The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55 / 1604-1605 / 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

LETTERS FROM AUGUSTINIAN FRIARS TO FELIPE III

Sire:

This province of our father St. Augustine in the Philipinas enjoyed a fortunate and prosperous season as a result of the care, zeal, and strictness in religion of the provincial, who (to my great sorrow) has just completed his term, and was chiefly inspired by the advice, directions, and commands which your Majesty has sent us in your letters, all of which have been scrupulously obeyed and respected. During this happy time there returned to this province Fray Lorenso de Leon, [39] a man who after having been provincial here went on business of the province to España and Roma for six years, as your Majesty has been fully notified. This father Fray Lorenso de Leon came, then, to disturb all this good, having sought and pursued nothing but his own personal interest and desires, with his notorious vanity and ambition, and having wholly neglected the general advantage of this forgotten province.

He arrived last year, one thousand six hundred and four; and up to the present time (our provincial chapter having been held in the interim) his only occupation and efforts have been to bring it about by unfair contrivances that he should attain his own pretensions and advancement, as is evident by the result. In the face of the requisitions and notifications made by our assembly of definitors, he, although he was under solemn oath, concealed the papers and documents which he brought with him, and brought them forward only in this present chapter. These documents, although they were nothing but simple letters from our father-general, were accepted there, in order to avoid contentions and scandals; and accordingly, as they directed, he presided in the chapter as vicar-general, the same authority being valid for all chapters and congregations [of the order] at which he might be present. Thus he has taken this ancient and rightful name from our provincials of Castilla, to whom it was granted by his Holiness; and this without command from your Majesty and your royal Council, to whom all this is subject. We pray will all humility that such assumption of authority may be permitted to go no further, in order that the evils thus begun in such a decay of this province (of which your Majesty will be informed in this letter) may no longer continue.

After the majority of the chapter, including those most worthy of confidence, had agreed and determined, for the greater peace and quiet of the chapter, to elect as provincial a deserving religious of the qualifications required by our rules, we proceeded peacefully with the election, until the said father Fray Lorenso de Leon took control of it. Although he had no right to be present in spite of his being president, he eagerly seated himself so near the clerk who gave out the blank ballots that, whether by fear or affection, he certainly by this, and with his gestures and signs, being himself a candidate, affected and changed the wills and intentions of some of the electors, contrary to the freedom of the election. Moreover, he was present at the counting of the votes and ballots with the three tellers. When he discovered that he had some votes, at which time he ought to have departed, and that another (whom he feared) was receiving more than he was then, so as to be sure of the election—and that candidate is said certainly to have had it—exceeding his authority, he barred the votes and commanded the counting to cease, declaring the election to be void. He showed—as a pretext, as will later appear from all this—a ballot or vote somewhat torn, in order to force a new election. Hence followed much ill-will, which he manifested on his side. In order to compel a new decision, as a result of the fear and change of purpose which he intended to cause in their minds, he delivered deceitful and satirical speeches (with which he is provided), in which he let them know that there was no one else in the chapter who could be elected except himself. He declared that he was not obliged to confirm him whom they might elect, making this declaration for the benefit of him who presumed to be most fit to be chosen. Although he was challenged and called upon to declare the impediment or incapacity of that man or of any other, he was not willing to do so, since in truth there was no such disability. As a result of this and other acts of tyranny, he forced a new election and new vote, to the great disgust and astonishment of the chapter. This sufficed to elect him (as he was in fact elected) provincial. He caused himself to be confirmed by one of the definitors; and, as the chapter had begun by siding with him, so it was continued. He now saw himself provincial, president, and vicar-general; and all this encouraged and enabled him to take our courage and spirit away from us in all elections, both small and great. Thus they all resulted in accordance with his will, and with the promises which he had made to those of his party, and to those from whom he had asked votes. This he had done through some laymen, a thing which makes the matter worse.

The result is manifest in the holders of all the better offices and convents. They are chosen from the friars of his province of Mexico, and from those who have assumed the habit here—unlearned, dissipated, and worthless boys. At the same time he has put out of office those whom he has oppressed, solely because they have come, being sent out by your Majesty from the provinces of España. The hatred and division among ourselves arising from his party cannot be remedied unless you Majesty take prompt measures to cure it from there, so completely have these fathers who are not from España obtained possession of the province, which is not very lucrative under their control. All the rest of us remain in discouragement and unhappiness to see such things, so opposite to good government and the Christian religion, and so full of peril to consciences. The result has been that some religious have not been willing to accept priorships in this chapter, for fear that they cannot hold them securely, inasmuch as the said father has not in their view been elected as a lawful superior, considering the coercion in the proceedings. Taking warning from past experience, fearing to cause public scandal and the rumors that result from disputes and investigations in such matters, and timid because of the little redress that can be had here, we have endured this affliction, and will suffer the harm within our own gates. For the whole series of proceedings is in violation of law; yet we have not, although your Majesty has many just counselors in this his royal council, entered our plea for justice and liberty before the council; for we desire to avoid scandals, and the governor of these islands has shown himself to be greatly biased in favor of the provincial elected. This is due to the activity and unlawful proceedings of the sargento-mayor Christoval de Asqueta, long since an agent for father Fray Lorenso de Leon. Such a relation is completely contrary to the rule of our order and our withdrawal from the world. Our only redress is in recourse to your Majesty, prostrate before whose feet we send our petition from this remotest province to our patron, defender, and gracious king, praying for justice, relief, and liberty in this case and in all other cases in which oppression is brought upon our good purpose and holy zeal, which were taught us in the convents in the provinces of España. We assure your Majesty that we who make this earnest and truthful report are the most prominent and sound part of the chapter; and that we are moved solely by the purpose of serving our Lord God and of promoting the advance of our holy order in credit and reputation, to the benefit of the royal crown and to the spiritual desert of your Majesty in these regions. We feel certain that your Majesty will soon send the remedy for all these evils, as we entreat, by interposing the authority of the nuncio of his Holiness, that he may by his official censure revoke all documents, rights of preëminence, or letters of our father-general which the said father Fray Lorenso de Leon may have, since it is entirely improper that he should take advantage of them. By this means and by the decrees which your Majesty will issue, this province can be assembled anew for an election—that is, those of it who have the right to vote—free from domination, under the presidency of a bishop of these Philipinas Islands. That which is supremely necessary is, as we have often prayed your Majesty, that there may come here from that province of Castilla a religious to inspect this province and set its affairs in order. If need be, he should have plenary authority to govern it, without allowing other elections; and he whom your Majesty shall send should come accompanied by religious fit to restore and preserve this province. Like a young vine, it is in need of such laborers, and not of such as dry up its moisture and pluck its fruit, like the friars who come here from Mexico. They have no other care, imitating in this their head; for it is evident that the said father Fray Lorenso de Leon has always acted in this way, since for his own private claims he has taken almost ten thousand pesos in past years and at present he has begun to collect the same a second time, in order to satisfy these claims entirely. We are eye-witnesses that in his behavior, desires, possessions, and unlawful wealth [40] he lays claim to great things. According to rumor and his beginnings, he aims at a bishopric; and this is made certain by the saying that he brought back here, when he complained that he would have received the bishopric of Manila if some persons had not written against him, and declared that he brought letters with him which would cause him to be feared, and that he would be provincial, by fair means or foul. May your Majesty be pleased to abate this evil by causing him to leave this province, and by granting us this boon and redress for which we pray, and which will conduce so greatly to the restoring of this province. Be assured that we make this truthful representation without any sort of malice or evil purpose, but only with wholesome and well-founded zeal. Your Majesty will have satisfactory proof of this in the letters and advices which will be sent from the government, the community, and the religious orders here, all of which will furnish information in the case. The cause is that of God and of your Majesty, and this will give us calmness and courage, in certain hope of receiving this great grace and protection. We remain your Majesty's humble chaplains and faithful servants, praying our God to grant your Majesty many years of happy life with all spiritual gifts, to the increase of your royal estates and Christian seigniories. Dated after the session of our chapter in our convent of San Augustin in Manila, on the fourth day of the month of May, one thousand six hundred and five.

Fray Estevan Carrillo, definitor. Fray Bernabe de Villalovos, definitor of Guadalupe. Fray Miguel Garcia, visitor. Fray Jhoan de Tapia, associate of the late provincial and secretary of the province [?]. Fray Francisco Serrano, sometime visitor. Fray Miguel de Siguenza, sometime visitor. Fray Mathedo Daças, prior. Fray Jhoan de Pineda, prior, and lecturer in theology. Fray Diego Pardo, procurator-general. Fray Jheronimo de Salas, prior. Fray Jhoan de Rojas, sub-prior of Manila. Fray Miguel de San Marco Fray Bartolome de Aguirre Fray Ambrosio de Leon, procurator.

[Endorsed: "September 12, 1606. Considered; the decree on a separate paper.">[

Sire:

The Order of St. Augustine in these islands has for years been in need of reform, and many letters have been written to your Majesty on this subject. During the provincialate which has just come to an end, that of Fray Pedro Arce, some reforms were accomplished as a result of his good example, for he is a friar who follows the rules of his order very scrupulously; but as he had no one to carry this beginning to perfection, for lack of friars such as himself, he did not achieve what he desired. His successor is named Fray Lorenzo de Leon; and he has begun to overthrow everything which his predecessor established, by oppressing the Castilian friars and encouraging the creoles, [41] who are utterly shiftless and a set of fools. From this will necessarily follow the entire ruin of the province. The only means of remedy is that your Majesty should send religious from Castilla and those provinces of España in order that this province may lift its head and be reformed. The religious of the said order will write to your Majesty. There are very zealous ones among them, especially Fray Pedro de Arce, [42] the late provincial, to whom entire credit may be given.

May our Lord keep your Majesty for the good of your many kingdoms. Manila, June 1, 1605.

Fray Bernardo de Santa Catherina, commissary of the Holy Office, of the Order of St. Dominic. [43]

Sire:

In spite of the fact that I am one of those who joined in signing a common letter which was sent to your Majesty by the majority of the chapter of this province of our father St. Augustine in the Philippinas, I cannot satisfy my conscience or manifest the zeal which I ought to possess, without giving personal notice to your Majesty of certain things with which as associate of the late provincial and as secretary of the province I became acquainted, and which still continue to exist, to the great harm and diminution of the province. I am encouraged to do this, although it is the first time that I address you, by reasons which demand a remedy; and by considering, with the certain proofs which I have, that your Majesty as a king and father most benevolent and most Christian will not be indignant that a chaplain, servant, and vassal such as I should give information, by means of these and other just suggestions, in order that reform may result from them. Ever since father Fray Lorenso de Leon returned to this province, it has steadily degenerated from the harmony and influence which it had previously gained, as a result of the great improvement shown in all things under the control of the virtuous superior of the previous term. It now grows worse and worse the more it has of him who is at present the superior, the father already mentioned. The plan and the tricks with which he was elected I do not write to your Majesty, since they have already been recounted in a common letter, to which I refer. As a result of his election the religious from Mexico who are here, and have assumed the habit in this country have recovered their strength. They are nearly all of little ability, ignoramuses, uncontrolled, and of most perverse inclinations. Out of the respect and reverence due your Majesty I do not enter into details; I only state particularly that the games of cards have been revived among them. The one who has especially distinguished himself is a certain Fray Jhoan de Amorin, who with the said father Fray Lorenço de Leon went from this province to the province of Mexico, returning again with a very bad reputation and the name of having a restless disposition, ambitious and injurious to all, and personally vicious and dissolute, unrestrained in all respects.

The said father being in Mexico took under his charge the conduct of some religious intended for this province, and recruited from that one. He was in charge of the clothing and other possessions of these religious, and even of the fund granted from your Majesty's treasury of that kingdom for such conveyance of friars. He deceitfully affirmed that it has been spent, but rendered no account for it; and tells different stories about it, such as to condemn him. He has always been under the protection of the said father Leon, who has received his pay from the great amount which the other has obtained for him, during this last chapter, by means of secular and religious persons belonging to his party. As the climax of all this, he has appointed the said father Amorin prior of the convent of Tondo, in the sight of all this community. The common people have objected and murmured much, since in that village they have previously had special proofs of our disinterestedness and purity of motive.

Of the many things which were taken in charge by Father Lorenço de Leon to be attended to in the kingdoms of España and Roma, for the benefit of this distant province, not one of the least importance or necessity has been concluded; yet he has spent, just as if he had carried everything through, the assessments and additional contributions which were given him in common by the province. He has cared only for his private interests and his private claims, as is manifestly shown by the titles that have been lavished upon him … master, though he has not sufficient learning; and president and vicar-general for all chapters and assemblages, to the manifest injury of the members of this province. He was received as such, although in violation of law, only in order to avoid contention and scandal. But he has assumed still more authority, as a result of the liberty which he has, and in the documents which he issues adds the title of provincial and vicar-general. All this is without the command of your Majesty and of your royal Council of the Indias, and is contrary to the grants made to our provincial fathers of Castilla who have so long exercised a similar office. This is right, since this province was established and is maintained by them and the honored friars who have come out hither from España. We have greatly suffered from the lack of such Spanish friars, since it is now six years since religious were sent out to us here. The cause has been the fact that the said father Fray Lorenzo de Leon went thither, and although he might have brought back a noble shipload of them, he did not undertake the work with sufficient diligence—expecting to obtain friars from Mexico, and to convert to his own use the grants made for such conveyance in Sevilla from your Majesty's treasury. The fact is, that although he received a decree and allowance to bring eighteen religious from those provinces, he actually brought only seven to whom the habit of our father St. Augustine belonged. The other eleven he supplied with laymen who were traveling secretly to the Indias, and he received from them special bribes, putting upon them habits of the order, that they might in this way get as far as the registry in Vera Cruz and afterward return to their own condition. The said father thus retained in his hands all the allowance which he had received. I would not dare to make this statement to your Majesty if I did not know it from the relation of those very seven religious whom he brought hither from España. Additional evidence is a letter (which I saw) from Dr. Antonio de Morga, written soon after his arrival in Mexico, in which he gave this information to persons from there. Nothing has been done in this matter because of the fear and subjection in which the said father Leon has placed those of us who might speak and demand justice for this and other most unjust acts of which he has been guilty. I testify to your Majesty that his cell and manner of dress are like those of a trading merchant, and not of a poor and abstinent friar; and, through the trade conducted by the Chinese here, I know that he has invested a great amount of money in sending merchandise to Mexico. Now this he could not do except at the expense of the convents; for in the larger and richer houses he has granted offices to those of his party and those under his control, while he dislikes and ill-treats the virtuous and grave religious from España. All this causes us sorrow and affliction, especially because of the offense committed against our Lord God, and the loss to our order and the disservice of your Majesty and of your Majesty's holy zeal, and because your Majesty's directions are not fulfilled. May your Majesty be pleased to put an end to all this by exercising your authority and sending as promptly as possible an inspector from the province of Castilla, accompanied by religious like himself. Such a one may amend this and take these two religious from here, depriving them of the titles of which they have made so bad a use. I beseech your Majesty to pardon my boldness in having dwelt so long on this matter. I may have failed, in my manner of writing, to observe the respect and form due to my king and lord, but I believe that I have not been at fault in purpose or zeal. I am now occupied in the service of your Majesty as chief chaplain and vicar of the galleys and fleets of your Majesty in these kingdoms, upon the important expedition which is now being made. [44] In this and in all things I am the meanest servant and vassal of your Majesty. I kiss your royal hand and pray that God may keep your Majesty in a long and happy life with the increase of every good.

Manila, June 20, 1605. Fray Jhoan de Tapia

[Endorsed: "June 22, 1606; to the Count of Lemos." "September 12, 1606; examined; no answer.">[