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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 35, 1640-1649: 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 35, 1640-1649: 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

A Dominican missionary who has labored in Formosa writes (March, 1643)
a detailed account of the seizure of that island by the Dutch. After a
five days' siege, the Spaniards surrender with their forts there. The
prisoners are sent to Jacatra (now Batavia), and afterward to Manila;
and the Dutch make strong establishments in Formosa. They also
search, but unsuccessfully, for gold mines there; and they treat
the natives harshly, so that the latter long for the Spaniards to
return. The writer proceeds to describe the great increase of power
which the Dutch have attained in the East; he enumerates the armed
fleet with which they are scouring the seas and securing control of
the rich trade of that region. All these, as well as their forts,
are furnished with abundance of supplies, of all kinds; and their
soldiers and sailors are well trained and disciplined. The value
of their commerce is almost incredible, and supplies Holland with
wealth to carry on the war in Europe against the Spanish power. The
Dutch aim to be masters of the entire Eastern archipelago, and are
planning to expel the Spaniards from the Philippines. To this letter
are appended extracts from Ferrando's Historia de los PP. Dominicos
and Concepción's Historia de Philipinas, which present additional
information. The former blames Corcuera, and the latter the Jesuits
and their schemes, for the loss of Formosa.

A letter from the king to Corcuera (August 4, 1643), reproves him
for saving money to the treasury by accepting "donations" of part of
their pay from persons in the royal service, orders him to favor and
protect the Indians, and asks for information as to ways and means by
which money may be raised for the buildings needed for the use of the
archbishop of Manila--for which contributions from private persons may
be received, provided these are strictly voluntary. Other paragraphs
of the letter approve Corcuera's course in certain minor matters,
and give him directions in others. In 1644, the Jesuit procurator for
Filipinas asks the king to confirm certain grants made by Corcuera
to the Jesuits at Manila; this petition is accompanied by a map,
and a copy of Corcuera's decree (September 1, 1640) granting the
Jesuits a certain piece of land.

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

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