Part 11

It is likewise understood from thoroughly reliable persons who have come from those islands--religious, and others who have brought letters recommending them--that there are in those lands many well-known mines of gold and other metals, which, if they were sought out, would be of great utility and value; and that, if they were worked, their proceeds would be sufficient not only for the expenses there, but even for the aid of those here. These persons say that the reason why the mines have not been operated has been a lack of energy and diligence for the benefit and increase of the royal exchequer; and the fact that they had the treasury of Nueva España as a protection, and so accessible for all the expenses that have arisen. Accordingly I charge you very particularly that, with the fidelity and promptness that is requisite for so urgent a necessity, you will take measures to investigate this matter, and obtain from it as much profit as you can; for the peaceful products of the soil will always be certain, and it would be a great pity to lose what might aid in so urgent a need. For this purpose you will make an examination of all the mines that are or may be known, offering rewards and other advantages, honors, and gratuities as may appear expedient to you, in order that the mines may be discovered and worked, as they should be, making the diligent endeavors that are necessary in such an affair. In order that you may better manage it, it has seemed well to me to send you the two papers inclosed, signed by Juan Ruiz de Contreras, so that you can examine and consider them with attention and careful consideration, in order that your mode of procedure may be assured, since the facts in the case are already so. As the most important point that you will have to guard is that the Indians be not troubled or annoyed, and that no sort of injury, or service, or annoyance be inflicted upon them, you will avoid so far as possible these difficulties; and by prudent and cautious measures will try to gain their good-will, until you have acquired suitable knowledge of the situation and richness of the mines. It is also a matter of great importance that the religious who give instruction shall aid, as is explained in these papers--to which effect letters are being written to the provincials of the orders of St. Dominic and St. Augustine, which were sent to you with a copy of each, which they are to receive from your hand. You will talk with them at the same time, availing yourself of all means which may appear to you of use to persuade them that they will thus do a great service to our Lord; and that by so pious a work they will better the present condition of affairs, and aid the public cause. You must see that this is the most important part of your government, as if you were sent there for this and for nothing else. For greater satisfaction and surer success, I command you that as soon as you have received these letters you shall--with the aid of the notary-public of the royal officials, or of your secretary, as may appear best to you--compile a book, in which, after you have inserted these letters and other documents, you will enter the orders that you may give, and the decisions that you may make. Accordingly, there will be evident from them both the time that is gained or lost in the execution of your orders, so that with this guide you may govern to better advantage; likewise, exactly what has occurred in every matter will be clear to me. It would also be well if all the documents, letters, and other papers that you may have in relation to this subject were placed in separate files. In this book recapitulate the papers briefly, referring to the originals; and as you are aware of the importance of good counsel, you will try to avail yourself of the persons whom you may think most capable of giving it to you. If you think it well to convene any assembly, you will do so whenever expedient. In this way you may be advised not only of the importance of this matter, but likewise of the best means available for this country, so that, with your prudence, you may choose the most useful, and avail yourself of whatever benefits or funds may be secured from them. Madrid, December 19, 1618.

_I The King_

By command of the king our lord: _Juan Ruiz De Contreras_

Signed by the members of the Council.

[_Each letter is endorsed_: "To the governor of the Filipinas, on various matters."]

FILIPINAS MENACED BY DUTCH

As I think that this will be a service to the Divine Majesty and to the human, and a benefit to this new world--in the west, to the Philipinas; and in the east, to Yndia (whither I went some years ago on an embassy for Don Joan de Silva and this commonwealth of Manila, and took note of its temporal and spiritual condition)--I am resolved to write this letter to your Lordship, in whose hands our Lord has placed the preservation of this kingdom, and consequently the conversion of numberless souls; perhaps our Lord will choose that in this way may be attained that which numerous letters from these islands to the royal Council of the Yndias have failed to accomplish. Your most illustrious Lordship may rest assured that if his Majesty does not actually send a great reënforcement of military aid to these islands, they must be lost; and, besides, the royal crown of España will meet the necessity of defending itself, with greater expenses, from the nations who will make war against it from this direction. Although I am no prophet, I dare to assert that in these seas we shall see the bloodiest battles that have been fought for many years, and that they must result in great injury to the kingdoms of Nueva España [and España].

This discourse of mine is based on a syllogism. All nations of the world are moved by interest, which is the loadstone of hearts. We see men going down, as they have gone, into the depths of hell for silver and gold; no one can doubt this axiom, and it has no need of proof. The minor premise is this, founded on experimental knowledge--namely, that the greatest source of profit that has been known in our times, the best proved and the most certain, is this of Maluco and Philipinas, whither come the nations of the north, and all other nations who course over this wide sea of India as far as Maluco, where they find that brown gold that they call cloves, and the white silk of China. They barter for or rob persons of the cloves, as well as mace, cinnamon, pepper, and other drugs, which, when carried to their own country, are so much gold-dust. The silks and wealth from China they seize here at the passage to Manila, from various unarmed vessels; and from a people who let their hair grow long, like women, and know not how to defend themselves, so that those robbers have here a sure booty and prize.

I shall presently tell you of the great value of these things, when carried to their own countries; I am now proceeding with my account from the proposition that the greatest source of gain in the world lies in these islands. All the nations know well that they need not go to Nueva España to conquer it, or to plunder the silver in the mountain of Potosi, or to the islands of Salomon--which, although they were at one time famed for riches of gold, have proved to be enchanted. [36] Florida, that it cost the French so dear to enter, is already deserted as useless; from Brasil no profits are obtained; from the wars of Flandes men gain nothing but bullets and glory. You may turn the needle to every point on the globe, and you will find that there is no place capable of so much profit as are these islands.

In order to reach them the foreigners have throughout all Yndia the ports of the heathen kings, which are more numerous than our own. The Dutch have factories in Currate [_i.e._, Surat], in Paliacate on the coast of Malavar, in the Jabas, and in Sunda, Achen, Macasar, and Maluco, where they are establishing themselves and obtaining a foothold. Above all, they have one in Japon, where they find all the supplies necessary for their voyages.

I shall tell you now of the culmination and result of their commerce. A single ship that arrives from these islands with cloves, mace, drugs, silks, etc., yields an immense amount of money; for they carry the goods that are shipped from these islands and from Eastern India through all the northern countries, and the kings give them free passage for their goods and remit duties. They have factories or correspondents in Olanda, Zelanda, Escocia, Ynglaterra, Yrlanda, Dinamarca, Norvega, Francia, Alemania, Alta and Baja Germania, Colonia, Baviera, Austria, Ungria, Boemia, as far as Transilvania, and in our kingdoms inland from Sevilla. This was stated by the Dutch General Blancorte [_i.e._, van Caerden], whom we held prisoner here.

From all this, the conclusion of the argument is that, as all the nations are moved by interest, and as the gains from these islands are so great, we shall have all the nations here; and indeed we have--not only the Dutch, but the English, who are a people of more ability than the Dutch have; and all these seas are open to the French, and to all other nations.

Who doubts that it costs the king dearly, in course of time, to reënforce us? For twenty years we have been hoping for the coming of a fleet and galleons, and none have come save a few small caravels brought by Ruy Gonzalez de Sequeyra to open up a way for trade to Sevilla; and eight galleons that were made ready for our aid, which put into Gibraltar, so that no aid has come for us. In the mean time the Dutch have new galleons every year, and the islands are already in the worst of straits. Your Lordship may believe that the governors--now, it may be, to show themselves better servants of his Majesty; again, to keep themselves longer in the government--have promised more than the land could raise. The truth is that the islands are utterly drained by the wars and the loss of the six galleons which Don Juan de Silva had built, and with other misfortunes that have been written to the king our lord at greater length. It is a marvel that Don Alonso de Faxardo has not died or become grievously ill with pain at finding these states so weakened, and his honor and that of the crown of España so jeopardized. If any one thinks that Eastern India can aid us, I have seen, and Don Geronimo de Azevedo, viceroy of India, assured me, when he gave me four galleons with five hundred infantry and ninety-two pieces of artillery, that he was giving all he had to give. And this was true, for he dismantled the forts to arm the galleons, and the latter were burned by the Dutch in the year one thousand six hundred and sixteen; so that we depend upon España alone for our aid. Although the great advantages that have been enumerated should be enough to cause this aid to be given, yet for the pious and so Christian heart of your Lordship I think it better to set forth the multitude of souls converted--who in the time of Don Francisco Tello, governor of these islands, numbered six hundred thousand baptized; and this city of Manila, small as it is, is the key to such great kingdoms as Japón, Coria, Great China, Sian, Patan, Camboja, the Xavas, Sunda, and Maluco, with which Manila is encompassed as is the center of a circle by its circumference. If your Lordship have any interest in its preservation, I hope, through the divine Majesty, that it will be kept, for the honor of the Lord himself. May He protect your Lordship for many years, according to the desire of your humble servant and chaplain. Manila, December 20, 1618.

_Joan de Ribera_, rector of the college of the Society of Jesus at Manila.

[_Endorsed_: "Madrid, November 20, 621. To the Council for examination."]

DOCUMENTS OF 1619-1620

Philippine ships and shipbuilding. Sebastian de Pineda; [1619]. Royal decree regarding religious expelled from their orders. Felipe III; February 19, 1619. Proposal to destroy Macao. Diego Aduarte, O.P.; [1619]. Relation of events in the Filipinas Islands, 1618-19. [Unsigned]; July 12, 1619. Letter to Felipe III. Pedro de Arce; July 30, 1619. Letter to Felipe III. Alonso Fajardo de Tenza; August 10, 1619. Grant to seminary of Santa Potenciana. Juan Oñez, and others; 1617-19. Reforms needed in Filipinas (to be concluded). Hernando de los Rios Coronel; 1619-1620.

_Sources_: All these documents save one are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the fourth is taken from a MS. in the Real Academia de la Historia, Madrid.

_Translations_: All these documents save one are translated by James A. Robertson; the fourth, by Herbert E. Bolton, Ethel Z. Rather, and Mattie A. Austin, of the University of Texas.

PHILIPPINE SHIPS AND SHIPBUILDING

_Relation by Captain Sebastian de Pineda, on matters relating to the Filipinas Islands_--_both the building of galleons, pataches, and galleys, and other means of defense; and various things regarding the preservation and safety of the said islands_. [37]

Sire:

In those islands is found a wood called _maria_, [38] which is used to make all the futtock-timbers of all the galleons, galleys, and pataches; and all the knees and compass-timbers, of all sizes required. There is much of this timber from which to select, although, because of the ships built by Don Juan de Silva, the supply of it is now obtained from a distance. That wood is used only for this purpose, for the tree is short and not straight. Capstans of one piece, gears, and some stringer-plates [_trancaniles_] for the curved parts of the prows of vessels and the snatch-cleats for the wales, are also made from that wood. That said wood is very durable, and is of such quality that once a nail is hammered into it, it is impossible to withdraw it without breaking it; and when a nail is hammered into that wood it does not hole or chip. If a ball be fired into it of the size of eight libras or less, it does not pierce the wood; and if the ball is large, the wood is not splintered. On the contrary, the hole is stopped up at its entrance and egress with the chips forced out by the ball in its passage. That wood is very light, and has a very poor grain for working.

There is another wood called _arguijo_, [39] which is very strong and heavy. It is a certain very tall and very straight tree, like the pine. From it are made the keels, beams, false keels, wales, mast heads [_calçetes_], and pumps, of whatever size required; for that tree, as above stated, grows very tall and straight. Gun-stocks, gun-carriages, and wheels for the artillery are also made from that wood.

There is another wood called _laguan_. [40] From it is made all the planking and sheathing with which the galleons and galleys are planked. From those trees are made the masts, topmasts, and yards of the galleons and galleys. The said tree grows very straight and thick, so that the flagship galleon has its mainmast from one, that is seventy-two _codos_ [41] long and fifteen palmos in circumference, all in one piece.

The sheathing and planking hewn from the above-named trees for the sheathing of the ships is one palmo thick and three or four wide, and the shortest is twelve brazas long. These planks last a long time under water, as the ship-worms do not hole them; but above water they warp and rot, so that they do not last more than two years--and especially on the decks, if they are not calked during the winter. The greatest danger is that, on account of the haste used in their construction, time is not allowed to cut the wood at the conjunction [of the moon], and to leave it during a year to season, as is required; for if that is done, it lasts much longer. For of all the vessels built during the term of Don Juan de Silva, the galley which was longest in building did not take six months; and all the timber for them was hewn and put in place when green, for the vessels were being built while the wood was cutting.

There is another wood from which is made planking for the galleys, which is called _banaba_. [42] It is a certain short tree, about four brazas in height. The galleys are sheathed with it, for the ship-worm bores into it but little. The planks are one and one-half palmos broad. There are but few of these trees, and consequently they are used only for the above purpose.

There is another wood called _maria de Monteguas_, [43] which differs from the first wood of that name. From it are made timbers [_latas_] for the decks of the galleys, as well as oars for the said galleys. The latter are also made from another wood called _guijo_, [44] but these are much heavier than those made from the wood _maria_, and last a long time.

There is another wood called _dongon_, [45] which is very strong, and of a yellowish color. From it are made stringer-plates, chocks of the bowsprit, coamings of the hatchways, strakes and stanchions for the decks. If all these woods are cut at the conjunction and decrease of the moon, and seasoned, as above stated, for one year, the ship will last much longer; for if they are cut and not seasoned, one must tear up the decks every two years and put down new ones, for they are rotten. Likewise the planks along the sides must be changed, with the exception of the futtock-timbers and top-timbers made of the wood _maria_; for that wood, although cut and not seasoned, never rots, because it is always durable, in one way, without rotting.

There are many other kinds of woods which are also used for the above purposes. [46]

The shipyards of the galleons built during Don Juan de Silva's term were thirty, forty, fifty, sixty, seventy, and eighty leguas from the city of Manila, in different places: namely, on the island of Marinduque, where the galleon "San Juan Bautista" was built, which is forty leguas from Manila; in the province of Camarines at Dalupaes were built "Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe," and the "Angel de la Guardia" [_i.e._, "Guardian Angel"], fifty leguas from Manila; in the province of Ybalon at Bagatan were built "San Felipe" and "Santiago," eighty leguas from Manila; in Mindoro was built the galleon "San Juan Bautista," fifty leguas from Manila; in Marinduque was built the almiranta "San Marcos," forty leguas from Manila; in Masbate was built the royal flagship "Salbador," seventy leguas from Manila; in Cavite were built the "Espiritu Santo" and the "San Miguel," two leguas from Manila, in the port where the fleets anchor; in the port of Cabite, six galleys; in the city of Manila, two.

Those who cut these woods and build these ships and galleys are Indian natives of the said islands. They are carpenters, who are called _cagallanes_ or _pandais_ in their language. Those Indians who are no more than woodcutters, and serve only as hewers and planers of wood, are paid each seven or eight reals a month, and are given daily rations of one-half celemin of rice. Those of better trades than the latter generally earn ten or twelve reals a month. Those who are masters--the ones who lay out, prepare, round; and make the masts, yards, and topmasts are each paid three or four pesos of eight reals a month, and double rations.

When a fleet was being prepared in Cavite there were generally one thousand four hundred of these carpenters there. Just now there are very few, for when the Mindanao enemies burned one galleon and two pataches in the past year, one thousand six hundred and seventeen, which were being built in the shipyard of Pantao, sixty leguas from the city of Manila, they captured more than four hundred of the workmen, and killed more than two hundred others; while many have died through the severe work in the building. And because, they have been paid for five years nothing except a little aid, many have fled from the land; and so few remain that when the last ships sailed from the city and port of Manila last year, six hundred and eighteen, there were not two hundred of those Indians in Cabite. [47]

The iron used in the construction of these ships and galleys is brought from China and Japon to the city of Manila. Don Juan de Silva sent patterns of all the nails, and excellently made ones were brought, and cost your Majesty but eight reals per arroba. Iron is brought in the rough and is wrought in Cabite, and costs your Majesty but twenty-four reals per quintal of five arrobas. There all the nails and bolts are wrought, as well as _estoperoles_, [48] tacks [_tachuelas_], and everything else needed. The native Indians who act as smiths are paid twelve reals per month, and the Angley [_i.e._, Sangley] Chinese smiths twenty-eight reals per month, and their ration of rice, which is equivalent to one-half a Spanish celemin. Each of these Chinese works one arroba of rough iron into nails daily, and is paid only the said twenty-eight reals per month. That does not amount to one real per day, and they work from midnight until sunset, which is their workday.

The nails and iron shipped to the said islands from Nueva España cost your Majesty, delivered in the city of Manila, more than twenty reals of eight per quintal, while there they are made, as above stated. But notwithstanding the above, I assert that it is necessary to ship annually from Nueva España to the said islands two hundred quintals of rough and sheet and rod iron for some necessary articles, such as borers for the artillery cast in Manila, and rudder-pintles and rudder-gudgeons for the ships and galleys; for the iron of Bizcaya is more ductile than that of those regions [_i.e_., China and Japon] because it is as strong as steel. The other iron things above mentioned that are sent from Nueva España to the said islands are unnecessary, for their cost per quintal, when delivered in Manila, will buy four quintals in the said islands. The said two hundred quintals could be shipped on your Majesty's account from Sevilla where it costs three or four ducados per quintal, and be carried by the flagships and almirantas; thus it would not be necessary to buy it in Bera Cruz, at nineteen ducados per quintal.

It would be of the highest importance to cover the ships with lead at Manila, which would obviate careening them every year. Don Juan de Silva neglected to do that, because he was always in haste to resist and attack the enemy.

Lead is also shipped from Nueva España to the said islands. More [than that amount] is shipped [however], because it is brought from China and Japon at cheaper rates. It can be worked in Cabite in order to lead the ships, and in that way your Majesty will save many ducados every year.

The rigging in the said Filipinas Islands is of two kinds: one, which was formerly used, is made from the palm called _gamu_, [49] today used only to make cables, stays, and shrouds; the other is called _abacá_, and is a kind of hemp, which is sowed and reaped like a plant in Piru and Tierra Firme called _bihau_. Abaca is much stronger than hemp and is used white and unpitched. This abaca costs twenty-four reals per quintal, and is made into rigging in Cabite by the Indian natives, in the sizes and diameter required. These Indian ropemakers are furnished, in repartimiento [50] in neighboring villages, and your Majesty pays them eight reals per month and a ration of one-half celemín of rice daily. A task is assigned to them, for they work from midnight and until the close of the next day.

The total cost per quintal of this native rigging is about fifty reals. That shipped from Nueva España, which is bought in Beta Cruz and delivered in the port of Acapulco, costs your Majesty two hundred reals per quintal. It generally reaches the said Filipinas Islands rotten, and is of no use. If your Majesty will order the ships to sail from Manila furnished [with rigging] for the return voyage, that would, in the first year, put a stop to shipping any [rigging to Manila].