The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 25 of 55: 1635-36; 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 25 of 55: 1635-36; 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 twelfth is that, as is well known, in the merchandise brought by
the Portuguese from the city of Macan to this of Manila, there are
no articles that can, with known reason, have an outlet with profits
or even without profits, in any other part, because of this--namely,
that what they take to Japon is only raw silk, which they call of
the first value, and the cream of that of China, whose products they
bring here. No other thing is used in Japon; and the skins which they
also carry, besides being in small quantity, are but little used by
the Japanese, according to their customs; so that all the rest which
the inhabitants of Macan buy is for conveyance to this city. If they
do not come here with it, then, it is certain that they will not buy
it. Consequently, the Chinese will come with it, for it is their trade,
and they have to procure an outlet and profit for their merchandise.
The thirteenth is that the efforts exerted by the said Portuguese of
Macan in preventing the commerce of the Chinese have been by as many
roads of state as they have been able to attempt. This came to such
a pass that a ship returning from this city to that of Macan, whence
it had come with merchandise, with some Portuguese aboard it, while
coasting along the Ilocan shore some two years ago, sighted two ships
of the Sangleys, which were coming from China laden with merchandise to
this city. The said ship from Macan attacked them while passing, and
chased them, the while discharging its artillery, with the intention
of pillaging and sinking them, and preventing their coming here. By
the strenuous efforts that they made, the Chinese escaped from their
hands, although they received great damage from the artillery. Through
the delay that they suffered in these perils, their arrival here was
postponed, and having entered the bay during a terrible storm, one ship
was wrecked in the neighborhood of Paranaque, and the other in sight
of the walls [of Manila]. Consequently, the Sangleys lost their goods,
and were in danger of losing their lives. As soon as they entered this
city they gave notice of that injury, and this city council having seen
the reason of it, voted that an investigation should be made of the
aforesaid affair, and that it be done by Licentiate Nicolas Antonio de
Omana, as he was alcalde-in-ordinary of the city. He began to make an
investigation, but ceased because the governor said that it belonged to
the jurisdiction of the war department. Thereupon the Sangleys--seeing
that they would not obtain the justice which they desired in respect
to the said investigation; and that the said Portuguese returned to
this city, because they did not continue their voyage, on account of
the wreck of the said ship in which they were going along the said
coast of Ilocos--had recourse to the royal Audiencia of these islands,
where they filed a complaint against the Portuguese who was leader of
the said ship, and the others. From the papers which were drawn up,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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