[1] This document is presented in both Spanish text and English
translation.
[2] This document is presented in both Spanish text and English
translation.
[3] A pretender to the Portuguese throne, who occupied it for a short
period (in 1580) in the interim between Henrique's death and Felipe's
accession, see _Vol_. I, pp. 355, 356.
[4] Alonso Sánchez was born at Mondejar, in 1547; and became a
novice in the Jesuit order (June 18, 1565), at Alcala. In 1579,
he went to Mexico; and two years later, with Bishop Salazar, to the
Philippines. He was sent to Macao in 1582 to receive for Felipe II the
allegiance of the Portuguese at that place. Stanley, in his edition
of Morga's _Sucesos_ (p. 402) says: "The library of the Academy of
History, Madrid, contains a Chinese copy of a chapa, by which the
mandarins of Canton allowed a Portuguese ship to come and fetch Padre
Alonso Sanchez and the dispatches from Machan (Moluccas)." In 1586
Sánchez was commissioned by the governor and Spanish inhabitants of
the Philippines to go to Rome and Madrid in their behalf; documents
which explain this embassy will be presented in later volumes of
this series. He died at Alcala, May 27, 1593. Sommervogel cites
(_Bibliothèque Comp. Jésus_, viii, col. 520, 521) various writings
by Sánchez, mainly on missionary affairs, or on the relations between
the Philippine colony and the crown of Spain.
[5] Thomas Candish, the English navigator, relates in picturesque style
the fortunes of the Spanish settlement here referred to, "King Philips
citie which the Spaniards had built." Candish halted there in January,
1587; the place was then deserted, and he named it Port Famine. It
was located not far from the extreme southern point of the Patagonian
mainland, at a point commanding the Strait of Magellan. Candish says:
"They had contriued their Citie very well, and seated it in the best
place of the Streights for wood and water: they had builded vp their
Churches by themselues: they had Lawes very seuere among themselues,
for they had erected a Gibet, whereon they had done execution vpon some
of their company.... During the time that they were there, which was
two yeeres the least, they could neuer haue any thing to growe or in
any wise prosper. And on the other side the Indians oftentimes preyed
vpon them vntill their victuals grewe so short... that they dyed like
dogges in their houses, and in their clothes, wherein we found them
still at our comming.... To conclude, they were determined to haue
trauailed towards the riuer of Plate, only being left aliue 23 persons,
whereof two were women, which were the remainder of 4 hundred." See
Hakluyt's _Voyages_ (Goldsmid ed., Edinburgh, 1890), xvi, pp. 12, 13.
[6] Don Lorenzo Juarez de Mendoza, Count of Coruña, assumed the duties
of viceroy of New Spain on October 4, 1580; he was then advanced
in years, and died at Mexico before his three-years' term of office
expired--on June 19, 1583.
[7] Antonio Sedeño was born at San Clemente, in 1532 or 1535. In
his youth he was a soldier and military engineer, but entered the
Jesuit order in 1558 or 1559. After his ordination he went (1568)
to Florida as a missionary, and in 1572 to New Spain. The rest of
his life was spent in the Philippines, where he not only held high
official positions in his order, but introduced among the Filipino
natives many industries and manufactures, opened the first school in
the island, founded colleges, and engaged in many other labors for
the benefit of both the Spanish and the natives. He died September 2,
1595. See notice of his life in Sommervogel's _Bibliothèque_; and
Algué's _Archipiélago filipino_, i, p. 251 (translated in _Report_
of U.S. Philippine Commission, 1900, iv, p. 99).
[8] The words in italics at the beginning of the paragraphs are in
the MS. written as marginal notes.
[9] The matter in brackets is an insert in the margin of the original
manuscript.
[10] In making this correction the writer evidently neglected to
change the gender of "vnas."
[11] Pasacao River is a small stream on the western side of the (old)
province of Camarínes Sur. The overland journey here mentioned is
to Nueva Cáceres, capital of the province, which is ten miles above
the mouth of Naga River (although farther by the windings of the
river). This river has its source only four miles from the Pacific
coast of Albay, whence it flows N.W. into Bató Lake; this part of its
course is called Inaya River. Another N.W. course of about the same
length (about 25 miles) carries the waters of the lake as far as Nueva
Cáceres, in a stream known as Bicol (the Vicor of our text) River. From
that city to its discharge in San Miguel Bay, it is called Naga River.
[12] A sort of garment worn by peasants, opening behind or at the
shoulder. The meaning of the name, "jump aboard," suggests the similar
name applied in some localities in the United States to a sort of
over-all blouse, there called "jumper."
[13] Cf. the descriptions of this custom in Morga's _Philippine
Islands_ (Hakluyt Society, London, 1868), p. 304; and in account of
Thomas Candish's voyage, in Hakluyt's _Voyages_ (Goldsmid ed.) xvi,
p. 42.
[14] "A god of the Higuecinas (a subdivision of the ancient
Bisayas). The Igueines (another subdivision of that people) believed
that the god Maguayan carried the souls of his disciples, in his boat,
to another life."--_Ferdinand Blumentritt_: "Diccionario mitológico,"
in Retana's _Archivo_, ii, p. 411.
[15] These seem to be memoranda, which the writer forgot to fill
in later.
[16] The tabon, also called "the mound-builder" _(Megapodius
cumingi_). Its eggs are highly prized by the natives as an article
of food; they rob the deposit made by the birds. After each egg is
deposited, the parent birds (several pairs of whom often frequent
the same spot) scratch earth over it, thus gradually raising a mound
of considerable size. See description of this bird in _Report_ of
U.S. Philippine Commission for 1900, iii, pp. 314, 315.
[17] Of the banana (_Musa_), over fifty varieties have been enumerated
as found in the Philippine Islands. Many of these are minutely
described in Blanco's _Flora_, pp. 167-175. The nangca (or langca)
is _Arctocarpus integrifolia_; the macupa (also known as tampoi),
_Eugenia malaccensis_; the santol (santor), _Sandóricum indicum_. See
descriptions of all these in Blanco's _Flora_, and in _U.S. Philippine
Gazetteer_, pp. 93-95.
[18] The bejucos, as before explained, are various species of
_Calamus,_ commonly known as rattan. Blanco describes two of these
_(C. maximus_ and _C. gracilis_) as furnishing a supply of water. Some
of the species attain a height of more than six hundred feet.
[19] A sketch of this officer in _Cartas de Indias_ (p. 734) states
that he founded the city of Nueva Segovia, and probably remained in
the islands from the time of their conquest until his death; also
that the Japanese corsair here referred to was named Tay Zufu.
[20] _Champan_ (or _sampan_): a Chinese vessel; described by Retana
(Zúñiga's _Estadismo_, ii, p. 513*) as being "about as large as a
Spanish patache, but inferior to the junks of the Chinese; used by
that people for trading in the Filipinas islands." The term is now
applied to a boat 12 or 15 feet long, in which a family often makes
its home, on the Canton River; also to a vessel of 70 or 80 tons'
burden, used in the rivers of Colombia, S.A.
[21] The Dominican order (also known as the Order of Preachers) was
founded, about 1215, by St. Dominic de Guzman; he adopted, but with
various additions, the rule of St. Augustine. Among the great men
who have belonged to this order are Thomas Aquinas, Johann Tauler,
and Girolamo Savonarola.
[22] Chiapas (Chiapa) was a province of the ancient kingdom of
Guatemala; also a bishopric (erected in 1538). Its capital bore the
same name.
[23] The vicar-general to whom these letters were addressed was named
Fr. Juan Crisóstomo Sevillano.--_Rev. T.C. Middleton, O.S.A._
[24] The original MS. is endorsed by some archivist: "Letter of
Captain Gabriel de Rivera to his Majesty, upon Philippine affairs;"
but the letter is evidently addressed to some official--perhaps the
viceroy of New Spain, or the president of the royal council.
[25] In a letter dated Manila, July 20, 1581, and signed by Amador
de Arriaran, Andres Cabchela, Salvador de Aldave, Luis de Vivanco,
Joan Manuel Pimentel, Juan Maldonado, Gabriel de Ribera, and Juan
Pacheco Amado, it is stated that Ribera is sent as procurador
[attorney]-general to the king to give account of the "affairs and
condition of this land." He is recommended to the king's consideration
as "one of the first who came to this exploration and pacification"
with Legazpi, and "has been able to give a good account of himself
in everything." The pressmark of this document, which exists in
Archivo General de Indias at Sevilla, is: "Simancas--Filipinas:
Descubrimientos, etc., años 1566 á 1586; Est. 1, caj. 1,
leg. 2|24." Morga says that Ribera was created Mariscal of Bonbon
while in Spain. The effect of his mission was the establishment of
the Audiencia of Manila, whose president was to fill the offices of
governor and captain-general of the islands. This was attained after
the death of Ronquillo, although that event was unknown in court at
the time.
[26] Gonzalo Ronquillo was governor from 1580 until his death in
1583. Morga says that trade with the Chinese was increased during his
governorship. He attempted to discover a return route to New Spain
through the southern seas, but was unsuccessful. He opened trade
with Peru. A duty of two per cent on merchandise sent to New Spain
was imposed by him, and one of three per cent on goods imported by
the Chinese.
[27] Taking the words "twenty years" literally would make the date of
this letter in 1584, but it must have been prior to that date. Ribera
was sent to Spain in 1581, and Ronquillo died in 1583. The date of
this letter therefore is conjectured to have been the latter year.
[28] Retana's text here reads thus: "El preçio que tenian las cosas,
después que los Españoles introduxera la moneda de plata, que por la
mayor parte son tostones, que así llaman á los reales de á cuatro
çientas gantas de arroz, y por otro [real], çiento de vino, y por
otro, doçe y catorçe y a un diez y seis gallinas." The bracketed
word _real_ was supplied by Retana. A more satisfactory emendation
would be _tostón_, the equivalent of _real de á cuatro_. The passage
should read thus: "reales de a cuatro [por un tostón cuatro] çientas
gantas de arroz, y por otro [tostón] çiento," etc. This supposition
is borne out by a later passage where Salazar states that in former
times four hundred gantas of rice cost one tostón.--_H.E. Bolton_.
[29] Ronquillo was governor of the entire archipelago.--_Retana_.
[30] He alludes, as will be seen below, to the encomenderos, against
whom, chiefly, this accusation by the famous bishop Salazar is
directed--_Retana_.
[31] A mistake for "Gonzalo;" Father Salazar commits the error again,
as will be seen farther on.--_Retana_.
[32] The word "taels" is Retana's conjecture; but it is possible that
the doubtful word was _joyas_ ("ornaments"). From the context, it is
more probably _quintos_ ("fifths"), indicating that the royal officials
attempted to exact from the Indians the "king's fifth" on all their
possessions of gold, as well as on that newly dug from the ground.
[33] That is, as no longer in circulation (Span., _por perdido_). The
reference is to the native custom mentioned by Sande in his report of
1577 (see _Vol_ IV of this series, p. 99). Speaking of the best grade
of gold used by the Moros, he says: "From this is made the jewelry
which they inherit from their ancestors, with which they never part."
[34] A term originally applied to the gold or silver wristlets and
anklets worn by Moorish women.
[35] In the form of promissory notes, such as always have been so
much used and abused in the Philippines.--_Retana_.
[36] Span., _perlados_; so in Retana's text, but from the context there
is apparently some error in this--perhaps a copyist's conjecture for
some illegible word.
[37] This man was notary of the expedition sent to Borneo and Mindanao
by Francisco de Sande under command of Gabriel de Rivera. See _ante_,
_Vol_. IV, p. 273.
[38] Fray Santa Inés says (_Crónica,_ i, p. 16) that the use of
this phrase (Spanish, _Islas del Poniente_) arose among Spanish
traders--partly because, to reach the Philippines, they followed
the course of the sun westward from Spain; and partly to sustain the
contention that those islands were "in the demarcation of Castilla,
or the Western Indias, and not in that of Portugal, or Oriental India."
[39] The Inquisition was first introduced into Portuguese India in
1560; and into Spanish America in 1569 (at Panama). In 1570 it was
established in Mexico, of which the Philippines were a dependency in
religious as well as civil affairs. Felipe II's decree (January 25,
1569) establishing the Inquisition in the Indias, with other decrees
regulating the operations and privileges of that tribunal, may be found
in _Recopilación leyes Indias_ (ed. 1841), lib. i, tit. xix. Regarding
the history and methods of the Inquisition, the following works
are most full and authoritative: _Practica Inquisitionis hereticoe
pravitatis_ (ed. of C. Douais, Paris, 1886), by Bernard Gui--himself
an inquisitor; it was composed about 1321. _Historia Inquisitionis_
(Amstelodami, 1692), by Philippus van Limborch; English translations
of this book were published at London in 1731, 1734, 1816, and
1825. _Anales de la Inquisicion de España_ (Madrid, 1812-13), by
Juan A. Llorente, who was secretary to the Inquisition in Spain, and
chancellor of the University of Toledo; translations of this book
were published in English (London, 1826; and New York, 1838), and
in other languages. _Historica critica de la Inquisicion de España_
(Madrid, 1822), also by Llorente. _History of the Inquisition_
(London and N.Y., 1874), by W.H. Rule. _The Jews of Spain and
Portugal, and the Inquisition_ (London, 1877), by Frederic D. Mocatta,
a Jew. _History of the Inquisition of the Middle Ages_ (N.Y., 1886),
by Henry C. Lea. _Les sources de l'histoire de l'Inquisition dans le
midi de la France au treizième et au quatorzième siécle_, by C. Douais,
editor of Gui's work; it includes the _Chronique_ of Guilhem Pelisso,
"the first written account of the Inquisition."
[40] _Relaxado_ (feminine, _relaxada_): a person abandoned by
the ecclesiastical judge to the secular arm [_al brazo seglar_];
referring to the obstinate heretic who refused to abjure and do
penance, or to him who after abjuration should relapse. _Confeso_
("confessed") meant a Jew converted to the Christian faith.
[41] An oath taken by a person who has no bail, that he will return
to prison when summoned.
[42] Referring to the established judge of ecclesiastical causes,
the vicars of the bishops, or sometimes to the bishops themselves.
[43] There were only two chancillerias in Spain--those at Valladolid
and Granada; they were originally one tribunal, which followed the
royal court. They had cognizance of cases on appeal, cases of nobility,
and cases regarding the inheritance of entailed property. These courts
were abolished by the Constitution of 1812 and subsequent legislative
enactments.--_A.P. Cushing_.
[44] _Casos de corte_: cases which, because of their importance, the
amount involved, or the dignity of the parties, might in the first
instance be tried in a superior court.--_Nov. Dice. lengua castellana_
(Gamier, Paris, 1897).
[45] Paragraphs enclosed in brackets contain brief synopses of the
corresponding matter in the text which is purely technical, and not
of sufficient special interest to justify giving it so much space in
our pages.
[46] That is, not subject to the exemptions of the privileged
orders.--_H.B. Lathrop_.
[47] A receptor is an escribano (clerk, or scrivener) who by special
commission or authority from a tribunal proceeds to perform certain
judicial functions.--_A.P. Cushing_.
[48] Spanish, _en los casas de fuerça hechas por jueces eclesiasticos._
_Fuerza_ is injury committed by an ecclesiastical judge in (1)
hearing a case which does not come within his jurisdiction; (2)
non-observance of rules of procedure; or (3) unjust refusal to allow
an appeal. In such cases the aid of the secular courts may be invoked,
by the _recurso de fuerza_; and thus cases were brought before the
Audiencia, as above in section 7.--_A.P. Cushing_.
[49] In _Recopilación leyes Indias_ (ed. 1841), lib. i, tit. xx,
may be found the royal decrees issued from 1537 to 1640 regarding
the operations of the Holy Crusade in the Spanish colonies.
[50] A word originating in Hayti, signifying "princes" or
"chiefs"--quite naturally extended, by a Spanish clerk or secretary,
to the chiefs of Filipino tribes.
[51] This is the only case in which the amount of a fee is
prescribed in this instrument, except for officials peculiar to
the region; the tariff (_arancel_) of Spain is to be followed, as a
rule.--_H.B. Lathrop_.
[52] This clause forbids the counsel to take a contingent
fee.--_H.B. Lathrop_.