Sire:
I, Fray Pedro de Sant Pablo, [13] preacher and minister provincial of
this province of Sant Gregorio of the Philipinas Islands of the order
of the discalced religious of our seraphic father St. Francis, and son
of the province of Sant Joseph of the same order, who minister in the
convent of La Purissima Concepcion [_i.e._, "the most pure conception"]
in the town of Barajas, and the least vassal of your Majesty, and
your humble and unworthy chaplain, give your Majesty in the present
an account of the unhappy condition of the province, in my own behalf
and in the name of all this province. I declare that for the last few
years the province has become restless, factional, and divided into
parties, which it is a pity to see. It is one thing to see it, and
another to bear it. On account of its condition, I have often resolved
to resign my office as its head, as I was unable to remedy these ills;
but I have refrained from doing so, as I think that I am doing some
service to God our Lord therein, from whom I await the remedy. The
cause of all these troubles is the coming to this province of your
Majesty--which was established in so great discalcedness, [14] strict
observance, and poverty--of religious not discalced, or reared on that
good milk, but belonging to the cloth in those [Spanish] kingdoms,
of religious reared (although under a rule) with different principles
and mode of life. So different are these that under no consideration
can there be the remedy that they will accommodate their way to ours,
or we conform to theirs. Some of us appeal to Paul and others to Zefas
[_i.e._, Cephas] [15]--a most lamentable and injurious condition of
affairs, and the destruction of this conversion, and of our own peace
within and without. In order not to weary your Majesty, I shall not
dwell longer upon this, or spend time setting forth our losses. But
although peace--the essential thing--has fled, it has been preserved
[here] in the reform, separation from the world, poverty, and strict
mode of life which are observed among the discalced religious of those
kingdoms of España; and I think that, in poverty, this province even
exceeds [the practice of] that virtue in those kingdoms. To Indians
that appears a miraculous thing, beyond what is either acquired or
natural. To God be the thanks!
This province was established and has been preserved with holy
religious, sons of the provinces of the discalced in España;
and at present about two-thirds of these religious are from the
said provinces. But little by little, religious of the cloth have
come among them, clad as discalced religious only in order to gain
admission to these regions. So many of them have gathered here that
they are sufficient to form parties and divisions by themselves, aided
by some of our discalced religious who join their party. What most
encourages this is, that as our fathers-general, commissaries-general,
and other superiors are those who govern us, they try to favor those of
the provinces of the cloth with offices as superiors and commissaries,
and with other privileges, whereby they are advantaged and plant the
foot of superiority above others much more deserving and worthy than
they; consequently they plant their feet upon all in order to attain
their ends. In this way do they destroy the peace of one and all of
us, so that I am fain to be able to express my grief to your sacred
and royal Majesty.
This would be checked provided our said father superiors would
observe and place in execution an order and royal command, which
it is said that your Majesty gave long ago, ordering that the said
fathers of the Observance should not come to these islands, but only
the professed religious of the discalced branch. But this they do,
thinking that they comply with your Majesty's said order by clothing
those said religious of the cloth in the shabby habit of the discalced
religious, in order to pass over here--whereby your Majesty's royal
will is defrauded and your royal officials at your ports deceived.
Therefore I petition your Majesty, by the blood of Christ our Lord,
to provide the remedy. That consists in one of two alternatives:
namely, either that your Majesty order that, since there are so many
friars, no religious who has not made profession in the provinces
of the discalced religious of España shall take passage henceforth
for these islands and for Japon, and that religious who come to these
islands and provinces must go from those provinces [of the discalced],
and not from the provinces of the cloth, for the said fathers have
so many and so extensive conversions in which to employ themselves;
or that, on the contrary, no discalced religious may take passage,
but that all be of the cloth. For in this manner the one class will
decrease and the others will increase, and all will soon belong to
the one class; and, by the help of God our Lord, there will be peace.
The condition of Japon is as follows. About two years ago (that is,
in 1618), brother [_sc._ father] Fray Luis Sotelo came here with
letters from our most reverend father Fray Juan de Vivanco, confirmed
by the nuncio of those kingdoms and by our father commissary-general
of Nueva España. Entrance was gained for us by him to Japon, but
he was taken away from us by fuerza; [16] and this year, 1620, our
father commissary-general of Nueva España, Fray Diego de Otalora,
sent another in his place, a son of the province of Santiago in
España, of the cloth. We also had a letter from our most reverend
father, Fray Juan de Venido, commissary of court, dated at that
court in the year 1619. According to one clause of it, the patent
of brother Fray Luis de Sotelo, and that of Fray Francisco Ximenez,
whom they but lately sent as commissary for the said Japon, were
revoked. This province, having taken depositions in regard to it,
with the aid of the said letter, adjudged Japon accordingly. Both
of them were notified, heard the act, and asked for copies. In this
condition the affair (which is all litigation) remains; for, although
the province remains thus, the pending suit still encumbers it. For
the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, I humbly petition your Majesty,
prostrate at your royal feet, to aid us in this, so that the matter may
be confirmed in favor of the said province; for Japon belongs to it,
and was founded and planted by it, and God has watered that land with
the blood of our sons. For it is impossible by any manner or method,
or by any way or expedient, that authority can be given to pass to
that province of Japon, or that it can be preserved, except by this;
for in these two years while its condition has been as described,
this province has furnished both religious and other supplies. Besides
this, they are depriving us of a house and shrine of this province,
called Sant Francisco del Monte, used for the training of novitiates;
and they have deprived us of it, together with the said province of
Japon. Besides, there are many other troubles that they have caused us
(of which the procurator of this province will inform your Majesty)
in order that the discalced branch should not proceed with the said
conversion, which has hitherto cost it so much.
For that reason has arisen in this province the resentment that
is just, and it is commended to our Lord with many fastings and
disciplines. Will your Majesty examine this matter with those royal
eyes, so void of passion, and set it right, as I have here petitioned,
for thus will it be expedient for the royal service of His Divine
Majesty and that of your Majesty. May His Divine Majesty augment, keep,
and preserve you, as we, all these your faithful vassals, desire--who
(and I, the most wretched of them) prostrate ourselves before the
royal feet of your Majesty, which we kiss a thousand times. Given in
Sant Francisco in Manila, July 31, 1620, and by your royal Majesty's
most unworthy servant,
_Fray Pedro de San Pablo_, minister provincial.
We, the provincial and definitors of the province of Sant Gregorio
of the Philipinas Islands, of the order of the discalced religious
of our seraphic father St. Francis, the humble and loyal vassals
of your Majesty, declare that, inasmuch as our Lord God took to
Himself and allowed to die the first fathers and founders who had
come hither, with great virtue and sanctity, from the provinces of
the discalced religious of the kingdom of Castilla, those who were
in this province set about appointing some heads from the religious
reared in this country. Because of that, this holy province began
to be divided into great factions some few years ago; and it has
been so divided that it would break the heart of one who knew it
[as it was] before. The sole cause of fomenting these factions is
that the fathers of the Observance have passed to this province and
these islands, in violation of a royal decree of your Majesty, and
dwell among us wearing the habits of discalced religious, fomenting
these factions and divisions, to the great loss and ruin of all good
and reform. Those troubles are prevailing in this province because
the latter is directly governed by the father commissary-general
of Nueva España, who is of the same observance and not a discalced
religious. We are suffering great detriment at present, and many
scandals have arisen, to the great loss of our credit and the welfare
of these conversions. This is especially true of that of the kingdoms
of Xapon, which the said father commissary-general of Nueva España
has attempted to wrest from us with great violence, although that is
greatly to the disservice of His Divine Majesty, and that of your
Majesty. Such also would be the case if our holy order cannot be
established in that and other fields of conversion--discalced, poor,
and reformed, and with as great admiration as that with which it has
been hitherto established and preserved amid all these nations.
The remedy for the avoidance of these evils lies in your Majesty again
ordering that not any of the said fathers of the Observance shall
come to these regions, as they are wont to come, feigning by their
habits to be discalced religious; and in your assigning us a resident
commissary-general, subject forever to a province of the discalced
branch of Castilla, so that the said reform may be preserved, and that
he may govern the province better, as having been reared in the said
discalced branch, of which this province has more experience. If this
be impossible, then we petition your Majesty to be pleased to order
that we may be freed from obligation to the father commissary-general
of Nueva España, and to allow this province to be immediately under
the government of one of our fathers-general, a commissary-general
of all the Yndias resident in your court, as thus it is advisable.
This we humbly petition and supplicate from your Majesty. In case
that be impossible, then we petition your Majesty to hand these
conversions over to the said fathers of the Observance; for, being a
unit and being harmonious, they will attend better to the ministry
of souls. If the said fathers come to attend to these conversions,
will your Majesty be pleased to give permission and equipment to all
of us discalced religious who have come from Castilla to return to our
province. Confiding in the accustomed largess and kindness of your
Majesty, we shall say no more. May His Divine Majesty preserve and
augment your Majesty, as we, these unworthy chaplains of your Majesty,
petition and desire in our prayers and sacrifices, etc. Given in this
convent of your Majesty of Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, of Manila,
July 20, 1621.
_Fray Pedro de San Pablo_, minister provincial.
_Fray Andres del Sacramento_, [17] definitor.
_Fray Agustín de Tordesilla_, [18] definitor.
_Fray Christoval de Santa Ana_, definitor.
_Fray Antonio de Nombela_, definitor.
[_Notes at beginning_: "The minister provincial and the definitors
of the province of San Gregorio in Manila, of the Order of St. Francis.
"They mention the extortions committed on that province by some
auditors of the Audiencia, which compelled them to receive father
Fray Francisco Ximinez in your Majesty's name, although in violation
of a brief of his Holiness. It is petitioned that a remonstrance be
sent to them, so that they may not exercise similar violence on any
other occasion."]
Sire:
We, the provincial and definitors of the province of Sant Gregorio
of the Philipinas Islands of the order of the discalced religious
of our seraphic Father St. Francis, your Majesty's loyal vassals
and humble chaplains, declare that this province has been signally
injured and aggrieved, with great detriment to its general credit and
good name, and the opinion of all our order, and in particular that
of the said province, by Licentiate Hieronimo del Gaspi Chabarria,
Doctor Don Albaro de Mesa y Lugo, and Doctor Don Antonio Rodriguez
de Villegas, auditors of your royal Audiencia of these islands,
by reason of their having granted your royal aid to Fray Francisco
Ximenez, an Observantine religious. The latter came to this province
with a commission granted by the father commissary-general of our
order in Nueva España, ordering us to receive him--although he ought
not to be received, as it was in violation of the general rule of
government in our order; and in violation of a brief of his Holiness,
Gregory Thirteenth. Moreover, such action tends to the destruction
of the discalced religious, and of the reform and common welfare of
this province, and of the conversions in these new kingdoms of your
Majesty--especially when the said auditors compel this province to
receive him in your royal name, making an ill use of your name and
of the royal authority, and insulting it--and he does that, who,
under pretext of such name, practices injustices and extortions,
and who does not observe the terms of laws and ordinances; and much
more, when they are practiced against an order and province that your
Majesty has always esteemed and esteems so highly. Thus, nominally by
your royal authority, we have suffered great violence and scandals,
and it is certain that had this occurred nearer to your Majesty's pious
eyes, a most signal and exemplary chastisement would have followed. But
in these so remote regions, where redress arrives late, it is usual,
and almost necessary for us chaplains of your Majesty and the orders
to suffer these extortions; and if they did not result in detriment
to virtue and to the public welfare, by bearing them patiently we
would not lose, but rather gain much.
Therefore we petition and supplicate your Majesty to examine this
cause with your own eyes, and provide redress for the injuries
received--annulling these acts of violence and rebuking your said
auditors, so that it may serve them as a correction, and others as
an example and warning; and so that the ministers of the gospel and
the orders in these islands may not be annoyed or injured by the
evil example furnished to the newly converted, whereby they would
esteem the ecclesiastical estate and divine worship less. For such
is not the will of your Majesty. In this respect, there is in these
regions a great deficiency in all your officials; consequently the
ecclesiastical class need to have your Majesty renew your decrees
that give injunctions to your agents. By so doing your Majesty will
render a great service to His Divine Majesty, favor to all of us,
and good to these new plants. May God our Lord preserve your Majesty
for years, as we desire, and augment your happy state, as we your
least and unworthy chaplains desire, etc. Given in this convent of
your Majesty, Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, Manila, in 1621.
_Fray Pedro de San Pablo_, minister provincial.
_Fray Agustin de Tordesillas_, [_MS. uncertain_] [19] and definitor.
_Fray Andres del Sacremento_, definitor.
_Fray Antonio de Nombela_, definitor.
_Fray Christoval de Santa Ana_, [20] definitor.