THE SANTA MISERICORDIA OF MANILA
CHAPTER I
Of the beginning of this venerable brotherhood of the city of Manila, in the year 1594
[The Santa Misericordia of Manila[1] was founded in imitation of the association of the same name which had been established in the city of Lisbon in August 1498 with the consent of the vacant see and of Queen Leonor, wife of Juan II. At the time of the foundation of the Manila branch, Clement VIII occupied the papal chair, and Luis Perez Dasmarifias was governor of Manila.]
CHAPTER II
Of the foundation of this venerable brotherhood, and the circumstances attending it
The foundation of this venerable brotherhood was April 16, 1594, the following being assembled and congregated in the church of the holy Society of Jesus of this city: his Excellency, Don Luis Perez das Mariñas, knight of the Order of Alcantara, governor and captain-general of these islands for the king our sovereign; the very reverend father, Fray Christoval de Salvatierra, of the Order of St. Dominic, governor of the bishopric for his Excellency, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, its bishop, who at that time was in the kingdoms of Castilla; the venerable dean, Don Diego Basquez de Mercado; the judiciary and municipal body of this noble city; the master-of-camp of the royal army of these islands, Don Diego Ronquillo; and the majority of the nobility and citizens of the city. And they having been informed of the so holy end for which this venerable brotherhood and confraternity is instituted (in regard to which matter, a devout talk was given by the very reverend father rector of the college of the said Society of Jesus, Antonio Sedeño, who with the ardor of his spirit, informed them of the importance that the foundation of the venerable brotherhood, whose institution they were discussing for the spiritual and temporal welfare of their neighbors, would be in the time of their greatest calamities and miseries); in view of all of which, having conferred with mature deliberation and due reflection concerning the seriousness of the matter: they unanimously and harmoniously decided upon the foundation of so holy a brotherhood. From that time it was considered as established with the fixed resolution to begin the exercise of works of charity, in accordance with the rules which were made for the better government of the brotherhood, the original of which are conserved in the first book of records. Then immediately their Excellencies, the ecclesiastical and secular governors, who were present, each one for himself, in the part that pertained to him, confirmed all the abovesaid and affixed their signatures. It was agreed for the time being that this venerable brotherhood of our Lady of Charity should be established in the college of Santa Potenciana in this city.
The first brothers who composed the financial board [mesa] of this brotherhood, numbered thirteen: the purveyor Don Luis Perez das Mariñas, knight of the Order of Alcantara, governor and captain-general of these islands; its secretary, Don Estevan de Marquina; its treasurer, Don Juan de Esquerra; the deputies, Don Juan Ronquillo, Don Christoval de Azqueta, Don Antonio de Cañedo, Don Francisco de Poza, Don Diego del Castillo, Don Juan de Alzega, Don Juan Arseo, Don Hernando Nuñez de Peñalosa, Don Juan de la Lara, and Don Thomas de Machuca. Those gentlemen in the meeting held May 11, 1594, enacted that this venerable brotherhood should militate under the protection and favor of that of Lisboa, since that is the head of all the brotherhoods which are founded in the districts of España and of India, so that recognizing this brotherhood as its offspring, they might establish a mutual correspondence and a perpetual brotherhood, and, as faithful brothers aiding one another, obtain the chief end of their institute which is directed to the exercise of works of charity and mercy. On this matter, having written to the said venerable brotherhood, the latter responded without the least delay, congratulating it on having obtained in its foundation and brothers the limit of its desires, and despatched the rules of that house which were received by this brotherhood in 1596. And in order that they might be observed more fittingly and performed in accordance with the condition and state of the land, it was necessary to revise some of them, although only a few, but only after great thought and consideration by very learned persons. Those which today are in force were ordained January 14, 1597, in a meeting called for that effect. They were given to the press in 1606. At the same time this brotherhood succeeded in being admitted and recognized as an offspring by the brotherhood of the Misericordia of the city of Lisboa.