Volume 14 — The Terrenate Expedition
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Sire:
Dora Pedro writes also, in regard to the pay of the men who were sent to him for that expedition, that it seems to him that what a soldier of that military department gets—namely, six pesos a month—is little, when the fact is considered that the country is incomparably more dear than when the pay was fixed; and that the eight ducados which the soldiers of the expedition earn are a great deal. He thinks, therefore, [179] that it would be well if both were paid at the rate of eight pesos of eight reals a month, besides the customary thirty ducados which are regularly given in addition to each company in Spain and other regions; and that the captains should earn at the rate of fifty pesos a month, and the sergeants ten, as they do now. As the captains of that region get no more than thirty-five pesos, and those of the expedition get sixty ducados, it seems best to him that these salaries should be adjusted in the way that he states—giving to each at the rate of eight pesos of eight reals a month, and the customary thirty additional ducados a month which are usually given to each company in Spain and elsewhere; and that the captains should receive equally at the rate of fifty pesos a month, and the ensigns twenty, and the sergeants ten, as he says they receive now. Thus all will have pay that is equal and well adjusted, by taking away from some and adding to others, in the way which Don Pedro has proposed. Your Majesty will examine and consider all this, and will order what is best for your service. In Madrid, August 5, 1606.
His Majesty orders that the enclosed report of the Council of War of the Indias concerning the Terrenate undertaking be considered in the Council of State, and that he be informed of what it shall decide. God keep your Lordship. St. Lorenzo, August 15, 1606.
The Duke The honorable secretary, Andres de Prada
Sire:
The Council, having seen that your Majesty sent [180] for the enclosed report and the papers of the Council of War of the Indias, voted as follows:
The Cardinal of Toledo—that if the injury which the rebels are causing in India were seen here nearer at hand it would cause great commotion; and that because it is far away it should not be regarded as of little importance, but rather, in order to secure a remedy, we should consider that it is very near. Accordingly, we should attend to it with the greatest diligence, and agree to what has seemed best to the Council of War of the Indias and to Don Pedro de Acuña—to whom many thanks are due for the good courage with which he prepared for the undertaking and the care with which he gave notice of the things that were necessary for it, from which, with the favor of God, we may expect good results. The completion of the undertaking is of the greatest importance for the state and for its good repute. This consists in helping Don Pedro with all that he needs, in order that for lack of it he may not leave the work unfinished, and that what has been gained may not be lost again; for the greater the foothold that the rebels get in those regions, and the stronger they grow there, the harder it will be to remedy the matter, and the greater will be the harm which will come from them to your Majesty’s realms and to their honor. It is well to order the Marques de Montesclaros to assist and help Don Pedro de Acuña in every way that he needs, and to do it so promptly that he shall not fail to succeed in the undertaking for lack of it. Besides, he thinks it well that your Majesty should favor Don Pedro in matters which are so properly under his charge as the matters of war are, so that the archbishop and the Audiencia may know that in [181] these things they are to respect him and allow him to do what he thinks best; and that Don Pedro should be advised that in matters which concern government and justice he should have a great deal of respect for the archbishop and the Audiencia.
The Constable of Castile—that he has nothing to add to the report of the Council of War of the Indias since the importance of the matter shows how proper it is that the Marques de Montesclaros should give prompt assistance to Don Pedro de Acuña, and that it should be ordered exactly so. He thinks that it is very well that the archbishop and the Audiencia should not be mixed up in matters of war, since they do not understand them. In regard to what concerns Portugal, he supposes that your Majesty probably has had notice sent to that Council; and if not, that it would be well to do so.
The Conde de Olivares agreed to all that has been said; and he thinks it well that the ship which the report mentions should be sent at once to Nueva España, informing the Marques de Montesclaros of the importance of the expedition, and ordering him to supply Don Pedro de Çuniga [sic] with all that he needs for the proper execution of it, in such manner that he shall have no excuse for evading such requisition. He also would command the archbishop and the Audiencia not to meddle in matters of war, and to order Don Pedro to keep the friendship and good understanding which he has with the king of Japon, and to hang all the rebels that he shall capture. Your Majesty will ordain, in all matters, what shall be most to your service. [182]