159. After all this, it was necessary to have recourse the second
and third time to the royal Council of the Indias, in regard to the
collection of the remainder of the property of this foundation,
which was in the royal treasury of Manila. His Majesty, with the
appreciation and esteem which he always had for this work, protected
it with the kindness which he generally exercises toward all those
things which are for the service of God and the public welfare, and
ordered his royal decrees despatched to the governors, Don Juan de
Silva, May twenty-two, one thousand six hundred and fourteen, and Don
Alonso Faxardo, December three, one thousand six hundred and eighteen,
ordering the said sum to be paid for the purpose of the support of
the collegiates, as was done. By virtue of those royal decrees and
other papers which were presented during the suit of precedence which
the college of Santo Thomas, of the Order of Preachers of this city,
began a while ago with San Joseph, the latter obtained a decision
from the royal Audiencia in its favor, May sixteen, one thousand and
forty-seven, by which it was protected in its priority and possession
of precedence in the public acts to that of Santo Thomas. That same
thing was confirmed afterward by the royal Council of the Indias,
as appears from the suit and other authentic documents which are kept
in the archives of San Joseph.