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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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

Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources

I have informed your Majesty that some of the Chinese Sangleys,
upon coming to this city, become citizens and Christians. The bishop
thereupon orders their hair to be cut, in accordance with our custom;
but they, following their own custom, wear it very long, and braided
and tied in a certain manner. They so dislike this, that, in order
not to be compelled to cut their hair, many of them are not baptized;
for, in their country, it is a great insult to them, and is regarded
as a great crime to cut off their hair, and without it, they do not
dare to return in order to bring their property, and their wives and
children, to settle here. I have told the bishop that, inasmuch as
that is not a religious rite, but a custom, just as it is a custom of
ours to wear short hair, he should not have it cut. But he refuses to
observe this, saying that he fears lest they go back to their country
and return to their idolatries. Will your Majesty please have this
matter examined and provided for. Because of its extreme importance,
I reiterate this supplication here.

In my letter of last year, of which I enclose a duplicate herein,
I informed your Majesty of the disputes of the auditors and fiscal
with myself in regard to preeminence in office, they wishing to enact
certain measures of government and war outside of their jurisdiction;
and that because of this lack of harmony greater hindrances were
resulting to the service of God and of your Majesty, in a land so
new and so distant from your royal person. I resolved to allow them
to do as they wished, and to let go my right and the preeminences of
my office, until your Majesty should order this remedied and provided
for--believing that, in so acting, I serve you better. Affairs here
are in this condition, and I shall make no innovation until receiving
your Majesty's orders. Through my overlooking and tolerating this,
and through the arrival of the licentiate Don Antonio de Rivera,
auditor of this Audiencia, those differences have ceased, and we are
all in accord. Justice is being administered with the authority,
custom, and system of the audiencias of Castilla, and those well
regulated in the Yndias.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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

Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources

I have informed your Majesty that some of the Chinese Sangleys,
upon coming to this city, become citizens and Christians. The bishop
thereupon orders their hair to be cut, in accordance with our custom;
but they, following their own custom, wear it very long, and braided
and tied in a certain manner. They so dislike this, that, in order
not to be compelled to cut their hair, many of them are not baptized;
for, in their country, it is a great insult to them, and is regarded
as a great crime to cut off their hair, and without it, they do not
dare to return in order to bring their property, and their wives and
children, to settle here. I have told the bishop that, inasmuch as
that is not a religious rite, but a custom, just as it is a custom of
ours to wear short hair, he should not have it cut. But he refuses to
observe this, saying that he fears lest they go back to their country
and return to their idolatries. Will your Majesty please have this
matter examined and provided for. Because of its extreme importance,
I reiterate this supplication here.

In my letter of last year, of which I enclose a duplicate herein,
I informed your Majesty of the disputes of the auditors and fiscal
with myself in regard to preeminence in office, they wishing to enact
certain measures of government and war outside of their jurisdiction;
and that because of this lack of harmony greater hindrances were
resulting to the service of God and of your Majesty, in a land so
new and so distant from your royal person. I resolved to allow them
to do as they wished, and to let go my right and the preeminences of
my office, until your Majesty should order this remedied and provided
for--believing that, in so acting, I serve you better. Affairs here
are in this condition, and I shall make no innovation until receiving
your Majesty's orders. Through my overlooking and tolerating this,
and through the arrival of the licentiate Don Antonio de Rivera,
auditor of this Audiencia, those differences have ceased, and we are
all in accord. Justice is being administered with the authority,
custom, and system of the audiencias of Castilla, and those well
regulated in the Yndias.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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