Doctor Francisco de Sande and Don Gonzalo Ronquillo

When the news of conquest of the Filipinas Islands by Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, and of his death, reached Españia, his Majesty appointed Doctor Francisco de Sande as governor and captain-general of the islands.

• He was a native of Caceres, and alcalde of the Audiencia of Mexico.
• And so he went to the islands and took over his government in 1575.

During this administration, the pacification of the islands was continued, especially that of the province of Camarines, by Captain Pedro Chaves.

• Chaves often came to blows with the natives, until he conquered them and received their submission.

A Spanish colony called the city of Caceres was founded there.

Among other enterprises, the governor made in person the expedition to Borneo with a fleet of galleys and frigates [27] which he used to attack and capture the enemy’s fleet which had come out to meet him.

He also captured the principal settlement, where the king of the island had his house and residence. But after a few days, he abandoned it and returned to Manila because of:

• sickness among the crews
• his inability to support and care for the Spaniards in that island.

On the way back, and by his orders, Captain Estevan Rodriguez de Figueroa entered the island of Jólo.

• He fought with the natives and their chief, whom he conquered.
• The latter submitted to the name of his Majesty.

From there, he explored the island of Mindanao, reconnoitering its river and chief settlements.

Along the way, he reduced other towns and natives of Mindanao, who had been pacified, to friendship and alliance with the Spaniards.

The governor despatched the ship “San Juanillo” to Nueva España, under command of Captain Juan de Ribera. But it was lost at sea and never heard of again.

Doctor Sande remained until Don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa came from Españia as the new governor and captain-general. After his residencia the doctor returned to Nueva España to fill the office of auditor of Mexico.

CHAPTER 3

Many accounts had reached his Majesty’s court concerning the affairs of the Filipinas which needed to be supplied with settlers and soldiers to pacify them.

Don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, a native of Arevalo, was the chief alguacil of the Audiencia of Mexico.

• He was residing at court.

It was agreed that the conquest be done better from Mexico and at less cost to the royal exchequer.

By this arrangement, he was to be governor of the Filipinas for life. He was to take 600 married and single men from the kingdoms of Castilla to the Filipinas.

His Majesty granted him certain assistance and facilities for this purpose, together with other favors as a reward for this service.

Don Gonzalo prepared for the voyage, raised his people, and embarked them in the port of San Lucas Barremeda. But, as the fleet left the bar, one of his ships was wrecked.

He returned to repair his losses. He took less than at first, he made his journey to the mainland. At Panama, he embarked his people in the South Sea, and sailed for the Filipinas. Hee arrived and took over the government in 1580.

Don Gonzalo Ronquillo founded a Spanish town in the island of Panay, in Oton, which he named Arevalo.

During his term, the trade with the Chinese increased. He built a market-place and Parián for them within the city, where the Chinese could bring and sell their merchandise.

He tried to discover a southwards return passage from the islands to Nueva España by sending his cousin, Captain Don Juan Ronquillo del Castillo.

Captain Don Juan did not succeed. After sailing for some time to near Nueva Guinea, he could go no farther because of many severe storms. So he returned to the Filipinas.

Don Gonzalo sent another ship, under command of Don Gonzalo Ronquillo de Vallesteros, to Peru, with some merchandise, in order to obtain certain goods from those provinces which he said that the Filipinas needed.

This vessel returned from Peru after the death of the governor.

The latter imposed the 2% duty on the merchandise exported to Nueva España, and the 3% duty on the goods imported by the Chinese to the Filipinas.

He was censured for having done this without his Majesty’s orders, these duties remained in force, and continued to be imposed thenceforward.

During this same term, as his Majesty had succeeded to the kingdoms of Portugal. He had:

• ordered the governor of Manila to maintain good relations with the chief captain of the fortress of the island of Tidore, in Maluco, and to assist him when necessary
• sent a fleet and soldiers there from Manila, under command of Captain Don Juan Ronquillo del Castillo.
  • This he did at the request of Diego de Azambuja, chief captain of Tidore, for the expedition and conquest of the island of Terrenate. But after reaching Maluco, the expedition did not succeed in its object. [28]

From then on, supplies of men and provisions continued to be sent from the Filipinas to the fortress of Tidore.

During this same administration, the province of Cagayan in the island of Luzon, opposite China, was first pacified [29] by Captain Joan Pablos de Carrion, who founded there a Spanish colony, which he named Nueva Segovia.

He also drove a Japanese pirate [30] from that place, who had seized the port with some ships, and fortified himself there.

A few days after Don Gonzalo Ronquillo had entered into the government, he sent Captain Gabriel de Ribera with a small fleet, consisting of one galley and several frigates, to explore the coast and settlements of the island of Borneo.

His orders were to proceed thence to the kingdom of Patan on the mainland, where pepper is produced.

After coasting along and reconnoitering Borneo, the captain returned with his fleet to Manila because of the advanced season and lack of provisions.

Thence the governor sent him to España, with authority from himself and from the islands, to confer with his Majesty on several matters that he desired to see carried out, and upon others which would prove advantageous to the islands. [31]

The captain found his Majesty in Portugal, gave him a few pieces of gold and other curiosities which he had brought for that purpose, and stated the matters of which he had come to treat.

The result was that his Majesty, among other favors, appointed him marshal of Bonbon, for his hardships during this voyage, and the proper resolution was made in the matters of which he had come to treat.

The First Bishop of the Philippines: Don Fray Domingo de Salazar

It was during the administration of Don Gonzalo Ronquillo, that the first bishop of the Filipinas was appointed – Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, of the Dominican order, a man of great learning and piety.

As soon as he arrived in the islands, he took upon himself the management and jurisdiction of ecclesiastical affairs, which were at first in charge of the Augustinian friars who had come at the time of the conquest, and afterwards of the discalced Franciscan religious, who had arrived at the time of the conversion.

The bishop erected his cathedral in the city of Manila, by apostolic bulls, with prebends paid by the royal exchequer, until there should be tithes and ecclesiastical revenues to maintain themselves.

Moreover, he provided whatever else was necessary for the service and decoration of the church, and for the divine worship which is celebrated there with great solemnity and display. Don Fray Domingo de Salazar took Antonio Sedeño and Alonso Sanchez, both priests and grave members of the Society of Jesus, with him.

They were the first to establish that order in the Filipinas, which, since that time, has been steadily growing, to the great profit and fruit of the teaching and conversion of the natives, consolation of the Spaniards, and the education and teaching of their children in the studies which they pursue.

Don Gonzalo Ronquillo was in such poor health from the day on which he entered upon his administration, that he died in the year one thousand five hundred and eighty-three, and his body was buried in the monastery of St. Augustine in Manila.

His kinsman, Diego Ronquillo, by virtue of his appointment through a decree of his Majesty, succeeded him in the governorship; this man continued what Don Gonzalo had commenced, especially in the assistance for Maluco and pacification for other islands.

During the same term of Diego Ronquillo, a fire broke out in the city of Manila, which started at midday in the church of the convent of St. Augustine, while the doors of the church were closed. The fire increased so rapidly that all the city was burned in a few hours, as it was built of wood.

There was great loss of goods and property, and some persons were in danger. The city was rebuilt with great difficulty and labor, leaving the Spaniards very poor and needy. [32]

The main result of the matters treated at court by Mariscal Gabriel de Ribera was (although at that time the death of Governor Don Gonzalo Ronquillo was unknown) to order the establishment of a royal Audiencia in the city of Manila, whose president was to be governor and captain-general of all the Filipinas.

In view of this, the necessary instructions were issued, and the presidency given to Doctor Sanctiago de Vera, alcalde of the Audiencia of Mexico, and a native of the town of Alcala de Henares. He went to the islands with the usual reënforcements from Nueva España, taking with him the royal seal of the Audiencia, the auditors whom his Majesty was sending, the fiscal, and other officials and assistants of the said Audiencia.

The auditors and fiscal were Licentiates Melchior de Avalos, Pedro de Rojas, and Gaspar de Ayala—[the latter] as fiscal. At the end of two years, Don Antonio de Ribera went as third auditor.

Of the administration of Doctor Sanctiago de Vera, and of the establishment of the Manila Audiencia, and until its suppression; and of events during his term.