Don Juan Niño de Tavora, knight of the Order of Calatraba,
comendador of Puerto Llano, whom I have appointed as my governor and
captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, or the person or persons
in whose charge is or shall be the government of the said islands:
Father Francisco Crespo, [5] procurator-general of the Society of
Jesus, of the Yndias, in the name of the college of his order in
the city of Manila, of the said islands, has reported to me that
the church and house of the residence, inasmuch as it was built
by the fathers who first went there, is very old, and that it is
falling down, on account of the earthquakes that have happened, so
that only the house has remained standing, which is in danger of
falling also; and that grammar, the arts, and theology have been
studied there for more than the last thirty years, from which has
followed the benefit that is well known. In respect to its needs,
and the expenses that have been incurred in treating the sick, since
its alms are very few, and its income very slight, they do not have
the wherewithal with which to support the religious who live there,
inasmuch as they do not ask any alms for their sacrifices [_i.e._,
masses], or for building their church or house. Although the church is
commenced, the building cannot be continued. In consideration of that,
he petitions me to concede them there the sixteen thousand ducados,
of which concession was made in the sum of one thousand ducados every
year for sixteen years to the convent of St. Augustine, of the said
city, in tributes of vacant Indians of the said islands, so that with
this grant they might continue the erection of the said church, and
build a comfortable house in which the religious may live, and apply
themselves to the said branches, and where missionaries may be trained
with whom to attend to the conversion of the Indians and the preaching
of the holy gospel. After having examined what your predecessor and
the archbishop of the said city reported to me in my royal Council
of the Indias, and after they consulted with me, I have considered
it advisable to concede to the college of the Society of Jesus in
the said city of Manila, for the present, for each of ten years,
one thousand ducados, which amount to three hundred and seventy-five
thousand maravedis, in Indians of whom the encomienda shall be vacant,
or shall first become vacant, in the said Philipinas Islands, just
in the same way as the concession was made to the said convent of the
Order of St. Augustine of the said city for its buildings. Accordingly,
I command you to assign to the said college of the Society of Jesus in
the said city of Manila, the said one thousand ducados in tributes of
the Indians whose encomienda shall be vacant, or shall first become
vacant, in the said islands, so that this sum may be paid to them in
each one of ten years, as above said. You shall give the necessary
despatch to this, so that those fathers may be assisted with it for
the said purpose. I order the officials of my treasury of the said
Filipinas Islands to obey what you shall order by virtue of this my
decree; and they shall not place any obstacle to it, notwithstanding
anything provided to the contrary. Given in Madrid, June first,
one thousand six hundred and twenty-five.
_I The King_
Countersigned by Don Francisco Ruis de Contreras, and signed by the
members of the Council.