Sire:
Ever since I began to have dealings with the archbishop Don
Fray Miguel de Benavides, and have recognized his temper, I have
perceived the difficulties that he would cause me; accordingly, I
have always acted with great moderation and care. But the occasions
which he gives for such caution are so many that great patience is
necessary to bear them; for he persuades himself that everything,
both spiritual and temporal, pertains to him, and that there is not a
king, or patronage, or Audiencia that can change his will as to what
he will do. It therefore results that he very often has quarrels with
the Audiencia, with me, with the orders, and with all those of his
church; and nothing occurs in connection with the patronage which he
does not desire to adjudicate, so it is on that subject that he has
had controversies with me. His scruples are insufferable, and they are
continually increasing; accordingly, we dread the lengths to which they
may carry him. Notwithstanding that he is a religious who is greatly
respected, and one of learning and exemplary life, and has always had
this reputation, I believe that he would be better in his cell than in
the archbishopric or bishopric; and that it would be much better for
his conscience and peace of mind, and that this commonwealth would gain
much thereby. It is noticeable that his order, knowing him as they do,
and regarding him as of good character and reputation, as I have said,
have never employed him in any way in their government, as they do not
find him qualified for it. I beg your Majesty to be pleased to order
that he shall not meddle in those affairs which do not concern him,
and that he shall be quiet and treat me and the auditors with respect;
and that he avoid disputes and quarrels, since from them can result
nothing but evil to the service of God and your Majesty, and scandal
to the public. Your Majesty may believe that what I write here is
stated with the utmost moderation, considering the outrages which
he has committed. I therefore doubt not that many complaints of his
proceedings will be sent. The Audiencia have grievances, and sometimes
have been so provoked that they have been at the point of sharply
correcting him; but some of them are afraid of him for private reasons,
and dare not do so. In order not to stumble against such obstacles, I
take it to be an efficacious remedy, for the future, that your Majesty
should not appoint to the archbishopric or bishoprics of these islands
friars who have been trained in these islands without first obtaining
a report from the Audiencia of their qualifications and experience in
government. May our Lord protect the Catholic person of your Majesty,
according to the needs of Christendom. Manila, the first of July, 1605.
_Don Pedro de Acuña_
[_In the margin_: "Have all the letters which treat of this, and those
which concern the archbishop placed together, and have them taken to
the Council."]
[_Endorsed_: "Manila, to his Majesty; 1605, Don Pedro de Acuña,
the first of July; writes about the archbishop." "July 21, 1606,
examined, and decreed within."]
Sire:
In countries so remote as are these Philipinas Islands, and which lie
so far from the royal presence of your Majesty, we are bound, not only
by our obligation, but in conscience as well, by our feelings in regard
to the sights that every day meet our eyes, and by the commands laid
upon us by special instruction from your Majesty and your presidents
and auditors, always to give information [of affairs here]. We do so,
likewise, in order to secure the aid of the relief which faithful
vassals ought to look and hope for in their hardships and calamities
from their natural king and lord--whose light, like that of the sun,
ought to be equally communicated to all; and whose fatherly protection
it is just that we should recognize on all occasions which arise,
since we cannot appear personally before the feet of your Majesty. Yet
doing what we can in this, we present ourselves with due submission,
giving information that is reliable, and derived from experience,
of the injuries both to the public and to individuals which this
commonwealth, and we the religious of the Order of our father
St. Augustine, are suffering from the presence of Don Fray Miguel de
Venavides, archbishop of this archiepiscopal see--who, we believe,
should be occupying a cell in some convent of his order in exemplary
and peaceful life, as he did before he rose to the position of bishop
and to the dignity which today he holds. In that position, [1] either
because he wishes to assume more authority in the [ecclesiastical]
government than is his due, or on account of some grave scruples which,
continually increasing, so harass and disquiet him that were not the
valor and prudence of Don Pedro de Acuña, governor of these islands,
so great, and the royal Audiencia which your Majesty has here composed
of councillors so wise, Christian, and moderate, fear would often have
arisen (and with good cause) of various scandals for which the said
prelate has given occasion. For with his revelations and prophecies,
of which your Majesty has been informed, he publicly stated that the
Chinese were about to rebel, from which it resulted that poor soldiers,
and other persons who belong to peoples that resort here, were eager
for such an opportunity; and it is believed that the cowardly Chinese
were thus led to mutiny and rebellion, putting this whole land in
danger. All this arose from the fears of the archbishop, which were
not communicated to the person who could, without exciting comment,
have taken precautions and prevented the trouble--namely, the governor,
with whom he has usually had collisions. These were principally in
matters concerning the royal patronage, which loses footing out here;
[such conduct is therefore] the less to be tolerated. Your Majesty will
have heard long ago of some ill result, for the governor has tried to
manage the archbishop with due gentleness, treating him with respect,
giving him a wide range in affairs, and temporizing with him in order
to avoid contention. During his sicknesses, which are frequent, the
governor has entertained him as a guest in his own house, keeping him
there a long time. This has been of so little use that he takes every
opportunity to disturb, and sometimes without opportunity disturbs,
the general peace--at which all of us, not only ecclesiastics but
laymen, are so distressed that there is no way of expressing it to
your Majesty. We believe that if it were possible for you in España
to see how we suffer here, your Majesty would immediately remedy it;
for we are led to think that you do not realize the trouble which this
matter is causing, or else that it is one which is not to be discussed
as it should be, on account of the archbishop's many scruples. As
a result, the condition of affairs is intolerable, which is a most
unfortunate thing and one of great importance. Accordingly, as he
is a prelate and we are religious, we are writing to your Majesty's
Grandeur; and we make these statements with great circumspection,
that it may not seem as if passion were carrying us away.
Coming, then, to what concerns us, not even the least important
incident has occurred in which he has not shown himself opposed to an
order such as ours, causing us infinite annoyance--as if it were not
we who discovered these regions for your Majesty, and founded with
infinite toil this new church, and by whose industry your Majesty has
innumerable vassals. Every day, too, we are expecting to open up a
greater conversion [of the heathen]; and we continue what was begun
by those first fathers who trained us here. We desire not only that
the number of the faithful be multiplied, but that the royal crown of
your Majesty be increased. To this end, there has been no expedition in
which we did not send religious for the consolation and encouragement
of the troops. And on the so sudden and dangerous occurrence of the
rising of the Chinese, we doubt not that the governor has given your
Majesty an account of our proceedings; for in public and aloud he
thanked us in your Majesty's name for our humble services, though
our desire was great for the service of our king and lord. Not a
fortification has been made upon land, nor a ship or galley built,
where we have not rendered service; and in ministries to the Indians
and Spaniards, we believe that no religious order has surpassed us. In
spite of all this, the opposition which the said archbishop displays
toward us in everything is well known. Thus we find ourselves without
protection and in a very wretched state, whence we hope to extricate
ourselves with the aid and powerful protection of your Majesty,
who will consider himself pleased with these his household, and
will command that we be treated in all matters as is right. If it
were not for the president and royal Audiencia, who restrain these
acts of violence, this poor commonwealth would be separated by five
thousand leguas from its real deliverance and father, who is your
Majesty--whom may our Lord prosper, and increase his realm, according
to the desire of us his faithful vassals. Dated in this your city of
Manila; [undated].
_Fray Lorenzo de Leon_, provincial of the Augustinians.
_Fray Jhoan Baptista de Montoya_
_Fray Estevan Carrillo_, definitor.
_Fray Pedro de Aguirre_, definitor.
_Fray Roque de Varrio_, new definitor.
[_Endorsed_: "No. 6. Manila; to his Majesty. No date; the religious
of the Order of St. Augustine."]
Sire:
Considering its importance to the service of your Majesty, it has
seemed best to this Audiencia to give an account of the manner in
which the archbishop of these islands proceeds; for he is harsh of
temper and resents the acts of the Audiencia which declare that he
has committed fuerza. [2] He has often said, for this reason, that
they treat him very ill, and put him in such a position that he must
retire to his cell and give up his office altogether; for they do not
esteem him nor allow him to administer justice. The Audiencia having
declared him guilty of fuerza in having imposed excommunication on
those who without his permission entered the house of retirement of
Santa Potenciana--which was established by your Majesty's order and
at the expense of your royal exchequer, that orphan girls and poor
maidens might be sheltered there, and instructed and taught, and remain
there until they should be married--he would not obey the act of the
Audiencia, thus imposing on them the responsibility of employing
the correction and severe measures which your Majesty commands by
his royal laws; but if these were executed in a land so new as this
it would cause a scandal, which would result in much harm that could
not be remedied. To avoid this, it was agreed to send the record of
their proceedings and to make a report to your Majesty, so that you
might command what should be most expedient for your royal service.
[_In the margin_: "Let this clause, with the proceedings referred to,
be taken to the official reporter; provision and decree have been
made elsewhere."]
He treats the Audiencia with less respect than he ought to, and
desires to be preferred in matters of authority; for he will have it
that those who preach, when the Audiencia and archbishop are present,
should bow first to him and not to the Audiencia. When the holy water
is given on Sundays, he has ordered it to be taken to the choir, or
wherever he may be; and, after he has received it, he who is giving
it shall go back and give it to the Audiencia. As this seemed to be
derogatory to the authority which the Audiencia represents, a proposal
was made to him that two vessels of holy water should be carried--one
to the choir for him, and the other to be left for the Audiencia;
but he would not agree to this. He has ordered that the pax which is
given to the Audiencia and the archbishop should be given to him by
the deacon, and to the Audiencia by the subdeacon; and he says that
they should be thankful that he has consented to give them the pax,
for there is no reason why it should be given to them.
In public he places his seat before those of the Audiencia; and,
as they felt that consent to this ought not to be given, a message
was sent to him by the court clerk on St. Potenciana's day--since,
as she is patron saint of this city, the Audiencia and cabildo go to
celebrate mass in her church on that feast-day--to notify him that it
was not proper to put his seat in front of the Audiencia. He answered
that he must place it there, as his Holiness and your Majesty ordered
and permitted it. When this determination of his was known, it was
agreed that the Audiencia would not go [to mass] on that feast-day,
in order to avoid another encounter of this sort; and to maintain a
firm attitude in regard to what your Majesty commands to be done in
his service.
He is quite at variance with the ecclesiastical cabildo, and the
prebendaries in particular make many complaints of him; and it would
be well worth your consideration that this should be checked. Both
they and others demand this from your Majesty, and you will be pleased
to grant such relief as is most expedient. May our Lord protect your
Catholic person for many years. Manila, July 4, 1605.
[_In the margin_: "Have the decree for Santo Domingo and Nuebo Rreyno
[3] brought, so that it may be examined and the proper decree issued."]
_Don Pedro de Acuña_
The licentiate _Tellez Almacan_
The licentiate _Manuel de Madrid y Luna_
[_Endorsed_: "Manila; to his Majesty, 1605. 58. Governor and
Audiencia." "January 15, 1607, examined, and decreed within."]