Juan Cerezo de Salamanca, governor ad interim between Tavora and Corcuera, sends a report to the king (August 14, 1633). The first section relates to military affairs. The forts and troops in the islands are enumerated. It is somewhat doubtful whether the occupation of Formosa should be maintained. More care should be taken in sending reënforcements to Ternate, and Heredia should be superseded as governor. The galleys belonging to the government are useless, and Cerezo will dispense with all save that at Ternate. There is quarreling over the legal status of the army men in the courts, which should be defined.
Another section relates to general affairs of government. Cerezo again points out the importance of the trade with China and Japan. The relations of Manila, however, with Japan are no longer friendly—a condition of affairs for which the governor blames the “zeal without discretion” of certain religious who, disobeying the royal decrees, go to Japan as preachers. He asks the king to command the religious orders to send no more friars to that country. The trade with China is falling off, mainly because the Portuguese of Macao have absorbed much of it. Cerezo recommends that their trade with Manila be prohibited. He comments on the scantiness of the male population; commends the administration of Rojas, the royal inspector; and makes some minor recommendations to the king.
In regard to the public revenues, Cerezo states that the treasury is burdened with debts; the shipyards are bare of supplies; and the contraband trade with Mexico has attained large proportions. To check this latter evil, the governor recommends that all money sent to Manila be openly registered at Acapulco, imposing on it a duty of five per cent; and a different system of inspecting the Philippine cargoes there be adopted.
In compliance with royal command, the archbishop of Manila reports (August 3, 1634) on the public bakery at Manila. He finds it well built and managed, and recommends that all ovens in the city should be merged in this bakery.
A Jesuit letter from Manila (August 20, 1634) gives interesting news from Japan. The persecution there is still very cruel, and many missionaries have been arrested lately; but the emperor is becoming for the time more lenient, through the influence of certain omens and of his cure from an illness through the prayers of the captive missionaries. The writer hopes, therefore, that Iyemidzu “may be the Constantine of the church” in Japan.
The annual report of Governor Cerezo for 1634 begins with affairs of the revenue. The treasury officials refuse to obey the orders left for them by Rojas; the governor therefore arrests them, which soon brings them to terms. Nevertheless, he excuses their disobedience to some extent, on account of the rigorous and difficult nature of Rojas’s orders; he instances some of these which embarrass both himself and the royal officials. The king has ordered an additional duty to be levied on goods exported to Nueva España; the citizens object to paying this, and finally the matter is temporarily settled by a council of the authorities, both civil and religious, until the home government can take action. The governor reports that the royal visitor Rojas did not really accomplish much for the treasury; but exaggerated his own services. He also reminds the king of his former suggestion for checking the illegal despatch of money to Filipinas.
As for affairs of government, there is the usual conflict between the Audiencia and the governor, which hinders the latter in the discharge of his duties. They interfere with his authority, try to secure the trial of the Chinese lawsuits, acquit delinquents, and meddle in municipal affairs; and he intimates his desire that they be despatched to other branches of his Majesty’s service. Cerezo asks for enlightenment in several difficult matters connected with the respective jurisdictions of himself and the Audiencia. This year the Portuguese of Macao have failed to trade at Manila, and the Chinese, although they have brought considerable merchandise, furnish but little cloth. The expedition sent to Formosa is badly treated by the Portuguese at Macao, of which Cerezo complains to the king. He describes the island of Formosa, the Spanish settlement there, the nature of the people, and the reasons why a Spanish post was established there; he regards this enterprise as useless and undesirable, and states that the soldiers in that island are needed at Manila. The persecution of Christians in Japan still continues; Cerezo doubts the supposed improvement in the shôgun’s attitude toward them, and recommends that no more religious be allowed to go to that country. He describes his method of procedure toward the Chinese, both resident and non-resident; he endeavors to treat them with justice and kindness, and recommends a suitable person for the post of their protector. Liberal aid has been sent to the islands this year from Mexico.
In military affairs, Cerezo recommends the abandonment of Formosa and other unnecessary forts, and the concentration of the Spanish forces at Manila. The fort there is in fair state of defense, but the wall of the city is in ruinous condition, and the governor is having it repaired and strengthened. He recommends that some galleys be maintained at Otón or Cebú, to keep the Moro pirates in awe: and that a new commandant be sent to Ternate in place of Heredia, who has shown himself unfitted to hold that office. A mutiny has occurred there, which he has cruelly punished; and he is blamed for an insurrection in Tidore which has replaced its king with another who is friendly to the Dutch. The port of Cavite must be well maintained and provided with supplies. No ships from India have arrived, probably because the Strait of Malacca and the neighboring waters have been infested by the Dutch.
Little is said about ecclesiastical affairs. “The orders are conducting themselves in an exemplary manner, except that they often usurp the royal jurisdiction, under pretext of defending the natives, and take away the authority from the alcaldes-mayor.” The acting archbishop is commended, and recent appointments are mentioned.
March, 1905.
History of the Augustinian Order in the Filipinas Islands
By Fray Juan de Medina, O.S.A.
(Concluded)
Chapter XXX
Of the first election of our father Fray Lorenzo de León
With the fourth of May, 1596, all the capitular religious of this province of Santísimo Nombre de Jesús of Filipinas assembled, and without much debate cast their votes for father Fray Lorenzo de León,1 a native of the city of Granada, and son of the house at Méjico, whose learning, ability to preach, and other good qualities made him very well known, and caused him to be elected without opposition. Accordingly he won the contest as provincial, to the general liking of all the religious of the province, both those voting and those who had no vote. All were assured that he would govern rightly because of his prudence, and beyond doubt his government was all that. The province during his term had the honor and repute that was proper. Since his method of procedure was alike for all the religious, it was necessary in the following chapter to retire the provincial to his devotion; and one may infer that in that it acted more for the common welfare than its own.
Thereupon, the voting religious being assembled, cast their votes, without any opposition, for Fray Juan de Montesdoza,2 son of the house at Méjico, a native of the city of Utrera, near Sevilla in Andalucia. He was a most excellent provincial, for one always recognized in him a remarkable integrity of morals, and he was much given to prayer and divine worship. He endeavored as earnestly as possible to give his whole being to the order, and not to be found lacking in his ministry. He visited his entire province whenever possible; and that which has always been most annoying to the provincials in respect to its visitation—namely, the province of Bisayas—was not troublesome to him, for he visited it. He did not hesitate at the suffering or the dangers of navigation, which at times is wont to be especially perilous, because of the many storms that generally invade the islands, and the not few enemies. He