The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 | Page 8

concern him, and that he shall
be quiet and treat me and the auditors with respect; and that he avoid
disputes and quarrels, since from them can result nothing but evil to the
service of God and your Majesty, and scandal to the public. Your
Majesty may believe that what I write here is stated with the utmost
moderation, considering the outrages which he has committed. I
therefore doubt not that many complaints of his proceedings will be
sent. The Audiencia have grievances, and sometimes have been so
provoked that they have been at the point of sharply correcting him; but
some of them are afraid of him for private reasons, and dare not do so.
In order not to stumble against such obstacles, I take it to be an
efficacious remedy, for the future, that your Majesty should not appoint

to the archbishopric or bishoprics of these islands friars who have been
trained in these islands without first obtaining a report from the
Audiencia of their qualifications and experience in government. May
our Lord protect the Catholic person of your Majesty, according to the
needs of Christendom. Manila, the first of July, 1605.
_Don Pedro de Acuña_
[_In the margin_: "Have all the letters which treat of this, and those
which concern the archbishop placed together, and have them taken to
the Council."]
[_Endorsed_: "Manila, to his Majesty; 1605, Don Pedro de Acuña, the
first of July; writes about the archbishop." "July 21, 1606, examined,
and decreed within."]
Sire:
In countries so remote as are these Philipinas Islands, and which lie so
far from the royal presence of your Majesty, we are bound, not only by
our obligation, but in conscience as well, by our feelings in regard to
the sights that every day meet our eyes, and by the commands laid upon
us by special instruction from your Majesty and your presidents and
auditors, always to give information [of affairs here]. We do so,
likewise, in order to secure the aid of the relief which faithful vassals
ought to look and hope for in their hardships and calamities from their
natural king and lord--whose light, like that of the sun, ought to be
equally communicated to all; and whose fatherly protection it is just
that we should recognize on all occasions which arise, since we cannot
appear personally before the feet of your Majesty. Yet doing what we
can in this, we present ourselves with due submission, giving
information that is reliable, and derived from experience, of the injuries
both to the public and to individuals which this commonwealth, and we
the religious of the Order of our father St. Augustine, are suffering
from the presence of Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, archbishop of this
archiepiscopal see--who, we believe, should be occupying a cell in
some convent of his order in exemplary and peaceful life, as he did
before he rose to the position of bishop and to the dignity which today
he holds. In that position, [1] either because he wishes to assume more
authority in the [ecclesiastical] government than is his due, or on
account of some grave scruples which, continually increasing, so harass
and disquiet him that were not the valor and prudence of Don Pedro de

Acuña, governor of these islands, so great, and the royal Audiencia
which your Majesty has here composed of councillors so wise,
Christian, and moderate, fear would often have arisen (and with good
cause) of various scandals for which the said prelate has given occasion.
For with his revelations and prophecies, of which your Majesty has
been informed, he publicly stated that the Chinese were about to rebel,
from which it resulted that poor soldiers, and other persons who belong
to peoples that resort here, were eager for such an opportunity; and it is
believed that the cowardly Chinese were thus led to mutiny and
rebellion, putting this whole land in danger. All this arose from the
fears of the archbishop, which were not communicated to the person
who could, without exciting comment, have taken precautions and
prevented the trouble--namely, the governor, with whom he has usually
had collisions. These were principally in matters concerning the royal
patronage, which loses footing out here; [such conduct is therefore] the
less to be tolerated. Your Majesty will have heard long ago of some ill
result, for the governor has tried to manage the archbishop with due
gentleness, treating him with respect, giving him a wide range in affairs,
and temporizing with him in order to avoid contention. During his
sicknesses, which are frequent, the governor has entertained him as a
guest in his own house, keeping him there a long time. This has been of
so little use that he takes every opportunity to disturb, and sometimes
without opportunity disturbs, the general peace--at