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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 14 of 55: 1606-1609; 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 — John Shaqi

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 14 of 55: 1606-1609; 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

A group of documents relating to the Dominican mission which reached
the islands in 1606 depict the difficulties, besides the long and
toilsome voyages, which the missionaries encountered on their journey
to the other side of the world. Diego Aduarte, one of the most noted
of the Dominican missionaries in the Far East, is in charge of a
reenforcement to go to the Philippines, and applies (at some time
in 1604) to the officials of the treasury in Spain for the money
necessary for their expenses in this journey; a grant for this is
made. He furnishes a list of the friars who are to go with him, with
the names of the convents that send them. In a document written by
Aduarte (January 20, 1605) he relates at length "the difficulties
of conducting religious to the Philippine Islands." The hardships
and perils of the long voyage daunt many at the start, and he who
is in charge of them must use great discretion in managing them. At
the court, he cannot get his documents without much importunity,
locomotion, and red tape, and long and tedious delays. The sum of
money allowed for the traveling expenses of the missionaries to
Sevilla is far too small; and, arriving there, they encounter more
red tape and delays. Besides, the amount granted for provisions on
the voyage is utterly insufficient, as is also the allowance for the
friars' support while waiting for the departure of the fleet. The
royal council requires that the list of missionaries be submitted
to it for approval which cannot well be done in the short time which
they spend at Sevilla; besides, they are unnecessarily annoyed by the
examination to which the council subjects them. Those who finally reach
the port of departure are confronted by extortionate demands for fees,
which are renewed in mid-ocean, and again on landing in Nueva Espana,
at Mexico, and at Acapulco; and at all these places, the missionaries
encounter afresh the annoyances and hindrances which had beset them
in Spain. Aduarte makes vigorous complaint about these difficulties,
and requests the government to make less rigorous rules and more
liberal allowances for the missionaries; this petition is partially
granted by the authorities.

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

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