As I think that this will be a service to the Divine Majesty and
to the human, and a benefit to this new world--in the west, to the
Philipinas; and in the east, to Yndia (whither I went some years ago on
an embassy for Don Joan de Silva and this commonwealth of Manila, and
took note of its temporal and spiritual condition)--I am resolved to
write this letter to your Lordship, in whose hands our Lord has placed
the preservation of this kingdom, and consequently the conversion of
numberless souls; perhaps our Lord will choose that in this way may be
attained that which numerous letters from these islands to the royal
Council of the Yndias have failed to accomplish. Your most illustrious
Lordship may rest assured that if his Majesty does not actually send
a great reënforcement of military aid to these islands, they must be
lost; and, besides, the royal crown of España will meet the necessity
of defending itself, with greater expenses, from the nations who will
make war against it from this direction. Although I am no prophet, I
dare to assert that in these seas we shall see the bloodiest battles
that have been fought for many years, and that they must result in
great injury to the kingdoms of Nueva España [and España].
This discourse of mine is based on a syllogism. All nations of the
world are moved by interest, which is the loadstone of hearts. We see
men going down, as they have gone, into the depths of hell for silver
and gold; no one can doubt this axiom, and it has no need of proof. The
minor premise is this, founded on experimental knowledge--namely,
that the greatest source of profit that has been known in our times,
the best proved and the most certain, is this of Maluco and Philipinas,
whither come the nations of the north, and all other nations who course
over this wide sea of India as far as Maluco, where they find that
brown gold that they call cloves, and the white silk of China. They
barter for or rob persons of the cloves, as well as mace, cinnamon,
pepper, and other drugs, which, when carried to their own country, are
so much gold-dust. The silks and wealth from China they seize here at
the passage to Manila, from various unarmed vessels; and from a people
who let their hair grow long, like women, and know not how to defend
themselves, so that those robbers have here a sure booty and prize.
I shall presently tell you of the great value of these things, when
carried to their own countries; I am now proceeding with my account
from the proposition that the greatest source of gain in the world
lies in these islands. All the nations know well that they need not
go to Nueva España to conquer it, or to plunder the silver in the
mountain of Potosi, or to the islands of Salomon--which, although
they were at one time famed for riches of gold, have proved to be
enchanted. [36] Florida, that it cost the French so dear to enter,
is already deserted as useless; from Brasil no profits are obtained;
from the wars of Flandes men gain nothing but bullets and glory. You
may turn the needle to every point on the globe, and you will find
that there is no place capable of so much profit as are these islands.
In order to reach them the foreigners have throughout all Yndia the
ports of the heathen kings, which are more numerous than our own. The
Dutch have factories in Currate [_i.e._, Surat], in Paliacate on
the coast of Malavar, in the Jabas, and in Sunda, Achen, Macasar,
and Maluco, where they are establishing themselves and obtaining a
foothold. Above all, they have one in Japon, where they find all the
supplies necessary for their voyages.
I shall tell you now of the culmination and result of their commerce. A
single ship that arrives from these islands with cloves, mace, drugs,
silks, etc., yields an immense amount of money; for they carry the
goods that are shipped from these islands and from Eastern India
through all the northern countries, and the kings give them free
passage for their goods and remit duties. They have factories or
correspondents in Olanda, Zelanda, Escocia, Ynglaterra, Yrlanda,
Dinamarca, Norvega, Francia, Alemania, Alta and Baja Germania, Colonia,
Baviera, Austria, Ungria, Boemia, as far as Transilvania, and in our
kingdoms inland from Sevilla. This was stated by the Dutch General
Blancorte [_i.e._, van Caerden], whom we held prisoner here.
From all this, the conclusion of the argument is that, as all the
nations are moved by interest, and as the gains from these islands are
so great, we shall have all the nations here; and indeed we have--not
only the Dutch, but the English, who are a people of more ability
than the Dutch have; and all these seas are open to the French,
and to all other nations.
Who doubts that it costs the king dearly, in course of time, to
reënforce us? For twenty years we have been hoping for the coming of
a fleet and galleons, and none have come save a few small caravels
brought by Ruy Gonzalez de Sequeyra to open up a way for trade
to Sevilla; and eight galleons that were made ready for our aid,
which put into Gibraltar, so that no aid has come for us. In the
mean time the Dutch have new galleons every year, and the islands
are already in the worst of straits. Your Lordship may believe that
the governors--now, it may be, to show themselves better servants of
his Majesty; again, to keep themselves longer in the government--have
promised more than the land could raise. The truth is that the islands
are utterly drained by the wars and the loss of the six galleons
which Don Juan de Silva had built, and with other misfortunes that
have been written to the king our lord at greater length. It is a
marvel that Don Alonso de Faxardo has not died or become grievously
ill with pain at finding these states so weakened, and his honor and
that of the crown of España so jeopardized. If any one thinks that
Eastern India can aid us, I have seen, and Don Geronimo de Azevedo,
viceroy of India, assured me, when he gave me four galleons with
five hundred infantry and ninety-two pieces of artillery, that he was
giving all he had to give. And this was true, for he dismantled the
forts to arm the galleons, and the latter were burned by the Dutch
in the year one thousand six hundred and sixteen; so that we depend
upon España alone for our aid. Although the great advantages that
have been enumerated should be enough to cause this aid to be given,
yet for the pious and so Christian heart of your Lordship I think
it better to set forth the multitude of souls converted--who in the
time of Don Francisco Tello, governor of these islands, numbered six
hundred thousand baptized; and this city of Manila, small as it is,
is the key to such great kingdoms as Japón, Coria, Great China, Sian,
Patan, Camboja, the Xavas, Sunda, and Maluco, with which Manila is
encompassed as is the center of a circle by its circumference. If
your Lordship have any interest in its preservation, I hope, through
the divine Majesty, that it will be kept, for the honor of the Lord
himself. May He protect your Lordship for many years, according to the
desire of your humble servant and chaplain. Manila, December 20, 1618.
_Joan de Ribera_,
rector of the college of the Society of Jesus at Manila.
[_Endorsed_: "Madrid, November 20, 621. To the Council for
examination."]