The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume XII, 1601-1604, by Edited by Blair and Robertson

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Title: The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume XII, 1601-1604 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

Author: Edited by Blair and Robertson

Release Date: February 12, 2005 [EBook #15022]

Language: English

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898

   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,

Volume XII, 1601-1604

 Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson
  with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord
                                Bourne.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME XII

    Preface 9
    Documents of 1601-1602

        Expedition to the Malucas Islands. Arias de Saldanha,
        and others; 1601-02 29
        Principal points in regard to the trade of the
        Filipinas. Alonso Fernandez de Castro; [undated;
        1602?] 46
        Various documents relating to commerce. Fray Martin
        Ignacio de Loyola, and others; [ca. 1602] 57
        Letter to Felipe III. Antonio de Morga; Manila,
        December 1 76

Documents of 1603

        Three Chinese Mandarins at Manila. Geronimo de Salazar
        y Salcedo; Manila, May 27 83
        Resignation of his office by the bishop of Nueva
        Segovia. Miguel de Benavides; Manila, June 4 98
        Letters to Felipe III. Miguel de Benavides; Manila,
        July 5 and 6 101
        Letters to Felipe III. Pedro de Acuña, and others;
        Manila, July-December 127
        The Sangley insurrection. Pedro de Acuña, and others;
        Manila, December 12-23 142

    Relacion de las Islas Filipinas (to be concluded). Pedro
    Chirino, S.J.; Roma, 1604 169
    Bibliographical Data 323

ILLUSTRATIONS

Map of China and East Indies (original in colors), in Voyage ofte Schipvaert, by Jan Huygen van Linschoten (Amstelredam, M. D. XCVI), p. 22; photographic facsimile, from copy in Boston Public Library. 90, 91 Title-page of Relacion de las Islas Filipinas, by Pedro Chirino, S.J. (Roma, M. DC. IV); photographic facsimile, from copy in library of Harvard University. 171

PREFACE

The general documents contained in this volume cover the years 1601-03; they are followed by Chirino's Relacion, which was published in 1604, but the events related therein end in 1602. The two notable occurrences in this period are the great fire, and the Chinese revolt in Manila in the year 1603—the latter ending in the slaughter or expulsion of almost all the Chinese in the islands. Pirates are still raiding the shores of the northern islands; but the available forces of the colonial government are diverted to the assistance of an expedition from India which attempts (but unsuccessfully) to drive the Dutch from the Spice Islands. Commercial difficulties still affect the prosperity of the islands, caused mainly by the unauthorized share of Mexican speculators in the profitable trade between the Philippines and China; and various expedients are proposed for the regulation of this commerce. The great fire is a heavy blow to the Spanish colony, and the people fear the vengeance of the Chinese for the slaughter of their countrymen. The new archbishop of Manila complains that the religious orders are in much need of inspection and reform; some neglect the Indians to whom they should be missionaries, others keep the infidel Chinese on their lands, and allow the Indians to be corrupted by the vices of the former. After the Chinese revolt is quelled, vigorous protests are sent to the home government, especially by the ecclesiastics, against the laxity hitherto prevailing in the enforcement of the laws restricting Chinese migration to the islands.

These documents are followed by the noted and rare work of the Jesuit Pedro Chirino, Relacion de las Islas Filipinas (Roma, 1604). It is mainly intended as a history of the missions in the islands conducted by the Jesuits, begun in 1581; Chirino himself arrived there in 1595, and gives a full and detailed account of the missions from that time until his departure in 1602. Not only this, but he narrates many things of interest and importance regarding the people, their customs and character, their language and state of civilization, their religious beliefs and worship, and the results of missionary labors and influence upon them. Much of this information is of special value as one of the earliest records regarding the Filipino peoples in their primitive condition, before they had had much contact with the white men; for the Jesuits went even beyond the outposts of Spanish civilization, among tribes who sometimes had never seen white men before. Chirino's Relacion is here presented for the first time in an English dress; and the Editors are fortunate in securing for this publication some valuable annotations from the hand of Rev. Pablo Pastells, S.J. of Barcelona, Spain, who was for some eighteen years superior of the Jesuit missions in the Philippines. Chirino's work is begun in the present volume, and will be concluded in Vol. XIII.

The presence of Van Noordt's fleet in the Oriental archipelago renders the Spaniards apprehensive that their possessions therein may be attacked, especially that of the rich Spice Islands. Accordingly the viceroy of India determines to send a fleet to drive out the Dutch from those seas; and (May 5, 1601) notifies Tello of this. On September 1, 1602, a council of war is held at Manila, which decides to furnish aid for this expedition against the Dutch; its commander has already captured and subjugated Amboyna. This is followed by a list of the supplies furnished to the Portuguese