Sire:
I Pedro Chirino, of the Society of Jesus, and procurator thereof
for the Philipinas, affirm that the said Society, as a result of its
desire that there may be in these islands persons who during their
youth may engage in exercises of virtue, to the end that letters
may flourish there, founded a residence [_colegio_] in the city of
El Santissimo Nombre de Jesus eight years ago; [33] and that in it
there are such religious as are needed for the purpose not only of
teaching religion to the natives, but also of giving instruction in
reading and writing to their children and to the Spanish children;
and that also Latin is studied there--from all of which great good
has resulted to the natives, as well as to the Spaniards. Since the
country is very poor, and since the said residence has no income,
it suffers from great need; and in order that the said residence
may advance and may be able to carry on these laudable exercises in
learning still further, and may include the study of other subjects
of knowledge, I offer my petition to your Majesty that you will be
pleased to bestow a gift of one thousand pesos of annual income for
the support of the said religious who regularly reside therein for
the said purpose, charged against the royal treasury of Mexico or
against the proceeds of the saleable offices which are received there.
_Father Pedro Chirino_
I offer my petition to your Majesty that you will make a grant against
the following sources of income: In the first place, against the royal
treasury of Mexico, and especially against the saleable offices;
against the royal treasury of Manila; against the dues collected
on the merchandise brought to Manila by the Chinese and Japonese;
against the tributes collected from the Chinese in the island of
Manila; against the dues and tributes collected from the Chinese in
Cebu and Oton; against the Indians who are assigned to the royal crown,
so long as funds remain in the treasury of the fourth. [34]
The Camara [_i.e._, Council]; let this be now examined. At Valladolid,
January 14, 1605.