The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 24 of 55 / 1630-34 / 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

Royal Letters and Decree

Letter to Tavora

The King. To Don Juan Niño de Tavora, my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia which sits there. Your letter of August 4, 628, which treats of matters concerning the exchequer, has been received and examined in my royal Council of the Yndias, and this will be your answer.

As to what you say that it is not expedient to continue the custom introduced under the governorship of Don Juan de Silva, namely, that the officials of my royal exchequer in those islands should not make payments without your order—considering that they have not half the money which is needed, and that it will be necessary to set limits to the payments, so that they may be made only in the most necessary cases—you will observe the order which you have for this matter, taking care that the payments made be entirely justified.

I have looked into the difficulties which you mentioned as resulting from the sale of offices of notaries in the provinces of the islands; but as it seems that the considerations in favor of it are the weightiest, you will order that they be immediately sold, or at least one in the chief town of each province, and will advise me when this is put into execution, and the amount for which each one is sold.

It will be well, as you say, that with the approval of another council like that which was held in the time of Don Pedro Acuña, decisions should be made whether it would be best to make a new valuation of the produce in which the Indians are obliged to pay the tribute. Granting the arguments which you bring forward, you will take care that they pay some of their taxes in kind; because otherwise they would not take the care that is desirable in stock-raising and farming.

You will see to it that the payment of salaries to the auditors of that Audiencia be not postponed; but on the other hand you shall prefer them to all others, whereby the complaint which they make of you on that score will be avoided. [Madrid, December 4, 1630]

I the King
Countersigned by Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras.

Royal decree to regulate shipbuilding

The King. To Don Juan Niño de Tavora, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia therein, or the person or persons in whose charge their government may be. It has been learned by my royal Council of the Indias that the warships which are built in those islands are so large that they can be used only to fight in a stationary position in any battle; and that they cannot avail for navigation, to make or leave port when desired, to sail to windward, to pursue, or for any other purpose; and that there are not sailors or soldiers or artillerymen in sufficient numbers with whom to man them, as the smallest ship is of a thousand toneladas’ burden. In order to equip them many war supplies are needed, also huge cables and heavy anchors, of which there is a great scarcity in that country. We have been informed that, now and henceforth, it would be advisable that no ships of greater burden than five or six hundred toneladas be built which will be suitable for the commerce and trade with Nueva España, and for the war fleet. And inasmuch as it is advisable that the best plan be adopted in this matter, you shall assemble the persons of that city most experienced in shipbuilding and in navigation, and in accordance with their opinion you shall proceed in building the ships. You shall endeavor to consider in their construction what regards both strength and capacity, and the other matters above mentioned. You shall advise me of what resolution you shall adopt. Given in Madrid, December fourteen, one thousand six hundred and thirty.

I the King

Countersigned by Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras, and signed by the members of the Council.

[Endorsed: “To the governor of Philipinas, ordering him to assemble the persons of that city most experienced in shipbuilding and navigation, and in accordance with their opinion to regulate the building of ships.”]

Letter to the Manila Audiencia

The King. To the auditors of my royal Audiencia of the city of Manila in the Filipinas Islands. Your letter of the first of [month omitted] 628 has been received and considered in my royal Council of the Indias, and I hereby give you answer to it.

In regard to what you say touching the fact that the officials of my royal treasury of those islands do not pay you your salaries promptly when due, saying that the governor has ordered them not to pay it without his decree, I am having the said governor ordered to endeavor not to delay the payment of your salaries; but that, on the contrary, you be preferred to all others in the payment of them.

You say that, in accordance with what was ordained by laws of the kingdom and ordinances of the Audiencia there, appeals have been admitted in it, from the decisions of the alcaldes-in-ordinary, [and] edicts of the governor; [but] that he has imposed a standard and measure, in matters of the political government, with certain penalties, on the Sangleys regarding the manner in which they have to make timber, tiling, and other like articles; and that the governor has prevented these causes from being appealed to that Audiencia, declaring his purpose to give me an account of it. As he has done this, and has asked for a declaration of what he ought to do, I have ordered him to observe, in the method of reporting these contentions to me, and in the form on which they must be grounded, the order that is given by various decrees; and in the meanwhile he shall observe the custom in similar cases. And if there are no similar cases, then no innovation shall be introduced in the trial of the said appeals.

The said governor also writes me in regard to what you say about his prohibiting disputes from going to that Audiencia, or to any of the auditors, as alcaldes of court, as he believes that the parties can go to place the disputes before the ordinary judges; so that, if there should be any act of injustice, the case may go on appeal to that Audiencia. In that regard, he has been answered to observe the existing laws on that matter.

What you say about ceasing to maintain a room, separate from the other collegiates, in the college of San Josef (which is under charge of the fathers of the Society), for the instruction of the Japanese in our holy faith, is approved for the present, as communication with that kingdom has ceased.

The other sections of the said letter were examined, but there is nothing to answer to them at present. Madrid, December 31, 1630.

I the King
By order of the king our sovereign:
Don Francisco Ruiz de Contreras