[_Note at beginning of document_: "Church of Manila. Your Majesty
confirms the statute made by the dean and cabildo of the metropolitan
church of Manila, in the Philipinas, in regard to the expelled
professed religious, of the orders not being admitted to _dignidades_,
[56] canonries, or curacies of Indians or Spaniards in those islands."]
The King: Report has been made to me in the name of the dean and
cabildo of the metropolitan church of the city of Manila of the
Philipinas Islands, that in respect to my having ordered that ministers
of instruction be men of good life and morals, as such is necessary
for the good of Christianity, several religious who had been expelled
from the orders were admitted as ministers of instruction because of
the need in those islands for such ministers; and that as experience
has since demonstrated the unsuitability of those men for the said
ministry, they have refrained from employing such; and that, in order
that the remedy may be efficacious and obviate the negotiations and
methods of such persons to procure the benefices, they made a statute
whose tenor is as follows: "In the city of Manila, on the eighteenth
of August, one thousand six hundred and seventeen, while assembled and
congregated in meeting, to wit, Bishop Don Fray Pedro Arce, bishop
of the city of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus and its bishopric, and
governor of this archbishopric, and the dean and cabildo Don Francisco
Gomez Arellano, dean, and Commissary-subdelegate Gabriel de la Santa
Cruçada, Archdeacon Don Juan de Aguilar, Precentor Santiago de Castro,
School-master Don Rodrigo Diaz Giralthe, and Keeper of Relics Don Luis
de Herrera Sandoval; Canons Tomas de Gimarano, Don Miguel Garçetas,
Juan de la Cruz, and Alonso Garcia de Leon: Racionero Don Francisco
de Baldes, and Medios Racioneros [57] Tomas de Vega and Pedro Flores
Benegas--the said bishop proposed with conclusive and sufficient
arguments the great hindrances that, as the proved experience of all
has shown, follow to all this kingdom from admitting to dignidades,
canonries, and benefices professed religious who have been expelled
from the holy religious orders as a penalty and punishment for their
offenses, inasmuch as the abovesaid was prohibited by law and sacred
canons established in a most Christianlike manner by the provincial
Mexican Council. That council enacted a special decree expressly
forbidding such appointments, and mentioning the many just reasons
for their action, and the state of affairs in the Yndias demanding
it, inasmuch as the prelates and venerable fathers who attended the
council were very well acquainted with the Yndias. It is not the
least consideration that the said expelled religious cannot reap a
harvest in a century. Nor can they derive any advantages which will
result in a real adjustment of their difficulties, so that thus with
greater ease they, returning to their senses, may aspire to regain
their habit and order which they before professed. [Such proceeding
by the ecclesiastical authorities] will restrain the diligence and
effort that other religious might employ in deserting their orders
if they saw the said expelled religious given posts as dignidades. As
they saw, and considered as assured, the great service they would be
doing to God our Lord and to his Catholic Majesty who is incurring
so heavy expenses to his royal patrimony in bringing each of the said
religious to the Yndias--and these are the greatest consolations that
he sends to these so remote islands, a plant which, because of its
tenderness and newness in the faith, is shocked at the change that
is seen in the habits [i.e., robes] of the expelled religious. This
furnished a reason to his Majesty, Carlos Fifth, our sovereign of
glorious memory, for the same prohibition; and he ordered that, as
soon as the said religious were expelled from their holy orders,
they be put aboard ship and sent to the kingdoms of Castilla,
and not be allowed to remain or live in the Yndias. Therefore,
having thoroughly examined, conferred over, and considered, they all
unanimously and fully in accord resolved to enact a statute in this
archbishopric in the following form and manner: 'We ordain that,
now and henceforth, no one of the professed religious expelled from
the religious orders now, or hereafter to be, established--whether
from the religious orders now established in the Church of God, or
from those which shall be established later--or the professed members
of the fourth vow [58] of the Society of Jesus, shall be admitted or
appointed to dignidades, canonries, or curacies, of Spaniards or of
Indians, throughout this archbishopric. Those expelled from the said
Society of Jesus, and who shall not have taken the fourth vow, may,
three years after their expulsion and dismissal from the said order,
if they have given therein a good example in their lives and morals,
and if they are of such stamp that they may be of advantage for the
edification and welfare of souls, be admitted by the prelate, now or
hereafter, to the benefices which are curacies of the Indians--but
only outside of this city; and not to the said canonries, dignidades,
or curacies of Spaniards or Indians within this city. And inasmuch
as this holy Church recognizes that it is under obligations for many
reasons to his royal and Catholic Majesty, the king our sovereign,
as being his foundation, and that it will not be proper to enact
or make any statute without his pleasure and order, they determined
to go before his royal person and entreat him humbly to confirm the
present, and consider it fitting, as a matter of so great importance
to the service of God our Lord, and to that of his royal Majesty,
and to the increase of this holy Church.
_Fray Pedro_,
bishop of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus.
_Dean Arellano_
The archdeacon of Manila.
The schoolmaster of Manila.
_Precentor Sanctiago de Castro_
The treasurer of Manila.
_Canon Tomas Gimarano_
_Canon Garçetas_
_Canon Juan de la Cruz_
_Canon Alonso Garcia de Leon_
_Racionero Don Francisco de Caldes_
_Racionero Tomas de Bega_
_Racionero Pedro Flores Benegas_
Before me:
_Alonso Ramirez_, secretary of cabildo."
And my royal Council of the Indias having examined the said statute,
I have considered it advisable to have it confirmed and approved, as by
the present I do confirm, and approve it. And I request and charge the
archbishop of the said metropolitan of the city of Manila--the one now
in office, and those who shall be archbishops hereafter--to observe,
fulfil, and execute it, and cause it to be observed, fulfilled,
and executed, completely, according to its contents. I declare such
to be my will. Given in Madrid, February nineteen, one thousand six
hundred and nineteen.
_I The King_