Various - The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898, Volume XXI, 1624

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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898

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,

Volume XXI, 1624

Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson
with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord
Bourne.

CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXI

Preface 9
Documents of 1624

Ecclesiastical affairs of the Philippines. Miguel Garcia
Serrano, and others; 1574-1624 19
Conflict between civil and religious authorities in
Manila. [Unsigned and undated; 1624?] 79
Seminary for Japanese missionaries. Alvaro de Messa y Lugo,
and others; Manila, July 23-August 5 84
Extract from letter to Felipe IV. Miguel Garcia Serrano;
Manila, August 15 95
Royal orders regarding the religious. Felipe IV; Madrid,
August-December 98

Early Recollect missions in the Philippines. Andres de San Nicolas,
Luis de Jesus, and Juan de la Concepcion. (Extracts from their
respective works, covering the history of the missions to the
year 1624.) 111
Bibliographical Data 319

ILLUSTRATIONS

Title-page of _Historia general de los religiosos descalzos
... del gran padre ... San Augustin_, by Andres de San Nicolas
(Madrid, 1664); photographic facsimile from copy in library of
Edward E. Ayer, Chicago. 109
Title-pages (the first engraved) to _Historia general de los
religiosos descalzos ... del gran padre ... San Augustin_, by
Luis de Jesus, Augustinian Recollect (Madrid, 1681); photographic
facsimiles from copy in library of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago.
187, 189
Title-page of volume iv of _Historia general de Philipinas_,
by Juan de la Concepcion, Augustinian Recollect (Manila, 1788);
photographic facsimile from copy in library of Harvard University.
261

PREFACE

This volume, dated 1624, is entirely devoted to religious matters,
ecclesiastical or missionary in their scope. The current documents
for that year are concerned with conflicts between the diocesan
authorities and the religious orders, and between the civil and
religious authorities in Manila; the defeat by the Audiencia of the
late Governor Fajardo's attempt to found a seminary for the training
of Japanese missionaries to be sent to labor in their own country;
and efforts by the Spanish government to check the assumptions of
the religious orders. Then follows a historical account of the early
Recollect missions in the islands, down to the year 1624, compiled
from the works of Andres San Nicolas, Luis de Jesus, and Juan de
la Concepcion.

A document entitled "Ecclesiastical affairs in the Philippines"
contains letters, decrees, etc., bearing on this subject, dated from
1574 to 1624. Instructions to Gomez Perez Dasmarinas (1574) jealously
restrict to the crown or its officials all exercise of the royal
patronage; and give minute details of the course to be pursued by
the governor and the provincials of the religious orders in matters
where that right is involved. This is followed by various official
documents issued in the controversy between Archbishop Serrano and the
religious orders (1622-24) regarding the right claimed for archbishop
and bishops to exercise the same jurisdiction and authority over the
religious of the orders, when charged with the care of souls, as over
the secular clergy. Serrano fortifies his position by various royal
decrees and papal bulls. These documents show that much laxity has
prevailed in selecting missionaries for the Indians, some of these
teachers not even knowing the language of the natives to whom they
minister; also that the friars claim even greater authority over
their parishioners than that exercised by the archbishop and bishops
in whose dioceses their missions are located. On June 20, 1622, the
archbishop begins his official visit in the parish of Dilao (near
Manila); and his edict announcing this calls upon the people of the
parish to bring to him any complaints or information that they may
have regarding any fault, illegal act, or neglect of duty in their
cura or parish priest. Fray Alonso de Valdemoro was then in charge
of the Dilao mission; refusing to obey the archbishop's commands,
he is excommunicated by the latter, and sentenced to imprisonment in
a monastery. But the Audiencia refuse to support the archbishop, who
accordingly writes a letter to the king complaining of the resistance
made by the friars. Felipe IV, in a decree dated August 14, 1622,
orders that the missions in the Philippines shall be subject to
the provisions of another decree (issued June 22 of the same year)
promulgated for the missions in Nueva Espana. This provides that
the same procedure be followed therein as in the missions of Peru;
that the missions remain in charge of the orders, but that hereafter
the religious be not placed in charge of missions; that they shall
be subject to the archbishop in matters pertaining to the churches
and the care of souls, but that anything relating to the personal
character of such priest shall be privately referred to his superior
in the order, who shall try and correct him.

An unsigned and undated document (1624?) gives an interesting account
of a conflict between the civil and religious authorities in Manila
over the question of a criminal's right to asylum in a church. It
is decided, at least for the time, in favor of the ecclesiastical
authorities.

At the death of Governor Fajardo (July 11, 1624) the Audiencia take
charge of the government. One of their first measures is to revoke
the grant made not long before by Fajardo of certain monopolies
to a seminary founded by him for educating Christian Japanese to
go as ordained missionaries to their own country. The members of
the Audiencia claim that this was an ill-timed act, in view of the
persecution of Christians in Japan, and the edicts of its ruler
expelling Spaniards from his realm, and forbidding his subjects to
trade with them. Moreover, the seminary building is being erected in
a place selected in violation of a royal decree, and which has been
arbitrarily seized from its owners; and the monopolies granted are
a grievance and injury to many persons, especially to the Indians
who reside near Manila. The Audiencia accordingly revoke these,
and order that the seminary building be demolished; and they issue
a royal decree in accordance with this decision.

In a letter dated August 15, 1624, Archbishop Serrano advises the
king either to give more power and authority to the Audiencia, or
to suppress it. In the latter part of the same year the king issues
some decrees affecting the religious in the islands. The first
(dated August 30) cites earlier decrees regulating the privileges
and jurisdiction of the religious, and orders that these be strictly
observed. In a letter to the archbishop of Manila (dated October 8),
Felipe gives some directions regarding the religious orders. A letter
(dated November 27) to the Dominican provincial enumerates various
abuses practiced toward the Indians by the friars of that order,
and directs him to see that these be corrected.

An interesting chapter of ecclesiastical history is provided in the
accounts of the early Recollect missions in the islands. These are
selected from the printed works here named: _Historia general de
los religiosos descalzos del orden de San Avgvstin_, by Andres de
San Nicolas (Madrid, 1664), and the second part of the same work, by
Luis de Jesus (Madrid, 1681); and _Historia general de Philipinas_,
by Juan de la Concepcion (Manila, 1788). From all these books we
select, as has been already announced, only such portions as closely
concern our subject, and such as contain information of special value,
or which is otherwise not accessible.

From San Nicolas's work we take his account of the foundation of the
Recollect missions in the islands. This is begun in May, 1605, by Fray
Joan de San Jeronimo, who sets out with thirteen other religious;
they arrive at Cebu on May 10, 1606, one of the missionaries having
died on the voyage. After a brief description of Luzon and Manila,
the writer recounts the entrance of the Recollects into that city,
their hospitable reception from all, and their establishment in a
house of their own outside the walls. After some of the fathers have
learned the Tagal language, they begin their missionary labors at
Mariveles, not far from Manila, whose native inhabitants are unusually
brutal and ferocious. A brief outline of the customs and beliefs of
these people is presented, which, although slight, is valuable as
being another original source of ethnological information about the
Filipino peoples--the early Recollect missionaries, like Chirino and
his co-laborers, having gone among wild Indians who had had little
acquaintance with the Spaniards; and their observations are therefore
of natural and primitive conditions among the natives.

The missionaries first sent to Mariveles soon die from hardship,
privation, and penances; but others at once volunteer to take
their places. Rodrigo de San Miguel is the first of these to go;
and he, with others, accomplishes a wonderful work among the fierce
Zambales. Details of the labors of each, and of marvelous escapes from
death, are related. At Masinglo a convent is founded by Andres del
Espiritu Santo, which becomes a center of missionary work for a large
district. The missionaries are kept under strict rule and discipline,
that their self-abnegation and frugal mode of life may emphasize
their preaching; and regulations are laid down for their missionary
work and their relations with the Indians. The main residence of the
Recollects is, after some years, removed within the walls of Manila;
and a handsome building is erected for it, and endowed, by a pious
citizen. Some notable images in its church are described.

Attempts being made, in both Rome and Spain, to suppress the new
order of Augustinian Recollects, various testimonies to the value of
their work, and to their piety and zeal, are furnished by various
officials, both civil and ecclesiastical; and in connection with
these is a statement of the scope and character of the occupations
and services of the Recollects, in both peace and war. Convents are
founded by these missionaries at Bolinao and Cigayan. At the latter
place, one of the fathers is slain by an Indian, and the church is
burned by the revolting natives; but the indefatigable missionaries
return to the unpromising field, again subdue the wild Indians, and
restore what these had destroyed. Another residence is established at
Cavite, which accomplishes great good among the seamen who live there.

The history of the discalced Augustinians is continued by Luis de
Jesus. In 1621 the reformed branch of the Augustinians is erected
into a congregation independent of the original order. In that year
a convent of the discalced is founded in Cebu, and, through the
generosity of their benefactor Ribera, another at Calumpan, outside
the walls of Manila; the latter serves as a quiet retreat for the
fathers, to the benefit of both their physical and spiritual health,
and under its care is placed the village of Sampaloc. In it is kept
a miraculous image of the Virgin. In 1622 the Recollects begin to
evangelize Mindanao, of which island there is a brief description,
with more detailed ones of certain curious birds and animals found
there, and of the customs and beliefs of the natives. Their government
is simply the tyranny of the strong over the weak, a condition of
oppression and cruelty and wretchedness. Slavery, formerly a common
practice among them, has been broken up where the missionaries have
introduced the Christian religion. In 1609 the natives of Caraga
are subdued by the Spaniards, as also in 1613 a revolt by them is
quelled; and finally (1622) the Recollects carry the gospel among
them. The missionaries do much to subdue these fierce savages, and
make many converts--notable among whom is a powerful chief named
Inuc, whose example is followed by many. A flourishing mission has
also been established on the river of Butuan, where had formerly
been a Christian mission, now abandoned. Detailed accounts are
given of the labors and dangers which the fathers undergo, and of
certain conversions. Our historian does the same for the missions in
Calamianes and Cuyo. It may be noted that the Recollect missionaries
vigorously pursued the same policy as that of the Jesuits in forming
"reductions" or mission villages of their converts. Various miraculous
events in the experience of the missionaries are related, especially
the exorcism of certain demons who attempted to drive the Spanish
soldiers out of the country. Another mission is opened on the Cagayan
River in Misamis, northern Mindanao; the fathers meet great trials and
hardships, but finally succeed in converting the leading headman on
the river, with many of his followers. They are greatly aided in this
by the successful revolt of these Indians against the Mahometan chief
Corralat, in which they ask and receive the assistance of the Spanish
troops stationed at Tandag. From the records of the provincial chapter
held at Manila in 1650 is compiled a list of the Recollect convents
in Mindanao and Calamianes, with the number of families attached to
each. The writer goes on to relate some of the trials, hardships,
and dangers experienced by the Recollect missionaries in their work,
several being martyrs to their zeal. In 1624 is held the first chapter
meeting of the new Recollect province of Filipinas; Fray Onofre de
la Madre de Dios is chosen provincial, and certain regulations for
the conduct of the religious of the order there are adopted.

With these earlier narratives may be compared that of Juan de la
Concepcion, in his _Historia_ (vols. iv and v), which contains some
matter additional to the others, although his account is largely drawn
from these. The Recollects, like the Jesuits, form "reductions" of
their scattered converts, in order to carry on their instruction more
advantageously. The difficulties between the observantine and reformed
branches of the Augustinian order are recounted with some fulness. A
singular epidemic of demoniacal obsession at Cavite is dispelled by
the religious services held at the new Recollect church there. At the
request of the bishop of Cebu, the discalced Augustinians extend their
work--a reenforcement of missionaries having arrived from Spain--to
the Visayan Islands and to Mindanao (1622); some account of their
successes in the latter region is given. They also push forward into
the Calamianes Islands and Paragua (1622). Of these islands the writer
presents an interesting account, describing their principal products
and natural resources, as well as the character and religious beliefs
of the natives. Among these people, unusually brutal and fierce, go
the undaunted Recollects, and soon establish flourishing missions,
collecting the people in "reductions." Then they send to Manila a
request that Spanish soldiers come and take possession of Paragua,
which is done. The missions spread farther, and a large part of the
island is subdued to the Christian faith and the crown of Spain.

_The Editors_

October, 1904.

DOCUMENTS OF 1624

Ecclesiastical affairs of the Philippines. Miguel Garcia Serrano,
and others; 1574-1624.
Conflict between civil and religious authorities in
Manila. [Unsigned and undated; 1624?]
Seminary for Japanese missionaries. Alvaro de Messa y Lugo,
and others; July 23-August 5.
Extract from letter to Felipe IV. Miguel Garcia Serrano; August 15.
Royal orders regarding the religious. Felipe IV; August-December.

_Sources_: The first of these documents is obtained from Pastells's
edition of Celin's _Labor evangelica_, iii, pp. 674-697; the second,
from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), i, pp. 515-523; the
others, from the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla--save the second
of the "Royal orders," from the "Cedulario Indico" of the Archivo
Historico Nacional, Madrid.

_Translations_: The third document is translated by Robert W. Haight;
the second part of the fifth, by Arthur B. Myrick, of Harvard
University; the remainder, by James A. Robertson.

ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS OF THE PHILIPPINES

_Royal Instructions to Gomez Perez Dasmarinas Regarding Ecclesiastical
Affairs_

The King. To Gomez Perez Dasmarinas, my governor and captain-general
of the Philipinas Islands, or the person or persons in charge of
their government: I ordered a decree of various articles to be given
to my viceroy of Nueva Espana, in regard to what was to be done and
observed in that country for the preservation of my patronage, as is
contained at length in the said decree, whose tenor is as follows:

"The King. To our viceroy of Nueva Espana, or the person or persons
who shall, for the time being, be exercising the government of that
country: As you know, the right of the ecclesiastical patronage belongs
to us throughout the realm of the Yndias--both because of having
discovered and acquired that new world, and erected there and endowed
the churches and monasteries at our own cost, or at the cost of our
ancestors, the Catholic Sovereigns; and because it was conceded to us
by bulls of the most holy pontiffs, conceded of their own accord. For
its conservation, and that of the right that we have to it, we order
and command that the said right of patronage be always preserved for
us and our royal crown, singly and _in solidum_, throughout all the
realm of the Yndias, without any derogation therefrom, either in whole
or in part; and that we shall not concede the right of patronage by
any favor or reward that we or the kings our successors may confer.

"Further, no person or persons, or ecclesiastical or secular
communities, or church or monastery, shall be able to exercise the
right of patronage by custom privilege, or any other title, unless it
be the person who shall exercise it in our name, and with our authority
and power; and no person, whether secular or ecclesiastical, and no
order, convent, or religious community, of whatever state, condition,
rank, and preeminence he or they may be, shall for any occasion and
cause whatever, judicially or extra-judicially, dare to meddle in any
matter touching my royal patronage, to injure us in it--to appoint
to any church, benefice, or ecclesiastical office, or to be accepted
if he shall have been appointed--in all the realm of the Indias,
without our presentation, or that of the person to whom we commit
it by law or by letters-patent. He who shall do the contrary, if he
be a secular person, shall incur the loss of the concessions that
shall have been made to him by us in all the realm of the Indias,
shall be unable to hold and obtain others, and shall be exiled
perpetually from all our kingdoms and seigniories; and if he shall
be an ecclesiastical person, he shall be considered as a foreigner,
and exiled from all our kingdoms, and shall not be able to hold or
obtain any benefice or ecclesiastical office, and shall incur the other
penalties established against such by laws of these my kingdoms. And
our viceroys, audiencias, and royal justices shall proceed with all
severity against those who thus shall infringe or violate our right of
patronage; and they shall proceed officially, either at the petition
of our fiscals, or at that of any party who demands it; and in the
execution of it great diligence shall be exercised.

"We desire and order that no cathedral church, parish church,
monastery, hospital, votive church, or any other pious or religious
establishment be erected, founded, or constructed, without our
express consent for it, or that of the person who shall exercise our
authority; and further, that no archbishopric, bishopric, dignidad,
canonry, racion, media-racion, rectorial or simple benefice, or any
other ecclesiastical or religious benefice or office, be instituted,
or appointment to it be made, without our consent or presentation,
or that of the person who shall exercise our authority; and such
presentation or consent shall be in writing, in the ordinary manner.

"The archbishoprics and bishoprics shall be appointed by our
presentation, made to our very holy father [_i.e._, the Roman pontiff]
who shall be at that time, as has been done hitherto.

"The dignidades, canonries, racions and media-racions of all the
cathedral churches of the Indias shall be filled by presentation made
by our royal warrant, given by our royal Council of the Indias, and
signed by our name, by virtue of which the archbishop or bishop of
the church where the said dignidad, canonry, or racion shall be shall
grant to him collation and canonical installation, which shall also be
in writing, sealed with his seal and signed with his hand. Without the
said presentation, title, collation, and canonical installation, in
writing, he shall not be given possession of such dignidad, canonry,
racion, or media-racion; neither shall he accept the benefits and
emoluments of it, under the penalties contained in the laws against
those who violate our royal patronage.

"If in any of the cathedral churches of the Yndias there should
not be four beneficiaries--at least resident, and appointed by
our presentation and warrant and the canonical installation of the
prelate--because of the other prebends being vacant, or if appointments
to them have been made because the beneficiaries are absent (even
though it be for a legitimate reason) for more than eight months,
until we present them the prelate shall elect four seculars to fill
out the term of those who shall have been appointed as residents,
choosing them from the most capable and competent that shall offer,
or who can be found, so that they may serve in the choir, the altar,
the church, and as curas, if that should be necessary in the said
church, in place of the vacant or absent prebendaries, as above
stated. He shall assign them an adequate salary, as we have ordered
at the account of the vacant or absent prebendaries; and the said
provision shall not be permanent, but removable at will [_ad nutum_],
and those appointed shall not occupy the seat of the beneficiary in
the choir, nor enter or have a vote in the cabildo. If the cathedral
church has four or more beneficiaries, the prelates shall not take it
upon themselves to appoint any prebendaries, or to provide a substitute
in such post, whether for those that become vacant, or for those whose
incumbents may be absent, unless they shall give us notice, so that we
may make the presentations or take such measures as may be advisable.

"No prelate, even though he have an authentic relation and information
that we have presented any person to a dignidad, canonry, racion,
or any other benefice, shall grant him collation or canonical
installation, or shall order that he be given possession of it, unless
our original warrant of the said presentation be first presented;
and our viceroys or audiencias shall not meddle by making them receive
such persons without the said presentation.

"After the original warrant of our presentation has been presented,
appointment and canonical installation shall be made without any delay;
and order will be given to assign to him the emoluments, unless
there is some legitimate objection against the person presented,
and one which can be proved. If there is no legitimate objection,
or if any such be alleged that shall not be proved, and the prelate
should delay the appointment, installation, and possession, he shall
be obliged to pay to such person the emoluments and incomes, costs,
and interests, that shall have been incurred by him.

"It is our desire that, in the presentations that shall be made for
dignidades, canonries and prebends in the cathedral churches of the
Yndias, lettered men be preferred to those who are not, and those who
shall have served in cathedral churches of these same kingdoms and
who shall have had most experience in the choir and divine worship,
to those who shall not have served in cathedral churches.

"At least in the districts where it can be conveniently done, a
graduate jurist in general study shall be presented for a doctoral
canonicate, and another lettered theological graduate in general study
for another magistral canonicate, who shall have the pulpit with the
obligations that doctoral and magistral canons have in these kingdoms.

"Another lettered theologue approved by general study shall be
presented to read the lesson of the holy scriptures, and another
lettered jurist theologue for the canonicate of penitence, in
accordance with the established decrees of the holy council of
Trent. The said four canonries shall be of the number of those of
the erection of the Church.

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