The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 47, 1728-1759: 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 47, 1728-1759: 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
Second: Great numbers of Indians would be employed who now have no way
in which to make a living or to pay their tributes; by this means not
only would they be relieved [from their burdens], but it would be with
great increase to the royal exchequer; and through their application
and gains they would consequently be more faithful and constant
vassals, while now idleness and vices prevent them from being such.
Third: The Philipinas Islands are suffering severely from the lack
of communication by a direct route with España; this could be easily
secured by arming the ships there, which need from España more people
than a few officers; and it would be very desirable to transport for
those islands some artisans whom they will need for promoting and
cultivating the various products of the land.
Fourth: The more that the lands are cultivated and their products
made available, the greater will be the number of men and of infidel
Indians that will be needed; and consequently they will submit [to
Spanish authority], and be converted into loyal vassals and friends,
and Christianity will be increased in those regions, without any fear
that the Moro and infidel enemies can disturb them.
Fifth: It will be possible to equip every year three or four ships
of six hundred to a thousand toneladas each, and despatch them for
Europa with cinnamon, pepper, and other spices which will be produced
there; and in return they will go back with various commodities and
fruits, the products of España, which the people of Manila always
find themselves compelled to buy from the English and Dutch, carrying
away the money for them. In this manner not only will these gains
remain within the dominions of his Majesty, without the other nations
being able to draw thence the money with which they carry on war,
[to the] injury of the commerce of España, but by this means the
[Spanish] dominions that are so remote will come to be to a large
extent dependent one upon another; and as the intercourse between
them would be mutual and friendly, the Indians consequently would
have occasion to see and experience the greatness [of the Spanish
power]. Thus they would come to be more faithful and loyal vassals,
and returning to their own lands, would influence their countrymen
to be the same.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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