Sire:
Brother Juan Gerónimo Guerrero, [24] who has charge of the seminary of
Sant Juan de Letran for orphan boys in the city of Manila, declares
that in consideration of the general welfare of the said children,
and their education and teaching, your Majesty was pleased to order
Don Fernando de Silva, governor of those islands, by your royal decree
of July 16, 623, to aid the said seminary with some taxes, so that
the boys in it might be reared and supported. But, as no taxes were
found, the said royal decree has had no effect; and to this day not
more than the small sum of three hundred pesos has been assigned to the
seminary--an amount so small that it does not suffice to provide shoes
for the boys who are now there. The number there is daily increasing,
and the expenses incurred are very considerable and the alms but
little. With what they have they cannot be supported. In order that
so pious a work may continue, and so that those orphan boys may be
suitably assisted with the necessaries of life, and not be ruined:
He petitions your Majesty that, favoring by your sovereign mercy a work
so greatly to the service of our Lord, you will be pleased to order
that some encomienda of Indians, or a pension from those that shall
be allotted, may be set aside for the said seminary--or in any other
manner which your Majesty pleases, and for the period that your royal
will deems best. [I ask this] because from it will follow considerable
profit for your royal service; for the boys reared there incline to
become soldiers, and up to the present time forty of them have gone out
to serve your Majesty in that employ, while five have become friars,
and twelve are studying. And, in order that they may learn the art of
navigation, will your Majesty be pleased to command an examined pilot
to come to the said seminary to teach it to them. Will your Majesty
also be pleased to order that, inasmuch as there are many children
of Spaniards among the Indian women of these islands, conceived by
the latter, these children may be taken from them and brought to be
reared in the said seminary, so that they may not become idolaters
like the Indian women, when they are grown. Our Lord will be served
by that, and will receive especial blessing and favor.
[_Endorsed:_ "The seminary of Sant Juan de Letran for orphan boys in
the city of Manila."]
[_Instructions:_ "Señor Don Fernando Ruiz de Contreras: Let a decree
be issued for them that, in the same manner as the other three hundred
pesos, I set aside for them, from the taxes that I shall possess there,
the further sum of three hundred ducados. As for the other things
that he requests, refer them to the governor, so that he may take
what measures are advisable in everything, in order that the service
of God our Lord and of his Majesty may be attended to. November 18."]
[_In the margin_: "In regard to what is asked in this section, his
Majesty issued a decree, that the governor of Philipinas shall assign
the said seminary three hundred ducados in taxes that do not belong
to the treasury, as another three hundred pesos were assigned. All
the other things requested are referred to the governor, so that he
may provide everything advisable, in order that they may attend to
the service of God and that of his Majesty."]
Sire:
Since the beginning of the so firm foundation of this seminary of
San Juan de Letran, I have made known to your Majesty by faithful
relations the great fruit obtained for God our Lord and for the service
of your Majesty, in protecting and sheltering in the seminary so many
orphan boys, the sons of old Spanish soldiers, who [without it] would
evidently be ruined for lack of instruction and good morals. So good
results have been achieved in this, as experience has shown by those
who have left this seminary--forty for the service of your Majesty, to
serve as soldiers, six others as religious, and six who serve in this
cathedral church as acolytes. There are now in the seminary more than
fifty boys. Your Majesty, having examined the despatches, was pleased
to send me a royal decree, ordering the governors of these islands to
protect and favor this seminary with incomes. In these islands revenues
are so few, that Governor Don Fernando de Silva assigned three hundred
pesos in chattels--namely, certain small shops, which are suppressed
today and opened to-morrow. In order that this enterprise may go on
increasing for the service of God and of your Majesty, will you order
that an encomienda be given to us. With it and my feeble efforts we
could support ourselves, and so great a work as this is would not fail.
I beseech your Majesty, for the love of God, that when my life is over,
[the Confraternity of] La Misericordia may take charge of the seminary,
with the brothers of the third order; and that a boy who has been
very long in this college may remain to shelter them, so that this
work, that is so acceptable to God our Lord, may continue to increase
and not to diminish. May God preserve your Majesty for many years,
as Christendom desires and as is necessary. Manila, August first,
one thousand six hundred and twenty-six.
Your Majesty's humble vassal,
_Brother Juan Geronimo Guerrero_
[_Instructions:_ "Let the governor be again charged to observe what
has been ordered him. May 11, 628."]