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
I am writing this letter, in doubt as to the arrival of your Reverence,
and with hopes of the arrival here of the ship "Santa Rosa" and with
desires of the coming of a governor to free us from the abominations in
which we are. Don Francisco Xavier [de la] Torre is the most detestable
robber ever seen in the East or West Indias, a man without shame or
trace of Christianity. All this might be tolerated if he took any
care of the defense of the Indians; but he has wholly abandoned the
fields of Christendom, saying that a cornucopia of the islands is
given to him, and that the king our sovereign will abandon them,
or transfer them to the French. Thereupon, he has given himself
over to a libertine life, so far as his morals are concerned. He
looks after nothing else than selling the offices dear, and robbing
king and vassals. He obtains it all with abun[dant] [209] stipends,
but does not pay them, but feigns very well that he issues vouchers
for them. But [what?] will your Reverence say on learning that he
has bondsmen who give him opinions, ... testimonies contrary to
all justice and truth? We have a bishop ...; and for that reason I
have already sent four [students] so that they may be ordained [at]
Zebu. I am sure that it will be necessary to send all the others, who
have finished and who are studying. He has hoisted the flag against the
religious orders with all his might, and I am sure that all the orders
will write this year, resigning their ministries into the hands of his
Majesty. [210] The Society and the Dominicans are determined to do it,
for the auditors and some of the city have resolved to censure and
dishonor them. The Frenchman Solano, formerly a barber and wig-maker is
alcalde-in-ordinary of Manila, and today a regidor of this city. Who
would believe that such a ... thing could be? This vile man, incited
by the governor, by the auditor, ... and by the fiscal of his Majesty,
had the insolence to get out on the highway of Meyha with two thousand
workmen and widen it by more than two varas. Although he knew that
it was ecclesiastical property, he answered that the last thing that
leaves the body is the soul. What can such governors, [such] auditors,
and such alcaldes occasion, if not the ruin of the community?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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