The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XXIV, 1630-34

Government affairs

Sire:

I sent a despatch by way of India in the month of November of the past year 631, because the flagship which sailed for Nueva Espa?a sank here in port, and the almiranta put back. A copy of the despatch which they carried goes in the first mail, with this, and I refer to it. Accordingly I shall now begin to give an account to your Majesty of what has happened since then.

The ships which had remained in Nueva Espa?a last year, reached here during the last part of May after a favorable trip. Therefore I trust that they will depart earlier than in previous years, and that the voyages may become regular. [In the margin: "Seen."]

The ships brought as a subsidy two hundred and thirty-four thousand pesos for the royal treasury. Two hundred thousand came last year. The viceroy writes that he can do no more. The visitor here will not, I believe, consider it little, since he does not have it in his charge. Certain it is that the last six remittances which the viceroy has made to these islands have all been smaller than those made by the other viceroys. I confess that the times have become hard; but one can but ill sustain a number of men, or take care of the expenses of war, on less than what their pay and salaries amount to. The accounts for the five years which were asked are enclosed, and have been made out with all clearness. For the last three, it will be seen how much smaller have been the receipts and expenses than those of my predecessors. [In the margin: "Seen."]

Neither have the men come who are needed; for the past year came eighty-odd soldiers, and this year ninety. That is but a scant number for the many men who die here, for our forces are steadily diminishing. I can do no more, for money has not been coined here, nor do the people multiply. I ask, Sire, for what is needed to fulfil my obligations. The viceroy does not send the orders which are given him from there; they can not be so illiberal. As this is a case of need, I give notice of it, in order that blame may not be cast on me at any time. [In the margin: "Have letters to the viceroy written, charging him with this." "The viceroy has been charged with this by a decree which was despatched at the petition of the city."]

The visitor, Don Francisco de Rojas, is proceeding with his visit with excellent judgment, and with his personal efforts and close occupation. This community grieves over the results, for they are many. I trust that he may administer justice so fully in all things that only the liquidations and the balances should be those which are collected. He has attempted (as he thinks that he bears authority for it) to make the final decision of what may be spent by councils of the treasury, and in fact has begun it with this royal Audiencia and with me. That has appeared a strong course to us, for his commission does not extend to that. Neither would it be right for only one judge to declare as improper any expense which the governor, auditors, and royal officials had approved by their opinions. The councils of the treasury were established for expenses of government and war. If there were no authority for those expenses, it would be an evil, and nothing could be accomplished. That will be the case on the day when we shall be subject to have one accountant proceed, in the visitation, against those who gave their opinion as to the expenses which may have been incurred. Who would dare give his opinion freely, if he had to fear that it might be amplified or not? Your Majesty already does not trust your governor alone for this responsibility, and orders him to meet in council with the Audiencia and the royal officials, and that the majority of votes shall rule. That has so many inconveniences that the service of your Majesty comes to suffer greatly from them. If the more important things are entrusted to your governor, why not the lesser? When the archbishop died here, as your Majesty was advised, the bishop of Zibu, who entered into his place, petitioned that he be given some gratuity from the salary enjoyed by the archbishop, because of the many expenses of living in this city-taking a precedent from the vacant see of the other archbishop, in which the treasury council assigned him one thousand two hundred pesos. On this occasion it seemed necessary, so that the bishop might be able to support himself, to assign him one thousand pesos annually; and it was ordered that your Majesty be advised thereof, as was done, so that you might consider it a proper expense. It was necessary and unavoidable, for in any other way the bishop could not live three years-the time during which we have to wait for a reply, if we first had to advise your Majesty. The visitor, Don Francisco de Rojas, has added this item, and formed an opinion unfavorable to the auditors who gave their votes to it, and has ordered that they make satisfaction for it. His commission does not announce this; accordingly, as a matter inferred from good government, he has no right to inspect this affair. He has also taken issue against the auditors of the last Audiencia, who were the ones who assigned the one thousand two hundred pesos during the other vacancy. Your Majesty, by decrees received here this year, grants concession to the archbishop-elect of a third part of the salary which the dead archbishop would have received. Your Majesty orders that another third be given to the cathedral. In accordance with this, there is much more justice and reason in giving suitable maintenance to him who is serving the cathedral. I petition your Majesty in all humility to be pleased to confirm what was done with so great a desire of serving you well-acts which were so thoroughly grounded on justice and right. I assure you that we desire to economize your royal revenues, and that economy is the very thing which is necessary. I have written to the visitor, Don Francisco de Rojas, a document (a copy of which I enclose herewith) in regard to the matter of the proceedings which he is attempting to obtain from the treasury councils, after having first consulted with the Audiencia in regard to it. He replies as will also be seen by the same copy. I have thought best to inform your Majesty of everything, so that you may be advised of the matter. What he appears to take as his basis of action, and on which he places more stress, according to what he has told me, is a section of a decree of your Majesty sent to Don Alonso Fajardo, dated Madrid, December 10, 1618, in which your Majesty uses the following language:

"We have also learned that, through the opportunity furnished by fulfilling an order which my officials of my royal treasury of those islands had-that, if a necessary and unavoidable case arose in which some new expense would have to be incurred, the governor, Audiencia, and the royal officials should assemble and discuss it, and what should have the majority of votes should be executed, giving me advice thereof-on this account many expenses, salaries, and wages have been incurred and increased without any necessity, for the private ends of each one. Consequently, I order you not to make these expenses, except in sudden cases of invasion by enemies; for by doing the contrary so much injury to my royal treasury results."

There are two chief points in this section which can be discussed. The first is that your Majesty says that you have heard that the expenses have been incurred for private ends, and not because they are justified. He who told your Majesty that the wills of the governor, auditors, and royal officials in Filipinas could be unanimous, even for their private interests, has deceived you; for experience shows the contrary. Neither should your Majesty believe that we are all so vile that we would be making unlawful expenditures of your revenues in order to pleasure one another. Well assured can you be of this by the limitation and restriction that would have to be because of the majority of votes; and because the governor, in whom your Majesty trusts most fully, does not have the final decision. Scarcely any authority is given him in this, and a great deal is taken away from him.

In regard to the second point, what occurs to me to say is that, if we are to understand that we must wait for sudden emergencies, and until the enemy is at our gates, in order that we may make any expenses in defense of it; I, Sire, as a soldier (which is my profession), declare that in the Filipinas Islands there is a continual invasion of enemies. Accordingly, since we are confronting so many, it is necessary that we be always in a state of defense. Consequently, we must not wait until they arrive before we make the expenses for the necessary precautions-especially since Manila is surrounded by Chinese and Japanese, and full of slaves, all of whom need no more than to see us without preparation, in order to revolt. All these are so cogent reasons, in my poor judgment, that I consider it beyond doubt that it will be for your Majesty's service to have a new order issued giving your governor and captain-general authority. In order that he may fill those offices effectively in your Majesty's service, it is necessary for him to have that authority in the royal treasury, for extraordinary expenses which result from government and war-as your captains-general have in Flandes, in Milan, in Napoles, and in Sicilia, where there is war, and state affairs arise which render that necessary. It is the same in the Filipinas, because of so many enemies who are within its gates, and so many negroes roundabout, with whom it is necessary to have intercourse and against whom it is necessary to be on our guard. I do not say that there should not be a council in the form ordered by your Majesty, but after the council the governor should have the power to take such measures as he deems best. I do not petition this for myself; for, when a reply to this shall come, already the term of my government will be finished. Your Majesty's service moved me, through my zeal for it. I shall exercise the opposition to the visitor which seems advisable in this matter of the treasury tribunal, your Majesty always retaining the right to order what shall be your pleasure. [In the margin: "Seen."]

In the letters which I am writing by way of Yndia, I discuss the controversy which the royal officials had with the city, before the visitor, in regard to the seats. That contention ceased after the visitor had pronounced judgment against the city, to which I did not assent, affairs having been adjusted in this regard until your Majesty should order what should be most to your pleasure. After many excommunications which had been issued, search was made for the decree in which your Majesty mentions the form which must be observed in this, and in which you order that they be seated in the places which they occupied while regidors; finally, the decree appeared among the others that the royal officials had in their office. The same Don Francisco de Rojas found it by chance, while looking for other decrees in the books which he had demanded from them for the inspection, and after they had, under oath, denied having it. The excommunications which intervened in the matter having been annulled (for in this way do we live in the Yndias), the visitor was at last convinced of what I always told him; and this point is settled, that the royal officials are to use the seats which they had when regidors. [In the margin: "File it with what has been petitioned in this matter."]

It might be that the said visitor will write to your Majesty in regard to certain points of government and war, of which he has been accustomed to advise me by notes, of which authentic copies are taken. It seems to him that, as a minister so superior, this duty can devolve on him. I have respected it, for what these acts may indicate of friendship; but I cannot help mistrusting it, because of the caution with which it is done. Consequently, I have the authentic replies also, so that at any time what he wrote and what I replied may be evident. I desire his friendship and am striving for it, since there will always result a greater service for your Majesty-an intercourse which I would swear that he ought not to remember in the visitation; for soldiers (and more, soldiers of my rank) do not profess to be witnesses, nor can we be. I do not believe that he will have appeared careless, yet I take this precaution on general grounds, so that, if perchance he may have written something, a hearing may be kept for me, and that new decisions may not be sent from there in matters pertaining to government and war, simply on his report; for he is a lawyer, and new in the country, and the most that he will set forth in this matter will be what was told him. [In the margin: "Seen."]

The decrees which I received last year from your Majesty were obeyed and carried out. The same will be done with those which come this year. I humbly kiss your Majesty's hand for the honor and reward which you have conferred upon me in having an answer written to me with so great promptness to the despatches of the years 28 and 29. In what you charge me, namely, that I preserve friendship with Japon, I have had very great care; for after the events of the year 27, I have managed to give that king to understand the irregularity of the case,1 and your Majesty's desire for friendship with his kingdoms. My efforts have already succeeded so well that this matter is already settled with the inhabitants of Macan, and the embargo has been removed from their ships. Having invited the same Japanese to come to trade with this city of Manila, two ships came last year, as I wrote in the last despatches. The answers which we gave to their propositions and letters seemed somewhat satisfactory to them; for this year they have again sent two ships, with letters from the governor of Nagansaqui. In these he tells me that the trade is open as before, and that ships may go there from here, and that others will come here from there. That nation is very cautious, and there is little confidence to be put in them. If a person should come here whom they wished to go there to trade, I would not dare for the present to permit it, until matters are on a more firm basis; for it is certain that their hearts are not quiet, nor will they easily become so. They take vengeance at a fitting time. May they bring us bread and ammunition, as they are doing. I gave them good treatment here, so that it is now procured that the gains which they make on their merchandise and the lapse of time will accommodate all things. Their king died, leaving his son as heir. There are fears of war, that Christianity may not be so persecuted. I do not think that it would be a bad thing to have a bit of a revolution because of their contempt and selfishness. In these ships were sent one hundred and thirty poor lepers exiled to these islands, whom the heathen had tried to make renegades to the faith of Christ (as many others have become); but their entreaties had no effect on these people. I called a council of state to determine whether those lepers should be received, and in what manner they should be received. It was not because I hesitated to receive them; for, even though they might fasten the disease on me, I would not dare to leave an apparent Christian in the sight of so many opposed to the faith, and in the face of the persecution which has been raging in that kingdom. It was determined that they should be received immediately, and taken straight to the church; and that they should be welcomed, entertained, and supported with the alms which this community desired to apportion. A beginning has been made in collecting alms, and a room has been arranged in the hospital of the natives where they are to be put. Your Majesty gives that hospital a yearly alms of five hundred pesos and a quantity of fowls and rice, with which aid it has now so increased the number of sick [who are cared for]. For a work so pious, and so worthy that your Majesty accept it as your own, I do not doubt that you will have its alms increased somewhat, in case that the fervor that is now beginning in the charity of the inhabitants should become somewhat cooled. [In the margin: "An order was sent to the governor ordering him to give a certain alms for six years. Consult with his Majesty. Let two hundred ducados more be given to him in the same way, for a limited time and while it lasts."]

I am awaiting a ship from Camboja which has been built there at your Majesty's account. I am informed that it is already about to be launched in the sea. If it arrives before the sailing of this despatch, I shall advise you. We have friendly relations with that king, and he has maintained the same until now with the vassals of your Majesty. If this matter of the shipbuilding be established, it will be a negotiation of considerable importance. [In the margin: "Seen."]

Trade with the kingdom of Cochinchina is of no importance to us; for the products of the country are of little value here, while the products taken there from Japon are brought to us here. Shipbuilding cannot be effected in the said kingdom, as I wrote you in the year of 30. May God have allowed you to have received the letters. [In the margin: "Seen."]

There is little to hope from the kingdom of Sian, as those people are very treacherous, and are hand in glove with the Dutch. No injury will be inflicted upon them, but, if I had sufficient force, it is certain that it would be to your Majesty's service that it be used in restraining them; for the evil course which they have pursued toward these islands, as well as the same so far as India is concerned, deserves that. I thoroughly believe that if those of India are able, they should make head against the Siamese from Malaca. In the year 30 they seized a patache that had been sent there on an embassy from Macan, and aboard which was a messenger whom I sent to them. And although they declared that it was because they did not like my letter, the truth (as was written to me by the messenger) is, that their act was induced by their coveting the goods aboard the patache, which they thought to be considerable. [In the margin: "Seen."]

A ship has arrived from Macan, and several from China. With the goods which they brought, those from the ship that put back, what came late from Macan last year, and others which were recovered from the ship that sank, this community has enough to make a shipment. It has a good return from the merchandise sent to Nueva Espa?a in the year of 30, with which I hope that the inhabitants will be somewhat encouraged. May God look upon us favorably, so that these islands may prosper for your Majesty, by my means; for as a faithful vassal I surely desire that. [In the margin: "Seen."]

By a decree of December of the year 30, your Majesty orders me to inform you whether it would be advisable to abolish the posts of commander of the galleys, and of the lieutenant and accountant for them: That of lieutenant is abolished. That of accountant, was abolished from the past year. I wrote that I had cut off the pay for it. Later, this year, the papers have been given into the possession of the royal officials here. That is a very great burden, in addition to the many that they have, as the visitor, Don Francisco de Rojas, thought; and I assented to it. It is not advisable that the post of commander of the galleys be abolished, for there is no security here that they may not have to fight many times with the galleys. Consequently, it is proper for them to have a commander who may do it, and who knows how to do it. The saving would be very little. The office is now held by Antonio Carre?o de Valdes, with whom your Majesty was saved six hundred pesos, which he received as an allowance; and not more than two hundred are spent, as the galleys have only eight hundred for wages. [In the margin: "File it with those papers which led him to make this report."]

Your Majesty orders by another decree of the same date that I inform you as to whether it will be advisable to abolish the post of lieutenant-general of Pintados. In reply to that, I say that the pay was cut off as soon as I reached this government, but the title is now allowed; for it is advisable to have one who holds that authority in those provinces, as they are very far from here. Hence it is given to the alcalde-mayor and infantry captain who resides in Zibu, and who does not enjoy more pay than that for the post captain. This is the officer who goes out in the fleets against the Joloans, Camucones, and Mindanaos. He orders in detail what is here decided upon in general. He is on the watch in present emergencies, and if he did not have power and authority to command the chief men of all those provinces, a great part of the service of your Majesty would cease. Consequently, it is not advisable that this office be abolished, and it is enough to have cut off the pay of it. He who holds the office at present is occupied in the pacification of the province of Caraga, of whose revolt I informed you in my last despatch, and which I now communicate in my letter treating of military affairs. He has twice entered that province with a fleet; the first time, he inflicted a very severe punishment, and from the second, which was made this month of May, I hope that no less a result will ensue. [In the margin: "The same."]

The construction of galleys at Cavite has been changed; for one unfavorable result changes the opinions of men which are of but little stability. Certain workmen declared that the woods of which the ship "Santa Maria Magdalena" was made (which was the one which sank last year) were heavy; and that for that reason it had become worthless-and not because its sides were defective. That was a lie, for having drawn it ashore, as I wrote, laden (which was a heroic task, and which could only have been done where there was so much apparatus for it) the ship was then repaired with a lining of knees. It has been tested in this bay, and it is very staunch, and carries all the sail that can be spread. Hence it was a lie to cast the blame on the lumber; but, as the common people and the friars (who desire that there should be a shipyard near here) urged it earnestly on account of this rumor, it was necessary to order that a shipyard be sought in another place. Consequently, the master-workmen have been sent to the Embocadero to build a ship for the coming year; for those ships which came from Acapulco this year are not to return there. They have well gained their cost. I sent the measures for a galleon, of the burden that we need here, to Cochin, and I trust that some agreement which will prove very advantageous to these islands will be made; for scarcely is there anything that will be more important than to suspend shipbuilding here for some time. [In the margin: "Seen."]

I am glad of the decree for Don Felipe Mascare?as, and that the Council of Portugal has ordered that thanks be extended to him because he assisted these islands with ammunition and the other things which were asked from him.

The galleons have been repaired this year, and were completely overhauled so that they will last another four years. That is the best that can be done, because of the poor quality of the woods. [In the margin: "Seen."]

In the year of 28, the ships left here without register. I have had no answer from your Majesty to the causes which, as I wrote to you, existed for that. I have heard that some reports have been made in that royal Council against me, in regard to it, by persons who did not understand or know the matter thoroughly. They used up much time in writing treatises to your Majesty; and lest, perchance, I did not give entire satisfaction by what I lately wrote, the acts and messages which were despatched in regard to the matter are herewith enclosed, in order that the reason which caused the ships to go without register may be seen. The goods which the officers of the ships carried were in their own boxes, and not in a collection of boxes or bales, for they were not allowed to embark them in that way. If any official embarked anything, it was secretly. The penalty which was impeded (which will be seen by the records) could have been executed in Nueva Espa?a. The viceroy knew that I made strenuous efforts so that everything might be declared. He found but a little quantity [of contraband goods], as I understand; and matters cannot be so well regulated, that with their risk there should not be some who venture to disobey the orders and edicts. What is certain, Sire, is that none of my goods were found, as certain persons tried to intimate in regard to me, for I do not engage in such pursuits. And that is plainly seen to be so, for I have less property than when I came to Filipinas. The viceroy of Nueva Espa?a wrote me in regard to the matter with some haughtiness; I answered him that I thought that, if perchance he had been informed about it to my disfavor, my precautions should be seen, and my efforts ascertained-which he did, as he will have written to you-and finally our purpose would have been recognized, which was your Majesty's service and the welfare of this community. May God preserve the Catholic and royal person of your Majesty, as Christendom needs. Manila, July 8, 1632. Sire, your Majesty's humble vassal,

Don Juan Ni?o de Tavora

[In the margin: "This matter is reserved for the inspection or residencia of the marquis of Cerralbo. The decree."]

[Endorsed: "Read and decreed September 15, 1633."]