The Ternatans beg urgently for this king whom we are keeping here in prison, and offer to make treaties of peace—although it would mean no more than to divide them between father and son, and to join the powerful Chile, for all are hostile. It would surely be advisable, for if what they offer were not obtained, the king is nothing more than an old and worn-out Moro, who remains here to no purpose, consuming your Majesty’s revenues. [In the margin: “See whether provision has been made in this matter. Discuss it in a letter to Don Juan Niño de Tabora.”]
Your Majesty orders me to advise you of the mines of the Ygolotes,[1] and the success of the nutmeg of La Laguna. The latter is considered as wild nutmeg, and now as of no importance. I shall endeavor to ascertain whether it may be cultivated, and shall attempt to do so. More than fifty thousand pesos were spent in the mines, but nothing was found at last. A quantity of rocks were sent to Nueba España, in order to be assayed there, as we had no one here who understood it; and, the soldiers having been withdrawn, that exploration was abandoned, as a matter that did not have the desired result.
[In the margin: “Seen; have Don Juan Niño de Tabora inform me more minutely of this.”]
I found this city without regidors, because the Audiencia had removed those who held that office. By virtue of a decree of your Majesty, the observance of which was demanded by the fiscal, those offices were offered at auction; but only two of them were sold. The purchasers were persons whose standing did your Majesty but know, you would surely not consider yourself served that [these offices should be sold] for so small a price as is two thousand pesos for each—and one thousand pesos of that sum was paid in due-bills. They should be discontinued, to be conceded to the persons of highest standing in this community, who because of their good character will attend more carefully to your Majesty’s service, and the conservation and increase of the community, than do those who buy them; for the latter generally try to get from the community the sum that the offices cost them. However, I am ordering the proclamations to be continued; and if there are no persons to buy the offices, after the time-limit has expired I shall appoint the most suitable persons to them, with the guarantee that, if your Majesty shall not consider this satisfactory, they shall pay to the treasury the maximum price for which any of the offices shall have been sold.”[2] [In the margin: “Gather what has been decreed and bring it here for all the councilors. Bring the general decree which was despatched ordering those offices to be sold. Inform the governor and Audiencia that there must be no innovation.”]
Some years [illegible words in MS.] in the additional two per cent duty that your Majesty ordered to be paid on the goods sent to Nueba España from here, attentive to the petition that they presented. I assure your Majesty that the trade has so greatly decreased, and the succors that the inhabitants here furnish to the royal treasury are so great, that even if the continual personal service with which they generally serve your Majesty did not deserve such a favor, this additional duty should be remitted; for I consider it impossible that at the price goods are bought here they can pay the duty. Will your Majesty decide what is most advisable, and order what is your pleasure. [In the margin: “Let those [papers] necessary be brought.”]
Your Majesty has no need so pressing in any part of the world as that your governors should have authority to remove or promote religious missionaries to the natives from the districts where they are, because of their lawless and loose mode of life. That has come to such a pass that they have lost respect, by their deeds, for the alcaldes-mayor, and the said religious do not pay any attention to their jurisdiction or to the royal patronage. The Augustinians, who are more exorbitant than others, are very owners of the wills of the Indians, and give out that the quiet or disobedience of the latter hinges on them. For when the alcalde-mayor of Balayan tried to restrain the excesses that he saw, they entered his house armed, and bound and flogged him; that was during the government of the Audiencia. But lately another alcalde-mayor, in Bulacan, having arrested two Indians, seamen on a ship of your Majesty’s fleet, so that they might serve at their posts, the religious at that place took them out of prison. Even more oppressive acts occur daily, which need a severe remedy. I petition your Majesty to have sent to me the decree which was sent to Nueba España this past year, with more definite restrictions, so that they may not have any ground for opposing it, and so that their generals, especially he of St. Augustine, may order them to restrain themselves, and so that his Holiness may do the same, the briefs or patents being passed by the Council and everything being sent to me. So great haste is necessary in order not to fall out with them. [In the margin: “Send that decree, and write to the governor and archbishop to summon the provincial of the Augustinians and tell him how advisable it is to punish that religious, and those who act so; and have them advised that no mission shall under any consideration be granted to religious against whom such accusations are made. Have them advise us of what is done.” “This decree was carried out.”]
I am quartering the infantry, and am surprised that it has not been done in so many years. It is not causing any expense to the royal treasury. For, besides that it is impossible that the soldiers be well disciplined in any other way—three-fourths living, as they do, outside the city—I trust that by this means a much smaller number will die, and that many offenses against God will be avoided.
Although your Majesty has often been petitioned from this country to aid these islands with a fleet, my experience in sailing to India by way of the cape of Buena Esperança, and outside the island of San Lorenço, causes me to desist from that request, as I consider it impossible. But considering that the forces here are for naught else than defensive war, and how important it would be to dislodge the enemy from the Malucas Islands, it seems to me an easier and more advisable method for your Majesty to send the soldiers and sailors who could be a reënforcement, at the account of Philipinas, in the merchant vessels of the trading-fleets [from España], so that in due time they might be taken from San Juan de Ulua, together with the men raised in Nueva España, to the port of Acapulco. For if sufficient money be sent from Nueba España, better ships can be built no-where than here; and thereby could be attained what I doubt greatly could be secured in any other way.
Don Bernardino del Castillo, castellan of this fort of Santiago, has died. I have appointed in his place, and I trust that your Majesty will confirm it, or appoint him to that post, Governor Lucas de Vergara Gavira, who has been governor of the forces of Terrenate, and who served your Majesty with approval in Flandes and in these regions for many years.
The island of Ermossa lies between Great China and the province of Ylocos, which is situated in these islands. There is so short a distance from one part to the other that one can cross over in one night. Although my predecessor, Don Alonso Fajardo, was advised that the Dutch were thinking of fortifying themselves there, and how important it was to these islands to gain the position, he did not do so, perhaps because the enemy were more powerful. Now the latter have a fort with four ramparts (two of stone), which will soon be completed, for the Chinese subjects of that kingdom are helping them. The island has no port for large ships; but the Dutch, together with Japanese, did considerable damage with small craft—so much, in fact, that the past year they captured a vessel with thirty thousand pesos. If time and opportunity permit, I shall endeavor to gain a foothold in another port, in order to drive out the Dutch in the future from what they have there now. If your Majesty would establish a factory there, it would result in the complete restoration of this country to its old-time luster, and with greater prosperity.