Book: The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898

E >> E. H. Blair >> The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898




10. All the above islands, and four other small ones, each of about
eighty or one hundred Indians at the most, have no ministers of
the gospel, nor are there any Christians in them, although all are
apportioned into encomiendas. One encomendero holds five or six islands
as an encomienda; and, because they are not easily accessible, these
natives are almost without possibility of ever having ministers, or of
attaining to a knowledge of God our Lord. However, if they should have
ministers, and if these dwelt in some of the best populated islands,
they could visit the others, since they are near one another. By this
means, those souls might be helped.

11. The island of Catanduanes, which lies north, near the island
of Lucon, is about thirty leguas in circuit, and has four thousand
Indian tributarios. It is apportioned to four encomenderos. Eight
ministers of the gospel are needed for the conversion of those people,
who number about sixteen thousand souls.

12. The island of Luzon, whereon is located the city of Manila,
is the best and most thickly populated, most abundant in food and
richest in gold mines. It is three hundred leguas in circumference,
and is all apportioned among encomenderos. The villages in the chief
places of the provinces belong to your Highness's royal crown. In
this and other parts, your Highness has thirty thousand tributarios or
thereabout. Although they all pay tribute in the villages under charge
of encomenderos, many of them have no instruction; and they have paid,
and there has been collected from them, tribute for more than sixteen
years. That this may be quite evident to your Majesty, he says that,
in the province of Camarines, located eighty leguas from the city of
Manila in the said island, in the vicinity of the volcano of Albay, are
four encomenderos, who collect more than three thousand tributes, and
there are no ministers of the gospel. This means twelve thousand souls
to be converted, for not one of them is a Christian, for the reason
given above. For their conversion, six ministers will be necessary.

13. Further in the above province are four other encomenderos, who
collect tribute from the island of Capul (which lies four leguas
away), and from the bay of Ybalon. They collect almost three thousand
tributes, and they likewise have no minister of the gospel. There
are some two [19] thousand souls, and they will need six ministers
for their conversion.

14. In the above province is an islet of about two or three leguas
in circuit. It is apportioned to two encomenderos, who collect one
thousand two hundred tributes. This means four thousand souls, and
will require two ministers.

15. _Item_: In the said province, near the volcano of Albay, is
a village called Yguey, with seven hundred Indian tributarios,
and not one a Christian, for lack of ministers. It belongs to one
encomendero. There are about three thousand souls, more or less,
who need two ministers of the gospel for their conversion.

16. In the same island of Luzon, toward the north, in the province of
Cagayan, are some allotted Indians, who, although they pay tribute,
are not baptized for lack of ministers. Their encomenderos are twelve
in number, and the Indians in their encomiendas, ten thousand four
hundred, or more than forty thousand souls. In proportion to the
others, they will need twenty ministers for their conversion.

17. In the same island of Luzon, in the provinces of Ylocos and
Pangasinan are twelve encomenderos, with sixteen thousand Indians
paying tribute, which means about seventy thousand souls. Very few of
these, not eight thousand, are baptized. They need thirty ministers
for their conversion and instruction.

18. Besides the above, in the same island, another thickly-inhabited
province in this region, one week's journey from Manila, was explored
two years ago, by order of Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas. According
to the report given to the said Fray Francisco de Ortega by friars of
his order, at least forty ministers are needed there for the welfare,
assistance, and conversion of those natives. Thus, all together, two
hundred ministers of the gospel are necessary for the administration
and conversion of the natives of those islands--which are under the
protection and dominion of your Highness, to whom they have rendered
obedience and whom they recognize as king and sovereign. This number is
in addition to those who are there now, reckoning among these latter
the descalced fathers of the order of St. Francis, who sailed in the
fleet now on the way for Nueva Espana, in order to go to the said
islands. And in order that your Highness may consider as excellently
employed all that you have spent from your royal exchequer in the
furtherance of this apostolic and sovereign work of conversion, he
[Ortega] gives a report as to the monasteries of religious and the
ministers of the three orders there, and the great results produced
by the preaching of the gospel among those natives. This is to the
great merit of your Highness, since they [the monasteries] have been
the chief instrument of the relief and salvation of the Indians.

19. There is one monastery with four religious of his order of
St. Augustine, in the island of Cubu. They have baptized about six
thousand, large and small, of the Indians in their charge there.

20. There is another monastery of the same order in another small
island, called Batayan. It has two religious, who have baptized three
thousand souls.

21. In the island of Panay, the best island after that of Luzon, are
six monasteries of his order. The island has sixteen ministers, who
have baptized more than thirty thousand persons, large and small. Each
day the conversion extends farther and it is through lack of ministers
that more are not baptized.

22. In the island of Luzon, where the city of Manila is located, in
a province called Pampanga, in a territory of eighteen leguas, are
twelve monasteries of his order. These have twenty-nine religious,
all priests. This district has twenty-three thousand five hundred
tributarios, or ninety thousand souls--more, rather than less--for
they are a people who multiply rapidly. Of all this number, there
are but few unbaptized.

23. In the same province (I mean island) of Luzon, is another
province, called Ylocos, and another, Pangasinan, where his order
of St. Augustine has eleven monasteries; and another in a Spanish
settlement on the Cagayah River, where there are twenty-eight
religious, all priests. In all this territory are twenty thousand
tributarios, or about eighty thousand souls, of whom fifty-five
thousand are baptized, while the rest are daily becoming converted.

24. In another province, called Bombon, where there are two large
lakes, the shores of which are all settled, within a territory twenty
leguas from the city of Manila are established eleven monasteries
of his order of St. Augustine. Here there are nineteen thousand five
hundred tributarios, or more than eighty thousand souls. Of these more
than sixty thousand are baptized, while the rest are regularly being
converted. The said monasteries have twenty-six religious, all priests.

25. The monasteries belonging to the order of St. Augustine in those
islands in the villages of the Indians number forty-three, with one
hundred and five ministers, who have in their charge, as reported,
two hundred and eighty-nine thousand souls, of whom two hundred and
forty-four thousand are baptized, while the remaining forty-five
thousand are being converted daily. In addition there is another
monastery in the city of Manila, with twenty-five ministers--ten
of them priests, and the others without sacerdotal orders. This
is in addition to novices, of whom there are usually some in the
monastery. The members of the convent have in charge certain Indians
near the city along the seacoast. Thus there are forty-four monasteries
with one hundred and thirty ministers.

26. The monasteries of the order of St. Francis in Indian villages in
those islands, number twenty-three. They have forty-nine ministers
in these; and in the city of Manila they have another monastery of
their order, with fifteen religious--priests and brethren, laymen and
choristers. He [Ortega] does not know the exact number of Indians in
their charge, although he thinks that they have baptized something
like thirty thousand persons.

There are four monasteries of the order of St. Dominic in Indian
villages, and two in Manila--one among the Chinese settled there,
and the other among the Spaniards. All six convents have eighteen
ministers, and he thinks they have baptized something like fourteen
thousand souls.

Fray Francisco de Ortega presents this report to your Highness, as
one who has an experience of twenty-four years in those islands, and
what remains from thirty-nine years in Nueva Espana. He presents
the report with all sincerity, so that your Highness may have
detailed information, and may deem yourself to be well served by
his order. His hope is that the necessity of ministers--both for
preaching to the natives already converted, and for the conversion of
so vast a multitude of people still to be converted--being evident,
your Highness, with your royal and usual kindness, may have a great
number of ministers of the gospel sent; since God is sending the
remedy that is drawing this people from their blindness, by the hands
of your Highness, for whom He is keeping the reward of so noble and
sovereign a work as this of converting a new world to the knowledge
of God our Lord.

[_Endorsed:_ "Fray Francisco de Ortega of the order of St. Augustine."]



What He Begs for the Monasteries of His Order


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Sire:

Fray Francisco de Ortega, visitor-general of his order of
St. Augustine, and prior of the convent of the city of Manila, in
the name of that province, and by the authority which he has for that
purpose, humbly begs and beseeches the following from your Majesty.

1. That your Majesty be pleased to bestow, as a grant and as alms for
the building of the monastery of that city, a fixed sum for a certain
period, as you did in past years for the building of the church of
the said monastery. In that case were assigned for the period of
ten years one thousand ducados annually. This grant is asked in
consideration of the fact that it has been burned twice, and has
been in part rebuilt from the alms that the religious have acquired
with great difficulty. Another ground is the many services performed
by his order in that country for your Majesty from the beginning,
when it was settled, with innumerable hardships which they endured
when engaged in implanting the faith, and in the service and relief
of the royal conscience of your Majesty--there being then no other
ministers there except them alone, as is quite well and commonly known,
and as will appear by the evidence which he adduces thereof. Finally,
a third ground for the grant is the fact that the monastery of Manila
is very poor, so that it cannot continue the work undertaken, and
therefore the religious are much inconvenienced by the narrowness of
their quarters. This is a house where great strictness and austerity
are observed; and in the bestowal upon them of this grant and alms by
your Majesty God our Lord will be served abundantly, and his [Ortega's]
order will receive benefit and favor thereby. Questions 20 to 24 and
the opinion. [_In the margin_: "Let the father declare the nature and
extent of the favor which he desires, and let the decree referred to
be brought." "A copy of the decree mentioned is brought."]

2. _Item_: That in consideration of the fact that when your Majesty's
first governor in those islands, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, assigned one
hundred pesos (of eight reals to the peso) and fifty fanegas of rice
annually for the support of each religious, goods were very cheap,
while now they are worth twice as much, and the religious cannot
be supported with this alms, he begs and beseeches your Majesty to
have the goodness to order that the alms for the food and clothing
of each religious be annually one hundred pesos de minas, or at
least Castilian ducados, and the usual amount of rice. This is a
very moderate request, since the religious possess no income or
chaplaincies, and it will bring but little additional expense upon
your Majesty's royal exchequer, as the monasteries sustained by your
royal crown are but few; and if your Majesty gives commands to this
effect, they will be much advantaged and favored. [_In the margin_:
"Let the governor give information of conditions in this matter,
and what he deems best for the future. Let him make a report of
everything in minute detail."]

3. _Item_: The said father Fray Francisco de Ortega declares that
fourteen years ago, when he came from those islands the first time,
your Majesty at his request and supplication granted favor to that
province, by ordering your royal officials to give annually, to
each religious who was a priest, two arrobas of wine for the mass,
and to each convent of his order in the province six jars of oil for
the lamp of the most holy sacrament, as was done throughout Nueva
Espana. This was not fulfilled, because before the arrival of the
time for the royal officials to give this alms the said convent of
St. Augustine was burned; and among the property and papers destroyed
was your Majesty's royal decree, bestowing the said favor. He begs and
entreats your Majesty, in confirmation of the said favor and alms,
to issue your royal decree, inserting the first decree therein, so
that henceforth the said grant may take effect; and to direct the
officials of the royal treasury in Mexico to send the things granted
in kind to the royal officials of Manila, so that the latter may
give them to the monasteries of the said order, in pursuance of and
conformity with your Majesty's commands. By so doing the decree will
be fulfilled and the expense to your Majesty's royal exchequer will
also be diminished. [_In the margin_: "Have this decree renewed."]

4. Further, he declares that at the convent of San Augustin de Manila
the novices are taught, and that the arts and theology have been and
will be regularly studied there. It is a seminary whence they go, and
will continue to go, to other districts to preach to and convert those
natives, and to instruct those already converted, and to administer
the sacraments of our holy Catholic faith. There they receive and lodge
the religious going to those islands from this kingdom to engage in the
apostolic work of the conversion of those natives. The house is poor,
so that with its present resources it is impossible to support eight
friars, without the alms that your Majesty ordered to be given for
four-there being, as a general rule, more than twenty religious in the
said convent. He begs and entreats your Majesty, in consideration of
the aforesaid, to order the grant increased to the number of twelve
religious, more or less, as may be your Majesty's pleasure. They
will receive this as a great help and bounty. [_In the margin_:
"That which is provided for the second section above."]

5. _Item_: He begs and entreats your Majesty, in consideration of the
aforesaid and of the fact that the convent at Manila is an infirmary
for all that province, where all those engaged in the conversion
and administration of the sacraments in the Indian villages come for
treatment when sick, to grant bounty and alms to the said convent,
by ordering that the physician and the medical supplies necessary for
the treatment of the said religious be at the cost of your Majesty's
royal exchequer, as your Majesty has done in the kingdom of Peru. [_In
the margin_: "Let him be given the decree in accordance with the
declaration made."]

6. The said father Fray Francisco de Ortega informs your Majesty that
the bishop of those islands, of his own notion and at his own pleasure,
placed religious of his own order of St. Dominic in a settlement of
Sangleys (natives of the kingdom of China) near the city of Manila,
and across a river that flows through it. From the beginning when
that island was gained and settled, the religious of the order of
St Augustine have had the said Chinese and natives in charge, to
whose conversion and baptism they have paid special attention. From
the monastery of his order to the place where the Dominican fathers
have settled the distance is but two shots of an arquebus. This is in
direct opposition to your Majesty's orders and the commands of your
royal decrees--namely, that wherever the monastery of one order is
established, no other shall be placed except at the distance appointed
by your Majesty. As most of the Chinese settled there are idolatrous
heathen, it is a great disadvantage for them to be mingled with the
newly-converted Christian Indians, the natives of another race; and
from this mingling arise many offenses against God our Lord. In order
to avoid these, it would be advisable for your Majesty to have those
Chinese removed thence to the place where the rest of their nation
have settled, leaving those natives free. It would be well also to
decree that the Dominican fathers there shall settle in another place
where there is greater need for them; and that your Majesty entrust
the execution of all the above to the governor of those islands,
[_In the margin_: "Have the governor examine and provide for this."]

7. Further, he says that some three years ago father Fray Mattheo de
Mendoza, of his order, implored and entreated your Majesty, in the name
of that province, to be pleased to grant permission for the founding
of a monastery of Recollet friars of his order, in a hermitage called
Nuestra Senora de Guia, located in a place about one-quarter of a
legua from the city of Manila. Your Majesty ordered your royal decree
to be issued to the effect that the governor and bishop should make
investigations as to whether it would be useful and advantageous to
have the said hermitage granted for the said purpose, and that they
should send their report, together with their opinion on the matter,
to the royal Council of the Yndias. In fulfilment of this direction,
the said governor has sent the said documents to your Majesty. He
[Ortega] entreats you to have it examined and, in accordance with it,
to provide and order what is deemed of most advantage to the service
of God our Lord, and of your Majesty--considering that, if the said
Recollet religious are established there, from their good instruction,
life, and example great results will be obtained, both among the
natives, and from the devotion of the Spaniards. [_In the margin_:
"Let the governor undertake the establishment of whatever religious
of the order of St. Augustine he thinks advisable."]

[_Endorsed:_ "+ Fray Francisco de Ortega, of the order of
St. Augustine."]




Advice on Fourteen Points of Great Import for the Service of God and
His Majesty, and the Increase of His Royal Estate


Sire:

Fray Francisco de Ortega, of the order of St. Augustine,
visitador-general of his order in the Philipinas Islands, by apostolic
authority, and by the royal authority of your Majesty, and the
authority of his general, declares that he has spent thirty-eight years
in the Yndias--sixteen of them in Nueva Espana and the rest in the
Philipinas Islands--preaching the word of God, and administering the
holy sacraments to Spaniards and Indians. In this period is reckoned
the time spent in voyaging to and fro between this kingdom and those
districts twice (and with this last time, thrice) to your Majesty as
a suppliant, and voyaging twenty-two thousand leguas and undergoing
many dangers and hardships to inform your Majesty of the condition
of those islands, and of what, in his opinion, by reason of his long
experience in that country, was fitting for the service of God our
Lord, and that of your Majesty. His purpose was that, with your royal
clemency and magnanimity and most Christian zeal, you might decree a
reform, and provide what should be most convenient for the aforesaid
objects--which reform your Majesty decreed, and it has been placed
in execution. He has conducted the religious whom your Majesty bade
him take for the conversion of those natives--forty in number, except
for those who died on the voyage; he has founded twelve monasteries
beside the ones already there--in all, forty-three; he has visited
the province and executed your Majesty's commands. And now lastly,
in the service of God and your Majesty, by the advice and consent
of the governor of those islands, under the persuasion and with the
sanction of the religious of that province, he comes again the third
time, bowed down with years and labors, and with thought for the
future, but disdaining the perils of this long and dangerous voyage,
to inform your Majesty of what is advisable for your royal service,
and for the welfare, increase, and conservation of that country. His
declaration follows:

1. That it will be very advisable for the service of God our Lord,
the merit of your Majesty, the welfare and relief of the natives of
those islands, the establishment and increase of the country, and the
relief of your Majesty's royal conscience that you have a large number
of religious provided for the conversion of those to be baptized,
and the maintenance in the faith of those already Christians; for,
because of lack of ministers, many fail to receive baptism, and to
acquire a knowledge of God our Lord. Further, for temporal welfare and
increase, they [the religious] are those who are of most importance;
for, wherever they are, the people are orderly and quiet, even if
not all converted, and there is a constant tendency for wealth to
increase. But where there are none, things tend toward waste and
the dissipation of wealth, which fact ample experience attests in
all parts of the Yndias. It is quite sure and certain that a hundred
ministers of the gospel effect more temporal and spiritual good than
a thousand soldiers.

2. That it would be very advantageous for the service of God our Lord,
and that of your Majesty, and for the welfare and relief of so infinite
a number of people as there are in the great kingdom of China, that
you order the continuation of that which you ordered twelve years ago,
and the execution of which was begun, although the effect attempted
was not followed up nor attained because of the hidden judgment
of God. This was for your Majesty to write to the king of China,
sending him, in token of affection and friendship, certain articles
of the products of this kingdom, which that kingdom does not have,
with a request for him to give audience to the ministers of God,
whom your Majesty should send him; to give license or permission
for ministers of the gospel to enter his kingdom and preach our holy
faith freely; and to grant that the Spaniards and Chinese should have
trade and commerce, the former being assigned some maritime port,
such as has been assigned to the Portuguese in Macan. For there is
a long experience from the time when father Fray Martin de Herrera
of his order of St. Augustine went there, up to the present time,
that in no other way will they admit the ministers of the orders
in those islands, who have gone there to strive for their relief
and salvation; because, beside imprisoning and ill-treating them,
and prohibiting them from residing there, they have sent them back to
the city of Manila. Humanly speaking, there is no other remedy, or no
remedy more mild and better suited to the justification of your Majesty
than this. He regards it as beyond question that what previously had
no effect your Majesty will in your most Christian conscience command
to be carried out, since by this command you run risk of little loss,
and there is a clear possibility of gaining much. [_In the margin_:
"Have the papers brought that were lately examined, and what was done
in this matter."]

3. The said Fray Francisco de Ortega informs your Majesty that,
within sight of the mainland of China, is an island called Nao, lying
toward the south, where is grown and where there is a great quantity of
pepper. Its inhabitants have trade and commerce with the Chinese, and
although the island is not large, it is said to contain fifteen cities,
most of which have from twelve to fourteen thousand citizens. They
are a dull-witted race, and are given over to many kinds of vice
and licentiousness. This is an argument that the entrance to this
island will be easier; and therefore the information is given that
one thousand Spaniards would suffice for its pacification. If there
were a justifiable ground for seizure, this would be a position of
great advantage for communicating with and entering the great kingdom
of China.

4. Likewise he says that in his opinion it will be of great importance
for your Majesty to write to Xapon, to the king of Firando, as he
declares his wish to become a Christian and asks for religious of the
order of St. Augustine, as appears by a letter written by a father of
the said order there, Fray Francisco Manrique by name. This latter says
that the king is very desirous of becoming a vassal of your Majesty;
and, if he does so, it will be very advisable to have him for a friend,
for whatever opportunities may arise for your Majesty's service.

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