I

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 EspaÑa 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 EspaÑa 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 EspaÑa 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 CarreÑo 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 MascareÑas, 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 EspaÑa. 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 EspaÑa 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 NiÑo 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.”]

II

Military affairs

Sire:

I am duly grateful that your Majesty ordered the letters which I wrote from here in the years 28 and 29 to be examined in that your Council of War of the Yndias. Your Majesty has answered them, and has done me honor in accordance with your usual custom toward those who serve you. And thus with new courage I pray God that He may give me life and better health in order to serve you. I have for a year back been in so poor health, by reason of great exhaustion and weakness, that I greatly fear that I shall not be able to leave this place. If I shall not do that, I shall have fulfilled my duty by giving my life in the service of your Majesty. Your Majesty knows that I am not fit for the burden of government since the death of DoÑa Magdalena, who is in heaven. Everything has been hardship for me; and I have become so exhausted that I can scarce rise from my bed, and I have been very near my end twice or thrice. May God fulfil His will, and may your Majesty be pleased to give orders that I be relieved, if you wish affairs to be safe here; for surely the country will be very quickly in the power of the auditors, if some person does not come from there who will not let it be lost. If God give me life, I shall be contented even with retiring to the post with which your Majesty has favored me, as your commissary of war. Notwithstanding that I assure your Majesty as your faithful vassal, and as a person who would prefer to lose a thousand lives than to utter one falsehood to his king, that the Filipinas have been worth nothing to me, during the six years of my residence herein; but rather I have lost the twenty thousand pesos which I have spent from the dowry that DoÑa Magdalena brought me. And had not our Lord been pleased to give me a son (at whose birth she died), she would not have had enough whereby to have returned safely home to her parents. I confess that it must seem to politicians that one does not come so far not to gain a bit of bread; but it is certain that if one is to serve your Majesty to the letter, and live as a Christian, it is difficult to acquire much property. I arrived at these islands very deeply pledged, for the expenses of the Indias are heavy. I brought many men, so that they might serve your Majesty here. I have carried myself in accordance with the honor which your Majesty bestowed upon me; and, consequently, I have not been able to save enough from my salary to pay the expenses of the return (if God grants me life). I am anxious; for it is not right to spend the possessions of this child. If some accommodation, in some of the ways that my agents will represent there, were to be allowed me for this purpose, I would appreciate it; for that would enable me to take from here something with which to serve your Majesty in Europa.

I wrote about affairs pertaining to Japon last year, by way of India. In this despatch I enclose a copy of it in the first mail. May God bear it in safety; for, judging by what the fleets of the Northern Sea encounter, we are always in fear. This year those of Japon have come with their ships; and the governor of Nangasaqui says in answer to my letters that the trade may be considered as open, and that the ships from both sides may go and come, and that they will be well received. In regard to the passport [chapa] of the emperor, which is the license that they usually give for trade with their kingdoms, he says that he will arrange that. They send one hundred and thirty lepers in these ships, who were exiled for the faith. We believe, through the assurance that we have of the bad disposition of that race, that this action has been a sort of vengeance or contempt; but it is quite certain that, although they may have done it for that purpose, it has resulted very well for us; for we have exercised an act of charity, which I hope, God helping, will confound them. For we received the lepers with great pomp and display of charity; and this city, aided by the religious orders, is striving to collect liberal alms for them. Those ships have brought a quantity of bronze for the founding of artillery, besides an abundance of flour. Since they are doing this, and we are not for the present going there securely, the matter is to be considered as more evil-intentioned than they may regard it. I shall endeavor, as heretofore, to promote peace and cordial intercourse, and that they may obtain all satisfaction for the affair in Sian. If they come to ask for it rightly, satisfaction will be given them, and the guilt of the commander who had charge of the galleons will be settled.

The viceroy of Nueva EspaÑa asks me to cast him some artillery, of the calibers ordered, and it will be sent him promptly.

I wrote your Majesty, in the year that Don Geronimo de Silva died here, how superfluous was the post of general of artillery; for he does not take the field, nor is there any artillery train [to be transported], or more than a few artillerymen scattered through the ordinary presidios. For as many as there are, it would be sufficient to have one captain of artillery; for it requires nothing else than to order a ship to be equipped, and that is done with the order of the captain-general; and with greater ease and less red-tape, orders can be given to the captain of artillery, who is the one who has to execute it, than to a general of artillery, who has to order another to do it. Juan Bautista de Molina has served your Majesty many years, but the Filipinas do not need so many heads, nor so many to draw pay from its treasury. I, Sire, shall not appoint anyone to the post (although it is vacant), as your Majesty orders me, for I do not desire to do a thing in which I believe that I would be doing you a disservice; and since your Majesty orders me to abolish other posts, I do not believe that it will be disservice to add this post to them. In the meantime, will your Majesty please inform us whether the master-of-camp of these islands or the general of artillery is to govern at the death of the governor and captain-general, or during his absence. Certain it is that he who has more authority and power is the master-of-camp, and he ought to be second in command. For there is not any general master-of-camp here, nor is it necessary; nor is there more than one regiment that he governs. Juan Bautista de Molina is exercising his charge in accordance with your Majesty’s letters-patent, which will be observed to the letter.

I wrote, with the ship that sailed to India, the good news that was had from the island of Hermosa. We have not received later news. The disobedient Indians have been punished, and affairs have been better regulated. May God in His mercy bring them to a knowledge of His holy faith. I am sending two ships there, so that more abundant relief may be sent to our men. They will bring back the general, Don Juan de Alcaraso, who is there. The sargento-mayor will remain in his place until another person is sent, as he is a person of trust and worth.

The province of Cagayan is more quiet than before. A company there was abolished, for the war has ceased; and hopes are daily entertained that more peaceful Indians will come down [from the hills].

The inhabitants of Caraga revolted, as I stated in my last despatch, after killing the captain and commander, with twenty soldiers, in an expedition that he made. Thinking that they could gain the fort with that force, they came to it, but it did not fall out as they imagined. The greater part of the province rose, and killed four discalced Recollect religious. A severe punishment was inflicted on them in the month of September; and recently, in the month of May just passed, another fleet went there to punish and to reduce them. I trust, our Lord helping, that they will remain quiet, although they are not Christians; for there is little confidence to be placed in them.

The four pataches which were sent to Terrenate arrived there safely; and the enemy were unable to overtake them, although they came with hopes of doing much more here than usual, and searched for the ships from dawn until four o’clock in the afternoon. Pedro de Heredia is somewhat disconsolate at seeing that your Majesty does not withdraw him. He sent no news of importance, except that the enemy is not so powerful as formerly. During the coming year I intend to send a greater reËnforcement than usual, in order to see whether we can capture the enemy’s ship which prowls thereabout. There will be considerable opposition, and there are very few men for what is necessary, but I shall do what is possible.

Nueva EspaÑa aids me with very little money; for this year not more than two hundred and thirty-four thousand pesos has come for the expenses of the treasury, and during all the past years aid came in almost the same way. The viceroy thinks that he is doing his duty in not sending more. I would like him to have charge of affairs here, to see whether he could maintain armed fleets, infantry, friars, ministers of justice, the extraordinary expenses of presidios, and many other expenses—which will be seen there from the reports which your Majesty asked, and which are sent this year—with so little cloth. He also sent me only ninety soldiers as a reËnforcement, for whom, I am assured, twenty warrants were given. The best of all is that I am told very positively that the levy will begin very early, just as if that had the tune that was to attract many men. If the captains who raise the men were the ones who had to bring them, they would make men. But as they are not the ones to bring them, and as the matter is reduced to three companies who have to come here, and the captains of these come to obtain the men on the wing—that is, on the road or at the very port of Acapulco—they find that already the men have deserted to the other captains. Many of them die here, and there is but a low birth rate in this country. Thus the garrisons at Terrenate and the other presidios lack men, although the visitor thinks it all too much. I am not surprised at that, for his desire is the same as mine, namely, to cut short your Majesty’s expenses. But it is certain that some economies come to be wasteful. He told me that I should reduce the soldiery in these islands to the number that was established by Gomez Perez DasmariÑas. As he does not know what it means to have Dutch enemies about us, he thinks that we could get along with fewer men [than we have here]. I find, Sire, that your Majesty does not have another military establishment more important in the Yndias than the Filipinas Islands. And, that it may be evident whether I make a wrong assertion, consider what part of the Yndias the enemy have made their own—except Xava, where they hold Xacatra, three hundred leguas from here. There they have their principal fort, and have their ammunition and magazines. Here, Sire, here, is where your Majesty, joining Malaca and Macan to this government, must maintain your forces and oppose them to those of the enemy. If that is not done, there is but little to hope from these Yndias, which will be ruined in a short time; or, at the least, will incur so many expenses that they will be of no use. May God take me to that court, where I hope to make the affairs of these regions understood as they are, and not as people imagine there. Neither heavy expenses nor large fleets are necessary for this. The continual plying of four galleons and two pataches, and four galleons in the strait of Malaca, will keep the enemy so hemmed in that they will make no captures or have any trade; and they would have to go in company and armed, and thus incur expenses. Castilla has no trading company for the expenses of war. Without prizes or trade they would be able to inflict the first injury on the Dutch; for the strait of Malaca, which is the place where the Dutch conduct the greater part of their trade, would be secure with the galleys, for there are no winds there, as a rule. The tide allows the ships to enter and leave by three straits, the broadest of which is very narrow, for only one ship can tack in it. That strait is not the one generally used, but the other two. I am assured that in both the ends of the yards of the galleons brush through the trees ashore. I wrote in regard to this matter, in the year of 30, by Admiral Diego Lopez Lobo, whom I was sending to that court to treat of that matter alone; but God was pleased to let him drown in the flagship of the trading-fleet which was lost in the past year of 31. I wish that at least one of the three mails which I have always despatched since my arrival at these islands had reached you. On my part I have not failed to advise you of everything, nor shall I fail to desire and to propose what shall seem best to me for the increase of the service of your Majesty.

It will not be difficult to unite these camps under one head, even though they are of two crowns. If they do not unite of themselves, they will have no strength. Portugal and Castilla belong to your Majesty, and that is a reason why their arms should be united; for the forces of Francia, Olanda, Ynglaterra, and Dinamarca2 are united in these districts. If those of your Majesty were combined, not only would we defend what has been gained, but we would steadily extend farther. Your Majesty sees them united against you, although they are of so many different sovereigns, religions, and nationalities. Then why do not Portugal and Castilla unite in this South Sea and the coasts of Asia, where the enemy acquires so much wealth? I do not attempt this so that I may remain here longer, nor so that everything may be placed in my charge; for I have no health, nor is it just to exile me so many years in regions so remote. I express my feelings, and I desire to express them more in detail in that Council, as experience has shown things to me.

I sent a galliot to Yndia in November of last year, 631, in order to continue my negotiations with that viceroy in regard to this matter of joining hands in order better to attack the enemy. Particularly did I inform him of the order sent me by your Majesty about making an expedition to the island of Hermosa, asking him for the aid which I considered necessary. I wrote the same to Macan, so that it might for its part make other necessary preparations. I am advised that the said galliot, because it was well equipped, escaped from the enemy who were stationed in the above-mentioned strait of Malaca awaiting the galliots from China—which latter they captured, together with another ship belonging to a merchant of this city. May God remedy this loss.

I am advised from Camboja that a galleon which I am having built there at your Majesty’s account has been already launched. No one thought that this would be accomplished; but it has been God’s will that the difficulties should be conquered at last, and that this shipbuilding should be established in a place where this ship has been built at much less cost, and from more durable woods, than [it could have been] in these islands. As this one has been built, so can many others be constructed; and these provinces can be relieved from the great burden of their shipyards. I also have under discussion another negotiation with the city of Cochin in regard to this same matter; and, if it succeeds, it will be of great service to your Majesty.

Some difficulties have arisen in military matters, which it is necessary for your Majesty to have determined in your Council of the Yndias. Since your Majesty has had armed forces in these islands, the ships which enter this port and that of Cabite have been inspected by the military department. The governor does not go in person, both because of his many duties and also because every year he gives commission, by his authority, to one of the persons in whom he trusts, for that person to go in his name. This appointee goes in company with a notary, and inspects the number of the people, and the arms, ammunition, and the amount of property, to see if everything is in accordance with the orders given from the time of Governor Don Juan de Silva to the Chinese, so that they might not burden these islands with useless ships and people (as will be seen by the copy of the commission, which is sent to your Majesty in your royal Council of the Indias). Several discontented regidors—thinking to annoy me, and incited perhaps by some of this royal Audiencia who is but little inclined to my course of action—presented a decree of your Majesty (of which a copy is also enclosed to your said royal Council), under date of the year 20, in which it is ordained that, in order to give this commission, the governor must meet with the auditors, and that all in assembly choose the person to whom it shall be given. This detracts authority from the office of the captain-general, to maintain which efforts should be made in that royal Council of the Yndias. I am now with spurs on my heels, as they say, [ready] either for the other world, or to finish this government. Consequently, I cannot negotiate this matter with the intention of enjoying it; I am doing this for the service of your Majesty and for the authority of the office—considering that, although it would be very proper to have this commission granted by the votes of four, never would those votes conform, for each one would try to have it given to his friend. For the commission entails but little work; and, if many ships come, it is worth quite one thousand or one thousand five hundred pesos. The tariff of fees is appraised by the Audiencia, of which I also send a copy to that said royal Council. I petition your Majesty that it be examined in that royal Council, so that the military department may have a defense on its part, and so that its rights of preËminence may be kept.

There has also arisen a quarrel this year over criminal jurisdiction between the master-of-camp of these islands and the castellan of the fort of Santiago of Manila, in regard to the imprisonment of a soldier of the fort whom the master-of-camp arrested for offenses committed outside of the fort. The castellan demanded the soldier, saying that the jurisdiction over the men of his fort belongs to him, wherever they may commit their offenses. On the other hand, your Majesty makes the master-of-camp of this camp judge in the first instance of all the soldiers in the Filipinas Islands (Terrenate excepted). Therefore the latter declares that he must be judge in the first instance of all the causes which are prosecuted in the island of Hermosa, and in the presidios of Caraga, Cagayan, Zibu, and Oton; and that the commandants there can do no more than to conduct the cause to the point of giving sentence therein, sending it to him so that he may do this. The same is declared by the castellan of the fort of Santiago of this city; but, although it seems that he cites warrant for it, his predecessors have not been wont to exercise it. On the other hand, the castellan alleges that his predecessors have always exercised separate jurisdiction. In regard to the governor of the island of Hermosa and the commandants in the remote provinces, it cannot fail to be a hindrance that they cannot give sentence. Accordingly, I petition your Majesty to have this made clear; and at the same time to decide who is to try in the first instance the illegal acts that the castellan of the fort, the master-of-camp himself, the general of the artillery, and the commander of the galleys may commit. This is not clear, and there may be cases in which such action may be necessary. May God preserve the Catholic and royal person of your Majesty, as is necessary to Christendom. Manila, July 8, 1632. Sire, your Majesty’s humble vassal,

Don Juan NiÑo de Tavora

III

Ecclesiastical affairs

Sire:

It is three years since the death of the archbishop (who is in glory), and during those years the land has enjoyed peace and harmony between the two jurisdictions—ecclesiastical and secular; for the provisors who have governed in this vacant see have been more learned and more peaceable than was the archbishop. May it please God that it may be the same in the time of Don Fray Hernando Guerrero, to whom your Majesty has granted the favor of this archbishopric.

The latter presented before the cabildo of this cathedral a decree from your Majesty, despatched in the ordinary form, so that the government should be given to him while waiting for the bulls from his Holiness. It is not the said cabildo who governs, but Don Fray Pedro Arce, bishop of Zibu, by virtue of a brief of his Holiness and a decree of your Majesty. They order that during the first three vacancies of this archbishopric (which began to be reckoned from the date of the brief), the cabildo should not govern, but the senior bishop of the islands (who is at present the bishop of Zibu); for it was considered unadvisable for the government to be entrusted to the cabildo for the space of three years—the least time that a vacancy can last here. Upon this occasion the cabildo responded that it could not give to the archbishop-elect the government that it did not possess. The bishop of Zibu says that he cannot leave the government without a special order from your Majesty and from his Holiness, who are the persons who have given it to him. After receiving this reply, the archbishop-elect came on appeal from fuerza to the Audiencia. They, after having thoroughly aired the matter, judged that there was no occasion [for this plea], because the documents lacked some clauses requisite to make them effective, and the cabildo had not committed fuerza. They told the archbishop to prefer his claims before him who had the right [to judge his case]. The good archbishop was desirous of governing, and accordingly, took hold of the affair with too much energy, aided by his natural disposition, which is not so moderate as his dignity demands. He thinks that we are all to blame, and I in particular; accordingly, he shows me little favor. I mention this so that in case that he should write anything against me, your Majesty may be warned, and give no credit to his relation until the proof of it be adduced.

The decree in which your Majesty lays down the order that must be observed in the changing of missions and in the appointment of the ministers thereof on account of the death of their predecessors, was obeyed, and notice of it given to the bishops and to the superiors of the orders. The latter oppose it stoutly, and say that in no event can they be ruled by it without the order of their generals, and that they will abandon their missions first. In the year of 29 I wrote to your Majesty at length upon this matter, in regard to which no particular answer was given to me besides the sending of this decree—which, as I judge, is general for all the Yndias. The point is very serious, and is one of peculiar difficulty in these islands. Although we here are sufficiently ministers of your Majesty to be able to decide it in case that the religious leave their missions, yet we desire to have some clearer light on the matter from there, in order that we may better succeed in your Majesty’s service. [In the margin: “File it with, the letter of the bishop of Zibu, who writes concerning this matter, which is submitted to the fiscal.”]

For many years the bishopric of Camarines has had no prelate; for, although your Majesty has appointed many, no one comes here. That must be because they hear how wretched a post it is. Your Majesty could abolish that bishopric by adding the half of it to that of Cebu, which is very conveniently located for this purpose, and the other half to this archbishopric of Manila, which does not have too great a district; and by that means would save that salary, and avoid many animosities that he who shall arrive from EspaÑa to occupy that bishopric must surely encounter. [In the margin: “To be considered by all the Council, together with what the viceroy wrote.” “A bishop has already gone to Camarines.”]

The religious orders are at peace, and are attending to the welfare of the natives and your Majesty’s service. Three of them held chapter-meetings this year, and all quietly. That of St. Francis, and that of the Augustinian Recollects were exemplary, and they made their elections immediately. The calced Augustinians also made their elections—but not so quickly that we could avoid sending to them to remind them not to allow the disturbances of other times to occur in their chapter—by having made them beforehand through their devotion to the outgoing provincial, who managed the succession for another as worthy as he.3 May God grant that the elections be canonical.

A procurator is sent to ask your Majesty for more religious. On other occasions, your Majesty has been informed of the existing need for exemplary religious who may assist in the reformation of the province. As for him who is not so, it were better that he do not come. I cannot hide these things, nor hesitate to tell the truth about them when opportunity offers. For that reason I am not liked; and I have heard that reports against me have gone to that court from several of the orders. I am very sure that your Majesty will not give them ear without reserving another ear for me. The religious in this country wish to govern; and, if the governor does not allow them to do so, they regard him as an evil-conditioned man, and easily lend ear to the malcontents. May God preserve the Catholic and royal person of your Majesty, as is necessary to Christendom. Manila, July 8, 1632. Sire, your Majesty’s humble vassal,

Don Juan NiÑo de Tavora