The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 20 of 55: 1621-1624; 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 20 of 55: 1621-1624; 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
I have brought him over on some occasions, my effect has lasted less
time than it would last if I had the opportunity and occasion that
such things have when one goes straight to God. On the contrary, I
think he gets along better without me in the Audiencia, both he and
Don Juan de Valderrama--to whom I said what I could say to a brother
as soon as he arrived here, because I saw the state of affairs and
thought to better them somewhat. But I have indeed done little.
My conscience has made me write at such length, and although there is
much to make me continue, I think that I shall have performed my duty
with the above, so that all may be considered, provided your Majesty
be pleased to send us redress with the haste that so serious matters
as these require, by sending us a leader who is a good Christian
and one very zealous for God's service, and who will only strive to
obtain that and to serve his king, and not the contrary. For with
that the Audiencia will have its due place, and the auditors will
attend strictly to their duties, and will conduct it for the peace
and conservation of the country, and for your Majesty's service. It
is also important that your Majesty send an inspector here, inasmuch
as the country is so full of schemes, tricks, and contrivances to
destroy it and finish its ruin; and since your Majesty, as so holy a
king, cannot abandon it, after having planted therein the holy gospel,
and consequently, having sent the so great fruit of so many souls to
heaven. Besides this, if it has peace and is free from enemies, and
religiously governed, it will give the greatest wealth and grandeur to
your Majesty that can be imagined. It is advisable that such a one be
a picked man, and that he be such a person as is necessary, as I have
written your Majesty at other times: that he be entirely disinterested,
and a good lawyer, with clean hands; that he have great authority in
regard to war and peace, and over high officials in both, and power
to suspend, in case he deem it advisable, the most serious penalties
for your service for long periods, in order to investigate the truth,
so that he may understand and learn the tricks, crimes, and criminals,
and that he may know the persons in whom he can trust--not only as
his agents, but also so that he can ascertain how your Majesty can
best provide suitable measures [for reform]. For in no other way can
the holy desires of your Majesty, which are those of God, who rewards
the good and punishes the evil, be obtained. If he be not such, he
will be confused during his inspection by schemes, impositions, and
covetousness, but if he be such, he will be the consolation of this
country, as I trust in God, and your Majesty will hold it securely in
order and justice, in peace and true obedience, and with renown. Your
Majesty will then know the evil and the good men, and the excesses
of many, and mine. You will obtain great possessions for the royal
exchequer and render great service for God our Lord.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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