The King: To Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenza, my governor and
captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my
royal Audiencia there. You already know that the preservation and
maintenance of those islands in all peace and prosperity consists
principally in the good government of him who has them in charge,
by the equitable administration of justice, the furtherance of the
public welfare, and the increase of my royal exchequer. Owing to my
great desire that this should be secured, in such manner that what
has been deficient there in the past may be supplied and the affairs
of the islands more successfully managed in the future, it has seemed
best to advise you that, since the citizens and inhabitants of those
islands have suffered so many hardships and calamities, having been
harassed by enemies, and on this account their property having been
greatly reduced, you will exercise the greatest care in endeavoring
to have them rewarded with the offices and other positions that are
distributed in those islands, in accordance with their merits and
services, so that in this way they may be consoled and encouraged. You
will likewise see to it that the natives are well treated, so that
they may not be annoyed or molested with new services and requirements.
The most important thing that presents itself is the great and
excessive expenditure which is incurred by my royal exchequer in
the islands of Maluco, for, according to information received,
it amounts to two hundred and twenty thousand pesos; while I have
not any profit in all those islands, for the Dutch enemies buy all
the cloves and other drugs at a much lower cost, whence they derive
great profits--as is evident from the forces which they use to get
possession and make themselves masters of those islands. And it is the
general opinion of zealous, unbiased, and trustworthy persons that
my servants, captains, and other officials who have governed those
islands, with a commission for their own profits and investments,
have taken advantage of the opportunities and trade which they should
have maintained and secured for my royal exchequer's increase, and
have charged to it all the expenses, they alone having received the
profits, without considering that a large part of what the enemy gains
is lost to my treasury through lack of faithful service. As this matter
is so worthy of correction, and so necessary for the preservation of
those islands and the aid of their expenses, I command you to apply to
this evil the remedy which I may expect from your loyal zeal, showing
yourself entirely disinterested in whatever concerns yourself and your
senator, so that you may be an example for the rest. You are free to
investigate the offense which any servant of mine may have committed
in this matter, and this I order you to do. You will proceed against
such persons in conformity with justice, and will punish them with
great severity, applying to my royal exchequer all that may result
from the fines that you may impose. You will exercise especial care
and judgment in all ways and means that are practical and possible, to
introduce the greatest possible profit and benefit that can be obtained
from the trade in cloves, by such measures as may appear to you best,
buying the spice for money or cloth, or in whatever way may be most
convenient. If for this purpose it be necessary to provide money or
cloth, you will do so as shall be expedient, conferring in regard to
everything with the Audiencia, the royal officials, and other persons
of experience, choosing the best and soundest course advised. For all
this is necessary, and is undertaken in order to direct our energies
to the defense of the islands, and to try to extirpate the enemy from
them. If the latter end cannot for the present be accomplished by
force of arms, yet this communication, trade, and bartering of cloves
with the natives, and the employment of gentle but necessary means
to secure their obedience, will diminish the strength of the enemy,
which consists solely in the advantages that they possess. All this is
hoped from your prudence, although in my royal Council of the Yndias
the expediency of a factory or administration is being considered,
and of one person who should have the management and responsibility of
all in Terrenate, as may be best for the benefit of my royal exchequer.
As the number of six hundred infantry for the garrison of the fort of
Terrenate besides the two hundred Pampangos who are also in service
there, seems more than is necessary for its defense, considering that
they do not go out into battle, you will take under advice whether this
body can not be reduced to a smaller number at a less expense, without
being greatly crippled. For the principal thing to be aimed at is the
preservation and defense of that fort, and after that the sparing of
my royal exchequer. You will order that the supplies and money for the
soldiers be at your own disposal, with the sworn statement of a notary,
for there is no royal official there; thus, as these troops will be
effective, they will not be defrauded as they have been in the past.
You will likewise try to abolish all the superfluous strongholds, both
in those islands and in Terrenate; for those named in the memorial
which accompanies this, signed by Juan Ruiz de Contreras, are not
considered necessary. You will advise me when you have done this.
Considering the great expenses incurred for the reënforcements that are
every year sent from Nueva España, and the great importance of avoiding
the cost and adding to the funds of the exchequer, you will refrain,
so far as possible, from demanding articles that can be found in those
islands--namely, the products of either nature or industry there--or
what can be brought from other regions with greater economy. For it
is understood that in the past there has not been the reflection and
good judgment in this matter that is right; but, on the contrary,
the officials and ministers have made a profit from it. And since,
by one of my decrees, it concerns you, by virtue of your office,
to decide the affairs of war and government so as to have knowledge
of them, and it has been learned by experience that if these powers
be not rightly used much loss and trouble has resulted therefrom,
I charge you implicitly that the decisions which you shall make,
in the matters which may arise, be as reasonable and moderate as
is necessary for good government and administration of justice, so
that the improvement thus brought about may be recognized and become
evident, to the satisfaction of those concerned; for the remedy that
may be expedient will be applied in another way.
It has also been understood that the officials of my royal exchequer in
those islands, in complying with an order of mine to the effect that in
any emergency when it would be imperatively necessary to incur some new
expenditure they should join with the governor and Audiencia there and
discuss the matter, and the result of the voting by majority should be
carried out, advising me thereof--with this opportunity many expenses
have been incurred, and salaries and stipends increased unnecessarily,
for private ends of individuals. Accordingly, I command you to see
that the expenses be not incurred except in sudden cases of invasion
by enemies, since otherwise results so much loss to my royal exchequer.
It has also been understood that the religious orders resident in
those islands live and comport themselves with more freedom and liberty
than is proper, conformably to their profession and regulations, and
particularly so the Augustinians. It is also stated that occasional
fees and dues that they levy for masses, burials, and suffrages
[for departed souls] are excessive; and likewise that they erect
buildings and church edifices and their own houses, although they
have no authority to do so except with my express permission, or by
asking it from the governor of those islands, and then only in case of
urgent necessity. Under this pretense and others, they make allotments
[of service] and new imposts, on merely their own authority, upon the
Indians, who are distressed and overburdened. For the remedy of this,
it has seemed best to charge you to maintain all the authority that
you can, to prevent this from being done. For this purpose you will
join with the archbishop, and both will summon the provincials; and,
telling them the information that I have of this matter, you will
charge them to make the reformation which is in every way obligatory
upon them, since it is so greatly to the service of God our Lord and
the public good, as may be seen. Madrid, December 19, 1618.
_I The King_
By the command of the king our lord:
_Juan Ruiz De Contreras_
Signed by the members of the Council.
The King: To Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenza, my governor and
captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal
Audiencia there. You were advised by a letter of mine, of the same
date as this, of the arrival of your letters written at the port
of Acapulco; and we answer this separately because the matter is
a more serious one than can be treated of in connection with your
government. It has seemed best to advise you of the state of affairs,
and of what, as now appears, will be the only possible remedy for
the preservation of all those regions.
You are well aware, through the information that you carried from
España, of the embarrassed condition of my royal inheritance, wasted in
the defense of our holy faith, and unavoidable expenditures to oppose
its enemy and others who have attempted to cause its decline--whom
it has been necessary to oppose, in order to preserve the faith, thus
causing enormous expenses. As aid for the conservation of my kingdoms,
it has been necessary and unavoidable to use the wealth brought by
the people of Nueva España; but the supplies and expenditures drawn
from my royal exchequer for those islands are so consuming and reducing
that account and fund, to such an extent, and with so injurious effect,
that it hardly comes in but it must be paid out. Considering that what
is carried in exchange for the quicksilver [35] is revenue derived
from the same merchandise that was sent, while the receipts from the
bulls for the crusade are (as you know) but moderately successful,
you are accordingly informed of this in such detail, so that you may
understand how assured is the loss that is set forth to you. This
loss would become greater if the account were measured by the demands
that are sent from Filipinas; for then the proceeds of neither the
quicksilver, nor the crusades, nor anything else would be enough even
for the maintenance of those islands and those of Terrenate, according
to our experience thus far. The result is that we are compelled by
necessity to choose [as we do] in order not to allow affairs here to
go to ruin for lack of money, which is not to be thought of. For you
are aware of what importance this is, being the essence and substance
of the rest; and it neither ought nor can be supposed that we should
not heed the expenditures for Filipinas that have been made from
my royal inheritance, which amount to more than seven millions, as
has been proved. If there were no other consideration than the mere
protection of religion and of the persons who live in those islands,
it would oblige us to consider the expense; but we must do so all the
more in this state of affairs, as it means the continual remittance
and expenditure of money, and all things cannot be attended to. The
matter has given us anxiety, as you will understand, regarding this
condition; and, after consideration of it, the following measures
are proposed to you.
Since the income from the revenues which belong to me in those
islands is considerable, you will try so to apportion it, and with
such prudence, care, and system, that they may be maintained and made
comfortable by it, since nothing more can be done than, by resigning
any profit from them, to appropriate all the proceeds from that
country to the islands themselves, without any profits whatsoever to
another country. As for the measures to be pursued in executing this
henceforth, no other rule can be given you more explicit than what you,
the Audiencia, and the royal officials shall find it practicable and
proper to apply.
It is likewise understood from thoroughly reliable persons who have
come from those islands--religious, and others who have brought letters
recommending them--that there are in those lands many well-known mines
of gold and other metals, which, if they were sought out, would be of
great utility and value; and that, if they were worked, their proceeds
would be sufficient not only for the expenses there, but even for the
aid of those here. These persons say that the reason why the mines
have not been operated has been a lack of energy and diligence for the
benefit and increase of the royal exchequer; and the fact that they
had the treasury of Nueva España as a protection, and so accessible
for all the expenses that have arisen. Accordingly I charge you very
particularly that, with the fidelity and promptness that is requisite
for so urgent a necessity, you will take measures to investigate this
matter, and obtain from it as much profit as you can; for the peaceful
products of the soil will always be certain, and it would be a great
pity to lose what might aid in so urgent a need. For this purpose you
will make an examination of all the mines that are or may be known,
offering rewards and other advantages, honors, and gratuities as may
appear expedient to you, in order that the mines may be discovered
and worked, as they should be, making the diligent endeavors that are
necessary in such an affair. In order that you may better manage it,
it has seemed well to me to send you the two papers inclosed, signed
by Juan Ruiz de Contreras, so that you can examine and consider them
with attention and careful consideration, in order that your mode
of procedure may be assured, since the facts in the case are already
so. As the most important point that you will have to guard is that
the Indians be not troubled or annoyed, and that no sort of injury,
or service, or annoyance be inflicted upon them, you will avoid so far
as possible these difficulties; and by prudent and cautious measures
will try to gain their good-will, until you have acquired suitable
knowledge of the situation and richness of the mines. It is also a
matter of great importance that the religious who give instruction
shall aid, as is explained in these papers--to which effect letters
are being written to the provincials of the orders of St. Dominic and
St. Augustine, which were sent to you with a copy of each, which they
are to receive from your hand. You will talk with them at the same
time, availing yourself of all means which may appear to you of use
to persuade them that they will thus do a great service to our Lord;
and that by so pious a work they will better the present condition of
affairs, and aid the public cause. You must see that this is the most
important part of your government, as if you were sent there for this
and for nothing else. For greater satisfaction and surer success,
I command you that as soon as you have received these letters you
shall--with the aid of the notary-public of the royal officials, or of
your secretary, as may appear best to you--compile a book, in which,
after you have inserted these letters and other documents, you will
enter the orders that you may give, and the decisions that you may
make. Accordingly, there will be evident from them both the time that
is gained or lost in the execution of your orders, so that with this
guide you may govern to better advantage; likewise, exactly what has
occurred in every matter will be clear to me. It would also be well
if all the documents, letters, and other papers that you may have
in relation to this subject were placed in separate files. In this
book recapitulate the papers briefly, referring to the originals;
and as you are aware of the importance of good counsel, you will
try to avail yourself of the persons whom you may think most capable
of giving it to you. If you think it well to convene any assembly,
you will do so whenever expedient. In this way you may be advised
not only of the importance of this matter, but likewise of the best
means available for this country, so that, with your prudence, you
may choose the most useful, and avail yourself of whatever benefits
or funds may be secured from them. Madrid, December 19, 1618.
_I The King_
By command of the king our lord:
_Juan Ruiz De Contreras_
Signed by the members of the Council.
[_Each letter is endorsed_: "To the governor of the Filipinas, on
various matters."]