Sire:
I arrived in this city of Manila, having accepted the favor, so signal,
which your Majesty has conferred upon this his most insignificant
vassal and servant, by the royal decree of your Majesty; this was
presented to the dean and chapter of this church, who complied with
it promptly, and delivered to me the government, in which I am now
installed.
I find this city and country in so afflicted and ruined a condition,
and the minds of many of the Spaniards, including the principal ones
here, so anxious, and desirous of leaving this country, that it causes
me much concern. I am not overcome at confronting the very great and
continuous hardships which result; but, without counting those dating
back to the time of Don Francisco Tello, those of this year alone are
enough to put us in great straits. Even the Indians have taken such
courage against the Spaniards, that they came from Mindanao in battle
array, to harry our coasts; and they have taken captive Spaniards,
and even two priests--to say nothing of innumerable Indians, whom they
seize to sell into slavery among infidels, where it is very likely that
they will abandon the faith. They have destroyed villages and churches,
and taken away much valuable spoil; and at one time it was only through
the mercy of God that they failed to capture the governor, Don Pedro
de Acuña. Other Indians, called Camucones, [18] a wretched people,
have also brought misfortunes upon our people. There arrived this year
two of the ships of those which went to Nueva España. The cloth sent in
one of them came back badly wet, and ruined. On this day, the first of
May, occurred in this city a conflagration--a most grievous loss, for,
according to the account of those who were present, it was no ordinary
fire, but burned the richest quarter of the city, and the convent of
St. Dominic (which was the largest here), and the royal hospital for
the Spaniards. It all happened in so singularly short a time that no
goods or property could be gotten out of the houses; accordingly, much
of the merchandise which arrived in the ships was consumed. This was
especially disastrous as this poor Spanish people, who were expecting
some alleviation of their misfortunes through the returns from their
property sent to Nueva España this year, lost even that consolation;
for the ships from Mexico for these islands this year were despatched
thence very late, and arrived here at the time when those from here
were departing. These are already very late, and are in great danger
that what has happened in years past will occur again--that is, to
return to port, or be lost in these seas. This is not the only evil,
for very little of the money which has come belongs to the citizens
of this country, whereas there is much belonging to Mexicans and
Peruvians. It is said that not more than a hundred and fifty thousand
pesos has come of the citizens' money, for all the islands, out of
all the amount graciously allowed by your Majesty for this country,
which amounts to five hundred thousand pesos; and that all the rest
belongs to Peruvians or Mexicans. The calamity is so great that for
some of the residents of these islands their agents in Mexico bought
licenses at a high price, so that they might send them their own
money. It is very certain that the viceroy of Mexico is not to blame
for these things, as he is well known to be an excellent Christian;
but some one or other is deceiving him, to the ruin of this community.
To all these troubles of ours is added another, which causes anxiety
enough. One of the Chinese who came here, a chair-maker and carpenter,
returned to China. He must be a man of courage and ambitious designs;
for he went to the court of the king of China and, with others like
himself, proposed to trouble our peace. They found a man of note, who
by birth inherits from his ancestors, in the succession due the eldest
son, the right to be captain of the guard of the king of China. His
lineage is called Liang, and his office Pacu, while his own name is
Yameng. He must be something of a spendthrift (for he is very poor),
and restless in temperament. He gave ear to the said chair-maker,
named Tienguen, and to his companions. The opportunity seemed to
them favorable: and they decided to petition for the conquest of
this country under the cloak and pretext which the situation afforded
them, saying that there was a mountain here called Keit and that this
mountain is entirely of gold, and other things--which your Majesty
may examine, if you so wish, in the petition and memorial in this
matter which was presented to the king of China, and a copy of which,
translated into Castilian, _de verbo ad verbum,_ I am sending your
Majesty. This Keit is the port of this city, which we call Cabite, the
Chinese calling it Keit. They imagined and told a thousand lies to one
word of truth, all with the intention and desire of having the king of
China give them permission to get together troops and go out to sea,
and once there, either to come to conquer this country, or to become
pirates and rob, in China itself or wherever they could. The king of
China demanded pledges that what they were seeking was real, and not
a deception by which they were to become robbers and pirates; and as
this Liang Paou is a man of such standing, he furnished three hundred
or more men as surety. All the viceroys of the realms and provinces of
China and their councils (who reside with the viceroys)--to the number
of thirteen great realms and provinces, which they call Pouchenti,
beside the two powerful provinces and courts [or "circuits "] which
they call Kin, one called Lam Kin, which means "the court of the
southern region," and the other Pac Kin, [19] which means "the court
of the northern region"--all the said viceroys and councils wrote to
the king, trying with many arguments and examples to persuade him that
what these deceivers said was false, and that he should beware of them;
all this your Majesty may see, if you are so pleased, by the documents,
which I send translated into Castilian. But the devil, who seeks
his opportunity, furnished these evil men with a king so filled with
greed and so overpowered by it that he is almost mad on the subject;
and his actions indicate this, for he has had men made of gold and
women of silver, and has them at his feasts and gives them drink. He
sent to every one of his realms one of his eunuchs, who, in order to
secure gold and silver for the king, exacted great tributes from the
vassals. The empire of China feels very much oppressed by this, as the
Chinese here tell us, without any secrecy, that they believe that there
will be within two years, more or less, conspiracies and rebellion in
China. As the king is such a man, and the adventurers furnished the
said sureties, he was not willing either to follow the advice of the
viceroys and their councils, or entirely to reject it. He commanded
certain judges and mandarins to come to examine Keit personally,
and see whether what was said of it was true or false. Accordingly,
there came this year, in this month of May, three mandarins in all
their majesty, to this city of Manila. Governor Don Pedro de Acuña
received them and treated them very courteously and very prudently,
although to some persons this seemed unreasonable; and it certainly
was an irregular proceeding to give them permission to go to Cabite to
see whether there was gold or not. They went there, and took with them
the said chair-maker and carpenter Tienguen, whom they brought from
China for this purpose. The mandarins commanded Tienguen, when they
arrived at Cavite, to show them where the gold was and have done with
it. The man answered with good courage, in a word, and said to them,
"If you choose that this be gold, gold it will be; but if you do not,
it will not be gold. I tell you that you should cut off the heads
of the Indians of this country, and you will find their necks all
covered with chains and necklaces of gold; and this is the gold that
I told you of." Finally the governor sent back the said mandarins,
apparently satisfied; and he wrote to the viceroy, the eunuch,
and the inspector of the town and kingdom to which the Chinese
who came here belonged. By one of these men Governor Don Pedro de
Acuña wrote a very discreet letter concerning the matter. Now we are
waiting to see how the greed of the king of China and of his eunuch
will be affected by these things, and what measures the captain of
the guard and the sureties will take to right their falsehood and
save their lives; for, if they are declared impostors, they will
lose their lives. We hope in the Lord, that He will look upon this
Christian community which is being founded here, and will calm the
feelings of the Chinese in this region; and that, if they come, they
will find that the governor has the country so well prepared that
either they will not go back, or will return in such a state that
they will not desire to come here again. This country could be with
little difficulty, if the viceroy of Mexico provides sufficient aid,
put in such a condition that this war need not be greatly feared. I
was the first one who learned of this matter, and who protested. I
informed the governor of the matter, and afterward, on St. Dominic's
day and on St. Francis's day, I likewise explained the whole affair
to the congregation, quite publicly in the pulpit, so that the truth
might be known--as well as the importance in which I held this, being
a man who knows the language of these Chinese, and is acquainted with
many of their affairs and customs in China, having spent many months
there. I also did this that the affair might be taken up prudently and
carefully, as there might be counselors to advise ill in the matter,
not understanding it. With this affair, and its many misfortunes, this
country is much troubled; and there is great need of aid on the part
of your Majesty. Likewise, of late years, there have not been wanting
omens and warnings in this country. A notable warning that they tell
of, is two stars that fought with one another, going backward and
then returning to the encounter--a thing which seems supernatural;
finally, one of them moved toward Manila, and the other one toward
China. I do not count these things for much; but this thing is of
much importance, namely, a sadness and depression on the part of the
Spaniards, which is so great that discreet and Christian people have
remarked it. What makes me fear much, Sire, is not what I have told
of, but what I shall now tell your Majesty--although I know that your
Majesty will say that I am unreasonable, and will feel much aggrieved
that I am so intrusive. The first matter is the continual sodomy
which the Chinese practice in these islands to so great an extent,
and communicate to the Indians--which is the worse, for the Indians
were formerly most clean in this matter, so far as can be learned. God
will consume us all with fire some day, or in some other way destroy
us, since we, a Christian people, are tolerating and supporting in
our own country a people so given to this vice. Each year one of the
auditors takes in charge the expulsion of the Chinese, and this comes
to no purpose except that such auditor gives a living or enrichment to
some friend or relative of his; since for every license that they give
for remaining here they take, besides the tribute for your Majesty,
two reals from each Chinaman; this is a large tribute, as there are
always eight or ten thousand of them. This is without counting the
additional payments which, if the auditor or the person he appoints
wishes to open his hand to receive, will amount to a great deal. While
I am writing this, I am in receipt of a note from the commissary
of the Holy Office, in connection with this matter, which, as it is
so much to the purpose, I will give here in full. It is as follows:
"Jesus be with your Lordship. Several Sangleys tried to persuade me to
procure for them licenses to remain in the country, but I would not
consider the matter. A few days later they came with the licenses,
and told me that each one had cost them twenty reals, amounting
to five tostons. If this goes on in this way, what they tell me of
past years appears probable--namely, that the licenses cost seventy
thousand pesos, since there was more fraud. May our Lord protect
your Lordship." These are the words of the said commissary. [_In the
margin_: "So great an excess seems to be an exaggeration, and it did
not occur at a time when the auditors could attend to this."]
These two reals from each Chinaman for the license, each year, ought
to be expended to pay the salary of the man appointed by the auditor,
and for other matters. These Chinese are never effectually driven out,
nor is their number diminished, and I fear that these Chinese will
not be driven out until God, for the sins against nature which we
permit in this country, has destroyed us; for it is our greed which
maintains them. The Jesuits [20] alone, have on their cultivated lands
about two hundred and fifty Chinese, each of whom is worth and pays
to them each month four reals and a fowl (which is worth four more),
and each Friday a certain number of hen's eggs, and an equal number
of goose eggs. Besides this, the Chinese give either fruit or garden
truck, and are made to plant fruit-trees. This is in a single small
settlement, called Quiapo, situated near this city. The Jesuits have
other fields also in this neighborhood. The Augustinians have many
other fields in the village of Tondo, which lies directly across
the river from this city; I am told that they have in these two
hundred and fifty more Chinese. The master-of-camp, Pedro de Chaves,
and other persons, also have farms, all full of this sodomy. With the
protection of these and many other persons, these men are maintained,
and this vice is kept alive in this your Majesty's land. Lord, have
mercy; Lord, have mercy; Lord, have mercy! I beg of your Majesty to
have compassion upon us, and, since your Majesty has conferred upon
me the gift of this archbishopric, to favor and aid me; for greed
is most puissant, and, if there be no fear of punishment, it will
support the sodomites and heretics. The governors and the auditors
all are glad to have the religious write favorably of them to your
Majesty and to the auditors of the royal Council of the Indias; they
will therefore, tolerate much, for they are unwilling to displease
the religious orders. I must speak the naked and evident truth, Sire;
and, for the love of God, those who are guilty of this vice should
be sent out of the realms of your Majesty, and this black Parian be
taken from them. They should all go forth and return to their own
country; and those who come here for commerce should remain in their
ships, at least at night. There are already enough married Christian
Chinamen here who can and will care for the fields, and they will
engage in other employments. If it be impossible to maintain all
the buildings with the promptness and abundance of laborers and
craftsmen that they have at present, yet this is a small matter,
and such as occurs in Hespaña and Ytalia. For if your Majesty gives
permission for a hundred to remain here, ten thousand will remain; for
the governors, auditors, religious, and confessors who are interested,
and the captains likewise, will take advantage of the opportunity that
your Majesty leaves open, with a thousand evasions, and arguments
that since your Majesty gives permission for a hundred, it should
also be given for other hundreds and other thousands. Accordingly,
for the love of God, let there come a decree and with it a reiterated
injunction from your Majesty similar to the most Catholic and potent
decision of the Catholic monarchs, Don Fernando and Dona Ysabel,
your Majesty's progenitors, putting an end at once to these evils
and driving these people from the lands of your Majesty, as did the
said sovereign monarchs. Not even considering their royal tributes,
at one stroke they drove all the Moors and Jews from Hespaña, and
that deed they considered as their glory. Your Majesty must not think
that these people are only in or about Manila, for they are through
the whole country and scattered all about; and they are spreading
this diabolical crime and other vices throughout the whole land,
and even their evil doctrines. In spite of this even the religious,
as well as the others, tolerate them for the temporal advantages in
building and other affairs, which they find in the Chinese. If we be
not very pure toward God and justice and reason, a thousand will lead
us to love and take pleasure in temporal affairs and interests.
The second cause for these heavy punishments is the excessive
wickedness which exists among the Spaniards and Indians in the sin of
carnality. The third cause is the disregard of your royal decrees and
mandates. This has brought ruin upon the country; and as, in truth,
just laws are the strong walls of kingdoms, so on the contrary
the violations of such laws are the breaches through which enters
ruin. Besides this, into this country has come a doctrine of evil
theologians and jurists and confessors, who, weakening the force of
the laws of the kings in their relation to the conscience, open a
very broad field for the violation of what your Majesty so justly
and prudently orders. [_In the margin_: "I say this in regard to
the decrees which concern commerce between these islands and Mexico,
as well as several others."]
The fourth cause is a neglect of punishment against the alcaldes-mayor;
nor is any investigation of importance carried on against them,
nor are they in any way punished. This is a great pity, and as
those who are going to be their successors take their residencias,
they accommodate one another, and the Indians dare not speak. Other
persons, more shrewd, even say that they will make any claims during
the residencias, since that is of no use except to point out the
way to robbery which the predecessor trod, so that the successor may
follow him. These things have always caused me grief; but now that
I have these souls in charge it weighs upon me much to see these
evils and the little redress which comes, Sire, from your Majesty's
powerful hand. I seek from your Majesty no more show of authority for
the correction of these evils than belongs to me by right of office,
in order to make no display of ambition; for even in matters which
belong properly to my office I feel that my powers are very limited
and not at all adequate to its demands. But I hope in the Lord that He
will inspire in the heart of your Majesty a desire to introduce some
effective remedy sufficient for these evils, since their character
is self-evident. Manila, July 5, 1603.
_Fray Miguel_, archbishop elect of Manila.
Sire:
I have written another more detailed letter to your Majesty, and in
this I shall give a brief account of several matters that should be
set right. I express the desire for this under a greater sense of
obligation, and the more confidently, because your Majesty has so
considered this minister, vassal, and servant of yours in appointing
me archbishop of this city--which appointment I have received, and
have delivered to the chapter of the church your Majesty's letter to
that effect and announcing that I had been given the government of it,
and its occupancy.
This city and these islands are most poverty-stricken, and harassed by
a thousand troubles from heaven--what with the fires, and the enemies,
and (worst of all) our own friends and brothers, the vassals of your
Majesty. The people from Mexico have borne down on this unfortunate
country this year, in a very inundation. To repair the ruin which the
Mexicans and Peruvians are bringing upon us, and in order to discover
and rid ourselves of those here who are in partnership with them, the
cabildo of this city, through their procurator, presented me with a
petition asking me for this purpose to excommunicate such persons. I,
who hold the name of excommunication in great awe, when it is placed
generally upon this land (where there is not so much fear of God as in
España), did not grant the excommunication; but I drew up a petition,
and presented it to the royal Audiencia. To this they issued the reply
which I beg your Majesty to have examined together with my petition;
I am sending your Majesty a copy of the aforesaid petition and of their
action thereon. If the members of this royal Audiencia were auditors,
and not court alcaldes, I would not have recourse over there, but here,
as to alcaldes of court, giving information and denouncing a crime
amounting to public robbery, and opposed to the general welfare of
all this community--for the loss and thievery falls on all alike,
and is greatly against this realm--which can be so easily proved;
and since the proof is so easy, I do not dare enter with the power
and sword of the church. This response, saying that they will inquire
about it, is not a thing of today only. I am surprised at such a
response in a criminal case, (for in this matter I have proceeded
not only _ad petitionem partis_, [_i.e.,_ "as a private-suitor"] but
also _ex oficio_), on acount of both the publicity of the wrongdoing,
and the authority of the denunciation. I see here no evidence of the
functions of the court alcaldes, although it is a country where this
authority and this office is very necessary. If I speak in these
matters, they can tell me that I am a theologian; and, in short,
they will act as they please. Accordingly I present this to your
Majesty, so that, if what I say has any weight, redress for this
evil may be obtained. It is certain that even if it were only to
keep anyone from imagining that this concerns any of the Audiencia,
or any of their friends or kinsmen, it would be well to investigate
this matter. Indeed, I do not know who could singly bring an action
against the individual members of this company, but this should be done
against all, for they all cause the loss to all. In short, the matter
will remain without investigation, and the partnerships undisturbed,
while our ruin will increase. Although I see this, I know not if
I shall dare in spite of all this to impose an excommunication;
for I have little faith in the consciences of some persons here,
especially in matters touching their profits.
It is very necessary that your Majesty should order by royal decree
and reiterated injunction [_sobrecarta_] in the immediate future,
what you have already so justly ordered--namely, that the offices and
profitable positions in the country be not given to the servants and
kinsmen of the governors and auditors, who certainly obtain them from
time to time. Such people alienate the residents here. Although I may
appear impertinent in saying it, it is true that I fear it is of more
advantage to be a servant, or married to a servant, of an auditor,
than to be bishop. I say this not alone regarding those who are here,
but also on account of the connection of the viceroy of Mexico with
affairs pertaining to this country. On this subject I am sending,
together with this, a clause of a letter written to me a few days ago
by the fiscal of your Majesty, the licentiate Geronimo de Salazar
y Salcedo, who went to inspect the ships which have just come from
Mexico. It is very important for the royal exchequer of your Majesty,
and to everyone, that neither the viceroy of Nueva [España] nor the
governor here should have any authority in such affairs, nor in any
in which they have an interest, or which concern the auditors; and
all matters in this state should be removed from their power.
I am informed that the cabildo of the church and that of the city
have written, and are now writing, in regard to the seating of the
wives and daughters of the auditors, and what should be conceded
to the city officials. It certainly appears unfitting that in the
main chapel of the cathedral, which is not very large, the priest,
the ministers, and the archbishop or bishop, when they are in the
most exalted part of the ministration at the altar, should encounter
immediately under their eyes, handsomely dressed women and girls. I
do not think that this is in accordance with the sacred canons, or
with the lofty contemplations which alone are fitting at the altar,
and the devil greatly prizes all that he may gain there. This has
come to such a pass that even the alcaldes-mayor desire that, in
their own districts, their wives should enter into the main chapels,
even though the bishop be present. One of them had a fierce quarrel
with me over the matter, but both he and his wife paid for it to
God, a short time after, and are still suffering for it; and we know
not when their punishment will end, for they pay with their honor
and peace of mind. Further, it is not right that the wives of the
auditors should be placed ahead of the city officials. They tell
me that even the children and brothers-in-law of the auditors are
sometimes seated on the bench of the city, and in the best seats. I
am told that in the days of the former Audiencia neither the wives of
the auditors nor that of the governor entered the chapel. Certainly
it seems that to have them enter (particularly in Holy Week) when the
offices are celebrated below the steps of the great altar, cannot be
endured. Moreover, in this time of _sede vacante_ [21] a concession
has been obtained from the clergy that is not customary, as I am told,
in the chancillerias of Valladolid and of Mexico. I beseech your
Majesty to have me advised of your will in all respects, and to be
pleased to have much consideration given to the fact that the altar
and its ministers are in much confusion, and that things should not
be introduced which are vanity, but only such as are fitting to the
grandeur due to the office of ministers of your Majesty. As for the
cities, they too are representatives of your Majesty, and it is just
that, as such, they should be honored. What I mention as allowed here
_sede vacante_, which is not customary in Valladolid or in Mexico,
is the giving, as is reported, of the pax [22] to the auditors.
The religious orders are generally defective in a matter pertaining
to the instruction; it is a most serious defect, and demands your
Majesty's interference. I fear that at times it occurs through
ignorance or want of reflection; and I am not sure if there be not
mixed with it, now and then, a lack of affection for the Indians. They
are wont to maintain certain mission villages, where they have
baptized several, or even a goodly number; and then they leave them,
and the bishop has no one to station there; thus souls are lost, and
those baptized return to their idolatries and old ways of life--as is
the case even now. It is possible that if they abandoned missions of
some value, some secular clergyman might be found to go to them. But
they only abandon those that no one desires--unless it be the devil,
to take them away with him to hell. We are not taught to do this by
the theologians and the jurists in matters of distributive justice,
wherein they say that in certain times of need the less valuable
benefices are to be given in turn to the most worthy of the priests,
on account of the greater need of faithful ministration among the
souls in the poorer benefices.
Some of the religious, too, who are good missionaries and good
linguists, leave here--their superiors giving them permission,
as they find that they are restless, and cannot be quieted by kind
methods. But this is a great pity: in the first place, on account
of the religious, who thus go astray in soul; and, again, for the
poor Indians, so needy as they here are. Neither is it right that
your Majesty should go to such expense to bring religious here, and
then have them depart one after another--perhaps because they are not
chosen as superiors in their respective orders, and for other trivial
reasons--or that the superiors of the religious orders should have
power to give them permission to go away. On the other hand, it would
be of great advantage to make arrangements with the governor that he
should not give them passage; if your Majesty would give the governor
notice of this, it would be well.
The Orders of St. Dominic and St. Francis here maintain very
strict discipline among themselves, for which many thanks should
be rendered to God. In the matter of instruction they are doing
wonders in teaching, by word and deed, and in every way are very
exemplary. They are, too, no great burden on the Indians, which is
a serious consideration; but in the matter I mention, of leaving
some missions, and abandoning them to perdition, those fathers are
the most lacking, which is a very serious evil. There is no lack of
friars to go to other realms, yet to relieve the royal conscience
of your Majesty (for which purpose they came to these islands) and
the consciences of the encomenderos, and aid these poor Indians to be
saved, to take in charge mission-houses, and sustain the children that
they have baptized--for these are their children indeed, to whom they
are under greater obligation in spiritual matters than if they were
their fathers in the flesh--these things they do not attend to. This
gives me great sorrow, and particularly as I find that my friars are
not very faithful in these matters, and the devil has disturbed them
of late years with a spirit of unrest. There is not, and has not been
discovered, a people better disposed to conversion than the Indians
of these islands--I mean, as God has now disposed affairs.
It is very necessary that your Majesty should send a visitor for the
religious of St. Augustine. He should be a friar from over there in
Hespaña, a man of great ability, very observant, fond of poverty,
etc. He should not come alone, but with a considerable number of
similar religious. He must not come as visitor and vicar-general for
a limited time--for the affairs of this Order here are not such that
they can be set right in two, three, or four years--but as some friar
named de Montoia went to Portugal. If things are as reported--and
they must be so, in large part at least--affairs are in a ruinous
condition. The one thing that most needs remedy in these islands,
Sire, is this matter of the Order of St. Augustine.
At present one of these fathers, [23] named Fray Juan Gutierrez,
is being sent by their superiors to the feet of your Majesty. He has
been definitor, and has had three offices in his Order, and it has
been proposed to make him provincial. I consider him a very modest
and religious friar, who will earnestly plead with your Majesty in
this matter of the inspection and improvement of his Order. I beseech
your Majesty to favor and aid him in all ways.
The religious of the Society live here in an exemplary manner,
which is necessary here, and carry out well the Indian missions in
their charge. They are reputed excellent in some of their methods
of instruction, but it is very necessary that your Majesty should
curb them in some matters. Your Majesty should command that what I
here relate be investigated. Near this city there is a small Indian
village, called Quiapo, which is assigned, it must be by the governors,
for the service of the great church of this city. It is pitiful
indeed to see how bare it is of every advantage. These Indians feel
much aggrieved at the Society's religious, saying that the latter
have taken from them their lands and inheritances, to their very
houses. The poor Indians are in a most poverty-stricken condition,
and certainly one must shut his ears, in order not to listen to what
he hears in this matter. It is a great pity that some poor Indians are
complaining against the religious having taken from them their paltry
property. The said Indians are writing to your Majesty in the matter;
I beseech your Majesty to command that it be noted that these are
the children, grandchildren, and relatives of the former king of this
city, who was here when the Spaniards captured it. He was called Raja
Soliman. They only ask your Majesty to protect them from the Jesuits,
[24] and to cause their lands and inheritances to be returned to
them. They consider all laymen as prejudiced judges; for certainly the
governors as well as the auditors usually are not willing to incur the
displeasure of the religious, as they do not write anything against
them either to your Majesty or to any of your Council. If this matter
could be entrusted to some religious of St. Dominic or St. Francis,
who have no income or property in this country, as the Augustinians
have, or in the lands and property of the Indian villages; the former
know the Indian language, and have no need of interpreters--and it is
these last who often defeat justice. It would be a great thing if your
Majesty could entrust to some of these fathers the affair of these
Indians against the fathers of the Society. They tell me even that
one of the Jesuit fathers, who went from here as their procurator,
is about to claim on their behalf, the donation of the benefice and
doctrina of the said village of Quiapo. The name of this procurator
is Father Chirinos. They do not make this claim for the sake of the
mission or benefice, for it is a very small hamlet; but only because,
if they hold the said village as a mission, the Indians will not dare
to make any claim against them, or to speak. For the love of God,
your Majesty should right this, for the affair itself demands an
effective remedy; and at least we, as ecclesiastics and religious,
should not scandalize or oppress the poor Indians, or take their
property from them. The worst of the matter is that the fathers of
the Society maintain with infidel Chinese the lands of these Indians,
on which there is only a Sodom. I believe that this infection has
been communicated, to some extent at least, to the houses of the
Indians; for their proximity, and the teaching that the Indians are
receiving, are quite evident. But I have already written at length to
your Majesty of this in my other letter, and all that I have written
there is little in comparison with the gravity of the matter.
A proceeding that may cause much annoyance is, that the governors
assign houses and hospitals to some of the religious without
consulting and asking the opinion of the ordinary, and agreeing with
the latter in the matter. For the governors, either to find someone to
confess them and overlook these things, or to write to your Majesty
and your councils in their favor, or not write to their prejudice,
wish to satisfy the religious, and at times in a very unreasonable
manner. Your Majesty is already informed of what Don Francisco Tello
did here, giving the Augustinian fathers the chapel [25] of Nuestra
[Señora] de Guia, where a secular priest was teaching, and some place
or other at the port of Cavite, which came near resulting in great
troubles. For the love of God, your Majesty should not leave our
peace in the power of the ambition or the personal interests of a
governor, but command that this be done immediately, as I understand
your Majesty has already disposed and ordered.
It is very necessary that your Majesty should order that if any
secular priest commit some transgression, your royal Audiencia should
not immediately summon him, but should give notice to the prelate
and ordinary to remedy it. This should apply to complaints sent
by the alcalde-mayor against the clergyman; the alcades-mayor are
not so abject that they would not have even then their share of the
fault. In short, they are ecclesiastics; and it seems just that in the
meantime the prelates should not be behind in punishing them, and in
righting matters. The secular clergy should not go, on information
that may often be false, before audiencias and tribunals that are
not ecclesiastical; for thus the ecclesiastical state is much injured.
The liberty of the cabildo of the city, and due secrecy for matters
discussed there are very necessary; and if any secretary or regidor has
failed in this matter, it would be highly desirable that your Majesty
command that he be punished. If this be not done, your Majesty cannot
be informed, or right matters. For the love of God, will your Majesty
favor in all matters the city and cabildo, and not leave this matter
of favoring them to the governors and auditors; for it is clear that
these persons will not be pleased that there should be anyone who
can have power to advise your Majesty, or oppose them. I beg your
Majesty to be pleased to issue your royal decree so that the city may
rent out the privileges of the commission exchange, which they hold
by your Majesty's favor; and that provision be made for them to rent
it to the Chinese. Further, this concerns the trade of the Chinese,
as there is no other trade here, and nothing else for which the said
exchange could serve. These men, too, are in great need of aid, both
for the marriages of their daughters and for the payment of their
debts to the Chinese. Your Majesty should command that permission
be given them to have all their money brought from Mexico, as it
has remained there these two or three years--which is a great pity,
in the condition in which this city is, and with the impaired credit
of the Spaniards in their relations with the Chinese. The Chinese
merchants, too, are being ruined, because the Spaniards are not
prompt with their payments. They weep, and say: "If we owe anything
to the Spaniards, we are straightway thrown into prison until we pay;
and if the Spaniards owe us anything, we cannot collect it."
By my other letter and accompanying documents, as well as the
letters of others, your Majesty will see how necessary it is that
this country should always be in a state of defense. For not only
do we fear the Japanese, but the Chinese also seek to disturb our
peace. Don Pedro de Acuña is a good soldier, and God will aid him;
may your Majesty be pleased to command the viceroy of Nueva España
to aid with troops, powder, munitions, etc. In case of the removal
of Don Pedro, and always, it is necessary that a good soldier should
come here as governor; and if he were that, and supported, not by many
powerful persons in Hespaña, but by his own valor and virtue alone,
it would be a great advantage.
The great church of this city is without ornaments, and greatly needs
to be repaired, lest it fall to the ground. The services of worship
there may cease, for there are only four salaried prebends who are
obliged to come to the services of the said church, for the offices
of the canonical hours, and to be vested at the altar, and to say
the high masses and those for your Majesty. Even these four possess
very little; and, if one of them should become sick, services could
not be properly carried on. Your Majesty has already been advised
of all this by way of the cabildo, and, I believe, through the royal
Audiencia. I beseech your Majesty to have it remedied.
At the first founding of this city, a site was set apart for the
episcopal residence. The place was very convenient, as it is close
to the church; but it is very cramped, not containing in all more
than about thirty-seven paces in width, and about seventy-four in
length, which is not sufficient for an ordinary citizen's house,
which should have a small court. With greater reason there is not
room for a prelate, who cannot go out on the plazas for his health
and recreation, to take a little air, but who must find some relief
within his own house (especially in so hot a climate as this); and
who must have apartments for servants, a prison, audience-chamber,
and other rooms. I beg your Majesty to send an order that at any rate
the archbishop should be assigned a site on which to build a suitable
house. As for the building, your Majesty knows well that I have not
enough for it unless I be aided; nor have I, either, sufficient to
pay six hundred pesos for the hire of a house.
The fathers of the Society claim that your Majesty should give
them a university for these islands. This your Majesty should not
do, unless you grant the same to all the orders and the secular
clergy as well. This is especially true now, among these intrusive
machinations. If your Majesty were pleased to entrust to me the
regulating of these matters I should endeavor to do so. Still less
should the claim of the said fathers of the Society be granted, nor can
it, in conscience, be allowed, that they appropriate for themselves,
on the plea of using them for these chairs [of instruction], certain
revenues from the funds left here by some of the old soldiers as
restitutions to the Indians. With these moneys great good has been
done for the poor Indians--now redeeming captives from those who carry
them away to sell them among the Moros and other infidels, where they
lose the faith; again, aiding them in their sickness, and famines,
and the like. Indeed, I am unable to comprehend the consciences
of men who would attempt to take this money from the poor Indians,
and put an end to so good works. May God grant His light to us all.
It has been reported here that your Majesty, or your royal person,
is being consulted in regard to the religious going to Japon by
way of India. For the relief of my conscience, knowing so much as I
do of this, I must say that those who propose such a thing either
know nothing of affairs here; or else they know a great deal, and
are talking very artfully in the matter, and for the sake of this
country intend that the religious should not enter Japon; at any
rate, saying that the religious must go through India to preach in
Japon is the same as saying that they shall not go to Japon. Sire,
the clear and evident truth is that by way of India there is little or
no thought of preaching or conversion. Let none deceive your Majesty,
our king and lord; for they are gravely in the wrong who would deceive
you and not tell you the truth sincerely. Manila, July 6, 1603.
_Fray Miguel_,
bishop and archbishop elect of Manila.