The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 - 1591-1593 - 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

James Alexander Robertson, Emma Helen Blair, Edward Gaylord Bourne

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• Publié par: arro
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 17
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume
VIII (of 55), 1591-1593, by Emma Helen Blair
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Title: The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume VIII (of 55), 1591-1593
Author: Emma Helen Blair
Release Date: October 14, 2004 [EBook #13742]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, ***
Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the PG Distributed Proofreaders Team
The Philippine Islands, 1493–
1898
Explorations by early navigators,
descriptions of the islands and their
peoples, their history and records of thecatholic 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
Volume VIII, 1591–1593
Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and
James Alexander Robertson with historical
introduction and additional notes by Edward
Gaylord Bourne.
Page 1
Contents of Volume VIII
Preface ... 9
Documents of 1591
The collection of tributes in the Filipinas Islands (concluded).
Domingo de Salazar, and others; Manila, January–March ... 25
Liberty of the Indians in the Philippinas. Gregory XIV; Rome,
April 18 ... 70
Articles of contract for the conquest of Mindanao. Gomez
Perez Dasmariñas and Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa;
Manila, May 12 ... 73
Ordinance forbidding the Indians to wear Chinese stuffs. G. P.
Dasmariñas, and others; Manila, April 9–May 20 ... 78
Account of the encomiendas in the Philipinas Islands. [G. P.
Dasmariñas]; Manila, May 31 ... 96
Letter to Felipe II. G. P. Dasmariñas; Manila, June 20 ... 142
The fortification of Manila. G. P. Dasmariñas; Manila, June 20
... 169
Investigations at Manila concerning trade with Macan.
Melchor de Baeca, and others; Manila, May 23–November 19... 174
Page 2Documents of 1592
Opinions of the religious communities on the war with the
Zambales. Juan de Valderrama, and others; Manila, January
19–20 ... 199
Letter of congratulation to the bishop, clergy, and people of
the Philippines. Clement VIII; Rome, March 25 ... 234
Letter to Felipe II. G. P. Dasmariñas; Manila, May 31 ... 236
Rules for the Manila hospital. G. P. Dasmariñas; [Manila, May
31] ... 245
Expedition to Tuy. [Luis Perez Dasmariñas]; Manila, June 1 ...
250
Two letters to Felipe II. G. P. Dasmariñas; Manila, June 6, 11
... 252
An embassy from Japan. Hideyoshi, and others; 1591–92 ...
260
Three letters to Felipe II. G. P. Dasmariñas; June 20, July 6 ...
268
Luzón menaced by Japanese. [G. P. Dasmariñas; Manila,
1592] ... 284
Documents of 1593
Letter to Governor Dasmariñas. Felipe II; Madrid, January 17
... 301
Two royal decrees. Felipe II; Madrid, January 17, and
February 11 ... 312
Bibliographical Data ... 319
Page 3
Illustrations
Autograph signatures of Augustinian officials; photographic
facsimile from MS. in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla ... 215
Autograph signatures of Dominican officials; photographic facsimile
from MS. in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla ... 223
Autograph signature of Antonio Sedeño, S. J.; photographic
facsimile from MS. in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla ... 227
Autograph signature of Pedro Baptista, O.S.F.; photographic
facsimile from MS. in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla ... 231
Page 4
Preface
In this volume are recorded the more important events in the history of thePhilippine colony during the years 1591–92. The dissensions between the
secular and the ecclesiastical authorities continue, though the governor
asks, in various important public affairs, the advice of the religious orders,
and in view of a threatened invasion by the Japanese, appeals to the
ecclesiastics to cease their opposition to his measures, and aid his efforts to
save the colony. Dasmariñas does all in his power for its defense and
increase; but the unfriendly attitude of the ecclesiastics, the restrictions laid
on commerce, the poverty of the public treasury, and the greed of officials
and other influential residents, all greatly hinder and embarrass his efforts.
A papal decree orders the Indian slaves in the islands to be freed.
Explorations are made in northern Luzón, opening up a rich and important
region; and the conquest of Mindanao is undertaken. The Chinese trade
continues to call for special measures: the Spanish residents of the islands
ask for permission from the home government to trade with the Portuguese
colony of Macao; and, in order to encourage the Indians to keep up their
native industries, they are forbidden to wear Chinese stuffs. A revolt of the
Page 5Zambales and Negritos of western Luzón is quelled, and the surviving
insurgents are dispersed or enslaved. The emperor of Japan demands from
the Spaniards of the islands tribute and homage, which excites in their
minds apprehensions of coming war.
The document of 1591 relating to the collection of tributes in the islands,
begun in Vol. VII, is here concluded. The bishop asks the governor to let
him know his decision regarding such collection; the latter replies
(February 8) that he cannot make any change in present conditions without
further orders from the king; and issues (February 28) a decree regulating
the collection of tributes. A dispute between the bishop and the governor
ensues, followed by letters (dated March 4–21) interchanged by them,
which are an interesting revelation of the relations between the religious
and secular authorities, and of the conflicting interests involved therein. The
governor repels (March 8) the accusation that he has been the mouthpiece
of others; defends the Jesuits from any suspicion of unfriendliness toward
the bishop; and complains that he is still attacked in the pulpit. In another
letter (dated March 19) Dasmariñas makes suggestions to the bishop
regarding the best means of meeting the religious needs of the Indians with
the small number of priests who can be thus employed. He denies that he
has any partiality for the Augustinians over the other orders and makes
various explanations regarding his attitude toward the orders. He then urges
the bishop to follow his suggestions, and thus to fulfil his obvious and
pressing duties—advising Salazar not to meddle with the encomenderos,
and other matters which do not concern his office. Dasmariñas also
Page 6complains that the bishop does not provide laymen to instruct the natives;
that he allows the Indians to come to Manila too often with their
complaints, and that there are irregularities in the appointment of clergymento benefices. Salazar replies (March 21) to this epistle, manifesting little
confidence in the promises made by the secular authorities, and calling for
their fulfilment. The bishop complains of the wrongs that are being
perpetrated, and of the curtailment of his own authority. He claims that he
has the right to decide whether a religious order may take possession of a
new field. He discusses the governor's suggestions regarding the provision
of clergymen for various districts, and explains what he is willing to do. He
objects to placing one friar alone in a village, and desires to leave the
assignment of the friars' charge to their superiors—citing for this the
arrangements already adopted in Mexico regarding this matter; he also
objects to any interference with his priests by the governor, rebukes the
latter for assuming to instruct his bishop in the episcopal duties, and asserts
his own rights and privileges. Salazar declares that he cannot find suitable
laymen to instruct the Indians, and that they come to him for help and
counsel because the governor treats them so ungraciously. He no longer
fills the office of “protector of the Indians,” for it has brought him only
sorrow, and he cannot do for them what he desires.
A decree of Gregory XIV (dated April 18, 1591) requires restitution to the
Indians for the losses caused to them in the conquest of the Philippines,
according to the ability of the individual conquerors; and sets free all Indian
Page 7slaves in the islands. On May 12 of that year are signed articles of contract
for the conquest of Mindanao, a task which is undertaken by Estevan
Rodriguez de Figueroa (the same officer formerly sent thither by Sande).
He is to establish at least one settlement there; and encomiendas are to be
allotted, the most important being reserved for the crown, and one-third of
the remainder for the conqueror. Certain documents dated between April 9
and May 20, 1591, relate to a municipal ordinance (March 30) forbidding
the Indians to wear silks or other stuffs from China. Dasmariñas institutes
an inquiry (April 9) into the results of this on the natives, and the possibility
that the decree should be suspended in some cases. Ten witnesses,
c