Gregory XIV, Pope: In perpetual remembrance of the affair.
Since, as we have recently learned, in the first attempts to
christianize the Indians of the Philippine Islands, so many dangers
of life had to be undergone, on account of the savageness of these
Indians, that many were constrained to take up arms against those
Indians, and even to ravage their property; while subsequently, after
the conversion of these Indians--who, abandoning their worship of
false gods, now acknowledge the true God and profess the Catholic
faith--those who formerly had ravaged their property now wish to
make good what they destroyed, but are without the means of so doing:
with the desire to provide for the peacefulness of conscience of the
said persons, and thus to guard against all dangers and discomforts
therein, by these presents, with our authority, we charge and command
our venerable brother the bishop of Manila to have the above-named
persons and the parties to whom restitution is to be made come to an
agreement thereon among themselves, with satisfaction to be made to
the owners wherever these are known. But where they are not known, then
the same compensation is to be made through the bishop in benefit and
aid of Indians in distress, should they who are bound to restitution
be able conveniently so to do; otherwise, if poor themselves, let
them make satisfaction whenever they reach a comfortable state of life.
Moreover, in order that the resolutions determined upon by the said
bishop, with religious and learned men assembled together, in benefit
of the Christians newly converted to the faith, be not infringed
by them through mere whim or anyone's individual deed or fancy, we
wish and by our apostolic authority decree that whatever orders and
commands be passed by the majority of the assembly in the interest of
the Christian faith or the health of souls, for the good government
of Indian converts, shall be steadily and invariably observed until
further orders or commands by the same assembly.... In fine, we
have learned that our very dear son in Christ, Philip, the Catholic
king of the Spains, has ordered that in view of the many deceits
usually practiced therein, no Spaniard in the aforesaid Philippine
Islands shall, even by the right of war, whether just or unjust,
or of purchase, or any other pretext whatsoever, take or hold or keep
slaves or serfs; and yet that in contravention of this edict or command
of King Philip, some still keep slaves in their service. In order,
then, as conformable to reason and equity, that the Indians may go
to and from their Christian doctrinas and their own homes and lands
freely and safely, without any fear of slavery, in virtue of holy
obedience and under pain of excommunication, we order and command
all and singular the persons dwelling in those islands--of no matter
what state, degree, condition, rank, and dignity--on the publication
of these presents to set wholly free, without any craft and deceit,
whatever Indian slaves and serfs they may have; nor for the future
shall they in any manner, contrary to the edict or command of the
said King Philip, take or keep captives or slaves.
For the rest, as it would be difficult [to send] these present letters
to all and singular the aforesaid islands, etc.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's, under the seal of the Fisherman,
April 18, 1591, the first year of our pontificate.