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
to attempt the remedy of having recourse to the Audiencia by a plea
of fuerza, whence he knew that he would issue ill-despatched. The
archbishop retired to the convent of St. Francis, where the governor
went to see him, pretending that he wished to serve as intermediary
between the archbishop and the judge-conservator, although it was
clear that all the actions of the latter were regulated according
to the governor's intentions, and were executed by his aid. At the
end of his visit he asked the archbishop to give him the protest,
pledging his word that he only desired to burn it, without reading
it or showing it to any one. The archbishop recognized the purpose
of his pretense, and reaffirmed the first reply that he had given
the judge-conservator. In order to free himself for the time being
from the importunities of the governor, it was necessary to give him
some hope that he would make the efforts possible to get hold of the
protest and send it to him. In a letter that he sent afterward to
the governor, he wrote the following:
"After your Lordship showed me the kindness to come to console and
favor me, the most diligent efforts possible were made in order to have
the protest returned to me. But it is hammering on cold iron. What more
can I do? Had my purpose been not to show it, I could have said that
I had torn it up, or have alleged some other pretext, and would not
have indicated the person to whom I gave it to keep, as I knew that
there was an order to sequester my goods. Since it is impossible,
sir, and it is not my fault, I do not accept the excuse which your
Lordship gives me in your letter, in order to free yourself from
showing me further kindness, and from making the effort to settle this
matter as a governor and friend. Therefore, I petition your Lordship,
since this matter rests with you, and is to be settled by you alone,
and since you are all-powerful in this matter, that your Lordship do
as you are able to do for one who has recourse to your protection; for
I wish to remain in your Lordship's protection, only bound to serve
you as long as I live. May God preserve the life of your Lordship
for long years. From this convent of St. Francis, November 24, 1635.
_Fray Hernando, archbishop._"
That prelate wrote the letter with this humility and gentleness;
but it was insufficient to cause the so ingenuous confession of the
archbishop to be believed, although it was the truth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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