Chapter V: Part 5

And promptly, without any delay, on the said day, month, and year, the following persons met in the royal building where the said governor and captain-general resides, to wit: Doctor Antonio de Morga, lieutenant-general and auditor of the said royal Audiencia; the licentiate Christoval Telles de Almaçan, and the licentiate Alvaro Rodriguez Çambrano, auditors of the said royal Audiencia; the licentiate Geronimo de Salazar Salzedo, fiscal of the Audiencia; and the cabildo, court of justice, and regimiento of this distinguished and ever loyal city of Manila. And these persons all came clothed in silk, and over that their Flemish robes of bright red velvet, lined with blue taffeta. And then came a number of the principal persons of this city, encomenderos, and citizens thereof. In the main plaza a squadron of Spanish infantry was drawn up by companies, consisting of the citizens of the city. Thereafter the said governor and captain-general, and the honorable auditors, and the officials of the city, and other persons came out from the royal buildings and went therefrom on horseback, with much music of clarions, flutes, and other festive instruments. They went through the streets leading to the said royal seal, which were hung and adorned with silks of all kinds, until they arrived at the church of San Agustin; and having dismounted they entered. Within the larger chapel was a seat of honor covered with bright red velvet, and thereon a cushion of the same, embroidered with gold; and on the cushion a coffer, adorned with red velvet and gold, and locked. All knelt, and having heard a mass, which was said with great solemnity and dignity, the said licentiate Christoval Telles de Almazan said to the said lord governor and captain-general that within the said coffer lay the royal seal, which had been delivered to him by the viceroy of Nueva España to be brought to these islands, as appeared by a testimonial thereof which he presented, together with the key of the said coffer. Thereupon the said governor, kneeling upon the ground, as were all the rest, took and opened the said coffer, and drew from it the said royal seal. He commanded me, the undersigned secretary, to read the royal decree and instruction of his Majesty, wherein is ordered and directed the formality that shall be observed in receiving the said royal seal. Having read this in an intelligible voice, so that it was heard by all, the said lord governor turned to the city officials, and other persons present; and, with the royal seal in his hands, told them that that was the seal of the arms of the king our lord, which represented, his royal person, and which all must respect and obey with due reverence and veneration, as they would their king and rightful lord. Having finished this, the said lord governor put the said royal seal into the said coffer, and locked it. He took in his hands the said coffer and carried it out of the said church with all the people and the said cabildo, carrying the said royal seal, which was covered with a pall of bright red velvet with gilded bars; in the middle of it were embroidered the royal arms. At the door of the said church stood a large gelding, well housed with a cloth of embroidered red velvet. On either side was an escutcheon with the royal arms, and upon the saddle rested a cushion; the said governor placed the said coffer thereon, and immediately covered it with a cloth of brocade, and the said horse was covered. The reins were held by Captain Gomez de Machuca, who was appointed chief alguacil of this court; he was covered with the said pall; and before him went the said lord governor and the said honorable auditors, and other principal people and citizens of this colony. Behind marched six companies of paid infantry, and many other people. They went to the cathedral church of this city, at the door of which stood the archbishop of these islands, dressed in his pontifical robes, with the whole chapter of the said church and other clergy thereof. When the said royal seal was taken down from the horse the said lord governor and captain-general held it in his hands and carried it, covered with the pall. Thus they went in procession to the chief chapel, and above the steps was placed a seat of honor; on this was set a cushion, whereon the said coffer was placed. And when this was done and the customary songs had been sung and ceremonies gone through, the said archbishop chanted certain prayers. Again they left the church in the same order, the said archbishop and the rest of the clergy accompanying them to the door. The said lord governor again placed the said coffer, wherein lay the royal seal, upon the said horse; and with the same pomp and ceremony, solemnity and rejoicing, they went to a hall of the royal building, where it was agreed that the royal seal should be placed temporarily, until the royal buildings which are being erected for this royal Audiencia are completed. Within the said hall were placed various carpets, and it was hung and adorned. A great canopy of red velvet was placed there with the royal arms, and within it another after the same fashion. Under the canopy stood a table with its cloth of velvet, and thereon a cushion of the same stuff, all bedecked with gold. The said lord governor placed the said coffer, wherein lay the royal seal, upon the said table, and covered it with the said cloth; and, with the said honorable auditors drawn up at one side, he presented a commission from his Majesty by which he was appointed president of the royal Audiencia, and which commanded the said honorable auditors to receive him in the said office; this was read by me, the present clerk of the court. And after this was done, the said honorable auditors kissed it, and made obeisance to it, and placed it above their heads as the letter and decree of their king and rightful lord. And they ordered that his Lordship, having placed his hand upon his knight's habit, should take the oath which his Majesty commands; which, having so placed his hand, he received, as follows:

_Oath of the lord president_. "Your Lordship swears by God our Lord and upon the holy gospel, as you are a knight, that you will exercise well and faithfully the office of president of this royal Audiencia and chancillería, and observe and comply with, and cause to be observed and complied with, the ordinances which his Majesty has commanded to be issued, and which have been issued therefor, in all respects and in all ways, without in any way violating them. Your Lordship also swears that you will keep secret the votes and the books of judgment, and other things which may arise, and will reveal them to no one without the permission and express command of his Majesty; and that you will strive for the fulfilment of justice to litigants, and for the welfare and increase of the royal exchequer, and for the good of the natives; and that you will do all other things which ought to be done in so distinguished an office, and as your Lordship is bound to do." "I do so swear." "If your Lordship shall do thus, may God our Lord aid you; but if otherwise, may He require account from you." "Amen."

When this was done, they left the said hall and sat in the chambers of court; and the governor ordered Señor Doctor Antonio de Morga to appear. He presented himself with his commission, which was read by me, the present clerk of court. When this was done, his Lordship kissed it and placed it above his head; and he was ordered to take the oath which his Majesty directs, which he took in the following manner:

_Oath of Doctor Antonio de Morga_. "Do you swear by God our Lord, and upon the holy gospel, that as auditor and judge you will obey the commands which publicly or privately the king our lord may give you, and will observe his royal ordinances, both those which are given by the royal Audiencia and chancillería, and those which may be given in the future; and that you will maintain the sovereignty, the territory, and the provinces of the king our lord in every way; and that you will not reveal the secrets of the royal judgments, or others which are to be kept; and that you will avoid in all ways and by all means any losses which might occur to the king our lord; and that likewise you will faithfully expedite and decide the pleas which may come before you in this royal Audiencia and out of it, conformably to the laws of these realms; and that you will not leave the path of truth and right either for love, hatred, ill-feeling, fear, gift, promise, or any other cause, nor receive favors or stipends from any grand council or corporation, for any plea which may be brought before you to determine?" He answered, "I do so swear." "If you act thus, may God aid you; but if otherwise may He require account from you." He answered, "Amen."

When this was done the above-mentioned lieutenant-governor arose, and seated himself in the said halls of court.

In the said order the other honorable auditors and the fiscal of his Majesty were called, received, and put under oath, and likewise the other officials of the said royal Audiencia, each one taking the oath conformably to each of the offices. And when this was finished, in the form above stated, the said lord president gave a general instruction in the presence of all, in which he charged the said honorable auditors to strive for peace and harmony, and the increase of the royal exchequer, and to take care to attend punctually to their duties, and to keep the secrets of this royal Audiencia, whereby his Majesty would be served. In his name he thanked them, as well as the citizens and others present. He charged them with the respect which is due to the said royal seal, and to the commands of the said royal Audiencia; and asked me, the present clerk of court, to give a testimonial thereof. Forthwith he commanded the articles establishing the royal Audiencia to be read. As they were not new (for some of them had been read), he ordered that this cease; whereupon the said Audiencia rose from session for this day. To all which I bear witness.

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_, clerk of the court.

[_Attestation_]

This copy is certain and truthful, having been corrected and compared with the said book from which it was copied. In order that this may appear, I have made the present copy at the request and command of Don Francisco Tello, knight of the Order of Santiago, governor and captain-general of these islands, and president of the royal Audiencia here, in the city of Manila, on the twenty-eighth of June of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, being witnesses

_Alonso de Saavedra_ _Pedro Muñoz de Herrera_

citizens of Manila, in witness of the truth whereof I have affixed my seal.

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_, clerk of the court.

[_Endorsed_: "Testimonial concerning the reception of the seal and the establishment of the royal Audiencia."]

Letters from the Archbishop of Manila to Felipe II

Sire:

It pleased our Lord that three years after the time when I left Madrid I should arrive at these islands, where I came at the command of your Majesty, with many hardships and so broken in health and strength that I hardly had the vigor to undertake such arduous duties as confront me, which are worthy of much remedy. I shall try to gather up my strength until such time as your Majesty can appoint such a person as is fitted for this place.

I remember, Sire, that at my departure your Majesty said you were confident that I would take a load off your royal conscience. Surely, Sire, if, as I wish, I should find affairs in favorable condition, I would, sparing no labor to myself, strive to serve your Majesty so heartily that none of your Majesty's servants would have the better of me. But everything here is so run down that many years of life and very strong arms are necessary to put affairs into even a reasonable condition. It is only a month since I came to this city of Manila, and so I cannot give your Majesty an account in detail of the many things which must be remedied. But there are going to your court father Fray Diego de Soria, a Dominican, and a man of much holiness, learning, and very exemplary life, who has had much experience for many years in the affairs of this country, and to whom your Majesty should listen; and likewise father Fray Marcello [11] of the Order of our Father St. Francis, who will give a full account of everything; for it is zeal for the honor of God and the service of your Majesty, and the desire for the remedy of these islands, which alone bring them through so many dangers by land and by sea. But all I have been able to learn in this little time is that everything is like a clock out of order, and even in such condition that nothing will go into its right place unless the powerful hand of your Majesty be placed upon it.

In the first place your Majesty has here a cathedral and metropolitan church, and there is not a village church in Castilla so ill served, so lacking in ornament as this--to such an extent that although the quality of the ornaments is inferior, there are so few that they have not even the necessary colors for the feast-days, although they are in a place where silks are so cheap, as they are here. [12] Thus it is with all the rest, and it seems as if ecclesiastics had never lived in this country. It is served by four secular clergy alone, to whom your Majesty orders a salary paid. The rest, although they have the title of canons and canonates, do not serve at all, except in their allotments and curacies. Accordingly, even on an apostle's day there is no one in vestments at the altar for the epistle and the gospel, which is highly discreditable. I have asked the governor, conformably with what your Majesty charges him in the third clause of his original instructions, to provide for this matter. But either he is unwilling to listen to me, or, if he listens to me, he does not wish to do so. Your Majesty will know what is fitting, but it would be expedient to add four other salaries to the four which your Majesty pays--namely two canonries and two half canonries, the incumbents of which could be vested before the altar for ministration. I must inform your Majesty that no one will be found to take them if your Majesty does not increase the stipend; for this country is not now, as it used to be, a cheap place to live, but the most expensive in all the Indias, on account of the irregularity in its government. Everything has been left in the hands of infidel Sangleys, who rob the country and sell us things at their own price, without there being any one to check them or keep them in bounds; in return for this, they are able to gratify and keep content those who ought to provide for it. I do not wish to complain of my grievances to your Majesty, but to leave them in your royal hands. But, although our house is so small that we have only fourteen persons, it is impossible to live for half a year and provide for the rest, with the salary which your Majesty orders to be given to me. Your Majesty will be informed of this by those who are going there. If your Majesty desires that I should go about seeking money as alms, I shall do so, so far as that would not be derogatory to the pontifical dignity among these heathen. Again I say then, Sire, that your Majesty's church is so ill provided, that, in place of edifying the infidels and heathen who are here, it is a cause of scoffing among them. They say that, as they see the monasteries so richly adorned with ornaments that they have chalices of fine gold, their God must be greater than that of the secular clergy and of the friars; and they say other ridiculous things. And nevertheless there is no one to look after it, nor any one who is grieved over it except myself, who cannot remedy it. When I succeeded in discussing it with the governor and the officials of your Majesty's royal treasury, they shrugged their shoulders and said that, although your Majesty says in the instructions in general terms that this should be remedied, your Majesty does not point out how, or with what funds.

Besides this there is the little interest in spiritual things and Christianity among the laity. Sire, I wish, that I were in the presence of your Majesty to tell you by word of mouth of this matter, which is the most pitiable thing which has ever occurred or ever will occur to so Catholic and Christian a prince, and one on whom our Lord has showered such singular favors as to allow in his day the opening of the gate through these islands, for the bringing of the gospel to realms so great, and so far removed from all that is good. This I say, then, Sire, that it is a most pitiable thing that there is not a man in all these Philipinas Islands--Spaniard, or of any other nation--saving some religious, who make their principal aim and intent the conversion of these heathen, or the increase of the Christian faith; but they are only moved by their own interests and seek to enrich themselves, and if it happened that the welfare of the natives was an obstacle to this they would not hesitate, if they could, to kill them all in exchange for their own temporal profit. And since this is so, what can your Majesty expect will happen if this continues? From this inordinate greed arises the violation of your Majesty's decrees and mandates, as everyone is a merchant and trader--and none more so than the governor, who has this year brought ruin upon the country. There comes each year from Nueba España a million in money, contrary to the mandate of your Majesty, all of which passes on to the heathen of China. From here, in violation of your Majesty's decrees, cargoes are loaded for the Peruvians and the merchants of Mexico, without leaving room for those of this country--especially the poor, who are unable to secure any interest therein except for a wretched bundle which is allowed them as cargo. If I were to go into the multitude of evils which are connected with this, I should have to proceed _ad infinitum_. There are going to your court those who have themselves experienced them; and one of them even, for having preached with Christian zeal, was persecuted by the governor, who was the cause of this and of other great evils. His vices are so many and so low and obscene that if one were to seek faithfully over all España for a man of most debauched conscience, even the vilest and most vicious, to come to this country and corrupt it with his example, there could not be found one more so than he. A priest told me yesterday--Sunday, the twenty-first of June--that it was public talk that no woman had escaped from him with her honor, when he could accomplish her ruin; and that further, through his great and scandalous incontinence, he twice ordered the priest to marry him to his own niece, and used every means with the priest and Father Soria to secure a dispensation, although the latter showed him how little that measure profited. He has so tyrannized over this colony by his actions that, in order that nothing should be lacking, he has taken away the offices of regidor from honorable men who held them; and put his kinsmen, whom he brougnt with him from España, into the regimiento, so that information of his evil ways cannot be given to your Majesty in the name of the city; nor can they write to ask your Majesty that you should send a successor to him. Likewise he asked his regimiento, and also me (but may God deliver me from such treason!), to write to your Majesty that it was expedient that he should remain in this country, on account of the experience which he has here. Nevertheless, if such a letter should go, your Majesty would consider it suspicious; because it would be signed by some who would wish to see him undone, only because they do not dare to do otherwise; for he treats them like negro slaves when they swerve a point from his desires. About eight days ago he had called to his house all the honorable people, even to the master-of-camp and all the captains; and when they were before him, standing bareheaded, he treated them worse than he would his cobbler, speaking in these terms: "You don't realize that I can have all your heads cut off, and you think that I don't know that you have written to the king against me." And this language, with the "vosotros," [13] he used for half an hour to the most respectable people in this country. In short, all his conversation and words are those of a vicious and tyrannical Heliogabalus. What I say now is nothing to what remains to be said, and which your Majesty can learn from those who are going there--who, as good Christians, will relate the truth. It would appear best that your Majesty should write to Nueba España, so that all the goods may be put on board there which are to be carried this year. Your Majesty would then see the shameful results which he has caused in this country. He sends therewith one of his servants even, who is called Juan de la Guardia, and also Diego de Montoro, a native of this country. And if by chance your Majesty's letter should arrive after the property had already been despatched, the said persons should be seized, and obliged to confess the truth. It is possible that in this way, and with the cargo for next year (when he says that he must enrich himself), a large quantity may be taken, to supply the various matters for which your Majesty must provide. Your Majesty may rest assured that during all the time that the governor may be in this post your Majesty's conscience cannot be at ease, but that it must be heavily loaded to bear with him. It would be very advisable to appoint a governor, not like the poor men who have been here thus far and who come to enrich themselves, but a man who will enrich the land with holiness and virtue. It should be a man whom your Majesty would choose among thousands--one of those who is not attempting to make your Majesty appoint him; but, on the contrary, one of those whom, so to speak, your Majesty asks. Your Majesty should not consider whether or not he is a knight or a captain, as there are plenty of experienced captains in the country, who, in case of war, would be better in leading an army than a number who could come from there. If it is possible, he should be a man of education and conscience. I should desire one of these men who would serve your Majesty without private interests, for whom, when the man had served your Majesty in this charge, you could appoint a church, one of the largest of España; as this post is most honorable and of greater importance for the spread of the gospel than is the Turkish frontier for its defense. On this account a person should be chosen who has no claim to private interests, for the gain which he would secure from the growth of the teaching of the gospel here is large enough. It is not fitting that your Majesty should entrust the residencia of the governor here to the Audiencia, or to any member thereof; but it should be made by the person who is to succeed him, if he be a person such as I have described. For there are many serious matters for which a Christian and impartial judge is necessary, to clear the conscience of your Majesty.

It would be very important for your Majesty to renew the mandate forbidding the governors and auditors to trade, with heavier penalties; for it is not observed, and from its violation there result great inconveniences. But, as it appears that the salaries appointed by your Majesty are not sufficient recompense for coming to such distant lands, your Majesty might decree that when the governors were such as they should be, and have abstained during their whole term from trade, at the time of their departure your Majesty would permit to be given them as large a cargo as they wish, and even an entire ship, so that they might be made prosperous. The auditors might be given, every six years, to each one the liberty of a cargo, so that in this way they would have what is needed to marry their children and maintain their households. For otherwise they are the causes of great losses; and, as they are involved in the same misdeed, they are not urgent in having the mandates and decrees of your Majesty complied with.

It is a great hindrance to the growth of the faith and morals of the natives that there is a continual communication with the infidel Chinese. Since they are coming to trade, it would be well that when they finish selling their wares they should leave the country; for from their remaining in these islands result many great inconveniences. In the first place, on account of their greed, they have taken to the cultivation of gardens and other real estate; whence it follows that all the native Indians live idle and vicious lives, without anyone urging them to labor. The Chinese have risen, by buying and selling and bringing provisions to the community, to be the retailers of supplies. From this it results that this country is so expensive to live in that where a fowl used to be worth half a real, or at the most one real, it is now worth four. Formerly a ganta of rice could be obtained for a quartillo or less. Now it is worth two reals, or at least one, and the same with other things; and, beside being retailers and hucksters, one Chinaman uses more food and wine than do four natives. What is worse than this is, that the crime against nature is as prevalent among them as in Sodoma; and they practice it with the natives, both men and women. As the latter are poor wretches and lovers of gain, and the Chinese are generous in paying for their pleasures, this calamity is spreading wide without any public manifestation. They tell me that during the last few years the Chinese have spread over all the islands. I saw them when I came into the channel. Formerly they were only in Manilla. If your Majesty does not command that this people must absolutely leave the country I fear that God must visit some great punishment upon it. Those who govern here deceive in regard to their status. Some of them are kept because the fathers of the Society say thai they need five hundred to cultivate the gardens which they have here, close by the city. They give each Sangley, for the portion of garden which he works, one peso and one fowl each month. Others are kept for other reasons; but all the work could be done by the natives if the Chinese were driven out, and the idle and vagabond were compelled to work.

In another letter I wrote to your Majesty of the necessity which obtained in this country of establishing the Inquisition, and today the reasons for this are stronger than then, as shown by experience and our inconveniences. Thus we have seen, within a few years, that two prisoners who were going to Mexico escaped from the ship "Sanct Philipe." In the ships of last year, of three persons who went thither, two died. A negro who was being taken along as a witness for an accused man of this city died at sea. If it is thought best not to have salaries, the matter can be remedied by appointing two religious or ecclesiastic persons, and one of the auditors of the Audiencia--who, as they are advisers, can likewise carry on the suits. These, as they conduct the office of commissary (which is here the same thing as an inquisitor), would be able to hear the cases and would do so as a work of charity, and with zeal for the honor of God, until they could obtain, from the confiscated property, salaries for the inquisitors whom your Majesty may appoint. For it is easy to see that there is a great inconvenience in denouncing a person in Manilla and being obliged to send his case to Mexico, or to come from there with a decision as to whether to arrest him or not; and to confiscate here the property of heirs and send it to the Inquisition of Nueba España, with so great a risk of loss.

This is all at present that occurs to me to send to your Majesty. I fear I have tired your Majesty with so prolix and unpleasant a narration. I beg of your Majesty to pardon me and accept my wish, which is to succeed in the service of your Majesty. If there is a man in the world who has this desire, unmixed with interest, it is myself, who am desirous to be of some use so that your Majesty may learn by experience that I am more anxious to be the most insignificant servant of your Majesty, merely because your Majesty is who you are, than to possess all the treasures of the world. May your Majesty enjoy those of heaven after the many years of life which are necessary for his realms. Manilla, June 24, 1598. Sire, I kiss the feet of your Majesty, your humble chaplain,

_Fray Ygnacio_, Archbishop of Manilla.

Sire:

Although I wrote another letter to your Majesty in which I give an account of the affairs in this country, I am obliged to write this one to give your Majesty an account of my own affairs, which cannot be successful unless regulated by your royal hand, from which I would receive death, if I deserved it, more willingly than life from another. It has come to my knowledge that the governor of these islands is writing to your Majesty and complaining of me. As everything which I shall say now is true, I beseech your Majesty to give it credit. If your Majesty should find that I do not tell the truth to the last word, I charge your Majesty to visit upon me a heavy punishment.

I brought with me from España a son of one of my nephews. He is a youth of great virtue and worth, with no manner of vice; and, desiring that he should choose for a wife someone who was his equal in worthiness, while coming on the ship my eyes fell upon a daughter of the licentiate Tellez de Almansa, an auditor who was coming out to this royal Audiencia of your Majesty. She is a very honorable and good woman, and as it appeared to me that that was what was fitting for the young man, rather than greater beauty or property, I made known my desire to a doctor of theology, who was traveling in the ship, in company with the said auditor, so that I might know whether her parents were favorable to my intentions. As he told me that they were pleased with it, but that the father reflected that he had no permission from your Majesty to marry his children, it appeared to me that, if she were to marry without the knowledge of her father, he would be free from the penalty of the law. I wrote to the said maiden a note, in which I desired to learn her wishes, without there being anything else in it which could offend anyone.

I gave her an account of the many good qualities and characteristics of the young man, and addressed her in these words: "And neither do I wish that you should attempt this without the permission and knowledge of your father, because I am not setting about to steal away or ruin the respect which I have for him, and have had all my life." She answered me by writing that she was pleased at the choice that was made of her person, and that it should be considered with her father. I responded with a second note in which I thanked her for her good wishes and said that I would speak with her father. At the same time I summoned the auditor Almazan and told him how much I desired that that marriage should be consummated. He told me that he would accept it at once, if he dared dispense with the permission of your Majesty. The truth is, that I did not tell him that I had written to his daughter, and accordingly when someone told him, it appears that he resented it somewhat; but when the letters came to his hand, and he saw their terms, which were so unworthy of suspicion, he was appeased. All this came to the knowledge of the governor, after we landed; and, as he does nothing good, he made poison of the whole matter. Without seeing a letter or complaint against me, it appeared to him expedient to have a meeting of religious prelates for my case, and he did so accordingly. He called them together in one of our convents, named [San] Francisco del Monte, [14] where he placed before them the letters without having examined them, and without displaying them; and, with the utmost ill-feeling and evil intention he asked their opinion as to whether it was expedient to write a letter against me to your Majesty. The religious took it ill, as they should so bad a speech, and did not answer his proposition, considering that he was so causelessly throwing suspicion upon the purity and integrity of their prelate, who had not even been twenty days in the country. All this came to my knowledge within two hours, and, as the matter was so serious, and so great an injustice had been done, I confess that I was much more exasperated than was fitting; and I uttered against him various harsh remarks--although all were true, and about things which were publicly told. I learned that he is writing to your Majesty against me, and I desire that your Majesty should not lack a true knowledge of the affair, which is, as I have said; and everything made less or more, your Majesty may believe, is not truth. Nor could any one, from any word or sign of mine, have understood an offense to God in that, or even a venial sin; and, if anything could be added without the suspicions conceived by his malice, or rather by his evil life and habits, the fault which I was guilty of was becoming too angry. But I assure your Majesty that I had more than reason enough--in the first place because he had stained that which is so important for prelates of the church, namely, purity; and, in the second place, because he did this at the time when I had just arrived at my archbishopric, and when I should have entered with great honor and reputation for virtue, especially among infidels. In the third place, he went before all the leaders of the religious orders, when everyone of them was free to conceive what opinion he would of me--and especially certain persons who, as they do not themselves live with becoming regularity, might conceive boldness, and not fear for their own faults because they saw the superior prelate brought before the public as guilty of similar ones. In the fifth [_i.e.,_ fourth] place, because he called together this conventicle while he was pretending to be my friend; for the day before he had been in my house, and talked with me about very serious matters, and at his departure, invited me to his house--for no one who would see what he did, or his dealings with me, would fail to have confidence in him, since he is a knight, and wears the habit of Santiago, and is governor for your Majesty of so great a realm; and I say that, as I am a frank and truthful man, I would have confidence in him, if he were a man worthy of trust. Since he first made advances, by asking me to do for him things which were good, what a wonder it is that so unreasonably he should molest a man. I confess that I acted in a manner unbecoming my position; but let him say what he will, I have said nothing which is not true.

Many men of sound judgment have wondered what object he could have in this assembly; and they can think of no other unless it was to intimidate me and close my mouth, so that I should not write against him to your Majesty any of the infinite amount which might be written. Likewise he had the same object in calling together the captains and leading men of this colony, to address them with such insolence as that which I have told your Majesty in another letter; for the expression which he used was: "You people [_vosotros_] do not know that I know what you have written to his Majesty against me; and that his Majesty sent me a command to have your heads cut off." From this your Majesty will gather how the government must be conducted here, since the governor is going about seeking, by cunning and deceit, to frighten people that they may not write about his mode of life. I told enough of this in the other letter, and others are writing the same thing; but at present I shall only mention a few things. In the first place your Majesty should not inquire into the particular vices of Don Francisco Tello, but should picture to yourself a universal idea of all vices, brought to the utmost degree and placed in a lawyer; this would be Tello, who is your Majesty's governor in the Philippinas. He is not one of those men who accompany a vice by a virtue, and among many vices follow one virtue; but he has not even an indication of a virtue. And that he should not lack the sin of putting his hand upon the altars, he has now begun to commit simonies, and to live excommunicated, selling for money the presentations which he makes to the benefices conformably to your Majesty's right of patronage. This is so true that I have this week corrected one which he committed in the convent of San Francisco del Monte itself. Abandoned by the power of God, he paid for the evil which he had done against me with so great a vice. He received four hundred pesos, for the presentation to a prebend, which he presented to me that very day. He has become accustomed to do this, and says that he is going to write to España that he is going to this said convent, which is a heavenly garden, belonging to descalced fathers of much holiness. Although he has a house near there he is not content with it, but comes in and meddles with the convent, and with those who go to see it, for there is nothing which his hand does not profane. On Monday afternoon before St. Francis' day, this year, he left Manilla, saying that he was going to Cabite to despatch the ships. At night he left the road with a servant, having placed the horses within some chapels which are being built at the convent of Santo Domingo; and entered to sleep that night in the house of a married woman, the wife of an honorable man of this city, leaving guards at the door, for thus imprudent is he, although God permits that he is such a coward as not to enter into such evil acts without taking guards, and even sometimes arquebuses, to serve as witnesses of his sins--which are made public, to the scandal of all the people. Sire, I do not believe that I can live with this man; if your Majesty thinks that it is best for your royal service to keep him in this government, your Majesty must take me from this church. I wish nothing else, and even this place I do not merit; nor did I seek it, nor did it ever pass through my head that it was possible that at any time I should have to hold it. But I wish your Majesty to command me to return, to die in my cell in peace; for if I remain here I cannot conceal so many and so public offenses against God and against the service of your Majesty, without reprehending them with the same publicity as that with which they are committed. I trust through the mercy of God that your Majesty will see all this with Christian and Catholic eyes, and will provide a remedy fitting for the service of God and of your Majesty, whom may our Lord protect, for the long years which we need. Manilla, June 26, 98. Sire, I kiss the feet of your Majesty, your servant and chaplain,

_Fray Ignacio_, Archbishop of Manilla.

Letters from the Bishop of Nueva Segovia to Felipe II

Sire:

With my soul filled with a thousand afflictions, I write this letter to your Majesty, awaiting a certain consolation for this unfortunate community; since the man who is the only protector of all Catholic countries in the world, as your Majesty is, must be the more so of this land which is so thoroughly your own, since it is entirely the establishment and edifice of your Majesty. Your Majesty has a governor here, namely, Don Francisco Tello, who, if a fourth be true of all that is said of him by Christian, learned, and prudent men, and those in office in this community, both ecclesiastic and secular, is one of the worst men whom your Majesty has in all his estates. One thing I can say, and that is that neither on my way from Nueba Hespaña here, nor after my arrival, have I heard anything said which would indicate that this man is a good governor; but I have heard and hear every day increasing and innumerable evil acts, evil in the highest degree. During the time since I came here, which is already a considerable period, I have seen nothing good in him which would lead me, on any account or in any manner, to have any consideration for him. If your Majesty were pleased to desire to know particular instances, I am certain that there has been and is being sent to the royal Council of the Indias so much concerning him that the Council could easily inform your Majesty of matters concerning this wretched man; and I shall only relate two or three things, which everyone knows. The first matter (of which your Majesty must certainly have information) is, that this man married a woman between whom and himself there were two obstacles--in the first place, consanguinity; and, in the second place, relation by marriage. In her case there was still another obstacle, in that she had taken the vows in a religious order. Although there were so many and so impassable obstacles, they procured a dispensation in this [_MS. torn_] so that Don Francisco might marry her. [I tell your Majesty of this] for love of the common welfare, and so that he might not by his licentiousness destroy this commonwealth, which is enslaved, more so than any other in the world or even than any person, so much are all men subjected to the good or ill will of the governor--not only the principal persons, but all others. And further, Don Francisco would have it that this should be considered sufficient cause for giving so many dispensations, and in matters so difficult--namely his own unbridled incontinence and lust--rather than put a check to his vileness. God has permitted this blindness so senseless in a man, so that we may see in Don Francisco that, when God takes His hand from a man, neither his honor, nor his word, nor the fear of God, nor of your Majesty, nor the fact that he is placed in so public an office and is the minister of such a king as your Majesty, is sufficient to check him. If the chains and bonds of matrimony had detained him, the dispensation and past evil acts might be endured; but according to the report, although these are not matters which I can examine into, he is still continuing in these vile acts of his, as a man without God, law, or king.

Another instance: an affair characterized by covetousness, wrongs, and injustice, which are being perpetrated before the sight of God and all the world. This is the affair. There is here a vessel which is called "Sancta Margarita" which belonged to Captain Stevan Rodriguez. This boat he despatched this year to convey cloth and merchandise from this city to Mexico. There is a record of what this same ship took last time; and according to the register (which is here and in Mexico) the vessel loaded two hundred and fifty to three hundred toneladas; but this year there was not allotted among the citizens of the islands more than a hundred and sixty toneladas. All the rest, up to the said number of two hundred and fifty or three hundred, he has seized upon. This injustice and robbery is terrible, but the circumstance makes it even more remarkable that sin and greed and vices so blind a man that he considers everyone else blind; and thinks that they will not look at this ship and see its size, when it is present here; nor remember that, in this same ship, the same persons with the same merchandise laded ten times as large a cargo; nor does he consider that, at any rate, the registry of this same ship exists.

On the day on which I write this, which is the last of June, when the ships should have sailed days ago for Mexico, because they might encounter a wind which would make it impossible for them to leave this bay for a long time, and the voyage would be lost, or undertaken when the ships would be wrecked--during this time he is entertaining guests and making feasts and gambling. Certainly, Sire, considering the injustice and grievance which he is inflicting on the poor subjects and vassals of your Majesty, and considering him so taken up with these feasts, there occurs to me the history of Nero, when he set fire to Rome, and stood rejoicing while the street was burning and being consumed; or, as a learned and pious man said, it seems parallel with the idea which Nabuchodonosor carried out when he desired that the people should adore his image, and ordered that thenceforth there should be much music and feasting, so that the people, thus deluded, should not even think of him without at once committing an act of idolatry. Just so here all is feasting, so that in this way the people may be prevented from thinking; and that, thus deluded, they should busy themselves with this until the evil record be finished, and the ships depart.

How can I tell your Majesty of the affairs of war? Although we are every moment fearing some movement from Japon, this man will not build a single turret to finish the wall. He considers himself safe with a dark retreat which he built to retire to if the enemy should take the city; but if the enemy should take a single house of the city, he is as well fortified there as are the Spaniards in their retreat. For, with the cheap labor of Chinamen, they have built here so that every house is a fortress. God has granted to this country a Spaniard of great genius, good birth, and singular virtue, who came with Don Luis Perez das Mariñas. This Spaniard cast artillery very ingeniously at this post where I am at present, which is on the river in the middle of Manila. During all the time that I have been here I have not seen the governor go to examine this work, or have anything more to do with it than if it were in Constantinople. In short, his God is his belly, and his feasts, and the vices and sins consequent upon this. That his drink may be cold he uses from the warehouses of your Majesty an endless amount of saltpeter, which is difficult to procure. He expends an immense amount of powder in his feasts.

To fulfil my duty to God and His faith, and to your Majesty, and the fidelity of a vassal, which I particularly owe, through the obligation placed upon me by being bishop, I say that this man has no good in him; nor is there anything bad lacking, to make him in the highest degree a bad governor. Every instant that the remedy is delayed will bring on more surely the wrath of God by delivering us into the hands of Japon and other worse enemies or scourges. The only remedy is to appoint here the good Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, a well-known knight, and proved to be just and discreet, with long experience in these lands--and, above all, with great respect for God and His laws and those of your Majesty. He is a friend of prayer, and believes in considering his affairs with God. He need not be embarrassed in coming here, nor come loaded down with persons to whom he is bound. And if perchance Don Luis should not be available--although it certainly appears that he is so, particularly since the coming of the Audiencia--for the love of God may your Majesty not send us a person who is so boastful of being a knight; but rather a nobleman, a prudent soldier, who will be alone, and neither greedy, nor brought up in the vices of Sevilla, nor with the braggarts there. It seems to me that I have said enough of this. Manilla, the last of June, 1598.

It is said that he is sending great presents, and will try in that way to maintain himself here.

_Fray Miguel_, Bishop of Nueva Segovia. [15]

Sire:

After I had written your Majesty my grief at the condition of these islands, a number of Chinese, both Christians and infidels, came to me, all bewailing the grievous injuries that they suffer daily from your Majesty's officials and other Spaniards. They delivered to me two letters addressed to your Majesty, and written in their characters and language and after their manner; and I had these letters translated into Castilian characters. These people have no other protection than the Order of our father St. Dominic; and, as I am the head of that order here, they have recourse to me for protection, asking that I send the letters to your Majesty. I assure your Majesty that these wretched people are receiving so many wrongs and injuries, that there are no greater enemies of the immaculate Christian law than are many of your Majesty's officials here. Your Majesty has provided, and well, that the possessions of the Chinese should not be disturbed or the best of them taken away, inasmucn as this is one way of ruining both Spaniards and Chinese. But this order is not in the least observed. Your Majesty will credit me with freedom from any exaggeration in regard to the Order of our father St. Dominic. At present it is sending one of our principal friars, who is prior here at Manila, named Fray [Diego] de Soria. He knows more about these islands and countries than many even of those who remain. He will give you information of everything, if your Majesty wishes. Manila, July 5, 1598.

[_Endorsed_: "The bishop of Nueva Segovia, July 5, 98. Received April 6, 600. Bid the archbishop and governor to exercise great care in the fair treatment and instruction of these Sangleys; and let them see that no injury is done them, so that no harm may result to their settlement."]

Letters from Francisco Tello to Felipe II

Sire:

Last year I wrote your Majesty an account of the state of military affairs. What has happened since then is as follows.