The Philippine Islands, 1493 to 1898 by Various

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Before me: _Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that the alguazils, as soon as they arrest
delinquents, shall give notice thereof to one of the auditors and to
the commissioners, who shall formulate their cases and bring them to
the office of the clerk of court._

In the city of Manila, on the third of April, one thousand five hundred
and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia
of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas it is continually
happening that the alguazils of this court arrest delinquents whose
cases the notaries and commissioners undertake, and, without giving
notice to the aforesaid president and auditors, or taking such cases
to the office of the present secretary, they allow them to remain in
their possession, and the said prisoners to remain in jail, without any
note or account of their imprisonment, whence result vexations to the
said prisoners, and the said alguazils and commissioners do not fulfil
the obligation which rests upon them: therefore, to find a remedy
for this and other annoyances which may result from it, they ordered,
and they did so order, that now and henceforth, as soon as the said
alguazils shall arrest any delinquent, they shall give notice thereof
to one of the above-mentioned persons, in order that he may take the
fitting action in regard to the said imprisonment. Any commissioner
who shall undertake the cause of said prisoner or prisoners shall
immediately take it to the office of the present clerk of court,
so that in this manner there may be the necessary system. Whatever
one or the other may do shall be despatched with all promptness and
punctuality, and no favor--under penalty of a fine of six pesos for
anyone who shall disobey this decree, to be given the poor in the
prison. By this act they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

_Don Francisco Tello_
_Doctor Antonio de Morga_
The licentiate _Tellez Almacan_

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that the royal officials shall give Doctor Antonio
de Morga three hundred pesos from treasury fines, for ornaments and
other things necessary for the chapel._

In the city of Manila, on the tenth of May, one thousand five hundred
and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal Audiencia
and Chancilleria of the Philipinas Islands, being in session, declared
that, whereas the chapel of this royal Audiencia is in great want and
need of many things that are very necessary and indispensable, for
its vestments, decoration, and furniture; and whereas, through lack
of money, the said needs have not as yet been supplied: therefore,
to make provision for them, they ordered, and they did so order, that
the official judges of the royal exchequer of the king our sovereign,
in these islands, shall, from any treasury fines in their charge,
immediately give and deliver to Doctor Antonio de Morga, auditor
of this royal Audiencia, three hundred pesos of common gold, which
he shall expend in providing the said chapel with the things most
necessary for it, systematically and carefully. They ordered that he
be given a warrant for the said purpose, in due form. By this act,
they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that secretaries of this court and government may
be attended by slaves with swords._

In the city of Manila, on the thirteenth of May, one thousand
five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the
royal Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that, whereas,
in conformity with the decrees and ordinances given by his Majesty
for his royal Chancilleria of Nueva Espana, residing in the City of
Mexico, and for other audiencias throughout the Yndias, he orders
that secretaries of the court and the government shall have, as a
retinue and guard, slaves with swords, conformably to the dignity
and gravity of their office: therefore, in order that the same be
done in this court, in regard to the secretaries of this court and
government, and in order to preserve the preeminence and exemptions
which they may and should enjoy here, they ordered, and they did so
order, that, now and henceforth, the said secretaries of this court
and government may freely bring into this court, as their retinue,
the said slaves with swords, according to the usual custom in the said
royal Chancilleria of the City of Mexico, and other chancillerias of
the Yndias, without the interposition--by any person, of whatever
estate, quality, or rank--of any hindrance or impediment whatever,
under the penalties provided by law. Thus they voted, and ordered it
to be recorded as an act, and signed it in my presence.

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that the Sangleys shall not be allowed to have
godchildren, on account of the injury which may result therefrom._

In the city of Manila, on the seventeenth of May, one thousand
five hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the
royal Chancilleria of these Philipinas Islands, having examined the
information which was referred to this royal Audiencia by Estevan
de Marquina, alcalde-mayor of the village of Tondo and its presidio,
regarding the custom which the Christian Sangleys of that jurisdiction
have among themselves, of receiving and having a great number of
godchildren, both Christian and infidel, in order to have them
ready for any emergency that may arise, and to employ them as false
witnesses--to which they lend themselves with great facility, and at
little cost--and for other evil purposes and intents, exchanging with
them favors and assistance in their affairs; and whereas, on account
of these and other causes which have come to light, and as is quite
evident from the said information, that district is ruined and divided
into factions, and that it would be advisable, for its reform, to
suppress this custom of having godchildren, and that they should not
continue it, under severe penalties: therefore, they declared that
they ordered, and they did so order, that, now and henceforth, the
Sangleys of these islands shall in no manner have or avail themselves
of the said godchildren; nor use their names, nor those of any others,
in order to have them for their partisans or accomplices in any kind of
transaction which might occur, as they have been wont to do hitherto;
nor shall they regard them as such, or receive others in their place;
and they shall give up immediately all those that they had. The others
who are infidels shall do the same, so that there shall remain no
remembrance of the said intercourse--under penalty that any Sangley,
of any rank whatever, who shall be known to have continued it and to
have the said godchildren or godparents, shall be condemned to row
in the galleys for four years, in a place prescribed, without pay,
as soon as they are adjudged guilty thereof. The said alcalde-mayor
of Tondo and its presidio, and all other magistrates whatever, are
ordered to take especial care in the fulfilment and execution of this
act. They shall cause it to be published, in order that all persons
may know of it, and none plead ignorance--for which purpose an order
shall be given in due form, and this act inserted therein. Thus they
voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that the Christian Sangleys, and all those who
may become Christians in the future, shall practice and exercise the
occupations that they had before they became Christians._

In the city of Manila, on the seventeenth of May, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal
Audiencia, Court, and Chancilleria of the Philipinas Islands, having
examined this information which was remitted to this royal Audiencia
by Estevan de Marquina, alcalde-mayor of the village of Tondo and its
presidio, concerning the advisability and importance that the Christian
Sangleys living in the said village of Tondo, and in the other villages
of its jurisdiction, and those who become Christians in the future,
shall not abandon the occupations which they had before they became
Christians, as they have been accustomed to do, but shall continue
to exercise and practice them in the same manner as before--for,
by thus abandoning their occupations, that people are unoccupied
and slothful, and spend their time in games and vicious amusements,
whence result the harm and trouble which may be considered: they
declared that, in order to remedy that state of affairs, they ought
to order, and they did so order, that, now and henceforth, the said
Sangleys shall practice and exercise the occupations which they had
practiced and exercised before they became Christians, and shall,
under no consideration, abandon them--this being understood to apply
to those becoming Christians in the future, and to those who have
been Christians for six years previous to the present--under penalty
that whoever disobeys this decree shall be sentenced to row in the
galleys for four years, in a place prescribed, without pay, to which
they declared that they delivered them, and they did so deliver them,
immediately as condemned persons. They declared that they ordered,
and they did so order, the alcalde-mayor of Tondo and of the Parian,
and other magistrates of this city and of these islands, to take great
care in the execution and fulfilment of the aforesaid, under penalty
of being punished. Thus they voted, ordered, and decreed. They ordered
that the said magistrates, each in his own jurisdiction, should make
the necessary inquiries, in order to ascertain who are the Sangleys
that come under the provisions of this act, and the occupations which
they follow.

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

_An act decreeing that no alcaldes-mayor or other magistrates shall
leave their jurisdictions without undergoing residencia; and that
those who shall not have done so, or given a report of the convictions
and fines and tenths of gold which shall have been in their charge,
shall not be appointed._

In the city of Manila, on the fifteenth of June, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-nine, the president and auditors of the royal
Audiencia of the Philipinas Islands declared that they have been
informed that it is customary to appoint as alcaldes-mayor, and
to other offices of justice, some persons who have not undergone
residencia for offices that they have held before, or who have not
rendered account of the treasury fines and expenses of justice and
war which have been in their charge; also that other persons come to
this city after their terms of office have expired, without waiting
to furnish the said residencias, or being present at them, as is
required--whence it results that his Majesty's royal exchequer is
defrauded, since it does not have the income of the said fines and
tenths of gold. On the other hand, the said residencias not being
taken, as is required, nor the public claims before them paid to
their owners, and many other annoyances resulting, of some importance:
therefore, since it is advisable to remedy the aforesaid condition,
they ordered, and they did so order, now and henceforth, the decree
according to the laws of these realms, providing that no persons who
have held other offices be appointed to offices of the justiciary,
until they have furnished residencia of those that they previously
held, which shall have been examined and passed upon; and that such
persons shall have deposited, first and foremost, in his Majesty's
royal treasury, all the fines and condemnations which shall have
been in their charge, with tenths of gold and other things of which
they must give account, together with the payment of these and of
any other sums which they shall have been sentenced to pay in their
residencias. In order that they may furnish these, they must be present
in person, during the time prescribed by law, without leaving their
jurisdictions--being warned that if any person absent himself from
the jurisdiction where he holds office, without first furnishing
residencia, it will not be received or heard by the prosecutor, and
he will be compelled to return to furnish it in his own person. In
order that the provisions of this act may be strictly enforced,
they ordered that his Majesty's fiscal register the letters-patent
which shall have been given to the said offices of justice; so that
whatever is ordained by the said royal laws, and provided by this
act, he may claim when the officials shall be appointed, and the
necessary residencias be taken. Likewise there is to be delivered
to the government secretary of these islands a copy of this act, so
that in the patents of those who shall be appointed the fulfilment
of what is herein contained shall be formally inserted as a clause,
and his Majesty's said fiscal shall register the said patents. They
cannot continue to exercise their offices without first making the said
investigation, exactly observing the provisions of this said act; and
the accountant of the royal exchequer shall likewise register it; so
that whoever shall not have given an account of the said fines, tenths
of gold, and other matters which shall have been in his charge, shall
not take his office. By this act, they so voted, ordered, and decreed.

Before me:

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

In the city of Manila, on the thirteenth of July, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-nine, I, Pedro Hurtado Desquibel, clerk of court
for the royal Audiencia, Chancilleria, and Court of these Philipinas
Islands, certify and attest that, from the eighth of June, of the past
year, one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, to the present day,
the date of this testimony, the president and auditors of this said
royal Audiencia, have from time to time agreed upon and enacted the
acts [4] which are herein copied, for good government, both officially
and at the petition of his Majesty's fiscal, as in them and each one
of them is declared. The copies are true and exact, and, in order
that it may be evident that it is by order of the aforesaid, I gave
the present copy--the witnesses to its transcription, correction, and
revision being Pedro Munoz de Herrera, Joan de Harana, and Alonso de
Saavedra, citizens of this city. In witness of which, I have affixed
my seal in witness of the truth.

_Pedro Hurtado Desquibel_

[_Endorsed_: "Filipinas, 1599." "Acts for the good government of
those islands."]

The Hospital for Indians at Manila

May Jesus, our salvation, dwell in the soul of your royal
Majesty. Although I am but wretched dust and ashes, I make bold to
write this letter since I am, in company with two other religious of
the Order of our seraphic father St. Francis, appointed to minister
in this royal hospital of your royal Majesty (which is called the
hospital of Sancta Ana) for the natives; in it all the natives of all
these islands are cared for, and it is situated in this city of Manila.

Favors were granted to this hospital by our most Catholic king and
sovereign, never sufficiently to be praised, your royal Majesty's
father, Don Phelipe (whom may God keep in His heaven!); he allowed it
one thousand five hundred fanegas of rice, one thousand five hundred
fowls, two hundred pieces of cloth from Ylocos, five hundred ducados
in money, and four toneladas of freight--this last being worth, one
year with another, four hundred pesos. With this income (and we have
no other), usually as many as two hundred poor persons are supported
and cared for in this hospital; besides these, there are three or
four religious who care for the sick and administer the sacraments,
and a considerable number of other people who are in the service of
the hospital. So small is the income, sacred Majesty, and so many are
the poor who come for help, that often we suffer great hardships; for
it is the glory of this hospital not only to belong to your Majesty,
but also not to turn away any one who comes to it to be treated.

For this reason we religious who are in this hospital, as servants of
the poor who are cared for in it, entreat your royal Majesty with the
utmost humility that you will grant us aid so that we can treat these
poor people with somewhat more convenience; and we especially entreat
your royal Majesty that you will favor us by commanding that the said
four toneladas of freight be continued to us, as we are accustomed
to ship the goods free of customs duties or any other dues, whether
in this city of Manila or in Nueva Espana, or in any other parts of
your Majesty's realms where your ships enter.

In this your royal Majesty will render a great service to God our
Lord; and may He preserve for us your royal Majesty, with increase
of His holy grace, and life and prosperity, as your loyal servants
desire. At Manila, July 3, 1599. Your royal Majesty's humble servant,

_Domingo de Santiago_.

[_Endorsed_: "Manila; to his Majesty; Domingo de Santiago, for the
hospital of Santa Ana at Manilla. Referred by his Majesty, who directs
that the archbishop and governor shall send information regarding
the treatment of the sick in this hospital, and whether its income
is sufficient for its needs. They shall also ascertain how its funds
are disbursed, and if the accounts are audited; and if anything is
lacking that is absolutely necessary, let them advise what and how
much should be provided, in their opinion."]

Catholic and Royal Majesty:

Antonio Valerio, steward of the royal hospital which the discalced
religious of our seraphic father St. Francis founded in the city of
Manila, with royal expenditures and some alms, for the cure and healing
of all these natives of all these Philipinas Islands which belong
to your royal Majesty. I declare that although in this hospital we,
three religious and myself, serve for the love of God our Lord--by our
services saving the salaries of physician, surgeon, apothecary, and
other officers; and I performing the duties of steward, and the said
religious treating, as they do, all the sick, besides administering the
sacraments--the work of this hospital is continually increasing to such
an extent, by its aiding so many sick persons, and from so many places,
that although the gifts which your royal Majesty has made to this your
hospital are great, they are not sufficient to meet the necessary
expenses to which the said hospital is liable. For the usual number
of those who are cared for in it ranges from one hundred and sixty
to two hundred poor persons; besides, most of the poor people of this
city are provided from this hospital with ointments and medicines for
their ailments. On account of these expenses the hospital is unable
to accomplish many works which should be done--for instance, a house
for the workmen and servants, the improvement of the vegetable-garden,
and other things necessary for the treatment of the sick.

For these reasons I entreat and supplicate your royal Majesty, with the
utmost humility, on my own part and on that of the said poor who are
treated in the hospital, that you will do us the favor of adding some
further charity to the grants which you have made to this hospital, for
the supply of the many wants which arise every day and are increasing.

Still further, I entreat and supplicate your royal Majesty that the
favor which the Catholic and royal Majesty, Don Phelipe our lord,
the father of your royal Majesty (whom may God our Lord keep in His
heaven!), granted to us, by commanding that we be allowed to send
four toneladas of freight in his royal ships, be also continued to
us free from customs duties and any other dues which pertain to your
royal Majesty, whether in this city of Manila or in Nueva Espana,
or in any other part of your realms.

Moreover, since the minister of this hospital is always a father who
is a priest, who will administer the sacraments not only to the sick
who come to the said hospital for treatment, but to all the people
who serve therein or who reside on the stock-farm which belongs to
the hospital, as well as to many other people in all this city and
in the islands who usually come to this hospital for confession;
and besides this, your Majesty pays from his royal treasury the
archbishop, qura, and canons of the cathedral of Manila for their
labors in ministering to the Indians, in all matters for which the
tithes are not sufficient--I entreat your royal Majesty to command
your royal officials in this city of Manila that they recompense
the said archbishop, cura, and canons in such manner that they shall
not enter the stock-farm of the said hospital to collect tithes and
firstfruits, since hitherto they have never entered there. And in
all things I entreat the royal Majesty of your royal Majesty, etc.

Letters from the Royal Fiscal to the King

Sire:

After having given an account to your Majesty, in so far as concerns my
office of fiscal of this royal Audiencia of these Philipinas Islands,
of the affairs of justice, by another letter which accompanies this,
it seemed best to me to give one concerning those things which touch
the royal exchequer, in the following manner.

1. The royal exchequer of your Majesty in these islands is not
sufficient by a large sum to supply the salaries and expenses which are
here paid out and incurred. For before the royal Audiencia came here,
the archbishop and bishops drew from Mexico fifteen, twenty, and some
years thirty thousand pesos apiece; but, even with all this, all those
who had to draw money from the royal treasury were complaining and
irregularly paid. Many works were neglected, and necessary expenses
were abandoned. With the new stipends and salaries of an archbishop,
three bishops, four auditors, and a fiscal, which amount to twenty-four
thousand pesos, we must cut down much more. All that sum, which is
the salary of powerful people, must be maintained; and therefore we
must suffer wretched service, and abandon, as has been done, works
and affairs in which there should be no lack. For some remedy and
alleviation of this difficulty, I will point out some expedients which,
in my opinion--as one who understands the present state of affairs, and
has some knowledge of the country--your Majesty, if you are so pleased,
can use, employing such of them as appear to be most expedient.

2. I find no basis on which people could rest their opinion that
there should be in these islands the said archbishop and bishops;
for the population of them all does not exceed six hundred Spanish
citizens, and the one bishop who was in this city was sufficient. One
is sufficient for all matters which might arise of which the prelates
take cognizance, or which are necessary, for they are very few and
unimportant; and those who appeal to the metropolitan go to Mexico
and return in one year. The three provinces in which were lately
erected the three bishoprics are so near this city that one can come
from them in ten or twelve days; and in the one which has the largest
settlement of Spaniards there are not more than a hundred citizens,
or even so many--namely, in Zubu. The other two, which are Camarines
and Cagayan, do not amount, each one, to seventy Spaniards. In
each one there is a curate, who administers the sacraments to
the Spaniards; and convents of friars, who administer them to the
Indians who live in the said villages and their neighborhood. If the
prelate who is chosen in Manila is a religious of proved integrity,
and industrious, he can very well attend to these matters easily,
and without overwork. Whatever has been said or may be said to your
Majesty to the contrary, either arises from ignorance of the matter
or from private designs, and does not aim at expediency.

[_In the margin_: "There is nothing to answer."]

3. By a decree of your Majesty which came in the past year,
ninety-eight, the governor of these islands was commanded to
discontinue a number of false musters which were being paid, and
additions to the expenses of the royal treasury. Without mentioning
the decree, he pronounced an edict in which he commanded the officials
of the royal exchequer of your Majesty to erase them from the royal
books, and pay them no more. Afterward, with different pretexts and by
various means other salaries and additional expenses were incurred,
which it had never been customary to pay--as, for instance, paying
salaries to the captains, alferez, and other officers of war for the
citizens in the villages. The governor appointed, as alferez of the
captain of the town of Arevalo, Don Juan Fajardo; and designated as
his salary that of the post of musketeer, for which he served in the
said post of alferez. Having appealed it before the Audiencia, after
examination and review there, he was commanded to pay the said salary
for the time while he had served in the post of alferez. Captain
Francisco Rrodriguez, as he was of the troops from Zubu, when he
was alcalde-mayor there was ordered by the said governor to give
a hundred pesos of additional cost. He appealed from this, and his
case is pending in the Audiencia. Although these things appear of
little importance, so far as events hitherto are concerned, they
may be very important for the future; for, as they are said to be
confirmed by the Audiencia the governors will take it as a precedent,
in order to be able to make the same move with the other captains
and alferezes. The expenses of the royal treasury will thus suffer
a large increase, and in matters which never have been done nor are
now necessary. It would be well, if your Majesty were so pleased,
to command that all the wages, salary, and additional expenses which
have been given in the said manner be returned to the royal treasury
by the person who ordered them, and that henceforward none should
by any means be granted; and, if it be expedient to give any, your
Majesty should be informed and a royal order for that purpose awaited.

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