The King. To Don Diego Faxardo, knight of the Order of Santiago, whom
I have appointed as my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas
Islands: report has been made to me, on the part of the archbishop
of that city of Manila, that Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera,
your predecessor, gave the district of Quiapo (which belonged to the
seculars), and the Indians who were reserved for the service of the
cathedral and of the archiepiscopal house (which was the sustenance
of the cathedral), to the fathers of the Society of Jesus, because
of the great pressure that they exerted on him for it, on account of
the advantages that would follow to them, as they have many estates
of importance near that district. One of the conditions of their
removing the said archbishop's exile, was that he must consent to
have that district given to the fathers of the Society. In order to
relieve himself from his distressed condition, the archbishop feigned,
under compulsion, assent to this--regarding it as certain that, as
such action was to the prejudice of my royal patronage, I would not
consent to it. He also petitioned that I would be pleased to have
my royal decree issued, ordering that the fathers of the Society be
despoiled of the said district of Quiapo, and that it be restored
to the seculars, together with the adjoining districts of San Anton
and Santa Cathalina--which the bishop of Camarines separated from
the said district, in the time while he governed the archbishopric
during the exile and absence of the said archbishop; and which he
gave to the cura of Santiago, who was his creature; also the district
of Nauhang, on the island of Mindoro, which has always belonged to
seculars. By negotiations effected by the fathers of the Society,
those districts have been set aside for them, to the prejudice of so
many poor seculars. The matter having been examined by my royal Council
of the Yndias, as well as what was written to me concerning the same
matter by the said archbishop, I have considered it fitting to issue
this my decree. By it, I order you, immediately upon its receipt,
to place those districts, exactly, and without admitting any excuse
or other reason, in the same condition that they always had and have
had, notwithstanding the contract signed by the said archbishop, at
the instance and petition of the said my governor and of the auditor
then in my Audiencia. You shall advise me at the first opportunity
that you have carried out my order. Madrid, July 8, 1639.