Sire:
On the twenty-fifth of February of the current year, 1605, there
arrived in the port of Cabite a ship from Nueva Hespaña, and in
it Brother Gaspar Gomez of the Society of Jesus, with news of the
decision which had been reached regarding the matter of Maluco;
the order for this military service also came. There were, besides,
in the said vessel about two hundred infantry, in two companies,
of those who are to go on the expedition. Their arrival was very
seasonable and caused much rejoicing in these islands, because it
occurred at a time when we had received news by way of Macan that an
army was being prepared in China to come here. [4]
The diligence shown by the viceroy of Nueva Hespaña in despatching
these advices, and informing me of the condition of the embarcations
there, was of great value in assisting me to prepare some necessary
supplies; for nearly everything has to be obtained from different
provinces, while some supplies must be imported from distant kingdoms,
as China and Japon. Hence time is requisite for this purpose--and,
indeed, even more than we have; but all will be made ready although
with some difficulty.
The master-of-camp, Juan de Esquivel, arrived at the opening of the
strait of Capul June 11, and came to Cabite June 17, after having
disembarked the forces in the port of Ybalon--where he received my
order to do this, and found ships in which to send them on to the
island of Panay, where provisions for them are provided. The number of
troops who have come with the master-of-camp are six hundred and fifty
men, including thirty who came afterwards in a small vessel which had
been left behind. These men had gone from Acapulco to Tehuantepeque
for four pieces of artillery which were cast in Nueba Hespaña for
this expedition.
The forces for which I asked from Nueva Hespaña for this undertaking
were one thousand five hundred men, including sailors and soldiers. As
for the five hundred who have served in old companies and are not
altogether new recruits, I was told by the master-of-camp, that those
from his regiment are for the most part good soldiers. What I can
assert is, that the troops in the two companies who arrived first, and
the troops of the master-of-camp who are here, have satisfied me very
well. From this garrison and from the paid soldiers as large a force
will be formed as can be spared, in order to leave matters here with
a safe guard; since on account of the importance of this enterprise
I must, if God gives me health, go on this expedition in person. I
intend to take with me some Panpango Indians and some Indians from this
region, among whom there are many good arquebusiers and musketeers. In
company with Spaniards, they prove to be very good soldiers.
I asked for five hundred quintals of powder; and your Majesty informed
me that the viceroy would send them. Although he did not send the
whole amount, two hundred and thirty-five quintals of powder and a
hundred quintals of saltpetre arrived. We shall be obliged to use
what there is in the royal magazines here, that we may not lack so
necessary a thing; yet the whole is but little.
The said viceroy wrote me that the troops came paid for a year, and
that from the wages of the troops he had retained sixty-five pesos in
the case of each soldier. The total amount is forty thousand pesos,
which sum was sent under registry on the account and at the risk of
the said forces. This is a piece of excellent foresight; for if the
total amount of wages had been paid, as is customary, they would have
gambled and spent the whole in two days, and would be in need the
whole year, from which great evils would follow. For the expedition
the viceroy sent sixty thousand pesos, without considering that the
treasury here is in such a state that, even if the whole amount should
be paid into it on account of these islands, there would not be enough
to pay unavoidable debts and the loans which have been taken throughout
a whole year from private persons, some of which were granted on my
credit. I was expecting some good quantity of money on a separate
account; and I also hoped for the ordinary soldiers who are sent every
year to supply the places of those who are drowned and those who die of
disease and in battle. We are continually waging war in one province
or another, and sometimes at home. But I have been disappointed in
all this, and must expend my efforts to get on as best I can, using
some methods to prevent the service of your Majesty from failure.
As soon as I was informed that your Majesty would be pleased to
command this expedition to be undertaken, I began on the very
day when I arrived here to busy myself with the preparation of the
materials and other things necessary to build the galleys and also to
keep them in proper condition. I regard them as the most effective
means of defense for this kingdom, on account of the causes which
I have previously written to your Majesty. Accordingly, I have five
equipped. The flagship has twenty-two benches, the second in command
[_patrona_] and another have nineteen each, and two others seventeen
each. One of these two which have seventeen will be launched within a
fortnight, and has the necessary supply of rowers. These vessels are
not made larger, being thus more suitable for these regions, because
there are many shoals here; and when they are of this size they are
sufficient for the contests which they have to carry on with the
oared vessels employed by the enemy Another reason is the advantage
of keeping down the number of rowers and reducing the expenses, as I
have written your Majesty. These galleys have turned out very well,
because I found here a good foreman; and although he died a few days
ago, I have had the good fortune to find a second, a Genovese, a good
workman. He is well known in Cartagena, where he built a galley. I have
met with much opposition from the archbishop and from the licentiate
Don Antonio de Rivera Maldonado, auditor of this royal Audiencia. If
I had had to follow the opinion of either of them so that they could
restrain my hand, the first stick of wood would still have to be
worked. God knows what I have had to undergo in this, and what I am
still undergoing; and He knows the evil results which follow from such
a state of things in a region so distant from your Majesty, when those
persons undertake to correct matters of war, and to meddle with them,
who do not understand them and have nothing to do with them.
I expect to take with me on the expedition four of these galleys,
and a vessel which has arrived here just now from Acapulco, which
was made here and has capacity to carry a large amount of troops
and provisions; it is of seven hundred toneladas. This vessel I will
have fitted and put in good order. I expect also to take another of
moderate size, of two hundred and fifty toneladas, which I have had
built in the province of Camarines. I shall have three Moro ships
from Perú. These will be very light, the largest being of a hundred
and fifty toneladas, and the other two of a hundred and thirty each,
more or less. Thus in all there will be five, in addition to seven
brigantines and five lorchas, vessels built after the fashion of
China and Japon. These are very good with both oar and sail, and have
greater capacity and accommodation for carrying provisions than any
other kind of vessels with which oars are used.
I expect that this expedition will include the foregoing vessels and
galleys on account of your Majesty; and that in addition there will go
seven or eight other ships belonging to private encomenderos and other
persons. These will be ships of moderate size, with a high freeboard,
in which their owners will take a quantity of biscuit, rice, wine,
meat, and other supplies; these will be of great assistance, since a
number of volunteers will go. This provision made by private persons
is of considerable usefulness, and on that account I have had it
made. To induce them to go it is absolutely necessary to encourage
them to it, and to urge upon them the service which they will render
to your Majesty. This I have had to undertake, since in view of the
losses and misfortunes which they have suffered, they are poor and
discouraged. They finally volunteered to go with a good will, and their
going will be an assistance of no little consequence; as a result of
it, I am certain that we shall have provisions for more than a year.
I have commanded the whole of this body of vessels to assemble in the
island of Panay, at the town and port of Oton, where the infantry
is on shore. When they have assembled there they will proceed,
and I will leave this city after the day of St. Francis, taking
advantage of the north winds. I shall attend to whatever shall be
necessary there, and get it all in order by the end of January or
the beginning of February. That is the season best suited for the
voyage to Maluco. It will then be most likely that we shall have
the benefit of the monsoon which is likely to blow with gentle and
favorable brisas. In this way I shall not be forced off my course
by vessels with a high freeboard; this accident happens very often,
because of the great number of currents among these islands. I have no
doubt that we shall encounter some vessels from Olanda and Gelanda,
and more this year than others, since this is the year of the clove
monsoon more than the two previous years; for in the third year the
clove-trees bear much more heavily. The fruit is like olives, and
the trees resemble olive-trees in their leaves and in their size,
as I am told. [5] I had further information from Enrique de Castro,
a Fleming, a native of Amberes [_i.e._, Anvers?], a man of good
reputation, able to speak several languages, and very sensible; he
told me that he came as a soldier in one of the companies brought by
the despatch-boat which reached here February 25. He said that he
had left Olanda fifteen months before, from the city of Nostradama
[_i.e._, Amsterdam]; and that there, and in another city in the
same country of Olanda, they were preparing twelve or thirteen large
vessels with the purpose of coming to the Yndias. He was told that
they were to seize Ambueno and the Maluca Islands, and that they were
carrying a large number of men, besides lime and cut stone in ballast,
to make a fortress. I am much afraid that this is true, because of
what I have previously written to your Majesty with reference to
the advices which I have received from the king of Tidore. He states
that the king of Terrenate had sent to invite the Dutch, offering to
permit them to build a fort and a factory in his country, in order
to make them willing to assist him against the said king of Tidore,
against the Portuguese, and against us. Accordingly the forts there
and in Ambueno are in danger. The one at Tidore is a matter for jest;
and the commandants, as well as the commanders of galleons, think of
nothing but merchandise and of making their fortunes. The same thing
is true throughout the whole of Yndia. If this news should prove true,
there would be much difficulty in this enterprise. May God turn all
things well for His cause.
The forces of the regiment of the master-of-camp, Esquibel, have
received their pay for a year in advance, as the viceroy informs
me by his letter. At the present time more than half the year has
passed, and by the time they leave Oton the whole year will have
been completed. Inasmuch as in the order for this expedition which
your Majesty commanded to be given, I noticed that the Marques de
Montes Claros was directed, in case the forces should be retained
in the service of your Majesty for a longer period than the said
year, to send me money to pay them in case I advised him thereof,
it seemed well to me to advise him of this matter immediately, and
to tell him that during the coming year he should send me what is
needed for a thousand men in addition to the sea force. It is plain
that this will be necessary for by the time that the fleet leaves
these islands the [soldiers'] year will be at an end. I therefore
beseech your Majesty to be pleased to give him imperative commands to
fulfil this requirement; since soldiers in a country of enemies, and
so far from their own country, serve badly if they are in need. Thus
many important opportunities might be lost, and even considerable
disadvantages might be experienced without there being any possibility
of remedying them. If the enterprise turns out prosperously--as by
the grace of God I hope it will--I expect that it will provide the
means for maintaining the conquest, for paying all the expenses which
have been and shall be incurred, and for affording a large quantity
of cash surplus in addition to the expenses, besides repairing the
losses incident to this affair. In particular, I think that to drive
the enemy from the Maluca Islands and from the inlands of Banda will
be of great advantage for our affairs in Flandes, since the rebels
of Olanda and Gelanda harvest the product of these islands and draw
from them great wealth, by means of which they carry on war and become
rich. I, therefore, again beseech you to be pleased to give commands
that this expedition may be adequately provided with supplies. I
also beg that what is necessary for the expenses of the fleet and for
other requisite objects may likewise be sent. I further request that
for the regular expenses of the government a liberal supply may be
placed in the treasury of the islands on a separate account, since
the treasury is so needy and so heavily burdened with obligations.
Weapons and gunpowder are always opportune, and generally the lack of
these causes a great deal of trouble. I accordingly beg your Majesty
to be pleased to command that as large an amount thereof as possible
may be sent, and that the forces at Manila may also be supplied. I
suggest that although what is now of most importance, and what must
primarily be considered, is merely the regaining of the fort and island
of Terrenate, still the care and attention which will be necessary to
protect and sustain the conquest, at least for the first few years,
will not be small. During that time it will be necessary for us to keep
it under control with arms in our hands. We shall have contests every
day with the natives of the country, and likewise with the Dutch,
who will not at once be willing to abandon it without testing the
defense which it can offer, for the reasons which they publish there
and in the other Maluca Islands, and in the islands of Banda. With
regard to this matter I have written to your Majesty. We must be on
the watch everywhere, making Terrenate our center.
By the first section of the orders which your Majesty was pleased to
command to have sent to me for this expedition, it appears that the
captains who come on the expedition receive sixty ducados a month
and the privates eight, whether they were recruited in Hespaña or in
Nueva Hespaña. I was commanded that if this rate of payment for the
soldiers might be moderated in view of what is paid the soldiers here
who are of the same rank, I should reduce it, but with fairness. I
have to state that the pay of a private in this garrison is six pesos
a month. This is little, in view of the fact that the country is
incomparably more expensive than when their rate of pay was fixed,
as I have previously written your Majesty. The eight ducados which
the soldiers of the expedition receive is high pay; and accordingly,
in my judgment, it would be well to pay the infantry in both forces
at the rate of eight pesos (of eight reals) a month, in addition
to the thirty ducados of extra pay which are allowed every company
in Hespaña and other regions. I should advise that the captains of
both forces should be paid at the rate of fifty pesos, the ensigns
at twenty pesos, and the sergeants at the rate of ten, as they are
now paid here. The captains here receive only thirty-five pesos,
while those of the expedition are paid sixty ducados, which amount to
eighty-two pesos and six reals. Your Majesty will give such commands
as you shall be pleased to issue. Until we receive the decision of
your royal will in this matter, the accounts of the members of the
expedition will not be closed. May our Lord keep the Catholic and royal
person of your Majesty, as Christendom has need. Manila, July 1, 1605.
_Don Pedro de Acuña_
[_Endorsed:_ "The requests in this letter were honored, in virtue of
advice given to his Majesty by the council, August 5, 1606."]
Sire:
In two ships which left here for Nueba Hespaña last year, 1604,
General, Don Diego de Mendoca, of my order, [6] wrote to your Majesty
in duplicate, giving information of all the events which had happened
here. It pleased God that the flagship should return to port, after
having suffered from a tempest during which it was obliged to cut off
the mainmast. It returned to this port today, four months after it had
left it, although without any loss of the property which it carried,
[_Marginal note_: "Let him be informed that this letter has been
received and that the council has been advised of what he reports."]
The ship "San Antonio," the almiranta, which left port first,
has not been heard from up to the present time. It is regarded as
certain that it was lost, by having struck upon some desolate island
or some shoals as it was driven by the tempest. A few days before
the arrival of the flagship, there were seen on the coast of this
island opposite Manila, and on the Babuyanes, which are some islands
in the province of Cagayan, a quantity of bales of cloth from the
lading of the almiranta. It is accordingly inferred that the ship was
lost on its way to port here, during some very severe storms which
took place during that season and in that region. Still, some hopes
were entertained that it might have made its way to Nueva España,
although with a very small amount of cloth; but these hopes were lost
with the coming of the two ships on which arrived the master-of-camp,
Juan Desquivel, and the officers of the expedition for Maluco. These
vessels, having left Acapulco on the twenty-second of March, reached
Cavite on the seventeenth of the present month, and reported that they
had no news of the said almiranta. This has been a very great loss and
one which has thrown this kingdom into almost incredible misery. The
return of the flagship has added to its wretchedness, because the
citizens have nothing from which to obtain money from Nueva España,
since their goods have not arrived there. The documents which were
sent in the flagship last year go in it again; and in this ship I send
duplicates, which your Majesty may give commands to be shown to you.
The matter of the payment of the Indian tributes was settled by the
Audiencia, by me, and by the archbishop and the religious orders,
in conformity with the directions given me by your Majesty. The
assessment which was made accompanies this letter; and therewith
will cease many wrongs which have been inflicted upon the natives,
and the encomenderos and collectors can satisfy their consciences,
if they desire. [_Marginal note_: "Let this section be filed with the
papers which gave occasion to it, and with the report which has been
sent, and let the whole be delivered to the fiscal."]
By a royal decree of your Majesty, dated October twenty-fifth of last
year, 1603, I was advised that your Majesty had given commands for
permission to be granted to the mariscal Graviel de Rivera that, in
spite of the fact that he has Indians in encomienda on these islands,
he may be permitted to live in the City of Mexico, where he is at
present, for two years, on condition that during that period he shall
maintain eight musketeers in this garrison at his own expense. I was
enjoined to fulfil this command and to see to it that the musketeers
should be serviceable men. On the part of the said mariscal, the
fulfilment of this decree was demanded, the aforesaid permission being
presented; and, although I answered the demand of the mariscal by
stating to him the condition of affairs in the island, I have thought
best to refer the matter to your Majesty. As soon as I arrived in these
islands to undertake my office, I was handed the instructions given
to the governor and captain-general who had previously filled them,
Don Francisco Tello de Guzman. By section 47 of these directions,
it was ordained and commanded that if, when the said Don Francisco
Tello should have arrived at Nueva España, the said mariscal should
not have returned to the said islands, his encomiendas should be
confiscated and should be assigned to others, without permitting
reply or excuse; and if any other procedure was followed it was
directed that it should be held as null and void. I made inquiries
to find out if the said Don Francisco Tello had complied herewith. I
discovered that, although he found the said mariscal in Mexico, he
had not complied with the commands given by the said section, but
that he had brought him with him to this city, and in a short time
had given him permission to return to Nueva Hespaña for three years,
under color of having business to do for this city. I also found that
the said mariscal had appealed to the Audiencia, affirming that the
time was too short, and I learned that he received license to remain
for an additional year, making four in all. In truth, however, the
power of attorney held by the said mariscal had been revoked by the
city before he left it in the year 1600. Upon this, I wrote to the
said mariscal in Mexico that, since he was aware of the decree of
his Majesty with regard to his absence, he should return to fulfil
the duty of residence to which he was obliged in these islands, as
soon as the time of his license had expired. If he should go beyond
the period allowed, I informed him that his encomiendas would be
vacated and would be assigned to others. Since he has not fulfilled
the requirement of residence, and since the said term is at an end,
therefore, in virtue of the said section of the instructions and in
fulfilment of what is decreed by another and separate royal decree,
I have commanded that the encomiendas should be vacated, and that
one of them, the encomienda of Bonbon, should be granted to General
Don Juan Rronquillo del Castillo, a man whose merits, services, and
abilities are known to all. This encomienda is at the present time in
his possession. The income from the other encomiendas I have commanded
to be placed in the royal treasury, which is being done. As for the
report of the said mariscal, made to me in Mexico, that he was there
with the permission of the Audiencia and governor on business for the
city, I wrote your Majesty, in a letter on the second of November of
the year 1601, that it seemed to me proper for permission to reside in
Nueva España to be given him, in view of his services and age, since
he was serving with eight musketeers in defense of this country. After
I arrived here and saw how this matter had been arranged, in view
of the aforesaid facts, and of the great inconvenience which results
from the non-residence of encomenderos in this country, I vacated the
said encomiendas, as it seemed to me that your Majesty would not be
served by giving a dispensation to the said mariscal in this matter;
and I would not have made the report which I made in Mexico if I had
previously seen the documents. [_Marginal note_: "Let this be filed
with the papers which deal with this matter."]
Although, as I have said, I assigned the said encomienda to the
said Don Juan Ronquillo, appeal was taken on the part of the said
mariscal and his son (who was successor to the encomienda) to this
royal Audiencia. In this case, after command had been given that a
copy of the documents should be furnished to the parties and to the
fiscal of your Majesty, and after testimony had been taken as regards
the claims of all parties, it was declared that I had authority to
vacate the encomiendas of the said mariscal; and it was decreed that
the parties should exercise their rights of justice, in conformity
with the law of Maliñas. [7] It was further decreed that the said
General Don Juan Rronquillo should give bonds that, if at any time it
should be decreed that I did not have this authority to assign the said
encomiendas, he should return the income which he should have collected
therefrom. This decree was, on review, confirmed in all points, and
the case is being prosecuted. I may say to your Majesty that General
Don Juan Rronquillo is one of the most deserving men of the islands,
and one of the highest rank and services here; and further that he
is one of those who received the least rewards. He deserves that
some favor should be shown to him, as I have previously written. I
may add that on account of the aforesaid grant I have discharged him
from the office of commander of the galleys, which had been granted
to him with eight hundred pesos of yearly salary. If this sum is not
paid to him, it is certainly necessary that some compensation should
be made to him; and if in this matter that is not carried out which is
ordained by the royal decrees--which were formerly so closely followed,
especially in this country--much harm will result.
The affairs of Christianity in Japon are in excellent condition,
as your Majesty will see from the letters of two religious which are
enclosed; but the dissensions between the bishop and the religious
orders with regard to those who go by way of these islands to
engage in that ministry cause me great anxiety. They have reached
a very high point, as your Majesty will learn from the statements
which all of them are certain to write to you. In so new a country,
governed by heathen kings, to have wrangling and lack of harmony
among the religious who instruct them cannot fail to cause scandals
and difficulties. Your Majesty will command the proper remedy to be
applied. Inasmuch as I see the necessity of ministers of the gospel
in that kingdom, and the great results which they have obtained,
I have not hindered the passage of religious from these islands to
that country, especially as I have seen no decree of your Majesty
and no brief of his Holiness to the contrary. [_Marginal note_: "Let
this be filed with the other papers dealing with this matter, and let
Don Pedro de Acuña be informed that his report has been considered,
and that attention is being given to it."]
The chiefs of Mindanao have treated for peace; and, although I had
determined to attack them this year and to put an end to them, with
the aid of the ordinary reënforcements in men and money, which I was
expecting from Nueva Hespaña, still I have thought it best on account
of the expedition to Maluco to listen favorably to them; and I shall
try to pacify and reduce them by gentle means, since they themselves
have offered such means and have sent a representative to treat for
peace. I have accordingly agreed to what they desire; yet, since they
are Indians, who when they take a whim cannot be restrained from
trying to gratify it, I have little confidence that they will keep
their promises, since there is no holding them to account except
so far as fear will oblige them to it. Still, it seems that this
year they have not made any piratical expeditions to these islands,
although I am informed that they have attacked some of the other
islands in various provinces with a great fleet of caracoas. Being
in some doubt, I have kept the provinces of Pintados in a state of
defense with two galleys, which I have sent there, with other vessels;
for, as I say, there is little confidence to be placed in the treaties
of these tribes. [_Marginal note_: "The council has been informed of
this matter."]
When the Sangleys left here last year they brought but little cloth,
as I wrote at the time to your Majesty. This they sold, at the same
time offering to come again this year with some vessels, and very
early. For this cause the country remained entirely without any
sort of merchandise, although the citizens had considerable money,
as they had no opportunity to invest the returns which had come [from
Mexico]. Since the Chinese are very avaricious, it was regarded as
certain that some vessels would come without fail, and the swift ones
would arrive here much earlier than they ordinarily do in other years:
but this did not happen, for it was the end of May before we had any
news from China. For this reason and on account of the news which
we received from Macan (as I wrote previously) that the Sangleys
were coming to these islands to avenge those who died at the time of
the revolt, the city was in great anxiety and fear. Yet it pleased
God that eighteen vessels should come with a large amount of cloth,
which relieved us of our fear; and it now seems that this arrangement
had been agreed upon. However, demands had been made upon me on the
part of the Chinese for the Sangleys who survived the uprising, whom
I had placed in the galleys. The viceroy of Ucheo and an inspector and
eunuch, who are two other mandarins who keep constant watch over him,
sent me a letter, which will go with this; to this letter I refer,
as also to a copy of the answer which I have made, with the approval
of the Audiencia. The style is not very polished, because those who
translate it are not very skilful in both languages; and, in order
that they may understand it, it is better that the letter should be
written in these terms, as experience has showed. We are striving to
maintain our friendship with that king, since he is very powerful;
and we sustain our position here only by the reputation that we
have. [_Marginal note_: "This statement of his has been noted."]
The licentiate Geronimo de Salaçar y Salcedo, fiscal of this royal
Audiencia, died two or three months ago. No great loss will result
hereby to the affairs to the royal treasury, since he paid little
attention to them in his office. For the interim before your Majesty
shall appoint a person to fulfil the duties of this position, the
Audiencia has appointed the bachelor Rodrigo Diaz Guiral, a man
of learning, integrity, and responsibility--such a man as might be
desired for this office. My acquaintance with all these qualifications
in him has constrained me to call your Majesty's attention to them,
so that you might be pleased to favor him; for surely, in my opinion,
it would not be possible to find another man more suitable for this
office. He has property of his own, and claims and suits give him no
anxiety. Accordingly, I have made special efforts to induce him to
accept the position; for it is necessary to seek persons like him for
such offices. Since he has had so much experience with the business
of this office, I have no doubt that he will give a good account of
himself. [_Marginal note_: "Referred to the Council."]
The commanders of the galleys which your Majesty has in Hespaña,
Italia, Yndias, and other regions appoint for the said galleys
a chief chaplain and chaplains. After these are approved and have
obtained a license from the ordinary to carry on their ministries, the
archbishops and their vicars and the bishops do not trouble themselves
about the chaplains. This is a settled and recognized custom, so
that no one pays any attention to it except the archbishop of this
city, because there is nothing with which he does not meddle. He
has handed in a document, maintaining that this is not a concern
of your Majesty's but belongs to him, and that he has the right to
nominate and approve the chaplains to these positions if he desires,
or to decline to approve them. Accordingly, after I had nominated
an approved religious, a preacher of the Order of St. Augustine,
as chaplain of these galleys, the bishop directed him, under pain of
excommunication, not to fulfil this ministry, declaring that I had
no authority to make the nomination. Certain other religious who had
been chaplains of galleys in Spain, and General Don Diego de Mendoça,
and others who had sailed in galleys there, and who were acquainted
with the system followed in them, all gave testimony; but this was
not sufficient to restrain him from carrying out his purpose. I beg
that your Majesty will be pleased to give command that since this
matter does not concern him he shall not meddle with it, nor with the
other things which are outside his jurisdiction. [_Marginal note_:
"Referred to the Council of War."]
In other letters I have reported to your Majesty the great importance,
for the security and defense of this country, of maintaining a supply
of galleys, and I have also reported the number which I have supplied
with arms. Since they cannot be kept up without an allowance of money
sufficient for them, I beg your Majesty to be pleased to command that
there shall be set aside twenty thousand ducados from the treasury of
Mexico, or else from the ten per cent duty levied at Acapulco upon
the merchandise exported hence. The purpose of this fund shall be
to maintain four or five galleys, which are necessary here. This is
the same amount that is spent in Cartagena for a single galley, and
your Majesty may trust me, as one who has looked carefully into the
matter, that this is necessary; and that expenditures without this only
waste funds and consume lives in gaining nothing. [_Marginal note_:
"Referred to the Council of War."]
I shall examine some despatches which have been received here this
year, which as yet I have not been able to do because of the necessity
of concluding this despatch, and I shall answer them at the first
opportunity. May God keep the Catholic person of your Majesty, as
Christendom has need.
From the port of Cavite, July 8, 1605.
_Don Pedro de Acuña_
[_Endorsed_: "August 2, 1606. Examination and decree within"]
Sire:
Many are the labors of this charge, both bodily and spiritual,
and almost without surcease must be the cares of him who holds, on
his own account and for your Majesty, the protection, defense, and
preservation of a kingdom and provinces so far from your royal person,
and amid so many nations, so great in numbers and so powerful, who have
so extraordinary tendencies, laws, and customs. From these we promise
ourselves, in time, with the help of God, excellent results for His
greater glory and the increase of His church. No one of these things
has given me so much anxiety as the conduct of the licentiate Don
Antonio de Rivera Maldonado, auditor of this royal Audiencia. This man,
with his temper, his haughtiness, and lack of understanding, has given
and is giving so many occasions for annoyance to the people, to me, and
to his companions--and particularly to the soldiers, and the military
and royal officials--that I have had more ado to moderate, adjust,
and set right his affairs than all others in my charge. His arrogance
is terrible. The citizens, even the most powerful of them, fear him,
for they realize that in his position as senior auditor he has the
boldness to attempt any design to their harm that comes into his mind,
or suits his desires, and that he carries out his plans. Consequently,
all cry out to God for redress for his unjust acts. For there is
no redress here, and it comes but tardily from your Majesty, owing
to the time necessary for it to reach this country. I do all that I
can, but he gives me so many provocations that it is a wonder some
great quarrel has not occurred. To obviate the difficulty in regard
to the troops, I have ordered that the companies of the guard shall
not enter in angular order, but in troops, as has been done now for
more than five months; for it appears that he was carefully awaiting
an opportunity to rout them, horse and foot, with all his blacks. I
refer to the two informations, sent herewith, which concern this,
and the rest. Although I did not choose to make investigations, for
the sake of greater secrecy, and to avoid the annoyances that the
witnesses of lower rank might suffer if the said Don Antonio knew
that they swore against him therein, measures will be taken to find
out what there is in the affair.
The said Don Antonio has persistently striven to bring about his
marriage with Doña Margarita de Figueroa, daughter of Captain Esteban
Rodriguez de Figueroa, and has employed many instruments to accomplish
this. Several suits have been brought before the royal Audiencia on
the part of the said Doña Margarita and her sister, both of whom
were minors, against the royal treasury, some of these involving
large sums of money, as did that which concerned the conquest of
Mindanao. These girls had many suitors, and there were differences
of opinion as to where they could reside with the most security
and privacy, so that there should be no negotiations concerning
their marriages; for they were very rich, and had near relatives to
claim guardianship over them--as their grandmother, the wife of the
accountant of the royal exchequer; and Captain Francisco de Mercado,
whom the father of the minors left as their guardian, and in whose
hands was the said property. The said Don Antonio, with this object,
began to favor the causes of the above-named persons, and communicated
his intention to Andres Duarte de Figueroa, their uncle, the brother of
their father--whom he considered a safe person, as he was his intimate
friend, and a claimant for the guardianship of the girls. He proceeded
so artfully that the guardianship of the minors was denied to all the
others by the Audiencia, who commanded that they be given over to the
said Andres Duarte, who was an unmarried man. Owing to the pretensions
which the said Don Antonio entertained in regard to this marriage,
he decided the said cases in favor of the said minors, which greatly
pleased their uncle, and caused much complaint on the part of those
who were present. He used to go at night to visit the said minors,
causing a great deal of talk by his intentions. Although his purpose
was well understood by the public, it became more apparent when Don
Juan de Tello was negotiating a marriage with the said Doña Margarita,
who is now his wife. On this account the said Don Juan, fearing that
Don Antonio will be as much opposed to him in the said suits now,
as he was formerly favorable to the said minors, has accused him,
and is furnishing information against him. My proceedings in this
case, and in one of those which I mention in a paragraph before this,
are sent by this mail, by which your Majesty will see the results of
the investigation. It is held as certain that the said Don Antonio
has brought great pressure to bear on the said Andres Duarte that
he may not betray him in the matter of the said marriage, but shall
say that he was asking it for his brother, and not for himself; and
that the said Andres, on account of his friendship, and, knowing Don
Antonio's temper, fearing that the latter will do him some harm, would
not declare against him. I believe that he is going to España, where
perhaps he will make this matter known, as he will be free from the
jurisdiction of the auditor; but here what he swears under oath only
hinders the matter. The troubles arising from the pretensions of the
said Don Antonio are not confined to this matter; for, furthermore,
when the uprising of the Sangleys occurred, and the auditors were
obliged to lay aside their robes and put on short cloaks, as they
did, the said Don Antonio went about with a gilded sword. Then,
when occasion for this was past, the other auditors put on their
robes; but the said Don Antonio seemed to think that he represented
a different person from an auditor, and was not obliged to do as the
other auditors did. He kept on his short cloak and sword, and appeared
thus in the halls of justice, possibly because he thought it suited
his affair of the marriage, as it was at this time that he pressed it
most. And as I thought that it was not right that he should try to
distinguish himself in so unfitting a manner, and that it ought not
to be permitted, and as remarks about it had been made in public, I
told him of it, and asked him to put on the robe. The answer he gave
was what your Majesty may learn in the document which accompanies
this, to which I refer you--adding only that your Majesty may judge
by this matter how other things must go, and his manner of behavior,
in which he goes so far as to say, and let it be understood, that he
alone can do these things, and must command everything. Your Majesty
will decree the remedy which is expedient and so necessary. May our
Lord protect the Catholic person of your Majesty with the happiness
needful for Christendom. Manila, July 15, 1605.
_Don Pedro de Acuña_