they should make such recommendations as they deemed proper; and having examined them, the members gave their opinions as follows:

The chief comendador [40] of Leon, in a meeting held at Valladolid, insisted that it was not desirable that there should be trade from Nueva España to the Filipinas on account of the great drain of silver thus caused; it is occasioned by the large profits obtained by investing the silver in the merchandise which comes to those islands from China--partly through the cheapness of these goods, and partly through the great value of silver. He also stated the difficulties which are presented, in that, through this trade, the need for the merchandise from these regions would cease, and with it the dependence of those colonies, which it is so important to preserve. It should be considered that, although the trade of Nueva España with China should be prohibited, this would be of no use if trade with the Philipinas were left open; for by that means the Chinese will have an outlet for their merchandise. Accordingly it seemed best that this should be prohibited, so that there would be no trade from Nueva España with the Philipinas. But, as it must also be considered that the total prohibition thereof would cause a hindrance to conversion and would put an end to settlement, he thought it best, in order to maintain both the one and the other, that two merchant ships should be permitted to go each year from Nueva España to the Philipinas, of the capacity and under the conditions which are at present in use there. Since, if the people of the Philipinas are able to trade with Macan, there will be the risk of their introducing through that channel a trade with China, and consequently a drain of silver from Nueva España, it seems best not to give an opportunity for this. On the contrary, the decree should be observed which was despatched in the time of the king our lord (who rests in glory), prohibiting the trade between Macan and the Philipinas, for it is to be believed that this was issued after mature deliberation and reflection; for that conduct would be greatly to the satisfaction of the Portuguese, and we would avoid the difficulties of opening that port to the trade from China, as it is so important for these kingdoms to maintain what they hold in Peru and Nueva España. But it would be very desirable to order that there shall be considerable understanding and correspondence between the governors, so that in case the ships from one region make port at the other, driven by the weather, they may be well received and treated; and also that they may help each other in times of need, with money and whatever shall be necessary of provisions, munitions, and other supplies pertaining to the defense of the land and operations against the enemy.

The Marques de Velada said that if the trade of Nueva España with the Philipinas could be kept within moderate bounds, and if nothing came from China to the Philipinas except what was needed there, he would consider it good; but he regards this as difficult, and therefore supports the chief comendador of Leon.