[Maldonado makes special mention of a few distinguished members of the order in Manila, who have flourished in recent years; regarding others, he states that he lacks information. Father Fray Marzelo del Arroyo, a native of Manila, entered the order at Cabite, and died at Manila, past the age of ninety years; he was “an excellent physician, and a strong defender of the privileges of the regulars;” and he filled with distinction all the offices of the order except that of superior. Father Fray Francisco Alabes, a native of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico, was the first who took the habit of St. John (1647) in these islands; he rendered excellent service in the Cabite hospital, and assisted Father Magallanes in founding the one at Bagumbaya. Father Fray Juan de Alarcòn had many gifts; he was a noted orator, who was called “Golden Mouth,”[12] a famous poet, and a zealous defender of the order; for a long time he was physician for the entire city, and administrator of the convent at Cabite and of the ranch of San Juan de Buenavista, belonging to the order; he died at an advanced age. Father Fray Bernardo Xavier, a native of La Puebla in Mexico; he had held the chair of theology in the Jesuit university in Manila, and his brethren there called him “a sun eclipsed;” in disposition retiring, humble, austere, devout, and charitable, he was attracted to the labors of the brethren of St. John, and entered their ranks on November 25, 1671; he died on August 14, 1720. Three religious of this order were slain by the natives: Fray Antonio de Santiago, manager of the ranch, slain by the savage Negritos (probably before 1650); Fray Lorenzo Gomez, killed while traveling in Ilocos by the savage Tinguianes of the mountains; Fray Juan Antonio Guemez, killed with lances by the native bandits “who infested our estate of Buenavista.” Maldonado suggests that some member of the order act as recorder of its annals and labors, so that hereafter these may be kept in remembrance, and published for its benefit.]
CHAPTER XIV
Incomes and contributions which belong to the hospital order for its maintenance and that of the religious in this province.
[Estate of Buenavista.—“By donation from Captain Don Pedro Gomez Cañete, various farm-sites and cavallerías[13] of lands belonged to us in an estate called Buenavista, Pinaot, and Bolo, in the jurisdiction of Bulacan, provinces close to Manila. But as the donor when he died left debts behind, the lands were appraised, with preference of the legacies to the debts of justice;[14] and the said property being placed at royal auction, with the offerings of other benefactors, the highest bid was made on the part of our order, in the sum of twelve thousand one hundred pesos. Afterward other lands were added to this estate, by donations and purchases which were made, and questions arose over the boundaries; but, as we have for our defense the just titles, the crown[15] has maintained us in the legitimate possession of the lands, which is evident from the records and decisions, which are here set down verbatim, and which declare it.” Here follow the documents which show that Cañete received a grant, April 4, 1629, of two farm-sites and three cavallerías of land in the village of San Miguel, the former part of the grant being opposed by the Indians of Candaba; another was made to Gonzalo Ronquillo Ballesteros, September 26, 1601, of “two farms for horned cattle, and four cavallerías of land, in the district of Alatib, toward Candaba, close to Canagoan;” and the boundaries were settled by acts of the Audiencia, March 2 and May 14, 1715. “These said lands, those which were likewise obtained by the accountant Pedro de Almansa, and others which belonged to the monastery of Santa Clara, were sold to the aforesaid Don Pedro Gomez Cañete, and are among those which were purchased, as was related in the beginning [of this book]; and afterward were added to it other lots of land, all which compose the estate of Buenavista, which belongs to our order in these islands.” In 1715 the hospital brethren complained that the Augustinians had intruded upon their lands, and were even building a house thereon, paying no heed to the repeated remonstrances of the superior of St. John; but the acts above cited confirmed the order in its possession of the lands, and ordered the Augustinians to cease work on their house and give account of their procedure. “In this estate there are arable lands, pastures for the many cattle with which it is stocked, fruit-trees, and woodlands where the trees are cut for lumber. It was always maintained with one religious, who, as administrator, had charge of its produce; but when an opportunity to rent it occurred, it was considered best, and even more profitable, to do so. For it we receive five hundred pesos, and three hundred cabans of rice, annually for the period of five years, which is the present agreement, and it is well guaranteed.”]
Irrigated lands in the district of Polo.—By a donation which Fray Thomas Ortiz, one of our religious, made to this convent—it belonged to the lawful share which he inherited from his parents—we possess certain irrigated lands[16] in the place which is called Colòn, within the limits of the village of Polo, in the province of Bulacàn. The co-heirs brought suit in regard to these lands; but this, when tried in the courts, was declared in our favor. The said lands yield forty pesos as yearly rent.
Grainfields in Bonga.—By purchase made of six quiñons of land, [irrigated?] grainfields,[17] in a place which they call Bonga, within the limits of Balivag, a village in the said province of Bulacàn, [our order] enjoys the usufruct of one hundred and twenty pesos, which these lands pay as annual rent.
Lots outside the walls.—By the donations and contributions of different benefactors, we possess eight lots in various places, from the village of La Hermita to that of Bagumbaya; these pay in land-rents eighteen pesos a year. In this land is included the original site on which was located the hospital for convalescents, which was founded by the first religious [of our order] who came to these islands, as is elsewhere related.
Properties in the Pariàn.—In the Alcayzerìa, the Pariàn of the Sangleys, outside the walls, were purchased two properties, on which there are forty-seven shops and upper lodgings; these, when occupied, yield ninety-seven pesos a month, which amounts through the year to one thousand one hundred and sixty-four pesos.
Lots in Manila.—For two houses, and two lots besides, which belong to this convent within Manila, are collected thirteen pesos a month for rent, which amounts to one hundred and fifty-six pesos a year.