In order that we might know your Majesty’s will, and thereby that of God; and since those of us who are here are in duty bound, since we live in lands so remote from the shade of their king, to give you advice of what we think will fulfil that obligation: I thought (since it was necessary to write), that I would tell your Majesty the reason for the many troubles and evils that have come upon this country, and the wrongs that are worth correction. Your Majesty will be informed of them in detail in many other ways, and they relate not only to the wrongs against the native Indians of the country and against the Chinese, which are of so great importance, but against the Spaniards themselves and that which is most to the wrong of your Majesty and your royal crown. Although the branch whence this fruit [of troubles] is gathered, is other, yet the root which is reported is the governors who come to these islands, and the insatiable greed which they bring hither or which, at their arrival, is impressed sufficiently on them. Consequently, not only to God (which is more easy for them), but even to men (and of which men may judge and advise your Majesty), do they break through the veil of their shame in order to do things that neither I nor anyone else who has any shame would dare to break in order to relate them—and nearly everything, or everything in this matter of injuries, has every kind of mediator mixed up in it. For if already God has desired to give your Majesty occasion to make an innovation in the matter of the governor, it must now be innovated, even if in regard to former governors, neither in person nor in fact is there anything to say. But that which in the future we dare report with all humility (only because of the compassion which the destruction of this land of your Majesty causes us) is that if it be possible he who shall be governor do not come from España. For since he is suddenly changed and dispossessed of his possessions and property that he had there, and spends all his substance on account of the so long journey and preparation for it, and even arrives deeply in debt, and with many followers and people who are destitute and rely on his protection; and also perhaps has to provide and to satisfy their past expenses and even present hunger, to provide houses for them, and to give them the offices which he has promised—this, and what is necessary to reimburse him for his expenses, and afterward to fatten him to the proportion that his hunger demands and that the pasturage invites (that pasture here being very sufficient to swell the breasts, although it be at the cost of the poor and beyond doubt that of your Majesty, for whom the governor with his artifices and those of his intimate friends is destroying the land)—I declare that for only the abovesaid for each new governor who comes from España, we need a new and a very rich and abundant land such as this was formerly. Now we behold it almost destroyed and it does not need much to completely destroy it, [which will happen] if only another governor comes who will exercise the cunning abovementioned; especially if he should have the support of a wife and children, and some relatives and friends and clients for whom to provide in proportion to their imagination and their desires.
In accordance with the above, your Majesty (for the said causes) ought to order now that he who should become governor should not come from España, because of the service of God, which is the only thing that moves us here, because of compassion for this country, whose so great remoteness is a reason for your Majesty to have that compassion, as you do not see how it is given over, and because of your royal crown to which you are under obligations. For it is considered and judged that there will be persons here who can serve your Majesty satisfactorily in this office. Of those here your Majesty should not appoint any one indiscriminately for the present, until this land regains its strength and vigor. Nor less should there be here so great a burden of wife, children, relatives, friends, and other people, to whom the governor is under obligations, and for whom almost by necessity he must fulfil that obligation at the cost of your Majesty and of this your land. Although we are aware that we are very audacious and bold toward so great a Majesty as to point out to you a person, yet placed between two things so weighty on the one part as the abovesaid, and on the other the reverence due your Majesty, we are bold in preference toward your Majesty, which is not so serious a matter according to our opinion, as would be boldness toward God and to that which we (some persons of us who have discussed the reform of this land) judge that we are obliged by true respect for Him (I mean of God) and compassion for this land and your Majesty’s service. The above then, has made us here feel and write to your Majesty that the factor Juan Baptista Roman,[2] whom your Majesty has appointed in these islands, is a man of great judgment, prudence, clear understanding, and (unless we are deceived), of good conscience. He has always opposed the governor and other persons in regard to matters which he perceived were not being attended to in accordance with your Majesty’s instructions and decrees, as well as in many other matters of your royal service, for almost no injury that does not bear, or result in, damage to the royal crown can be done in this land. The above-named person is here, and will incur no further expenses, or new and lawless famines, or [expenses of] wife, or children, or any other frauds that we can perceive; although we believe that he is so prudent a man that he could have them without their being perceived. But this is also difficult and there cannot be much when it is not seen. It does not appear that one can be judged prolix in a matter so weighty and important, even if I have been so.
In addition to the above, I am obliged to inform your Majesty that in the year 81, and at your Majesty’s order and decree, which the viceroy of Nueva España has for that purpose, I was sent to these islands with three others—one the priest whom I mentioned above as having served your Majesty in the expedition to China, and the other two well fitted for the service of this land, although one of them has died. We came to consider whether this land was a place where we could serve God and your Majesty. Now, inasmuch as we have to send our determination concerning the matter to our general as he is awaiting it, we find ourselves in confusion, for we had to write that we cannot stay here, or else to tell him in what way we can stay and to ask for more men. We have not been able to find any other way except to do our duty. Will your Majesty order that the Society occupy itself as in the other parts [of the Indias] where they are established, in rearing and instructing the children of this city and of these islands, and in teaching grammar to those who should be [fitted] for it. Let those who are now about to be able to do something take some lectures in philosophy, or theology, or at least cases of conscience, so that the Society may have something to do, and the community be aided. For now not only the children, but also many adults and those ordained by some of the orders are misguided. Both they and many others whom God influences and will influence to change their estate and become priests or religious have no relief or do one or the other thing, or else go to España. Many seculars and religious have not been completely reformed in their studies, or do nothing or do it wrongly. They are filled with doubts and have no one who can settle those doubts for them. They will not be able to take any Indians into the Society unless there is a house in Manila to serve as the mother of all the ministers who should go to the Indians; for, according to their custom, they do not fulfil their duty by having absolute and exclusive houses however few they be—one or two or three—but although they be among Indians, those houses must be subordinate to the large house so that the order may be preserved. If this house and seminary be thus established for the said teaching, your Majesty will save much of the trouble and expense of sending ministers from so great a distance as five thousand leguas, who after their arrival do not accustom themselves to the land or to the difficulty of the language. Some of them return and few of them really settle. But those here are already accustomed to the climate and are skilled in the customs and language. Consequently, in the time that it takes one to come from España, one is turned out here, and one of those already naturalized and with two years of grammar is worth more than a preacher who comes from España and at so great an expense. For the little with which your Majesty can establish this seminary or fount of ministers here, it appears that it would be sufficient to apply some little trifle from your Majesty’s treasury; and with that the Society will have a new obligation here and everywhere to serve your Majesty, in addition to the many that it has already. May God preserve your Majesty’s health and life, and prolong it for as many years as we see to be necessary here for His great honor and glory. Manila, June 17, 1583. Your Majesty’s unworthy servant in the Lord.
[1] See Colin’s Labor evangélica, pp. 170–192 for an account of Sanchez’s trips to China and Macao. His second trip to Macao occurred near the end of this same year 1583. [↑]
[2] See letter from this official in VOL. V, pp. 192–195, and post, pp. 392–402. From a royal decree dated Madrid, March 27, 1591, it appears that Roman had died in the Philippines while still exercising his duties as treasurer. [↑]
LETTER FROM DOMINGO DE SALAZAR TO FELIPE II
Royal Cæsarean Majesty: