Royal Cæsarean Majesty:
Don Goncalo Ronquillo, your Majesty’s governor in these islands, the
bishop therein, and your Majesty’s officials petitioned me last year,
82, to order and give permission to Father Alonso Sanchez (who came to
these islands when I, with other religious of the Society of Jesus,
came hither, sent here by your Majesty’s orders) to go to China and
the city of Macan upon negotiations which the abovesaid communicated to
me as of your Majesty’s service. Upon consideration of the gravity of
the matters which demanded that expedition and the great service to God
and to your Majesty that might result therefrom, although it was
difficult for me, as I had no other priest associate except him in
these islands, and because of the need for him here, yet the
consideration abovesaid of God and your Majesty could not excuse it. He
went on that expedition, and I shall not be prolix on what occurred
both on the sea and in the land of China where the father wandered and
remained for about a year, and what he did in Macan and the despatches
that he brought regarding the obedience which that city rendered to
your Majesty and of all the other things that happened during that
time; for the father will inform your Majesty of it, as he ought, in
his letter, and more at length in a report which he is sending with
this and the other despatches. [93]
In order that we might know your Majesty’s will, and thereby that of
God; and since those of us who are here are in duty bound, since we
live in lands so remote from the shade of their king, to give you
advice of what we think will fulfil that obligation: I thought (since
it was necessary to write), that I would tell your Majesty the reason
for the many troubles and evils that have come upon this country, and
the wrongs that are worth correction. Your Majesty will be informed of
them in detail in many other ways, and they relate not only to the
wrongs against the native Indians of the country and against the
Chinese, which are of so great importance, but against the Spaniards
themselves and that which is most to the wrong of your Majesty and your
royal crown. Although the branch whence this fruit [of troubles] is
gathered, is other, yet the root which is reported is the governors who
come to these islands, and the insatiable greed which they bring hither
or which, at their arrival, is impressed sufficiently on them.
Consequently, not only to God (which is more easy for them), but even
to men (and of which men may judge and advise your Majesty), do they
break through the veil of their shame in order to do things that
neither I nor anyone else who has any shame would dare to break in
order to relate them—and nearly everything, or everything in this
matter of injuries, has every kind of mediator mixed up in it. For if
already God has desired to give your Majesty occasion to make an
innovation in the matter of the governor, it must now be innovated,
even if in regard to former governors, neither in person nor in fact is
there anything to say. But that which in the future we dare report with
all humility (only because of the compassion which the destruction of
this land of your Majesty causes us) is that if it be possible he who
shall be governor do not come from España. For since he is suddenly
changed and dispossessed of his possessions and property that he had
there, and spends all his substance on account of the so long journey
and preparation for it, and even arrives deeply in debt, and with many
followers and people who are destitute and rely on his protection; and
also perhaps has to provide and to satisfy their past expenses and even
present hunger, to provide houses for them, and to give them the
offices which he has promised—this, and what is necessary to
reimburse him for his expenses, and afterward to fatten him to the
proportion that his hunger demands and that the pasturage invites (that
pasture here being very sufficient to swell the breasts, although it be
at the cost of the poor and beyond doubt that of your Majesty, for whom
the governor with his artifices and those of his intimate friends is
destroying the land)—I declare that for only the abovesaid for each
new governor who comes from España, we need a new and a very rich and
abundant land such as this was formerly. Now we behold it almost
destroyed and it does not need much to completely destroy it, [which
will happen] if only another governor comes who will exercise the
cunning abovementioned; especially if he should have the support of a
wife and children, and some relatives and friends and clients for whom
to provide in proportion to their imagination and their desires.
In accordance with the above, your Majesty (for the said causes) ought
to order now that he who should become governor should not come from
España, because of the service of God, which is the only thing that
moves us here, because of compassion for this country, whose so great
remoteness is a reason for your Majesty to have that compassion, as you
do not see how it is given over, and because of your royal crown to
which you are under obligations. For it is considered and judged that
there will be persons here who can serve your Majesty satisfactorily in
this office. Of those here your Majesty should not appoint any one
indiscriminately for the present, until this land regains its strength
and vigor. Nor less should there be here so great a burden of wife,
children, relatives, friends, and other people, to whom the governor is
under obligations, and for whom almost by necessity he must fulfil that
obligation at the cost of your Majesty and of this your land. Although
we are aware that we are very audacious and bold toward so great a
Majesty as to point out to you a person, yet placed between two things
so weighty on the one part as the abovesaid, and on the other the
reverence due your Majesty, we are bold in preference toward your
Majesty, which is not so serious a matter according to our opinion, as
would be boldness toward God and to that which we (some persons of us
who have discussed the reform of this land) judge that we are obliged
by true respect for Him (I mean of God) and compassion for this land
and your Majesty’s service. The above then, has made us here feel and
write to your Majesty that the factor Juan Baptista Roman, [94] whom
your Majesty has appointed in these islands, is a man of great
judgment, prudence, clear understanding, and (unless we are deceived),
of good conscience. He has always opposed the governor and other
persons in regard to matters which he perceived were not being attended
to in accordance with your Majesty’s instructions and decrees, as
well as in many other matters of your royal service, for almost no
injury that does not bear, or result in, damage to the royal crown can
be done in this land. The above-named person is here, and will incur no
further expenses, or new and lawless famines, or [expenses of] wife, or
children, or any other frauds that we can perceive; although we believe
that he is so prudent a man that he could have them without their being
perceived. But this is also difficult and there cannot be much when it
is not seen. It does not appear that one can be judged prolix in a
matter so weighty and important, even if I have been so.
In addition to the above, I am obliged to inform your Majesty that in
the year 81, and at your Majesty’s order and decree, which the
viceroy of Nueva España has for that purpose, I was sent to these
islands with three others—one the priest whom I mentioned above as
having served your Majesty in the expedition to China, and the other
two well fitted for the service of this land, although one of them has
died. We came to consider whether this land was a place where we could
serve God and your Majesty. Now, inasmuch as we have to send our
determination concerning the matter to our general as he is awaiting
it, we find ourselves in confusion, for we had to write that we cannot
stay here, or else to tell him in what way we can stay and to ask for
more men. We have not been able to find any other way except to do our
duty. Will your Majesty order that the Society occupy itself as in the
other parts [of the Indias] where they are established, in rearing and
instructing the children of this city and of these islands, and in
teaching grammar to those who should be [fitted] for it. Let those who
are now about to be able to do something take some lectures in
philosophy, or theology, or at least cases of conscience, so that the
Society may have something to do, and the community be aided. For now
not only the children, but also many adults and those ordained by some
of the orders are misguided. Both they and many others whom God
influences and will influence to change their estate and become priests
or religious have no relief or do one or the other thing, or else go to
España. Many seculars and religious have not been completely reformed
in their studies, or do nothing or do it wrongly. They are filled with
doubts and have no one who can settle those doubts for them. They will
not be able to take any Indians into the Society unless there is a
house in Manila to serve as the mother of all the ministers who should
go to the Indians; for, according to their custom, they do not fulfil
their duty by having absolute and exclusive houses however few they
be—one or two or three—but although they be among Indians, those
houses must be subordinate to the large house so that the order may be
preserved. If this house and seminary be thus established for the said
teaching, your Majesty will save much of the trouble and expense of
sending ministers from so great a distance as five thousand leguas, who
after their arrival do not accustom themselves to the land or to the
difficulty of the language. Some of them return and few of them really
settle. But those here are already accustomed to the climate and are
skilled in the customs and language. Consequently, in the time that it
takes one to come from España, one is turned out here, and one of
those already naturalized and with two years of grammar is worth more
than a preacher who comes from España and at so great an expense. For
the little with which your Majesty can establish this seminary or fount
of ministers here, it appears that it would be sufficient to apply some
little trifle from your Majesty’s treasury; and with that the Society
will have a new obligation here and everywhere to serve your Majesty,
in addition to the many that it has already. May God preserve your
Majesty’s health and life, and prolong it for as many years as we see
to be necessary here for His great honor and glory. Manila, June 17,
1583. Your Majesty’s unworthy servant in the Lord.