The judge-conservator weighed down the a_The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 25 of 55 1635-36 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

to make him give up the protest or libel. He had declared him

excommunicated and suspended; but the archbishop refused to surrender

the protest, while the judge-conservator did not cease to demand

it. While matters were in this condition, at the petition of the

fathers of the Society the governor took hold of affairs, in order

to settle them. He called a council of four lawyers--the best in

Manila--among whom was his Majesty's fiscal. The father provincial

and the father rector of the Society were at the meeting, and also the

judge-conservator. The lawyers read the opinion which they had studied

over for several days; and all agreed that the judge-conservator

could remove the suspension that he had imposed on the archbishop,

in order to obtain from him the said protest or libel, as they said

that the said suspension was comminatory. For the same reason, they

declared that the pecuniary fines could be moderated or completely

withdrawn. The fathers of the Society, although they were the offended

parties, took the part of the archbishop and supported the opinion

of the lawyers; they made every effort that the archbishop might come

well out of the affair, and they managed so well that I promise your

Grace that the settlement of this matter is wholly due to them. The

judge-conservator only was somewhat harsh, and would agree to none

of all this; for he thought that it could not be done, according

to the counsel that he had received from some learned men. But the

governor had the prudence and wisdom to smooth over all difficulties,

and finally, the archbishop was absolved, January 28, 636, from the

censures and penalties. The governor went in person to his house for

him and took him in his carriage to the cathedral, giving him the

right-hand side, notwithstanding the ruling of the royal decree that

orders that he shall not give it. He took him as far as the choir,

where, seating the archbishop in his chair, and bending his knee to

him, he kissed his hand, which he had already done in the archbishop's

house. The governor paid from his own pocket more than one thousand

pesos, in costs and expenses of the suit. Great was the happiness at

the conclusion of these suits, and all the orders assembled. Father

Juan Antonio Sana, of the Society of Jesus, preached at the feast of

the dedication of the church, celebrated that day in the cathedral. The

archbishop was full of expressions of thanks for what had been done for

him, but that happiness was of little duration. For as the archbishop

had at his side and at his ear certain religious who, it is to be

believed, did not desire peace, but, on the contrary, did their utmost

so that it might not exist between the leaders of the community, and

were taking the archbishop as a means to oppose the governor, and,

as it were, to avenge themselves on the latter for injuries that they

thought that they had received from him; from that so many were the

angry feelings that arose, that they led to the last rupture; but,

before going on to relate that, I shall relate some matters of less

moment that happened.

A few years ago, a surgeon came to this country, named Francisco

Garçia, who had been exiled by the viceroy of Nueva España for certain

libels and crimes; and he was ordered to come to these islands, to

serve at the will of the governor. The latter having need of him to

go with the galleons which, I have already said, were to go to Maluco

with the reënforcements, he was fitted out for the expedition. But

he took refuge in [the convent of] St. Dominic, alleging that he

was a familiar of the Holy Office. From that occurrence also arose a

thousand lies against the governor, declaring that he tried to take

the surgeon from his retreat--as if the church can be of any avail

to a soldier, so that he need not go to serve in the post where his

captain orders him. And if the fact that he was a familiar of the

Holy Office (which was not proved), did not avail him in Mexico, in

the opinion of the inquisitors, to exempt him from coming here under

condemnation, it is a token that those gentlemen did not wish that plea

to be of any use to him in Filipinas so that the sentence should not

be executed upon him. However, a few days after he had taken refuge,

the said Francisco Garçia came to a better resolution, and, leaving

the church, delivered himself to the governor. The latter received him

kindly, and told him that he need not go in the said galleons. But

a few months after, as the hospital of the port of Cabite had been

put in order, so that the soldiers and sailors might have a place

of retreat in their illnesses, Francisco Garçia was detailed as the

physician of that hospital, with a salary of one peso per day--which

was not a bad stipend. But, that he might not obey his orders, the

archbishop ordained the said Francisco Garçia on Tuesday, April 20,

with the tonsure and with minor orders; and he, garbed in very reverend

fashion as a cleric, began to walk through the city in sight of the

governor--to whom those orders meant to give a slap in the face,

although he passed it by. In truth, sir, I cannot see that they could

be of any use, since, for one to enjoy the clerical privilege, it is

necessary that one be already ordained when the crime is committed;

but without that, then it matters but little whether he is ordained,

according to what I have read in some authors. Your Grace will ask,

then, why the archbishop ordained him and did not think of that. I

answer that even as he ordained him, he ordained a few years ago,

a Portuguese physician who was living in this city, who went to the

city of Macan, one Licentiate Pereira. I have heard that he was

twice married in Portugal, and that one wife was a widow. Such a

one as this did the archbishop ordain in Pampanga, _extra tempora_

[77] in the three days of a feast, proceeding from the two degrees

that he lacked, namely, those of subdeacon and priest. According to

the account that I have heard given by learned men, there were more

than twelve irregularities, all of which the archbishop passed by,

without its being proved that there should be any dispensation, or

without considering that there can be no dispensation here in this

case--a matter that was considered by many men, both the learned and

the ignorant.

The governor thought that there was a great waste of the royal revenue,

which was not carefully spent, in the royal Spanish hospital of

this city of Manila, and that the sick were not well cared for. In

order to remedy both these evils, the governor conceived the idea

of appointing a chaplain in the said hospital, and of ordering the

fathers of St. Francis, who had it in charge, to leave it. Although

the Franciscans objected, they finally left the hospital; for there

was no royal decree ordering that the hospital should be given into

the care of those religious--since, although the governor asked for

such a decree, it was never shown to him. Many of the religious of

the same order, zealous for its welfare, wrote to the governor that

it was advisable for their own order that the friars be withdrawn

from the hospital. What machinations did they not begin to set

in motion because of this deed! What councils did they not hold

with the archbishop! What excommunications did they not heap on

the governor! The newly-appointed chaplain went to the archbishop

to get leave to administer the sacraments in the said hospital,

but the archbishop steadily refused to give it; nor without that

would he consider examining the chaplain, as the latter wished. The

archbishop said that, if there had to be a chaplain, he must be

appointed through an open competition--although there is a decree

of his Majesty against this, ruling that the choice of chaplains

pertains to the governor alone, and that the person chosen shall go

afterward to the ordinary, so that the latter may give him a license to

administer the sacraments. There was more in this than the key of the

most holy sacrament at that hospital. The archbishop interposed, and

had the said chaplain ordered, under penalty of major excommunication,

not to administer the sacraments or say mass in the said hospital,

so that the hospital remained many days without succor. The governor

sent his Majesty's fiscal to bring the archbishop to reason, but he

could not do it. And although the royal Audiencia, whither recourse

was had on the plea of fuerza, declared that he had committed that

offense, not for that would the archbishop soften or change his mind.

At that time a general visitation of the clergy was ordered, and it is

wonderful to see along what rough lines the archbishop conducted it,

and what harsh methods he took, so that the remedy was worse than the

disease; he placed the clerics in irons among the negroes and vile

people, and that not for serious causes. That was a thing that tended

to produce contempt for the priestly estate; and its effect was that

all the clergy, as a body, became thoroughly disgusted, and viewed

their prelate and shepherd not as a father, but as a severe judge,

who treated them very harshly in his language--behavior which they

greatly resented. I will relate to your Grace one instance of this. I

attended the cathedral of this city on Holy Thursday, March 20. I saw

on the platform (where the oils had been blessed that morning) that

the said archbishop was clad in his pontifical robes, and that he had

been given the towel for the washing of the feet. The twelve clerics

whose feet he was to wash were already barefoot, the gospel had been

said, everything was ready, and there were many people before him. It

happened that, because some Indian singers and some one of the clergy

were absent, the archbishop began to scold, saying that it was a most

shameless act for anyone to be absent from the cathedral during that

ceremony. Then he began to disrobe himself in great wrath and fury,

also removing his pontifical ornaments in his anger, and throwing on

one side his miter (which fell to the ground), and his towel to the

other side. Thus did he continue to lay aside the rest, and with all

haste he went to his own house--leaving the priests barefooted, and

without washing their feet; and all those present, thunderstruck and

amazed, and even scandalized at the sight of so great fury and wrath

in a prelate, and during a ceremony that demanded so great humility.

But to return to our governor; there was no action, however

insignificant it may have been, that they did not for it cast calumny

on him. The archbishop and religious drew up a paper with twenty-one

questions, which the archbishop put to the superiors of the religious,

in the form of cases of conscience. The questions were prepared with

such skill that, with the reply that would be given to them, they would

present weapons against the governor. They proceeded to set down on a

paper whatever he did, even in matters of the political government,

in order to write to his Majesty. That paper certainly twisted the

truth, in many of its statements; and it contained more than sixty

or seventy sections. One of the religious who were concerned in it

gave it to the governor. Just consider, your Grace, what a tax on

his patience this would be, and how it would wound him! Furthermore,

the paper ended with twenty-five excommunications which the governor

was said to have incurred. Everything was quite ready for the greatest

kind of a rupture.

The archbishop went to visit La Hermita, a district where Master Don

Andres Arias Xiron was cura. It was well known that the archbishop

had a prejudice against him, on account of various matters that

had occurred between the two, chiefly because Don Andres was an

intimate friend of the judge-conservator, Don Fabian Santillan. His

Lordship was very harsh with the affairs of the said Don Andres Xiron;

and on Saturday, April 26, after the Ave Marias, he ordered him to

be notified of an act by which the archbishop commanded that within

fourteen hours he be taken before a fiscal at a village outside Manila,

called Calompite. Don Andres tried to answer that act, but they would

not allow him to do so; nor would they give him a copy of the act,

which he requested. He claimed that the notification was null and void,

because it was made at night; but no attention was paid to that. Seeing

that the whole affair was being conducted with violence, very early

on the morning of Sunday, April 22, he presented a petition, appealing

from the said act and claiming the royal aid against fuerza, for which

he made representations in the royal Audiencia. The latter declared on

the following Monday that the archbishop had employed fuerza against

the said Don Andres Xiron; and notified the said archbishop of that

declaration. On Tuesday, the twenty-fourth of the same month, at

three in the afternoon, the archbishop notified Licentiate Marcos de

Zapata y Galves--the only auditor of this royal Audiencia, because of

the death of the others--that he should consider himself as publicly

excommunicated, because he had meddled in ecclesiastical affairs; and

notices to that effect were placed on the churches. Upon receiving

that notification of excommunication, the auditor Marcos Zapata de

Galves made a spirited reply; he alleged the invalid points in the

act (which were many), and finally, for greater advantage, appealed

to and threatened the royal aid against fuerza. The master Don Andres

Arias Xiron, inasmuch as he had hidden, was not found, in order to be

notified of another excommunication; but he was placed on the lists

as publicly excommunicated. On the following Wednesday, April 30,

the governor, the auditor Marcos Zapata, his Majesty's fiscal, and

three advocates of the royal Audiencia--namely, Doctor Luis Arias de

Mora, Licentiate Nicolas Antonio de Omaña, and the auditor Manuel

Suarez--met in the royal Audiencia. The auditor Marcos Zapata set

forth the manifest violence shown him by the archbishop. The lawyers

were sworn so that they might serve as judges, and they so acted. The

auditor Marcos Zapata leaving the hall, they judged that fuerza was

employed against him. Without doubt it was so, for the auditor Marcos

Zapata had not sinned further than in admitting Don Andres Xiron into

the royal Audiencia on his appeal from fuerza. If that were a sin,

so also was it to admit the said archbishop, when, in his suit with

the judge-conservator, he appeared before the royal Audiencia with

a plea of fuerza. And if Don Andres Xiron incurred excommunication

for having thus presented himself, the archbishop likewise incurred

it when he appeared there. But no consideration was given to this,

and the point of fuerza is a stale one in España, and consequently it

was not discussed. The archbishop was notified of a royal provision

issued by Don Phelipe, by which he was ordered to absolve the auditor

Marcos Zapata. The archbishop obeyed it, and that afternoon he sent

Master Juan Velez to absolve him. That was done _ad cautelam_; for

in truth he did not consider himself as excommunicated, nor did the

learned jurists so consider him.

Not only was the master Don Andres Xiron not absolved, but new acts

were passed against him and new penalties imposed on him. All this was

to prevent his presentation, that the governor had made, for the post

of archdeacon of this metropolitan church, because of the resignation

of the said post by Don Francisco de Baldes. The archbishop refused to

accept the said master Don Andres Xiron, as he asserted that he was

his mortal enemy, and for that purpose he threw out all the rest [of

the governor's nominations]. He had the prebendaries of the cathedral

notified not to accept Don Andres, under penalty of excommunication,

and notified Don Francisco de Baldes to assist in the choir as before,

since he was the archdeacon--telling him that his resignation had been

invalid, as it had been made through the governor and not through

the ordinary, before whom the resignation of any ecclesiastical

benefice must be made; but the good man did not heed the archbishop

and those who were aiding him. Although it is true, and a matter that

has been settled by law, that the resignation from an ecclesiastical

benefice in which the incumbent has been canonically installed must be

presented only through the ordinary, yet Don Francisco de Baldes did

not hold the post of archdeacon _in titulum_, but only in charge, and

until his Majesty should appoint another. Therefore, the resignation

from it was governed by the same rule as the resignation from other

chaplaincies of the king, who was the one to appoint other incumbents

to them. It is not necessary that those who hold these should make

their resignation before the ordinary; and this, it seems, is the

practice. For the same object of preventing that presentation,

the archbishop exiled Don Andres Xiron, and announced that he was

excommunicated. But his Majesty likewise orders in a royal decree

that, when the governors should present any persons as prebendaries,

the archbishops should accept them, unless they had some objection to

offer to them; but that if any exception were made, then such were not

to be accepted--with the proviso that the exception must be proved,

and, if it should not be proved, then they must pay damages to the one

presented. Therefore, the archbishop came forward for this purpose,

and entered several exceptions before the royal Audiencia against

the said master Don Andres Xiron. The latter manfully repelled these

accusations, and purged himself from them all; for at the outset,

in reply to a formal accusation with evidence that he had caused a

miscarriage, some years before, by ordering a pregnant Indian woman

to be whipped, the said master Don Andres Xiron came forward with

another report made by the same judge, in which the witnesses who

had sworn against him retracted their oaths, and declared that they

had been induced by others to swear; whereupon the judge declared him

free from that calumny. Further, on the part of the archbishop, they

accused the master Don Andres Xiron of an act of simony; but he gave

the lie to that, as salt dissolves in water, by means of authentic

documents and reports. They opposed him with other things of less

account, but these were not proved, nor was there any witness of them,

nor were the accusations completed; they could, therefore, prove of

no harm to him, and he did not have to clear himself. Consequently,

the royal Audiencia declared that the archbishop had not proved his

exceptions to the master Don Andres Xiron, who must be admitted into

the archdeaconate, according to the royal patronage. But the archbishop

refused to admit him. Hence the royal Audiencia despatched a royal

decree, issued by Don Phelipe, ordering that Don Andres be admitted,

under penalty of [losing] the temporalities and of banishment from the

kingdoms. The archbishop was tied to what the religious who sided with

him incited him to, as will be seen from the following letter which

he wrote to the master Don Joan de Toledo, his provisor, who counseled

him to obey the royal decree, as that was advisable in order to avoid

trouble; and that, if he did not obey, without doubt his exile from

the kingdoms would be an assured fact. The letter is as follows:

"All that those gentlemen have enacted is in violation of the royal

patronage, and contrary to [the precepts of] God and justice; and,

although it comes in the name of the king, I am not under obligations

to obey it, since men so governed by passion have made it. It is less

harmful that I go into exile, and that I suffer, than that so evil a

priest enter the cathedral contrary to the will of his Majesty--who,

even for but one of the exceptions that I have made, is unwilling that

the canonical institution be given to him. It is a piece of nonsense

to assert that the cabildo must take charge of the government, for I

am not excommunicated or suspended. Already I have appointed governors

for the archbishop, and I pray your Grace not to give me any counsel

in such things, for I do not wish it. It will seem an admirable thing,

in Roma and in Madrid, that an archbishop should be exiled in behalf

of Don Andres Arias Xiron, who is a person of great importance in this

community. If I shall go, I shall leave the city, so that they shall

come to seek me; and they must not think that I shall do through fear

what is wrong. Rather will I die twenty deaths. Such is my resolve,

and I shall not change it. Accordingly, your Grace may advise them to

prepare immediately a ship in which to embark me. I shall not fail

to have persons who will go with me, and God will defend so just a

cause and will not permit so great evils and tyrannies, for these

acts have no other name. Perhaps God is permitting this in order

that some one or some persons may pay for their evil acts--which

God allows, but not forever. All the community will judge whether

those actions are justified, and they will write to his Majesty;

since those actions stand out so clearly. May our Lord preserve your

Grace many years. From La Hermita, Friday, May 9, 1636.

_Fray Hernando_, archbishop.

"In regard to your Grace saying that the king, as sovereign, is able

to give the prebends to whom he likes, even to natives, your Grace

could not have reflected when you wrote that; since his Majesty, being

so Christian and Catholic, is not one to waste the ecclesiastical

property, for the purpose of giving it to unworthy men. And you,

your Grace, do not you venture to write such words, for they are

ill-sounding. I shall not go without forbidding the saying of mass,

and without hurling a curse, in the name of God and of the Church,

on the circumstances and persons who have caused my exile."

As the archbishop refused to obey the royal decrees, the royal

Audiencia had him notified by an act on the morning of May 9, at nine

o'clock, that the temporalities were taken from him, and that he was

declared an exile from these kingdoms. Then began the trouble. The

archbishop summoned the religious of all the orders, and notified the

father rector of the Society to go to a meeting with the rest of the

religious. The latter excused himself, for reasons that your Grace

will see in the following letter written to the archbishop:

"Most illustrious sir:

"Licentiate Don Bartolome de Cañedo, coming from outside, has

just now notified me, at half-past six o'clock, to go to a meeting

which your most illustrious Lordship is holding with the religious

of our fathers St. Dominic, St. Francis, and St. Nicholas [_i.e._,

the Recollects], who drew up against the Society of Jesus the paper

and resolution that your Lordship knows of, and which has not as

yet been revoked--as we understand ought to have been done before

the matter went so far as closing the doors of the church on us, as

happened in Cabite. Consequently, so long as the said paper remains

in force and is not revoked, your Lordship can well understand that

we are legitimately excused from such meetings, although never from

serving your most illustrious Lordship very willingly and lovingly."

The resolution made in the meeting with the religious was, that under

no circumstances would the archbishop obey the royal decrees, besides

other disorderly things, which continued to happen, and which I shall

relate in their order.

In the afternoon of that same Friday, the archbishop sent the

monstrance with the most holy sacrament to the convent of St. Francis,

whence it was carried irreverently in his sleeve by a friar, and

taken to the house of the archbishop. The latter, at nightfall,

sent two clerics who had taken the minor orders, to excommunicate

the governor and Auditor Marcos Zapata; the latter, together with

his Majesty's fiscal, were assembled in the tribunal of the royal

Audiencia. Seeing things in so great confusion, they ordered the

clerical notaries to enter. The latter, upon reaching the tribunal,

with wisdom and prudence did not dare to give notice of anything. In

order not to lose any time, which was fast fleeting, they went first

to the doors of the auditor Marcos Zapata, and commenced to read the

excommunication by the light of a torch. But a soldier, who happened

to be passing along the street, gave the torch a flick with his hat,

and extinguished it. They were unable to proceed with the reading,

and accordingly went to give an account of events to the archbishop,

who was at home with the most holy sacrament and a great number of

religious of all the orders--except those of the Society, who were

not summoned and who did not go. The archbishop ordered the said

excommunication against the governor and Auditor Marcos Zapata to

be read at the door of the master-of-camp, Don Lorenzo Olaso. They

were read, and great bills were posted on the church doors, which

read as follows:

"Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, governor and captain-general

of these islands, and the senior auditor, Marcos Zapata de Galves,

will be considered publicly excommunicated, because they prevent the

exercise of ecclesiastical justice and the general visitation that is

being made by his Excellency Don Fray Hernando Guerrero, archbishop of

these islands. No person shall dare to remove or destroy this paper,

under penalty of major excommunication, _late sententie, ipso facto

incurrendo una protina canónica monitione premissa_, and a fine of

one thousand Castilian ducados for the Holy Crusade, for those who

violate the commands herein contained, which penalties they shall be

regarded as having forthwith incurred. Given in Manila, on the ninth

day of the month of May, one thousand six hundred and thirty-six.

_Fray Hernando_, archbishop.

Before me:

_Francisco de la Roca_, notary."

I am told that an act was issued by the archbishop for the purpose

of announcing to the said master-of-camp that he was not to obey

the governor, as the latter was publicly excommunicated. But I

have been unable to assure myself of the truth of that statement,

and consequently, I do not mention it, except with the doubt that

surrounds it. But, if it were a fact, let your Grace consider whether

that were an act of mutiny or no.

The governor had sent a company of soldiers under command of an

adjutant of the camp, and the chief constable of the Audiencia, Captain

Bartolome Tenorio, with orders to execute the royal decrees and to

expel the archbishop from these kingdoms. The latter was clad in his

surplice, stole, and cope, and was holding the most holy sacrament in

his hands. He was surrounded by the said religious and by a number of

seculars. The chief constable disliked that execution exceedingly,

but he was ordered to carry it out under severe penalties, as it

pertained to his duty. But, since the archbishop had the most holy

sacrament in his hands, he could not do so; accordingly, the governor

ordered it to be done when he should lay the sacrament aside. Three

times did he send to order the religious, in his Majesty's name,

to leave that place, and not to cause that disturbance and scandal,

but they refused to obey. Hence the soldiers took them away by main

force--first requesting them with great courtesy to go away of their

own free will; and, if not, to give them leave to obey the orders

of their superior officers. But the religious asserted that they

would not obey, and that, if they were garroted by the soldiers, they

would be martyrs. The said chief constable declared that, if he did

not obey his orders, he would lose his head, and several thousand

ducados which had been imposed upon him as a penalty. A religious

replied to him: "If your Grace should die for this matter, we of all

the orders will give you our signed statement that you have died as

a martyr." The father guardian of St. Francis, Fray Juan de Piña,

showed himself to be a great prater--now crying out about the most

holy sacrament, now threatening the soldiers with the wrath of God,

now exhorting the archbishop to stand firm; and it is even asserted

that the said father, appearing at the balcony, commenced to call

loudly to the inhabitants to come to the aid of their archbishop. That

appears probable to me, since a religious of St. Dominic, after the

confusion was over, remarked to a resident of Manila, as if chiding

him, that the citizens of Manila were worthless, since they had

not hastened on that occasion to the aid of their archbishop. The

inhabitants answered as follows: "Father, we are faithful vassals

to the king, and not traitors." There was a religious who went to

the archbishop and told him to be steadfast, saying that, since the

governor was excommunicated, most of the infantry would declare in

the archbishop's favor. While the soldiers were busied in clearing

the hall from the religious, it was seen that the whole convent of

St. Francis was coming in a close procession with lighted candles in

their hands. The soldiers went to meet them, and prevented them from

passing farther, but forced them to return to their convent. Thus

can your Grace see that all the actions of those fathers at that time

were for the purpose of creating confusion and stirring up the people.

The city seeing that the disturbance was increasing, assembled at

that time in the cabildo houses, and sent commissaries to consult

with the archbishop on the part of the city, and to protest against

the disturbances and mischief. The commissaries were the castellan,

Don Fernando de Ayala, and General Don Joan Claudio, and I think that

there were two others. Bearing before them the maces of the city,

they talked with the archbishop, who was clad in his pontifical robes,

and held the most holy sacrament in his hands. But they got nothing

out of the archbishop; and taking, by way of testimony, the protest

that had been made to him, they retired.

Now at that time, namely, at the hour of ten at night, the interdict

having been rung at the cathedral, and all the orders, without any

exception, having followed it, and ringing the interdict (as they

were obliged to do, in order to follow the metropolitan church),

the uproar caused the governor some anxiety. He went out with an

escort of soldiers, and gave orders that no one be allowed to go to

the house of the archbishop, in order that there might be no greater

concourse of the people. The soldiers began to remove the religious

and seculars who surrounded the archbishop, by violence, for they

refused to go willingly. On going to take away a secular who had hold

of the lunette of the monstrance, the most holy sacrament fell to the

ground, causing a great scandal. The father guardian of St. Francis

began to call out, and beat himself and fell to the ground. With

that the infantry, scandalized, began to be more gentle. There was

one soldier who drew his sword, and turned it on himself, crying:

"It is finished." Although he did not kill himself, he was grievously

wounded. Thus wounded, they took him away for treatment, and at the

same time arrested him as a rioter. Some praised that soldier's act,

but I think that the devil would have laid hold of him as of Judas,

had he died.

That affair had occupied all of Friday until twelve o'clock;

and all that time the bells were ringing the interdict, and the

city was in a great uproar and confusion, which was caused by the

religious. Their purpose seems to have been no other than to arouse

the people; and beyond all doubt they would have succeeded in it,

had not the fidelity of this city been so great, the infantry so

numerous, and the military discipline so strict. Saturday, May 10,

was already dawning; and, at one o'clock at night, the archbishop

ordered a suspension of divine services, of which all the orders and

the other churches were warned. Thereupon the bells stopped ringing,

and the inhabitants were allowed to snatch a little sleep. By this

time most of the people had been driven from the hall where the

archbishop was, some of those who accompanied him leaving him,

for he remained steadfast with the most holy sacrament. But now,

tired out and overcome, it dropped from his hands; although he again

took it whenever he saw any soldier entering; until in the morning,

a Franciscan friar came and put about his neck a reliquary with a bead

of St. Joanna, as if the most holy sacrament--the lunette of which

they fastened with a ribbon to his neck, after removing it from the

base of the monstrance--were not more efficacious. But as that could

not endure, at last the archbishop grew tired and laid aside the most

holy sacrament. They returned it to the convent of St. Francis, whence

it had been taken, with the same irreverence. The archbishop divested

himself of the stole and cope, whereupon the infantry took him outside

the city, and embarked him in a champan which was prepared at a port

called St. Dominic. With an escort of an adjutant and twelve soldiers,

he was taken to the island of Mariveles, opposite and in sight of

this city, so that they might await the order there, and prepare a

ship and the necessary supplies to convey him outside these kingdoms.

The ecclesiastical cabildo assumed the powers of the government,

and assembled, and authorized the bishop of Camarines, Don Fray

Francisco de Zamudio, to act as provisor until the bishop of Zebu,

Don Fray Pedro de Arze, should be notified, to whom the government

of this archbishopric belongs by a bull of Paul V. However, it was

learned that he did not care to come to assume the government because

of his ill health and age; in such case, the government would pertain

legitimately to the said bishop of Camarines. He absolved the governor

and the auditor Zapata from the censures _ad cautelam_, for there were

innumerable invalidities in the censures, as they did not observe the

citations and legal terms. He raised the interdict and the suspension

of church services; and at twelve o'clock at night, at the end of

Saturday and the beginning of the Sunday of the [feast of the] Holy

Ghost, the cathedral bells were chimed. All the other bells of the

orders followed suit; and in the morning the churches were opened,

and the divine offices celebrated. Thus passed the three days of

the feast, while Fray Antonio Gonsalez preached in his convent of

St. Dominic, uttering a thousand choice things against the governor.

The governor had appointed Fray Francisco de Paula of the Order

of St. Dominic, a father of St. Augustine, and a Recollect father

as governors of the archbishopric. Father Fray Francisco de Paula,

who had been named in the first place, went to the dean, Don Miguel

Garsetas, and other prebendaries of the cabildo, with his paper, in

order to have them admit him as governor. But they did not do so,

and it appears that they were right; for it is a common judgment

of theologians and those versed in canonical law that no mendicant

religious can be a provisor or governor of a bishopric; and there is

an express prohibition in law to the Friars Minor of St. Francis.

After the feast of the Holy Ghost, on the following Wednesday, May 14,

it appears that the three orders of St. Dominic, St. Francis, and the

Recollects, determined to observe the interdict and the suspension of

divine services. Consequently, they did not open their churches; and,

although they opened them later, the altars were draped in mourning,

and they did not say mass. On the contrary, they gave out that it was

a mortal sin to hear it, for the interdict and the prohibition to say

mass could not be raised. These were observed so strictly that the

religious did not ring their bells at the Ave Marias or at the Animas,

as usual, as if that were a prohibited action. That shows that it was

not devotion but fear, as the other Portuguese said. [78] But I ask

those fathers, if it could not be removed, why did they ring their

bells at midnight on Saturday, and why, during the three days of the

feast of the Holy Ghost, the doors of their churches were open while

they said mass, and celebrated the other divine offices? For to say

that that feast is privileged by law, like Corpus Christi day, was

correctly stated when there is only an interdict, but not when there

is a suspension of mass--as is the common opinion of the doctors and

the general practice. Thus that is demonstrated; besides which, if

the cathedral and the other secular churches have lifted the interdict

and the suspension of divine services, the religious were obliged to

follow the action of the mother-church, according to a Clementina that

has been cited to me. Thus the fathers of St. Augustine and those of

the Society acted very prudently, in concurring with the cathedral.

The royal Audiencia, seeing the schism, and that some of the orders

were observing the interdict and suspension of mass, while others did

not observe them, called a meeting, on the afternoon of May 14, of the

superiors of the orders. They charged the superiors not to disturb the

community, and that all should conform to the mother-church, according

to their obligations, in harmony with the said Clementina. But there

was nothing that they heeded less than this; and hence proceeded with

their interdict and suspension of mass. The most amusing thing was

that they did as they pleased, observing it when they chose to, and

not observing it when it did not suit them. On the afternoon of the

eve of St. Bernardine, the fathers of St. Francis rang their bells;

and on the morning of the following day they celebrated solemn mass and

had a sermon. A trustworthy person assured me that during that period

one of the Dominican fathers went daily to say mass at the house

of an influential woman, very devoted to him, one Doña Constanza,

or that they admitted her into their church to hear it. But perhaps

those fathers had a privilege of observing the interdict and suspension

from mass _ad libitum_, and toward what persons they pleased; for at

that same time, they condemned to sin and cast into hell the other

fathers who said mass. But that your Grace may not be surprised that

that difference should exist between distinct orders, you must know

that there was a difference of opinion among those of the same Order of

St. Dominic. For father Fray Diego Collado, superior and vicar-general

of the new congregation of San Pablo--who by the aid of the secular

arm had already taken possession of the convents assigned him by

his general, namely, those of the Parián, Binondoc, the hospital,

and Cabite--drew up for his general a document which proved that the

orders ought to conform to the mother-church and raise the interdict

and the suspension from mass, as the mother-church had raised them. He

sent that paper to the fathers of his order at Manila, telling them

that, so that they should not imagine that he was trying to oppose and

contradict them in everything, he was conforming with them for two or

three days, and was keeping the interdict and suspension from mass;

but that now he was thinking of doing so no longer, but of conforming

with the cathedral. Hence from that moment he ordered the bells to be

chimed in all his convents, and the divine offices celebrated. However,

finally, at noon of Tuesday, May 20, the three orders of St. Dominic,

St. Francis, and the Recollects rang their bells most joyously;

for until then they had observed the interdict and suspension from

mass. Some of them being asked why they rang their bells, replied

that the archbishop sent them permission from the island of Maribeles,

where he was detained, to raise the interdict and the suspension from

mass. Surely, sir, I do not understand this, nor do I understand

those fathers, nor do I know what they are desiring and attempting

in affairs of this sort.

The archbishop remained in the said island of Maribeles with the

adjutant and soldiers above mentioned, awaiting his despatch. Three

prebendaries of the cathedral--namely, the precentor, Don Gregorio

Ruiz Descalona, the canon, Don Juan de Ledo, and the canon, Don

Pedro de Quesada--asked permission of the governor to take him some

refreshment, and to go to visit him in his trouble. The permission

that they asked was given them, and they went. While they were there,

the prior of the Indian village of Maribeles, a Recollect friar,

arrived. With him occurred the quarrel that your Grace will gather

from the following letter written from the island of Maribeles to

the governor by the adjutant, Don Diego de Herrera.

"Sir:

"The prior of Maribeles made great efforts to come to this island

to see the archbishop; but I did not allow him to come until your

Lordship sent the order by the prebendaries. Notwithstanding the order

sent by your Lordship, had I known the intent of that religious, I

would not have allowed him to come. He came here at eight o'clock on

Tuesday evening. The first thing that he did was to ask the infantry

why they subjected themselves to the mandates of a man, and did not

obey the mandates of God. I was angered, and told him not to talk

like that, and that the members of his order are commanded, under

penalty of obedience, to perform certain duties; and that we in our

turn are like religious, and are under penalty of our life and of

[being denounced as] traitors. The prior said that, if the religious

were garroted, his Holiness would publish them as martyrs. Then he

began to cry out to the archbishop not to subject himself to anyone,

for if he submitted now, he would be ordered on the following day to

put his head in the stocks. Then the precentor and the others took

part in the discussion, and began to treat him as he deserved. They

summoned me to tell the archbishop not to be guided by what that

father told him, and that I might cause his Lordship to see how ill

he was advised, and that submission was not damaging to his Lordship

(for the decree was issued in the name of the king, our sovereign),

and the troubles that he could cause. Your Lordship will not care to

know more, than that the prebendaries brought a letter from a religious

of St. Dominic for the archbishop. It said that he should refrain from

executing the [governor's] mandate, and that all would follow him,

even should not a single order be left in that city. The precentor

opened it, and on seeing its contents tore it to pieces. He will

relate everything to your Lordship. The reason that these gentlemen

have not gone to that city is that, in the first order given me by

your Lordship, I am ordered not to allow the archbishop to write to

the government; and in this letter that these gentlemen brought me,

your Lordship does not order me to allow him to write, but that I allow

them to talk and communicate to him as much as they wish. Consequently,

I have done that. The archbishop gave two powers of attorney begging

that the execution of the royal decrees that have been issued against

him be suspended in the royal Audiencia, saying that he is ready to

obey and observe them. These were given to the precentor, to Don Pedro

de Quesada, to father Fray Francisco de Paula, and to the Recollect

definitor, as your Lordship will see when they are presented. There

is nothing else to write your Lordship, except that may God preserve

your Lordship long years in more important stations. From this island,

today, Wednesday, May 14, 1636. Your Lordship's most humble servant,

_Don Diego de Herrera_"

The said prebendaries consoled the archbishop, whom they found

repentant over his disobedience of the royal decrees. Accordingly, he

granted them authority to present themselves in the royal Audiencia,

to make in his name declaration to the effect that he would obey

the royal decrees, and to ask that they should not proceed farther

in exiling him from these kingdoms. The prebendaries came to Manila,

and petitioned in the royal Audiencia in the said archbishop's name, he

offering to obey the royal decrees. A copy of the petition was given to

his Majesty's fiscal, and his answer was that the archbishop could be

brought back to the kingdoms by the one who had exiled him from them.

Wednesday, May 21, the governor called a meeting of lawyers; and,

according to what I have been told, most of them delivered as their

opinion that the archbishop, although exiled, could still remain

governor of the archbishopric, but no mendicant religious could act

thus, as they were prohibited by law. And since there was no one left

but religious, it was as if he had not left them; and the cabildo

and the bishop of Camarines, to whom the cabildo gave their votes,

were governing legally. Other matters were discussed in that meeting,

of which I shall take no notice.

Monday, the twenty-fifth of the same month of May, the archbishop's

agents brought forward another petition, urging his restoration

more forcibly, and offering to obey the royal decrees--especially by

admitting Don Andres Arias Xiron to the arch deaconship and to the

chaplaincy of the royal hospital for its administration, which had

been the cause of the suits and quarrels. The royal Audiencia received

his promise, and ordered him to return to his archbishopric. Then the

royal Audiencia having reported to the governor, who was in Cabite, the

governor replied, congratulating them on their decision. Accordingly,

he signed, very willingly and gladly, the decree which the Audiencia

had despatched for that restoration. The decree was sent to the island

of Maribeles, where the archbishop was; and at the same time an order

was given to the adjutant and soldiers to bring the archbishop back to

Manila. They did so, and he entered his archiepiscopal house on the

morning of Friday, June 6. There he was visited by all the orders,

and many other people, and great happiness reigned at seeing the end

of those suits. May God grant that the peace last. May He preserve

your Grace, as this your true friend and servant [79] desires. Manila,

June 15, 1636.

REQUEST FOR JESUIT MISSIONARIES

Sire:

The Order of the Society of Jesus is serving your Majesty with great

love, without ever refusing to do what is asked from them in your royal

name--not only as chaplains for the galleons, but for the forts, the

missions, and whatever else is entrusted to them. They do not object

when it is necessary to decrease their stipends somewhat; for they are

vassals in both good and ill treatment. They do not receive members in

these islands, for those who are of excellent ability are very rare;

and, as your Majesty knows, they readily dismiss those who do not

walk on the highway and heed the royal law. [80] For this reason your

Majesty's governor is relieved in his conscience, whenever he asks

for any member of that order, to occupy him in your royal service;

for the governor has no need of investigating or inquiring into

the qualifications of the religious given him, for the superior has

considered them thoroughly, and they know the intention to change them

when advisable. This relief for the governor is not enjoyed with all

[the orders]. Consequently, I petition your Majesty, in all humility

and reverence, to be pleased to have these islands furnished with

subjects of this order from España, to the number that your Majesty

can send from it, and fewer from the other orders. Your Majesty will be

served, and God our Lord also. I assure your Majesty, as a good vassal,

that neither prepossession nor prejudice influences me to make this

report, but the belief that I am thereby discharging the obligations

of my conscience. May our Lord preserve the Catholic person of your

Majesty in its greatness, as is needful to Christendom. Cavite,

June 19, 1636. Your Majesty's vassal kisses your feet,

_Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera_

LETTER FROM THE BISHOP OF NUEVA CACERES TO FELIPE IV

Sire:

We vassals and servants of your Majesty, who behold ourselves so far

from your presence and in so remote districts in these Filipinas

Islands, are ever desirous of knowing of your Majesty's health,

which may God our Lord give you for many years; and in much greater

troubles we declare with the holy king Josias: _Cum ignoremus quid

agne debeamus hoc solum residum havemus ut oculos nostros dirigamus_,

etc. This remedy alone is left us, namely, to turn our eyes toward your

Majesty, as to our natural lord and sovereign; indeed there is great

need that your Majesty apply with your powerful hand that remedy that

is necessary in the affairs in these islands that are happening with

the archbishop of this city of Manila, and the orders of St. Dominic,

St. Francis, and the Recollects of St. Augustine. They, irritated

because Don Sevastian Hurtado de Corcuera, who is now governing

these islands, has restrained them and limited their excesses, have

united with the said archbishop, and have endeavored to impair his

[_i.e._, the governor's] Christian actions directed to the service

of God our Lord and of your Majesty, and the increase of your royal

treasury. They preach in the pulpit things unworthy of that place,

trying to seduce the citizens, both in that place and in their houses,

irritating them and making them restless, and disturbing the peace and

quiet of the community. They cause innumerable scandals, by reporting

which I might enlarge this letter to great details. In fact, Sire,

they are trying to make themselves masters of the spiritual and

temporal. In all the provinces of these islands they live so absolute

masters of all things that they do not recognize your Majesty. For

they say openly in their missions that they are kings and popes. They

hold the Indians so subject, and have such control of the wills of the

alcaldes-mayor in their districts that the latter neither administer

justice nor can do more than the religious wish. And if, perchance,

they exceed that, the religious impeach them, and try to discredit

them. They live without God, without king, and without law. For

them there are neither bulls of his Holiness nor decrees of your

Majesty, nor Council of Trent or of Mexico; nor do they recognize

any bishop; for, even in regard to the administration of sacraments,

they say that the bishop is not their prelate. Without his consent

they confess and marry, although they are not curas. In short, they

live as they please, and there is no further law than their own

wills. They are more notorious traders than those who are traders

by profession. Their only efforts are to increase their convents,

taking away from the bishops the benefices and patrimonies which

your Majesty has given them. In such condition do they keep these

islands that I have considered it advisable to come to this city and

to leave my bishopric of Caçeres. I am resolved not to return to it,

while there should be any discalced Recollect Franciscan friars, for

their life is not that of religious. Those sheep are at my account;

and I can but poorly instruct them, if whatever I build for them in

one part is destroyed for them in another. They [_i.e._, the friars]

are a mischief-making folk; and although I know that Don Fray Hernando

Guerrero does not possess the talent that he ought to have for the

position which he occupies, I consider it beyond doubt that if the

friars had not perverted him by their ambition and haughtiness, he

would not have committed so many blunders, nor would he have given

cause that through them the royal Audiencia of your Majesty would

pronounce him an exile from your kingdoms, banishing him for some

days to an island six leguas from Manila. But as the governor has

learned that his sin was one of ignorance, and that he was carried

away so greatly by the prejudices of the orders, who have advised him

to what has not been for his good, the governor has contrived to have

the said royal Audiencia, in the exercise of kindness and clemency,

return the archbishop to his church--as, in fact, has been done. It

was the act of a Christian gentleman; for not only has he not paid

any attention to the annoyances that they have caused him, but, just

as if he had received many acts of kindness from the said archbishop,

he has given him prudent counsels, directed to his peace and to the

service of God and of your Majesty. I fear lest they will prove of

no use to him, for the religious are disturbing and disquieting him.

In order to visit the friars of my bishopric, which the religious

there would not permit, it was needful to seek the aid of your Majesty

from your governor. He gave me a dozen soldiers with a corporal, so

that they might guard my person; and yet the friars refused to let me

visit them _de moribus et vita_ [81]--saying that they knew of no royal

decrees, bulls of his Holiness, or decrees of councils, that treat of

the matter, and they shut the doors of the churches against me. Let

your Majesty judge whether I have courage to return to my bishopric,

among such people. They have tried to kill me, and God does not

oblige me to go there, since I know what they will do, and that such a

course would place me in danger. So many lawless acts in men who say

that they profess religion are worthy of correction. This is hoped

from your Majesty as soon as possible; for, if it be delayed long,

I doubt whether these islands can be saved. For there is no measure

that the governor enacts for your Majesty's service that they do not

resist and oppose _in toto_. The most effective method that I find for

cutting roots that produce so evil fruit is to deprive the religious

of their missions, and send virtuous seculars to serve these in their

stead. May God put His hand to the work, so that so many disorders

may be driven out. May He preserve your Majesty in your greatness for

the many years that Christendom needs. Manila, June 20, 1636. Your

Majesty's humble chaplain and servant, who kisses your hands,

_Fray Francisco_, bishop of Cazeres. [82]

LIST OF PROMINENT ECCLESIASTICS IN MANILA AND THE ISLANDS

_Memorial on the state of the ecclesiastical cabildo of this cathedral

of Manila, and the dignities which are subject to his Majesty's

appointment; and the persons who are serving them in the meantime

by appointment of the governor, and their qualifications, origin,

and ages._

The dean is named Don Miguel Garsetas. He is a native of Toledo, and

came to these islands more than thirty-eight years ago. He is not a

graduate. He was given the deanery, to serve _ad interim_ after the

death of Licentiate Francisco Gomez Arellano, and your Majesty favored

him with a confirmation thereof. He is more than sixty years of age.

The archdeaconry was held from your Majesty by Don Alonso Garcia de

Leon; and at his death the governor gave it to Juan Mre to serve

it _ad interim_. On the death of this said person it was given to

Don Francisco Valdes, who likewise served it _ad interim_. He is

a secular ecclesiastic. He placed his resignation in the hands of

Governor Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera because--I would rather

not admit it--of a very serious simony; as it has now been well

established that Master Don Andres Arias Giron, claimant of the said

archdeaconry, promised the said Don Francisco de Valdes five hundred

pesos of income to make the said resignation, as he did. Thereupon

the said governor gave the appointment as archdeacon to the said Don

Andres Arias Giron, on account of the latter's illegal negotiations

and gifts--on which account I came to be exiled from the kingdom,

and fined two thousand ducados, because I would not give the collation

inside of an hour. He was excommunicated and posted on the bulletin,

[83] as a result of his visitation which I conducted; and there were

many very ugly accusations to prove against him, which had been brought

up in court. He has now admitted that he is not archdeacon, because

the collation was given him by a judge thrust into that office, for

I had left my vicar-general and two ecclesiastical governors whom I

had appointed. He sent, while on his deathbed, asking me to give him

the collation for the said archdeaconry; but I did not do so because

it is not expedient, according to the opinion of learned men. From

this it follows that the stipend from the royal treasury ought not

to be paid him; and, if it is collected, your Majesty may command

that it be returned from his property to the royal treasury.

The office of precentor was held for your Majesty by an honored secular

ecclesiastic named Santiago de Castro, who died a number of years

ago. Since that time it has been served _ad interim_ by four others,

with appointments from the governors. He who serves it at present

(likewise _ad interim) _is named Master Don Gregorio Ruiz de Escalona,

who came to this country with his father (who was your Majesty's

treasurer) as a boy, and studied in these islands, graduating as a

master of arts. He is a good student, and is thirty-two years of age.

The office of school-master was, on the death of the man who held

it, given by your Majesty to a secular ecclesiastic, Don Alonso de

Campos, who was in Nueva España and had lived many years in these

islands. Although authority was sent for the members of the cabildo

to take possession for him, they would not give it to him because in

the foundation of the church it was decreed that candidates for these

dignities must be graduates. Although the said Don Alonso de Campos

procured a decree from your Majesty dispensing with the said act of

foundation for this time, the cabildo would not receive him even then,

although he sent a second power of attorney. They accepted a man who is

filling the office by appointment from the governor of these islands,

who is named Don Fabian de Santillan. Not only is he not graduated,

but he is ignorant and lawless; and for his excesses while a canon

_ad interim,_ he was excommunicated, and kept out of the cabildo

for four months. Although he has no qualifications for the dignity,

and is serving merely _ad interim_, contrary to the fundamental rule

of the church, he was accepted as judge-conservator by the fathers of

the Society, and proceeded in the manner of which I have advised your

Majesty. He is a creole of this country, and his ancestors came to

serve Governor Don Francisco Tello, formerly of these islands. He is

only present in the choir on rare occasions; and he it is who causes

all the hard feelings, misunderstandings, and quarrels in the cabildo,

losing the respect of all its members, as well as mine. He is about

thirty-four years old, more or less.

The treasurership was held for your Majesty by Thomas de Guimarano,

and on his death the governor gave it to Don Juan de Achoteguy Olaso,

as a favor, for he is an uncle of the master-of-camp. He is serving

_ad interim_, contrary to the fundamental rule of the church; for

he is not only not graduated, but hardly knows Latin, and has no

ability which would make him capable of being a dignitary, or even for

being a member of the cabildo. He came from España with his nephew,

the master-of-camp. He must be about thirty-four years of age, more

or less.

The first canonry is held for your Majesty by Juan de Miranda Salazar,

through the death of Don Juan Valentin. He has served in the church

more than thirteen years, and is a very good singer. He is not a

graduate, although he knows Latin and has studied, having been for

some years steward of the cathedral; and he has acquitted himself

very well. He is a native of Nueva España, and came to this country

as a boy. He is about fifty years old.

The second canonry, on the death of the man who held it, was given by

your Majesty's favor to Don Francisco de Valdes, who would not accept

it, as he was serving _ad interim_ in the dignity of archdeacon,

which he held for some years. He is the secular ecclesiastic who

resigned the said archdeaconry to the governor, as I have said above,

for the reasons mentioned. This canonry is being served by him _ad

interim_ through nomination by the former governor, Don Juan Cerezo,

who came to govern _ad interim_. He is not a graduate, although he

knows Latin, and is an honored and exemplary ecclesiastic. He was this

year made steward of this cathedral, and is acting satisfactorily. He

is fifty-six years old.

The third canonry was held for your Majesty by Doctor Juan Mre

Briseño, and on account of his death two or three have served it

_ad interim_. At present it is being served likewise in the same

manner, through appointment by Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, by

Bachelor Don Pedro de Quesada, son of the auditor Quesada, who died

in Mexico. He came to this city with his brother Don Juan de Quesada,

fiscal of your Majesty. He is a canonical lawyer, and for this reason

I have appointed him as our provisor and vicar-general. He is about

thirty-two years of age.

The fourth canonry, which was served by Thomas de Guimarano, and was

left vacant when your Majesty favored him with the treasurership,

was last year discontinued, in accordance with what your Majesty

ordered me by his royal decree.

The first racion that your Majesty has confirmed and granted arrived

last year for Master Don Gregorio Ruiz de Escalona. He did not use

it, as he is serving the precentorship _ad interim_, as I have said

above. The said racion is being served _ad interim_ by Pablo Rodriguez,

a fine singer, who has served in this church many years, and is of

great service here. He is a Portuguese, and is about sixty years old.

The second entire racion your Majesty had granted to Juan de Miranda

Salazar, and it became vacant when he was promoted to the canonry,

as I have said above. At present it is being served _ad interim_

by Bachelor Diego de Gastetu, who came from Nueva España in search

of his father (who is in this city, and is a regidor here). He has

studied here, and is about twenty-nine years of age.

The first media-racion has never been filled by your Majesty,

and the governors have made appointments to it. It has been held

by many different persons, and at present is served _ad interim_ by

Bachelor Luis de La Calle, who is ordained as reader on the gospel side

[_del evangelio_]. He was born in this city, of an honorable family,

and graduated as a bachelor of arts. He is a virtuous and exemplary

youth, and serves punctually in the cathedral. He is twenty-three

years of age.

The second media-racion has been served by many persons, with the

governors' appointments, and at present is served _ad interim_

by Pedro Flanio, who came to this country as a soldier, studied in

the college of the Society, and is already a priest and bachelor of

arts. He is about thirty-five years of age.

_Fray Hernando_, archbishop of Manila.

_Memorial on the honored and able ecclesiastics in these islands,

furnished in case your Majesty should be pleased to have removed

from the cathedral those who are serving ad interim contrary to

its fundamental rule, and who have not qualifications, so that your

Majesty may name others in their places._

Licentiate Don Pedro de Monrroy, a learned man and an exemplary

gentleman, is known to be from Badajoz. In the time of my predecessor

he was provisor and vicar-general, and commissary of the crusade for

four years, acquitting himself very well. During my time he has been

provisor and vicar-general one year, and would have been that still

if Governor Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera had not disturbed him;

for there is no one of more ability, or longer in service, or more fit

for the said office, and for any dignity of the cathedral whatsoever.

Doctor Juan Ochoa de Arriola is a very learned ecclesiastic, and

an excellent preacher. In his graduation as doctor, he made very

evident his great competency and ability. He obtained the curacy

of the port of Cavite (which is one of the best hereabout) in a

competitive examination, in which he was opposed by very learned men

and masters. He might honor the cathedral with his person and learning,

if your Majesty would grant him the favor.

Master Don Juan Fernandez de Ledo is a learned man and a good

preacher. He served the canonry _ad interim_ in the cathedral, and

it was taken from him last year because the one which he was serving

happened to be the one which was suppressed. Last year he was provisor

and vicar-general, and deserves that your Majesty should honor him

with a place in the cathedral.

Master Juan de Velez is a learned man and a very good preacher. He

is at present proprietary curate of the cathedral, which place he

obtained in competition.

Master Francisco Martinez de Paz is a learned, virtuous, and exemplary

man, and knows the language of the Tagal natives of this province. He

lately obtained the living of Lobo and Galban in competition, as he

is a good minister.

Master Pablo de Avalos is a learned and exemplary man. He last year

obtained in competition the benefice of Santo Thomas, which is an

allotment of Tagal Indians, as he knows their language very well.

Licentiate Don Juan de los Cobos is a learned and exemplary man,

who has been six years governor of the bishopric of Nueva Caceres,

_sede vacante_, where he acquitted himself well, and is today chaplain

of the royal college of Santa Potenciana.

Licentiate Manuel Rabelo is a learned man, and is a very good preacher

in Spanish and in three native languages, each different from the

other. He has the benefice of the district of Tabuco, as he is as

well acquainted with the Tagal language as are the Indians themselves;

and he is loved by them, because he treats them with gentleness.

Licentiate Juan de Arguijo Plata has long been versed in canon law,

and had experience in this country; he has been for many years the

fiscal-promoter of this archbishopric, and has been so often before.

Bachelor Amaro Diaz is a very virtuous and exemplary ecclesiastic,

well liked by all, and trustworthy in any office.

Bachelor Diego Donoso, chaplain of this royal Audiencia, is a learned

man and well liked.

Licentiate Don Bartolome de Cañedo is master crossbearer.

Master Josef Cabral is a learned man, a preacher, and well versed in

the Tagal language. He has the benefice of the district of Balayan,

which he obtained in competition. He is much liked by the Indians,

as he treats them with love and gentleness.

_Fray Hernando_, archbishop of Manila.

_The year 1636. Memorial of the dignities and other prebends of the

cabildo of this cathedral of Manila; and of those which are confirmed

in order to be served ad interim._

The dean is named Don Miguel Garzetas. He came to these islands

thirty-eight years ago, and is more than sixty-six years old. He

is a graduate in no branch of learning. He is a good ecclesiastic,

and is present in the choir whenever his health permits. He has your

Majesty's confirmation for the said dignity. At present he has enjoyed

it ten years, more or less.

The archdeacon is named Master Don Andres Arias Giron. He has been

the stone of offense in this city, through his empty pretensions,

trusting to the fact that he has thirty thousand pesos, which he

acquired--quite unscrupulously, as is publicly known--in profits

from Indians where he held benefices. He is a creole of this country,

thirty-four years of age. Although he has the title of master of arts,

it was given to him more through his schemes than for his learning. He

has been an evil example with his licentious mode of life, for he is of

kin with the Biscayans, who have the most power in this country. About

two months ago the governor gave him the appointment of archdeacon,

although the dignity was not vacant. They exiled me from the kingdom

and condemned me to two thousand ducados fine, because I would not give

the collation, he being at the time excommunicated. It was given to him

by an unauthorized judge, while I was exiled and had left governors

for the archbishopric. I am certain that the master of the schools,

who is investigating it for the cabildo, will inform your Majesty of

this in a very distorted way; for he is a great friend to the said Don

Andres Giron, and gave him entertainment and presents when he exercised

the duties of judge-conservator, and they did not leave each other's

side. He cannot enjoy the income which your Majesty gives him from

your royal treasury with a good conscience, for I have not given him

canonical investiture; nor can it be given or confirmed, conformably to

clause seven of the royal act of patronage; for he is guilty of many

grave misdeeds, which will be presented in the royal Council. Rather,

he is deserving of punishment; for he brought this commonwealth to the

verge of ruin, as will appear from the relations and other information.

The precentor is named Master Don Gregorio Ruiz de Escalona. He

is a learned and exemplary man, a son of your Majesty's treasurer,

Juan Ruiz de Escalona, who died, and brother of the treasurer who

now fills the place, Don Baltasar de Escalona. He is thirty-three

years of age, and came from España while a boy, with his parents. He

has served in this cathedral for ten years as a medio-racionero, an

entire canon, and master of school. At present he has been precentor

for about a year and a half, all the time _ad interim_, until this

year the confirmation of the prebend which he held arrived. He is a

good preacher and has ability; and your Majesty should favor him with

some of the dignities for his virtue, learning, and exemplary life.

The schoolmaster is named Don Fabian de Santillan. He is a creole of

this country, and is thirty-six years of age, more or less. While he

was chaplain to Don Juan Niño de Tavora, formerly governor of these

islands, a canonry became vacant and was given to him. He has studied

no branch of learning, except Latin; and if he knew that well it

would not be so bad. While he was a canon he was suspended from the

cabildo for four months, on account of his licentious life and evil

example. He has lost the respect of the dignitaries on every hand,

for his arrogance. He was given the said dignity a year and a half

ago, by the intercession of Licentiate Marcos Zapata de Galvez,

the auditor, as the latter was under obligation to his relatives

and sisters--contrary to the fundamental rule of the church, which

commands that they should be graduated. He exercised the office of

judge-conservator, in which he insulted me, and posted me on the

corners as excommunicated within twenty-four hours. He had not been

recognized as judge, nor presented papers for it, as will appear from

the information which was sent in regard to this.

The treasurer is named Don Juan de Achotequi y Olaso. He is the uncle

of the master-of-camp, and is ignorant and of little ability. He

was given the said dignity contrary to the fundamental rule of the

church, which commands that he should be a graduate. He came from

España about ten years ago, and is about thirty-six years of age. He

merits no dignity. He has no confirmation from your Majesty, having

enjoyed the place three years, and having been first canon.

The first canon, who has served longest in the church, is named Juan

de Miranda Salazar, who came from Mexico while he was a boy. He has

studied nothing but Latin. He was a prebendary several years, and for

nine years has been a canon. This year he received the confirmation

of your Majesty. He is a very good singer, and exemplary of life; he

has been many years steward of the cathedral, and has attended to this

very well. As having served so long in the said church, he deserves

that your Majesty should favor him. He is forty-four years old.

The second canon is named Don Pedro de Quesada. He is a graduate in

canon and civil law. He came from Mexico with his brother Doctor Don

Juan de Quesada, who was fiscal of the Audiencia about seven years

ago. He is about thirty-four years of age, more or less, and has

served the said canonry more than six years. He is a learned man,

and might be favored with some dignity. He has no confirmation.

The third canon is named Pedro de Rivera. He is more than sixty years

old. Don Juan Cereço, who came as governor _ad interim_, brought him

with him as his chaplain, and when he was done with that office,

gave him the canonry. He has not had it confirmed, as he has not

enjoyed it much more than two years. He signs himself "Bachelor,"

although this is a misrepresentation.

The fourth canon is named Master Don Juan Fernandez de Ledo. He

came when a boy from Nueva España, and is a learned man and a good

preacher. At present he is exercising the duties of provisor; and

his father, Doctor Don Juan Fernandez de Ledo, holds the office of

fiscal in the royal Audiencia _ad interim_, owing to the death of

the proprietor. He is thirty years old, and was given the canonry a

little more than a year and a half ago. It is not confirmed.

The first racionero is named Pablo Rodriguez. He is a Portuguese, and

has been many years in this city. He is a very good singer, and serves

very well in the choir. He is about seventy years old, and has enjoyed

the racion more than seventeen years, without its being confirmed.

The second racionero is named Diego de Veas [_sic_]. He came to this

country as a soldier, about nine years ago, and is about twenty-eight

years of age. He is a bachelor of arts, and was given the racion

about a year ago by an exchange which he made with the man who held it.

The first medio-racionero is named Pedro Flanio. He came as a sailor

to this country fourteen years ago, and is about thirty-four years

of age. He is a bachelor of arts, and has held the media-racion for

a little more than two years. It is not confirmed.

The second medio-racionero is named Luis de la Calle. He is a creole

of this country, and is ordained as reader on the epistle side. He

is graduated a bachelor of arts, and is a virtuous and exemplary

youth. He exchanged with the person who held this media-racion, for

a chaplaincy. He is twenty-two years of age, and has served a little

more than two months.

_Memorial of the deserving and honored ecclesiastics in this city,

besides those mentioned by the cabildo, so that your Majesty may be

informed in regard to them and can favor them. They are as follows:_

Licentiate Don Pedro de Monroy, a lawyer, was provisor and sub-delegate

of the crusade for four years, in the time of our predecessor, Don

Fray Miguel Garcia. When I entered into the government last year,

as he was the most worthy I gave him the office of provisor and

vicar-general--which he was obliged to leave because of Governor

Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera; for that gentleman was anxious

for it, and we had a great many disputes over it. He ordered that

Don Pedro should not be allowed to go in or come out through the

gates of the city; and the judge-conservator made some accusations

against him which obliged him to conceal himself and retire, later,

to the convent of the Dominicans, entering disguised, in the habit

of a Franciscan. He is a very exemplary clergyman, of good life. My

predecessor informed your Majesty of his abilities and excellent

conduct. It would greatly please me if your Majesty would order by

a royal decree that he be restored to the office of provisor and

vicar-general, which [he holds] by my consecration (which is the

only one adequate for the said office), and as there is no one else

who can fill his place in these islands. I do not dare to do this,

for the governor would oppose it, and we would have many disputes;

and Don Pedro has suffered many hardships for defending the immunity

of the church.

This city contains another grave and learned ecclesiastic, who is

called Licentiate Don Francisco Montero Saavedra, who has been visitor

for several bishoprics, and cura of the cathedral of Cebu. I sent

him to Goa in the month of December past with two other religious,

in his own boat, in order to give an account to his Holiness and to

your Majesty of the grievances and affronts which have been offered

me by the judge-conservator who was appointed by the fathers of the

Society. He must have already arrived at your court, and deserves

that your Majesty should favor him for his great ability, and for the

trouble which he has taken in returning [to Europe] for the affairs

of the church.

The third is named Master Juan de Veles, who is curate of this

cathedral of Manila. He is a learned man and a good preacher, and

exemplary in his mode of life. For two years he has been judge of

wills and chaplaincies. He sent his papers approved.

The fourth is named Licentiate Don Juan de los Cobos. He has been

governor of the archbishopric of Nueva Caceres for ten years, and

has acquitted himself well in what was entrusted to him. At present

he has just finished visiting the districts of the clergy in this

archbishopric.

The fifth is named Bachelor Amaro Diaz, who is a very virtuous

ecclesiastic, of so exemplary and moral life that no one is more so;

and he can be trusted in any matter whatever.

The sixth is named Gabriel de Muxica Buitran. He is an ecclesiastic

who has been here long, and is rather aged. He is very exemplary,

learned in archives, and very retiring.

The seventh is named Don Pedro Enriquez de Artosa. He is a gentleman,

and has attended lectures in arts and theology. He is an exemplary

ecclesiastic, and is well liked in this city on account of his

character.

The eighth is named Don Bartolome de Cañedo. He is the son of one of

the conquerors who served your Majesty many years in these islands. He

is a prominent and estimable man and has attended lectures in arts

and theology. He is at present my crossbearer [in processions].

The ninth is named Licentiate Manuel Rabelo. He has been long in this

country, and is a learned man and a good preacher. On account of his

qualifications he has obtained the best benefices which have been

assigned; and at present has the district of Tabuco, twelve leguas

from this city.

The tenth is named Don Diego de Velasco. He has studied arts and

theology, and is the nephew of the most deserving, exemplary, and

honored ecclesiastic that we have had in this cathedral--who was

provisor for a number of years, and schoolmaster, and distributed

all his property among pious works. He was named Don Miguel de Velazco.

_Fray Hernando_, archbishop of Manila.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA

The following documents are obtained from MSS.--except No. 2, which

is printed--in the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla:

1. _Manila treasury accounts_.--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia de

Filipinas; cartas y espedientes del gobernador de Filipinas vistos

en el Consejo; años 1629 á 1640; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 8."

2. _Letter from Andres del Sacramento_.--The same as No. 1.

3. _Letter from commissary-general_.--The same as No. 1.

4. _Discussion regarding Portuguese trade_.--"Simancas--Secular;

Audiencia de Filipinas; cartas y espedientes de personas seculares

de Filipinas vistos en el Consejo; años 1635 á 1642; est. 67, caj. 6,

leg. 41."

5. _Military services of Filipinos_.--The same as No. 4.

6. _Request for Jesuit missionaries_.--The same as No. 1, save the

dates, "1629 á 1637."

7. _Letter from Zamudio_.--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas;

cartas y expedientes de los obispos sufraganes de Manila; años 1579

á 1679; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 34."

8. _List of ecclesiastics_.--"Simancas--[Eclesiastico?]; Audiencia

de Filipinas; cartas y expedientes del arzobispo de Manila; años 1579

á 1690; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 32."

The following documents are taken from the "Cedulario Indico" in the

Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid:

9. _Royal decrees_, 1633-35.--"Tomo 39, fols. 209, 196b, 197b, 201b,

203b, 213b, 214, 217b."

10. _Tenure of encomiendas_.--"Tomo 32, fol. 276b."

The following documents are obtained from MSS. in the Academia Real

de la Historia, Madrid:

11. _Letter of consolation_.--"Papeles de los Jesuitas, tomo 84,

no. 20."

12. _Letter from a citizen of Manila_.--The same as No. 11, except

"no. 42."

The following document is obtained from a MS. in the Biblioteca

Nacional, Madrid:

13. _Memorial by Monfalcon_.--"Tomo de papeles varios, impresos y

MSS. relativos á Indias; Aa--47."

The following document is taken from _Recopilación de leyes de Indias_:

14. _Laws regarding navigation and commerce_.--In lib. ix, tit. xxxxv.

The following documents are taken from Pastells's edition of Colin's

_Labor evangélica_:

15. _Opinion of Council and decree_.--Vol. iii, pp. 755, 756.

16. _Letter from Pedro de Arce_.--The same as No. 15, but pp. 796, 797.

The following document is taken from Diaz's _Conquistas de las Islas

Filipinas_:

17. _Conflicts between civil and ecclesiastical authorities_.--In

pp. 323-343.

NOTES

[1] A note to this law in the _Recopilación_ says that the prohibition

of reciprocal commerce between Perú and Nueva España for natural

products, and with various limitations, was raised by a decree of

January 20, 1774.

[2] Título xxii is entitled: "Of the captain-general of artillery,

the artillerymen-in-chief, and others of the war and trading fleets;

the artillery, arms, and ammunition." It consists of forty-eight laws.

[3] The above law refers to lib. viii, tit. xvi, ley xvii, which reads

as follows: "We order that the valuation of Chinese merchandise be

made in Nueva España, in the same way as the merchandise which is

sent from these kingdoms, observing in it the ordinances that have

been established. After it has been made, it shall be remitted to

the bureau of accounts of Méjico, so that it may make the account,

and give certifications of what must be collected, and from what

persons." The law is dated Madrid, December 6, 1624.

[4] See VOL. xvii. p. 34, law lxxi.

[5] See _VOL. XVII_, pp. 39, 40.

[6] The parenthetical clause is evidently the work of one of the clerks

who copied the decrees in the "Cedulario Indico." The decree mentioned,

whose general tenor can easily be seen from the present decree,

is not given, probably owing to an oversight of the transcriber,

too late to rectify.

[7] The decree whose location is above given.

[8] Also contained in the "Cedulario Indico," immediately following

the decree here presented, to which it is very similar in tenor.

[9] An island off the south coast of Batangas, Luzón, midway in the

channel between that island and Mindoro.

[10] The manuscript has a side- or sub-heading at the right that reads

"Pieces of gold," and in the margin at this point is the figure 10.

[11] Spanish, _el cargo de penas de Camara_. _Cargo_, as thus used,

refers to the amount charged on the books of the accountant, and

especially to the general balance struck; in a general sense, _cargo_

and _data_, in the old Spanish system of accounting, corresponded to

"debit" and "credit" in modern bookkeeping. The difference between

these (_alcance_), in an individual account, would be nearly the

same as our term "balance of account." The old Spanish methods

of accounting were somewhat different from the modern, and based

on more complicated procedure; and it is difficult to find modern

equivalents for various words and phrases used therein--especially

for some which designate the duties of accountants, and for others

which are no longer in actual use. The whole accounting and auditing

system was very elaborate and characteristically suspicious. There

were, in every case, two men working together; and, if one of them

was absent, some different work must be assigned to the other for that

day, by the bureau of accounts. There were three classes of employees

in this work, in the Spanish colonies: the _contadores de cuentas_

(who apparently were of higher rank than the others), _contadores

de resultas_, and _ordenadores de pago_. The second of these terms

is no longer used in accounting, and no satisfactory explanation of

its commercial use is given in lexicons. The _ordenadores de pagos_

(an office abolished at intervals) might correspond to our disbursing

officers, save that they did not, I think, actually handle the

money; hence, their functions rather correspond to a part of the

duties of our auditors. It may be that the term _cuentas_ is used

in the accounting system to define accounts in general, items of

any and all sorts owed to the state; and _resultas_, as referring

to the accounts kept of money paid out, on one or another account,

by the public treasury--its balances (_alcances_) being, therefore,

the sums remaining over and above the amounts spent. This would give

us a system of accountants for the items owing to the state--in other

words, for its incomes; and another system of accountants for the

expenditures of the government. In such case, _resultas_ might also

designate the balances reverting to the credit of the state--that is,

the unspent balances of various funds; this meaning would harmonize

with the related functions of the _contadores de resultas_ and the

_ordenadores de pagos_, who supplied each other's places. These are

suggestions rather than definitive statements, for which latter is

needed expert knowledge of the old Spanish accounting system. The

_Recopilación de leyes de Indias_ contains much information on

these points; see especially lib. viii, tit. i, ii, xxix; lib. ix,

tit. viii.--_James A. LeRoy._

[12] _Mesada_: a month's pay or salary. The _derecho de mesada_ was

a tax of that amount levied (like the half-annat on civil offices)

on ecclesiastical benefices and preferments which had been granted

by the popes to the crown of Spain as part of its royal patronage

of religion. Laws regarding this tax may be found in _Recopilación

de leyes de Indias_, lib. i, tit. xvii; the first of these is dated

1629. See also _Teatro de la legislación universal de España y Indias_

(Madrid, 1791-97). The mesada was to be collected on the basis of

the receipts from each preferment during the five years preceding

the new incumbent's entry upon his office.--_James A. LeRoy_.

[13] _Estrados_: literally, "platforms;" the platform on which stood

the royal throne, or the seat of the judge, afterward came to mean

the court itself. Perhaps the Manila treasury received from Mexico

a sum for the proper maintenance of the dignity of the tribunals,

for the hangings, furnishing, platforms, etc. This might also refer

to the platforms and carpets and hangings provided in the cathedral

for certain royal officials.--_James A. LeRoy._

[14] In the margin at this point occurs: "4 [pieces of gold]; 3 rings."

[15] In the margin at this point occurs: "4 [pieces of gold]; 3 rings."

[16] In the margin at this point occurs: "4 [pieces of gold]; 3 rings."

[17] In the margin at this point occurs: "88 taes, 1 real of gold."

[18] This raid spread fear and alarm throughout the Visayas; and the

religious, especially the Jesuits, urged the governor (then Cerezo de

Salamanca) to provide some defense against the pirates. Accordingly he

ordered (although in the face of much opposition) the establishment

of a fort and garrison at Zamboanga, Mindanao; and to aid in the

expenses of this enterprise, a contribution of a ganta of rice from

each tribute in the Visayas. (Combés says that this measure originated

with the Jesuit Bueras.) This contribution was afterward extended to

all the provinces, and was known as "the Zamboanga donation." The fort

at Zamboanga (begun June 23, 1635) was planned by the Jesuit Melchor

de Vera, and built under his direction. See accounts given by Combés

(_Hist. Mindanao_, col. 213-224), Murillo Velarde (_Hist. Philipinas_,

fols. 76b-78a), and Montero y Vidal (_Hist. Filipinas_, pp. 190-192).

[19] "The seed is the blood of Christians."

[20] A corruption of _kasis_ (VOL. XVI, p. 134), or _kázi_, an

appellation of Mahometan preachers.

[21] Part of the thirty-fifth verse. The quotation should end with

_eam_. The English is: "And whosoever shall lose his life for my sake

and the gospel, shall save it."

[22] Translated: "_He that shall lose (his life)_, He says, _for my

sake._ There is the whole cause. _He that shall lose_, not in any way

whatsoever, not for any reason that you like; but: _For my sake_. In

prophecy those other martyrs already said: _For thy sake we are killed

all the day long_ (Ps. xliii, 22). Not therefore is it the punishment,

that makes a martyr, but the cause." This is found in St. Augustine's

sermon _In natali martyrium_ ("On the festival of martyrs"), cap. ii,

sec. 2; it is Sermon 331, ed. Migne, Paris, 1841 and 1845--in older

codices, "Sermon 100 _de Diversis_."--_T. C. Middleton_, O.S.A.

[23] Translated: "If a robber should assault, or a wild beast attack,

or hunger or thirst or cold afflict, one fleeing in the desert and

mountains, or a storm or hurricane drown one making haste through the

seas in precipitate navigation, Christ beholds in him His soldier,

wherever he may be fighting; and He gives the reward to him who

dies persecuted for the name of His honor, which He promised that He

would give at the resurrection. Nor less is the glory of martyrdom,

in having perished not in public, nor in the midst of a multitude,

when the cause for which he dies is to lose his life for the sake

of Christ. For the witnessing of martyrdom, it is enough that He was

witness who approves and crowns the martyrs."

[24] Théophile Raynaud was born November 15, 1587, at Sospello, in

the county of Nice, and entered the Society of Jesus November 21,

1602. He taught grammar and the humanities at Avignon, philosophy for

six years and theology for ten at Lyons, where he was also prefect of

studies for two years. He lived for some years at Grenoble, Chambéry,

and Rome, and passed the last thirteen years of his life at Lyons,

where he died October 31, 1633. He was a most voluminous writer, but

his style was poor. Some of his works have been printed, while others

exist only in manuscript. He had planned to print them all together,

but death hindered the project. The book referred to in the text is

_De Martyrio per pestem Ad martyrium improprium, et proprium vulgare

comparato, Disqvisitio Theologica, Theophili Raynavdi Societatis

Iesu Theologi_ .... (Lvgdvni, Sumpt. Iacobi Cardon, M.DCXXX.) See

Sommervogel's _Bibliothèque_.

[25] "In goodness and liberality."

[26] A portion of St. Mark x, 30. The Latin of the entire

passage is: _Qui non accipiat centies tantum, nunc in tempore hoc:

domos, et fratres, et sorores, et matres, et filios, et agros, cum

persecutionibus, et in sæculo futuro vitam æternam_. The English of

the Douay version is: "Who shall not receive an hundred times as much,

now in this time; houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers,

and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come

life everlasting."

[27] Translated: "I greet you, well-beloved and blessed brethren,

yearning also myself for the joy of seeing you, if only the conditions

of place would allow me to reach you. For what could be more to

my wish and my joy than to be with you now? ... But because no

opportunity now offers for this happiness of being present myself

to your eyes and ears, I am sending this letter instead; whereby I

equally felicitate and exhort you to stand strong and firm in your

confession of the heavenly glory: and, having entered upon the way

that the Lord has honored, to go forward in spiritual strength to

receive the crown." This is the "Letter of St. Cyprian to Sergius and

Rogatianus, and other confessors in the Lord"--no. vi in Tauchnitz

ed. (Lipsiæ, 1838).--_T.C. Middleton, O.S.A._

[28] "Let them be of a considered and chaste eloquence, that they

may be a cause for edification."

[29] _Bancon_: "A boat with three oars to the side, which is used in

China."--_Dic. Nacional ... de la lengua Española_ (Madrid, 1878).

[30] The language of this sentence is somewhat obscure and elliptical,

but would seem to indicate that the Portuguese fear the diminution of

their trade in China with its natives, and the loss of their prestige

in the carrying trade outside that country.

[31] Gaspar de San Agustín, the author of the first part of the

Augustinian history of the Philippines (Madrid, 1698), was one of the

most prominent Augustinians who have ever been in the islands. He

was born in Madrid in 1650, and professed in the convent of San

Felipe el Real in 1667. On going to the islands he ministered at

Lipa (1689-1692), Parañaque (1693, 1708, and 1719), Pásig (1695 and

1716), Malate (1698 and 1714), Tambobong (1702 and 1707), Tondo (1699,

1701, and 1710); and exercised the duties of procurator-general (1677

and 1686), provincial secretary (1686), definitor (1689 and 1711),

visitor (1701), and commissary of the Holy Office. He died after a

long and painful sickness, which deprived him of his sight, at the

convent of San Pablo at Manila, in 1724. He was a graceful poet, and,

besides his history and the materials for the present work, he left

various writings, among them his famous _Compendio de la arte de la

lengua tagala_ (Manila, 1703). His letter on the nature of the Indians

will be published later in this series. His history is said to be the

most interesting of those on the Philippines. See Pérez's _Catálogo_,

pp. 134-136.

[32] Casimiro Diaz was a native of Toledo, being born in 1693. He

took his vows in the convent of San Felipe el Real in 1710, and after

his arrival at the Philippines completed his literary studies. He

was stationed in the missions at Magalang (1717), Mexico (1728),

Aráyat (1734), Betis (1735), Minalin (1737), and Candaba (1740). He

was procurator-general (1719), provincial secretary (1722), definitor

(1725), presiding officer of the chapter (1731), qualifier of the Holy

Office, chronicler of the Augustinian province in the islands, reader

(1744), and conventual preacher. His death occurred in Manila in 1746,

and he left behind many writings. See Pérez's _Catálogo_, pp. 222-224.

[33] The editor of Diaz's work is Fray Tirso López, who is still living

at the Colegio de Filipinos in Valladolid. He was born at Cornombre,

May 25, 1838, and took the Augustinian habit at Valladolid in 1855. He

spent the years 1864-1866 in the Philippines, while most of the rest

of his life has been passed at the above college, where he has filled

various duties. He has several times refused an appointment as bishop,

and is well known in certain circles as a writer, being a correspondent

of the Royal Academy of History at Madrid. The editors of the present

series are under many obligations to him for his kindly interest and

aid. See Pérez's _Catálogo_, pp. 525-527.

[34] Juan Ramírez was a native of La Mancha; and, after going to the

Philippines, was one of those who contributed most efficiently to the

pacification of the Zambales in 1618, and in 1639 fought in the front

rank against the Chinese insurgents in Manila. He was missionary

in Lipa in 1621, in Taal in 1623, in Bay in 1626, in Taal for the

second time in 1630; and definitor in 1632, and provincial in 1635,

dying in 1641. See Pérez's _Catálogo_, p. 91.

[35] Teófilo Mascarós was born in Valencia, and professed in the

province of Aragon, and became doctor and master of sacred theology in

the university of Orihuela, and prior of the convent of Mallorca. Upon

his arrival in the islands, he became missionary in Malate in 1626

and 1629, in Pásig in 1632, in Hagonoy in 1638 and 1641; and was also

prior of Bay and Manila, and definitor in 1635. He died while prior

and missionary of the village of Bay (June 26, 1644). See Pérez's

_Catálogo_, p. 101.

[36] Andrés Verdugo was a native of La Mancha, and professed in the

province of Castilla where he became reader of philosophy. Having been

destined for the Tagál provinces, after having read theology and the

canons in the convent of San Pablo at Manila, he became a missionary

in the villages of Tambobong (1629), of San Pablo de los Montes (1630,

1638 and 1650), of Bulacan and Pásig (1641), of Taguig (1644), and of

Bay (1656). Being elected prior in 1647, he resigned that office, and

continued his ministry until 1653, when he was elected provincial. He

died in Bay in 1656. See Pérez's _Catálogo_, pp. 99, 100.

[37] Fray Diego Martinez was born in La Mancha, and professed in the

province of Castilla in 1613. He was minister of Barbarán in 1626,

of Passi in 1629 and 1632, of Mambúsao in 1635 and 1639, of Oton

in 1641, of Dumalag in 1644, of Batan in 1648, of Dumangas in 1650,

and of Panay in 1651 and 1653. His death occurred probably about the

year 1656. See Pérez's _Catálogo_, p. 99.

[38] Diego Collado, O.P., was a native of Miajadas, in Estremadura,

and took his vows in the convent of Salamanca July 29, 1605. He

labored for some years in Cagayán, and in 1619 was sent to Japan,

where he became vicar-provincial. Recalled thence in 1622, he was sent

to Spain as procurator, where he worked zealously for the order. In

1635 he returned to the islands with twenty-four religious, when he

caused great disturbances in the province. Being at last abandoned by

Corcuera, his schemes came to naught; and he was sent to Cagayán, where

he remained until 1641, when he set out for Manila in order to return

to Spain at the king's command, but was drowned at Cabicungan. He

continued the history of Japan written by Orfanell, and printed it

in 1632 at Madrid; and he also compiled and published a Japanese

dictionary in 1631 at Rome. See _Reseña biográfica_, i, pp. 338, 339.

[39] Diego de Ordax was born in León in 1598, and professed in the

convent of Burgos in 1618. In 1626 he was missionary in Laglag, became

subprior of Manila in 1629, prior of Santo Niño de Cebú in 1630, and

commissary-procurator in the court of Spain in 1632. He returned to

the islands in 1635, and in 1637 was appointed prior of Cebú for the

second time and afterward definitor and missionary of Oton (1638),

prior of Manila (1644 and 1656), and provincial (1647 and 1659). See

Pérez's _Catálogo_, p. 103.

[40] This interdict was imposed by only the local ecclesiastical

authorities; but the period in which it occurred renders desirable

and interesting a mention of the controversy (then fresh in men's

minds) between Paul V and the Republic of Venice, in which the papal

interdict on a state or commonwealth was deprived (1606) of its power

as a weapon of the papal authority. A full account of this episode,

in which the chief figure was the celebrated Fra Paolo Sarpi, is given

by Andrew D. White in his "Fra Paolo Sarpi," in _Atlantic Monthly_,

xciii (1904), pp. 45-54, 225-233. Cf. Ranke's _Lives of the Popes_

(Foster's translation, London), ii, pp. 110-130, and iii, 123, 124; and

Alzog's _Universal Church History_ (Pabisch and Byrne's translation,

Cincinnati, 1878), iii, pp. 365, 366.

[41] The University of Mexico was founded in 1551 (some make it

earlier), its endowment being begun with property left for that purpose

by Mendoza, the first viceroy, and afterward increased by royal grants

and private bequests. In the troublous times of the nineteenth century,

the national university languished, and finally perished.

[42] This quotation includes a portion of the second verse and all

of the third, fourth, and fifth verses of the sixth chapter of the

apocryphal book of Wisdom, and is as follows in English: "... Learn,

ye that are judges of the ends of the earth.

Give ear, you that rule the people, and that please yourselves in

multitudes of nations;

For power is given you by the Lord, and strength by the most High,

who will examine your works, and search out your thoughts;

Because being ministers of his kingdom, you have not judged rightly,

nor kept the law of justice, nor walked according to the will of God."

[43] Cf. La Concepción's account of these controversies (_Hist. de

Philipinas_, v, pp. 254-290). He says that Corcuera arrived in the

islands at the height of the discussion in Manila over the maintenance

of a fortified post at Zamboanga in Mindanao; that he was on intimate

terms with the Jesuits, who were anxious for the benefit of their

missions to have Zamboanga occupied; and that their influence led

Corcuera to support that measure. La Concepción blames the Jesuits

throughout the controversy with the archbishop; and his account is more

detailed than Diaz's. See also accounts by Murillo Velarde (_Hist. de

Philipinas_, fol. 86-89), and Montero y Vidal (_Hist. Filipinas_,

pp. 192-197).

[44] The exile of Archbishop Felipe Pardo occurred March 13, 1683,

and his restoration to his see, November 15, 1684. The matter aroused

considerable controversy which extended over a number of years. The

controversy was most bitter, and the manuscripts concerning it pro and

con aggregate some tons, and are scattered in various archives. The

episode will be noticed in its place in this series.

[45] Murillo Velarde says (fol. 89, verso) that this occurred in

1637. Colin does not mention the controversy between the archbishop

and governor; and most of the friar chroniclers omit it.

[46] The following chapter consists of a short extract from book 1,

chap. i, p. 4, of Baltasar de Santa Cruz's _Historia_, which is

followed by a heavy and would-be learned discussion filled with

classical allusions, by an auditor, Licentiate Salvador Gomez de

Espinosa, of which Tirso López, the Spanish editor, says that it

might have been omitted without any loss to Diaz's _History_.

[47] This decrease and almost total disappearance of the sardines

from the bay of Manila from those times, is easily explained without

the necessity of considering it a miracle, by the great movement of

coastwise trading vessels, which have come into those waters, from

which as is known, several species of fish flee.--_Fray Tirso López._

[48] _Guerrero_ means "warrior."

[49] He died on July 1, 1641, aged seventy-five years. La Concepción

cites (_Hist. de Philipinas,_ v, pp. 301-303) the book of memoirs

preserved in the Manila cathedral (mentioned by Diaz, _ante_. near

the end of chap, xvii), for various particulars regarding Archbishop

Guerrero's life and character.

[50] Lorenzo Goreto was born at Ferrara, November 1, 1592, and entered

his novitiate at Rome, December 8, 1608. He went to the Philippines

(1622), and labored in the Visayan missions, where he died June 17,

1638. Murillo Velarde says that he was master of theology in Manila,

and that he was a very learned man. See his _Hist. Philipinas,_

fol. 102 verso-103; and Sommervogel's _Bibliothèque_.

Luis de Pedraza was a native of Baeza, Spain, and entered the Jesuit

order in the province of Andalusia. He was a prominent laborer in

the Visayan missions, and held important posts in the college of

Manila. Later, he went to Mindanao, and died at Zamboanga, October 22,

1639. (Murillo Velarde, _Hist. Philipinas,_ fol. 107.)

[51] _Maestro de prima: prima_ was the name applied to the first three

hours of the day, the term being extended to universities and studies,

indicating the lessons that came during that period, or the professor

who gave his lectures during that period.

[52] _i.e._, "as a precautionary measure."

[53] Lucas García, who belonged to the mission of 1615, performed

missionary duties in Cagayan, and was also vicar of Fotol, of Maquilá,

and jointly rector of Santo Tomas, and procurator-general. He was

later vicar of Gattoron, of Fotol, of Tocolana, and of Lallo-c,

and also served in the province of Cagayan for a number of years. He

was also definitor several times, and vicar-provincial in Cagayan. In

1633 and 1635 he was vicar-provincial in Formosa, being also vicar of

Nuestra Señora del Rosario, at Tanchui. After thirty-six years' labor

in the Indias, he died at Lallo-c about 1651. See _Reseña biográfica,_

i, p. 349.

[54] The ringing of bells at a certain hour (usually sunset), which

admonishes the faithful to pray for the souls in purgatory. The

_alabado_ meant a hymn sung in praise of the sacrament when it was

placed within the tabernacle.

[55] The only Burguillos mentioned by Huerta is Pedro, a lay

brother connected with the Japanese missions, who died at Manila in

1615--apparently therefore, not the one mentioned in our text.

[56] The Cistercian Order was founded by St. Robert, the son of

a gentleman of Champagne, who had taken the Benedictine habit, at

Cistercium (the modern Citeaux) in 1098, and professed the rule of

St. Benedict. The rule was very austere, but despite various reforms,

it gradually became relaxed and approached the observance of other

orders. The Trappists are an offshoot of this order. See Addis and

Arnold's _Catholic Dictionary_, pp. 186-188.

[57] An ambassador (generally a cardinal or bishop) sent by the pope

to a foreign prince, with full powers.

[58] The following royal decree on this subject was issued in 1637:

"Inasmuch as I have been informed that many soldiers and sailors who

are in my service in the Filipinas Islands are becoming, and have

become, religious, while indebted in large sums of maravedis to my

royal treasury for pay which has been advanced to them; and that, after

having been for some years in the orders, they leave them and wander

about as vagabonds with the utmost freedom, and refuse to reënter

my service: desiring to apply a corrective to such delinquencies,

and the matter having been conferred over in my royal Council of

the Yndias, I have considered it fitting to issue the present. By it

I request my very reverend archbishop in Christ, the father of the

metropolitan church of the city of Manila, and charge the venerable

and devout fathers-provincial and other superiors of all the orders in

the territory of his archbishopric, to note that they are to inform

my governor of the said islands whenever such cases shall occur to

the prejudice of my treasury, and that the culprits be punished as is

fitting. No one may take the vows of religion without first satisfying

the amount that he shall thus owe. In order that the contents of

this my decree may be well known to all, I order my governor and

captain-general of the said Filipinas Islands to publish it in all

the necessary places, and to send a copy of it to the provincials of

the orders throughout the said islands, in order that they may give

to its fulfilment the earnest attention to which they are obliged;

for such is my will. Madrid, December 23, 1637."

The copy of this decree existing in the Archivo general de Indias at

Sevilla--with pressmark, "Audiencia de Filipinas; registros de oficio;

reales ordenes dirigidas á las autoridades del distrito de dicha

Audiencia; años 1635 á 1672; est. 105, caj. 2, leg. 2, lib. 4"--bears

the following endorsement in the margin: "In order that no soldier

or sailor in the Filipinas Islands who may be indebted to the royal

treasury may take the vows of religion without first satisfying the

amount of his debt."

[59] _Dominicans_.--Domingo Gonzalez came to the islands in 1602;

for several years he was an instructor in theology in the cathedral

of Manila, and afterward spent five years as a missionary in

Cagayan. Returning then to Manila, he was rector of the college

of Santo Tomás, provincial of his order (chosen in 1633, and

again in _1644_), and commissary-general of the Inquisition for

sixteen years. He died November 5, 1647, at Manila, at the age of

seventy-three.

Francisco de Herrera came with the mission of 1598. He filled numerous

important offices in the order--among them, those of provincial

(1629-33), rector of Santo Tomás, and commissary-general of the

Inquisition. He died at Manila, August 9, 1644.

Antonio Gonzalez accompanied the mission of 1632, and at first was

an instructor in Santo Tomás; but early in 1636 he went to Japan,

where he suffered martyrdom, September 24, 1637.

Sebastian Oquendo also began his labors in the Philippines as

instructor at the college in Manila; he afterward held various offices

in the convent there, but died at Méjico in 1651. (All these notices

are obtained from _Reseña biográfica,_ vol. i.)

_Augustinians_.--Juan de Montemayor came to Manila in 1613. He held

important posts in the order, and was minister in several Indian

villages; and died at Manila in 1638.

Alonso Carbajal arrived at the islands in 1618. Among the posts of

honor which he held was that of provincial (1644), and more than once

he declined a bishopric offered to him. He also spent several years in

missionary labors, among the Pampangans and Visayans, and died therein

(1654).

Diego de Ochoa had just come (1635) to the Filipinas mission; he

ministered in several villages in Luzón, and died in 1648. (These

notices are obtained from Pérez's _Catálogo_.)

_Franciscans_.--Gerónimo del Espiritu Santo came to Manila in 1633,

and in the following year became vicar-provincial. He accompanied the

sisters of St. Clare to Macao (1634), who founded there a convent

of their order. From January, 1635, to June, 1637, Fray Gerónimo

was minister-provincial; he then retired to Sampaloc, and in 1638

departed for Mexico. The ship was wrecked on the Marianas, and this

priest, refusing to save his life while he could console the dying,

perished with the rest, September 21, 1638.

Jose de Santa Maria began his labors in the Philippines as early as

1621, and seems to have been a missionary among the Indians from 1626

to 1637. He was minister provincial during the first half of 1638;

and died at Manila in 1645.

Vicente Argent arrived at Manila in 1630. In alternating periods of

his life he was a missionary among the Indians, and an official of his

order at Manila; from January, 1643, to January, 1646, he was minister

provincial. In 1656 he sailed for Mexico, but died at sea, before

reaching Acapulco. (These notices are obtained from Huerta's _Estado_.)

[60] Another copy of this episcopal decree (found in one of Corcuera's

letters dated June 30, 1636) gives the name as here, but adds,

"(I mean Santa Monica)"--an error of Corcuera's transcriber.

[61] These last two names, with Fray Gaspar de Santa Maria and Fray

Alonso de San Joan above, are apparently those of Recollect priests;

but there is no available information regarding them.

[62] _i.e.,_ "by the very act, immediately incurring canonical censure,

already imposed."

[63] A reference to the canons of Clement V, which are contained in

the collection called _Clementinas_, published by John XXII.

[64] Reference is here made to a long and vexatious controversy

over the spiritual jurisdiction of Santa Cruz and Quiapo, between

the Jesuits and the diocesan authorities; it was settled in favor

of the Society, but not until 1678. See Murillo Velarde's account of

this dispute, in his _Historia_, fol. 89 verso-91. Cf. Colin's _Labor

evangélica_ (ed. 1663), p. 813; and La Concepción's _Hist. Philipinas,_

pp. 281, 286. Santa Cruz is on the shore of the Pasig River opposite

Manila; above it lies Quiapo, and below it Binondo (an island formed by

two bayous from the Pasig). As previous documents have often mentioned,

Binondo was inhabited chiefly by the Chinese, as also was Santa Cruz.

[65] Diego de Bobadilla was born at Madrid, September 19, 1590;

and at the age of sixteen entered the Jesuit order. He came to the

Philippines in 1615, and spent fifteen years as an instructor in

the Jesuit college at Manila, and five years as its rector. In 1637

he went to Rome as procurator for his order, and returned in 1643

with a band of forty-two missionaries. Again he became rector of the

college, and in 1646 was elected provincial. While making an official

visitation of the Mindanao missions, he died at Carigara, February 26,

1648. See Murillo Velarde's sketch of his life, _Hist. Philipinas,_

fol. 159, 160.

[66] Francisco Pinelo, who had been prior of the Dominican convent at

Tabora, Portugal, came to the Philippines in 1632, where for some time

he was vicar of San Telmo at Cavite. Afterward he went to Europe on

business of the order--part of which was to secure the dissolution of

the Congregation of St. Paul, formed by Fray Diego Collado, in 1636,

with the Dominicans who came then with Corcuera (who were called

_Barbones_; see Diaz's account _ante_, p. 161). Pinelo remained in

Spain, dying in the convent at Segovia, January 23, 1643. See _Reseña

biográfica_, i, pp. 391, 420.

[67] There is an evident play on words in this passage. The

original reads: "_Que le auian hecho papa ó papilla y que con el

les auian querido dar papillas_." "_Papilla_" is the diminutive of

"_papa_"--meaning "pope," or "pap"; and the phrase _dar papilla_

is used to mean "deceiving by insidious caresses."

[68] Referring to Juan de Zumárraga, guardian of the Franciscan

convent at Abrojo, Mexico; who was appointed (December 12, 1527)

the first bishop of the new diocese of Mexico, and protector of the

Indians. He filled these offices ably, although his energy and zeal

made him numerous enemies. He was made archbishop when the diocese of

Mexico was raised to an archdiocese (by papal bull of July 8, 1547);

but on account of his great age he declined the honor, and died (June

3, 1548) a few days after those documents arrived, being eighty years

old. A cloud upon his memory is the ruthless and vandalic destruction,

under his direction, of the Aztec images, manuscripts, and other

records, both public and private, for which his agents made close

search, not only in the City of Mexico but in all the larger cities

and towns--a cruel and irreparable loss to scholars and historians. See

Bancroft's _History of Mexico,_ ii, pp. 297-300, 556-559.

[69] Apparently alluding to the penitent thief who was crucified

with Christ.

[70] _Secuestrarle_, in MS.; but compare the same letter in Diaz's

narration, _ante_, where the word is _secuestrarme_ ("sequester my"

property).

[71] A line is omitted here by transcriber; see Diaz's copy, as above.

[72] Francisco de Paula, a native of Segovia, arrived at Manila

in 1618, where he ministered to the Chinese, and afterward gave

instruction in the college of Santo Tomás for sixteen years. He filled

numerous important posts--among them that of provincial (twice), and

commissary-general of the Inquisition; and not long before his death

he had been appointed bishop of Nueva Cáçeres. He died at Manila,

April 5, 1664, at the age of sixty-seven.

[73] The only friar of this name who is mentioned in _Reseña

biográfica_ came to the islands with the mission of 1635; "he returned

at once to España, summoned by his Majesty to take charge of the

chair of mathematics at the court, with a stipend of one thousand

ducados a year."

[74] Antonio Gomez de Espejo was born in Manila, in 1604; and made

his profession in the Dominican order, at the age of twenty-one. He

ministered in various Indian villages in Luzón; and in 1678 died,

at Lallo-c.

[75] Pedro Fernandez de Ledo, a native of Mexico, made his profession

as a Dominican friar in 1625, at the age of seventeen. He was one

of the faculty at Santo Tomás until 1651, when he was chosen prior,

and afterward provincial. Ledo died at Manila, October 15, 1662;

soon afterward, his appointment to a bishopric was received there.

[76] Applied to a crime that may be tried either in ecclesiastical

or secular courts.

[77] Dispensation for receiving orders outside the time specified by

the church.

[78] Perhaps some allusion to a well-known proverb or saying.

[79] There is no direct clue to the authorship of this document;

but it was evidently written by a lawyer, and one who sided with

the Jesuits and the governor. It is possible that this was Fabian de

Santillan, appointed by that order as judge-conservator; it would be

very natural for him, from prudential motives, to mention himself in

the third person in the letter, knowing that it would almost certainly

be read by others than his correspondent.

[80] There is here a play on words, the text reading, _que no andan

Por El camino Rl_ y derecho. _Derecho_ has a now obsolete meaning,

"road," or "path."

[81] That is, to inspect their morals and mode of life.

[82] Fray Francisco Zamudio, an Augustinian by profession, was a native

of Mechoacán, Mexico. Little information about him is available; but

Pérez says that Zamudio was in Manila in 1594, and died in 1636--an

event which, according to Delgado (_Hist. de Filipinas_, p. 178),

occurred in 1639. Diaz's mention of it, however (pp. 197-198, _ante_),

would imply that the earlier date was the correct one. Pérez does

not mention the fact that Zamudio became a bishop.

[83] Spanish, _tablilla_: a list of persons excommunicated, exhibited

in churches.

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 25 of 55 1635-36 Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century · 第 5 / 5 章

The judge-conservator weighed down the archbishop with censures,