Chapter X: Part 10

[77] The viceroy of New Spain, Martin Enriquez, makes the following interesting comments on the Chinese trade with the Philippines, in a letter to the king dated January 9, 1574: "Since I wrote to your Majesty by the despatch ship, I have seen some of the articles which have been received in barter from the Chinese; and I consider the whole thing as a waste of effort, and a losing rather than a profitable business. For all they bring are a few silks of very poor quality (most of which are very coarsely woven), some imitation brocades, fans, porcelain, writing desks, and decorated boxes; indeed, did I not have respect for more than the good government of this land, I would not permit a single one of these things to be brought into this kingdom. To pay for these they carry away gold and silver, and they are so keen that they will accept nothing else. I am told that they took away more than forty thousand ducats in gold and silver from the islands; and if this were not regulated, they would always have the best of it--although, if the Spaniards who traffic there with them were business men, they themselves would reject the goods carried to them, and would try to ascertain what goods the Chinese have and their value, and arrange so that the exchange should be profitable. I tell your Majesty of this because I shall write the general no more than that he must not permit Spaniards to carry on barter with gold that has not paid the tax."

[78] In 1560 the Portuguese obtained the loan of a spot near the mouth of the Canton estuary, where they were permitted to establish a trading-post, which was named Macao. Before many years elapsed, more than five hundred Portuguese merchants resorted thither annually to trade. "By the regular payment of their rent (five hundred taels a year), as well as by a judicious system of bribing, the Portuguese long enjoyed the practical monopoly of the external trade of the great mart of Canton with the West." See D. C. Boulger's _History of China_, ii, pp. 146, 169.

[79] The Chinese rulers here referred to are known in history by different names from those here given, even after making allowance for their pronunciation by Spaniards. Moutsong, twelfth emperor of the Ming dynasty, died in 1572, and was succeeded by his son Chintsong, better known under the name Wanleh. As this prince was then but six years old, his mother acted as regent during his minority.

[80] The Ultramar MS. (see Bibliographical Data at end of this volume) reads, "the river of Panaca to Cubo."

[81] From this point this paragraph in the Ultramar MS. reads as follows: "As justly as possible. But although it was done thus, complaints were heard, because not so many natives were found as the list made by the person who had visited this district gave us to understand. This list was so summary that it could not be true. The encomenderos urged that the governor should make the number of each repartimiento equal to the list. Therefore each encomendero received the number for which he petitioned."

[82] The Ultramar MS. reads here: "named Cebu, he set out for Prognal."

[83] Martin Enriquez writes to the king (January 9, 1574), urging that a new governor for the Philippines be appointed: "I beg your Majesty to appoint, within a very short time, some person who shall have the necessary qualifications for governing that land; for otherwise neither Christianity nor the royal estate will be able to make much progress there. Even since I wrote to your Majesty, I have heard fuller details of certain things from among the many which are bound to occur, and all through lack of justice. I had charged Don Pedro de Luna to bring me a detailed relation of everything that he should hear concerning matters there, and, as he died at sea, I sent word to the Alcalde Mayor of Acapulco to look through his coffers for all his papers, and send them to me, suspecting that I would not like to trust everything to his memory. In this way I have ascertained from them that there is beyond question need that your Majesty should endeavor to secure better administration of justice there, and provide some one to take greater care of your Majesty's finances."

[84] The Muñoz letter (see Bibliographical Data at end of this volume) says, "four varas." The reading of our text is uncertain, as the number is not written in full, but is designated by a contraction difficult to read.

[85] The Ultramar MS. has the following: "It is enough to say, and I swear it on my oath as a Christian, that there is said to be more gold in this one island than iron in Vizcaya." This is very similar to the reading in the MS. copied by Muñoz.

[86] The red sulphuret of arsenic.

[87] This and what follows was apparently added by the officials in Mexico.

[88] _Corredor de Lonja_ (_Lonxa_) is undoubtedly a commission merchant: apparently the decree confers upon the city the right to appoint brokers of this class.--_A.P. Cushing_.

[89] This document is evidently addressed to the governor, then Guido de Lavezaris.

[90] The ganta = 8 chupas = 3 liters.

[91] An ancient province of Luzon, so called from the name given in Manila to the many porticos constructed out of the nipa palm. It was erected into a province during the governorship of Guido de Lavezaris, and was conquered by Salcedo. It is mountainous, and contains rich mines of various metals, and a fertile soil. It is now (since April 27, 1901), under American government, known by the name of Ambos Camarines.

[92] The early name of the islands now known as Visayas (or Bisayas)--the group lying between Luzón, Mindanao, and Mindoro; so named from their inhabitants, known as Pintados ("painted men") from their tattooed bodies.

[93] Referring to the abacá, or wild plantain (note 68).

[94] Referring to the birth of a son to Felipe II and Anna of Austria--probably that of Jacobo (or Jaime), born in 1572 or 1573, who died in 1582.

[95] The name and title of this commander are, by some _lapsus calami_, omitted in the MS. The reference, however, is obvious, to Don Juan of Austria, illegitimate son of Cárlos I (but finally publicly acknowledged by him); this prince gained signal renown in wars against the Mahometans.

[96] The Rio Grande of Mindanao.

[97] The first-born son of Felipe was Fernando, born in 1571; he died at the age of four years. The town named for him is now called Vigan; it is located on Abra River, and is capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, Luzón.

[98] Of the decrees here referred to, two may be found in _Recopilación de leyes de las Indias_ (5th ed., Madrid, 1841), lib. viii. One (tit. iv, ley xxiv) provides that vacancies in crown offices shall be filled by the viceroy, or by the president of the Audiencia; the other (tit. x, ley xviii), that gold and silver found in seaports, which has not been duly taxed and stamped, shall, if there be no smelting establishment in such place, be forfeited to the royal treasury.

[99] See _post_, p. 286.

[100] Apparently a reference to the custom of _taboo_ (or _tabu_), of which traces exist among primitive peoples throughout the world, but most of all in Polynesia. The word means "sacred"--that is, set aside or appropriated to persons or things regarded as sacred; but the custom, although doubtless originating in religious observances, gradually extended as a social usage. It is among many peoples connected with totemism, and is considered by many writers as the gradual outgrowth of animistic beliefs.

[101] This was Doctor Francisco de Sande, who entered upon his duties as governor of the Philippines in August, 1575. He had previously been a member of the Audiencia of Mexico. While governor, he desired to undertake the conquest of China; but Felipe II ordered him to confine his activities to the preservation of what Spain had already gained in the islands. Sande was recalled in 1580.

[102] Thus in the original (_setenta y cinco_); but it must be a slip of the writer, since Legazpi removed to Manila in May, 1571, which was organized as a city a year later--as is shown by the "Documents of 1571-72," _ante_.

[103] The _marco_ was the unit of weight used in weighing gold and silver in the different Latin countries. In Spain it was equivalent to O.507641 lb.

[104] "Most authors use this nomenclature: 'Moros' are Mahometans, of more or less pure Malay race, in whose civilization are the remains of Oriental barbarism; 'infidels' or 'pagans,' [gentiles], Filipinos whose only religion is one of the idolatrous rites, more or less absurd, which are natural to savages: and 'Christians,' the Indians whom our meritorious religious have converted to the faith of Jesus Christ."--_Retana_ (_Zúñiga,_ ii. p. 9*).

[105] Referring to the Tartar chief Yenta, who harassed the Chinese empire from 1529 until 1570--raiding the frontiers, carrying away rich plunder and many captives (in one campaign, it is said, 200,000 persons), and even threatening Pekin itself. Finally (1570) peace was restored, Yenta acknowledging the sovereignty of the Chinese emperor, and receiving in return the title of prince of Chuny. Yenta died in 1583. See Boulger's _Hist. China_, ii, pp. 141-144, 150, 154.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, by E.H. Blair