The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803/Volume 4/Letter to Felipe II (1582)
LETTER FROM GONZALO RONQUILLO DE PENALOSA TO FELIPE II
Royal Catholic Majesty:
In another letter of greater length, I have informed your Majesty regarding the affairs of this land, and have requested some things desirable therefor. What is now presented is as follows:
On the twenty-fourth of the past month, there came to this port a ship of about one hundred and twenty toneladas. It was sent by your viceroy of Nueva España, but it contained no reënforcements, nor has he yet despatched them. This country cannot make progress if a year passes without reënforcements, since it depends upon colonists for its settlement and growth. Moreover, the commerce cannot be increased by sending, from year to year, a ship so small that after the departure of two ships (and one of them more than four hundred toneladas) this year, half of the goods remain in this city for lack of a ship. Moreover, this settlement is not provided with a doctor or apothecary, who are greatly needed on account of the insalubrious nature of this country. There was a scarcity of everything except provisions; this fact the royal Audiencia [of Mexico] sent against me, with only false accounts and petty information obtained from the followers of Doctor Francisco de Sande, my predecessor—whose residencia I had taken, and, as a result thereof, had deprived him of all royal office. Nevertheless, he was received in that royal Audiencia as auditor; and, as a consequence, persons with grievances may well lose hope of obtaining justice. It is just that complaints against me as subjecting him to indignities, be heard, and that justice be done in that tribunal; but I also believe that your Majesty will be pleased to guard the dignity of an office as important as mine, and the servant in whom your Majesty has placed so much confidence. I say this because from Mexico they meddle with my government—giving me orders as to the corregidors whom I am to keep, and addressing private individuals in regard to the supplies, directing them to keep watch over that matter. This gives much occasion for those who are here to lose respect for me. The most serious thing is, that no matter how small the affair may be, they do not listen to me, or to my side of the story. They impose grave penalties upon me and threaten that I will be obliged to defray the expenses of the judge. I send some copies of the commands to your Majesty so that the royal council may consider and provide what is most fitting for your royal service.
Moreover, I have heard news in regard to Captain Graviel de Ribera, who was the attorney of this city; he was one of Doctor Sande's chief enemies, and most accused him in his residencia, as will appear by his own deposition therein. On the way from here to Mexico, he became an ally and confederate of the said Doctor Sande; and together, with false reports and some witnesses who were tools of the said doctor, they preferred many charges against me in that royal Audiencia. With these charges the said Grabiel de Ribera went to España, without a hearing having been accorded to me or to anyone in my behalf. It is just to believe that in that supreme tribunal, in the presence of your Majesty, injustice will be done to no one—least of all to me, who have served and am now serving your Majesty with so great integrity and solicitude, and who have had so long an experience. I am sure that your Majesty will first give me a hearing, and afterwards command that amends be made for my wrongs, by punishing those who have tried to stain my honor and my good reputation in life and character. This I beseech your Majesty to do, in consideration of my services.
I have great need of an educated assistant, as there is much to be done here in the business of war and government, as well as a great amount of work that must be done in affairs of justice, both civil and criminal. The trouble here is that the people are of such a nature that, at the same time when justice is done to one, an enemy is made of another person. I beseech your Majesty to command such provision to be made as shall be fitting for the royal service.
The sub-lieutenant Francisco de Dueñas, who, as I have explained in another letter, was sent as envoy to Maluco, came to this city on the twenty-second current. He brought very good returns, which have given us all great satisfaction, as your Majesty will see by the letters of the chief captain and other private persons, which I am sending through your viceroy of Nueva España. There is also remitted an account of the voyage and its events. That fortified place is now open for your Majesty's advantage;[1] and although its chief captain sent me no request for aid, I know that it is necessary to send the same, as well as to pacify the king of Terrenate. It is very important to understand how desirable it is for that stronghold to prosper, as it is of the greatest advantage for all Nueva España. Consequently, I have been exceedingly troubled by the non-arrival of reenforcements from Nueva España during the past two years. A large number of troops I have assigned to several settlements, as I have already written at greater length. In the shortest time possible I will send aid to Maluco; and from time to time I shall advise what is done in this respect.
Your Majesty has already been informed how the English pirate[2] set out for Maluco and the Xabas [Java]. In Maluco he formed a friendship with the king of Terrenate, to whom he promised to return in a short time with more forces. Consequently, I have considered how much more reason there is to believe that they cannot return by the strait of Magallanes—since I know that that strait is well guarded, and because, since they have gone through it, both Piru and Nueva España are warned; they could gain nothing in the expedition, and it would certainly be lost. No one but the pirate himself knows the route which he took and the channel which he followed to Maluco; and therefore no efforts were made to check him. If Maluco should be considered in England as of great value, and as a stronghold which can be taken and held with a few men, then they would feel bound to place a large force in it. Your Majesty should do much for its defense. These considerations impress me so strongly that, if I were supplied with more troops and artillery, I could by no means imagine a more necessary task. I will do what I can, however, in your royal service, although it is not under my charge.
In my opinion, the spices should be sent from Maluco to Panama, a voyage very safe and not too long. In this way the ships which conduct it to Panama may touch at Nueva España and leave there the amount necessary for that kingdom, and in Panama, what is needed for Piru, the kingdom of Tierra Firme and the new kingdom of Granada. From the port of Panama, where the ships coming from Maluco anchor, it is but five or six leagues' journey by land to the river of Chagre. From there to España is nothing but water, and consequently the said spices can be conveyed thereby very easily and at little cost. This I think is the shortest, safest, and least expensive method. Your Majesty will order what is most fitting for your service.
The artillery, which your Majesty orders me to send to the viceroy of Peru, I am preparing with promptness. Nevertheless, that which your Majesty has here at present is necessary for this stronghold, and for the other islands, where I have distributed a number of cannon for their greater security and prosperity.
I send the relation of the islands and their villages, and of their inhabitants and industries, which was forwarded to me to send you. I would send a longer account if more time had elapsed since the receipt of your Majesty's royal decree, which arrived the twenty-fifth of the past month.
No papers whatever of Fray Martin de Rada[3] were left in this country; nor have I been able to discover any, although most diligent search has been made.
Among the other orders brought by this ship was one directing that a considerable sum of money be paid to Doctor Francisco de Sande. He says that this is due to him as salary; and for the payment of this is designated the greater part of the villages which belong to the royal crown of your Majesty. The fleets are maintained thereby, as well as other expenses of your Majesty here. This order is received with regret and sorrow, and the royal officials have sent a petition to this effect; and I too beseech your Majesty to declare if it be your royal pleasure that this man support himself at the expense of the royal service. May it be provided that we be not constrained thus in similar things.
In the ship that just arrived from Nueva España, there came eighteen descalced friars, a class of people who do much good in this land, on account of their mode of life and their poverty. Nevertheless, they come so eager to pass on to China that it would not be right to keep them here. Accordingly, in order to console them, I am now giving permission to the commissary who accompanied them, and to four other religious, both to go to Macau [Macao] to visit the house which they have there, and to pass to the bordering kingdom of Cochinchin. News is had that the king of the latter country asks for ministers to teach him our holy faith. I hope to God that benefit may be derived therefrom, for the salvation of those souls. I have also improved the opportunity of the commissary's departure to send by him to the Portuguese of Macau the news of the certainty of the late coronation of your Majesty.[4] Therefore I expect that that stronghold will be as peaceful as that of Maluco.
Through your viceroy of Nueva España I am sending a copy of the residencia of the doctor Sande, as that sent a year ago was lost with the ship to which it was entrusted.
Much pleasure was caused in the land by the arrival of the bishop,[5] and I received him as well as I could. On account of the austerity of his disposition and his wish to dominate, people do not like him; and he has caused much discontent among both ecclesiastics and laymen. His Christianity and zeal is worthy, and he will undoubtedly prove to be true. As your Majesty is better informed, you may provide accordingly. May our Lord guard your royal Catholic Majesty and increase your kingdoms, as we your Majesty's vassals desire. Manila, June 15, in the year 1582.
Royal Catholic Majesty, the most humble servant of your Majesty, who kisses the royal feet and hands.
Don Gonzalo Rronquillo de Penalosa
- ↑ Maluco, the Portuguese post on Ternate, was taken over by Spain with other colonial possessions of Portugal, when Felipe II seized the government of the latter country (September, 1580), after the death of its king, the cardinal Henrique. This union lasted during sixty years. The possession of the Moluccas of course gave to Spain the control of the spice trade.
- ↑ Apparently a reference to the visit of Sir Francis Drake to Ternate, in November, 1578. A full account of this visit, the friendly reception of the English by the Malay ruler, and the expulsion of the Portuguese from the island, may be found in Francis Fletcher's World Encompassed by Sir Francis Drake (Hakluyt Soc. pubs. no. xvii, London, 1854), pp. 137-148.
- ↑ Rada had died at sea, in June, 1578.
- ↑ Felipe II was crowned at Lisbon in April, 1581.
- ↑ The first bishop of Manila, and of the Philippines, Domingo de Salazar (a Dominican) arrived at Manila in March, 1581. With him came Fray Christoval de Salvatierra, of his own order; twenty Augustinians, and eight Franciscans; and two Jesuit priests, Antonio Sedeño and Alonso Sánchez, with the lay brother Nicolas Gallardo. See Juan de la Conception's Hist. Phil., ii, pp. 44, 45.