Sire:
Considering that your Majesty's great desire has always shown that
these Filipinas Islands should increase in all things, and they may
without doubt increase greatly for the service of God and that of your
Majesty, if perchance your Majesty's ministers aid them by observing
the royal decrees (for no more would be necessary); understanding also
that some of those religious who come here would like to have your
Majesty grant them favor by giving them a university in these islands,
[18] and authority to confer the degrees of bachelor, licentiate,
and other degrees: we have considered that, the case having been well
examined, this is not fitting, either for the service of your Majesty,
or for the welfare and increase of this land. We believe that we shall
give very clear and very apparent reasons for this. For if a religious
order has the said university, never will the children and those
born in this country have any advantage, nor will they advance any in
letters. For, since it is a fact that virtue increases with reward,
which is the honor, if the religious hold all the professorships, the
seculars will have no incentive which encourages them to rise and to
study solidly. A professorship and the thought of being able to get one
makes many study. Second, it would be a great pity and even a great
cause of ruin for the country, if the children of its inhabitants
did not have anything more to which to aspire than a benefice of
Indians, or at most one single benefice which exists, of Spaniards,
in all this archbishopric, namely, this curacy of Manila, and four
or five others of Indians, which exist in all these islands. All
of those benefices will be given by the bishops to their servants
unless students are found here such that their conscience obliges
them to favor such students. If the professorships should be given
only to religious, no encouragement could be given to the children of
the citizens here to study earnestly, at the most more than a little
grammar. For that would be enough for them so that a benefice might be
given them. Third, it is necessary for the religious orders themselves
here, for the children of citizens to have the wherewithal with which
to be encouraged to study, and to pretend to honorable and great
things. For, by such people must the orders be fed and sustained. And
it is fitting that those who should take the habit in them should have
studied very well, and with honorable intention, and not that men of
little mind and learning should enter the orders. Fourth, it is right
that this metropolitan church of Manila and the other cathedrals of
these islands should have men truly erudite who may enter them and
hold their prebends. This is impossible to attain if all the seculars
who enter them must be only students, and only scholars, and no one
can be a master, or hold a professorship, and it is well known how
unadvisable that is. It is right and necessary for the mother churches
to have in their own body very eminent men, and no one is eminent
ordinarily but those who have taught and held professorships. Fifth,
the religious will be well able to teach theology and the arts, but
canons and laws, which, particularly the canons, are also necessary for
churches and for the community, cannot be taught by religious. And,
in fact, the custom of the Catholic church has always been to leave
in the universities, especially in those which are located in the
capitals of notable provinces, as is that of this country, the door
open to seculars and to religious, and to all, in order that they may
compete for the professorships. This custom has always been observed
by the Catholic sovereigns of Castilla, not only in Salamanca,
Valladolid, and Alcalá, and in the other parts of España, but also
in the Yndias. Considering these so forcible reasons, which are laid
at your Majesty's feet, we petition that your Majesty do not allow a
university to be conceded to a religious order, although any ask it,
and that the secular estate be not so abased in these islands that we
should be excluded from a thing which has always been so common and so
peculiar to the seculars in the Church. And if, for the present, your
Majesty should be pleased to commission some religious to lecture in
arts and theology, we know that there are religious in these islands
who are friends of sane doctrines, and hostile to all innovation,
and zealous for the honor of God, who will attend to this ministry
without it being necessary for them (nor do they wish it) to meddle
in giving degrees, but who only wish to be useful and to teach. If
your Majesty would be so pleased, we believe that it would be very
suitable for such persons to be appointed until there be more people
to study, and that you be informed by the archbishop of this city,
and should it appear fitting, by the governor together with him. Such
appointees should not necessarily be of one order merely, but from
those which the archbishop shall deem best, and your Majesty should
order that very learned persons, and those inclined to simple doctrines
be chosen. By so doing this will be fulfilled until such time that your
Majesty shows us the grace of placing this in greater perfection and in
such form that we seculars may have a place according to the merits of
each one. May God preserve your Majesty many years, as is petitioned
in this holy church ceaselessly. Manila, July twelve, one thousand
six hundred and one. The vassals and chaplains of your Majesty.
Don Juan de Bivero, dean of Manila.
Archdeacon Arellano
Santiago de Castro, chanter of Manila.
Juan de Paz, canon.
Diego de Leon, canon.
Juan Galindo de Mesas
Cristoval Ramirez de Cartagena
Paulo Ruiz de Talavera
Crisanto de Tamayo
Lorenço Martinez Peñas
Francisco de Carrança
[On envelope: "Manila, to his Majesty. 1601. The ecclesiastical
cabildo. July 12."]
[Endorsed: "Read, July 2. Have it filed with the other papers."]