The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 291 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 291 pages of information about The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55.
a remedy as you can provide; and I therefore charge you to “decide in this what appears to you to accord with the judgment of the bishop.”  This does not mean to commit the affair to him alone; but, after hearing his opinion, and having examined his discussion and treatment of the matter with me, I am to resolve upon what measures are best for the remedy thereof, and then in the name of your Majesty provide and carry out that remedy, and have it observed most punctiliously.  Further, I told him that two-thirds of the number of religious are of this opinion and sentiment, contrary to that of the bishop; moreover that the bishop himself and all the theologians were lately of one mind in this matter, but that now the bishop alone disagrees; and that I think I make no mistake in being guided by so many learned opinions in a matter which I find to be of service to God and my king.  Furthermore, I replied to various inquiries that he made of me, such as the remedy which had been brought to bear in these things, and the resulting benefit.  My answer is so long, that in order not to be detailed here, I refer your Majesty to the aforesaid reply, as well as to the result obtained, which I show there, and to the orders now in force.  I see no other remedy than to take the matter as I find it.  I see that for lack of justice nothing can be collected, as the Indian receives no benefit.  I wish to establish justice for administration and government, and for dealings with and good management of the Indians, that both your Majesty and the encomenderos should receive profit; and that the royal estate should not suffer, nor the encomendero starve, abandon everything, and go away.  For your Majesty’s share alone there would necessarily be more than a hundred and fifty thousand pesos of restitution, not to count thirty thousand pesos of income which would be lost from the present tributes (for all the encomiendas belong to your Majesty); and these islands would be left alone without a single soldier, and with only the bishop and the religious, so that within one week there would be neither the one nor the other.  I assured him, in fact, that without express order from your Majesty I could not curtail or diminish the royal income or alter the encomiendas from their first establishment, which they have had for twenty-six years.  I answered him fully in respect to the establishment of justice where there is none, and the great good that would result therefrom.  I urged him to appoint laymen of good life and example, who, while there are no religious there, may instruct and bring them up in the holy faith, as your Majesty commands in the royal charge regarding presentations—­to which the bishop never has given me an answer.  I told him that finally, in these two ways, it will be brought about that they will not be left alone and intractable, and thus ready to rebel and rise in two days’ time.  It were well that these laymen of good life, when religious are lacking, not only be not appointed by the bishop, but that they
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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.