Laus Deo

Printed with permission of Don Luys Remirez de Arellano, deputy-mayor of Sevilla.

Printed in Sevilla by Juan de Cabrera, opposite the post-office.  The year 1626.

DOCUMENTS OF 1627

Importance of the Philippines.  Martin Castano; [undated; 1627?].  Relation of 1626. [Unsigned and undated; ca. 1627].  Letter to Tavora.  Felipe IV; September 3.  Laws regarding the Sangleys. [From Recopilacion de leyes de las Indias]; 1594-1627.  Decrees regarding the religious.  Felipe IV; May-November.  Decrees regarding the Chinese.  Felipe IV; September 10 and November 19.  Inadvisability of a Spanish post on the island of Formosa.  Juan Cevicos; December 20.

Sources:  The first, fifth, and seventh of these documents are obtained from MSS. in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; the second, from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), vol. i, pp. 523-545; the third and sixth, from the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid; the fourth, from Recopilacion de leyes de las Indias, lib. vi, tit. xviii.

Translations:  These are all made by James A. Robertson, except the third, by Arthur B. Myrick.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Sire: 

I, Martin Castano, procurator-general of the Filipinas, declare that—­having examined and carefully considered, in the course of so long a period as I have spent here, the region of these islands, their great importance, and the little energy displayed in coming to their help while the enemies from Olanda are exerting themselves so strenuously to gain possession of them—­I am convinced that such inaction can proceed only from a failure to estimate that country at its proper value, imagining it to be of less importance than it is, since it is regarded as being so far away [from Espana].  But those islands are the most important part of your Majesty’s dominion; and from delay it results that the enemy is continually gaining, and your Majesty losing, while recovery becomes more difficult.  If they should be lost, and the country given up to the natives, it would be, even if the Hollanders had not gone thither, a loss of the magnitude which will be made evident by this paper; but if your Majesty lose them, and your greatest enemy gain them, the loss will be beyond all exaggeration.  Therefore, I have desired to advance four important considerations regarding those islands:  namely, the extension of the faith, and the increase of your Majesty’s dominion, glory, and riches.  And in case of any doubt as to the truth of my assertions, I will prove them by trustworthy witnesses and authentic papers, to your entire satisfaction.