_Personal services from the Indians_
The King: To Don Juan de Silva, my governor and captain-general of the
Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia of Manila;
or to the person or persons in whose charge that government may
be. Having been advised from various parts of the Yndias, of the
great vexations suffered by the Indians who pay tribute to their
encomenderos in personal services, I have despatched decrees to all
the viceroys, presidents, and governors of the Yndias, commanding
that the encomenderos, judges, or commissaries of assessment shall
not commute, or be paid in personal services, the tributes of the
Indians. This same is my wish and my will, and is to be observed
and executed in all provinces that are or may be under your charge;
and you will not tolerate the said commutation, from the abuse of
which have resulted so great evils and complaints as was the case
when personal service was maintained; it must be entirely done away
with in that region. For this good object you will immediately give
official notice to the Indians who now pay their tributes in this
form; and whatever they are to pay shall be received from them in
produce that they possess and gather from their own lands, or in
money, as may seem the least oppressive and most convenient for the
Indians. For the same end, if any encomendero shall violate in any
manner any of the provisions of this clause, he shall incur the loss
of his encomienda; and any royal official who shall be guilty of this,
or of concealing it, shall be deprived of his office. At Aranjuez,
on the twenty-sixth of May, of one thousand six hundred and nine.
_I The King_
Countersigned by Juan de Cívica; signed by the members of the Council.
_Proposal of Dominicans to found a college_
The King: To Don Juan de Silva, my governor and captain-general, and
the president and auditors of my royal Audiencia of the Philipinas
Islands: The bishop of Nueva Segovia wrote to me in a letter of June
20, 1606, that he and the former archbishop had discussed the founding
of a college there, where there could be as many as twenty collegiate
students of theology and the arts. For this purpose, before the death
of the archbishop, [49] he outlined a plan to purchase some buildings
near the convent of Santo Domingo, in which the college could be
established. In the mean time, while the work was being carried out,
or until I should otherwise decree, it should be administered by the
Order of Saint Dominic. In order to avoid certain difficulties, one
of the articles of foundation was that the writings of St. Thomas
should be read, as is done in the reformed universities; and the
income derived from the Indians was to be devoted to the support
of the collegians, the college being under obligation to attend to
the lawsuits and causes of the Indians, soliciting for them, and
making their petitions, and aiding the protector whom I had appointed
for them. The chairs were to be two, one of arts, and the other of
theology; and the professors were to be appointed by the archbishop
and the governor, one or two auditors of the Audiencia there, and the
provincials of orders whom I should approve. For the present, as it
is so good a work, the lectures were to be given by the incumbents
without remuneration, since it is certain that more austere orders
give instruction without it; and the degrees could be given as is
done in the convent of Santo Thomas de Avila, also of the Dominican
order. By this plan a university with its expenses may be dispensed
with, and dignity and assistance be conferred on that country. As I
wish to know from you what is your opinion on the subject, I command
you, when you shall have examined and considered it with attention,
to inform me in regard to the whole matter in great detail, so that,
having examined it, suitable measures and decrees can be provided. At
Segovia, July 29, 1609.
_I The King_
Countersigned by Juan de Cívica; signed by the members of the Council.