The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898/Volume 9/Letter to Felipe II (Antonio de Morga, 1595)
Sire:
On the tenth of this month of July [sic], I arrived at port in these Philipinas Islands with the fleet of your Majesty, and the reënforcements that were sent to this place by the viceroy Don Luis de Velasco, under my command. I found the land at peace, and more free from suspicions of enemies than it has been hitherto. There is great hope that if moderate diligence be shown, our Lord may be pleased to open the door to the preaching of the gospel among the heathen. This is proved by the harvest gathered by the four descalced friars of the order of St. Francis, who went hence to Xapon last year. I found Don Luis Dasmariñas governing this land, on account of the death of his father, as your Majesty will have been fully informed ere this. I will serve according to your Majesty's orders in the office of lieutenant-general of these islands with as much care as my strength will permit, until your Majesty may be pleased to order otherwise. I humbly beseech your Majesty that the method of procedure that is to be followed here be sent to this kingdom with the utmost despatch. May those who live here be granted reward, for they have served your Majesty with much care and fidelity; and if the land is not burdened with taxes, the maintenance and advancement of it are likely to bring about great improvements even in the neighboring kingdoms, to the service of God and of your Majesty.
I shall commence the residencia which your Majesty orders me to take in the case of Licentiate Pedro de Rojas, my predecessor, and of other ministers, as soon as these ships for Nueva España have sailed. In order not to hinder their despatch, it has seemed best to postpone this work; but by the first ships I shall do as your Majesty bids me in this matter.
I was inaugurated into my office as soon as I arrived at this city, and concerning the inauguration I send the accompanying report to your Majesty. As I have come so recently I give no report in detail as to what should be done in this region. From what I have seen, however, it seems to me that I ought to remind your Majesty of what I wrote from Mexico. Your Majesty's treasury in these islands has been administered at a great loss to your Majesty's exchequer, and it is very necessary for your Majesty to send someone to make investigations and set things in order for the future. In that way your Majesty will be enabled to meet the expenses incurred, without providing therefor from Nueva España, as is done now. Everything is greatly in arrears. May our Lord preserve the royal person of your Majesty for many long years, as is needed by universal Christendom, and as we your Majesty's servants desire. Manila, June 25, 1595.
Dr. Antonio Morga
[Order by the council: "Let a decree be issued for the governor of the Philipinas to have these accounts taken. They shall be taken by Doctor Antonio de Morga. The results shall be sent to this council, with an account of everything that is done, and his opinion of what is meet to be done. A complete report shall be made of the royal property in that treasury."]
[Endorsed: "Considered May 27, 1596. Decree enclosed."]
This is a true and faithful copy taken from a royal decree and issued by the royal Council of the Indias, which Doctor Antonio de Morga, assessor and lieutenant to the governor in the judicial cases in these Ffilipinas Islands, presented before Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, governor and captain-general thereof. Its contents are as follows:
Don Felipe, by the grace of God king of Castilla, [here follows the usual list of his dignities and titles]:
Appreciating what you, Doctor Antonio de Morga, have done in my service, and your good qualities, learning, and efficiency, it is my will to choose and appoint you as I hereby do, my assessor and lieutenant to my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas, in place of Licentiate Pedro de Rojas, who at present serves in said office, and whom I have promoted as criminal alcalde of my royal Audiencia of the City of Mexico. It is my will that you be lieutenant-general of said governor and captain-general, with jurisdiction in affairs of government and war, to act as such; and, for the time that I may so desire, you shall exercise said offices in the affairs and cases which may arise in said islands, and relating to and bearing on them, in the fulness and manner exercised by former lieutenant-generals, and by him who at present fills that office in the provinces of Chile, in the affairs of government and war. The governor shall not appoint or have any other lieutenant; and in prosecuting, determining, and closing the cases which may occur, take place, or arise, in said islands, you shall proceed in the form and order which is contained and declared in the decree signed by my hand on the seventeenth day of the month of January of the present year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-three. As concerns the cases and suits about the Indians which may arise in those islands, you shall proceed according to the decree of Malinas and the declarations thereof, a copy of which will be given you, signed by Joan de Ledesma, my court secretary, of that which I have issued for the said provinces of Chile. I have therefore sent my letter to my said governor and captain-general of said islands, and as soon as it shall be shown to him, he shall take and receive from you, the said Doctor Antonio de Morga, the oath and the formalities prescribed in such cases and required from you. This having been done, you shall be received and regarded as lieutenant for matters of government and war and assessor for matters of justice; and you shall fill the said offices in every case and affair touching or pertaining thereto, as has been said. As soon as you shall have been received into the said offices, and shall have had delivered to you the rod of my justice, no other lieutenant whatever shall be permitted to exercise it, under the penalty incurred by persons who exercise public and royal offices without holding power and license therefor. After you have taken the said rod of my justice, he and all the citizens and inhabitants, and the captains, officers, and troops of the cities, towns, and settlements of said islands shall have and hold you as such lieutenant-general and assessor of the said government in government, war, and judicial affairs. They shall cause to be exercised the functions of the said offices in your person as herein provided, and shall observe and cause to be observed for you all the honors, favors, civilities, licenses, exemptions, pre-eminences, prerogatives, privileges, and other things, and each and every one thereof which by reason of the said offices you should have and enjoy. I, by these presents, receive you, and hold you received into the use and exercise of the said offices; and I give you power and authority to use and exercise them in case the said governor, or any of the aforesaid persons, should not receive you. It is my pleasure that you have and receive as yearly salary for the said offices two thousand pesos of four hundred and fifty maravedis each. I order the officials of my exchequer of the said islands to give and pay you this salary from the day when you sail from one of the two ports, Barrameda or Cadiz, on the way to assume your duties in the said office. In the future your salary shall be paid you, as long as you are in my service, at the times and terms which were followed in the payment of the said licentiate Pedro de Rojas. Your receipts, a sworn statement of the day of your sailing, as aforesaid, and a copy of this my decree shall be entered in the books of the officials. I order that the maravedis given and paid for this reason be receipted and charged on account with no other warrant whatsoever. Given at San Lorenço, on the eighteenth day of August in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-three.
I the King
I, Joan de Ybarra, secretary of our lord the king, have written this at his command.
The licentiate Hinojosa
Doctor Pedro Diaz de Tudanco
The licentiate Benito de Caltadano
The licentiate Bartolome de Toledo
Registered: Pedro de Ledesma
For the chancellor: Pedro de Ledesma
This commission and royal decree was entered in the books of the India House of Trade, of this city of Sevilla, on the eleventh of January in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-three.
Doctor Guiterrez Flores
Ochoa de Orguiza
Fernando de Porras
At Manila, the thirteenth day of June, of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-five, before Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, governor and captain-general of these Ffilipinas Islands, by order of our lord the king, and in the presence of me, the undersigned notary, Doctor Antonio de Morga presented this royal decree and petitioned for its execution. When the said governor heard this, he took the decree, kissed it, and placed it above his head, as a decree of his king and natural lord (may our Lord preserve him with increase of better kingdoms and seigniories!); and in token of his readiness to give commands in fulfilment of his Majesty's orders. Then the said governor took and received him on his oath before God, our Lord, and on a sign of the cross made by the right hand of the said Doctor Antonio de Morga, that he would execute his trust and office of lieutenant-general and assessor to the said governor truly and faithfully, as was declared and contained in this decree in conformity with the orders, commands, and decrees which in any manner refer or pertain to the said office and trust. After he had so sworn before the said governor, there was delivered to him the rod of royal justice, in order that he might enjoy and exercise the said office. To this were witnesses: The licentiate Pedro de Rojas, Estevan de Marquina.
Luis Perez Dasmariñas
Before me:
Gaspar de Asebo
The said copy was made, copied, corrected, and collated from the government records under my charge. It is a true and faithful copy of the records. The witnesses were Diego de Ffuentes, and Alonso de Aguilar. Given at Manila, on the twenty-third of June in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-five. Therefore I affixed my seal, in witness of its accuracy.
Gaspar de Asebo