The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my
governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of
my royal Audiencia there. Your letter of July 24, 609, was received and
examined in my Council of the Yndias, and I was glad to learn by it of
your arrival in those islands, and that you had a prosperous voyage. As
for what you say concerning the anxious efforts of certain religious
to cause the governmental and military offices in their districts
to pass through their hands, and the disturbances and troubles which
have occurred among the natives, and the assemblages of people, and
the reduction of villages which has been accomplished, when there
was an opportunity for the same to hinder the royal jurisdiction by
opposing the corregidors and others who are governing--as happened
a short time before you arrived, in a district of the province of
Nueva Segobia, where you found it necessary to send troops of war
with the sargento-mayor Christoval de Axqueta to pacify and punish
some Indians who had rebelled because the religious had tried to
unite them and make them sedentary without giving account to the
governor: it has seemed best to me to charge you, as I do charge you,
that you shall endeavor that such measures be taken in these matters
that suitable provision be made against such troubles, and manage
affairs considerately and prudently; for we confide in you to avoid
the difficulties which you describe, and others which may occur.
The bishoprics of Cibu and that of Nueva Cáceres are already provided
for, as you will be informed. [50]
In the lading of the ships for that trade it is understood that there
has been great evasion of the law, as you likewise say in your letter;
and because this, as is known, causes much trouble, I order you to
take great care to observe inviolably, in regard to this matter,
what is ordained by the decree which treats thereof--causing it to
be fulfilled and executed, without infraction in any case, whatever
it may be, as this is expedient for the general good.
What you have done in regard to the matter of the three per cent
from the Chinese is well, and accordingly its collection will be
continued; and likewise all the current dues from the two per cent
which was recently imposed upon the merchandise of the natives which
goes to Nueva España will be collected from those who shall owe it. In
future, you will comply with the orders given you in regard to this,
endeavoring to have both imposts collected with as much gentleness
as possible.
What you say concerning the proposition by the agents of the Mindanaos
regarding the settlement of peace with them has been examined, and
is being considered; and you will be promptly advised of the decision
which will be made.
In the post of alcayde and governor of the troops of the force in
Terrenate a person has been appointed to serve, on account of the
death of Juan de Esquibel, as you will have already been informed.
As it seems to me that the administration of the clove product
and other property which I hold in Terrenate should be suitably
placed, in charge of a person of intelligence and the necessary
trustworthiness, and that these qualities are combined in Pedro de
Baeza, I have appointed him as my factor there, subordinate to the
instructions which you will give him, which will be in accordance
with the confidence that we have in your prudence and zeal, as you
have the matter near at hand, and can be informed so punctually of
what is expedient therein. In the meantime, until the formal decision
is made as to who shall take charge of the cloves for the future, you
will observe what has been decreed in regard to this. You will advise
me minutely of what it has brought into my royal treasury--not only
through the trade with the Portuguese and other nations in Maluco,
but what has been carried to those islands for the crown of Castilla;
and what is the net result, to whom that merchandise has been given,
and where it has been consumed, so that, having this information,
I may decree and order whatever is fitting.
It is very well that care has been taken, as you say, and an order
issued to the effect that Japanese should not reside in those islands;
and you will continue this procedure with the attention which the
matter demands.
As it proves difficult for the natives to conduct warfare after the
manner of the Spaniards, you will issue decrees dispensing with it;
and will provide for safety as you suggest in your letter.
The decree in regard to the time when the ships on that trade-route
shall depart for Nueva España you will cause to be carefully executed,
as you know the importance of this for the safety of the voyage.
On occasions when any prebends of the metropolitan church of that city
shall be vacant, you shall propose, as is expected, conjointly with
the archbishop thereof, three persons for each of them, according to
the orders.
You shall see that the cargo which will be carried on the ships in
that traffic be always placed in the first hold; and, between decks,
the ship's stores, sailors' chests, and rigging, as you say. You
will do this in accordance with the order that has been given. You
will likewise take care, as you suggest, and as I charge you to do,
to provide that the common seamen take the provisions necessary for
the voyage, that they may not suffer want.
As you know how important it is that the said ships should not go
overloaded, you will fulfil, with the care which may be expected from
you, what has been ordered in regard to this. For if at any time it
should happen that they threw overboard any cloth from these ships,
you will take such measures as may be best for all, making provision
that the damage shall be shared among all in equal parts, so that those
who are interested can demand satisfaction and no one remain injured.
The results of the accounts [51] of these islands, and errors in them,
you will examine as I have ordered you, and place them in my royal
treasury if you have not already done so, concerning all items which
are not justified by vouchers, advising me by the first opportunity
of what you may do.
In conformity with what you say, my viceroy of Nueva España has already
been ordered not to allow any married man to pass to your islands;
and if any of them shall go thither it must be with the permission
of their wives for a limited time, and with guarantees given that
they shall come back within the appointed time; I have thought best
to advise you thereof, so that you may be informed of it, and on your
part execute the same rule in so far as it concerns you.
The duties have been examined, in order that my royal treasury in those
islands should have a surplus, thus saving what is carried from Nueva
España for the expenses there. This is now being considered, and in
a short time you will be advised of the decision made. [Guadarrama,
November 12, 1611.]
_I The King_
By order of the king, our lord:
_Juan Ruiz de Contreras_
_To Don Juan de Silva, governor of the Philipinas, informing him
of the decree that your Majesty has commanded to be given to the
deputy from Olanda, directing him to set at liberty Pablo Bancardin
and other Dutchmen, as they have not given any provocation for their
second capture._
The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my
governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president
of my royal Audiencia there. At the instance of Teodoro Rodemburg,
who is present at my court on certain business concerning the islands
of Olanda and Celanda, I despatched an order to you, by a decree
of the same date as this (which has been delivered to that envoy),
commanding that the admiral, Paulo Brancardin, and the seventy-four
Dutch who, according to your letter, have been captured with him in
an oared vessel, by Captain Pedro de Heredia, while voyaging from
Terrenate to the island of Morata, should be set free, if it has
not already been done, in conformity with clause thirty-four of the
truce with Flandes. But if, after being freed from this captivity,
he or any of the others should give any occasion for capturing them
again, then (since in this case the fault would be theirs) you will
advise me without setting them free. This I have thought best to
inform you of, so that with this understanding, if they are again
taken with cause--which they have given, as has been said, and as has
been learned by a letter from Sargento-mayor Christoval de Asquelta,
and by what you wrote to the viceroy, Marques de Salinas, in a letter
of the fourth of September, 610, a copy of which he sent to me--and
should they wish to negotiate their freedom by means of a ransom, or
any other means, before or after the use of said decree, you will not
admit of it, nor give them freedom in any manner, either to the said
admiral or to the others; but you shall hold them prisoners with the
greatest care, until you receive further orders from me. Madrid, on the
twentieth of November of the year one thousand six hundred and eleven.
_I The King_
By command of the king our lord:
_Juan Ruiz de Contreras_
Signed by the members of the Council.
_To Don Juan de Silva, governor of the Philipinas, ordering him to
build and collect immediately a squadron of ships, to cruise in that
sea, about the point of Manila, to make sure thereby that the Dutch
do not rob the ships and other vessels which go to those islands from
Nueva España, China, and other regions._
The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my
governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president
of my royal Audiencia there. By letters from you and other persons
zealous in my service, I have learned that the king of Japon has
admitted the Dutch to commerce with his realms, for their having
offered to carry him a great quantity of silk, which is the chief
commodity in which they deal there; and because those rebels had robbed
the Chinese, from whose ports they procure the silks, they dare not
go to that kingdom for them. Accordingly, to keep the terms of their
offer, and not lose that trade, it will be necessary for them to await
the vessels of the Chinese near that city of Manila, which are going
there with silk, in order to rob them of it. And not only will they
do this damage, but they may also do the same with the ships which
go to Nueva España, and other vessels from Malaca and Macan. It has
been represented to me that, both in order to avoid this danger to my
ships and my vassals, and likewise for the importance of keeping the
said Dutch from fulfilling their offer to that king--for if they do
not do it he will drive them out of his lands, where it is important
[for us] that they should not secure a foothold--it would be well to
have a squadron cruise close to the port of that city [of Manila];
and to secure this result, it will not be necessary to have large
ships. I have thought it best to approve this; and, considering that
when you receive this you will already have made the expeditions of
which you wrote me in the letter of the fifth of September of six
hundred and ten, if you have good success in them, with the help of
our Lord, I command you that, with the ships that may remain to you of
the fleet which you were engaged in collecting, you will keep those
necessary for a squadron sufficient to cruise in that sea, and with
it will attend to the matters above mentioned. And if there are not
enough ships by using these, you will make and build, with all possible
despatch, what may appear to you expedient for this purpose; and will
inform me, at the first opportunity, of the number and kind of ships,
and how they are supplied and equipped, with both men and artillery,
and with all else necessary; until I may give a different order; as
such is my will. These presents will be registered by my auditors
of accounts who are in my Council of the Yndias. Dated at Madrid,
the nineteenth of December of the year 1611.
_I The King_
By command of the king our lord:
_Juan Ruiz de Contreras_
Signed by the Council of War for the Yndias.