The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55 / 1601-1604 / Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898
Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the close of the nineteenth century,
Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord Bourne.
Preface 9 Documents of 1601-1602
Documents of 1603
Three Chinese Mandarins at Manila. Geronimo de Salazar y Salcedo; Manila, May 27 83 Resignation of his office by the bishop of Nueva Segovia. Miguel de Benavides; Manila, June 4 98 Letters to Felipe III. Miguel de Benavides; Manila, July 5 and 6 101 Letters to Felipe III. Pedro de Acuña, and others; Manila, July-December 127 The Sangley insurrection. Pedro de Acuña, and others; Manila, December 12-23 142
Relacion de las Islas Filipinas (to be concluded). Pedro Chirino, S.J.; Roma, 1604 169 Bibliographical Data 323
Map of China and East Indies (original in colors), in Voyage ofte Schipvaert , by Jan Huygen van Linschoten (Amstelredam, M. D. XCVI), p. 22; photographic facsimile, from copy in Boston Public Library. 90, 91 Title-page of Relacion de las Islas Filipinas , by Pedro Chirino, S.J. (Roma, M. DC. IV); photographic facsimile, from copy in library of Harvard University. 171
The general documents contained in this volume cover the years 1601-03; they are followed by Chirino's Relacion , which was published in 1604, but the events related therein end in 1602. The two notable occurrences in this period are the great fire, and the Chinese revolt in Manila in the year 1603—the latter ending in the slaughter or expulsion of almost all the Chinese in the islands. Pirates are still raiding the shores of the northern islands; but the available forces of the colonial government are diverted to the assistance of an expedition from India which attempts (but unsuccessfully) to drive the Dutch from the Spice Islands. Commercial difficulties still affect the prosperity of the islands, caused mainly by the unauthorized share of Mexican speculators in the profitable trade between the Philippines and China; and various expedients are proposed for the regulation of this commerce. The great fire is a heavy blow to the Spanish colony, and the people fear the vengeance of the Chinese for the slaughter of their countrymen. The new archbishop of Manila complains that the religious orders are in much need of inspection and reform; some neglect the Indians to whom they should be missionaries, others keep the infidel Chinese on their lands, and allow the Indians to be corrupted by the vices of the former. After the Chinese revolt is quelled, vigorous protests are sent to the home government, especially by the ecclesiastics, against the laxity hitherto prevailing in the enforcement of the laws restricting Chinese migration to the islands.