The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898/Volume 6/Letter from the Manila cabildo to Felipe II
LETTER FROM THE MANILA CABILDO
TO FELIPE II
Sacred Royal Catholic Majesty:
Section 1. Last year, eighty-five, this city of Manila wrote to your Majesty, sending a relation of affairs in these islands. Because of our extreme and continually increasing necessities, and the magnificent opportunities for your Majesty's service that are lost daily, and on account of our having no one at court to look after our affairs, or anyone to inform your Majesty, as is requisite, of matters pertaining to this realm, we resolved to request Father Alonso Sanchez, a master of sacred theology and a religious of the Society of Jesus, to go to confer with your Majesty about all these things, as a man who is experienced in all these matters, and one who will discuss them with all sincerity and certainty. Therefore he agreed to undertake this task for the service of God and of your Majesty, and indeed of this state, having therefor the permission and order of his superior. In order to decide what must be laid before your Majesty, and what petitions made, many assemblies were held, composed of the president, auditors, fiscal, bishop, superiors of the orders, cities, royal officials, captains, and other men who were intelligent, and zealous for the service of your Majesty. The said father is authorized by those men and by this entire country; and we humbly entreat that your Majesty be pleased to give him entire faith and credit, to listen to him, and to show us the mercy and favor that we hope from the munificence of your Majesty. Although we have charged him to petition your Majesty for everything needful, yet we shall give a brief relation of the most necessary, in which, if such be your Majesty's pleasure, you may favor and protect this your city and these your vassals.
Section 2. It has been proved by experience that the royal Audiencia cannot be maintained here without the total destruction of this state; for in this city there are scarcely seventy citizens, and in all the other settlements together not as many more. The military power, which maintains this frontier, is totally disorganized, because its usages are so at variance with the procedures and exactness rendered necessary by the rigor of the laws forcibly enacted by the Audiencia. Furthermore, our Portuguese neighbors imagine that this tribunal has been instituted here to overpower and govern them, since they cannot believe that it was established for one hundred and thirty households and so few soldiers. Accordingly, they have shut the door to the commerce, friendship, and intercourse, which was commencing between them and us. In addition to this your Majesty possesses no income here with which to pay the salaries of president, auditors, fiscal, and other officials of the Audiencia. These salaries, added to what is wasted in this country, would establish it, and put it in a better state of defense; while now it is subject to any piratical invasion whatever. For all these reasons, and others that Father Alonso Sanchez will tell you in greater detail, we beg that your Majesty be pleased to reduce this government to only one governor who has experience in the affairs of this country, and in the wars and pacifications that can and should be made. This we shall consider as the greatest favor and kindness, and the only remedy for our hardships.
Section 3. In other letters we implored your Majesty to be pleased to have set aside in Nueva Hespaña pay for three hundred soldiers, who should serve here as a garrison, with whom this government and the dominions of your Majesty could be increased by other kingdoms of great wealth. We entreat this once more; and Father Sanchez will inform your Majesty of the blessings that may result to your royal service therefrom.
Section 4. Because of its lack of public property this city cannot maintain many things needed for the public good; therefore, we wrote to your Majesty, entreating that you have a repartimiento of Indians granted this city. Answer was received that the governor should take cognizance of this matter; and therefore having recourse to the governor and president, Santiago de Vera, we learn that he is informing your Majesty of this necessity in his letters. Father Alonso Sanchez also will do the same by word of mouth. We entreat your Majesty—since this matter is so just, and appertains so much to your royal service and the common good—to have this city granted an encomienda of three or four thousand Indians, and the alcaizeria of the Chinese, or any like favor, whereby all the above expenses may be met.
Section 5. We are being totally ruined here through the arrival in this city of merchants, and consignments from Mexico, and innumerable troubles are arising therefrom, of which the same religious will inform you in our name. The customs duties of Sevilla and of Vera Cruz are being decreased and lost, to the great detriment of the merchants. Four or five thousand pesos, more or less, are brought to this city from Nueva Hespaña, whence they are taken to the foreign kingdom of China. Finally, the royal incomes and customs duties are being decreased, the merchants of Castilla are suffering loss, the silver is taken to a country of infidels, and these islands will be ruined entirely, if your Majesty do not correct these evils by ordering that no merchants come hither from Nueva Hespaña, or send money for investment here, but that the citizens of these islands alone have the right to trade and traffic. This will only be done in small amounts, and will result in fewer troubles; while those who are engaged in pacifying and maintaining this country will have some reward for their toils, instead of all the profits being reaped by those who go to Mexico, after trading here with so much resultant loss to this state and to the seigniories of your Majesty, as Father Alonso Sanchez will inform you in greater detail.
Section 6. Father Fray Rufino, of the Franciscan order, is sailing to those kingdoms for the sole purpose of soliciting religious of his order for these islands, where they are greatly needed for the preaching of the gospel. We beseech your Majesty to order his superiors to send them with all haste, and the same to the Augustinian order.
Section 7. Since Father Alonso Sanchez will, on account of his thorough knowledge of affairs in this country, China, and the states of Eastern India, discuss with your Majesty these and many other things—all touching the service of God and your Majesty—and petition you concerning them, we humbly beg that your Majesty will please to grant him free audience; for in all, and by all, we ratify everything that he may relate and declare to your Majesty. May God, our Lord, preserve and exalt your Majesty's sacred royal Catholic person, with the increase of kingdoms and seigniories that we, your subjects and vassals, desire. Manila, June 25, 1586.
Don Juan de Bivero, archdeacon of this holy cathedral church, has served in it for twenty years, and has taken part in all the work of pacification in these islands, in administering the holy sacraments to the soldiers and citizens—in all, serving God and your Majesty very religiously. At present he is in dire need, for he has been given no recompense for his services, and this country has no benefices or other ecclesiastical incomes from which he might be supported. We beseech that your Majesty be pleased to order some recompense to be given him, since he so well deserves it. This will be a very signal favor and kindness to this city. Sacred royal Catholic Majesty, your Majesty's servants and vassals.
Andres de Villanueva
Don Antonio Sufre Carrillo
Andres Cabchela
Don Francisco de Poca y Guevara
Juan de Moron
Juan Maldonado del Castillo
Juan Baptista Roman
Rodriguez Albarez
Francisco Rrᵒs
Hernando Nuñez de Pyatos
Luis de Bivanco
Hernando Vergara