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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 07 of 55: 1588-1591; 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 07 of 55: 1588-1591; 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

The king, our lord, need only decree that this matter be left to the
conscience of those who govern here; for his Majesty cannot examine
it with his own eyes, and, consequently, the entire burden falls upon
your Lordship and upon those of us who have to decide what shall be
done. This affair is not one of so little risk as not to require a
most careful consideration; for to deprive the Spaniards of the right
of collecting the tributes from their encomiendas, when they might
just as well do so, is to deprive them of their very property, and
give them permission to collect from those who do not owe tribute,
and to free them from obligation to the Indians. Thus the entire
responsibility would fall upon those who might express their opinion;
consequently, it has been necessary, as I have already said, to
consider the matter most carefully. This I have done by consulting
persons who know and thoroughly understand the point at issue; and
by comparing therewith what I have seen and know from experience,
and from my knowledge of the law.

Such are the contents of the conclusions which I herewith send your
Lordship. I trust that you will be pleased to read them and will expect
from me no other opinion than the one therein contained; for I have,
and shall have, no other, and there is not a right-minded person in
the bishopric who dares maintain the contrary.

Two points should be especially noted among those which I here
set down. The one concerns the second conclusion wherein I make the
following statement: From the small encomiendas may be collected half
of the tributes even where there is no instruction, if the encomendero
fulfils his duties; and from those of average size a third part of
the same. Although there is, in strictness, no reason why one-half
should be collected from the small encomiendas and only a third part
from the others, yet after careful consideration, it has seemed to
us both equitable and reasonable that, in a very small encomienda,
the encomendero should collect from each inhabitant somewhat more
for his maintenance than if the inhabitants were numerous and thus
could provide, even when a less sum was levied, better support for
the encomendero.

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

Opening the text

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 07 of 55: 1588-1591; 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

The king, our lord, need only decree that this matter be left to the
conscience of those who govern here; for his Majesty cannot examine
it with his own eyes, and, consequently, the entire burden falls upon
your Lordship and upon those of us who have to decide what shall be
done. This affair is not one of so little risk as not to require a
most careful consideration; for to deprive the Spaniards of the right
of collecting the tributes from their encomiendas, when they might
just as well do so, is to deprive them of their very property, and
give them permission to collect from those who do not owe tribute,
and to free them from obligation to the Indians. Thus the entire
responsibility would fall upon those who might express their opinion;
consequently, it has been necessary, as I have already said, to
consider the matter most carefully. This I have done by consulting
persons who know and thoroughly understand the point at issue; and
by comparing therewith what I have seen and know from experience,
and from my knowledge of the law.

Such are the contents of the conclusions which I herewith send your
Lordship. I trust that you will be pleased to read them and will expect
from me no other opinion than the one therein contained; for I have,
and shall have, no other, and there is not a right-minded person in
the bishopric who dares maintain the contrary.

Two points should be especially noted among those which I here
set down. The one concerns the second conclusion wherein I make the
following statement: From the small encomiendas may be collected half
of the tributes even where there is no instruction, if the encomendero
fulfils his duties; and from those of average size a third part of
the same. Although there is, in strictness, no reason why one-half
should be collected from the small encomiendas and only a third part
from the others, yet after careful consideration, it has seemed to
us both equitable and reasonable that, in a very small encomienda,
the encomendero should collect from each inhabitant somewhat more
for his maintenance than if the inhabitants were numerous and thus
could provide, even when a less sum was levied, better support for
the encomendero.

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

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