A rambling, gossipy account of Manila and the Philippines in the middle of the seventeenth century, with much entertaining information regarding persons and events therein, is furnished by the Dominican friar Domingo F. Navarrete, in his Tratados historicos (Madrid, 1676); it is from relations of this sort, and on account of these characteristics, that the student gains additional and valuable side-lights on the history of any time or country. The Tratados is mainly devoted to the empire of China, where its author was a missionary during 1658-69; we present here (in both translation and synopsis) such part as relates to his stay in the Philippines (1648-53). Navarrete describes the journey thither, in picturesque and lively fashion. Acapulco has "an infernal climate." The missionaries are obliged to make the journey from Lampon to Manila by land, a trip full of hardship and danger; but they are delighted with the beauty of Pasig River, adorned with palaces, gardens, and villages. At the time, the islands are governed by Diego Fajardo, who "had great gifts for government, for he had a horror of money and of women." Navarrete censures Corcuera for many things, among them the impositions levied on the natives, which he describes in full; these occasion so much oppression and extortion that the Indians flee from the islands, or refuse to sow their fields. He mentions various instances of this oppression. In rambling and discursive fashion he relates the leading characteristics of the natives, the occupations of the missionaries, the changes in official circles, etc. This document will be concluded in VOL. XXXVIII.
Events in Filipinas. [Unsigned; Francisco de Figueroa?]; January 15, 1669. The Dominicans in the Philippines, 1641-69. Baltasar de Santa Cruz, O.P.; 1676. [From his Historia.] The Augustinians in the Philippines, 1641-70. Casimiro Diaz, O.S.A.; 1718. [From his Conquistas.] Manila and the Philippines about 1650 (to be concluded). Domingo Fernandez Navarrete, O.P.; 1676. [From his Tratados historicos.]
Sources: The first of these documents is obtained from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), ii, pp. 643-692. The second, from Santa Cruz's Historia del Sant. Rosario (Zaragoça, 1693), pp. 44 et seq.; from a copy in the possession of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago. The third, from Diaz's Conquistas (Manila, 1890), pp. 444 et seq.; from a copy in the possession of James A. Robertson. The fourth, from Navarrete's Tratados historicos (Madrid, 1676), pp. 299-332; from a copy in the Library of Congress; this document will be concluded in VOL. XXXVIII.