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
[The archbishop's letters have no effect and fail of their purpose
when events prove that he does quite the contrary to what he writes
and preaches and counsels. Experience shows that he is making use of
apparently virtuous means to deliver the islands over to Calvinism
and Lutheranism; and that would inevitably have happened had not Anda
instituted a vigorous defense, aided by the bishops and other pious
and loyal Spaniards and natives, all of whom recognize the legitimacy
of his government and deny all the authority of the archbishop and
Orendain. Anda is sorry for the plight in which Villacorta is, and
would aid him if he could, but if such aid must be at the expense of
the islands, then he will not move in his defense--which he would
not do for anyone, not even his own parents. He will take full
vengeance for it later. However, he believes that the English are
but making use of the archbishop in order to secure a suspension of
hostilities. Besides, he can do nothing toward bringing about peace
if he is a declared traitor and rebel, and even if the enemy recognize
him as true governor, he cannot have anything to do with such proposals
unless they are made to him in writing and in due form. This matter of
Villacorta is only a pretext to make Anda hated by the people, and a
scheme by which the English can gain possession of the provinces. In
all their machinations they have made use of the archbishop to aid
them to gain their ends. When the fort of Santiago was surrendered
to the British, a verbal agreement was made with General Draper by
the archbishop "that the persons, wealth, and possessions of all the
persons in said fort were to be free, as were also the wealth and
possessions of those in the city, with the sole difference that the
latter were to be prisoners; that the practice of religion and the
exercise of its tribunals were also to continue in the same manner as
before the capture of the city, commerce also being free, etc." The
British have, however, not kept this agreement, and the archbishop
justly treated them at that time as robbers and pirates. But if that
was so in October how can the archbishop now aid or abet them in
the ruin of the islands, and draining the treasury, city, churches,
and pious funds, besides giving warrants for two million pesos on
the king--and all this without any opposition. With the sack and
the capture of the "Santisima Trinidad," a sum greater than the four
million pesos unjustly demanded has been raised. How can they expect
Villacorta to keep his word of honor, which it was unnecessary for
him to give as he was in the fort? If he gave such word it was under
compulsion. All this should be represented by the archbishop to the
judges who condemned Villacorta. Anda earnestly entreats the latter
to reform in his manner of living, and to cease his excesses. [103]]
Letter from the castellan of Cavite, Monsieur Brerreton, to the
insurgent of Ylocos, Diego Silang. [104]
My Dear Sir:
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