The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 | Page 7

to the officers and men who serve in the expedition
to Tuy; and these must be used only in certain specified ways. These
promoters ask for authority to appoint the officers and soldiers
necessary as garrisons in the conquered country, and to fix the pay of
these men, which shall be provided from the royal treasury. If they
have important despatches to send to Spain, they wish to send them
directly from the Pacific coast of Luzon, rather than via Manila. If they
shall succeed in pacifying those barbarous tribes, they expect
permission to allot those natives in encomiendas, at their own pleasure.
They also ask for commutation of the royal fifth of gold to one tenth.
Still another list of stipulations is given, also over Vega's signature. The
promoters of the Tuy scheme demand that answer be made to it by
return mail; otherwise, they will be released from all obligations. The
cost of this conquest should be borne by the royal treasury. Vega
commends himself and his associate--some man of affairs--as heads for

this enterprise, and urges that the royal sanction be speedily given to it.
The boundaries of the province of Tuy are declared; and certain
stipulations are made regarding the encomiendas to be allotted therein,
also the authority to be granted to Vega, and the privileges to be
accorded to the soldiers.
On July 25, 1609, a petition is sent to the king by Miguel Banal (a
descendant of the Moro ruler dispossessed by Legaspi at Manila),
praying for redress against the Jesuits for depriving him and other
Indians at Quiapo of their lands; he asks the king to investigate this
matter anew, and to protect him from further spoliation. The
Dominican missionary Aduarte makes a declaration (in a document
undated, but of 1608) of the reasons why some of his religious
belonging to the mission of 1606 had remained in Nueva España,
instead of completing the voyage to the Philippines. Some died on the
way, some failed to reach the port of embarcation, and the ship
assigned to the missionaries was too small to carry all of them. Aduarte
remonstrates against the embarrassments and restrictions with which he
and other missionaries have had to contend; and complains, as before,
of the scanty allowance made for their traveling expenses--illustrating
this from his own and others' experiences. This is followed by a request
from the discalced Augustinians (1609?) for extension of previous
permission to send more of their friars to the Philippines.
The Editors April, 1904.

DOCUMENTS OF 1605

Complaints against the archbishop. Pedro de Acuña, and others; July
1-4. Relations with the Chinese. Pedro de Acuña, and others; July 4 and
5. Letters to Felipe III. Pedro de Acuña; July 1-15.
_Source_: All these documents are obtained from the Archivo general
de Indias, Sevilla.
_Translations_: The first letter in the second document, and the first
two in the third, are translated by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University
of Wisconsin; the remainder, by Robert W. Haight and Emma Helen
Blair.

Complaints Against the Archbishop
Sire:
Ever since I began to have dealings with the archbishop Don Fray
Miguel de Benavides, and have recognized his temper, I have perceived
the difficulties that he would cause me; accordingly, I have always
acted with great moderation and care. But the occasions which he gives
for such caution are so many that great patience is necessary to bear
them; for he persuades himself that everything, both spiritual and
temporal, pertains to him, and that there is not a king, or patronage, or
Audiencia that can change his will as to what he will do. It therefore
results that he very often has quarrels with the Audiencia, with me,
with the orders, and with all those of his church; and nothing occurs in
connection with the patronage which he does not desire to adjudicate,
so it is on that subject that he has had controversies with me. His
scruples are insufferable, and they are continually increasing;
accordingly, we dread the lengths to which they may carry him.
Notwithstanding that he is a religious who is greatly respected, and one
of learning and exemplary life, and has always had this reputation, I
believe that he would be better in his cell than in the archbishopric or
bishopric; and that it would be much better for his conscience and
peace of mind, and that this commonwealth would gain much thereby.
It is noticeable that his order, knowing him as they do, and regarding
him as of good character and reputation, as I have said, have never
employed him in any way in their government, as they do not find him
qualified for it. I beg your Majesty to be pleased to order that he shall
not meddle in those affairs which do not