LETTER FROM THE ECCLESIASTICAL CABILDO TO FELIPE III
Sire:
Considering that your Majesty’s great desire has always shown that these Filipinas Islands should increase in all things, and they may without doubt increase greatly for the service of God and that of your Majesty, if perchance your Majesty’s ministers aid them by observing the royal decrees (for no more would be necessary); understanding also that some of those religious who come here would like to have your Majesty grant them favor by giving them a university in these islands,[1] and authority to confer the degrees of bachelor, licentiate, and other degrees: we have considered that, the case having been well examined, this is not fitting, either for the service of your Majesty, or for the welfare and increase of this land. We believe that we shall give very clear and very apparent reasons for this. For if a religious order has the said university, never will the children and those born in this country have any advantage, nor will they advance any in letters. For, since it is a fact that virtue increases with reward, which is the honor, if the religious hold all the professorships, the seculars will have no incentive which encourages them to rise and to study solidly. A professorship and the thought of being able to get one makes many study. Second, it would be a great pity and even a great cause of ruin for the country, if the children of its inhabitants did not have anything more to which to aspire than a benefice of Indians, or at most one single benefice which exists, of Spaniards, in all this archbishopric, namely, this curacy of Manila, and four or five others of Indians, which exist in all these islands. All of those benefices will be given by the bishops to their servants unless students are found here such that their conscience obliges them to favor such students. If the professorships should be given only to religious, no encouragement could be given to the children of the citizens here to study earnestly, at the most more than a little grammar. For that would be enough for them so that a benefice might be given them. Third, it is necessary for the religious orders themselves here, for the children of citizens to have the wherewithal with which to be encouraged to study, and to pretend to honorable and great things. For, by such people must the orders be fed and sustained. And it is fitting that those who should take the habit in them should have studied very well, and with honorable intention, and not that men of little mind and learning should enter the orders. Fourth, it is right that this metropolitan church of Manila and the other cathedrals of these islands should have men truly erudite who may enter them and hold their prebends. This is impossible to attain if all the seculars who enter them must be only students, and only scholars, and no one can be a master, or hold a professorship, and it is well known how unadvisable that is. It is right and necessary for the mother churches to have in their own body very eminent men, and no one is eminent ordinarily but those who have taught and held professorships. Fifth, the religious will be well able to teach theology and the arts, but canons and laws, which, particularly the canons, are also necessary for churches and for the community, cannot be taught by religious. And, in fact, the custom of the Catholic church has always been to leave in the universities, especially in those which are located in the capitals of notable provinces, as is that of this country, the door open to seculars and to religious, and to all, in order that they may compete for the professorships. This custom has always been observed by the Catholic sovereigns of Castilla, not only in Salamanca, Valladolid, and Alcalá, and in the other parts of España, but also in the Yndias. Considering these so forcible reasons, which are laid at your Majesty’s feet, we petition that your Majesty do not allow a university to be conceded to a religious order, although any ask it, and that the secular estate be not so abased in these islands that we should be excluded from a thing which has always been so common and so peculiar to the seculars in the Church. And if, for the present, your Majesty should be pleased to commission some religious to lecture in arts and theology, we know that there are religious in these islands who are friends of sane doctrines, and hostile to all innovation, and zealous for the honor of God, who will attend to this ministry without it being necessary for them (nor do they wish it) to meddle in giving degrees, but who only wish to be useful and to teach. If your Majesty would be so pleased, we believe that it would be very suitable for such persons to be appointed until there be more people to study, and that you be informed by the archbishop of this city, and should it appear fitting, by the governor together with him. Such appointees should not necessarily be of one order merely, but from those which the archbishop shall deem best, and your Majesty should order that very learned persons, and those inclined to simple doctrines be chosen. By so doing this will be fulfilled until such time that your Majesty shows us the grace of placing this in greater perfection and in such form that we seculars may have a place according to the merits of each one. May God preserve your Majesty many years, as is petitioned in this holy church ceaselessly. Manila, July twelve, one thousand six hundred and one. The vassals and chaplains of your Majesty.
Don Juan de Bivero, dean of Manila.
Archdeacon Arellano
Santiago de Castro, chanter of Manila.
Juan de Paz, canon.
Diego de Leon, canon.
Juan Galindo de Mesas
Cristoval Ramirez de Cartagena
Paulo Ruiz de Talavera
Crisanto de Tamayo
Lorenço Martinez Peñas
Francisco de Carrança
[On envelope: “Manila, to his Majesty. 1601. The ecclesiastical cabildo. July 12.”]
[Endorsed: “Read, July 2. Have it filed with the other papers.”]
[1] This letter appears to have been directed against the Jesuits, who founded their college of San José in 1601, through the efforts of Diego Garcia, their visitor. See post. [↑]