The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 22 of 55 / 1625-29 / 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

Decrees Regarding the Religious

Concerning lawlessness of Augustinian religious

The King. To the president and auditors of my royal Audiencia of the city of Manila of the Philipinas Islands: In a letter written to me by Don Francisco de Caravajal Campo Frio, dated August two of the former year six hundred and twenty-five, he declares that while alcalde-mayor of the province of Balayan, he heard that Diego Larias Maldonado had arrived there, who had run away with the wife of a certain man. He had them arrested in the town of Batangas, a mission of Augustinian friars. He declares that Fray Antonio Muxica, prior of the said order, at the head of his fiscal and choristers, broke open the gates of the prison, and loosed the prisoners, after maltreating the government agents. And although he drew up a report about this action, and informed their superior of it—sending the latter a copy of the report, while he kept the original, in order to give you an account of it—the superior did not inflict punishment, but on the contrary exerted himself to get hold of the original report. But as he did not succeed in this, two religious, accompanied by over one hundred natives, went to Caravajal’s house, surrounded it, went up stairs where he was, and took away the said [original] report from him, after having bound him and maltreated him by word and deed. Although he informed you of it, that crime has not yet been punished. Inasmuch as it is not right that such a crime remain without punishment, I have considered it fitting to send you a copy of the said letter, so that if the relation made by the said Don Francisco de Caravajal Campo Frio be true, you may enact justice, in order that, in the future, it may serve as a warding. For this you shall have recourse to the provincial of the said order. Given in Madrid, May twenty-one, one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven.

I The King

Countersigned by Don Juan Fernando Ruiz de Contreras, and signed by the members of the Council.

[Endorsed: “To the Manila Audiencia, sending it a copy of a letter written to your Majesty by Don Francisco Caravajal Campo Frio in regard to the outrage committed against him by certain religious of St. Augustine, so that, if his report be true, justice may be done.”]

Granting alms to the Augustinians

The King. To the officials of my royal treasury of the Philipinas Islands: You know already that it was ordered by a decree of the king my father (who is in glory), dated August seven, of the former year six hundred and one, that a ration for two additional religious be given for four years longer to the convent of St. Augustine, of that city of Manila, in the manner that it is given to four religious in that convent; and that he prolonged the said time for another four years by another decree of six hundred and sixteen, and for another four years (which are completed) by another decree of May nine, six hundred and twenty. Now Fray Hernando Guerrero, of the said order, bishop-elect of the city of Nueva Segovia in those islands, has reported to me in the name of the said convent, that the religious of his order from the other convents are entertained and treated there in their sicknesses; and that it is in a college and seminary of grammar, the arts, and theology, whence subjects go out to preach the holy gospel. In consideration of that, he petitions me to order that the said ration continue to be given to the said two religious for such time as I may choose.

The matter having been examined by the members of my royal Council of the Indias, I have considered it advisable to order that it be given to them for another four years, that time to run and be counted from the day on which the said last four years were completed. Accordingly, I order you to pay to the said monastery of the Order of St. Augustine in that city, from any revenue that may be in that my treasury, the said ration for the said two additional religious, during the said four years of this prolongation, in the same form and manner as it is given to the other four religious; for such is my will.

Given in Madrid, June eleven, one thousand six hundred and twenty-seven.

I The King
Countersigned by Fernando Ruiz de Contreras.

Recommendation of the Council of the Indias regarding the Recollects

Sire:

Fray Pedro de la Madre de Dios, procurator of the order of discalced Augustinians in the Philipinas Islands, has represented that the poverty of the religious of that order is very great, as they have no income; and inasmuch as medicines are dear, they cannot get the money in order to buy those necessary for the sick, whence it follows that they cannot maintain the health necessary for their attending to the ministry of preaching and instruction among the Indians, and the relief of the royal conscience. He petitions your Majesty, in consideration of the above, to grant alms to the said religious, so that they be given the medicines urgently necessary to treat themselves, as these are given to the religious of St. Dominic and St. Francis. He says that what they can use would amount to one hundred and fifty pesos annually. The matter having been examined in the Council, and the poverty of the said order appearing, and seeing that they have no income, and having considered how well they serve our Lord in the conversion of the natives under their charge; it seems best that your Majesty grant favor to the said religious, for six years, of the medicines that may be necessary in order to cure the sick, provided that it do not exceed in any year the stated sum of one hundred and fifty pesos above mentioned. Your Majesty will show them such favor as is in accord with your royal will. Madrid, November 4, 1627.

[Signed by the members of the Council.]

[Endorsed: “Council of the Indias. November 4, 1627.” “+That your Majesty might grant concession for six years to the discalced friars of the Order of St. Augustine, of the medicines necessary for the treatment of their sick.” In a different hand, evidently that of the king: “+It is well.”]