Sire:
Hernando de Espinosa, procurator of the Society of Jesus in the
Yndias, in the name of the residence [51] of this order in the
city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus of the Philipinas Islands, has
represented that, because of the great need of persons to administer
the sacraments to Spaniards, Indians, and Sangleys residing in and
about that city, and to preach to them the holy gospel, the provincial
of the said Society, with the permission of the governor, founded the
said residence six years ago. It is productive of much good, for,
besides the preaching to the Spaniards, natives, and Sangleys, and
hearing their confessions, the other sacraments are administered to
them; and there is a school where reading and writing are taught and
Latin studied, which is of great gain and benefit to the community. The
religious who are there are in great poverty; for they have no income,
nor do they receive any alms from the people. The said procurator
entreats from you a very moderate consideration, on account of their
poverty. This being evident to the said governor, he ordered that
to them be given annually, for such period as should seem fitting to
him, two hundred pesos and two hundred fanegas of rice, as an alms,
from the treasury of the fourths from the encomiendas that are without
instruction. With this it is, however, impossible to support the said
residence. It has need of repairs on its house, and, on account of
its narrow quarters, of erecting new buildings; and because it has
no alms, in lands or chaplaincies, [52] for the mass or any other
of the purposes referred to, it is in great want, as is evident by
the investigations made in the royal Audiencia of the said islands,
which were examined in the Council. He entreats that your Majesty, in
consideration of the aforesaid, will order that the said two hundred
pesos and two hundred fanegas of rice--which were granted to it,
as stated, by the said governor from the treasury of the fourths--be
set aside for it from the royal treasury, as the other fund is not
a permanent one. He further asks that you will bestow upon it from
the royal treasury one thousand pesos of income for its support,
and three thousand, to be paid once, for repairs and buildings for
the said residence; since your Majesty is wont to favor the other
parts of the Yndias for this purpose, as there is no other recourse
for aid. After examining this matter in the Council, our opinion is
that, if your Majesty be so pleased, one thousand pesos of eight reals
each, might be given once to that residence from the royal treasury of
the Philipinas, as an aid in building its houses; and that, besides,
information concerning it should be obtained from the governor and
the archbishop. Valladolid, December 11, 1601.
[_Endorsed:_ "Council of the Indias; December 11, 1601. In regard
to the aid and alms that should be bestowed upon the residence
of the Society in the city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, of the
Philippinas." "So let it be."]