The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 17 of 55 / 1609-1616 / 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

by Unknown

Letters from Felipe III to Silva

The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia there. Your letter of July 24, 609, was received and examined in my Council of the Yndias, and I was glad to learn by it of your arrival in those islands, and that you had a prosperous voyage. As for what you say concerning the anxious efforts of certain religious to cause the governmental and military offices in their districts to pass through their hands, and the disturbances and troubles which have occurred among the natives, and the assemblages of people, and the reduction of villages which has been accomplished, when there was an opportunity for the same to hinder the royal jurisdiction by opposing the corregidors and others who are governing—as happened a short time before you arrived, in a district of the province of Nueva Segobia, where you found it necessary to send troops of war with the sargento-mayor Christoval de Axqueta to pacify and punish some Indians who had rebelled because the religious had tried to unite them and make them sedentary without giving account to the governor: it has seemed best to me to charge you, as I do charge you, that you shall endeavor that such measures be taken in these matters that suitable provision be made against such troubles, and manage affairs considerately and prudently; for we confide in you to avoid the difficulties which you describe, and others which may occur.

The bishoprics of Cibu and that of Nueva Cáceres are already provided for, as you will be informed.[1]

In the lading of the ships for that trade it is understood that there has been great evasion of the law, as you likewise say in your letter; and because this, as is known, causes much trouble, I order you to take great care to observe inviolably, in regard to this matter, what is ordained by the decree which treats thereof—causing it to be fulfilled and executed, without infraction in any case, whatever it may be, as this is expedient for the general good.

What you have done in regard to the matter of the three per cent from the Chinese is well, and accordingly its collection will be continued; and likewise all the current dues from the two per cent which was recently imposed upon the merchandise of the natives which goes to Nueva España will be collected from those who shall owe it. In future, you will comply with the orders given you in regard to this, endeavoring to have both imposts collected with as much gentleness as possible.

What you say concerning the proposition by the agents of the Mindanaos regarding the settlement of peace with them has been examined, and is being considered; and you will be promptly advised of the decision which will be made.

In the post of alcayde and governor of the troops of the force in Terrenate a person has been appointed to serve, on account of the death of Juan de Esquibel, as you will have already been informed.

As it seems to me that the administration of the clove product and other property which I hold in Terrenate should be suitably placed, in charge of a person of intelligence and the necessary trustworthiness, and that these qualities are combined in Pedro de Baeza, I have appointed him as my factor there, subordinate to the instructions which you will give him, which will be in accordance with the confidence that we have in your prudence and zeal, as you have the matter near at hand, and can be informed so punctually of what is expedient therein. In the meantime, until the formal decision is made as to who shall take charge of the cloves for the future, you will observe what has been decreed in regard to this. You will advise me minutely of what it has brought into my royal treasury—not only through the trade with the Portuguese and other nations in Maluco, but what has been carried to those islands for the crown of Castilla; and what is the net result, to whom that merchandise has been given, and where it has been consumed, so that, having this information, I may decree and order whatever is fitting.

It is very well that care has been taken, as you say, and an order issued to the effect that Japanese should not reside in those islands; and you will continue this procedure with the attention which the matter demands.

As it proves difficult for the natives to conduct warfare after the manner of the Spaniards, you will issue decrees dispensing with it; and will provide for safety as you suggest in your letter.

The decree in regard to the time when the ships on that trade-route shall depart for Nueva España you will cause to be carefully executed, as you know the importance of this for the safety of the voyage.

On occasions when any prebends of the metropolitan church of that city shall be vacant, you shall propose, as is expected, conjointly with the archbishop thereof, three persons for each of them, according to the orders.

You shall see that the cargo which will be carried on the ships in that traffic be always placed in the first hold; and, between decks, the ship’s stores, sailors’ chests, and rigging, as you say. You will do this in accordance with the order that has been given. You will likewise take care, as you suggest, and as I charge you to do, to provide that the common seamen take the provisions necessary for the voyage, that they may not suffer want.

As you know how important it is that the said ships should not go overloaded, you will fulfil, with the care which may be expected from you, what has been ordered in regard to this. For if at any time it should happen that they threw overboard any cloth from these ships, you will take such measures as may be best for all, making provision that the damage shall be shared among all in equal parts, so that those who are interested can demand satisfaction and no one remain injured.

The results of the accounts[2] of these islands, and errors in them, you will examine as I have ordered you, and place them in my royal treasury if you have not already done so, concerning all items which are not justified by vouchers, advising me by the first opportunity of what you may do.

In conformity with what you say, my viceroy of Nueva España has already been ordered not to allow any married man to pass to your islands; and if any of them shall go thither it must be with the permission of their wives for a limited time, and with guarantees given that they shall come back within the appointed time; I have thought best to advise you thereof, so that you may be informed of it, and on your part execute the same rule in so far as it concerns you.

The duties have been examined, in order that my royal treasury in those islands should have a surplus, thus saving what is carried from Nueva España for the expenses there. This is now being considered, and in a short time you will be advised of the decision made. [Guadarrama, November 12, 1611.]

I The King
By order of the king, our lord:
Juan Ruiz de Contreras

To Don Juan de Silva, governor of the Philipinas, informing him of the decree that your Majesty has commanded to be given to the deputy from Olanda, directing him to set at liberty Pablo Bancardin and other Dutchmen, as they have not given any provocation for their second capture.

The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia there. At the instance of Teodoro Rodemburg, who is present at my court on certain business concerning the islands of Olanda and Celanda, I despatched an order to you, by a decree of the same date as this (which has been delivered to that envoy), commanding that the admiral, Paulo Brancardin, and the seventy-four Dutch who, according to your letter, have been captured with him in an oared vessel, by Captain Pedro de Heredia, while voyaging from Terrenate to the island of Morata, should be set free, if it has not already been done, in conformity with clause thirty-four of the truce with Flandes. But if, after being freed from this captivity, he or any of the others should give any occasion for capturing them again, then (since in this case the fault would be theirs) you will advise me without setting them free. This I have thought best to inform you of, so that with this understanding, if they are again taken with cause—which they have given, as has been said, and as has been learned by a letter from Sargento-mayor Christoval de Asquelta, and by what you wrote to the viceroy, Marques de Salinas, in a letter of the fourth of September, 610, a copy of which he sent to me—and should they wish to negotiate their freedom by means of a ransom, or any other means, before or after the use of said decree, you will not admit of it, nor give them freedom in any manner, either to the said admiral or to the others; but you shall hold them prisoners with the greatest care, until you receive further orders from me. Madrid, on the twentieth of November of the year one thousand six hundred and eleven.

I The King
By command of the king our lord:
Juan Ruiz de Contreras
Signed by the members of the Council.

To Don Juan de Silva, governor of the Philipinas, ordering him to build and collect immediately a squadron of ships, to cruise in that sea, about the point of Manila, to make sure thereby that the Dutch do not rob the ships and other vessels which go to those islands from Nueva España, China, and other regions.

The King: To Don Juan de Silva, knight of the Order of Santiago, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia there. By letters from you and other persons zealous in my service, I have learned that the king of Japon has admitted the Dutch to commerce with his realms, for their having offered to carry him a great quantity of silk, which is the chief commodity in which they deal there; and because those rebels had robbed the Chinese, from whose ports they procure the silks, they dare not go to that kingdom for them. Accordingly, to keep the terms of their offer, and not lose that trade, it will be necessary for them to await the vessels of the Chinese near that city of Manila, which are going there with silk, in order to rob them of it. And not only will they do this damage, but they may also do the same with the ships which go to Nueva España, and other vessels from Malaca and Macan. It has been represented to me that, both in order to avoid this danger to my ships and my vassals, and likewise for the importance of keeping the said Dutch from fulfilling their offer to that king—for if they do not do it he will drive them out of his lands, where it is important [for us] that they should not secure a foothold—it would be well to have a squadron cruise close to the port of that city [of Manila]; and to secure this result, it will not be necessary to have large ships. I have thought it best to approve this; and, considering that when you receive this you will already have made the expeditions of which you wrote me in the letter of the fifth of September of six hundred and ten, if you have good success in them, with the help of our Lord, I command you that, with the ships that may remain to you of the fleet which you were engaged in collecting, you will keep those necessary for a squadron sufficient to cruise in that sea, and with it will attend to the matters above mentioned. And if there are not enough ships by using these, you will make and build, with all possible despatch, what may appear to you expedient for this purpose; and will inform me, at the first opportunity, of the number and kind of ships, and how they are supplied and equipped, with both men and artillery, and with all else necessary; until I may give a different order; as such is my will. These presents will be registered by my auditors of accounts who are in my Council of the Yndias. Dated at Madrid, the nineteenth of December of the year 1611.

I The King

By command of the king our lord:
Juan Ruiz de Contreras
Signed by the Council of War for the Yndias.

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[1] The see of Cebú was made vacant by the death of Bishop Agurto (September 14, 1608), and that of Nueva Cáceres (in 1607) by the death of its second bishop, Baltasar Corarrubias, O.S.A. The reference in our text is to the appointment of new bishops for these sees—for Cebú, Pedro Matías, O.S.F.; and for Nueva Cáceres, Pedro de Arce, O.S.A. But, as Matías did not understand the Visayan language, these appointments were finally exchanged; Matías was transferred to Nueva Cáceres, which he administered for two years and until his death, and Arce to Cebú.

[2] Because of the difficulty that has been represented to us in going or sending from very distant provinces, separated by the sea, to give their accounts, we have determined and resolved that the accounts of Chile and Filipinas shall be examined as hitherto, in accordance with the ordinances of the Audiencias—notwithstanding what is ordained by others—given to the accountants. The accounts shall have to be brought and given in the tribunal of accounts. We order that those thus examined in Chile be sent to the tribunal of accounts in Lima, and those of the Filipinas to that of Méjico. Our royal officials of those treasuries shall also send at the beginning of each year the lists and muster-rolls of the soldiers to the said tribunals, signed also by the governor and captain-general. The accountants of the above-mentioned tribunals shall send a report of the said accounts, with its lists, to our council of the Indias.” Felipe III, San Lorenzo, August 17, 1609, ordinance 24. (Recopilación de leyes, lib. viii, tit. i, ley lxxix). A decree dated San Lorenzo, October 19, 1719, ordered this law to be observed, and ordered also inspection of the treasuries every week. See note in Recopilación de leyes to the above ordinance.