[The first portion of this division of the appendix is a translation
of chapter xxxvi, of book i of Santa Cruz's Historia, where it occupies
pp. 168-172.] [71]
Of the honorable apostolic and royal erection of the University of
Santo Tomás of Manila
Another and very serious matter was transacted by that religious
father, namely, the erection into a university of the college of
Santo Tomás of Manila. That event is as follows. While that venerable
father, Fray Juan Bautista de Morales, was in Roma during the years
1643 and 1644, negotiating matters touching the province, as its
procurator, and the matters of China, father Fray Mateo de la Villa,
who was also procurator of the province in that capital, wrote him
from Madrid asking him to petition from his Holiness, Urban Eighth,
who was then head of the Church, for the erection and foundation as
a university in said college of Santo Tomás of Manila. He had gained
for that purpose a favorable letter from his Majesty, Filipo Fourth
the Great, our king and sovereign, in which his Holiness was asked
to deign to concede his apostolic bull for that purpose. Father Fray
Juan made his efforts, but by reason of all the matters and accidents
which happened at that time, it was not accomplished. Consequently,
he went to España without negotiating it that said year of 44. In that
year, on the last day of July, the pontiff Urban Eighth, passed to the
better life. Innocent Tenth having been elected September 15 of the
same year, another letter was obtained from the king, our sovereign
Filipo Fourth, for his Holiness. Since father Fray Victorio Riccio,
a Florentine who had come [to España] in order to go to this province,
was in Madrid, and was a very suitable person since he was an Italian,
to be entrusted with that and other matters which were left pending in
Roma by father Fray Juan, it was thought best to send him thither. He
accomplished that as well as the other things, which have been
continued in the service of the order and of this province. He is
a great missionary of China, of whom this history will tell at the
proper time the many things that there are to tell, for at present
he is prior of the convent of Santo Domingo in Manila. The letter of
his Majesty to the supreme pontiff Innocent is as follows:
[This letter will be found in VOL. XXXV, pp. 199, 200. The letter
to the count of Ciruela, which is not given by Santa Cruz, will be
found in the same volume, pp. 201-203.]
The said father Fray Victorio went to Roma with that letter,
and although it reached the hands of his Holiness, yet he could
not obtain that haste which he desired, for the ambassador was in
disgrace with the pope because of some trouble which he had had with
certain Portuguese which cost blood and deaths. His Holiness was
very angry at that trouble, and it was necessary for the ambassador
to leave Roma. But the father, not losing courage, as he had many
powerful friends in that capital, as he had been raised there and
had started for Filipinas from Minerva, exerted himself and obtained
the opportunity to pay his respects to his Holiness and to lay his
proposition before him, to which the pontiff answered in formal words:
"In the time of our predecessor the same instance was made by the
king of España, but it was not granted. How now do they return to
insist again?" And it was so that the first letter of his Majesty was
brought, and that benefit which was striven for was not obtained on
account of the occupations and for other reasons which his Holiness
must have had (in which the great providence of God in the government
of the holy oracles of His vicars is to be noted, since a pontiff
worthy of adoration had so singular an idea of Filipinas and of
the university which was requested there) although the father left
disconsolate. But by direction of a cardinal, his fellow countryman the
father again renewed his courage, and, after waiting several months,
again paid his respects to his Holiness, and gave him a memorial of
his desire. His Holiness caused it to be received by his secretary,
and the next day it was taken to the signatura, [72] and a decree was
made that in regard to the erection of this university, a committee
[congregacion] of four cardinals and four prelates named there should
be formed. The president of it was the most eminent Cardinal Saqueti,
the father's countryman who had aided him from the beginning. The
said prelates informed, then, and visited by the father, and being
informed of the advisability of what was asked, it was concluded in
the said committee that it was fitting to concede that favor to the
king of España. Therefore, his Holiness despatched his apostolic bull
in regard to this erection, that bull being as follows:
[This bull [73] will be found in VOL. XXXV, pp. 203-208.]
This brief was presented to the royal Council of the Indias, and
the gentlemen of that council having read it, ordered a testimony
of its presentation to be given July 28, 1646. That was attested
on the thirty-first of the same month by Diego Lopez de Leytona y
Mendoza, chief official of the papers of grace, government, and war,
of the secretary's office of the royal Council of the Indias for the
district of Nueva España. The fact that he was also the chief official
of the said royal Council, and that credit must be given to him, was
testified by the royal notaries, Diego Carreño Aldrete, and Antonio
Gomez, on the said thirty-first of July of the said year. Likewise,
the said brief was presented, and the testimony of its presentation,
in the royal Council of the Indias before the members of the royal
Audiencia of this city of Manila. They having read it, determined
that the party of the university of Santo Tomás could make use of the
said brief. Consequently, they so voted by an act on the eighth of
July, 1648, of which testimony was given on the said day by Captain
Diego Nuñez Crespo, assembly clerk of the said royal Audiencia of
Manila. Likewise, the said brief was presented before the dean and
cabildo of this holy metropolitan church of Manila with the said
presentations of the royal Council and Audiencia. The said gentlemen
considered it as presented, and allowed the college of Santo Tomás
to make use of it, and its rector, now or in the future, in the
form and manner which is contained in the said bull. The clerk
of the cabildo, Fernando de Caravajal, attested that on the same
day on which the said act was voted, namely, July 14, 1648. This
university having been inaugurated, then, and erected with so great
honor into a pontifical and royal institution, its rector and first
chancellor, namely, father Fray Martin Real de la Cruz, by virtue of
his apostolic authority, made the necessary statutes, following in
them all the custom and practice of the royal university of Mexico
(of which from its beginning it has esteemed itself as the close
daughter, and in which it has found the just functions of a noble
mother with the exchange of letters and favors which the latter has
given to it). Thus the said father rector ordained them, August 28,
1648, and they are observed inviolably and are like those of the said
their royal and always noble mother, which were determined after the
style and form of the most celebrated university of Salamanca.
In 1651 this university and its rector wrote to the said university
of Mexico giving an account of its erection, stating that in it was
born their obligation of attentive respect as daughter of that royal
university, since the king our sovereign had given that university
to it as mother and mistress. Consequently, it yielded and dedicated
itself to that university and in regard to this the father concluded
his letter with all due consideration and affection. In the year of 53,
that most noble and ever famous university wrote this our university
the following letter, which was written in full cloister.
Very illustrious Sirs:
This royal university of Mexico was greatly favored by the letter
of your Lordship the past year of 51, in which was expressed the
appreciation and estimation which is right and which is fitting for so
illustrious a cloister, and with the greatest pleasure received your
adoption; which if it is the teaching of the Holy Spirit (Proverbs
xvii), Gloria filiorum patres eorum, immediately before it had said:
Corona senum filii filiorum. [74] Consequently, it will consider that
royal university as its crown and glory, and as such will venerate
it forever. It will give his Majesty (whom may God preserve) thanks
for the favors which he concedes to your Lordship by his decree of
the rights to enjoy the privileges which are enjoyed in this royal
university. What may be necessary for it, in so far as documents
and papers are concerned, and for the pretension of your Lordship,
will be delivered to the reverend father master, Fray Francisco de la
Trinidad, so that we may carry them and present them to his Majesty
in his royal Council of the Indias. In all the other things which may
offer themselves for the service of your Lordship for its greater
luster and increase, this royal university and its entire cloister
will assist it with all promptness. May God preserve your Lordship
in all happiness, etc. Mexico, February 7, 1653.
Master Fray Juan de Ayrolo y Flores, rector.
After his signature were those of eight doctors and masters and
lastly that of the blessed secretary, Christoval Bernardo de la
Plaza. This university erected with so fortunate beginnings with all
that luster worthy of all estimation, has continued to advance. There
have been and are very learned persons who have studied there, who
have occupied prebends and dignities in the holy church of Manila,
and in other churches of our España, and it has had three sons,
most worthy bishops, one of whom ascended to the archiepiscopal see
of this city, of whom we shall treat in due time.