Antonio Pigafetta

“ Let thy Blessedness also give instructions to the end that we be not hindered in any way by the Spaniards when traveling to heathen countries, no matter where they be, but on the contrary that we be aided in every manner with due help and favor. Let thy Blessedness also impart from the treasures of holy Church a share of indulgences to this new plantation and to us, the most unworthy servants of thy Blessedness, especially that, whenever mass be said at any altar in the Philippines and at any in the kingdom of China, through the mercy of God a soul be freed from the pains of purgatory. ”

“ If his Majesty wishes to get hold of China, which we know to be a land that is very large and rich and of high civilization, with cities, forts, and walls much greater than those of Europa, he must first have a settlement in these islands: first, because we cannot pass safely among the so many islands and shoals that lie along the coast of China with ships of high freeboard, but must use oared vessels; secondly, also, because in order to conquer a country so large and that has so vast a population, one must have aid and refuge near at hand, for any contingency that might arise. ”

“ I have confessed many, both men and women, and I have been astonished to see with what contrition they confess, and how well they know how to accuse themselves—much better than many Spaniards. There are very few in this province who are not Christians although they have not heard the preaching for more than ten years, for before that time there was enough to do in pacifying the land. They hold the holy water in great devotion and always keep it in their houses. They take it to their fields and whatever their necessity, they immediately go to the church for water. ”

“ I believe, most invincible prince, that such trouble and harassing proceeds from the fact that those kings and their subjects are so affectioned to the Castilian name; for I, as an eyewitness, assure your sacred Majesty that the Castilians who sailed in the fleet of Villalobos were as well received and as kindly treated by the kings of Tidore and Geilolo and by their vassals, and that they always showed us as much love and goodwill, and offered their persons and property, to relieve our necessities, as if they had really been your Majesty’s natural vassals for many years. ”

“ The kingdom of China is immense, being even a thousand leagues in extent, with such a multitude of inhabitants that the whole kingdom seems one mighty city. The Chinese are fair of color, with small eyes, much given to trafficking, sharp-witted, and masters at trade, though in matters that concern the safety of soul exceedingly dull and senseless. ”

“ But happily by divine bounty, before long, after hope had given out, after we had been stationed in different parts of the islands, so great a multitude of men, women, and children flocked to us for instruction and baptism, that we were unable to cope with their numbers—a matter that was the more wonderful since this wild and savage race of men had never displayed the slightest trace of religion, and had neither places of worship, nor sacrifices. ”

“ The people of these islands have no king or sovereign and are without any law. Most of them are heathens although some are Moros. They can be converted and adopt our faith easily; and are rather like monkeys very desirous of imitating us in dress, [226] speech, and all other particulars. The fear with which God has inspired them is great, for no matter how large may be the village, when a dozen Spaniards go to it, the natives come out immediately with their hands tied and beg for peace, promising to give what tribute may be asked from them. ”

“ To whom else than the sovereigns of the Spains, I ask, has it been given, along with the domain of the world, to perform an angel’s task, and to wear as king a diadem that has been adorned with the charge, ennobled with the dignity, and accompanied with the authority of an apostle? ”

“ In regard to what you say of the islands that have been discovered, and which are being discovered daily, and your sensible policy in not waging war, you have done very well, and we charge and order you to continue the same, striving by all good means to attract the natives to the service of God our Lord and mine, and to the love and friendship which they ought to have with you and with the Spaniards who reside with you. You shall so carry yourself that you may not come to blows with them nor with any other persons unless you should be provoked, and in your own defense. ”

“ These peoples had no kings in these islands, but their method of government was by chiefs, who were the ones who were most powerful and possessed more property. Those chiefs were tyrannical to a degree, and treated all the other people like slaves, seizing their possessions and children whenever they pleased. They were very much inclined to wars and one village was constantly waging war against another, so that there were very few that were at peace, and they acted like barbarians in those wars. ”

“ No person, secular or ecclesiastical, order or convent, religious order or community of any estate, condition, rank, and preëminence, judicially or extrajudicially, shall dare, for any cause or occasion, to meddle at all with anything touching the said our royal patronage, or to damage us in our exercise of it, or appoint to church, benefice, or ecclesiastical office, or receive such to which appointments are made throughout the state of the Indias, without our presentation, or that of the person to whom we entrust the same by law or letters-patent. ”

“ They are taught all those things so that the church may be better served and so that they may be incited to become good Christians upon seeing how to serve God. I have always lived in this province, where I have baptized many with my own hand—more, I believe, counting little and big, than one thousand. I trust, God helping, from what I have learned of them, that many of them are saved. The boys especially will become excellent Christians; for they have lively understanding and take very earnestly to the things of our holy faith and become such that our Spaniards are astonished at it. ”

“ ERECTION OF THE MANILA CATHEDRAL1
Brother Domingo de Salazar, by the grace of God and of the Apostolic See bishop of the Philippines, to all the inhabitants thereof, of either sex, faithful of Christ, health in Him, who is health indeed.
The providence of our Almighty God is such as it always has been and will be for all time, that as ages roll by He reserves the doing of certain wonders, whereby those things which happened to early generations are more readily believed by their posterity, while their descendants are led through the novelty of those wonders to a knowledge of Him. ”

“ They find enough desert lands if one tries to force them in their own. Until having your Majesty’s order and instructions, the governor has not cared or consented to have war made on them; and we consider it as certain that if that had been done, we would have suffered, and have all met our death most wretchedly, for the first thing that those natives do is to take away all the food, and the misery in which they hold the land in which they live is such that war cannot be made there under any circumstance. ”

“ There is gold both in mines or native deposits, and in places in the rivers in almost all parts of the land; although, notwithstanding that, not much is seen among the Indians (although the mines are rich) because they are a lazy race, because the slaves are very arrogant, and because of the plundering and warfare among themselves, so that they do not dare to leave their houses unless they are in bands and armed. However, the chief mines that the Indians work and of which we have notice, are those of Pangasinan, Ylocos, those of Paracali, Vicor, Camarines, and Bongdo. ”

“ For, with the increase of leaders an increase of confusion ensues, which in turn leads to the ruin and annihilation of the commonwealth, and of the authority of the father-general, from whom as from a common head all the members depend, to the end that he be recognized and revered, and the order governed well; wherefore, it is not right that the brethren of the Indies, who, besides being so well disciplined, are learned, as well as observant of their constitutions, should be governed by a chief whom they themselves have not chosen. ”

“ That island [of Cebú] is small but very healthful. All its inhabitants are Christians, being the oldest Christians of all the islands. That island lies on the way and route to Malaca. The adelantado went to the island of Panay from that island as it was inadequate, after leaving a sufficient number of Spaniards there, and settled on a large river called by the same name [of Panay] . He stayed there until he went to Manila where even to this day is the settlement of the Spaniards, and where I believe that it will always be as it is a fine center. ”

“ For if, after his victory over Darius and certain other kings of Asia, Alexander of Macedon claimed to be master of the world; if the Romans who however planted not their banners on the farthest shores of Europe, or Africa, nor could subdue the whole of Asia, albeit they too styled themselves conquerors and masters of the world: by how much stronger right may not the kings of Spain be entitled, as in fact they are, the masters of the world, when under their rule and sway have fallen kingdoms without number, of boundless extent, whose very names were unknown to Alexander or to Roman ear. ”

“ However, they are so evilly inclined a race in respect to this that when occasion offers they do not keep faith with their friend. Since the coming of the Spaniards to this land there has been another kind of slaves who have sold themselves very cheaply in times of famine in order to live during the famine—the father to his son, the brother to his brother, the uncle to his nephew, and others likewise—in which he who bought showed charity to the one purchased. Such slaves were never sold unless by such an one who could not live through his own efforts. ”

“ If the place is settled by Spaniards, I am convinced that (God helping) , there will be abundance of gold extracted by them, for there is little that can be seized from the natives. Pearls are also to be found in some places, and other things such as pepper, cinnamon, and drugs.
Soldiers are not needed to conquer this land, for they do not consider the welfare of the land, but only how to amass wealth quick in order to return home. When they are unable to attain their desire, they destroy and lay waste the country. But colonists who intend to remain in the country must be sent. ”

“ There is another more urgent reason that makes me dare to petition your Majesty to concede this favor to the fathers, or rather, to me and to this city and these islands, namely, that although this seems to be an expense and drain to the royal estate, it really is not so, but a saving of the expenses and drain. For your Majesty cannot neglect to annually send ministers, either seculars or religious, or some of both, for the discharge of your royal conscience, in order that they may work at the conversion and maintenance of these natives. ”

“ It is considered as an occasion for just war by the War Council and a village may be destroyed and all those captured may be enslaved, if any Spaniard has been killed in the village; although the occasions that the dead man might have given or the wrongs that he might have committed are not considered, as is neither the fact that those natives do not understand or have anyone whom they can ask to avenge them unless it be God and their justice. They formerly had no king or ruler from whom to ask satisfaction. ”

“ It also seems to be the proper thing to pillage them, if they do not wait and if they abandon their houses. All this takes place without having benefited the natives at all, and without giving them to understand that his Majesty sent them to inform the natives of God. We Spaniards are held in ignominy in this country and our name is held in abomination, as is even the most holy name of the Lord, and we are considered as the usurpers of others’ possessions, as faithless pirates, and as shedders of human blood, because we illtreat our own friends, and harass and trouble them ”