The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 49: 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 49: 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
In Consequence of Orders from Europe to attack Manila on the War
with Spain, the Squadron and Troops sailed from Madrass the First of
August, 1762, and arrived in the Bay of Manila the 24th of September
following; and after summoning the Town to surrender, and receiving
for Answer their Resolution to defend it, the Troops were immediately
landed, and began the Siege. A breach being made the 6th of October,
we stormed and took the City, on which the principal Inhabitants
retired into the Citadel, but sensible they could not hold it long,
sent out a Flag of Truce, desiring to capitulate. The Terms offered
were, on paying "Four Millions of Dollars, they were to have their
Churches, Convents, Palaces, and other public Buildings, with the Town
preserved, the Plundering stopped, with the free exercise of their
Religion, and other Liberties; otherwise to be Prisoners of War,
and put on Board the Squadron, and sent to the Coast of India as such."
These Terms they accepted; and whilst the Articles were settling,
they pleaded their Inability to raise immediately the Sum demanded,
unless we would admit the Phillipina (which was arrived ¡n the Port of
Pallapa, on the Island of Semar from Acapulca) into the Capitulation,
and the Vice Roy to send Letters to the General that commanded her,
to deliver her up to our Ships, which had been sent after her; to which
we assented, on Condition that the said Phillipina was actually in the
Port of Pallapa, and delivered up to our Ships in Consequence of the
said Letter. This is the only Ship ever admitted into the Capitulation
(and that Conditionally) and which, instead of being delivered up, or
ordered to proceed to Manila, agreeable to the promised Letter of the
Vice Roy, was, by other Letters, privately sent unknown to us, directed
not to comply with the Vice Roy's Letter, but to land the Money on
the Island where they were, and secure it in the best Manner they
could until they should receive further Directions from Manila. [189]
All things being thus agreed upon, the plundering the Town was
immediately Stopped [190] and the City restored to Order, an
Account taken of the Ordnance and military Stores, and the Garrison
established, which took up the whole of the Troops of the Expedition;
and the Place (in Obedience to his Majesty's Instructions) delivered
up to the East India Company's Agent for their Use and Benefit, until
his further Pleasure should be known. During these Transactions
the Treasure remaining in the Town (a great deal being conveyed
out during the Siege) was collected together, and the principal
Inhabitants voluntarily taxed themselves to pay the Remainder as
far as two Millions; and if the Phillipina was not to be got at, we
were to take Bills on the King of Spain for the other two Millions,
which the Captain General, or Viceroy, (who was also Archbishop)
declared he had Authority to draw, and would be duly honoured.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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