Spain and Her Colonies, Compiled from the Best Authorities
History
Spain and Her Colonies, Compiled from the Best Authorities
Spain -- History
Some maintained that the propaganda of the faith ought to be purely
Apostolic, such as Jesus Christ taught to his disciples, inculcating
doctrines of humility and poverty without arms or violence, and if,
nevertheless, the heathens refused to welcome this mission of peace, the
missionaries should simply abandon them in silence without further
demonstration than that of shaking the dust off their feet.
Others opined, and among them was Sanchez, that such a method was
useless and impracticable, and that it was justifiable to force their
religion upon primitive races at the point of the sword if necessary,
using any violence to enforce its acceptance.
Much ill-feeling was aroused in the discussion of these two and distinct
theories. Juan Volante, a Dominican friar of the Convent of Our Lady of
Atocha, presented a petition against the views of the Sanchez faction,
declaring that the idea of ingrafting religion with the aid of arms was
scandalous. Fray Juan Volante was so importunate, that he had to be
heard in council, but neither party yielded. At length, the intervention
of the bishops of Manila, Macao and Malacca and several captains and
governors in the Indies influenced the king to put an end to the
controversy, on the ground that it would lead to no good.
The king retired to the Monastery of the Escorial, and Sanchez was cited
to meet him there to learn the royal will. About the same time the news
reached the king of the loss of the so-called Invincible Armada, sent
under the command of the incompetent Duke of Medina Sidonia to annex
England. Notwithstanding this severe blow to the vain ambition of
Philip, the affairs of the Philippines were delayed but a short time. On
the basis of the recommendation of the junta, the royal assent was given
to an important decree, of which the most significant articles are the
following, namely:--The tribute was fixed by the king at ten reales per
annum, payable by the natives in gold, silver, or grain, or part in one
commodity and part in the other. Of this tribute, eight reales were to
be paid to the treasury, one half real to the bishop and clergy, and one
real and a half to be applied to the maintenance of the soldiery. Full
tribute was not to be exacted from the natives still unsubjected to the
crown. Until their confidence and loyalty should be gained by friendly
overtures, they were to pay a small recognition of vassalage, and
subsequently the tribute in common with the rest.
Instead of one-fifth value of gold and hidden treasure due to his
majesty (real quinto), he would henceforth receive only one-tenth of
such value, excepting that of gold, which the natives would be permitted
to extract free of rebate.
A customs duty of 3 per cent ad valorem was to be paid on merchandise
sold, and this duty was to be spent on the army.
Export duty was to be paid on goods shipped to New Spain (Mexico), and
this impost was also to be exclusively spent on the armed forces.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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