Читать книгу The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898. Volume 21 of 55 - Unknown - Страница 5

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-third day of July in the year one thousand six hundred and twenty-four, the honorable president and auditors of the royal Audiencia and Chancillería of these Philipinas Islands, in whose charge is the government thereof, declared that [they have resolved upon this measure] in view of the fact that Señor Don Alonso Faxardo de Tenga, formerly governor and captain-general of these said islands, and president of the royal Audiencia, undertook to found a seminary [and] college where Japanese should be educated, instructed in religion, and taught, so that when they had received holy orders they might go to the kingdom of Japan and preach and instruct there in our holy faith, after the manner and likeness of the English colleges in the kingdoms of España, and other Christian countries—for which purpose he designated space and locations for a church, house, and garden in the unoccupied land outside the walls of the said city; and for the income and maintenance of the said seminary [and] college he designated and applied the income from the passage and navigation from this city to the port of Cavite, and the monopoly of buyo, bonga,23 and tobacco, which he ordered to be established by a royal decree, which, to this purpose, was despatched in the name of his Majesty on the twenty-ninth of January of this present year. By this it was commanded that no person should make use of the said passage, nor of the carriage and sale of the said buyo, bonga, and tobacco, excepting those who hold it in lease for the said college and its administrators, or those named by them for this purpose, under the penalties which are imposed upon them by the magistrates. From this have resulted great discontent and scandal in all ranks of this commonwealth, and particularly among serious persons therein, both ecclesiastical and lay—who, being moved by zeal for the service of God our Lord, and of his Majesty, and for the prosperity and preservation of these islands and the citizens and natives thereof, have made representations of the many difficulties resulting from the aforesaid grant, not only in sermons which have many times been preached in regard to this, but likewise by information and declaration to the judges and ministers of his Majesty, that they might aid in procuring relief therein, as it is a thing so important for the royal service. For the establishment of the said college and seminary was accomplished at a time when the king of Japon so rigorously prohibited the preaching of the holy gospel in his kingdom, as is explained in the said royal decree; and [his resentment] had reached such an extreme that, when ambassadors were despatched in the past year to negotiate on behalf of these islands for friendship and good understanding with the said king, he showed himself to be so ill disposed against them that he did not allow the said ambassadors to enter his court during the eight months and more which they passed in his kingdom, seeking an audience in order to give their message and embassy. According to the letters and relations received, his resentment was the result of having found certain religious in his kingdom in secular clothes, and of having learned that they had been brought from these islands to his land in disguise and secretly. On this account, and in order to prevent them from entering Japon, he has ordered all Spaniards who are in his said kingdom to leave it, and has forbidden and discontinued traffic, and he will not consent that Japanese ships come to these islands, as they used to come, to bring provisions and other military stores for the royal warehouses; this can only result in the ruin of this country, on account of the lack which this may cause in its armament, trade, and maintenance. If the king of Japon, who has already ordered that religious cannot dwell in his kingdom, by not consenting to allow Spaniards in it, as has been said, should get word that Japanese are being educated and instructed in the said seminary, to go and continue the said preaching, it is certain that he must experience even greater displeasure and annoyance, and adopt more strenuous measures to stop all communication and passage from these islands to his said kingdom. As a result, the Spaniards will suffer the greatest need through the want of provision which is brought to these islands from there. It might even be the cause that he would unite with the Dutch enemy, whom he admits peacefully into his said kingdom, and that they would come with a great number of troops and vessels against these islands, and cause great losses to them, as we have no forces sufficient to resist them successfully. On this account it is expedient to use prudent measures and acts, and not to continue this, which in all certainty, and evidently, as is generally known by all the religious orders and serious persons of this city, must result in harm to the service of God and of his Majesty, and in notable loss to this commonwealth—both because the said seminary cannot bring about the good results claimed for it, on account of the little inclination of the Japanese for it, and the different objects which it is presumed have been aimed at by it; and because in this case the argument does not exist that holds good in other kingdoms and parts where there are colleges of the English and other foreign nations. For, if those peoples are irritated by the religious instruction and teaching of the persons who are gathered in the said colleges, there are forces to resist them; but through this seminary they might cause greater injury than the said nations are doing without it. As for the location which was designated for the said seminary, although it was, as has been said, in the unoccupied land outside the walls of this city, it appears to have been selected and set aside in the Plaza de Armas here, close by the village of Laguio, where they have commenced to erect a building and pillars of stone, contrary to what his Majesty directed by his royal decree of the sixth of March of the year one thousand six hundred and eight, which is as follows:

“The King. In consideration of the fact that a relation has been made to me on behalf of Hernando de los Rios Coronel, procurator-general of the Philipinas Islands, to the effect that when the uprising of the Chinese Sangleys occurred there, there were, about the walls of the city of Manila, many buildings from which the Sangleys did much damage to the walls thereof, until they were destroyed; and to prevent this difficulty for the future, Don Pedro de Acuña, my former governor and captain-general of those islands, commanded that no buildings should be erected within three hundred paces from the wall of the said city, in its entire circuit, and begged me, considering that this was so expedient as he had given me to understand, in order that the said city should be provided with the necessary defense, and protected from the past dangers, that I should be pleased to have this confirmed, or do as might be according to my pleasure. Having examined it in my royal Council of the Yndias, the said order which the said Don Pedro issued has appeared to me to be very effective, as is said. Accordingly it is my will that this be observed and fulfilled, as exactly and punctually as if it were issued by myself; and, in fulfilment thereof, I order that neither now nor at any time shall any building be erected within the said three hundred paces about the said wall of the said city of Manila, since this is expedient for my service and for the security and defense of the said city. Done at Madrid, on the sixth of March of the year one thousand six hundred and eight.

I The King

By order of the king, our lord: Juan de Civiza”

All the aforesaid procedure is contrary to this decree. Besides, the district and place where the said seminary building has been commenced are the lots which have been seized and taken away from the owners who possessed them, the houses which they had built upon them being removed or torn down, in order to make the said Plaza de Armas; nor have they thus far been paid for, nor has any satisfaction been given to the owners. Accordingly, if the said lots were not necessary for the purpose for which they were taken, they should be returned to their owners as land and property which pertain and belong to them, and no work or edifice should be erected thereon until they be paid and satisfied. As for the income which is appropriated for the work, its maintenance, and the prosecution of the building for the said seminary, it was contrary to the rules of justice and to the laws of the kingdom, and greatly to the prejudice of this whole commonwealth and the Indian villages in its neighborhood; for the voyage and navigation from this city to the port of Cavite—as it is not a river passage, but a bay and an arm of the sea, which may be crossed with all sorts of vessels, both large and small—cannot be reduced to the status of a private route and profit, on account of the loss which this would cause to so great a number of persons as possess the said vessels, and use them to carry and convey merchandise and other sorts of articles from this city to the said port. And especially it will cause this loss to the native Indians of this city and of the villages of Laguio, Mahar, Meytubi, Dongalo and others of this coast, who will be deprived and prevented from using the vessels which they ordinarily possess to carry and convey to the said port persons, merchandise, and other things; and if this profit be hindered they will have nothing wherewith to sustain themselves, and will not be able to pay his Majesty the royal tributes, nor aid in other impositions and personal services. The same losses will be increased by granting a monopoly of the said buyo, bonga, and tobacco—not only for the neighboring villages but even for provinces where it is collected and brought to this city; for their natives have no other source of income which would be to them so important and profitable as the gathering, carrying, and sale of buyo, bonga, and tobacco, and if this were stopped they would be reduced to the greatest poverty and want. That would make it impossible for them to succeed in paying the royal tributes, impositions, repartimientos, and other consequences of the service of his Majesty; and to the citizens and the people of various nationalities who dwell here, for whom the said commodities serve as food and sustenance, there would be caused expense and inconvenience, as has already been seen by experience, for even without the said monopoly being erected, but merely projected and intended, the said buyo, bonga, and tobacco have risen and increased in price, so much that the cost at present is twice what it was before, and at the time when it was decided to erect the said monopoly—which not only is of the fruits of the land, and articles which the said peoples use for their sustenance, but likewise is prohibited by equity and the laws. Consequently, looking for the greatest service to God and his Majesty, the growth and preservation of these islands, and the welfare and comfort of the citizens and natives thereof, they [i.e., the president and auditors] declared that they would revoke, and they did revoke, the said grant with everything therein contained; and that they would declare it, and they did declare it, to be null and of no force and effect. And they declared that they would notify, and they did notify, each and every magistrate of his Majesty, that each one of them, in his jurisdiction, in so far as may concern him, shall not consent to the use of the said monopolies, or of any one of them, on the part of either the said seminary or of any other person with a lease-title therefrom, or in any other manner, who may employ and make use of the said grant; but on the contrary they shall proceed to the punishment of such, who shall be in their jurisdiction, as against persons making use of a title and right not pertaining to them. And as for the said edifice and its demolition, it shall be entrusted to the captain-general, so that he, when he has examined it, and found that it is within the said three hundred paces about the walls, shall have it demolished and razed, until it be put in the state in which the said Plaza de Armas had been before, and at the time when the said edifice was commenced, in such manner that the purpose of the command of his Majesty in the said royal decree shall be complied with. A royal decree in conformity with this act shall be despatched, and shall be cried publicly in the customary districts and places, so that knowledge thereof may come to all. And, by this their act, they decree and command accordingly, and have signed their names.

Doctor Don Alvaro de Messa y Lugo

Licentiate Don Juan de Saavedra Valderrama

Licentiate Don Mathias Delgado y Flores

Before me:

Pedro Alvarez

Don Phelipe, by the grace of God king of Castilla, of Leon, of Aragon, of the two Çiçilias, of Hierusalem, of Portugal, of Navarra, of Granada, of Toledo, of Valencia, of Galicia, of Mayorca, of Sevilla, of Cerdeña, of Cordova, of Córcega, of Murcia, of Jaen, of the Algarves, of Algeciras, of Gibraltar, and of the Canaria Islands, and of the Eastern and Western Yndias, islands and mainland, of the Ocean Sea; Archduke of Austria, Duke of Borgoña, of Bramante, and Milan; Count of Arpspug [i.e., Hapsburg] and of Flandez, of Tirol, and of Barcelona; Seignior of Viscaya and of Molina, etc. [Here the royal decree quotes in full the foregoing act of the royal Audiencia beginning: “In consideration of the fact that Don Alonso Faxardo de Tença,” etc., down to “but likewise is prohibited by equity and law.”]

Wherefore, looking for the greatest service to God and myself, the increase and preservation of the said islands, and the welfare and comfort of the citizens and dwellers therein, after examination by my president and auditors of the royal Audiencia and Chancilleria of my said Philipinas Islands, in whose charge is the government thereof, through the death of my governor, Don Alonso Fajardo de Tença, it was agreed that I should revoke, as by these presents I do revoke, the said grant and everything therein contained, and I declare it null and of no force and effect. And I command all my justices and ministers that each one of them in his jurisdiction, in so far as concerns him, shall not consent to the use of the said monopolies or any one of them, on the part either of the said seminary or of any other person with a lease-title therefrom, or in any other manner, who may employ and make use of the said grant; but on the other hand they shall proceed to the punishment of such, who may be in their jurisdiction, as against persons making use of a title and right not pertaining to them. And as for the said edifice and its demolition, it shall be entrusted to the master-of-camp, Don Geronimo de Silva, captain-general, likewise of the artillery of my said islands, so that when he has examined it, and found that it is within the said three hundred paces about the walls of the city of Manila, he shall have it demolished and razed until it be put in the state in which the said Plaza de Armas had been before, at the time when the said edifice was commenced, in such manner that the purpose of my royal command in my royal decree shall be complied with. And this, my letter and royal edict, shall be publicly cried in the customary districts and places, so that it may come to the knowledge of all. Given in the city of Manila, on the twenty-fourth of July of the year one thousand six hundred and twenty-four.

Doctor Don Alvaro de Messa y Luga

Licentiate Don Juan de Saavedra Valderrama

Licentiate Don Matthias Delgado y Flores

I, Captain Pedro Alvarez, chief secretary of the government and department of war of these Philipinas Islands for the king our lord, have had this written by his command with the decision of his president and auditors.

Registered by Don Juan Sarmiento.

Chancillor Don Juan Sarmiento

In the city of Manila, on the twenty-fourth of Jury of the year one thousand six hundred and twenty-four, was published this decree in conformity with the provision therein, in loud and intelligible words, by the voice of Augusto de Navarrete, public crier, in front of the gate of the Audiencia hall, and on the corner where resides Captain Antonio de Xérez Montoro, and on the site of Bagun Bay, outside the walls—Captain Martin de Esquival, sargento-mayor, Geronimo Enrriquez Sotelo, and many other persons being witnesses. To this I certify:

Pedro Alvarez

I, Captain Pedro Alvarez, sargento-mayor of the government and department of war of these Philipinas Islands, at the command of Señor Doctor Don Alvaro de Messa y Lugo of the council of his Majesty, and his auditor in the royal Audiencia in these islands—who, as the senior auditor, fills the office of president thereof—have ordered to be drawn, and have drawn, this copy of the act and royal decree, the originals whereof remain in my possession; and this is certain and true, corrected and compared with the said original, to which I refer. Witnesses at its correction and comparison were: Captain Lopez de Olaiz, Sargento Pedro Delgado, and Martin de la Rroca, citizens and residents of this city of Manila, where this is dated, on the fifth day of the month of August of the year one thousand six hundred and twenty-four.

Pedro Alvarez

[Endorsed: “Copy of the act and royal decree which were published revoking the grant which was made to the seminary [and] college for Japanese, of a monopoly of buyo, bonga, and tobacco, and the passage to the fort of Cavite.”]