_Hernando de Vega de Fonseca_
Registered:
_Pedro de Ledesma_, Chancellor.
_San Joan de Sardaneta_
_Clause of the instruction_. The king, our lord, sent me, in such
capacity, an order through royal decree and instruction, signed by
his royal hand, the original of which does not accompany this on
account of its being inserted in other important decrees and secret
orders relating to his royal service. The order in question reads
as follows: "Whenever you think best to allow and give permission to
the inhabitants of the said islands to go to Xapon, Macan, and other
kingdoms or settlements of the Portuguese or the heathens, for the
sake of trade, you can do so after having first carefully investigated
whether there is any obstacle or danger in the journey." Since, for
the reason which will be stated below, his Majesty's desire corresponds
to two other royal decrees which will be shown, we have inserted here
a number of original documents which successively read as follows:
The King: To Don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, my governor and
captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, or, in your absence, to
the person or persons having charge of the government. According to
what I wrote you on the fourth of April of last year, eighty-one,
and what you have seen since in the despatches sent by the fleet
which left for Nueva España on the thirteenth of June of the said
year, you must have heard that, on account of the death of the most
serene, powerful, and lofty king, Don Enrrique, my uncle (may he
rest in peace), I succeeded to the kingdoms of Portugal; and that
their crown is united to that of the other kingdoms which I already
possessed. Since for this reason all become one and the same people,
and you and the Portuguese are all my vassals; and since it is right
that, for the better support of my service, there be agreement and
amicable relations among all, especially in these regions--where,
on account of their great distance from here, one must exert himself
to remedy the losses which may come from events that occur daily,
without awaiting orders from here, on account of difficulties which
would be caused by the delay--I command you that on all occasions,
whether together or separated from one another, you maintain friendly
relations and one mind among yourselves, as I have written, being
careful to help, support, and defend one another alike in all needs
and with great harmony and friendship, as it is right for you to do. I
warn you to act in all things according to that trust I place in you,
so that there may be no omission in the affairs committed to you,
for this should be your chief and main aim. Lisboa, March thirty-one,
one thousand five hundred and eighty-two.
_I, The King_
By order of his Majesty:
_Antonio de Herasso_
The King: To Don Gonzalo Rronquillo de Peñalosa, my governor and
captain-general of the Philipinas Islands; or, in your absence,
the person or persons who may hold the reins of government. You
understand, from what I have written you before and what I write
now, the causes and reasons why there should be a close and friendly
relation between you and your people dwelling in those islands and
my viceroy of Eastern Yndia, and my governor and captain-general of
Malaca with his Portuguese; and how well served I shall be if, since
you are all on the same footing, and since you are all my vassals,
you deal, communicate, and make friends with one another, and help
one another whenever occasion and need shall arise. There was little
necessity to remind you of this; yet, seeing that it is so important
and so reasonable that things be so, I have decided to recommend the
matter to you, assuring you that I shall be much pleased thereby. If
at any time my viceroy of Yndia, or the governor and captain-general
of Malaca, should write to you asking to send men to his aid, you
will send him the men whom you can spare from those islands, in order
that he may be secure; and do so with the precaution that you shall
find needful. In either case, you will give orders as one who has
the matter at heart, and knows what can and must be done. Since I
trust in you and your prudence, and allow you to send some troops and
captains under similar circumstances, you shall ask the same to obey
and carry out whatever he whom they go to help may say and order,
either in writing or orally, serving him with the good discipline
and obedience to which that nation [the Portuguese] are accustomed,
in the expeditions and military exploits which may take place. Lisboa,
on the thirty-first day of March in the year one thousand five hundred
and eighty-two.
_I, The King_
By order of his Majesty:
_Antonio de Erasso_
Considering the fact that the king, our lord, is pleased to have
harmony, friendly relations, commerce, and trade between the
inhabitants of these islands and the Portuguese nobles inhabiting
Macan, Xapon, and other regions--which things are necessary for the
preservation of these his kingdoms, and the welfare and prosperity
of his vassals, and the exaltation of our holy Catholic religion;
and since in fulfilment of this royal desire and offer of friendly
intercourse, commerce, trade, and many other things pertaining to
his royal service, as I am in need of ammunition for this camp, I am
forced to send a person to the city of Macan--namely, Pedro de Brito, a
regidor of this city of Manila--whom I order to sail from these islands
to the said city of Macan on the ship "Nuestra Señora de Conception"
(or, as it is also called, the "San Pedro"), with Pedro de Solorzano
as captain, and Antonio Diaz Delaleres as ship-master. I have given
him permission to sail, and if necessary, to let this document serve
as a permission for the voyage and the return to this city, observing
strictly all my instructions and orders: therefore in the name of the
king, our lord, I request and ask in my own name the chief captain
of the said city of Macan, the officers of the exchequer, and the
magistrates and rulers of the city; and whatever governors, captains,
judges, and magistrates may reside in the said city in his Majesty's
name; also nobles, and other persons who live there, and in others of
his kingdoms and seigniories--of all these I request that, whenever
this is shown, they examine the said royal decrees and obey and
observe them. I request them to let the said regidor, Pedro de Brito,
come into port with the said ship and crew, allow them to land, and
communicate and trade with the inhabitants and natives in all things
that they desire and need, and to offer no obstacle or hindrance;
but, on the contrary, to protect and help them for their success,
and in the necessary preparations which they will make, as they owe
to the service of his Majesty. I shall do as much to them whenever
a similar request is made of me. In the city of Manila, on the third
day of July, in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety.
_Gomez Perez Dasmarinas_
By order of the governor:
_Gaspar de Azevo_
This was corrected and compared with the said government book from
which it was copied. Manila, June twenty, one thousand five hundred
and ninety-one. The following witnesses were present when it was
corrected and compared: Miguel de Solarte and Adrian Perez.
_Gaspar de Azevo_
_The Governor's Opinion_
Sire: Having examined this investigation which the cabildo, magistracy,
and regimiento of this city have made, so that your Majesty might
favor the inhabitants of Manila by granting them commerce with
the inhabitants of Macan, and considering the little harm which
the Portuguese would suffer from it, my opinion is that, with your
Majesty's pleasure, the favor could be granted, for very little trouble
will follow from it. Moreover, it will benefit this camp, in that we
shall be able to get ammunition, supplies, and other things from the
city of Macan: for, as far as ammunition is concerned, the trade with
China is closed, since no Chinese would dare to bring it over.
_Gomez Perez Dasmarinas_
This copy was made, corrected, and compared with the evidence and
other decrees already mentioned, at the request of the attorney
of this city of Manila, and by order of the said governor, on June
twenty-second, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one, in Manila;
and in the presence of the following witnesses, who saw when it
was taken, corrected, and compared: Miguel de Solarte, and Adrian
Perez. Therefore, I set my seal to it in witness of truth.
_Gaspar de Azevo_
We, the undersigned notaries, certify and truly testify that Gaspar
de Azevo, whose signet and name are attached to this investigation,
is government notary of these islands; and, as such, the instruments
drawn before him, or which have heretofore been drawn before him,
are to be given full faith and credit in or out of court. Port of
Cavite, June twenty-third, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one.
_Alonso Esteban de Marquina_, notary.
_Tomas Perez_, notary.
_Miguel de Quintanilla_, notary-public.
The preceding was deliberated upon in Madrid on the twentieth day of
July, one thousand five hundred and ninety-two.
The licentiate _Gonzalez_.
[_Endorsed at beginning of document_:
"The city of Manila in the Filipinas Islands; concerning the
possibility of their inhabitants trading with those of Macan.
_Ledesma_, secretary."
"Eighty-four maravedís were paid for the examination, on July 15,
1529 (_sic; sc._ 1592).