The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 17 of 55: 1609-1616; 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 17 of 55: 1609-1616; 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 memorandum concerning your Majesty's Audiencia in this country,
accompanies this letter. Therein are set forth the reasons why it
is advisable for your Majesty to order it to be suppressed, and they
explain how it would be to the service of God and of your Majesty, and
to the advantage of your royal treasury were there no Audiencia. For
the Audiencia serves but to take the profits of the country,
in violation of your Majesty's orders in your royal decrees. For if
there is any matter of gain it is given to the relatives or followers
of the auditors, and in matters touching trade and commerce, these
are they who export most of the cargo. This is manifestly unjust,
as it would be in Castilla, if any corregidor should unlawfully
reap the benefits of the whole returns of vineyards which were not
his. In this country there are no other vineyards or fields than the
cargo which your Majesty has conceded to the inhabitants. As for the
advantage that could accrue from this Audiencia to this country, that
was, to act as a check on the governor. This consideration has now no
longer any force, on account of the decrees brought by the governor,
in which the auditors are ordered not to oppose him, but only to give
information to your Majesty. This can be done by many in this community
who are free from covetousness (as are the archbishop and the religious
orders), if they were permitted to attend to this and to oppose the
acts of the governor. The auditors are pledged to the said governor,
because he has given the posts and advantageous positions to the
relatives of the auditors; therefore the latter do not dare to talk,
as experience has shown us in the past. If your Majesty reestablished
the Audiencia--and we, your Majesty's vassals, requested it--it was
with hopes of the aforesaid. And since that result is lacking, it is
very much to the service of God and of your Majesty, and advantageous
to your royal treasury, that there be no Audiencia. For any lawyer
can conclude the cases here, as Licentiate Rojas and Doctor Morga did
when there was no Audiencia here. We trust, through our Lord's mercy,
that your Majesty will consider this so just proposal, and give it
inspiration, so that it will be settled in a manner suitable to the
service of God and that of your Majesty, and the welfare of all these
your vassals who live so far from your Majesty, and who are most loyal,
as you have been made to see in the past.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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