Chapter 18

It has been the custom to send presents and gifts at your Majesty's cost from this place to the king of Japon and to certain private persons, great vassals, and lords of the ports of that kingdom, every year when a ship was sent to that country for the necessary commerce, and the provisions which it sends to this country--inasmuch as it is the fashion not to deliver an embassy or message without taking a present. For some few years back we have neglected to send any. Some religious persons zealous for the service of God our Lord, and for the conversion of that nation and the salvation of its souls, and likewise for the welfare of these islands, desiring to have them as our best friends in all this archipelago, have considered and even say that it is well known that those Japanese have considered the decrease of the commerce, and attributed it to a disrespect for their friendship; and that consequently they were bound by treaty to prefer now that of the Dutch--whom they loved not a little, because they gave and continue to give them rich presents from what they plunder, since these do not cost them much. Having considered this matter and that there are certain conveniences in having friendly relations with that country, which has and gives to this country many necessary and useful things, and where our ships which ply between here and Nueva España are liable to put it in distress on both the outward and return trips when obliged by contrary weather as has been already seen and experienced--and on such occasions it has been important not to have them as enemies, for then the Japanese have given the crews of our ships a good supply of necessities, and have shown them a positive proof of good treatment in not seizing the so great profits and wealth carried on the said ships; likewise having considered the friendship that they have established with the Dutch, and the persecution there indicted on Christians and their ministers, the Spanish priests, who preach the holy gospel: I have esteemed it advisable to give a report of the matter to your Majesty, so that you may have it examined and considered, together with the written reports of certain religious, experienced in those regions, as well as that of the fiscal of this Audiencia, who also, I am told, discusses it. Will you order the procedure most advisable for your royal service.

I would not be fulfilling my obligations to the service of your Majesty and to this land, unless I reported as to the faithfulness of your Majesty's vassals here. For although it is true that this region is a place of concourse, or a halting-place, for men of different natures, qualities, and characteristics, who come here for various purposes, many of which are not good, or are brought here, and who leave their impress (and that not little) in extending their vices--still there are, on the other hand, highly honorable and loyal vassals, who attend to your Majesty's service with so great love and willingness; and since the former comprise but the very least part of the citizens of this city, who in all number less than five hundred, not only did I find many who offered themselves and their servants to take part in your royal service on the past occasion when the enemy came here, but also they loaned me their slaves for the galleys, and one hundred and ninety-five thousand pesos. With that I have met the expenses of this camp for most of this year and of the other troops whom your Majesty sustains in your pay. I also built new or repaired the ships, both large and small, and galleys, and from them collected a fleet. The enemy upon seeing that fleet in the port, although it was not completely ready, did not choose to await it, as above written to your Majesty--not even for the profits to be derived from the ships that they were awaiting from China and Nueva España, which would have meant no little blessing to them and no little harm to us, if they had returned for it. All that relief resulted from the aid of so good vassals, who, although paid from the money--as were the Indian natives also, who have worked and given the supplies apportioned to them for the above purpose--are even very deserving of reward from your Majesty, if you esteem their service.

In the above campaign, the most aid furnished me, by his person, followers, and servants, was from General Don Juan Ronquillo del Castillo. By his intelligence, assiduity, and labor, I was able to make the preparations that I did; and I do not think that it could have been done without him so well, with so incredible rapidity. Will your Majesty be pleased to have this considered in his behalf, on the occasions that arise for showing him honor and favor. That favor that I petitioned your Majesty to show Admiral Rodrigo de Guilleztegui last year, will be very well extended, for the reasons then advanced. Don Fernando Centeno Maldonado, who is serving in these galleys as commander of them, is a man who, by the honorable rank of his birth, has personal merits and good qualities--so that your Majesty may make use of him in his profession as soldier, or in any other thing, even though it be a position of great labor. He is the man for it, and one who will well use any honor that your Majesty may be pleased to bestow upon him. Many judicial inquiries [_informaciones_] are made here of merits and services; and although there are some among them of men who have merits, and who have not obtained their reward because of a lack in means to give it to them, or in the failure of their said inquiry to obtain it, the majority consist of the inquiries of men who are or could be ashamed. Of them what they claim might be advanced as a reason for their not deserving even what has been given them. Although it is always to be believed that the auditors, to whom the inquiries are entrusted, ought to make them, not only as judges, but as interested parties, so that sinister inquiries should not be sent to your Majesty's royal Council to defraud your royal treasury and the merits of those who have served well, I assure your Majesty that I have heard that many inquiries have been made with less justification than might be advisable. Moreover, I am an eye-witness of the evidence taken so earnestly by Auditor Don Albaro de Messa in the assembly in the case of one Juan de Herrera, whose inquiry he had made. Because we did not detail so fully as he wished regarding [the reward] that we informed your Majesty could be given him, he refused to affix his signature after the opinion that he there gave in favor of Captain Alonso Estever, a valiant man who has served and serves very well. I do not know whether he has signed in his opinion of Captain Antonio de Esquibel, which he also gave to him at that time. In order that your Majesty may know with what passions they proceed in this, and on what this was based, and may see how little was the justification of this protegé of Don Albaro, namely, the said Juan de Herrera (who it is said came here as the servant of the factor Juan Saenz de Quen [86]--of which I am not at all certain, since he has been a soldier here, and even a collector of tributes and encomiendas, and once alcalde-mayor, when the Audiencia was governing; and after his services in these employments, he was found deserving of an encomienda of two thousand tributes, of being appointed commander in the Nueva España line, and of an allowance); because cognizance was not taken of this in its order, in the report, Don Albaro was made especially angry. There are also other and less justifiable inquiries, for there was an excellent notary, named Gonçalo Velazquez de Lara, who forged many inquiries and other papers; and who recently forged my signature, in order to defraud your Majesty of the fees from the licenses of the Sangley Chinese. I sentenced him to be hanged yesterday, so that he may do it no more, and that others might be warned.

The fathers of the Society of Jesus say that they need more religious of their order than are here. They have asked me to petition your Majesty to grant them the accustomed grace in this matter. What I can certify is that whatever aid and concession your Majesty may grant them will be well employed, for they are men who bear considerable fruit, and not as many of them return [to Nueva España] as of the other orders, particularly that of St. Dominic. Of the latter I have heard that more of them than I would wish have left the order," [87] for they are well regulated men and furnish a good example. Although they deny it, I have come to believe that it is not because of the strictness of their life, and that they can all endure it, if your Majesty will order something to prevent it. Of the Order of St. Augustine, I can tell your Majesty that I have heard that they have always applied themselves very earnestly to their charge of facilitating and executing all that has been, and is, necessary to be done in your royal service. In what I have experienced hitherto, I am under obligations to them to confess it, and of especial indebtedness and gratefulness to the provincial, namely, Fray Alonso Barahona, [88] and to the definitors; and inasmuch as it is a matter that concerns the service of your Majesty, I have wished in this letter to mention it to you. I shall close at this point, acknowledging the receipt of only one letter that has come to me from your Majesty in these vessels that have just arrived. It is dated El Pardo, November twenty, one thousand six hundred and seventeen. Consequently with what I have written, I have nothing more to reply to it than that I shall do all in my power, as I ought and as I am obliged to do in fulfilment of its commands, and in all that concerns your Majesty's service. May God preserve the Catholic and royal person of your Majesty, as is needed by Christendom. Manila, August 10, 1619.

_Don Alonso Faxardo de Tença_

[Appended to this letter is the following, to which the clause of the letter speaking of the fleet to be sent from Spain evidently refers.]

On August third, one thousand six hundred and nineteen, Secretary Juan Ruiz de Contreras ordered that Licentiate Antonio Moreno, cosmographer, and Captain Juan Media, be summoned to confer with Pedro Miguel, alias Dubal, a pilot, sent by his Highness, the most serene Archduke Alberto, [89] to make a voyage to the Filipinas Islands in his Majesty's service by way of the cape of Buena Esperanza or by the new strait of Mayre. [90] In the presence of Don Lorenzo de Cracola, commander of the fleet, he was asked which of the two routes seemed the most suitable for the voyage of which they were conferring. He answered that that by the cape of Buena Esperanza was most suitable, if the voyage were to be made at the end of this year, because it could not be made by the new strait, as it was now very late in the year. He said that the season most suitable for that was any time in May; and that although, in accordance with the voyages that he has made, the Dutch sail from their country during any time of the year, he thought that this fleet should sail during the month of March, notwithstanding that he offered to make the voyage by sailing the last of November or the first of December, as above stated. He supposes that by making a way-station in the regions, and in the manner that the Dutch do, they would spend thirteen or fourteen months; and they would not make the time at all shorter by not having made the voyage by the open sea. He asserts that the voyage by way of the new strait is much longer, by at least one thousand leguas. He knows this as one who has made the voyage by both routes, and the last time by that of Magallanes, although not by that newly-discovered way called the strait of Mayre; and because he has gone to Filipinas and Terrenate twice by way of the cape of Buena Esperanza. He affixed his signature in presence of the above-mentioned persons and of Cornelio Smout (who came to España with the said pilot, having been sent by his Highness), and by Henrrique Serbaer, an inhabitant of this city of Sevilla, who served him as interpreter.

_Cornelio Smout_ _Pedro Miguel_, _alias_ _Dubal_ _Henrrique Servaer_

GRANT TO SEMINARY OF SANTA POTENCIANA

In the seminary for orphan girls, which was founded in this city by order of King Don Filippe, our sovereign and the father of your Majesty, four classes of persons are sheltered: the daughters of old conquerors and soldiers of these islands, who, as these have nothing to leave them, are left unprotected; the illegitimate daughters of Spaniards and Indian women (and they are numerous), every one of whom is ruined if she is not sheltered here, because of the great laxity [of morals] in the country; and all are taught and instructed until they depart married. Some married women who quarrel with their husbands are also sheltered there, until the trouble is smoothed over; and there are some poor widows. It is a work of great charity, and one that prevents great offenses to God. But it receives so little aid that the girls are in need. They are barefoot and almost naked, have wretched food, and live in very narrow, obscure, and damp, and consequently unhealthy, quarters. They are treated at the hospital. They have a church, so poor that it has no one to give it a shred as an ornament. The rearing of the girls suffers great injury from their being mingled with the married women, for there is no money with which to build them separate quarters. All of these things are causes that prevent them from living acceptably, and keep them under forcible restraint; while from growing up amid so great poverty and destitution of all things, they do not attract the attention of Spaniards, and lower themselves by marrying Indians. Consequently, all the good ends sought in their rearing are frustrated, and among those ends, the growth of the Spanish population in these regions. I consider myself as the chaplain of this seminary to advise your Majesty of all this (for I think that it is contrary to your royal pleasure and purpose), so that, as its author and only patron, you may correct that state of affairs. It can be corrected by giving the institution some more Indians in encomienda; by adding three more toneladas, in the distribution of the cargo, to the three that are given annually; by raising to thirty its twelve Indians of service, who bring it water and wood; and by ordering that ornaments be given to its church from the royal treasury, as is done to the other churches, and from the royal hospital the necessary medicines, at the written request of the physician and the rectoress. And at present, for enlarging and fitting up the house, your Majesty could give some alms. For its good management, your Majesty might aid the pious intent of Licentiate Hernando de los Rios, procurator of this city, to bring nuns to found a convent in this city, from which nuns might be sent every three years to govern this seminary; for through lack of persons who can be placed in charge of it, and who are suitable for that post, it is and has been managed by only one woman, although four are needed. If your Majesty wishes a more detailed relation of these and other things of this your house, Licentiate Hernando de los Rios will give it to you, for he is well informed of everything. Consequently I finish by entreating your Majesty to have pity on these poor creatures, who all continually pray for your Majesty's health, which may our Lord preserve for many years. Manila, July 15, 617.

_Juan Oñez_

_Petition_

Very Potent Sir:

I, Diego de Castro, administrator of the seminary of Sancta Potenciana of this city, and its majordomo, declare that the encomienda of Indians was granted to the said seminary, as appears by the decree I present under oath, both to send before the king our sovereign for its confirmation, and to present to his royal Council of the Indias.

I beg and supplicate your Majesty [sic; apparently error for "Lordship"] to give me one copy or more of the said concession with the judicial comment of his Majesty's fiscal, for the purpose above mentioned; and to return the original for a warrant to the said seminary, and for the sanction of the law in the whole matter.

_Diego de Castro_

In the city of Manila, in public session of the Audiencia, on August three, one thousand six hundred and seventeen. Give it to him, as he asks.

_Pedro Muñoz de Herrera_

I declare that I was summoned in Manila, August twelve, one thousand six hundred and seventeen.

_Licentiate Don Juan de Alvarado Bracamonte_

And I, Christoval Martin Franco, chief clerk of the government and military office of these Philipinas Islands, declare that I do now despatch this matter because Gaspar Alvarez is prevented from doing it.

I ordered to be drawn, and drew, the copy requested by the above petition from the original concession which was presented for this purpose by Diego de Castro, majordomo (and so at present) of the said seminary of Santa Potenciana, and it is literally as follows:

[_Marginal note_: "Concession of encomienda."]

Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, governor and captain-general in these islands; and president of the royal Audiencia and Chancillería resident therein, etc. Inasmuch as the native towns of Guas and Libon in the province of Camarines have been declared vacant, because of the expiration of the period granted to General Don Juan Tello de Guzman, who held and possessed them, and his failure to establish a colony, as he was obliged; and since they are to be given in encomienda as his Majesty commands: therefore, considering the same, I place the said encomienda of Guas and Libon under the royal crown, together with their subjects, tingues, and mountains, according to and in the form and manner that the said general Don Juan Tello held and enjoyed it, so that the retreat of Sancta Potenciana may enjoy and collect forever the products and profits of the said encomienda. The pension of five hundred pesos received annually from the gambling-houses of this camp by the said retreat is repealed and suppressed, provided it be paid the amount due therefrom up to the day of this concession. In respect to the collection of the tributes of the said natives, the appraisement last made for that province must be observed, and it shall not be exceeded under any consideration, under penalty of the ordinances, decrees, and provisions of his Majesty, made for the Yndias. It shall be seen to that the said natives are well treated, and instructed in the matters of our holy Catholic faith; and in regard to that, it is charged upon the consciences [of the directors of the seminary] and taken from that of his Majesty, and from mine in his royal name. The Indians shall not be harassed or injured by the collectors who go to collect the said tributes, nor by any other person. Given in Manila, December twenty-seven, one thousand six hundred and ten.

_Don Juan De Silva_

By order of the governor:

_Gaspar Alvarez_

The account of the concession of this other part was taken from the record-book of royal decrees and other papers of this accountancy of Manila. Given in that city, April twenty-eight, one thousand six hundred and eleven.

_Thomas Montero_

The above copy is faithful, and is accurately corrected and collated with the said original concession, which was returned to the people, and I refer to that. And the said petition and order I gave the present, witnesses being Juan Vazquez de Miranda and Don Francisco Veltran, citizens of Manila, where this is given on the fourteenth of the month of August, one thousand six hundred and seventeen.

_Christoval Martin Franco_

Corrected.

Sire:

The seminary of Santa Potenciana of the city of Manila, where your Majesty has had the kindness to order the poor unmarried daughters of conquerors to be sheltered, and which your Majesty sustains and founded, declares that your governor Don Juan de Silva took from it a pension that it possessed for the aid of its support in the said city, and in its place, applied the products of the encomienda of Guas and Libon in the province of Camarines, and apportioned the said encomienda to your royal crown for the support of the girls and for divine worship. The seminary petitions your Majesty to concede it the grace of confirming that favor, since its service to God and to your Majesty is so great.

[_Addressed_: "To Secretary Santiago Florez."]

[_Endorsed_: "The Council ordered, September 9, 1619, that the fiscal examine the matter."]

The fiscal declares that this confirmation is not asked for within the four years, although the patent of the governor does not assign any period for obtaining the confirmation; neither does it state that a confirmation must be obtained. The work appears charitable and advisable, and consequently the Council can grant it what favor it pleases. Madrid, September 10, 1619.

On the 23d of November, 619, the Council, after consideration, ordered the governor and Audiencia, at the summons of his Majesty's fiscal, to report on the value and advisability [of such grant]; and that for that purpose a decree of investigation be given in legal form. They shall cite especially what charitable works have been strengthened by other encomiendas; the disadvantages or benefits that may result from this; whether it is an estate that continues to increase or decrease; and what harm may result to the royal patrimony.

REFORMS NEEDED IN THE FILIPINAS

Sire:

Fernando de los Rios Coronel, procurator-general of the Filipinas Islands and of all their estates, declares that, inasmuch as all that community insisted that he come to inform your Majesty of the distressed condition which it has reached, and of what was advisable both for the service of your Majesty and that community's conservation and advancement, he has come, for that reason, at the risk of his life, after suffering so great hardships, to serve your Majesty and those islands, for both of which services he has made this memorial of the most necessary matters that demand reform. Although he thinks that your governor, Don Alonso Fajardo, will remedy many of these things (inasmuch as that whole community writes that he is proceeding as its father), yet, since men are so liable to the possibility of death that most often the good lasts but a short time, and (as we all know by experience, for our sins), another may succeed who will inflict many injuries; and since before the complaints could reach your Majesty through so long a distance and the relief be sent, the men concerned might be dead: it is necessary to prevent the wrongs ere they come to be irremediable, as have been all those that have placed that country in so wretched a condition. He petitions your Majesty to examine this memorial with great consideration, for in [heeding] it consists the welfare and conservation of all the kingdom; for that country, being so far away, has no other remedy for its protection except your royal decrees. The first ten articles of the memorial were approved by your royal Audiencia, so that you may have no doubt of them. He did not inform the Audiencia of the others for just considerations, as was advisable--the city having given him instructions for most of them, which are those that he presents. In the authority that he has presented to your royal Council, the great trust reposed in his person has been evident; for he has served your Majesty and that community for more than thirty years, with so great a desire of acting rightly as is well known, and has never tried to further his own interests, as all [are wont to] do.