The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 08 of 55 / 1591-1593 / Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

by Unknown

Manila

The city of Manila is located in the island of Luzón. It is the capital of all the islands, and the usual residence of the governor and captain-general, his counselor, and his Majesty's army. This city has about three hundred citizens. It contains the cathedral and bishop's house, and the prebendaries—to-wit, Page 90dean, archdeacon, schoolmaster, treasurer, two canons, seven or eight clerical priests, and some, although few, who are to receive orders. The city has a monastery of Augustinian friars, usually with sixteen religious, counting those who are going and coming—eight of the number being priests, and the rest brethren and candidates for orders. There is one Dominican convent, with four or five friars; and another convent of the same order, with a Sangley hospital, in the Parian in the same city, with two religious. There is one Franciscan convent, which generally contains four priests and seven or eight brethren, counting the teacher and the novitiates. The Society of Jesus has also a professed house, with its father superior, three priests, and three brethren. There is a royal hospital for the Spaniards, and another for the Indians, under charge of two Franciscan lay-brethren. The number of paid soldiers is generally about two hundred, besides their officers. There are two chief constables, one city and the other government; two constables; a prison warden; the three judges; the officials of the royal estate—factor, accountant, and treasurer; an executioner; a notary; a probate judge; the municipal body of the city, with two alcaldes-in-ordinary, twelve regidors, and two secretaries—one of finance and war, the other of administration; six notaries-public, and two attorneys; and one constable to attend to vagabonds. There are many calling themselves captain, but only four have companies. This city contains the silk-market of the Parian, which is composed of Sangley merchants, who have two hundred shops. The Parian contains about two thousand Sangleys, more or less, with their judge and governor. In addition to these there are somewhat more than one thousand Page 91in the city, in Tondo, and throughout the islands, engaged in various occupations and trades. Inasmuch as this relation treats only of the ministers of instruction here and those necessary, I shall not discuss further details of Manila and the islands, in order to come to my purpose. Manila and its environs have sufficient instruction, and even more than enough; for the usual alms is given to the religious of the convents, and they are charged to administer the sacraments and to give instruction to the natives there, each convent in its own district. Therefore the ecclesiastics occupied in Manila and its immediate environs, where there are plenty of ministers, might be sent to other districts where ministers are lacking.

His Majesty—In the city of Manila are many Indians who are liable to duty, both in service and in other employments, who are continually shifting— so that, out of the three thousand tributarios that there should be, not more than five hundred tributes are collected for his Majesty. To administer the sacraments and give Christian instruction there is one parish priest for the Indians, and they attend mass at the hospital for Spaniards. They are under the jurisdiction of Manila, in affairs of justice. ... D.

Bagunbaya: His Majesty—His Majesty collects about three hundred whole tributes in the new village of Bagunbaya. This means one thousand two hundred souls. The convent of Sanct Agustín of Manila provides instruction for one-third of them, those nearest the city. The other two-thirds attend mass there. They are under the charge of the parish priest of the Manila Indians—that is, as far as the hermitage of Nuestra Señora de Guía [“Our Lady of Guidance”]. There mass is celebrated for them; Page 92while he who says it to the Indians of Manila says it in the hospital. There are many other churches where they may attend mass, for the parish priest assists at that of the hermitage, as it is a good settlement and outside of the city. These Indians are under the jurisdiction of Manila. ... CCC.

Laguio y Malate: His Majesty—His Majesty collects three hundred tributes, which represent one thousand two hundred souls, in the village of Laguio y Malate. They are instructed by one Augustinian religious, who has a church and house there. They are under the jurisdiction of Manila. ... CCC.

Longalo y Parañaque: His Majesty—In the village of Longalo y Parañaque—two places merged into one—are eight hundred tributes, which are collected by his Majesty; counting in those of other small hamlets, they represent, in all, three thousand two hundred souls. They are in charge of one Augustinian convent established there, with two religious. These religious visit the other small hamlets. Tondo exercises justice therein. ... DCCC.

Cabite and Others: His Majesty—In the village of Cabite and other neighboring hamlets, his Majesty has three hundred and seventy tributes, representing one thousand four hundred and eighty souls. One ecclesiastic residing there has them in charge. He visits in addition some small villages very near by, and the port of Cavite, where Spanish sailors are wont to be found. ... CCCLXX.

Maragondon: His Majesty—His Majesty collects two hundred tributes, which represent eight hundred souls, in the village of Maragondón. Formerly the ecclesiastic of Cavite visited them, being assigned a special salary therefor. But he does Page 93not visit them now; and for three years they have been without instruction, through the bishop's negligence. ... CC.

Dilao: His Majesty—In the village of Dilao his Majesty collects two hundred whole tributes, representing eight hundred souls, whose instruction is in charge of the convent of Sanct Francisco of Manila. They attend mass at this convent, as it is quite near. ... CC.

Tondo: His Majesty—The town of Tondo, on the other side of the river, opposite Manila, is an encomienda of his Majesty, and is capital of a district, with its own jurisdiction and an alcalde-mayor. In Tondo, Nabotas, and Tambobo are collected one thousand five hundred whole tributes, which represent six thousand souls. It has one Augustinian convent with two ministers, who can give sufficient instruction. ... MD.

Besides that, there is another convent of Dominicans, with two religious, who furnish instruction to forty Christian Sangleys, whose tribute is paid to his Majesty. They are under the civil jurisdiction of that town. ... XL.

Zapa: His Majesty; Pedrode Chaves; a minor son of Velazquez—In the village of Capa, an encomienda of his Majesty, are collected two hundred tributes. In Pandaca, an encomienda of Pedro de Chaves, are collected one hundred more. In other neighboring small hamlets, on the river above, belonging to the minor son of Velazquez, are collected two hundred more. Together these amount to four hundred [sic.]. They are under the charge of one Franciscan religious who resides in Zapa and visits the other places. ... CCCC.

Passi: Thome de la Ysla—The encomienda of Page 94Passi belongs to Thome de la Ysla. It has two thousand tributes, under the instruction of one Augustinian monastery with two ministers. On the uplands are two thousand more, among the Tingues above, who, although friendly, pay no tribute and have no instruction. They could be provided with two more ministers in due time. ... MMMM.

Tagui: Captain Vergara—The encomienda of Tagui belongs to Captain Vergara. He collects there eight hundred tributes. It is provided with adequate instruction by Augustinians. ... DCCC.

Thus the encomiendas of Manila, its coast, and the opposite shore of Toado have nine thousand four hundred and ten whole tributes, which represent thirty thousand six hundred and forty souls, or thereabout. They have thirteen ministers of instruction, without counting that given by the monasteries, as above stated. Thus they are amply supplied with instruction, and even more than sufficiently. They are under the judicial and civil jurisdictions of Manila and Tondo, according to their districts.