Of the present condition of the house of Santa Misericordia, after so
many and so repented disasters; beginning of its new increases in the
foundation of various funds at this time; the new misfortunes which
succeeded from the year 700; and alms which the house gave during
this time.
[The years of bad luck experienced by the brotherhood in the loss
of money and the necessities of the times, when its expenses are
increased disproportionally by the repair of its church, college,
office, hospital, distribution of alms for rebuilding other edifices,
and the remedy of other public necessities, at last turn by the
foundation of certain pious funds. The first is founded by Manuel
de Leon y Saravia, in 1677, and is for 50,000 pesos. In imitation of
him ten more funds are established, which produce alms amounting to
170,956 pesos, 4 tomins up to the year 1700, which are distributed for
the spiritual and temporal needs of the poor, and for other purposes.]
At this time the possessions of Pedro Quintero Nuñes and those
of Licentiate Manuel Suares de Olivera, as well as the stockfarm
of the royal alférez Joseph Correa, fell to the house of Santa
Misericordia. They have been and are of great profit to the sick
poor, and imprisoned, to some of the sacred orders, for the blessed
souls of purgatory, and other pious purposes. It is a fact that up
to the present time, they have produced in benefit to all the above,
105,258 pesos, 4 tomins, almost half of which was spent up to the
year 700, which would be doubtless of great consolation and relief
to the poverty and necessities of this community in times when even
the citizens, ill-satisfied by the blows of the past disasters, were
experiencing new outbreaks and losses in their wealth, by those which
happened frequently to the galleons of this line, from their having to
put back to port, and the embargo of the goods, which were embarked
therein. For from the year 673 until that of 700, trade received
signal injuries in the port of Acapulco, the merchandise of the trade
being embargoed during the years 676 and 677, in revenge for having
detained in this city at the advice of royal officials 330,000 pesos,
which came in the year 675 from the citizens of Mexico in violation of
royal decrees. In another decree of 678, obtained by the said citizens
[of Mexico] by dint of very inaccurate reports, it was ordered that
those of this city return said sum, increased by interest at the rate
of twenty-five per cent. That shaving [escalfe] was made from the
embargoed goods. From so notorious setbacks, other losses of greater
consideration followed; and from the increase of excessive taxes which
were imposed on those interested who took the galleon "San Antonio de
Padua" to the port of Acapulco in the year 79, the citizens suffered
very great setbacks. In the year 682 the ship "Santa Rosa" put back,
and in 86, while attending to the preparation of the ship "Santo Niño"
for Acapulco, news came that there was a squadron of eleven hostile
ships among the islands. On that account the voyage was suspended
and the ships were prepared to go out to oppose the said squadron and
guard the galleon which was expected with the succor from Nueva España.
[Calamities are still in store for the Philippines. The "Santo
Niño" leaves Cavite in 1687, but is forced to put back in order
to winter at Bagatao, and returns to Cavite with its cargo half
rotten. Reenforcements providentially come from Nueva España in
1688. In 1690, the almiranta while returning from Nueva España is
lost in the Marianas, and although the people are saved, the cargo is
partly lost. The galleon "Santo Christo de Burgos" is compelled to
put back to Camarines to winter in 1692. Sailing once more in 1693,
it is never again heard of. The "San Joseph" is lost three days out
from port in the island of Luban, and many people are drowned. In 1696,
as there is no galleon to send to Nueva España, a patache is bought
for the trade, but the 74,000 pesos that it is compelled to pay in
Acapulco for duties, is so great a tax on the citizens of Manila that
but little is left for them. However, amid all these disasters, there
is one bright ray, namely in the pious funds that are established in
the brotherhood. From 1673-1700, these funds realized 227,724 pesos,
3 tomins, which are distributed among the poor and used for other
purposes. Between the years 1690-1701, the sum of 44,425 pesos,
3 tomins is realized from investments and applied to pious ends.]