The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 18 of 55 / 1617-1620 / 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

[1] Apparently referring to the importation of quicksilver (via Manila) from China to Nueva España. (Sec Vol. XVII, p. 237.)

Filipinas Menaced by Dutch

As I think that this will be a service to the Divine Majesty and to the human, and a benefit to this new world—in the west, to the Philipinas; and in the east, to Yndia (whither I went some years ago on an embassy for Don Joan de Silva and this commonwealth of Manila, and took note of its temporal and spiritual condition)—I am resolved to write this letter to your Lordship, in whose hands our Lord has placed the preservation of this kingdom, and consequently the conversion of numberless souls; perhaps our Lord will choose that in this way may be attained that which numerous letters from these islands to the royal Council of the Yndias have failed to accomplish. Your most illustrious Lordship may rest assured that if his Majesty does not actually send a great reënforcement of military aid to these islands, they must be lost; and, besides, the royal crown of España will meet the necessity of defending itself, with greater expenses, from the nations who will make war against it from this direction. Although I am no prophet, I dare to assert that in these seas we shall see the bloodiest battles that have been fought for many years, and that they must result in great injury to the kingdoms of Nueva España [and España].

This discourse of mine is based on a syllogism. All nations of the world are moved by interest, which is the loadstone of hearts. We see men going down, as they have gone, into the depths of hell for silver and gold; no one can doubt this axiom, and it has no need of proof. The minor premise is this, founded on experimental knowledge—namely, that the greatest source of profit that has been known in our times, the best proved and the most certain, is this of Maluco and Philipinas, whither come the nations of the north, and all other nations who course over this wide sea of India as far as Maluco, where they find that brown gold that they call cloves, and the white silk of China. They barter for or rob persons of the cloves, as well as mace, cinnamon, pepper, and other drugs, which, when carried to their own country, are so much gold-dust. The silks and wealth from China they seize here at the passage to Manila, from various unarmed vessels; and from a people who let their hair grow long, like women, and know not how to defend themselves, so that those robbers have here a sure booty and prize.

I shall presently tell you of the great value of these things, when carried to their own countries; I am now proceeding with my account from the proposition that the greatest source of gain in the world lies in these islands. All the nations know well that they need not go to Nueva España to conquer it, or to plunder the silver in the mountain of Potosi, or to the islands of Salomon—which, although they were at one time famed for riches of gold, have proved to be enchanted.[1] Florida, that it cost the French so dear to enter, is already deserted as useless; from Brasil no profits are obtained; from the wars of Flandes men gain nothing but bullets and glory. You may turn the needle to every point on the globe, and you will find that there is no place capable of so much profit as are these islands.

In order to reach them the foreigners have throughout all Yndia the ports of the heathen kings, which are more numerous than our own. The Dutch have factories in Currate [i.e., Surat], in Paliacate on the coast of Malavar, in the Jabas, and in Sunda, Achen, Macasar, and Maluco, where they are establishing themselves and obtaining a foothold. Above all, they have one in Japon, where they find all the supplies necessary for their voyages.

I shall tell you now of the culmination and result of their commerce. A single ship that arrives from these islands with cloves, mace, drugs, silks, etc., yields an immense amount of money; for they carry the goods that are shipped from these islands and from Eastern India through all the northern countries, and the kings give them free passage for their goods and remit duties. They have factories or correspondents in Olanda, Zelanda, Escocia, Ynglaterra, Yrlanda, Dinamarca, Norvega, Francia, Alemania, Alta and Baja Germania, Colonia, Baviera, Austria, Ungria, Boemia, as far as Transilvania, and in our kingdoms inland from Sevilla. This was stated by the Dutch General Blancorte [i.e., van Caerden], whom we held prisoner here.

From all this, the conclusion of the argument is that, as all the nations are moved by interest, and as the gains from these islands are so great, we shall have all the nations here; and indeed we have—not only the Dutch, but the English, who are a people of more ability than the Dutch have; and all these seas are open to the French, and to all other nations.

Who doubts that it costs the king dearly, in course of time, to reënforce us? For twenty years we have been hoping for the coming of a fleet and galleons, and none have come save a few small caravels brought by Ruy Gonzalez de Sequeyra to open up a way for trade to Sevilla; and eight galleons that were made ready for our aid, which put into Gibraltar, so that no aid has come for us. In the mean time the Dutch have new galleons every year, and the islands are already in the worst of straits. Your Lordship may believe that the governors—now, it may be, to show themselves better servants of his Majesty; again, to keep themselves longer in the government—have promised more than the land could raise. The truth is that the islands are utterly drained by the wars and the loss of the six galleons which Don Juan de Silva had built, and with other misfortunes that have been written to the king our lord at greater length. It is a marvel that Don Alonso de Faxardo has not died or become grievously ill with pain at finding these states so weakened, and his honor and that of the crown of España so jeopardized. If any one thinks that Eastern India can aid us, I have seen, and Don Geronimo de Azevedo, viceroy of India, assured me, when he gave me four galleons with five hundred infantry and ninety-two pieces of artillery, that he was giving all he had to give. And this was true, for he dismantled the forts to arm the galleons, and the latter were burned by the Dutch in the year one thousand six hundred and sixteen; so that we depend upon España alone for our aid. Although the great advantages that have been enumerated should be enough to cause this aid to be given, yet for the pious and so Christian heart of your Lordship I think it better to set forth the multitude of souls converted—who in the time of Don Francisco Tello, governor of these islands, numbered six hundred thousand baptized; and this city of Manila, small as it is, is the key to such great kingdoms as Japón, Coria, Great China, Sian, Patan, Camboja, the Xavas, Sunda, and Maluco, with which Manila is encompassed as is the center of a circle by its circumference. If your Lordship have any interest in its preservation, I hope, through the divine Majesty, that it will be kept, for the honor of the Lord himself. May He protect your Lordship for many years, according to the desire of your humble servant and chaplain. Manila, December 20, 1618.