“ In a letter written to me by Don Fernando de Silva, in whose charge that government was ad interim, dated August four of the past year one thousand six hundred and twenty-five, he declares that there is not so great need anywhere else as in those islands for the governors to have authority to remove or promote religious teachers because of their unbridled or steady lives; and that the religious have come to lose respect, by their deeds, for the alcaldes-mayor, and pay no attention to the royal jurisdiction and patronage—especially the Augustinians who are more extravagant than the others. ”

“ The inhabitants of Manila, who owned many of the houses, lost considerable in that fire. But in the space of four months, most of that alcaicería has been rebuilt in squares and straight streets and uniform houses. It presents a very beautiful appearance, and is as large as the city of Manila itself. It is no wonder that a city should be built entire in so short a time, when more than three thousand men have worked on it. ”

“ The Chinese, Sire, who live in these islands are almost all infidels. Their god is silver, and their religion the various ways that they have of gaining it. Their nature is cowardly; and those who come to this country have so little character that, as they are not entitled to anything among their own countrymen, they come to get their livelihood among us, [235] serving in the most menial trades. They engage in suits and disputes very readily, in which they threaten one another; and each day they arm themselves for their sinister ends. They have innumerable methods of hiding the truth. ”

“ I find it very unadvisable for religious of any order to go for the present to the kingdom of Japon, and until God shall open the eyes of the emperor—either so that he may receive the holy gospel, or at least not persecute so cruelly those who preach and obey it. ”

“ Now, too, although the Dutch were fortified first in the island of Hermosa, they have not prevented us from effecting a settlement there. For among other things, for such purposes, more men are necessary, and the cost of those men with whom a fortress in a kingdom not one’s own is generally maintained.
But, as this object is not involved in the other considerations which present themselves to my mind for keeping up a Spanish settlement in that island, I do not see that, for the present, the Spaniards are obliged to do that. ”

“ As to the increase of your Majesty’s dominion, there is no doubt that while you are master and lord of the Filipinas, your crown encircles and embraces all the world; for today your kingdom stretches on the eastern side from Portuguese India to Malaca, and between the point of the mainland of Malaca and the island of Samatra is the strait of Sincapura by which one enters the South Sea and goes to the above-named places and the Filipinas, while on the western side the coasts of Piru and Nuevaespaña border on the South Sea, whence one goes likewise to the Filipinas. ”

“ It seemed as if this was the announcement of the disasters and calamities which have been suffered by those poor islands of the Pintados (which are in our missionary charge) from their enemies the Camucones and the Joloans, who have become very insolent—plundering many ships on the sea, some of them valuable; robbing and burning towns, capturing [289] the people, and destroying the images, which the fathers have kept well until their flight and refuge in the mountains. ”

“ They have no headman or chief who governs them, but each village governs itself, and some villages have war with others.
The joy received in Manila at the news of the island of Hermosa was exuberant. At that time Don Juan Niño came to govern. He was unable to send them help at the right season [for sailing] ; consequently, after it had sailed, the ship put back and was detained for more than four months in a port of this island. It sailed again, and again took refuge at Macan, whence they tried to make the voyage for the third time. ”

“ Law VIII 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. ”

“ I shall give a brief narrative both of the island of Mindanao, whose conquest is being made at present, and of Don Fernando de Silva, captain and commander of the soldiers, who went to China. The island of Mindanao is one of the largest that are seen in this archipelago. It has quantities of cinnamon, and is very rich, through the trade that they carry on with all the nations and with these islands. Its natives are given over to the vile worship of Mahoma to a degree not reached by the Moors [i.e., those of Spain] themselves. ”

“ If the treasury were supplied, there would be enough for all, and the royal officials by justifying the payments would be fulfilling their duties; but since there is not more money than for one-half of what is needed, and since we live by the art of enchantment, it is necessary that the royal officials do not pay whomever they wish, but what is most urgent and inevitable for the preservation of these kingdoms. ”

“ Hostile Dutch ships are menacing the rich trading vessels that ply to Nueva España; Silva has taken measures of defense and precaution against them. A powerful Dutch fleet has already reached Ternate; he hopes to obtain some ships, provided by the missionaries, to defend the islands against the foe. The royal treasury and magazines are, however, empty; and he has had to send a cargo to Japan to buy supplies. But the persecutions of Christians in that country lead to great restrictions on the commerce of Spaniards there; and the embassy sent from Manila was not even received by the Japanese. ”

“ It is very pernicious to permit the importation of the silk of China and its trade, both in the Indias and in España. For although not more than two hundred and fifty thousand pesos de Tipuzque can be taken from Nueva España to the Filipinas annually, besides that sum another incalculable quantity of money is taken in reals of eight; for the said silk can be bought or traded for nothing else, nor will the Chinese give or exchange it for other merchandise. ”

“ For fifty years they [i.e., the Chinese] have had proved the steadiness of our trade and the abundance of our silver, and they have desired nothing further than to see us with a post where they can seek us without danger, as they will do at present; for in so short a distance, and with so strong currents [in the sea] the enemy cannot disturb our post—from which will result the dismantling of his fort, for he will be outside the line of traffic and on the coast opposite. On the other hand the Japanese, who cannot dispense with silks, must come for them to our port, bringing us silver. ”

“ Another Chinaman was not wanting who took up the matter on his own account, and said: “The Dutch who pillage those kingdoms, and are rebels to their king, are rather the robbers and pirates, and not the Spaniards, who are good men; with them we trade in Manila, and they do not constrain us except by many very good works.” Upon seeing that, the viceroy of the maritime provinces sent the said mandarin to the new port which we had occupied in the [185] island of Hermosa, to examine and investigate what kind of people we were, and what were our purposes in making a settlement so near China. ”

“ The seas of that kingdom of China are infested with pirates from China itself, and they are so numerous that it is said that there are more than a thousand ships of them. They pillage everything and infest all places, and have sacked and burned many maritime places of that great kingdom. They have been the cause this year of very few ships coming to these islands to trade; for the mandarins have put an embargo on all ships, in order to build a large fleet to oppose the said pirates. ”

“ Affairs in that kingdom are so bloody because of the matter of religion, that it is a lamentable thing. Ships are sent with great danger because of the close scrutiny that the Japanese make, in their fear lest religious are conveyed in them. The embassy returned, after so heavy expenses, without those barbarians having been willing to receive it. It sailed very late, since it gave the Dutch opportunity to believe, and to give that emperor to understand, that your Majesty’s vassals were entering under pretense of religion to despoil them of their kingdoms. ”

“ 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 ”

“ Every year some go and others come, and consequently, the uncertainty and confusion is unavoidable. They are as freehanded in their bribes as interested in their gains. As they have control of all the merchandise, trading, gains, and mechanical trades of the country, their extreme readiness to scatter bribes is remarkable. There is no Spaniard, secular or religious, who obtains his food, clothing, or shoes, except through them. ”

“ Commencing with the Malucas Islands, they are at present in the best condition that they have experienced, from our standpoint; for the Dutch enemy are spent, inasmuch as no succor has been sent to them from Holanda for many years—it appearing that the wars which they have had there must have hindered them. Consequently, it has been recognized that, when the war ceases, their ships will come here in multitudes; and we shall enjoy war, and Flandes peace. The king of Tidore, who was very aged, and was always our friend, died this year. ”

“ So great haste is necessary in order not to fall out with them. [In the margin: “Send that decree, and write to the governor and archbishop to summon the provincial of the Augustinians and tell him how advisable it is to punish that religious, and those who act so; and have them advised that no mission shall under any consideration be granted to religious against whom such accusations are made. Have them advise us of what is done.” “This decree was carried out.”] ”

“ It is decreed that they shall be charged no fee for leaving Manila; the sale of their goods is regulated; no oppression or injury to them shall be permitted; they shall not be allowed to live in the houses of Spaniards; their suits shall come first before the governor of the Parián, with appeal to the Audiencia, and that neither auditors nor municipal officials shall begin such suits; the Audiencia shall not meddle with the affairs of the Parián, which shall be in charge of the governor of the islands; and assessments of fowls shall not be made upon the Chinese. ”

“ The royal officials are endeavoring to secure more satisfactory methods of government for the Chinese who are in the islands, both residents and transients. Tavora asks for a printed copy of all the royal decrees that apply to his government. He has done all in his power to aid the seminary for orphan boys at Manila, but it needs more; and he asks the king to grant an encomienda in support of this charity. He is doing what he can for the hospitals, but asks that brethren from a hospital order be sent to manage them. ”

“ The ship supplies the garrison with the food of which they are in need, and returns to Luzon. Soon afterward a richly-laden Portuguese fleet sails from Manila to Macao, and two Spanish galleons are sent with it as escort, to defend it from the Dutch. The galleons, on the return from Macao, pursue a semi-piratical career for several months, capturing several Siamese vessels with valuable cargoes, by way of reprisal for the injuries inflicted on Spaniards in Siam; and taking other prizes, not all of which are regarded as lawful.
The Christian religion is flourishing in China. ”

“ Relief was sent this year to the Malucas Islands, as has usually been done in past years, in several pataches and a galley. The Dutch enemy had at their Malayo fort (which is almost within sight of our fort at Terrenate) , a very powerful ship which passed in front of our fort several times discharging their artillery as if defying us to come out and fight. After this bravado our men and Pedro de Heredia, governor of those fortifications, armed two pataches and the galley (a force much inferior to that of so powerful a ship) and went out to meet the enemy. ”

“ And if the enemy perceives himself to be so powerful, he will even dare to undertake other great enterprises.
As to reputation, one word is sufficient. All the kings and nations of the world are watching to see who comes out ahead in this undertaking—your Majesty or the rebels of Olanda.
As to wealth, to see the efforts that the Hollanders are making for it, having experienced it—for nothing but wealth comes to them—might well answer as sufficient proof. ”

“ Dominic, the present provincial of this province. To him is due the excellent success that it has hitherto had; for he himself, with other three or four associates, and no other order, went to explore it. They remained there and sent one religious here to Manila to report what had been done, and to get an order from the governor for what was to be done in the future. The island is densely populated, as they will relate to your Majesty. It will be a pity for those peoples to remain in the obscurity of their blindness, without the light of our holy Catholic faith, for lack of ministers. ”

“ Silva has lessened the burdens imposed on the natives, and quieted the revolt in Cagayan; and he has punished the savage tribes who harassed the peaceful Indians. Barracks for the troops, and a stone bridge over the Pasig, are improvements made at Manila. The Spaniards are excluded from trade in Japan; and the Dutch have built a fort on the island of Formosa. Silva sends an expedition to that island, and establishes a Spanish post at its northern end. He explains the advantage of this in restoring to Manila the Chinese trade, which has been injured by both the Dutch and the Portuguese ”

“ Consequently, there is scarce a Sangley who does not have his protector. Among themselves they have great system and energy in all those of one trade acting together in all matters that affect them. They guard one another against the Spaniard to such an extent that, if I wish to change my shoemaker, I will not be able to find among all those engaged in that occupation another who will sell me a shoe. If anyone would dare to do so, the others upon his return to China would bring suit before their mandarins, and thus they would destroy him and all his relatives. ”

“ The Ternatans, who have always been friends of the Dutch and very hostile to us, made peace with us. That has had a very good result for us, [120] for we receive more damage from them than from the Dutch themselves. There have been in this city since the time when the strongholds of the Malucas were taken—which was twenty years ago, during the term of Governor Don Pedro de Acuña—certain cachils, who are chiefs among them, and the same king of Ternate, a great Moro. The governor sent one of the cachils to Maluco to talk and confer with his people, especially with Cachil Leali. ”

“ Although there have been persons who thought an armed fleet necessary to bring over the goods from the island to this city, this doubt is unfounded, because that route can be navigated during nine months in the year among the islands and currents, without any port on the eastern side. During the northern monsoons it is impossible for a vessel to hold its own in that locality while they blow, for they are following winds for us; it is therefore certain that the enemy will not be able to trouble us. ”