In the city of Manila, on the third day of the month of February in
the year one thousand six hundred and five, the most reverend Señor
Don Fray Miguel de Benavides, archbishop of these islands, member
of the council of the king our lord, etc., declared that, since the
uprising of the Chinese Sangleys who were formerly settled in this
city, in a market [_alcayçeria_], or large town (which they call
Parian) that was situated there, the said Parian and town has been
commanded to be built, and has now been built anew, and is at this time
again peopled with the said infidel Sangleys. The said Sangleys are
infidels and idolaters, and a most pernicious and injurious people
to be settled among the Christian natives, newly converted to our
holy Catholic faith; for the said infidel Sangleys are most vicious,
both with women and in an unnatural manner, and are extremely liberal
in spending money for their purposes and desires, and artful and
crafty for every form of evil. Moreover, these Indian men and women
of these islands, especially those of the neighborhod of Manila,
are very easily persuaded to carnal sins, in short, as natives of
so hot and humid a climate; although it is a crime against nature,
this they do not know, and in some regions did not even have a word
for it in their language, until these infidel Chinese made this sin
known to them. These native Indian men and women are very greedy,
and as they are but lately made Christians, and are not thoroughly
instructed, a great many of them find it very easy to leave not only
Christian morals, but even the Catholic faith as well, and embrace the
superstitions and rites which the idolatrous infidels desire to teach
them. Likewise--and this is very important, considering the state of
the faith here, and upon what depends the peace and preservation of
these islands (namely, the faith in God and obedience to the king
our lord), and the extreme danger and peril in which these infidel
Sangleys placed us in the previous year of one thousand six hundred
and three, in the month of October, from which we were delivered only
by the mercy and infinite power of God, by which alone we could be
freed--their desire to slaughter all of us Spaniards, and to make
themselves masters of this kingdom, is much inflamed now at seeing
so many thousands as were here of their fathers, sons, brothers,
and kinsmen, and of their friends and countrymen, slain; and how so
great an amount of their property here was destroyed. With this so
open enmity, hatred, and thirst for vengeance so aroused, they will
seek, great in cunning and craft as they are, to sow discord between
us Spaniards and the Indian natives of these islands, and separate us,
mind and heart. For this purpose they promise and give them articles
of value; for of all known people they best understand how to bribe,
and they will contrive to know all secrets. And all this they can
easily accomplish, if they succeed in maintaining dishonorable carnal
intercourse with the Indian men and women. To stop all this, there
is no other means out to send all the said infidel Sangleys out of
this city, and give them only a place to live and dwell in during
the two or three months of April, May, and June, while the trading
and lading for Nueva España is being carried on; or, if it seems
best to his Majesty, to give license to a few of them, even though
they be such cruel and open enemies of him and of God; and to give
an order that no Indians, men or women, shall settle near them, but
shall remain at a considerable distance from the settlement or market
where these infidel Sangleys may dwell. His most reverend Lordship,
considering these things from the point of view of a person who has
known the Sangleys so many years, is acquainted with their language
and customs, has been in that country of China for a long time,
and has noticed that since the said rebellion and war which the said
Sangleys set on foot and waged against us, some of the natives have
made a settlement on a part of the site where the market and Parian
formerly stood, in which dwelt these infidel Sangleys; and that the
new settlement of the said natives adjoins the new market and Parian
which has been erected for the said infidel Sangleys, in which they
now are, and at present dwell. The said natives are so near to the
said infidel Sangleys, that it is not more than a rivulet, no wider
than a narrow street, that separates them; and it has a foot-bridge of
timbers, which affords passage from one side to the other. And even
this is not the only evil and danger, but as the said Parian of the
said infidels is midway between Manila and the said new settlement of
the natives, every time when those Indian men or women have to come to
this city, they must do so by passing through the street of the said
Parian of the said infidel Sangleys; and at morning, noon, and night
the latter can securely plan and execute all their misdeeds. What is
perhaps the worst is, that from birth the Indians of this country,
men and women, grow up in the water, bathing and swimming. The said
Sangleys see them naked in the said creek, or at best in the river
which is there, close to both districts. What with this unavoidable
chance for caressing them, and particularly for attracting the boys
with fruits and other little presents, they must draw them into their
own vices. This is particularly so as these boys actually go upon
the bank in the district of the infidel Sangleys, and there disport,
and enjoy themselves; and they are usually naked, or, if dressed,
they are almost the same as naked. It is very noticeable with these
Sangley people that they intermix with any other people who are here,
in a very singular fashion; for at once they intermarry with the women
of these nations, adopt their customs, and live like Indians. These
are not the only evils connected with the said settlement of the
said natives remaining there, but there are even other injuries,
perhaps greater, at any rate as great. One is that the said settlement
and district of these said Indian natives is very close to another
district and market, that of the Japonese, so near that they are only
about a stone's throw from each other; and the Japonese are fully as
bad as the Sangley infidels, both on the score of the infamous sin,
and as concerns the need of protecting ourselves from them as from
enemies. For on the banner that the infidel Sangleys raised when
they rebelled and made the late war against us, so endangering us,
there were written Chinese letters, which declared the Sangleys to be
friends of the Japonese; and in the rebellion about sixteen years ago,
when the former royal Audiencia of these islands commanded and caused
to be executed Don Agustin and Don Martin Panga, Indian chiefs from
Tondo, they found a Japonese implicated in the plots and the rebellion,
and hanged him in the plaza here at Manila. There is no one that
does not know the well-founded rumors and suspicions that have been
afloat to the effect that the king of Japon wished to come against
this city. It is likewise a matter of importance that these natives
of this new village and district before mentioned, neither sow grain
nor have lands for that purpose, but can only act as peddlers and
wanderers; and as such, must be ready for any ill deed, especially
if there be profit in it--as there will be, and that a great one,
as has been pointed out. His most reverend Lordship, considering that
he stood alone, has done his utmost to persuade the lord governor of
these islands, Don Pedro de Acuña, to provide a remedy for an evil
so greatly developed (or rather for so many evils), by removing the
said natives from the vicinity of the said infidel Sangleys; but the
said lord governor would not do it. When his most reverend Lordship
commenced to point out the great evils attendant on having the said
natives so near the said infidel Sangleys, the remedy was easy and
without difficulty; for the said district and settlement of natives
had but just begun, and they had not even commenced to build the new
Parian of the infidel Sangleys. Thus, each day the said settlement
grows larger, and its destruction grows every day more difficult; and
later it will be a greater damage to the said natives to remove them.
Therefore his most reverend Lordship, desiring to check so enormous
sins, and to avert the so evident dangers from them, and the
destruction and end of this kingdom--both in faith and morals, and in
loyalty to the king our lord--commanded and commands that there be
drawn and received an investigation of the said matter, to seek and
apply the remedy, if in justice and right that be fitting; and that
the witnesses received shall declare the truth in all matters, under
oath, and under penalty of major excommunication, _late sententia, ipso
facto_, incurring [_word illegible in MS._] canonical admonition and
[_word illegible_]--as only this said penalty and oath will secure
secrecy so that they will not tell that they were cited for this
purpose, or what they declared, or any part thereof, or that this
investigation is being made, or anything concerning or touching the
matter. Accordingly I so provide, command, and sign; and they shall
declare, under the said oath and penalty, not only whether there have
not been infidel Sangleys here, since his Lordship has taken up this
matter of separating these natives from the said infidel Sangleys
in the district of the said Parian; but likewise whether they were
not living there in the said quarter of the said natives, until his
most reverend Lordship was constrained to make known the truth, and
cause them to be removed from the place--for it had already become
an intolerable thing, in the sight of any man whatsoever.
_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila.
By command of his most reverend Lordship:
_Francisco de Carranca_
In the city of Manila, on the fifth day of February in the year
one thousand six hundred and five, his most reverend Lordship,
Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, archbishop of this said city, caused
to appear before him the canon Pablo Ruiz de Talavera, cura for the
natives of this city, from whom he took and received oath _in verbis
sacerdotis_, placing his hand upon his breast. Having done this, he
swore to tell the truth; and being questioned after the tenor of the
caption of this document, declared that this is what he knows, and
what is occurring. After the uprising and rebellion of the Sangleys
which occurred on the fourth of October in the previous year of six
hundred and three, as the settlement and Parian built by the said
Sangleys was burned--which stood outside the walls of this city, at
about an arquebus-shot from them, where the first houses began--all
the site on which the said Sangleys had thus settled was abandoned. As
it was thus depopulated, several Indian natives of this country, with
some servants of Captain and Sargento-mayor Christoval de Asqueta,
settled in several houses close by and adjoining the said site of the
Parian, so that there is nothing but a creek between (so small that at
low tide it is almost dry), with a wooden bridge; and on the further
side, a stone's throw more or less, is the site of the Parian of the
Sangley merchants (or _auhaes_), where the Xaponese are at present
settled. This witness, as a person who has been in this country
more than thirty years, and who is an interpreter of the natives,
knows that the said Sangleys are a very pernicious people, and are
cunning in all evil. They are especially so in the unnatural sin,
which they practice commonly among themselves, and likewise with women,
with whom they commit the same sin. For this they are very generous,
and readily give bribes for the fulfilment of their desires. Likewise
he knows that the natives, especially those of this district, are
very vicious, and the Indian women very facile and unchaste in regard
to offending God. Moreover, among themselves they never knew of the
unnatural sin, and they had no word or name for it, nor would they
know of it, until these Chinese came to this country; and from them
they have learned it. Further, this witness knows that indeed these
said natives are but lately converted to our holy Catholic faith, and
therefore are easily approachable; for they easily give up not only the
good morals that have been taught them by the ministers of the gospel,
but likewise our holy Catholic faith, that has been taught them with
so much pains, and is being taught them from day to day. And if they
communicate and have dealings with the Chinese, it will be an easy
matter to persuade them to abandon their obedience to his Majesty,
as they did when the said Sangleys rebelled in the previous year of
six hundred and three, when the Chinese gardeners of the village of
Huiapo, where this witness holds a benefice, persuaded many Indians
to rise in rebellion with them, saying that they were good people and
the Spaniards bad. And the said Indians, not wishing to fall with them,
gave information to this witness, as their cura, which he communicated
at length to his most reverend Lordship, bringing the Indians to him so
that they might tell him. And shortly after this the Sangleys rebelled,
and placed this city in so great straits that if God our Lord had not
miraculously delivered us, they would have killed all the Spaniards,
and remained in possession of the country; and the Catholic faith would
have perished here, which has cost so much to the king our lord for
its establishment and support. Owing to the loss of life inflicted on
them so justly at that time, they have become irritated, both those
who remained alive, who now maintain the new Parian--which has been
built on a part of the site of the old one, close to the village of
Indians above referred to--and likewise those that live in Great China,
where their brothers and kinsmen are. These also had a part of their
property burned. And this witness knows that the said Chinese are
a people full of craft in all they undertake, and that they can in
one way or another turn the mind to any rebellion or uprising. This
witness heard Ensign Christoval Gomez--who was sent as ambassador to
the province of Myndanao by the governor of these islands, Don Pedro de
Acuña, and who came back to this city--say concerning a ship of infidel
Chinese, which was in Myndanao and came armed to the port of this city,
where it at present is, that the infidel Chinese of this ship while
they were in Mindanao persuaded the said people of Mindanao to come
to these islands in an armed fleet, encouraged them to do this, and
gave them many supplies of war, catans, and metal to make artillery,
powder, and battle-axes; and the said ensign added, to this witness,
that these Chinese were great rascals, and that they ought all to
be in the galleys. Further, he told this witness that they did not
come to the port of this city of their own will, but were forced to
it by winds; and that another vessel had gone to the island of Xolo
for the same reason. And, both, for this and on account of the hatred
they bear for us, this witness knows that they will do all in their
power to stir up the Indians against us--which will be easy for them,
with the bribes that they give the Indians; and easier still if they
have committed the crime against nature with them, and with their
women. And it appears to this witness that there is no other remedy
than to drive the Chinese out of the country, and allow them here
only during the three months of the year while their trade lasts, and
then let them go back to their own country. And if it should appear
best to his Majesty to give permission to some few of them to remain
in this land, he should order that no Indian men or women be settled
near them, or near the market where dwell the infidel Sangleys. And
this witness knows that his most reverend Lordship is considered to
know the language and customs of the Chinese, having been acquainted
with them for many years past, and that he has spent a considerable
time there in China. He also knows that the Indians of the village
above mentioned are so close to the new Parian of the Chinese that
they must pass through it in going and coming, when they are obliged
to come to this city; and there they have opportunity to talk with the
said Sangleys, to concoct their misdeeds and sins. This witness knows
that the said houses and village of the natives, as has been said,
are also near the Parian of the Japonese, a pernicious people, who,
like the Sangleys, do great harm through practice of the infamous
sin; and they are a more restless and warlike people than the said
Sangleys. They have always been threatening this country with war,
and they have molested it and its coasts by their ships, with which
they come to plunder; and they bring Sangleys as pilots and sailors. In
a native rebellion organized sixteen years ago by certain Indians, at
which time several chiefs who were implicated were executed, they were
in communication with the Japonese, and one Japonese was hanged. This
witness likewise knows that at the time when the Sangleys rebelled,
in the said past year of six hundred and three, there was taken from
them a banner, with an inscription in the characters which they use,
which was examined and read by one who understood it; and he said that
in the said inscription the said Chinese declared themselves friends
of the Xaponese. Besides, it is easy to see the loss that would
result from the intercourse of these natives with the said Xaponese
and Chinese. And this witness knows (for he was present and saw it)
that at the time when they were commencing to rebuild the Parian of
the said Sangleys there were present his most reverend Lordship,
with the president and all the auditors of this royal Audiencia,
the regidors, and many other persons, on the site of the Parian--at
which time they were considering its rebuilding, it being on the first
anniversary of the burning of the said Parian, which was on the sixth
of October of the said year six hundred and three. This witness saw
that the lord archbishop opposed it, saying that it was inexpedient
to build it for many reasons, until an account of them had been given
to his Majesty. And finally he called to this witness, and said to
him that those houses of the Indians--pointing out to him the said
village above mentioned--would better be moved back and taken from
that place; for it was not good that they should remain there, and
particularly when they were considering putting Sangleys so near. This
was heard by the lord governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, and other persons
who were there. And this witness knows that on that same day the lord
governor and both the cabildos, the secular and ecclesiastical, were
in the church of San Andres, where mass was being chanted in honor
of the patron saints of this city, in thanksgiving for their aid,
which, on such a day as this, had given us victory over the Chinese;
and the said lord archbishop preached, and in the sermon discoursed
at length concerning the inadvisability of a second Parian, owing to
the many offenses against God there committed, and the great danger in
which it would again place this city. Notwithstanding this and other
measures which the said lord archbishop took in the matter--such as
sending to tell the lord governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, with Captain
Pedro de Ortega, alcalde-in-ordinary of this city, that this village
of the natives should be removed, as it was so near to the Parian,
in order to avoid the offenses that would there be committed against
God our Lord--so far as he has learned, they have not up to the
present day removed the said village. And this witness knows that in
the said village of the said natives, there was a house of Sangleys,
in which this witness saw three Sangleys; for this witness, as cura of
the natives of this city, was commanded by his most reverend Lordship
to investigate their way of life, and see whether there were any
infidel Sangleys among them. In compliance with what his most reverend
Lordship commanded, he went to the said village, with Señor Geronimo
de Alcaraz, and both together saw the said three infidel Sangleys,
who were living there; and, when asked how long they had been living
there, they answered "three months." Likewise this witness asked the
Indians of the said village and another Indian--a chief from Mindoro,
who frequently went to the said village--whether there had been more
Sangleys. They answered that as many as six other Sangleys had lived
there, in this said Indian village, for more than two months. This
witness knows further that, by a strenuous effort made by the said
archbishop, the said Chinese were removed from the said village. This
procedure was public, as was also the fact that the said archbishop had
informed Señor Don Pedro de Acuña, governor of these islands, that the
Chinese were among these Indians, and that the said lord governor sent
to investigate this an ensign of the guard, who returned and told the
said lord governor that the said Sangleys were not there; or at any
rate the said governor so understood the said ensign. But as the lord
archbishop was certain of the truth, he told the said lord governor,
in the presence of all the people, that they were deceiving him, and
that the said infidel Sangleys were among the said natives of the said
village. As the lord governor was not yet satisfied, he himself went
in person to the said Parian, and, from the bank of the stream, called
for the Sangleys who were living in the said village with the natives;
immediately the said three infidel Sangleys came into the presence
of the said lord governor. This witness asked them how long they had
been there, and they answered that they had been there three months,
and had come from Çebu. This was heard by the lord governor, who was
present, and by other persons who were accompanying him. Then the
said lord governor ordered the said Sangleys to leave the said village
straightway. And the said village of the said natives is, at this very
day, as has been said, in the danger explained in the document heading
these proceedings, and in this statement and declaration. And this
is the truth, by the oath he has taken, which he affirmed, ratified,
and signed; and he says that he is about thirty-five years of age.
_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila.
_Pablo Ruiz de Talavera_
Before me: _Francisco de Carranca_, notary.
[On the ninth of February of the year one thousand six hundred
and five, the archbishop caused to appear before him for the said
investigation, the canon Diego de Leon, who, having been sworn in
the manner before described, made a declaration in every way similar
to that of the preceding witness. He mentioned as an instance of
the bad faith of the Chinese, the death of Gomez Perez Das Mariñas,
and the many good soldiers that they then killed. Below the formal
closing of the declaration, but before the signature, he adds the
following to his testimony:] This witness further says that in his
opinion, if the infidel Sangleys were to come only for purposes
of trade to these islands, and none of them were to remain here,
the kingdom of China would be altogether friendly toward us for the
sake of our trade; and if none of them remained here, the Spaniards
would have no occasion to injure them, and they would not have time
to acquire influence over these natives, who are quick at learning a
new language, and are excellent soldiers, shooting even better than
do the Spaniards with arquebuses, and possessing very good weapons.
_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila.
_Diego de Leon_
Before me: _Francisco de Carranca_, notary.
I, Francisco de Carranca, canon of this holy church of Manila,
appointed notary by his Lordship, by his command caused this copy
of this information to be made from the original, which was drawn
before me, and remains in the archives of the notary-public of
this archbishopric. It is a certain and true copy, to the best of
my knowledge, and I refer to the original. Witness its copying,
correcting, and comparison, Thomas de Cardenas and Juan Camacho de
el Hello, residents of this city of Manila, where it is dated, on to
the seventh of July of the year one thousand six hundred and five.
_Francisco de Carrança_, notary.
[We append to this document the following affidavit:]
Sworn statement to the effect that there are Sangleys in Manila in
the present year 1605.
In the city of Manila, on the fifteenth day of the month of June in
the year one thousand six hundred and five, the schoolmaster Don Luis
de Salinas, whom I affirm that I know, declared that it was necessary
for expediency's sake that I, Francisco Davila, notary of the king
our lord, should testify on oath that today, on the said day here
given, there live, exist, and reside infidel Sangleys in the houses
of the citizens of Manila, or in some of them. It should be known
that they are in the house of the master-of-camp Pedro de Chaves,
and in the house of the master-of-camp Augustin de Arceo, who is at
present exercising the said office and military rank in this camp--and
the said houses form one side of the palace, and front on the Plaza
de Armas--and in the houses of the dean Don Juan de Bivero and those
of Antonio de Spinosa, which are on the plaza of this said city; and
in a number of others belonging to the most prominent citizens--that
is, those of the highest life and rank in the city. The said notary
requested me to give the said testimony, and by these presents I ask
that there be witnesses, that I the said Francisco de Avila, give my
word and truthful testimony that I have seen today, on the said date,
the said Sangleys in the said houses, selling their merchandise and
being present therein as if in their own homes. And in accordance
with the said request I have given these presents in the said city of
Manila on the said day, month, and year, being witnesses thereto the
prebendary Tomas de Cardenas, Antonio Baçan, and Alonso Cano, residents
in Manila. And therefore I have set my seal in witness of the truth.
_Francisco Davila_
We, the notaries who have here signed our names, certify and give
faith that Francisco de Avila, by whom the statement above is signed
and sealed, is a royal notary, and to the acts and instruments which
have been or are drawn before him full faith and credit are given, in
and out of court; and that this may be apparent we have given these
presents, in Manila, on the sixteenth day of the month, of June in
the year one thousand six hundred and five.
_Bartolome de Quesada_, royal notary.
_Alonzo Gomez_, his Majesty's notary.
_Francisco de Alanis_, notary-public.