Part 10
Many Sangleys are converted to our holy Catholic faith in the Filipinas Islands, who are married to native Indian women of those islands, and live in the environs of the city. If a site be given them in the unfilled lands where they can assemble and form a village, in order to cultivate and sow the land, in which they are very skillful, they would become very useful to the community, and would not occupy themselves in retailing and hawking food; while they would become more domestic and peaceful, and the city more secure, even should the Sangleys increase in number. We order the governor and captain-general to enact thus, and to endeavor to preserve them and to look out for them with the care that is advisable. [Felipe III--San Lorenzo, August 25, 1620.]
Law IV
The governor shall have particular care not to impose personal services on the Sangleys, outside of their [usual] employment and rules; and he shall endeavor to give them good treatment, in order to induce and incite others to go thither, to be converted to our holy Catholic faith. [Felipe III--San Lorenzo, September 5, 1620.]
Law I
It is advisable for the security of the city of Manila, the island of Luzon, and all the other islands of that government, that the number of the Chinese be very moderate, and that it do not exceed six thousand, since that number is sufficient for the service of the country; and, if that number be increased, the troubles that have been experienced may result, notwithstanding the permission that was conceded by ley lv, título xv, libro ii, [36] which is to be understood until this limitation is reached. Likewise it is advisable that there should not be so many Japanese in that city, for they already exceed three thousand, because there has been neglect and carelessness in driving them away from there; while the number of the Chinese has been increased through greed for the eight pesos that each one pays for his license. In regard to the above, we order our governor and captain-general to apply the fitting remedy, taking note that the licenses are not to be given for money, or for any other interest, either in their own behalf, or for that of other government employees. They shall only consider what is most advisable to the welfare of the public cause, the security of the land, trade and commerce, and the friendly reception of the foreigners and surrounding peoples, and the other nations with whom there shall be peace. That commerce and relationship shall be continued, and all care and caution shall always be taken so that the Chinese and Japanese shall not be so numerous, and that those who shall be there may live in quietness, fear, and submission. But that shall not be any reason for not treating them well. [Felipe III--Ventosilla, November 4, 1606; Madrid, May 29, 1620. Felipe IV--Madrid, December 31, 1622.]
Law II
The licenses that the governor of Filipinas shall issue so that some Sangley Chinese may remain in the islands, shall be with the consent of our royal officials, and account shall be rendered of all. The money resulting therefrom (eight pesos for each license) shall be placed in our royal treasury. A separate book shall be kept there, and names and marks [of identification?] shall be entered in it distinctly, so that there may be no concealment. [37] [Felipe III--Madrid, January 12, 1614. Felipe IV--Madrid, November 21, 1625.]
Law VII
The Sangleys converted to our holy Catholic faith shall not pay tribute for the first ten years after their conversion; after that time it shall be collected from them as from the natives of Filipinas. [38] [Felipe IV--Madrid, June 14, 1627.]
Law XII
The Sangley Chinese of Filipinas have a box with three keys, in which each Sangley deposits twelve reals per year in order to meet their obligations to our royal service with that fund. We order that if there be any balance in any year, it be not withdrawn; and that the Sangleys be assessed so much less the following year. [39] [Felipe IV--Madrid, September 10, 1627.]
DECREES REGARDING THE RELIGIOUS
_Concerning lawlessness of Augustinian religious_
The King. To the president and auditors of my royal Audiencia of the city of Manila of the Philipinas Islands: In a letter written to me by Don Francisco de Caravajal Campo Frio, dated August two of the former year six hundred and twenty-five, he declares that while alcalde-mayor of the province of Balayan, he heard that Diego Larias Maldonado had arrived there, who had run away with the wife of a certain man. He had them arrested in the town of Batangas, a mission of Augustinian friars. He declares that Fray Antonio Muxica, prior of the said order, at the head of his fiscal and choristers, broke open the gates of the prison, and loosed the prisoners, after maltreating the government agents. And although he drew up a report about this action, and informed their superior of it--sending the latter a copy of the report, while he kept the original, in order to give you an account of it--the superior did not inflict punishment, but on the contrary exerted himself to get hold of the original report. But as he did not succeed in this, two religious, accompanied by over one hundred natives, went to Caravajal's house, surrounded it, went up stairs where he was, and took away the said [original] report from him, after having bound him and maltreated him by word and deed. Although he informed you of it, that crime has not yet been punished. Inasmuch as it is not right that such a crime remain without punishment, I have considered it fitting to send you a copy of the said letter, so that if the relation made by the said Don Francisco de Caravajal Campo Frio be true, you may enact justice, in order that, in the future, it may serve as a warding. For this you shall have recourse to the provincial of the said order. Given in Madrid, May twenty-one, one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven.
_I The King_
Countersigned by Don Juan Fernando Ruiz de Contreras, and signed by the members of the Council.
[_Endorsed_: "To the Manila Audiencia, sending it a copy of a letter written to your Majesty by Don Francisco Caravajal Campo Frio in regard to the outrage committed against him by certain religious of St. Augustine, so that, if his report be true, justice may be done."]
_Granting alms to the Augustinians_
The King. To the officials of my royal treasury of the Philipinas Islands: You know already that it was ordered by a decree of the king my father (who is in glory), dated August seven, of the former year six hundred and one, that a ration for two additional religious be given for four years longer to the convent of St. Augustine, of that city of Manila, in the manner that it is given to four religious in that convent; and that he prolonged the said time for another four years by another decree of six hundred and sixteen, and for another four years (which are completed) by another decree of May nine, six hundred and twenty. Now Fray Hernando Guerrero, of the said order, bishop-elect of the city of Nueva Segovia in those islands, has reported to me in the name of the said convent, that the religious of his order from the other convents are entertained and treated there in their sicknesses; and that it is in a college and seminary of grammar, the arts, and theology, whence subjects go out to preach the holy gospel. In consideration of that, he petitions me to order that the said ration continue to be given to the said two religious for such time as I may choose.
The matter having been examined by the members of my royal Council of the Indias, I have considered it advisable to order that it be given to them for another four years, that time to run and be counted from the day on which the said last four years were completed. Accordingly, I order you to pay to the said monastery of the Order of St. Augustine in that city, from any revenue that may be in that my treasury, the said ration for the said two additional religious, during the said four years of this prolongation, in the same form and manner as it is given to the other four religious; for such is my will.
Given in Madrid, June eleven, one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven.
_I The King_ Countersigned by Fernando Ruiz de Contreras.
_Recommendation of the Council of the Indias regarding the Recollects_
Sire:
Fray Pedro de la Madre de Dios, procurator of the order of discalced Augustinians in the Philipinas Islands, has represented that the poverty of the religious of that order is very great, as they have no income; and inasmuch as medicines are dear, they cannot get the money in order to buy those necessary for the sick, whence it follows that they cannot maintain the health necessary for their attending to the ministry of preaching and instruction among the Indians, and the relief of the royal conscience. He petitions your Majesty, in consideration of the above, to grant alms to the said religious, so that they be given the medicines urgently necessary to treat themselves, as these are given to the religious of St. Dominic and St. Francis. He says that what they can use would amount to one hundred and fifty pesos annually. The matter having been examined in the Council, and the poverty of the said order appearing, and seeing that they have no income, and having considered how well they serve our Lord in the conversion of the natives under their charge; it seems best that your Majesty grant favor to the said religious, for six years, of the medicines that may be necessary in order to cure the sick, provided that it do not exceed in any year the stated sum of one hundred and fifty pesos above mentioned. Your Majesty will show them such favor as is in accord with your royal will. Madrid, November 4, 1627.
[Signed by the members of the Council.]
[_Endorsed_: "Council of the Indias. November 4, 1627." "+That your Majesty might grant concession for six years to the discalced friars of the Order of St. Augustine, of the medicines necessary for the treatment of their sick." _In a different hand, evidently that of the king_: "+It is well."]
DECREES REGARDING THE CHINESE
The King. To Don Juan Niño de Tavora, my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia resident therein: Fray Melchor de Manzano, of the Order of Preachers, has reported to me, in the name of the Sangley Chinese who live in those islands, that the said Chinese, in order to avoid the wrongs that they received from the [government] ministers who were exacting daily assessments that were levied on them for my royal service, established a chest with three keys, in which each one was to deposit annually twelve reals in silver, in order to aid in the despatches of the warships, galleys, and trading-vessels for Nueva España, the powder-house, the artillery, the building of ships and other undertakings. Among other conditions that they required, in order that this assessment might be made among them, was one that they were to have no protector; but that in case one were assigned them, he be not the fiscal of that Audiencia, as such office was incompatible with his duties, and because of the experience of long years that it was rather a damage than an advantage to him--and that, for that reason, the said office of protector had been made separate in the beginning from that of fiscal, until Don Juan de Albarado Bracamonte, when fiscal, had so negotiated that the said occupation be assigned to him. The father petitioned me that since the said Sangley Chinese spend so much in aiding my service and pay so fully the salaries to their alcalde, and chief of guard, lesser protector, and to the ministers of instruction, without any expense therein to my royal treasury, it be ordered that the said fund cannot be altered or suppressed, unless the said Chinese should voluntarily wish to do away with it or to make some alteration, or change certain of the conditions which they established when the fund was established; and that the said office of protector be distinct from that of fiscal, and that the office be given to a person who will protect and defend them. If there remain any balance in the said fund at the end of each year, he petitions that the Chinese be allowed to spend it, without the permission of any person, for the welfare and benefit of their village or church. By that means they will be spared new expenses that must necessarily be made for that purpose. After examination by the members of my Council of the Indias, of this request and of the statements regarding it by my fiscal of the Council, Licentiate Juan Pardo, it was voted that I should order this my decree to be given, by which I command you to provide and order that the said office of protector be not held by the fiscal of that Audiencia. From now and henceforth, you shall appoint to it a satisfactory person, giving him the salary that is assigned. You shall charge him to look after the said Sangley Chinese very carefully, so that they may not be annoyed or vexed, and that no ill treatment be accorded them. You shall order that the balance remaining each year in the said fund be left there, and that the Chinese be assessed so much less the following year, After the accomplishment and execution of the aforesaid, you and the said Audiencia shall inform me of the status of matters, and what are the facts in regard to what is mentioned by the said Fray Melchor de Manzano, and the advantages or disadvantages, present and future, of what he asks for; so that, after my said Council has examined it, the advisable measures may be taken. Madrid, September 10, 1627.
_I The King_ By order of the king, our sovereign: _Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras_
The King. Fray Melchor Manzano, of the Order of St. Dominic, has reported to me, in behalf of the Sangley Chinese living in the Parian outside the walls of the city of Manila, that they experience much extortion and injury, on account of not only what pertains to the Christianity that they profess, but their liberty, possessions, and honor, by making them cut their hair when they become Christians--a thing regarded as ignominious by their nation, and which is an obstacle to their conversion, and contrary to the orders of the decree of the king our sovereign and grandfather, who is in glory; as also that they pay annually sixty-four reals in silver, in addition to the ordinary tribute, or that they return to their own country, which means that they are forced to abandon the faith which they received with baptism. He declares that that tribute was never paid by the Christians until it was imposed by Don Alonso de Faxardo, my former governor of the Filipinas Islands, contrary to the advice of my Audiencia resident therein. Fray Melchor has petitioned me that, attentive to the above, I be pleased to order that those converted to our holy Catholic faith be not obliged to cut their hair, or pay the said tribute, or anything else besides the ordinary tribute paid by the natives of the said islands; or that it be moderated so that their conversion may not thereby be made difficult, and that those who once receive the faith be not obliged to abandon it by returning to their country because of their inability to pay so large a tribute--since the majority of those converted are poor laborers, who cannot earn that tribute. Having examined the matter in my royal Council of the Indias, I have considered it expedient to order this my decree to be issued. By it I order that for the first ten years after their conversion the said Sangley Chinese pay no tribute, and that none be collected from them, as I have commanded shall be done in regard to the other pagan Indians who are converted. After the ten years, the tribute shall be collected from them, as from the natives of the said islands. I order my governor and captain-general of the islands to see that the above is strictly obeyed and observed, and not to allow their hair to be cut, in observance of the decree that has been issued concerning this matter. Madrid, November 19, 1627.
_I The King_ By order of the king, our sovereign: _Don Fernando Ruiz De Contreras_
INADVISABILITY OF A SPANISH POST ON THE ISLAND OF FORMOSA
I would consider it a very important fact that the Spaniards of Filipinas have seized and fortified a site on the island of Hermosa, if that would be the efficacious means of driving out the Dutch from their fort and from that island by force of arms, but otherwise not.
In order to discuss this proposition reasonably, it will be necessary first to investigate the objects that the Dutch may have had in order to have fortified, as they have done for the last three or four years, the island of Hermosa.
Some have thought that the purpose of the Dutch must be to destroy commerce between China and Filipinas, by plundering more at their ease the Chinese ships, because they are there near China, and in a place where the fleets from Manila which have sometimes defeated them, cannot attack them. But in my judgment, this is not their purpose, although it is a fact that they are very near the coasts of China in the island of Hermosa. For that reason, even the Chinese, before they set sail, ascertain by means of oared craft whether Dutch vessels are waiting in that place. Consequently, they either do not leave their ports, or if they leave, accomplish their voyage, since they can do so easily by sailing so as not to go within sight of the island. But it is impossible to escape the Dutch ships when they await the Chinese on the coasts of Filipinas, as they have done since the year 609, when they began that practice, until that of 625. During that time scarcely any ship escaped them; for the Dutch generally go to the coasts of Filipinas when there is no time to advise the Chinese not to leave their country. The latter, having sailed, necessarily fall into the hands of the Dutch. However, it is true that when the Dutch await the Chinese on the coasts of Manila, they need a larger fleet; and that they risk its loss by fighting with that of Manila. Here the capture of the Chinese is assured, while for the above reasons (of which the Dutch are not ignorant) that is almost impossible in the island of Hermosa.
In my opinion, then, the purpose of the Dutch is to establish a factory in the island of Hermosa, in order to trade with the Chinese by buying silks from them, and to sail with these to Japon (although taking some of them to Europa also, as well as other goods), just as the Portuguese of Macan do. I am persuaded of this, for, while I was sailing from Filipinas to Nueva España as captain and master of the ship "San Francisco," which was wrecked in Japon in the year 609--the first time when the Dutch went to that kingdom--the Dutch petitioned for a factory from him whom we style emperor of Japon, offering to take him silks from China. Thereupon it was given to them, notwithstanding that the emperor was informed by the Spaniards, and by one Guillermo Adan [40]--an Englishman who had been living married in Japon for many years, to whom the emperor turned for information--that the Dutch were rebel vassals [of the Spaniards] and pirates; and that they could not get the silks if they did not plunder them from the Chinese. Thus did they establish their factory in the port of Firando, where they have maintained themselves to this very day, taking the silks that they have pillaged from the Chinese, and certain cloth stuffs from Europa, and buying food and supplies for their forces in the Malucas and other islands of those regions. Governor Don Juan de Silva, having conquered on the coasts of Filipinas the fleet of the Dutch who were robbing the Chinese in the year 610, it was learned from the instructions of Count Mauricio that they were forbidden to plunder the Chinese and other nations, and that they were only permitted to trade with them. Thus, although they robbed the Chinese, it was on their own responsibility, and incited by greed; and even that they palliated by making a price on the silks, by weighing them, and settling the account for that amount. Paying for the goods partly in reals--although only a small part--they gave to the Chinese due-bills on the factory of La Sunda. I saw those papers in their own flagship, as I was captured by the Dutch in the said year 610, when I was returning from the wreck at Japon to the Filipinas. Nor does it contradict this that since then they have continued to plunder the Chinese, since they have given out that they do it because the silks were bought for silver which the Spaniards of Manila are sending to China; and because even supposing that the silks be some belonging to the Chinese, they do not wish the latter to trade with the Spaniards, their enemies. Consequently, although the Dutch have pillaged them, it has been by affecting this pretext, and giving them to understand that the Dutch were not their enemies.
But what most persuades me to believe that this is the object of the Dutch is because they are not ignorant of the great advantage to them of buying silks from the Chinese and taking their investments to Japon; for it is evident to them from the high profits made by the Portuguese of Macan. That profit will be greater for them because of the greater ease of making the investment, and their nearer and easier navigation. Whenever any other nation wishes to trade with the Chinese, that trading must be done entirely with silver; and as the Dutch can take so little silver from Europa, and have no opportunity to get it from Japon unless in exchange for Chinese merchandise, it is certain that, both because of the high profits of this trade and in order to maintain themselves in their factory at Japon--whence they furnish the forts of the Malucas, Ambueno, and other places with supplies and some food--they will procure the trade with the Chinese by all possible means, by maintaining a factory in the island of Hermosa. Thus, becoming wealthy, they will utterly destroy Macan and deprive the Filipinas of the trade of Chinese silks which they had in Japon, which was formerly of so great profit that the investment generally yielded one hundred per cent in eight or nine months.
It is to be noted that this trade of Macan and Filipinas with Japon is the principal thing that should be aided by España, for it does not involve the danger of having the silver of the Indias wasted in China, if voyages are made to Macan from Lisboa by way of India, because it comes from China to Portugal, and from Nueva España to the Filipinas in return for what is taken to Nueva España. As for the investments made in Macan and Filipinas for Japon, the return for these is silver from the mines of Japon itself.