To the reverend father in Christ, the Bishop of Nueva Segovia in
the province of Cagayan, in the island of Luzon, and member of my
council: Inasmuch as his Holiness at my supplication did see fit to
elevate the cathedral church of Manila into a metropolitan see, and
to appoint three other bishops, one of them in that city, the purpose
thereof having been that there should be prelates who might care for
the instruction and teaching of the Indians, the administering of
the sacraments, the exercise of episcopal acts, and the visitation
of their districts, all which a single prelate could not easily do;
I have seen fit to inform you that, for the present, so long as
affairs are undeveloped, and until a better arrangement is made,
no cathedral church shall be erected in that city, nor dignities or
prebends provided for. You are to dwell privately in the monastery of
your order in that said city, and remain there as prelate for such time
as may please you. That bishopric shall be suffragan to the archbishop
of Manila, and you shall have the latter as your metropolitan bishop
and shall repair to that city for the synods and other matters arranged
by the canons and councils. It is my will that you shall have what is
necessary for your sustenance and the maintenance of your episcopal
dignities. The tithes in your district are at present to be gathered
into one amount, and you are to have all that pertains to the prelates
and to the prebendaries, dignitaries, and canons. In case this is not
sufficient, you will repair to the officials of my royal exchequer in
those islands, whom I command, upon establishment by evidence that
all the aforesaid does not reach five hundred thousand maravedis
yearly, that they shall grant and pay you such deficit from my royal
exchequer. And with the said testimony, and with a copy of this my
decree and your receipt, I order that what is thus granted and paid
you be received and audited. Done in Ateca, the fifteenth of May,
in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-six.
_I The King_ [32]