Sire:
I have attended carefully to my obligations as your Majesty’s servant
and to my duties as castellan of the chief fort and redoubt of this
city of Manila every year, and have reported to your Majesty the
advisable reform for its fortification and security. For in that
consists the defense of this kingdom and that from which danger is most
imminent, on account of its site which is on the point and at the
junction of the river and sea. At that place anchor the ships that come
to this city from the surrounding kingdoms of the Chinese, Japanese,
Borneans, Siamese, and other nations. Although those people come under
pretense of trading, they are suspicious and treacherous peoples, over
whom we must keep a close and never-ceasing watch as is advisable. In
order that we might maintain that watch here in this redoubt, I begged
and petitioned Don Francisco Tello, the former governor, once and many
times, to station the necessary presidio and garrison of soldiers here,
for it had no guard, at the time when I was given charge of it, but
only an outpost of three soldiers was set at night, and they stood
watch in their quarters, although we were stationed so far distant from
the city and had in our keeping the arms, artillery, ammunition, and
powder which your Majesty has in this kingdom for its defense.
Accordingly, I petitioned that greater care and vigilance be exercised
than formerly, because of the great fear generally held of the enemies
by whom we are so closely surrounded and who are inside the bar [of the
river] by night and by day. I insisted that there should be a garrison
of infantry sufficient for its ordinary defense, and intimated to the
governor for this purpose the orders and instructions given him by your
Majesty for his policy and to Gomez Perez Dasmariñas his predecessor,
in which it was urgently ordered him. In accordance with that, the
governor appointed some soldiers under command of an alférez and
sergeant, as your Majesty will have seen by the testimonies which I
have sent to the royal Council. Will your Majesty have them examined,
since it is very important to your royal service and to the welfare and
security of this kingdom that there should be no neglect in this
redoubt and that it be placed in no danger as formerly; as has been
experienced by the good which resulted in having it garrisoned with
soldiers, by what happened in the former year of one thousand six
hundred and three, when the Sangleys who were living here in this city
rose in insurrection. Had it not been for the care that I exercised,
the Sangleys would have entered the redoubt if it had been found with
the neglect of former years.
A castellan’s lieutenant was also appointed. In order that he might
get his pay it was necessary to bring a suit in the royal Audiencia
because of the opposition of your Majesty’s fiscal. It was ordered
that his pay be given him, although it was very short by three hundred
pesos, because the governor had so provided in accordance with the
instructions of your Majesty. In those instructions it is ordered that
the alférez do not receive his pay until your Majesty so order and
command, as it is a new office; although your Majesty has ordered and
commanded that all that which is advisable be put into execution. It is
a necessary office, and appeared to be so to the governor and
captain-general when he made the appointment. Will your Majesty enact
what is most in accordance with your will in all things.
There are not more than fifty soldiers in this redoubt, and they are
the offscouring of the companies of this camp. Some of them have been
exiled from Nueba España for crime and are mestizos from that country.
They are a vile lot of men, although they ought to be the most
honorable and trustworthy men of these islands. Both in the above
regard and in the number of men necessary for a redoubt so large and
which occupies so great an extent of space with its three bastions, we
need two hundred soldiers for its ordinary defense. The governor
intends to station a hundred soldiers [here] according to the answer he
made me when I petitioned him for men. This number is to be understood
together with those that I have at present. It is a very small number
of soldiers for a place that has the enemy so near and close to the
wall of this redoubt, and on the other side of the river.
It is also necessary that the artillerymen assigned to this redoubt
live and reside inside the redoubt, and that they be in sufficient
number and paid with the soldiers of the redoubt. They ought not to be
taken to other places, so that it happens that there are no
artillerymen for the manipulation of the artillery, as happened during
the insurrection of the Chinese. At that time there were no more than
three, and it might have given rise to the greatest injury. Fifteen or
twenty artillerymen are needed, for each gun needs one man for any
occasion that may arise. Those assigned should not be taken to other
places for that would be the same as not having them. They must be
instructed in the art [of handling artillery] and if not the castellan
should be able to dismiss them and engage others who may be sufficient,
since it is important for him and his reputation to have competent
artillerymen and not those assigned by the royal official. Those
soldiers are generally the latters’ pages and those of their wives;
and the latter have influence to get such places. In regard to what
concerns the soldiers, I had an order from Governor Don Francisco Tello
to dismiss those who were not competent and to get others who were.
Governor Don Pedro de Acuña does not want that to be done, and
accordingly the redoubt has the men above mentioned.
I have already advised your Majesty that Don Francisco Tello took some
of the artillery and the best of it for the expedition against the
Dutch pirate. [131] It was lost and went to the bottom in the encounter
with him and not more than twenty pieces or so, counting big and
little, were left, not more than ten of which are serviceable. Governor
Don Pedro de Acuña wishes now to take the best of those for the
expedition to Maluco. I would not be complying with my obligation or
covenant or my management if I did not oppose the taking of them, and,
in regard to the matter, take the precautions necessary for the
discharge of my conscience and for possible events, if the pieces were
taken. I know well that I shall be treated as on other like occasions
and shall be told in regard to it words that one could not believe
would be addressed to a man in the most private walks of life, much
more in a person who holds such offices and has such privileges [as I].
For it is not right that this redoubt and city be left without
artillery, and more, that the most experienced and important men be
taken away for the said expedition as are those who are being persuaded
to take part in it.
[A short account of the three Chinese mandarins that came from China in
1603 and the Chinese insurrection of that year follows. For an account
of this insurrection, see VOL. XII, pp. 83–97, 103–111, 136, 138,
139, 142–168; and VOL. XIV, pp. 119–139. Maldonado speaking of his
own part in the insurrection says:]
Having considered how restless the Chinese were, and because of the war
which was expected, I prepared provisions and other necessary things in
anticipation of whatever might happen, at the expense of my private
possessions so that this redoubt, the soldiers in its garrison, and
whatever other reënforcement entered might have food with which to
maintain and support ourselves. In order that we might not suffer any
lack in the future, and inasmuch as I did not know how long that
insurrection would last, I petitioned the governor to have this redoubt
provided with some food. The governor referred me to the royal official
judges saying that they would give them to me. They replied to my
petition that they had none and that there were no supplies in the
royal magazines which they could give me. The governor sent to ask me
for those which I had, and I gave them to the sergeant, Alonso de
Bargas, who has charge of the supplies and royal magazines. By that aid
were the soldiers acting as a guard for the walls succored. Not only
did I aid them with food on the said occasion but also with a sum of
money as appears by the attestations and testimonies which your Majesty
can have examined if it be your pleasure. By them will be seen how this
affair stood, and the precautions which this city took in case that we
had had a war as was expected. The governor will have written your
Majesty in addition of the great fear in which we are constantly of the
Japanese who were living in this city, and who generally live here.
Immediately the following year, a number of Chinese merchantmen came
upon their ordinary trading, without knowing what had happened until
they reached this bay. They exhibited great sorrow at the death of
sons, brothers, and relatives, and the loss of the property which they
had left here. The governor ordered them to be accommodated in this
city in the houses of the inhabitants, for their alcaicería had been
burned. Many persons were very angry when they saw so many Sangleys in
the city and houses of the inhabitants. There were more than four
thousand of them, while the inhabitants were so few that the number who
could bear arms did not reach seven hundred. Had it happened by
accident that any negro or Indian had set fire to any house (as has
often happened) in order to pillage, the greatest kind of evil would
have resulted. For no citizen would have dared to leave his wife and
children in order to rejoin his company or the guardhouse and arsenal
to which he belonged, without first having secured his house by killing
the Chinese. They on their part being in so great number, and being so
fearful and apprehensive of us, and thinking that we wished to kill
them, could not have done otherwise than to cause a great insurrection,
and endangered the majority of the Spaniards; by which everything would
be lost together with the trade. Consequently, our men would never be
assured.
The same thing has been done this year, although the number of Chinese
was less than one thousand; for the rest were lodged in the Parián,
which is being rebuilt.
I have also thought best to advise your Majesty of the many companies
that have been enrolled and enlisted for the last two years from the
natives of this country. They are put under regular captains and have
an alférez and other officials and carry company banners like a
regiment. They are in addition to the Spanish infantry which your
Majesty has here in your royal service, in which we ought alone to
trust. The latter have two masters-of-camp and sargentos-mayor to whom
so great obedience is rendered that it is a cause for wonder. This is
an occasion that demands that the faithful servants of your Majesty,
and especially those of us who have such obligations as I, ought to
report to you the manifest danger to this kingdom because of this.
Those companies have the best arms, muskets, and arquebuses of this
camp and in great quantity. A very considerable quantity of arms are
sent from Japon, especially catans (a weapon resembling a broad
cutlass), and a great number of iron pikeheads. Those weapons are used
in those companies, for the Spaniards do not use the catan; and the
native soldiers should be prohibited from carrying them. They go about
with swords and gilded daggers at the belt and wear military badges.
They pay one hundred pesos for a musket and do not refuse to buy them
because of the price, for such is their happiness and pleasure in this
and in being soldiers. Although this enrollment has been made because
of the expedition to Maluco, it must prove of greater injury than gain.
We lose great reputation if we give them to understand that we need
them for any occasion of war rather than for only rowers and servants.
It is, after God, the reputation of the Spanish nation in these
districts that has sustained and is sustaining us here. Those people
are now very skilful and are reared among us, especially those of
Pampanga and the vicinity of this city. They are a people of great
boldness only needing a leader whom they would recognize, and they are
so many in number that it is a matter that must be feared considerably,
and one of which your Majesty orders us to be fearful and watchful.
The soldiers of the garrison of this redoubt are ill paid their wages.
On that account they suffer many and extreme necessities. Since they
make no outside expeditions as do the soldiers of this camp, and since
they generally live here and have no other resource than their pay,
will your Majesty please have them paid according to the usual custom
before the soldiers of the camp, so that this redoubt may not be
deprived of its preëminence. For all the infantry and the galleys are
paid and the soldiers here are left without any pay and they are
injured thereby. Inasmuch as they entered suit in the royal Audiencia
in regard to the fact that the royal official judges did not pay them
from their situado, it resulted therefrom that the said royal officials
were arrested because they did not pay them as appears by the records
that I am sending to your Majesty. If I had not aided them from my own
property, they would not have been paid at all. No honorable soldier,
on this account, cares to enter upon service in this redoubt; and since
the governor has to station here a hundred soldiers whom according to
his declaration he is about to station here, for its ordinary defense,
it will be advisable that they be soldiers of greater satisfaction. For
if they are the class of people whom I have mentioned to your Majesty,
we shall be more fearful of them than of those outside. Will your
Majesty please order the pay of six reals which these soldiers receive
increased somewhat, because this country is very dear in the matter of
food; and I am enduring great anxiety and expense because of the great
need that the soldiers are suffering, as do the other officials who are
serving here, and endeavoring to have this redoubt an honored and good
post, and your Majesty better served.
This city needs arms badly, especially arquebuses and muskets in case
of any emergency. Will your Majesty please send one thousand muskets
here for this purpose so that we may have them at hand and that they
may not be taken out to any other place.
Now for twenty years I have served your Majesty in these islands in the
posts of infantry captain and castellan of this city, during which time
I was continually occupied in war matters; especially coming as
master-of-camp and commander of three companies which I raised for the
reënforcement of these islands for which purpose I went to Nueba
España by order of Governor Gomez Perez. No pay or aid was given me
because I offered to do it at my own cost, as appears from the paper
and offer that I made although the others who come here with like
duties receive a pay of three thousand pesos. The treasury saved six
thousand pesos by that. I did that in order to accumulate services so
that your Majesty might reward me more highly.
The command of this redoubt was given me in accordance with one of your
Majesty’s decrees in the former year of ninety-five. I have had many
expenses and costs in it as your Majesty will see by the testimonies
and documents that I am sending. Will your Majesty please send me if my
services deserve it, the title and confirmation [of this post], since
that is fitting and I have it by decree, so that I may better serve
your Majesty both in what pertains to this redoubt and in the cabildo
of this city, where the castellan has a vote. Will you please order the
privileges that are kept for those who serve your Majesty in similar
posts kept for me, and grant me six halberdiers for my personal
bodyguard from the number of soldiers assigned, without increasing
their pay; and who when occasion offers shall serve as do the others,
and whom it will be necessary that I have.
Also in accordance with my expenses and costs, which will appear there,
will your Majesty please increase my salary and assign me another sum
equal to the amount received by the master-of-camp. For this is a post
of equal caliber and one of closer residence and greater expense. If
there is no possibility for this will your Majesty please have the
encomienda which was granted me by your Majesty’s decree (which
amounts to an income of seven hundred pesos) increased for me, and give
it precedence over all those who have been here less time than I, since
I merit as much as he who merits the most in offices and services.
In the allotment of the cargo of the ships made to the citizens of this
city, I petition your Majesty to have me granted some leeway when I pay
the royal duties, for I am usually injured in this particular by the
occasions that arise; and that I may have recourse to the royal
Audiencia whenever I receive injury. May our Lord preserve the royal
Catholic person of your Majesty with the increase of greater kingdoms
and seigniories as is necessary to Christianity. Manila, June 24, 1604.