John ShaqiResearch Library

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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

Although this royal Audiencia by right should attend the principal
feasts at the cathedral, they have not done so; nor have I seen them
attend in a body since I took up the government of this church--now
upwards of a year--except once only. That was on St. Andrew's day,
when a prayer was made for the coming of the ships from Mexico. I do
not know whether the reason has been the want of harmony between the
governor and the auditors, or because the governor's wife took a seat
beside her husband--a thing that has never been practiced in this city
in the time of the former governors. Will your Majesty decide what
should be done in this matter, as the governor's wife must be placated
in it; and whether the position to be occupied by her is to be before
or behind that of the Audiencia. [_Marginal note_: "Have the Audiencia
informed that they must not miss one of the prescribed days, and
are to report on the other matters. Write to the archbishop that the
Audiencia has already been notified to attend on the prescribed days."]

Your Majesty has already provided by your royal decrees that the
ships should set sail for Nueva España from this port, under any
circumstances, during the month of June, because of their peril of
having to make some port in distress, or of being wrecked, if they sail
later. It would be expedient to apply a more constraining remedy,
in order that this be executed; for were your Majesty's decrees
observed in these islands, as I have many times said, there would
be no errors made in what pertains to the service of our Lord and
that of your Majesty, the welfare of these islands, and the profit
of their inhabitants. But, Sire, as they are not obeyed, and there
is no execution of them, there is general error in what could with
so great facility be done aright. [_Marginal note_: "Have a letter
written to the governor, telling him that we have heard that those
ships that sail to Nueva España sail very late, and that consequently
they suffer in the tempests and hardships that are known; and that
now and henceforth he shall see that they sail as was the custom
before and as is ordered."]

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

Opening the text

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

Although this royal Audiencia by right should attend the principal
feasts at the cathedral, they have not done so; nor have I seen them
attend in a body since I took up the government of this church--now
upwards of a year--except once only. That was on St. Andrew's day,
when a prayer was made for the coming of the ships from Mexico. I do
not know whether the reason has been the want of harmony between the
governor and the auditors, or because the governor's wife took a seat
beside her husband--a thing that has never been practiced in this city
in the time of the former governors. Will your Majesty decide what
should be done in this matter, as the governor's wife must be placated
in it; and whether the position to be occupied by her is to be before
or behind that of the Audiencia. [_Marginal note_: "Have the Audiencia
informed that they must not miss one of the prescribed days, and
are to report on the other matters. Write to the archbishop that the
Audiencia has already been notified to attend on the prescribed days."]

Your Majesty has already provided by your royal decrees that the
ships should set sail for Nueva España from this port, under any
circumstances, during the month of June, because of their peril of
having to make some port in distress, or of being wrecked, if they sail
later. It would be expedient to apply a more constraining remedy,
in order that this be executed; for were your Majesty's decrees
observed in these islands, as I have many times said, there would
be no errors made in what pertains to the service of our Lord and
that of your Majesty, the welfare of these islands, and the profit
of their inhabitants. But, Sire, as they are not obeyed, and there
is no execution of them, there is general error in what could with
so great facility be done aright. [_Marginal note_: "Have a letter
written to the governor, telling him that we have heard that those
ships that sail to Nueva España sail very late, and that consequently
they suffer in the tempests and hardships that are known; and that
now and henceforth he shall see that they sail as was the custom
before and as is ordered."]

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

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