This packet—of which I will send another copy by the galleon, being uncertain whether this may be lost on the way—is going by way of one of the colonies which in this part of Asia belong to the foreign nations, such as Francia, Inglaterra, Olanda, and Portugal. By this route letters usually go very expeditiously to that kingdom [of España], as also those come here which are sent thence by these routes, employing the method which I described in detail to your Grace in the years 723 and 24—a fact which many persons here have learned by experience, in the case of the letters which by these lines are sent to them from the court there, by the correspondents whom they have in it; for one, the governor obtained this satisfaction soon after his arrival in these islands, in receiving various letters, among which was the commission as warden of the castle of Santiago in this city, for a nephew whom he had brought, who in España had been an alférez of the Guards.
From the maternal grandfather of Doña Maria Josepha the authorities seized here 102,000 or 106,000 pesos—a sum which, as it had been sent from these islands to Nueva España as an investment by Don Fernando Bustillo Bustamante, the former governor of the islands, was therefore by order of the viceroy of that kingdom [of Nueva España] placed in the royal treasury of Mexico; as also another considerable amount, which the aforesaid governor had sent, was obtained from various other seizures which the viceroy had made. Although the executors of the said grandfather of Doña Maria Josepha obtained a decree that they should be repaid for the amount seized, there has not thus far been any way in which that could be done—either because there was a lack of funds, or because the person to whom this commission had been entrusted in the aforesaid city of Mexico was inefficient. The greater part of the amount thus seized belongs to the aforesaid Doña Maria Josepha; in order to ascertain what is legitimately hers, some measures have been taken in order to secure the division of all the goods; and if (as I hope is the case), this effort shall have succeeded [in time] for the despatch of the galleon, I will then send word to your Grace of the result, in order that your Grace and friend Arze may be so kind as to ask for a new decree in which the viceroy shall be commanded to see that the most prompt satisfaction be given for the aforesaid amount. With this and a strong letter of recommendation from the secretary for the affairs of Indias in the general office of state, addressed to the present or future viceroy, there will be no doubt that the collection of this money will be facilitated, as is necessary and desirable—and all the more if this order shall arrive at the time when, as I trust, [an appointment to] a governorship being received, I should go, as would be necessary, to that kingdom [of Nueva España], even though it might be for [an office in] that of Peru.
[1] Spanish, lo que se llevó la trampa; literally, “what the trap carried away with it;” a variant of the phrase llevarselo el demonio. It is translated above in accordance with the definition in Caballero’s Diccionario de modismos (2nd edition, Madrid, 1905), p. 744.
“Fairs” [ferias] here alludes to the annual sale or fair at Acapulco which took place at the arrival of the galleon from Manila; in this case the goods from Filipinas evidently were sold at a loss. [↑]
[2] Apparently referring to Juan Ventura de Maturana, who was royal secretary in the Council of the Indias in 1734–35. [↑]
[3] This was Doctor Carlos Bermudez Gonzalez de Castro, a secular priest, a native of Puebla, Mexico, and a prominent ecclesiastic at Nueva España. He arrived at Manila on June 29, 1728; displayed great zeal in his office, kindness to the Indians, and piety and charity in his personal character; and died on November 13, 1729, being nearly seventy-two years old. (Concepción, Hist. de Philipinas, x, pp. 167–170, 182–184.) [↑]
[4] This house must have been, since it was under the control of this provincial, the beaterio of Santa Catalina, founded under Dominican auspices. Its first prioress was Sor Francisca del Espiritu Santo, who died on August 24, 1711, at the age of sixty-three years. [↑]
[5] In the text, a cuya accion tuvieron todos aqui; but evidently some word is omitted after tuvieron—probably mal, as such a proposal could not be generally approved. [↑]
[6] A sort of coach, with four seats: it was closed with doors; and the body was supported by heavy straps, and placed between two wooden shafts (Dominguez). [↑]