Part 18
On the fourteenth of March of 98 the licentiate Çambrano died, from an attack of malignant fever. In him your Majesty lost a good servant. Since his place must be filled, it will be well provided for in the person of the licentiate Salasar, your fiscal in this royal Audiencia, a person who, besides his broad and deep learning, is worthy of whatever favor your Majesty may see fit to grant him; and the office of fiscal will be well filled by the licentiate Padilla, reporter of this royal Audiencia, who is a man of learning and justice, and is diligent in your Majesty's service.
13. _That the auditors remaining are doing well_.
The two auditors who remain here are faithful subjects, and attend punctually to the service of your Majesty.
14. _That the auditor Maldonado has not come from Nueva España_.
The licentiate Don Antonio de Rivera Maldonado, who was expected this year, did not come. He wrote me that he had not received his instructions.
15. _That the ecclesiastical authority had usurped the royal jurisdiction, and that this was corrected on the arrival of the royal Audiencia_.
Before this royal Audiencia was reëstablished, the ecclesiastical authority had usurped the royal jurisdiction; and I was several times excommunicated for defending it by not allowing them to raise their secular revenues, of which I had already given an account to your Majesty; and so they were raising them everywhere without my being able to help it. Since the coming of the royal Audiencia, several acts have been passed for correcting this, which are effective.
16. _That it is expedient to take the Parian from the Sangleys, as it is injurious to the commonwealth_.
Don Gonzalo Ronquillo, during the time of his governorship, founded a Parian for the Sangleys within the limits of the city, so that of those who come for commerce, a number of artisans of all trades might remain in the country, for the service of the commonwealth. Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, finding it too thickly peopled and with too many houses for the security of the city, removed it outside, to the place where it now stands. Its growth has increased to such an extent that more than three hundred houses of wood and cane have been built, and in them are more than three thousand Sangleys. This Parian is most injurious for this commonwealth, because the people who live in it are of no use except to raise prices in the community, all the provisions being consumed there; and they commit many offenses against God our Lord. In it there are many hucksters. There is no way to remedy all this except to be rid of it altogether; for, besides what has been mentioned, it will be a saving to this city of more than a hundred thousand pesos each year, and the country will be more secure. For, having no buildings in which to store the cloth, they will sell it through the streets or in their ships, as they used to do before they had a Parian; and, to get away quickly, they will offer it at more moderate prices. I have considered this affair with the royal Audiencia; and, having their opinion, you will do in regard to it what is most fitting for the service of your Majesty and the maintenance of this country.
17. _That, as there were no royal buildings, some good ones have been built of stone, in which the Audiencia meet, and the president and Doctor Morga reside._
When I arrived in this country the royal buildings were demolished, and there was no place for the Audiencia to meet, nor for the residence of your Majesty's servant who governs here. I therefore used all my efforts to erect royal buildings which should be substantial, and they have been built, and are at present finished off with hewn stone. There are three suites of apartments: one toward the street, in which the Audiencia meets, and where the royal seal is; a second toward the sea, where I live; and the third is situated in the middle, where resides Doctor Morga, auditor of this royal Audiencia. It will be expedient to continue work on this building until it is made large enough for the rest of the auditors and officials of the royal Audiencia to live in. I assure your Majesty that they suffer inconveniences in coming from their homes to the Audiencia and its sessions, in so intemperate a climate; and if they lived together they could attend better to the service of your Majesty. To put this work in the state in which it is, ten thousand pesos, which was its cost, were borrowed, as there was no money in the royal treasury, from the funds of the fourths; and I wrote to Mexico to send me that amount in order to pay it back. This has not been done, and I beg your Majesty to order the viceroy to send that sum of ten thousand pesos, since it was spent in a work so important for the service of your Majesty; and to send as much more to continue the work, if that already used be considered well spent.
18. _That houses of stone were built for the cabildo and in them was placed the coat-of-arms which your Majesty granted to this city_.
I also found this city without houses for the cabildo and that the regidors with great inconvenience and little dignity were going about seeking the houses of citizens for the meeting of the cabildo. At the expense of the city funds I have built some good stone cabildo buildings on the plaza here, and in them is placed the coat-of-arms which your Majesty presented to this city. With these and other buildings which have been built during the time I have been here, or are now being erected, this city is much improved in appearance.
19. _That the powder-house being too near and in an unsafe position, a vault was made in the fort of Santiago, where it is now kept_.
I found the powder-house in an unsafe place, and as it is so necessary to guard and preserve the powder, I ordered a vault of stone to be made in the fort on the point called Santiago, where it was put and is now kept with entire safety.
20. _That it is necessary to establish religious instruction in the Ladrones; and, as it cannot be sent from here, I have written to the viceroy asking him to order the officers of the ships from Nueva España to leave ministers there_.
As the royal instruction which I received had not been brought here when I came to serve your Majesty in this government (as I have before explained), what your Majesty ordered in one clause of it, that on the passage by the island of Ladrones ministers for religious instruction to those Indians should be left there--such persons as I might select--has not been executed. Accordingly I have considered it with the royal Audiencia here; and, together with their opinion, the intention of your Majesty was communicated to the viceroy of Nueva España, so that he might carry it out, by ordering the officers of the ships which shall come in the year 600 to leave there a couple of religious and ten soldiers as a guard. But as the ships arrived here from a different direction, and the voyage was a difficult one, the will of your Majesty has not been carried out. I believe this will be a work very important for the service of God our Lord and your Majesty; for in the year 1596 a religious of the Order of St. Francis, with a sailor, who were passing by the islands of Ladrones, disembarked from the almiranta "San Pablo" in the boats of the Indians of those islands, more than three hundred skiffs having come alongside of the said ship. The Indians took them on board and carried them to land where they remained during the period of a year, up to 1597--when, as the ships from Nueva España were again passing on their way to these islands, having as commander Don Lope de Ulloa, the said religious and soldiers [_sic_] arrived alongside the ships in the boats of the Indians, and were received on board. When they arrived here, the religious gave an account of what he had seen in the islands of Ladrones, saying that there were many islands thickly peopled with Indians, who are men of good stature, and strong. They are a tractable and kindly people. They regaled him and his companion, and showed them much respect. The land abounds in fish, rice, and _camotes_. They are heathen; but if the religious would enter there with love and tactfulness they would teach them. I hope in our Lord that He and your Majesty will be served in bringing those heathen to a true knowledge of God.
21. _That farmers have not been brought from Nueva España for the introduction of agriculture, and that the viceroy should be told to send them._
For the reason mentioned in the preceding clause, I have not been able to get farm-laborers from Nueva España, as your Majesty ordered by a clause of his royal instruction, so that the cultivation of the soil might be introduced into this country, by associating the farmers with the natives, so that the latter may be instructed in farming according to our usage. As soon as I understood the will of your Majesty, I sent to ask farmers from the viceroy; and he answered that he would send them another year.
22. _That a demand has been made to have the horses and mares brought over, as ordered, and that the viceroy has been remiss in this_.
In the same way a demand has been sent to the viceroy regarding the horses and mares which your Majesty also ordered brought from Mexico; and I wrote to your Majesty that this was not done.
23. _That rewards for services have been made in accordance with the order of his Majesty in clause 17 of the royal instruction_.
In the matter of rewards for services, I have tried to have them given to the most worthy and capable citizens, in accordance with clause 17 of the royal instruction of your Majesty (as you may see if you so please by the account which I am sending), not only in the encomiendas in repartimientos of Indians but in other offices of importance. Although I have done this with all possible care and justice, there are so many claimants, and so little material--and each one expects to be, by right, the most favored--that there must needs be complaints, which is one of the annoyances of this government.
24. _That an account was sent of the Spaniards who serve in the islands, giving their names and localities._
With this will go the report which your Majesty ordered to be sent concerning the Spaniards who serve your Majesty in this country, whether with or without encomiendas; and of their characters and ages, and other details about them.
25. _That two new ships have been built, of five hundred and one hundred and fifty toneladas respectively; and that they departed in good condition, and are at present making a voyage_.
As there are not enough ships to ply between here and Nueva España I have built two--one of five hundred toneladas, and the other of one hundred and fifty--which were completed; and both are making voyages this year to Nueva España.
26. _That three ships came from Nueva España; and that one of them, which belonged to his Majesty, was given to an administrator by the viceroy, and that he sent a decree giving directions to the royal Audiencia, under penalty._
Three ships came this year from Nueva España, two belonging to private individuals and the other to your Majesty. Your Majesty's ship, called the "Santa Margarita," was given to Joan Pardo de Losada, as administrator, by the viceroy of Nueva España. Since the viceroy did so, he may have had an order therefor from your Majesty. The royal Audiencia considered the fact that the said Joan Pardo brought a decree from the viceroy ordering the governor and the royal Audiencia, under penalty, not to meddle in the affair which he had decreed; and saying that the penalty would be that supplies would not come as agreed. Accordingly the original was retained, in order to give an account thereof to your Majesty; but, in so far as regards the execution of his charge, he was not hindered. It seemed best to me to give an account thereof to your Majesty, so that in the future you may provide what may be most expedient in the matter.
27. _That the viceroy of Nueva España kept back the money of citizens of those islands to the great damage of this country, the licenses being given to Peruvians._
Your Majesty has ordered that the viceroy of Nueva España should each year give licenses to citizens of this state for five hundred thousand pesos, the money to be brought here in return for their merchandise which they export hence. It happened that this year's sale of the goods that went over last year was profitable; and the said viceroy, although he was under obligation to execute that order, did not do so. He assigned to the citizens only two hundred thousand pesos in licenses, and the balance, making the sum of five hundred thousand, to Peruvians, on condition that they should become citizens in these islands for a certain time--thus keeping back from the citizens three hundred thousand pesos, which has brought about disastrous injury. For not only were they prevented from availing themselves of their own property, but the Peruvians to whom were given, in their places, the said licenses, being wealthy people, came loaded down with money to be registered--although the fiscal of your royal Audiencia and another royal official, who went to inspect the ships, could not find any proof, as the money had all been taken out before they arrived at the fort. When they arrived here, finding much cloth in the possession of the Chinese and not considering its price, they spent their money. When the citizens came, as they could not lade the share which had been assigned them, since no money had come therefor, the Peruvians freighted the ships; and the profit which, through your Majesty's gracious aid, the citizens of these islands should have had, was enjoyed by the Peruvians. May your Majesty order this to be investigated, and direct in regard to it what may be best for your royal service and for the maintenance of this country. As the licenses to lade their cloth in the ships which are going to Mexico--being one of the profits and rewards which we have in this country to give to deserving citizens--is a matter which always gives rise to complaint, no matter how justly the distribution is made, in order to avoid this and to proceed as justly and satisfactorily as is generally possible, I have ordered during the whole time I have spent here that, first of all, the ship should be gauged for its tonnage by persons chosen by the city--men who are intelligent, conscientious, and disinterested, and otherwise competent for the said gauging. The allotment has been and is still made as justly as possible.
28. _That the persons appointed to lade the ships did not keep the order which was given them, breaking it to the injury of citizens, and were arrested_.
This year were appointed, to direct the lading of the new ship "Santo Toma," Captain Gaspar Perez, the alcalde-ordinary, Captain Juan de Arsega, and Captain Christoval de Asqueta, a regidor of this city. They were given the usual order to lade according to a list, beginning first with the men who are most deserving and have been longest in the country. As they did not keep the order which was given them, and laded after their own fashion, I have arrested them. The citizens of this city have brought in complaints of them and many claims have been filed against them. I am receiving testimony thereof, in order to punish them according to their crimes. I have always tried, from the day I entered, to govern as your Majesty was pleased to command me, and to protect this commonwealth and the poor in it, even with my own property; and it is well known in these parts that I have done this so far as lay in my power.
29. _That a port called El Pinar, has been opened at Canton, where Spanish ships may go with safety to trade with China, for which there is a chapa [i.e., "passport"]._
By clause 21 of the instruction for my government, your Majesty gives permission for certain citizens of this island to trade--if that seem best to me, and with the consent of the royal Audiencia--in the neighboring kingdoms where trade and traffic with these islands is permitted. With this basis, and the knowledge that the Chinese do not resist the coming of the Spaniards as they have hitherto done, and considering the importance of the opening of this port in that country, so that the preaching of the holy gospel might enter there, which is your Majesty's desire, I determined last year to give a license to Don Juan de Çamudio to go (in his own vessel, at his own expense) to the province of Canton, and establish in the best way possible his enterprise; and to bring certain metals and other articles which we were lacking, for the royal stores of these islands. He made the voyage and carried out this mission. Besides this, he opened at Canton a port for the Spaniards in China, which is called El Pinar, although he was greatly opposed by the Portuguese of Macao; and the Spaniards were left there to go to trade in Canton--a house being given them inside the city, and a chapa to come back and settle there whenever they might wish to. With this despatch and some merchandise, the said Don Juan came back to these islands well content.
30. _That a ship is being sent to Canton, to follow up the good beginning made there by the Spaniards_.
This year, in continuation of the beginning which Don Juan Çamudio has made in China, I have agreed with the opinion of the royal Audiencia that it was therefore best to send another ship, well equipped with artillery and arms. This vessel will sail very soon, and has for captain Joan Tello y Aguirre; and it will cause no expense to the royal exchequer. I hope in our Lord that a way is about to be opened up for what is desired for so great and powerful realms.
31. _That the king of Sian, desiring trade for his realms with the Spaniards, sent an embassy to them, which was well received; and that he treated Joan Tello very well, and opened a port at the city of Odia_.
After my arrival in this government I received a letter from the king of Sian, a copy of which will go with this. In it he told me of his desire for commerce and trade with these islands of your Majesty. Seeing how well disposed this king was, in the year past (1598) I despatched Captain Joan Tello with an embassy for the king in answer to his, indicating great esteem for the friendship which he offers me, and for his desire for the trade of the Spaniards in his kingdom. I offered him in the name of your Majesty the closest friendship. Captain Joan Tello made the voyage, and, having fulfilled his embassy, made an agreement also that a port should be left open for trade, so that the Spaniards could go there and settle freely, and be exempt from taxes. They brought in their ship ivory, benzoin, and stone for the citizens of this city. He came back here with the response of the king of Sian, a copy of which will go with this. I have understood, indeed, from Captain Joan Tello that the king of Sian has in his house a religious of the Order of St. Dominic, who was sent from Malaca to administer the sacraments to the Christians who come there from India on their commercial voyages. Seeing what a good opportunity and opening there was to begin preaching the holy gospel in that kingdom, I sent another ship this year, very well supplied, having as captain Joan de Mendoça, with an embassy to the king beseeching him to consent to have sent from here four religious of the said order, for if they also were with the one who was residing there, it would further much the end which was sought; and asking that he would admit these religious. Once settled there, they will succeed in obtaining good results. Captain Joan de Mendoça is now expected, and whatever news he brings on his arrival I shall communicate to your Majesty. May God further these affairs, as they are especially for His service and for the advantage of the royal crown of your Majesty.
32. _That the city of Cebu sent a ship to Castilla, in the year 1597, which was lost on the sea_.
Your Majesty having granted the city of Cebu authority to despatch a ship to Mexico, it did so; and the ship left Cebu about two years ago, carrying merchandise both for the citizens of that city and of Manila, which was considered best; but, from the time when it left until now, there has been no word of it. It is thought that it was lost, which is no slight matter for this country, coming in addition to the loss of the ship "San Phelipe"--with which, and the retention of their money which the citizens of Manila have suffered, and other hardships, this commonwealth is hard smitten, as is the courage of its people. If there is any way in which to resuscitate it, it will be for your Majesty to give permission for the citizens thereof to despatch a ship of three hundred toneladas to Peru every two or three years, with the products of this country; they will not undertake to carry anything more than flagstones, ivory, and other things which are not carried from España, and this will not cause any loss to the royal customs duties of your Majesty.
33. _That it brings much damage upon this colony that the officers on the voyages are appointed by the viceroy of Mexico_.
I have already advised your Majesty of the irreparable injury resulting to this commonwealth from the appointment of the officers of the ships on this voyage by the viceroy of Nueva España; for they come here provided with money on commission, and when they have arrived here they invest it; nor is there any way to prevent them from lading the ships as soon as they have left the port. This they effect by placing their cloth in small vessels six or seven leguas away; and then they take from the ship the cloth belonging to the citizens, and lade their own, from which results great injury to this country. This was done even by Don Antonio Maldonado, son of the licentiate Maldonado, auditor of Mexico, who unloaded on a beach a great deal of cloth belonging to citizens here. This would not happen if the officers were appointed here; because those appointed would give bonds before they left, and, as they must come back and render an account, they would not commit these evil acts. Your Majesty will be pleased to order what is most expedient.