Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty:
Replying to the opinion that was given by the father provincial, Fray
Martin de Rada, of the order of St. Augustine, on affairs in this land,
and on the raising of tribute from its natives, we confess that it was
zealously done, in the service of God, our Lord, and for the security
of our consciences. In this estimation we hold and repute him. But,
as sometimes the very wise are misled--now through too great zeal, and
again by their ignorance of some things, which if they had understood
fully, they would not have been misled--we shall not fail to point
out in the "Opinion," certain things which we consider harsh, harmful
to this whole community, and very prejudicial to the development
of this land. Taking up the principal point to be answered in the
"Opinion"--namely, that his Majesty was ill informed of the affairs
of this land, as thus appears by his letter which Captain Juan de
la Ysla brought, we affirm that it is very erroneous. For what his
Majesty says in his letter is the same of which report was made before
he wrote it, and the same which was occurring when the report was
made of the affairs of this land, and so to say, more clear, public,
and notorious--namely, that the governor (who is now in glory), when
he entered this land, entered it in peace, inviting to his friendship
all the natives. Thus in the island of Ybabao which was the first of
these Filipinas islands of which possession was taken, Indians came
to the ships from the shore, who made friends and rendered obedience
to his Majesty. These came of their own will, to make friends, and at
the first, before any bartering of food and other small articles was
made, and without anything of their possessions being asked. The same
was done on the river Calayan, where were Captain Andres de Ybarra
and father Fray Diego de Herrera. Peace was made, and nothing was
asked or taken from them; and they remained friends. And although
in the island of Ybabao certain Indians treacherously killed there
Francisco Gomez and another Spaniard, no war was made upon them for
that reason. Rather the governor was always calling for peace from
all the natives of the islands where he went, without making war
on anyone. So in Bohol the chiefs gave their obedience, and came to
the ships of their own will. From that place a contingent was sent
to Butuan to make friends with the chief. Captain Juan de la Ysla
and that same father provincial went there and made friends with
Limanpao, lord of Butuan. From there they went to Cubu, where they
summoned and from the small boats invited the natives to make peace,
proclaiming for two or three days the summons, until those natives
shot arrows from the shore at those in the boats, who were continuing
to summon them peaceably to make peace. Therefore father Fray Andres
de Urdaneta, he who was calling upon them for peace, made a harangue
to the people, saying that they were apostates, and that war could be
made against them legitimately. The governor disembarked there, with
the opposition of the natives. After having planted a colony there,
many Indians of the neighborhood, and even those of Cubu, came in peace
to render him obedience. Thus a true report was made to his Majesty,
for many Indians became friendly in these islands and made submission
without war being waged upon them. Nor would it have been made against
any others, without first quietly and pacifically calling for peace,
making much of them, and giving them clothes, articles of barter,
food, and other small articles, which they asked for. If afterward any
occasion arose for making war for the pacification of the friendly
Indians who were disturbed by the others who were not friendly,
it cannot be said on that account that a false report was made to
his Majesty; for whatever was going on in the land at our arrival
there has been written to him, and true reports of what has happened
have always been sent him. Therefore, by the above, it is clear and
manifest that true and faithful reports have been made to his Majesty.
The "Opinion" says further that no land among all these islands has
come with a just title into the power of the Spaniards. To this we
have only to reply that we came to these districts by his Majesty's
order, and therefore are here, obeying his royal mandate; and, as
we are not lawyers, we shall cease discussing the justice, title,
or cause that his Majesty has or can have in these islands. In what
concerns the robberies and injuries that have been committed (if any
have been) in this land, the natives have given the occasion for it,
some of them being traitors and breaking the peace, as they have
broken it at different times, especially in this city of Manila. The
master-of-camp, Martin de Goiti, having come hither the first time and
entered in peace, and having made and ratified it with the rajas of
Manila, without the Spaniards on their part giving them any occasion,
the natives tried to kill the latter, discharging at them five or
six pieces of artillery, the greater part of which hit the junk on
which was the said master-of-camp. Thus the Spaniards were forced
in self-defense to fight and enter the city, as it was entered. And,
if the city was burned, it was for the security of the few Spaniards
who had entered it, that the natives might not attack them among
houses closely joined together. The same natives confessed that they
themselves had begun the war. Further, as for assaulting villages
at night, this has been done in the case of rebellious villages that
defied the Spaniards. It was necessary for the security of our friends
to break and crush their pride, to avoid greater evil. If some have
gone to excess in this matter, it is the individual excess which casts
blame on the community in general, because the instructions that the
governors have given and do give, whenever any expedition is made,
are Christian in tone, and quite in conformity with those which they
have from his Majesty. If sometimes the commanders have inflicted
injury or waged any war, it is because the malice of the natives is
so great, that wherever they sally out in war, with their ambuscades
and other treacheries they provoke the Spaniards to self-defense. If
the latter go with the mailed hand, it is for the security of their
own persons; for, if they were unarmed and unprepared, the natives
would kill them--as they have done to many Spaniards whom they have
caught astray and alone, killing them and practicing great cruelties
upon them. Therefore it is necessary to go everywhere with weapons in
hand, for the security of the Spaniards; for there is so little justice
and reason among these natives, and they never obey one another, or
have lords or headmen among them, but all sorts of disorders, clans,
and factions. Before the Spaniards came hither, the natives killed
one another in their own villages for very slight causes. Wherefore
it is clear that wherever the Spaniards go, they must go ready and
prepared to defend themselves, as they are but few among many infidels,
and loyal among traitors. Therefore it is a perfectly good argument
to say that wherever they go they go with weapons in hand. As to
the matter of maintaining the natives in peace and justice, it is
a just one. Therefore we try in every way to protect those who are
friendly to us. Those who are in the neighborhood of the Spaniards
are very well protected and defended--not only from their enemies, who
aforetime were wont to make war on them, but even from their servants
and the members of their households, who among them were wont to kill,
punish, and enslave one another, a thing not done now. And if this is
done in any remote district, it is in places in which, on account of
their remoteness, no remedy can be had from the Spaniards. Thus it is
of great use and profit that the Spaniards have come to the natives
hereabout, on account of the security that they have from one another,
and because they have free recourse to their trade and interests
without being hindered or robbed by any one. They were not accustomed
to this security before the Spaniards came hither, because it is a
thing publicly known and notorious that even in their own houses they
were captured and robbed. They were not free to go fishing on the sea
without being captured. Now not only are they safe in their houses,
but they go safely to different places, without any harm being done
them. If there are piracies, they are very far from this town and
in places where the Spaniards do not go. It is a very ancient custom
that the natives had among themselves, of capturing, robbing, killing,
and imprisoning one another. Now there are few injuries committed, in
comparison with what used to be committed before the Spaniards came
here. Every day there will be fewer, because we are ever striving
to take and punish such pirates, as today there were some taken in
this town. In regard to the tribute that has been raised, and the
amount of tribute in gold that is collected from Los Ylocos and Los
Camarines, without giving them any greater benefit than going there
and collecting the tribute, it is a matter clearly to be understood,
that, for the support of those who live in this land, it is quite
necessary that the natives assist with tribute as they do in the
other part of the Indies. They are not considered friends, nor do they
have any security, without first having paid the tribute--which is,
in proportion to their condition and wealth, very little; and which
they are willing to give gladly and without compulsion. In each
island, district, and village, the natives give what they please,
for in some places they give provisions, and in others wax, cloth,
and other things which they obtain from their harvests. To them
it is little, and almost nothing, because they have those things
abundantly. If gold has been collected from the Ylocos and the
Camarines, it is because the land is very rich in mines, and because
they have great quantities of gold. Cloth and provisions are worth
more to them than in other districts, and so the natives would rather
give the tribute in gold, of which they have an abundance, than in
cloth and provisions, which they lack. If up to this time the said
districts and villages have not been settled, it is on account of
having so few men in the land and because it is not possible to
do anything else. Moreover, Captain Juan de Salcedo has already
settled in Los Ylocos, has built a village there, and has a cleric
to instruct them in the tenets of our holy Catholic faith; and he
made a settlement in Los Camarines shortly after they were pacified
and discovered. Although we have not gained a complete knowledge of
the nature of the land and settling it, because Spaniards are going
about everywhere still, exploring and making an end of pacifying
it. When there is any possibility of settling it, that will be done,
as has been done in the other districts where the natives have made
and are making peace.
As regards the excessive tribute which in the "Opinion" is said to
have been collected from the natives, to generalize from individual
cases is to confuse the whole matter. We say this because a great
part of this country is taxed differently in different places, and
the natives vary in wealth. In some parts they are rich, in others
farmers, in others merchants, in others miners; and, again, in others
they live by robbery and assault. So the late governor taxed this bay
of Manila and its vicinity--being informed of, and having seen with
his own eyes, the quality and fertility of the land, and the wealth of
its natives--two fanégas each of unwinnowed rice for a year's tribute,
and a piece of colored cloth of two varas in length and one in breadth;
and, in default of this, three maes of gold--in gold, or in produce,
as they prefer. This said tribute is so moderate, that with six silver
reals, which an Indian gives to his encomendero each year, he pays
his tribute entirely. A maes of gold is commonly worth two reals, and,
when gold is worth more, the maes is worth two reals and a half; so,
even at that, it is not half the tribute that the Indians pay in Nueva
España. The Moros pay this tribute of three maes as being more wealthy
people, and because they are excellent farmers and traders. They are
so rich that, if they would labor and trade for four days, they would
gain enough to work off the tribute for a year. They have various
sources of gain and profit; and so they have an abundance of rich
jewels and trinkets of gold, which they wear on their persons. There
are some chiefs in this island who have on their persons ten or twelve
thousand ducats' worth of gold in jewels--to say nothing of the
lands, slaves, and mines that they own. There are so many of these
chiefs that they are innumerable. Likewise the individual subjects
of these chiefs have a great quantity of the said jewels of gold,
which they wear on their persons--bracelets, chains, and earrings
of solid gold, daggers of gold, and other very rich trinkets. These
are generally seen among them, and not only the chiefs and freemen
have plenty of these jewels, but even slaves possess and wear golden
trinkets upon their persons, openly and freely. To say, then, that
the Indians are so wretched that they live on roots during part of
the year, and in some places are accustomed to support themselves for
a certain part of the year on sweet potatoes, sago bread, and other
vegetables they find, is wrong. It is not so in all districts, but
only in some of the Pintados [92] islands; nor is this through any
lack of prosperity, but because they are vicious, and eat all sorts
of food. They are so lazy that they will not go four leagues out
of their villages to buy rice, but spend their time in drunkenness,
idolatries, and feastings. As they get along also with those eatables
until they harvest their rice, they do not miss it; because they are
a people who, when any of their relations die, will, as mourning,
willingly go without eating rice for four or six months, or even a
year. They live on other foods and grains that they possess, and in
many parts of the Pintados they live a part of the year on borona,
millet, beans, fish, swine, and fowl, and many kinds of wine. Not for
that reason do they fail to be rich and have golden jewels, slaves,
lands, and gardens. The Pintados are not as rich as the natives of
this island of Luzon (who are called Moros), because they are not as
capable in labor and agriculture. So they are taxed to a less amount,
each Indian being taxed for a fanéga and a half of unwinnowed rice,
and a piece of cloth, white or colored, woven from a plant. [93]
In other districts they have other tax-rates, each suitable to their
prosperity. Up to this time the natives have not been injured, nor are
they now injured, by paying the tribute which is imposed upon them,
because it is so moderate that they can pay it without any labor. For
by breeding four fowls under their houses every year (which can be
done without any cost), they can pay their tribute, over and above
which they have many advantages and profits. Now more than ever, with
the stay of the Spaniards in these regions, they have established and
increased their trade, and they continue to increase it every day. The
"Opinion" states that the encomenderos can be supported with the one
maes that each Indian gives every year. It is very certain that no
one can be supported on so small a tribute, because there are many
encomenderos who cannot be supported on a tribute of three maes,
and they live in great poverty, through having so few Indians. One of
these encomenderos has for his share less than three hundred Indians,
and many five and six hundred, and as very few have over a thousand,
especially are they in need where goods are so dear and gold is valued
so slightly. A pair of shoes is worth a half-tael of gold, which
would be the tribute of eight Indians. A shirt is worth six pesos,
and so on; all other Castilian articles are worth double their price
in Nueva España. Then, if the Indians here should pay every year
two reals (the equivalent of one maez) as tribute, one could not
live here by any means, especially since the natives are so rich,
and have so many profits and sources of gain, and are more rich
in lands than those of Nueva España. They have a great deal of
cloth with which to clothe themselves; many silken fabrics worked
with gold, greatly esteemed and of high value; many porcelains and
fine earthenware jars; lances, daggers, bells, and vases; and many
adornments for their persons, of which they make use. They also
have great quantities of provisions, which they gather every year
from their irrigated lands; palm wine, and wine of the nipa palm,
which they collect ordinarily every day during the whole year and
many other wines, made from rice or cane--to say nothing of the great
profits they make from wax and gold, which are ordinarily produced
in all the islands. There is a great deal of cotton, which they work
and spin, and make into fine cloths; these are very valuable to the
Indians in their trade. The Chinese bring them many silks, porcelains,
and perfumes; with iron and other articles, from which they make great
profits. For all this and many other reasons and causes, which are well
known everywhere, the said natives can pay the tribute which is imposed
upon them, and much more, without any difficulty. If some natives in
some of the villages decamp in order to avoid paying the tribute,
as is stated in the "Opinion," it is not on account of any lack of
means, but because the natives are spirited, and make it a point of
honor to pay the tribute only when forced. They like to be compelled
to do so. This is not the case with all of them, but only with some
who, after debaucheries and guzzling of wine, come to the Spaniards,
and say that they have nothing wherewith to pay the tribute. This is
not true of whole villages, but of certain individuals, who, as they
seldom obey their chiefs, do whatever wine incites them to. All this
is no reason to detract from the prosperity and riches of the natives;
for if some Indians go without robes and loin-cloths, they must be
slaves and laborers--not because they lack cloth, since it costs them
so little to make a robe that there is no one who cares to work who
has not one; and not only robes, but many other valuables. For all
these causes and reasons, then, although the "Opinion" of the father
provincial and the other religious has been given with good and holy
zeal, it is, nevertheless, exceedingly harmful to the augmentation
and settlement of this land, and the perpetuation of the Spanish
rule therein. To the natives themselves it is pernicious; because,
if they do not pay tribute to the Spaniards, the latter have to
take from them their provisions and such things as they possess, in
order to support themselves--as was done before the land was divided
into repartimientos, and before the natives paid tribute. It is,
therefore, most useful and profitable for the natives to pay tribute,
by which the said Spaniards can be supported comfortably, and without
vexation to them; and if the tribute is too small and the Spaniards
can not be supported on it, it will come to the point of taking away
their property on the sea, as was done before the land was divided
into repartimientos, but does not happen now. On the contrary the
natives are all very secure and quiet, and come and go to trade,
and are altogether much profited and enriched by the repartimiento.
_Guido de Lavezaris_.
_Juan Maldonado_.
_Martin de Goiti_.
_Andres Cabchela_.
_Luis de la Haya_.
_Salvador de Aldave_.
_Joan de la Ysla_.
_Amador de Arriaran_.
The licentiate _Chacon_.
_Gabriel de Rribera_.
In my presence,
_Fernando Riquel_