_Letter from the nuns_
Sire:
His Catholic Majesty the king our sovereign, your Majesty's father
(who is in the enjoyment of Paradise), gave us permission to come here
to found a convent of the first rule of our mother St. Clare in these
islands. Upon our arrival at this city we founded a convent, and have
continued to receive in it the daughters of citizens, conquistadors,
and old settlers, many of them very poor. By that method, God our Lord
has aided them with so perfect an estate as is that of the religious
life. We, as founders, rear these girls and teach them to observe
and follow our rule, so that, if we nuns who come from Espana pass
away, they may teach the same to, and cause it to be observed by,
those who shall take the habit hereafter. God has been pleased to
cause all those who have taken the habit to flourish in virtue--so
greatly that they furnish an example to the old nuns--who are now
all daughters of our mother St. Geronima, whom they follow closely,
imitating her in devotion and penances. We inform your Majesty of this,
as we have heard that you will rejoice greatly, as one who knows and
has information of the great results that God has obtained from our
coming, and which He is continuing to obtain through the new foundation
[we refer to those of our number] who went to train nuns, who left this
convent for that purpose to go to the city of Macan--which belongs to
the crown of Portugal, at the entrance and mainland of China--where
there are at present many nuns of especial devotion who have taken
our habit, which had had no convent there any more than at this place.
As soon as we arrived, our holy mother undertook the building of a
convent, where we might live with modesty and humility, and with the
aid of alms which were given to us by some citizens; and orphan nuns
sent what they possessed. We have been building a house and church
near the wall which overlooks the river of this city--in the part
that appeared the most remote from trade and very secluded, and with
no other view than that of the heavens. In front of it is the street
in the middle of which is the royal hospital of the Spaniards, which
has been administered since its foundation by the religious of our
seraphic father St. Francis. There the religious who is vicar of this
convent, who administers to us the holy sacraments, had a cell. From
the alms given us we provide for his support. Lately, Governor Don
Sevastian Hurtado de Corcuera, without cause or reason for it, drove
the religious from the said hospital by force and violence and the
arms of soldiers, to the contempt of our sacred order, saying that he
prefers to have it administered by a secular priest, whom he brought
with him as his chaplain. This prohibition, as it is not befitting
the service of God and your Majesty, has cost great suffering to the
archbishop of these islands, grief to all this Christian community, and
wonder to the heathen Chinese--who even among themselves respect those
whom they call "bonzes," who are the same as archbishops among us.
The governor, joining to the matter of the hospital other
reasons--unworthy that he should assign them because he did not act
upon them--had enough power, with only one auditor who is in this
royal Audiencia, to take away from the archbishop his temporalities,
banish him from the kingdoms, and condemn him to a fine of two
thousand ducados. The governor took charge of the execution of the
banishment, one night, with a large body of infantry with matches
lighted. The orders and their superiors came out to attend their
prelate, who was clad in his pontifical robes. While he had the most
holy sacrament in his hands, it happened that the chief constable of
the court, one Bartolome Thenorio, tried to take it away from him,
and used so much force that he wounded the finger of a discalced
religious of St. Augustine (who was aiding the archbishop to hold the
monstrance) against the foot of the monstrance, drawing blood from his
hand. The archbishop fell to the ground, as did the lunette of the
monstrance. When the governor (who was in the street in disguise)
learned of it, he sent infantry to drive out forcibly all the
religious, with orders to leave the archbishop all alone. They were
not to allow him to take food or drink. Thus did they, dragging away
the religious, upon whom the vilest men in the world laid hands, since
now they could. Finally the archbishop, having been arrested, sent
the most holy sacrament to the church next day; and, having decreed
a suspension of religious functions, allowed himself to embark and
was taken by twenty-five soldiers and an adjutant to an island called
Mariveles, seven leguas from the city. The soldiers were ordered not
to allow him to place on the vessel either bed, food, or drink. No
one was to talk to him there, or give him anything to eat. This
was moderated afterward. He was detained there twenty-seven days,
and he returned after that with a party of soldiers who asked for
him--as your Majesty will learn more minutely from the relations that
will be sent of everything, and from that one which the governor will
send. According to what we believe, his relation will not be the most
authentic, but that which, he thinks, can accomplish for him most,
for the discharge of so heavy a responsibility as God will have
placed upon him, for the time when he shall go to give account to
Him. Will your Majesty look carefully into this cause, as a father,
patron, and defender of the Church, so that in the future others may
not take this as a precedent, and a greater evil befall us--if it be
that an evil greater than this has [ever] occurred. It may [again]
occur, under the sole pretext that it is service to your Majesty, and
that alone must be accomplished--which is the governor's sole excuse,
and the pretext that they give for the evil deed. The Church remains
very much dejected, the orders and inhabitants very disconsolate,
and the Indians wretched; and every estate of the people of these
islands is afflicted over the new administration of the governor--all
through anxiety of acquiring for your Majesty; so that in a short
time it will all be drained, and there will be no more to drain,
and this Christian Church will be ruined. The governor seems to be
striving for its ruin rather than its advancement. It is a matter
that demands a speedy remedy, as your Majesty will learn by letters
and relations from well-intentioned persons, which will be sent
secretly. For neither the Audiencia, nor the city, nor anyone else
dare send openly, because of their fear of the governor's harshness;
and, from the Council, certain agents usually send the governors
the original letters written from this place, in which account of
government matters is given. Of this we inform your Majesty, although
in brief and succinctly, because of our desire that God may send us
protection and consolation through the wise decisions of your Majesty.
Because of the governor having removed the religious from the hospital,
it became necessary for our vicar to retire to the convent of our
father [St. Francis]; which is quite distant from here. On account
of the difficulties caused by the excessive heat, and the severity
of the rains during the rainy season, he cannot come at all hours
to confess us and to administer the holy sacraments as we need,
especially at night. What is worse is, that the governor is building
a ward at the hospital, on the side that faces our convent--which
he says is for convalescents. It is so high that because of its so
close proximity to the convent, we think that one will be able to
see the beds of the nuns in our infirmary and dormitory. That is a
thing that ought to be carefully considered. But the governor has only
thought about proceeding with his own purpose, leaving us surrounded
on streets without any exits; for one that was near the wall--by which
the parents and relatives of the nuns came, and which served for the
use of the convent--has been taken by the governor for the building,
thereby doing us much damage. For many structures are now being built
about us, and that by the most prominent people in the city.
In another part, the passage-way inside the wall--which was a street
for passengers, and of service to the convent--has been closed by
the governor by placing against it, and across our very threshold,
another building, which he is having erected as lodgings for the
cavalry and as stables, so that the company that he has organized
may keep their horses.
Accordingly, we humbly beseech your Majesty to be pleased to have the
hospital returned to the religious of our order, as it has always been
[in their charge], and that a cell be given therein to our vicar. By
so doing, God our Lord will be greatly served, and the poor aided
spiritually and corporally. After those religious left, the nuns
were very disconsolate for lack of ministers to attend to them. The
secular priest appointed for them thinks that he has fulfilled his duty
by saying mass. We trust that your Majesty, through your Christian
zeal, will furnish relief to so pious causes as these we mention,
at the first opportunity. Will your Majesty order that the street be
left free, from the place where we have our porter's lodge to the
wall--without [permitting] any hospital building or windows--as an
enclosure for the convent and for its guard; so that if there should
be no place for the father-vicar to live, a low dwelling may be made
for him, and for the men who serve in the convent--making a gate at
the wall for [receiving] the food for the convent.
The poverty of our order and rule is well known to your Majesty. The
lack of comfort in which we live is very great, as we are without
sufficient funds to finish the house and church, and the citizens
are so needy that they cannot help us with the alms that we
need--[although] they do not a little in aiding us with what is
necessary for our ordinary support. Some devout people have given us
as alms some pay warrants and other debts owed to them by the royal
treasury. These amount to about twelve thousand pesos, and we could
finish the work with that sum. We entreat your Majesty to be pleased
to have your royal decree promulgated, ordering the governor to pay us
up to the said sum of twelve thousand pesos in the certified warrants
which we have. That will constitute a very great blessing and be an
alms which your Majesty will bestow upon this convent.
We also petition your Majesty to be pleased to show us favor by
having us given alms of sackcloth, oil, an apothecary-shop in the
royal hospital, wine for the masses, and wheat or flour for bread for
the support of the nuns--as is done with the orders of the discalced
religious; for we have no other protection or security besides that
of your Majesty, which is everlasting. [_In the margin_: "Observe
this matter, and give a copy of this section to Licentiate Leon, so
that he may make a report of it, when the matter is considered." "It
was given."]
We thank your Majesty for the favors that you have shown this convent
and the nuns in it, in having so thoroughly taken in your charge
the beatification and canonization of our holy mother Geronima
de la Assumpcion, whereby we, her daughters, hope to behold such
a day as that of her canonization. We keep her body, with all the
veneration and line of succession that is possible to us; and every
day God works new miracles by her. The nuns, in and out of the choir,
in all their prayers, discipline, and fasting, make special mention
of your Majesty, and of the queen our mistress. We beseech God our
Lord to preserve your Majesty in health, peace, and quiet, with your
kingdoms, for the protection of Christendom and of the Church, and for
happy victories against the heretics and enemies of the Church. This
convent will supplicate this from God constantly, as it has ever done,
according to our obligation.
May God preserve the Catholic person of your Majesty, as we, these
humble nuns, desire, with increase of greater kingdoms. May He
prosper the succession to them, so that, by means of it, all heathen
kingdoms may come to the true knowledge of the holy faith. Manila,
June 30, 1636.
Ana de Christo, abbess.
Sister Magdalena de Christo, vicar.
Sister Maria de los Angeles
[_In the margin_: "Have the governor notified concerning the complaint
of these nuns, and the injury that they say has been done them in his
having shut their street; and in the view that their apartments have
which opens toward the cells, stables, and lodgings, which are near
their house; and of the other things that they mention--so that no
injury or discomfort may be caused to them in any manner. Also say
that, if the warrants which they say that they possess are certified
they shall be paid in the value that shall belong to them and at the
proper time. And since it is the usage to write to this convent,
let it be done, advising them of what is ordered, and saying that
care will always be taken of everything that pertains to them; and
that we esteem their commendation of their Majesties to God, which
they shall continue."]
[_Endorsed_: "Seen, and decreed within. June 16, 638."]