I, Pedro Chirino, of the Society of Jesus and procurator thereof
for the Philipinas, affirm, in the name of the residence of the said
Society in the city of Santo Nombre de Jesus, that when your Majesty
had examined the official reports conveyed in letters from the royal
Audiencia of Manila and from the bishop of the said city of Santo
Nombre de Jesus, and the _ex parte_ statement made at the request
of the said residence, your Majesty decreed that the matter should
be considered at the present time. Since the present necessity of
the residence is so urgent, as appears from the documents presented,
and since the service which it will perform to our Lord God and to
your Majesty is so great, provided that the grant desired for the
said residence shall be given, I supplicate your Majesty anew to be
pleased to consider again the documents which in virtue of a royal
decree of your Majesty were made and have been presented. From the
four Statements of testimony officially presented, will plainly
appear the care and attention with which the religious of the said
Society have attended and do attend to the administration of the
holy sacraments, and to preaching and hearing confessions, not only
from the Spaniards of the said city of El Santo Nombre de Jesus but
from the natives and Sangleys. They give their assistance in all the
necessities of the people, both spiritual and temporal, with special
care; and the said residence has schools in which their children are
not only taught to read and write, but also receive instruction in
good morals and habits, and, for all those who desire it, in Latin
also. There are many students, from whose education and instruction
results much good and advantage to all that country. At the same time,
the aforesaid residence is very poor, since it has no fixed income
to sustain it. The result is that it suffers great need; and if it
receives no assistance there is no doubt that the necessity in which
it at present is will be increased, since the country is very poor,
and the gifts which are made to it are extremely small. At the same
time the expenses are heavy; and it is now housed in a very small,
old, wooden building, which at the present time is decaying and is
in great need of repairs. The members of the said Society receive
for the masses, administration of the sacraments, preaching, reading
and all their other ministries to their fellow-men nothing whatever,
but do all these things gratis. It should further be observed that
the citizens of the said city of Santo Nombre de Jesus are few
and very poor, and are unable to aid the said religious with any
gifts or alms. In addition to the aforesaid affirmations, which are
contained in the official evidence, there are other statements in
the _ex parte_ testimony in which the same things are said by twelve
witnesses, one of whom is Bishop Don Fray Pedro de Agurto. Besides
the above, he has written a letter, which is enclosed herewith,
in which he declares as an eye-witness the great service done to
our Lord God in those regions by religious of the aforesaid Society;
and the great value of their residence there, from which great profit
results to the said city and all that province of Cebu, distant from
Manila one hundred and fifty leguas by sea. This said residence is,
as it were, a nursery and asylum for all the missions and centers of
teaching that are under the charge of the aforesaid Society in that
province. There are two letters from the royal Audiencia in which they
state that which they consider necessary to relieve the wants of the
aforesaid residence, and the excellent use to which such a grant would
be put. I pray your Majesty that, in view of these considerations,
this favor may be granted, by giving commands that a regular income
of two thousand ducados of eight reals may be allowed, as has been
requested, for the support of the religious who reside therein. The
aforesaid sum is to be charged against the royal treasury of Mexico,
from the proceeds of offices which are sold, deposited therein;
and therewith the Society will receive a great grace from your Majesty.
_Father Pedro Chirino_
Granted by the Camara, May 26, 1607:
The licentiate _Alonzo Fernandez de Castro_