Your Majesty orders me by a decree of your Majesty, under date of March twenty-seven of the year twenty-nine, directed to the archbishop of this city of Manila—which I received, as I have in charge this church in the said vacancy—to make investigation regarding the claims of Doctor Don Juan de Quesada Hurtado de Mendoça, fiscal of this royal Audiencia, that he has been given a royal decree to act as protector of the Sangleys, as his predecessors have been. Your Majesty orders me to ascertain whether a protector is necessary, whether the Sangleys ask for one, and whether it be advisable that he should be the fiscal. The relation made in the royal decree, Sire, by the said Doctor Don Juan de Quesada, is the truth, without adding one jot to it. What I can say to your Majesty is that the Sangleys need a protector to defend them; and that they have no defense, as has been experienced, except when they have had the fiscals as protectors. This is the reason why they have always been appointed. Often many injuries and annoyances inflicted on the Sangleys are remedied by the sole authority of the fiscal, without commencing suit. The Sangleys, Sire, ask a protector, and ask that he be the fiscal. I have seen a petition which was presented to the governor of these islands, Don Juan Niño de Tabora, signed by very many Sangleys, in which they petition him to give them the said Don Juan de Quesada, the fiscal, as protector. He has not determined to appoint the latter, because of the decree that he has received from your Majesty. However, I am fully persuaded of the great advantage to the Sangleys in having the fiscal as protector. This is the reason why no other has been appointed; for the governor says that, in conscience, he finds it very desirable for the Sangleys that the fiscal be their protector. The Sangleys have always petitioned for a protector. They are the ones who pay him his salary, and not your Majesty; consequently I cannot see that there should be any inconvenience in your Majesty giving them the one whom they desire and whom they pay, especially when it does not militate against your Majesty or your royal treasury. The Sangleys are very unprotected since your Majesty ordered that the fiscal should not be their protector. They are much better off, as they have experienced (as we all experience) the Christian spirit and honesty with which the fiscal, Don Juan de Quesada, has served and serves your Majesty. Consequently, it seems to me advisable that the present fiscal, and those who shall fill that office hereafter, be the protectors of the Sangleys. The contrary, I believe, would result in harm to the Sangleys. No protector can have less trading and business relations with the Sangleys than the fiscal, to whom your Majesty has prohibited trade and traffic; and he has forsworn it. May our Lord preserve the Catholic person of your Majesty for many years for the welfare of His kingdoms. Manila, July last, 1631.
Fray Pedro,
bishop of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus.
[1] This was Balthasar Carlos, born in 1630; he died in 1646. He was betrothed to Mariana of Austria, but his father, Felipe IV, married her in 1649.
Royal Orders, 1632–33
Letter to Tavora
The King. To Don Juan Niño de Tavora of my Council of War, my governor and captain-general of the Filipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia there. Your letter of June 20 of the past year 630, concerning the exchequer, has been examined in my royal Council of the Yndias, and an answer is given you in this concerning the matters thereof in which decision has been made, and those which require reply.
I have considered what you say in regard to the inexpediency of including these islands in the monopoly of playing-cards established in Mexico;[1] also the act which you issued to the effect that the [monopoly] contracted for with Don Francisco de la Torre, a citizen of that city, should be put into execution. You will order this to be observed and complied with, during the time that it shall last; for it is already agreed to, with this stipulation, and I have confirmed it. As for the future I wish to know the advantages or difficulties which may result to my royal exchequer from doing away with this income, and not including those islands in it, and whatever else in this matter may occur to you, you will inform me in regard to it very fully on the first occasion; and I likewise command, by a decree of this day, that the said Audiencia do this.
You say that the office of secretary of the cabildo of that city was sold for twelve thousand five hundred pesos in coin, with the condition of having a voice and vote in the cabildo—which you conceded because the greater part of the offices of regidor there of were vacant, as there was no one to buy them; and that the price of the said office should rise, as otherwise it would not pass six or eight thousand pesos. You also stated that it was sold under condition that, if I should find it inexpedient and for this reason should not confirm it, nothing should be returned to the buyer; and as the said condition of his having a voice and vote in the cabildo has appeared prejudicial and illegal, you will correct this immediately—supposing, as you say, that the contract need not be altered for this reason, or anything given back to the person concerned.