The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 37, 1669-1676: 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 37, 1669-1676: 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
and some of his notable acts during his brief rule. At one time, he
nearly loses his life by a musket-ball, whether fired intentionally
or not is uncertain. Salcedo is twice embarked for Nueva España, but
is driven back by storms on the first voyage, and dies while on the
second. In 1669 arrives the new governor, Don Manuel de León. His
government is praised, as establishing in the islands peace and
plenty; commerce flourishes, and there are no wars or revolts. With
León also arrive thirty-two new laborers for the Augustinian missions,
a welcome addition to their forces. The usurper Bonifaz takes refuge
in the Franciscan convent, where he remains until his death. The
Council of the Indias pronounces sentence against him, and renders
decision in favor of the auditor Coloma. In the spring of 1670 occurs
a religious function which had been long in disuse, the publication
in the cathedral of Manila of the edicts of the Inquisition; this is
accompanied by processions and various ceremonies. The Augustinian
province is enabled to conduct its labors much more satisfactorily,
and with greater results, by the aid of its new missionaries.
A rambling, gossipy account of Manila and the Philippines in the
middle of the seventeenth century, with much entertaining information
regarding persons and events therein, is furnished by the Dominican
friar Domingo F. Navarrete, in his Tratados historicos (Madrid,
1676); it is from relations of this sort, and on account of these
characteristics, that the student gains additional and valuable
side-lights on the history of any time or country. The Tratados
is mainly devoted to the empire of China, where its author was a
missionary during 1658-69; we present here (in both translation
and synopsis) such part as relates to his stay in the Philippines
(1648-53). Navarrete describes the journey thither, in picturesque and
lively fashion. Acapulco has "an infernal climate." The missionaries
are obliged to make the journey from Lampon to Manila by land, a trip
full of hardship and danger; but they are delighted with the beauty
of Pasig River, adorned with palaces, gardens, and villages. At the
time, the islands are governed by Diego Fajardo, who "had great gifts
for government, for he had a horror of money and of women." Navarrete
censures Corcuera for many things, among them the impositions levied
on the natives, which he describes in full; these occasion so much
oppression and extortion that the Indians flee from the islands,
or refuse to sow their fields. He mentions various instances of this
oppression. In rambling and discursive fashion he relates the leading
characteristics of the natives, the occupations of the missionaries,
the changes in official circles, etc. This document will be concluded
in VOL. XXXVIII.
The Editors
March, 1906.
MISCELLANEOUS DOCUMENTS, 1669-1676
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