The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898/Volume 6/Letter to Felipe II (Pedro de Rojas, June 30, 1586)
LETTER OF PEDRO DE ROJAS TO
FELIPE II
The great need in this country of giving your Majesty an account of the many matters here that demand reform (and without it are on their way to evident ruin), and further of the affairs of the realm of China, seems at this juncture to make it indispensable that the people of this country should send to your Majesty Father Alonso Sanchez, of the Society, a person of very holy life, much learning, prudence, and excellent judgment, and such a one as is well fitted to go to discuss with your Majesty the affairs which have been placed in his charge. Many of them, if the father did not go, would compel me to write to your Majesty for their amendment; but, as he is being sent, I shall let them go, referring you to all that the said father may relate. I only beg that at this time, when the opportunity is so good, and within the lifetime of your Majesty, an entrance may be made into these Chinese realms, and they and the neighboring countries be brought to the knowledge of the holy Catholic faith, and to the service and dominion of your Majesty.
The affairs of this Audiencia are, through the goodness of God, in order and peace at present—although in times past it has not been so, for there was some contention between your president and auditors, over filling certain offices of the Audiencia. The appointments to them belonged, it seems, according to your royal laws, to the Audiencia. There was a question as to whether the president was to confirm the appointments made by him as governor, in your royal name, by Don Phelipe, and with your royal seal. It seems that this is quite to the disadvantage of the Audiencia. For, if the office of governor resided in another than the president, the offices of the Audiencia would not be provided for therein, except the president and auditors; nor would they be confirmed by Don Phelipe or with your royal seal, since this belongs to the Audiencia alone. As soon as it was seen that this was being done, there was hard feeling; but nevertheless, to avoid wrangling, a compromise was settled upon—which, if it be your Majesty's pleasure, you may order to be examined, as it is sent with the documents relating to the foregoing controversy. By these your Majesty will see how much your president was at fault, and the chance the Audiencia gave for your Majesty's interests to suffer, if there were any disturbance. Everything was done very circumspectly, to avoid the injury that might result, from some other source, to this commonwealth and realm. Accordingly we drew up, by agreement, an act which your fiscal sent with the other papers; and since then we have had no difficulties, but on the contrary, cordial relations have been maintained in so far as the public is concerned. It appears, however, that this is not so in secret; for I was yesterday informed that your president was sending depositions and information against your auditors, reviewing our entire lives, to your Majesty. I beseech you to have these documents examined, both ours and his; and, if it shall follow that we are at fault, we will expiate it with no less than our lives, for it is not just that those who are disloyal to your Majesty's service in countries so remote should incur a lighter punishment. Will your Majesty make certain of the intention of your president, and whether he can find guilt in your auditors too grave for pardon. Likewise your Majesty must understand that I do not consider that I am serving you by detailing the shortcomings of my colleagues; for there is no lack of writers better able to write and tell them than I am. The one thing that gives me consolation is, that when your Majesty sends some one to ascertain how we have served you, then in truth, you will be able to see who has done and who has aided in doing his duty.[1]
Although the father above mentioned is instructed to discuss the matters pertaining to this country, it has seemed best to me not to neglect writing your Majesty about the following matters.
It seems expedient for your royal service, as this country is so ill-provided and poor, that the Audiencia should be suppressed, and that in its place one man be sent who is fitted for the position. If he be not such, the Audiencia should remain, in order to hear disputants with justice, relieve the oppressed, remedy wrongs and grievances, and prevent many wrong acts which, without it, an evil-minded governor would commit; this would also do away with the appeals to Mexico, by which the citizens suffer much loss. But if the governor were a fit one, there would be no need for the Audiencia and for many other institutions, for the reasons which the father will explain to you.
Such a governor should have authority and permission from your Majesty so that, after having discussed and consulted (with such persons as you may direct) on the affairs that seem to him most important for your Majesty's service, he shall take such measures as appear to him expedient, without other formality or consultation with your Majesty; for in many cases the delay would entail losses, and in this way many important opportunities are lost to your Majesty's service.
Such a governor should not give permission, without a special license from your Majesty, for any person to go out of this country; for by the lack of this, great losses in population have been suffered here; in some years more Spaniards go hence than arrive. Besides, everyone is confident that permission to go will be granted to him, and many therefore neglect to make themselves a home; whereas, if they did so, it would cause them to multiply, have children, and become citizens of the country.
Such a governor should not be allowed, either in his own name or through a third person, to carry on trade or commerce. And the better to hold him to this, the decision as to whether he trades or carries on commerce should be in the hands of the magistracy, the municipal government, and the judiciary; so that, if such charge be proved on investigation, all the said governor's goods may be sequestered and he, be sent prisoner to your Majesty, so that you may do with him and his as you see fit. If this be done, it is the surest means to keep the governors in the path of rectitude, and make them perform their duties as they should. Nothing else has wrought such ruin in the country as the trading and trafficking of those who govern it.
And in order that this land should meet the high hopes which your Majesty has for it, it would seem of the utmost importance to restrain not only the governors from trading, but the soldiers as well. From their trading have resulted losses to your Majesty, which I shall point out.
Every year there goes out of this country to China three hundred thousand pesos of silver, and this year more than five hundred thousand. The Chinese obtain here much gold, which they take away, and none of it ever comes back to this country; and what they bring for it is the dregs of their own country, while what they take is the fat and richness of your Majesty's realm.
Through the opportunities furnished by commerce, a great many Chinese come hither, which is no small injury for so weak and poor a land; for every Chinaman eats more than do five Moros and always of the best, even though the cost is high, and in this way provisions are made dearer. With the interest in inordinate gain, they cease to perform their duties, because these are of less profit than trade. If this were stopped, some of them would, for their own interest, seeing that there is nothing else of which they are capable, stay in these islands as farmers, others as stock-raisers; and still others would work at the mechanical trades, and especially at building, which is so important a trade in this country. In this way they would receive their profits, and the Spaniards would have all the service they wanted, and that very cheaply. If they no longer bring silk and brocades, they can bring cows, horses, mares, provisions, military supplies, copper, and all kinds of metal, and gunpowder, each in great abundance, and at a low cost—a thing much to the profit of this land, as may readily be seen. Articles sent from España to Nueva España would keep their value; and the gold and silver paid for them would remain in your own realm.
If there were no trade with China, the citizens of these islands would be richer; for the natives, if they had not so many tostóns, would pay their tributes in the articles which they produce, and which are current—that is, cloths, lampotes, cotton, and gold, all of which have great value in Nueva España. These they cease to produce because of the abundance of silver; and what is worse, and entails more loss upon your Majesty, is that they do not, as formerly, work the mines and take out gold. If they did so, it would be of great importance to your Majesty and the whole country; and if this alone formed the merchandise sent to Nueva España from these islands, the gold and silver would remain here, and in the hands of the Spaniards themselves.
Carrying on commerce as they do, all the Spaniards are absorbed in it, to such a degree that there are not even enough to aid in the expeditions and military operations. Thus they will not remember that they are soldiers, and living among so many enemies, and do not realize that they are carrying arms; nor do they work for what your Majesty claims of them, the conversion and pacification of the natives. The Spaniards have become effeminate in spirit by their trading, and on various occasions have greatly lost their repute, for they are not as they used to be—having given themselves over to vices, luxuries, fine clothes, eating, and drinking; consequently they have not had their wonted success on several of the expeditions, and have come back without accomplishing what they set out to do, and the friendly Indians are making war, and going out to fight.
If your Majesty would prohibit trading, except perhaps in the products of the islands, three hundred men would be of as much use here as a thousand are today; for they would realize that they must gain their livelihood by their arms, and not by traffic. Otherwise they only await a chance to go hence as soon as possible, and so take no heed of the affairs of this country, and do not engage in stock-raising and agriculture, or in building, for each one does as suits him best; and therefore this country is not growing, but rather falling into appalling decay and weakness.
What with the hopes they all have of returning to España, they will not do otherwise than send their wealth back thither; and they have no mind for spending it in the country where they earned it, in building churches, monasteries, and chapels, and performing other pious works whereby this city would be improved—which they would do if they knew that permission could not be given them to go back to España.
It would seem best for the present that your Majesty should not make exchanges or transfers of Indians with the encomenderos; for, if this is done, your Majesty must pay for it in other parts of the royal estate. At the least he will lose a soldier, an important thing in this land, when it has cost your Majesty so much to bring him here. On the other hand, they will always settle down, in order to have some one to succeed them in their encomiendas, and will marry; and their children will do the same, and become more and more naturalized in this land, which is so important for its welfare.
Likewise it seems expedient, for the same object, that your Catholic Majesty should found in this city a seminary and place of shelter for girls, where they may be supplied with all necessaries while they remain there, until they are married. If this were done, many poor girls from Mexico and the whole of Nueva España would enter the said seminary, knowing that there they would find support until they were settled. In order that they may be more eager to come, it would be of great advantage for your Majesty to direct that in Mexico should be given them everything necessary for traveling expenses and those of the voyage.
It would be of no little benefit to your Majesty's royal estate, if there were sent from your royal treasury of Mexico to this one, each year, twenty thousand pesos in coin; and if there were sent from here to Mexico all the gold that is collected in tributes from the Indians assigned to the royal crown, and what is paid for the tithes and the assay fee—as it is in this country an article of trade, which rises or falls according to the abundance of tostóns. If this gold were taken to Mexico, it would, in a few years, amount to double the money given for it here; and if the attempt were made to issue it from this treasury for its value, no one would take it, except at a considerable loss, for the reason given.
If your Majesty be pleased to discontinue the Audencia, the temporal governor of these islands should be the same person who rules spiritual affairs. For the present, it seems that this would be very desirable; for with such a person the suspicion of trading and trafficking does not exist, and there is more certainty that the offices and encomiendas will be given to those who deserve them, rather than to his servants and relatives. And, above all, it would be well if this dignity were given to the bishop, who is now so zealous in the service of your Majesty, and desirous that all its affairs shall go well. He is also so thorough a Christian, and possessed of so much virtue, learning, and wisdom, that by his holy zeal he would aid in what your Majesty desires—that is, the conversion and good treatment of the natives of these islands, and the propagation of the holy faith. With that will cease the struggles for jurisdiction, which are not right during this time when spiritual affairs are getting a foothold; but, after they have become established, they can easily be put in their proper place. Furthermore, the said bishop, as he is a spiritual father, will be so in all things, and will proceed in the suits and cases rather with fatherly mediation than with judicial rigor.
If it be not the bishop, there is the licentiate Ayala, fiscal of this Audiencia, who performs his duties here as a good lawyer and a Christian, and is such a man as would give your Majesty satisfaction, whatever you may order him to do.
If the government could be given to one of the persons residing here, there would result many advantages, the greatest being that he would be acquainted with insular affairs, by the experience that he would have had with them. He would know who was deserving of honor and reward; and as all of us who have lately come have come in need, burdened with the care of servants and relatives, all being poor, we seek to supply our own needs and those of the persons whom we bring at our expense, and those who deserve aid go hungry; for before the governors can feel the pulse of affairs in the islands, and know what things need remedy, they depart or are removed.
I write this to your Catholic Majesty, knowing that you will regard it as for your service that I, as one present on the scene, should write of each subject what I think in regard to it, so that your Majesty may act as you see fit, considering the reasons advanced on either side. These will be more fully explained in each case by Father Alonso Sanchez, to whom your Majesty should give entire credit, on account of his sanctity, and the earnest zeal that he has always shown for the bettering of affairs in this realm; and because he is a person who, through the broad experience he has had with them, and the many times he has pondered over their remedy, will be able to give a satisfactory account of them all. I therefore beg your Majesty, in all the affairs which are reported from here, to listen to the opinion of the said father, that your Majesty may be the better informed. May our Lord preserve your Catholic and royal person for many long years of life, adding to your kingdoms and seigniories, as we the loyal vassals and most humble servants of your Majesty desire. Manila, June 30, 86. Royal Catholic Majesty, your Catholic Majesty's most humble vassal, and insignificant servant.