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

Letter from the Sisters of St. Clare to Felipe IV

Jesus, Mary

May all empires and kingdoms be made subject to your royal Majesty. We were sent here by the great king, Don Felipe, our sovereign (may he rest in peace), by his royal decree and favor he ordering the governor and royal Audiencia to receive us under his royal protection as nuns of the first rule of St. Clare,[1] so that the daughters of the conquistadors who do not have the means for marriage may be aided; and [it was ordered] that, when the provincial of our order should be present they should make regulations according to our rule and profession—his royal Majesty ordering the above with the earnestness that is made evident in his decree. We have found in this kingdom so friendly a disposition and so great abundance of what is necessary (with which we are supplied in the city), that although at present we number only thirty-three sisters, seventy could be supported on the alms that are bestowed upon us every week in small contributions—besides those given in quantity by private persons and bequeathed to us in wills; and those from women who are admitted to the order, who have wealth for this purpose.

Our rule declares that we may not solicit the property of those who enter to become nuns, and we are not to be careful of aught else than their virtues; but that if any one of these wishes to give some alms of her own freewill, we may receive it, as from any other person. Consequently, having observed faithfully this rule—I mean, in not desiring or striving for any more than the said benefit (and we exercise great care in this)—our Lord moves hearts, so that one woman alone has given us fourteen thousand pesos. With that the work on the convent is progressing. Other women who are about to make profession say that they will give the same amount that they would give their husbands if they married; and that, since God is their spouse, they wish to give it to Him so that a convent capable of sustaining many nuns may be built, so that they may serve his Majesty. Some have as their dowry only the spiritual wealth that the rule requires. Consequently, there are liable to be many orphan girls who serve God, daughters and granddaughters of conquistadors, who are calling aloud, and they refuse to allow them to enter. It is a pity to see so pious desires disappointed. I petition your Majesty to send me a royal decree that no limit shall be set to the number of nuns that the convent may contain. The rule does not limit the number, nor does any other convent throughout all these kingdoms. The city is very rich, and food so cheap that fourteen libras of beef cost one real; another real buys eight libras of fish; six libras of sugar, one real; and fowls, salt pork, and all other things in the same proportion; of salt alone, they have given us, on this last arrival of the ships, three hundred and seventy baras [i.e., bahars]; also a goodly supply of wine for the mass; and linen, which is very cheap.

Consequently we, these least important vassals of your Majesty, do not need human aid, but the divine. That aid we have entreated from the royal favor, so that no restriction be laid on the nuns that the convent shall contain. It is a great pity to see how they hinder the souls who serve God in so great perfection as those women who are here, the natives of these kingdoms. I consider beyond any doubt that they will be most devoted servants of God, who works marvels in all those whom He shrives, and all set themselves to observe the warnings of the gospel. An infinite number of little girls and older orphans come weeping, with their widowed mothers, begging us for the love of God to give them the habit. Since the king, our sovereign, sent them so great a spiritual and temporal consolation, and since their parents gained it for them by conquering this country at the cost of their own lives, we all are so bounden. Beseeching our Lord to prosper your royal Majesty, spiritually and temporally, with infinite increase; and may He subject to the royal power of your royal Majesty all empires and kingdoms that He has created for the greater honor, glory, and increase of the faithful, and the exaltation of the holy Catholic faith. Manila, July 31. Given in this convent of La Concepcion of the discalced nuns of St. Clare, in the year 1626.

The most humble vassals of your royal and sacred Majesty,

Jeronima de la Asunsion,[2]

abbess, and her sisters,

Ana de Christo Bicaria
Leonor [de] San Francisco
Leonor de Sant Buena Bentura
Lüysa de Jesús
Magdalena de Christo
Juana de San Antonio
Maria de los Angeles
Maria Magdalena
Ana de Jesus
Ana de Christo Bicaria

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[1] This order of nuns, commonly known as “Poor Clares,” is the second order of St. Francis. It was founded by St. Clare, who was born at Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, and she was received by him into the monastic life in 1212; she died in 1253. The order soon spread into France and Spain; and a written rule was given to these nuns by St. Francis in 1224, which was approved by the pope in 1246. Some modifications of this rule—which was exceedingly austere—crept into various convents; and a rule, approved by Urban IV, was drawn up in 1264, similar to that of St. Francis, but somewhat mitigated. It was adopted by most of the convents in the order, this branch being known as Urbanists; the minority, who followed the stricter rule, were called Clarisses. The government and direction of the order were at first divided between a cardinal protector and the superiors of the Franciscans; but, early in the sixteenth century, Julius II placed the Poor Clares entirely under the jurisdiction of the general and provincials of the Friars Minors. (Addis and Arnold’s Catholic Dictionary.)

[2] Geronima de la Asunción, daughter of Pedro Garcia Yanez, was born in Toledo in 1555, and entered the Order of St. Clare in August, 1570. With seven nuns of her order, she embarked from Cadiz on July 5, 1620, and arrived at Manila August 5, 1621, where she founded the convent of La Concepción. Within two months, she received twenty girls into the novitiate, notwithstanding the rigorous and austere rules of this order. The provincial of the Franciscans strove to modify this strictness, for the sake of the nuns’ health in so trying a climate, but Mother Gerónima refused to yield, and finally triumphed, in the appeal made to the head of the order—although after this victory she permitted some relaxations of the rule. Opposition arose to the seclusion of so many young women of Manila in the monastic life; and even the diocesan authorities endeavored to restrain their zeal—even excommunicating Mother Gerónima for a time—but with little result. She died on October 22, 1630. See La Concepción’s account of her and the entrance of this order, in Hist. de Philipinas, v, pp. 1–17.