The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 10 of 55: 1597-1599; 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 10 of 55: 1597-1599; 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
In another letter of the same date (July 12) Tello makes a general
report of affairs in the islands. In matters of religion, there is
need for more ministers of the gospel. Two bishops have arrived in
the islands, and are in charge of their dioceses. The hospitals have
been aided; that for the Spaniards has been placed in charge of the
Confraternity of La Misericordia, and that for the natives is under
the king's authority. The seminary for girls (Santa Potenciana) is
in good condition, and doing excellent work. It should be under the
charge of professed nuns, and its income ought to be increased; the
king is asked to provide for these matters. The Jesuits have begun
the foundation of a seminary for the Indians, in which they are to
learn the Spanish language and civilized ways of living; the king
is asked to aid this also. Measures are being taken to enforce the
royal decree that formal submission and homage must now be rendered to
the king by the conquered Indians; but Tello finds some difficulties
in this. The bulls concerning the crusades are being preached, and
Tello expects to extend this to the Indians. One of the auditors has
died, and his place is filled. Tello has been obliged to check the
assumption of secular authority by the ecclesiastics. The Chinese
should be driven out of Manila, and the Parián abolished. A building
of stone has been erected for the Audiencia; Tello asks for a grant
of money to continue this work, and mentions other public buildings
which he has erected or improved. Religious instruction should be
commenced in the Ladrones Islands; and the viceroy of Nueva España
has been asked to send missionaries thither. The latter functionary
has neglected several matters which are necessary to the prosperity of
the Philippine colony, and has been arbitrary and overbearing in his
treatment of it. Especial complaint is made that he has evaded the
law which restricts the Chinese trade to citizens of the Philippine
colony, by granting licenses for trade to Peruvians, who have taken
from the islands the best of the Chinese trade, which is their main
support. A port at Canton has been opened to the Spaniards for trade;
and efforts are being made to improve this opportunity. Trade with
Siam has also begun. Tello asks that the citizens of Cebú be allowed
to trade occasionally with Peru; and that officers of vessels to Nueva
España be not appointed there, but in the islands. He recommends that
the Indians should be punished by moderate pecuniary-fines, rather than
by flogging. Various papers are appended to this letter by Tello. One
is a memorandum of the number of converts and missionaries in the
islands. Another is an inventory of the resources and income of the
hospital for natives, and a statement of its expenses for part of
the current year. The instructions given to the alcaldes-mayor and
to the religious for securing the formal submission of the Indians
to the authority of the Spanish king, and the measures taken for this
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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