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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55: 1625-29; 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 22 of 55: 1625-29; 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

11. This very day a case occurred while in the hall of the public
assembly, which I have thought best to refer to your Majesty. It was
in regard to a decision that I gave, apropos of one of the parties,
for the royal Audiencia. The secretary having come to sign the decision
that the Audiencia gave in approbation of the one that I had given,
called me in the record of the decision "the lord governor." One of
the auditors thought that that should not be the manner of naming
me in decisions; and chided the secretary before me, saying that he
was doing it to flatter me, and other things of like purport. The
secretary defended himself, saying that that was the style that he
had always used, and to prove it showed other decisions where not
only my person is named as "lord," but also those of the auditors. I
asked the others who were present for their opinion, and they replied
that it was very proper that the Audiencia should exercise that
courtesy toward the governor and captain-general of these islands;
and with greater reason, since he was their president, they were not
to treat him the same as an alcalde-in-ordinary. Thereupon I ordered
the secretary to do the same as heretofore, until your Majesty should
be pleased to order differently. I petition your Majesty to be pleased
to give the auditors to understand the estimation that it may please
you to have for the person of your governor and captain-general;
for this matter is not at all understood here. That is the reason
why the governors have always been at odds with the Audiencia. I am
not at odds with them, nor will I be, for I am the one who suffers,
and I shall suffer it, since I am under greater obligations than
they. I petition that what your Majesty may be pleased to order me
be expressed so clearly that they cannot give it any other meaning;
for this matter of interpreting your Majesty's decrees is done with
great ease in the Yndias, and truly rare are the decrees, if they touch
upon any controversy, in which it is not necessary for your Majesty
to declare them over again. [_In the margin_: "Let the custom be kept;
and in the records and decisions, let the governor be called 'lord.'"]

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

Opening the text

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55: 1625-29; 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

11. This very day a case occurred while in the hall of the public
assembly, which I have thought best to refer to your Majesty. It was
in regard to a decision that I gave, apropos of one of the parties,
for the royal Audiencia. The secretary having come to sign the decision
that the Audiencia gave in approbation of the one that I had given,
called me in the record of the decision "the lord governor." One of
the auditors thought that that should not be the manner of naming
me in decisions; and chided the secretary before me, saying that he
was doing it to flatter me, and other things of like purport. The
secretary defended himself, saying that that was the style that he
had always used, and to prove it showed other decisions where not
only my person is named as "lord," but also those of the auditors. I
asked the others who were present for their opinion, and they replied
that it was very proper that the Audiencia should exercise that
courtesy toward the governor and captain-general of these islands;
and with greater reason, since he was their president, they were not
to treat him the same as an alcalde-in-ordinary. Thereupon I ordered
the secretary to do the same as heretofore, until your Majesty should
be pleased to order differently. I petition your Majesty to be pleased
to give the auditors to understand the estimation that it may please
you to have for the person of your governor and captain-general;
for this matter is not at all understood here. That is the reason
why the governors have always been at odds with the Audiencia. I am
not at odds with them, nor will I be, for I am the one who suffers,
and I shall suffer it, since I am under greater obligations than
they. I petition that what your Majesty may be pleased to order me
be expressed so clearly that they cannot give it any other meaning;
for this matter of interpreting your Majesty's decrees is done with
great ease in the Yndias, and truly rare are the decrees, if they touch
upon any controversy, in which it is not necessary for your Majesty
to declare them over again. [_In the margin_: "Let the custom be kept;
and in the records and decisions, let the governor be called 'lord.'"]

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

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