Ecclesiastical tribunals of Manila
537. For the despatch of its business this archiepiscopal
ecclesiastical tribunal has its provisor and vicar-general, with his
chief notary and fiscals. It has a house which is used as the prison
of the ecclesiastical tribunal, which has a capacious living-room,
and separate lodgings for the seclusion of abandoned women.
Commissariat of the holy Inquisition
538. There has been and always is in this city of Manila a commissary
of the Holy Office of the Inquisition, appointed by the holy tribunal
of Mexico. [52] That commissary is the superior and superintendent
of all the commissaries scattered about in the islands--namely,
in Cagayan, Pangasinan, Camarines, Zebu, Ilocos, and the island of
Negros; and at Manila another private commissary for the fathers of
the Society, who is always an honored cleric. The tribunal here is
formed of the said superintendent-commissary with his chief constable
and his notary. Its council of ministers comprises various examiners
of books and writings, counselors, and familiars. There are always
three or four superintendent-commissaries appointed, so that in case of
death or removal another may succeed promptly to the office; but only
one of them exercises the office [at any one time]. From the time of
the venerable martyr of Syan [_i.e._, Siam], Fray Juan de San Pedro
Martyr, or Maldonado, the first commissary in these islands (who died
December 22, 1599), until the present commissary, the very reverend
father ex-provincial Fray Juan de Arechederra (a son of the convent of
San Jacinto de Caracas, of the province of Santa Cruz of the Indias,
and graduated with the degree of doctor from the celebrated university
of Mexico), this office of superintendent-commissary has been vested
in the religious of our father St. Dominic successively, without
other interruption than the short interval of seven years--when
an Augustinian, Father Joseph Paternina, exercised the office,
beginning with October, 1664, when he succeeded father Fray Francisco
de Paula, until July of 1671. Then father Fray Phelipe Pardo, afterward
archbishop of Manila, assumed the office, because of the dismissal of
Father Paternina from his office by a sentence of the holy tribunal
of Mexico, because he unjustly issued acts against and arrested the
governor of these islands, Don Diego de Salcedo. This commissariat
has always been a post of great honor, authority, and credit, and is
for that reason eagerly sought by the most distinguished members of
the order. But, the tribunal of Mexico having requested the fathers
superintendent-commissaries to make investigations, in order to act
as such, the Dominican fathers excused themselves, as they live here
without incomes, and were unable to make investigations because of
their increased expenses; and Father Paternina being in Mexico on
that occasion, he easily obtained the office which afterward cost
him so much.
Tribunal of the Holy Crusade
539. The erection of the apostolic and royal tribunal of the Holy
Crusade in the city of Manila (as the capital of these islands,
where the royal Audiencia resides), had its foundation in the general
decree of Phelipe III, given in San Lorenzo, under date of May 16,
1609. [53] In consequence of that decree, that tribunal is composed
of a commissary-subdelegate-general, who performs the duties of
president, and is appointed by his Majesty, with the advice of the
supreme council of the Holy Crusade; an auditor, who is the senior
auditor of the royal Audiencia; and the fiscal of the same body--all
of whom receive a special salary for their duties. For the computation
of its accounts, the senior accountant of the royal officials serves,
in accordance with the terms of the above-mentioned royal decree. For
their business they have a secretary; a chief notary, with a salary;
and four notaries, without any assigned salary, but who receive
the fees from the business transacted by them. For the expedition
of the bulls (which are published biennially in these provinces),
the suitable number, and at all prices--bulls for the living and
for the dead, _de lacticinios_, and of composition [54]--are sent
from Europa, with the bundles of despatches and instructions from
his Majesty and from the apostolic commissary-general. Having been
first examined and numbered before the subdelegate-general, they are
deposited under good security in the royal magazines of this capital,
where pay-warrants are issued for the treasurer-general or manager,
into whose charge this business is given.
540. From the first foundation, it was established that the
preaching of each biennial term should occur on the twenty-eighth
of October. But with the beginning of the year 1736 that date was
transferred to the first Sunday in Advent, by order of his Excellency
the commissary-general, so that the preaching might be on the same
date in all the kingdoms and seigniories of the royal crown.
541. The management and despatch of this concession, and the collection
of the alms and proceeds from it, were regularly included, annexed,
in the agreements which were made with the royal apostolic tribunal
of the City of Mexico--the treasurer-general of the kingdom naming a
substitute deputy, who should have in his charge the matters pertaining
to these Philipinas. When that was omitted, it was in charge of the
royal officials of these treasuries, in accordance with the royal
decrees which have so provided it. Certain publications intervened,
which were entrusted, by special arrangement, to the inhabitants
of Manila, independently of the treasurer-general of Mexico. But
lately, the dependence of Philipinas on the arrangements of that
kingdom having been dispensed with, a solemn agreement was made with
the royal apostolic tribunal of this capital, for the six biennials
of the thirteenth concession, by General Don Joseph Antonio Nuno de
Villavicencio, proprietary regidor of this city (who obtained a letter
from his Excellency the bishop, an inquisitor, and former apostolic
commissary-general of the said Holy Crusade); and the said contract
having terminated, a new one was made by General Don Diego Zamudio,
an inhabitant of the said city, who is charged with this enterprise
for the six biennials of the current and fourteenth concession. [55]
542. For that expedition the said treasurers give bonds in sufficient
form. They appoint the receiving treasurers, who attend to the expense
of bulls in all the villages of the provinces that are included in
this jurisdiction, and place the proceeds of this concession, as they
become due, in the royal treasury of Manila, or in those of Mexico,
according to the agreement at the time of contract.