The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 16 of 55: 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
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 16 of 55: 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
The archbishop of the Filipinas Islands resides in this city. He has
his metropolitan church, and all the cathedral dignitaries--canons,
racioneros, medias racioneros, [185] chaplains, and sacristans--and a
music-choir, who chant to the accompaniment of the organ and of flutes
[_ministriles_]. The cathedral is quite ornate and well decorated,
and the Divine offices are celebrated there with the utmost gravity
and ceremony. As suffragans the cathedral has three bishops--namely,
in the island of Sebu, and in Cagayan and Camarines. [186]
There is a royal treasury with three royal officials--factor,
accountant, and treasurer--by whom the royal revenue of all the
islands is managed. [187]
The vessels sailing annually to Nueva Espana with the merchandise and
investments of all the islands are despatched from the city of Manila;
and they return thither from Nueva Espana with the proceeds of this
merchandise, and the usual reenforcements.
In the city is established the camp of the regular soldiers whom his
Majesty has had stationed in the islands.
Several galleys are also stationed at Manila with their general and
captains, as well as other war-vessels, of deep draft, and smaller
ones built like those used by the natives, to attend to the needs of
all the islands.
The majority of the vessels from China, Japon, Maluco, Borney, Sian,
Malaca, and India, that come to the Filipinas with their merchandise
and articles of trade, gather in the bay and river of Manila. In that
city they sell and trade for all the islands and their settlements.
In the province [of Cagayan] of this same island of Luzon was founded
the city of Segovia, [188] during the term of Don Goncalo Ronquillo,
the third governor. It has two hundred Spanish inhabitants who live in
wooden houses on the shore of the Tajo River, two leguas from the sea
and port of Camalayuga. There is a stone fort near the city for the
defense of it and of the river. This fort mounts some artillery, and
has its own commandant. Besides the inhabitants, there are generally
one hundred regular soldiers, arquebusiers, and their officers. They
are all in charge and under command of the alcalde-mayor of the
province, who is its military commander.
In that city is established a bishop and his church, although at
present the latter has no dignitaries or prebendaries. [189] There
is a city cabildo consisting of two alcaldes, six regidors, and an
alguacil-mayor. The city abounds in all kinds of food and refreshment
at very cheap prices.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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