Sire:
In the ships that came from Nueva España to these islands this last
month of June, I received a decree of your Majesty dated Madrid,
December six of the former year six hundred and twenty-four, with
a copy of the one that your Majesty wrote to the governor of these
islands, in respect to the gold mines of the Ygolotes. I shall discuss
it with the said governor, as your Majesty orders, as soon as this
despatch shall be made, which will be at the end of this month. I
shall exert all the effort possible, so far as I am concerned, so
that your Majesty may be well served in everything. I believe that
Governor Don Juan Niño de Tavora will not be lacking in the same,
for he shows very earnest desires to employ himself in your Majesty's
service. [_In the margin_: "That it is well."]
I received two other decrees, of the fourteenth and thirtieth of
August, of the same year, in which your Majesty is pleased to lay down
the form that must be observed in the visitation of the missionary
religious; and ordering that the latter may not make arrests or employ
stocks or prisons, or fiscals or constables who make arrests, besides
those whom the archbishop or bishop shall assign, or who shall have
the latter's authority to do so in cases permitted by law--all of which
will be observed and obeyed as your Majesty orders, [_In the margin_:
"Seen."]
In another decree, of June twenty of the past year twenty-five,
your Majesty also orders me to inform you, with the distinctness and
clearness necessary for the better understanding of what you desire,
of the annual incomes and values of the benefices and revenues of this
archbishopric of Manila, and what sum pertains to the dignidades,
canonries, and prebends, both of this church and of the others of
my diocese. [Your Majesty also asks for] the number in each church;
how many beneficed curacies there are in each district, and their
income; the number of missions, their value, and whether they are in
charge of seculars or religious of the orders. I gave your Majesty
a long account of that in a letter that I wrote the former year of
six hundred and twenty-one on the twenty-fifth of July, to which I
have had answer from that royal Council that it was received in the
following year of six hundred and twenty-two. I only neglected to place
in that letter the incomes of the archbishopric and the prebends of
this church--taking that for granted, as a matter very well known,
since your Majesty sustains both the archbishop and the dignidades,
canonries, and prebends from your royal treasury, because there is
no other source, and the tithes are not sufficient. The latter are
placed in the said treasury, and are collected at the account of
your Majesty. They amount to a very small sum, since, from what I
have experienced, only the stock farms of the larger cattle of the
Spaniards pay tithes to your Majesty, and that has not, as yet,
been practiced with the Indians. Consequently your Majesty pays
the archbishop a salary of three thousand ducados of eleven reals
each; the dean, six hundred pesos of eight-real pieces; the four
dignities of archdean, precentor, schoolmaster, and treasurer, five
hundred pesos; four canons, four hundred pesos; two racions, three
hundred pesos; two media-racions, each two hundred pesos--all paid in
thirds. Consequently both the archbishop and his prebendaries suffer
abundant misery; and, because of that, your Majesty is petitioned to
favor us by increasing these salaries, since they hardly suffice to pay
their house-rent, and support them very moderately. [_In the margin_:
"Set down everything in the books that have been ordered to be made."]
This cathedral church has no other revenue than the alms received
from burials; and if it were not for the four hundred pesos that your
Majesty has granted it for a limited time, it would have nothing for
the wine, wax, and flour for divine worship. With this and with some
allotment of cargo (although little) that the city generally gives it,
the band of musicians, who come to serve on their feast days in the
same church, is maintained.
What seculars administer in this archbishopric is divided into nine
benefices, besides the three curacies of Spaniards in Manila, Santiago
(which is in Manila's suburbs), and the port of Cavite. Twenty thousand
souls are ministered to in the said benefices. [_In the margin_:
"_Idem_."] [17]
The Order of St. Augustine has thirty-two convents, in all of which
are fifty-six priests, who have in charge ninety thousand souls.
The Order of St. Francis has thirty-eight convents, with guardianias
and presidencies, in which are forty-seven priests. In all of them
forty-eight thousand four hundred souls are ministered to.
The Order of St. Dominic has three convents in this archbishopric. It
ministers to three thousand souls, and has five religious.
The Society of Jesus has eight priests in three residences, and
ministers to ten thousand six hundred souls.
The discalced Augustinians have three convents in which are six
priests. They minister to eight thousand souls.
Consequently, the souls of the natives alone who are ministered to
in the district of this archbishopric of Manila amount to two hundred
and one thousand, six hundred souls.
The bishopric of Nueva Segovia has four secular benefices, two of
them for Spaniards, one in the said city of Nueva Segovia, and the
other in Villa Fernandina. The other two benefices are for Indians.
The Order of St. Augustine has fifteen convents in this bishopric,
and they minister to fifty-eight thousand souls there.
The Order of St. Dominic has twenty-five convents in the said
bishopric, in the province of Cagayan and that of Pangasinan. They
minister to seventy thousand souls in these.
Consequently the number of souls of the natives ministered to in
the said bishopric of Nueva Segovia is one hundred and twenty-eight
thousand.
There are six secular benefices in the bishopric of Camarines, whose
seat is in the city of Caceres. They minister to ten thousand six
hundred souls.
The Order of St. Francis has twenty-four convents, with guardianias
and presidencies, in this bishopric, and minister to forty-five
thousand souls.
All the souls ministered to in the said bishopric of Camarines amount
to fifty-six thousand eight hundred.
These two churches of Caceres and Nueva Segovia (and the bishop
of Zibu gives account of the church there to your Majesty) have no
prebendaries; and there is no one besides the cura, who serves the
said church and ministers to the few Spaniards there.
Each of the secular beneficiaries in these islands has an annual
stipend of one hundred and ninety pesos, which are paid from
your Majesty's royal treasury to those who minister to your royal
tributarios. The same sum is paid to the religious, except that the
ninety pesos are given in rice. To both classes is given one arroba
of Castilian wine, and flour for the mass. The other encomenderos
give the same to the ministers of their encomiendas.
Now then I have satisfied what your Majesty orders me by the aforesaid
royal decree, as clearly as possible. If I have not named the villages
and chief places of the benefices, the reason is that I believe myself
excused from that labor.
The government of Don Fernando de Silva, knight of the habit
of Sanctiago, during this interim in these islands has been very
successful; and he has proceeded as prudently as if he had exercised
the government for many years. He has secured peace both with the
royal Audiencia and with all the other corporations.
He has occupied a port of the island of Hermosa--the best or only good
one--which was so recommended and ordered to be occupied by his Majesty
Phillippo Second, your Majesty's grandfather, in the instructions
ordered given to Governor Don Francisco Tello; of its importance, time
will tell. It has seemed a desirable thing, at least in the present,
so that the Dutch shall not have the opportunity that they desire
for taking the silk from China and transporting it to Europa and to
Japon. That brought them very great wealth; for, selling it for the
bars of silver with which the latter kingdom abounds, the Dutch had
money enough to continue the trade with China. They shortened the
voyage every year to that country. Don Fernando de Silva also built a
galleon that is now in the port of Cavite. He built some small rooms
or quarters of stone for the soldiers in the Plaza de Armas, wherein
three hundred men may be lodged, without the expenditure of a single
peso from your Majesty's royal treasury. He is a calm and prudent man,
one of good example, fearful of God, and zealous for your Majesty's
service and the increase of your royal treasury. He has abilities
for governing, and if your Majesty occupies him in other governments,
you will be as well served as you have been during the time while he
has had this charge. [_In the margin_: "That we are advised of what
he says."]
Governor Don Juan Niño de Tavora, who just arrived in these ships that
came from Nueva España with reënforcements, shows excellent valor and
zeal for the service of your Majesty; and if God grants him life to
execute the good purposes that he evidently possesses, I doubt not
that these islands will not only lift their head, but that they will
return to their former grandeur. He has entered on his government with
a secure foothold, since he finds them free from the Dutch enemy--who
have allowed us to breathe this year, and have given opportunity for
more ships to come from China than for several years past. The same has
been true of the ships from Goa, India, and Macan. All of them have
entered the port of Cavite; so that already this community appears
another and a very different one from what it was before. I trust,
with the help of His Divine Majesty, that the governor will aid it,
for the proofs that he has hitherto given are those of an excellent
governor and Christian, and one fearful of his conscience.
Although we have had no Dutch enemies this past year, powerful
enemies of the inhabitants about these islands have not been wanting
to disturb the natives and those whom they capture suddenly in the
villages of the coast. It is a thing that I have experienced myself,
suffering so great anguish that I thought I should lose my life in it;
for I found myself surrounded by thirty-four caracoas and galeotas of
Mahometan enemies--Borneans, Joloans, Camucones, and Mindanaos--about
one hundred leguas from this city of Manila, while going to visit my
district at a village called Cabotagan. They assaulted me at five in
the morning, while I and all my retinue were asleep. We awoke at the
clamors, and had no other resolution or opportunity to take than to
flee to the mountain; for we were abed, as I have stated. I secured
my habit and girdle, which was a not slight act of mercy from the
Lord, because of what I afterward suffered in the mountain, until the
necessary clothing and food were brought to me and my followers from
Manila. Although Governor Fernando de Silva exerted himself by sending
men and several vessels in different directions after the enemy, he
did not have the good luck to fall in with them. The new governor,
Don Juan Niño de Tavora, tells me that he will make every effort to
chastise those barbarians and assure the coasts. I trust thoroughly
that he will succeed in his holy purpose, because he has so well
understood that it is greatly to the service of our Lord and of your
Majesty. [_In the margin_: "Thank him for his care in visiting his
bishopric, and say that we are assured of his zeal, and trust that
the same will be exercised in the future--in consideration of which,
account will be taken of his person as opportunity offers, so that
he may be promoted. Have a letter sent to Don Juan Niño, telling him
what the archbishop writes of him; thank him, and let him advise us
of what has been done."]
Doctor Don Alvaro de Mesa y Lugo, auditor of this royal Audiencia,
is one of the persons who most evidently excel in your Majesty's
royal service, and who most firmly defend everything touching it,
in both matters of justice and of revenue. He has ever been so keen
a defender of your Majesty's interests that he has suffered for that
many and very great annoyances and troubles. Thus has he shown by his
actions that he has a very upright conscience. From this it results
that he suffers great necessity, because he has not allowed or opened
the door even to the gratuities that seem lawful to others not so
well regulated in conscience. In short, his actions are such that I
am obliged to continue in this letter, as in others, to inform your
Majesty of his good and praiseworthy qualities. Will your Majesty, upon
knowing them, be pleased to promote him and advance him to other posts
of greater importance. I find him sufficiently capable and deserving
of much better posts; for, wherever it please your Majesty to reward
him, your Majesty will be well served, and he will be free from the
sickness and the lack of health with which he lives in this country,
to employ himself much better in your Majesty's service. [_In the
margin_: "At hand."]
I was expecting the bishop of Nueva Caçeres this year, according to
letters sent me last year. Not only has he not come, but also not
even have I had any letter from him. Consequently I am appointing a
governor of that bishopric for the good and necessary expedition of
the ecclesiastical causes, which are falling behind for lack of the
judge of appeals. Although those appeals could go to the tribunal of
the bishopric of Zibu, it is necessary to conclude definitively that
there be a third tribunal, according to the brief obtained by your
Majesty regarding appeals. Consequently, it is necessary to provide
now and henceforth for the government of the bishopric of Nueva
Segovia, until the arrival of the rightfully-appointed bishop whom
your Majesty may be pleased to send to that church. [_In the margin_:
"That it is well, and that the necessary provision has been made in
this, and the viceroy directed to make him embark."]
Because we have settled in the island of Hermosa, our obligations to
send ministers to those heathen nations who inhabit it, and are without
the light of the holy gospel, are increased. The conquest or settlement
has been effected by the energy of Fray Bartolome Martinez of the
Order of St. Dominic, the present provincial of this province. To
him is due the excellent success that it has hitherto had; for he
himself, with other three or four associates, and no other order,
went to explore it. They remained there and sent one religious here
to Manila to report what had been done, and to get an order from the
governor for what was to be done in the future. The island is densely
populated, as they will relate to your Majesty. It will be a pity for
those peoples to remain in the obscurity of their blindness, without
the light of our holy Catholic faith, for lack of ministers. Since the
fathers of St Dominic have taken that conquest in charge, it will be
very advisable for the present to settle it with religious of that
order, if your Majesty be pleased to have a goodly consignment of
religious sent to them; for, although eighteen or twenty of them came
in these ships, the need of this province was so great, because of
the many who have died, that scarcely are there sufficient for their
ministries, even if they did not have the island of Hermosa, as I
have said. [_In the margin_: "They have been given to them already."]
Governor Don Juan Niño will report on the other matters touching this
community. Consequently I shall not relate them in this letter to your
Majesty, whose very Catholic person may our Lord preserve, with the
increase of great kingdoms, as is necessary to Christendom. Manila,
July 25, 1626.
_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila.
[_Endorsed:_ "Manila. To his Majesty; 1626. The archbishop of Manila,
[_MS. holed_] of July. Seen and decreed within, July 30, 627."]