CHAPTER XXII
In which are contained the indulgences and favors conceded by the supreme pontiffs to the brothers and sisters of Santa Misericordia of the city of Manila, which are copied from the original briefs, relics, with which it is enriched; with its authentic royal decree which exempts and preserves it from visits by the ecclesiastical ordinaries, in imitation of the royal house of Lizboa; the chaplaincies and becas of which it is patron, the number of brothers of which this venerable brotherhood is composed and those who serve this present year in the Board of Santa Misericordia; and the report of the alms which are given annually.
The purveyor and deputies who compose the illustrious Board of Santa Misericordia at present are as follows: General Don Benito Carrasco y Paniagua, purveyor (an office he has held three times previously); secretary-in-chief for the king our sovereign of this noble city and its deputation, with active voice and vote by privilege in its most noble ayuntamiento; secretary of the board, Captain Don Juan Baptista de Uriarte (author of this small work), regularly-appointed regidor for his Majesty of said noble ayuntamiento, who as ex-treasurer took charge of the office of secretary, in accordance with the rules, in the absence of Sargento-mayor Don Joseph Antonio Nuño de Villavicencio, general treasurer of the bulls of the Holy Crusade, accountant regulator, regularly-appointed regidor of this noble city and special notary of the Holy Office, as he has been promoted to the post of accountant, a royal official of the royal treasury; treasurer, General Don Miguel de Allanegui, accountant of accounts and results of the royal treasury of these islands, and familiar of the Holy Office; chapel-steward, General Don Joseph Verelo de Urbina; purse-steward and attorney-general, Captain Don Antonio de Olivarria; prison-steward, Sargento-mayor Don Joseph de Vega y Vic; steward of the plate, who looks after the gathering of alms, Captain Don Simon de Amechezurra; and deputies of the board, General Don Antonio Sanchez Zerdan, and the sargentos-mayor, Don Joseph Beltran de Salazar, regularly-appointed regidor for his Majesty of this noble city, Don Frutos Delgado, Don Antonio Lopez Perea, also senior regidor of the city, and Captains Don Domingo Allende and Don Sebastian de Arramburu.
[An act of May 22, 1728, orders a compilation to be made of the indulgences and other things, in order that the high estimation of the popes and sovereigns for the brotherhood may be apparent. Indulgences have been granted by Urban VIII, Clement XI (September 20, 1717), and Innocent XIII; and the latter has also approved the Institute of the brotherhood. The latter own various relics. One reliquary, bearing the papal arms, and conserved in an elaborate golden pyx which is deposited in a tabernacle on the altar of the assembly room of the brotherhood, contains a bit of the wood of the holy cross, a bit of the swaddling clothes in which the child Jesus was wrapped, a bit of a bone of St. Isabel the mother of John the Baptist, a bit of a bone of St. Ignatius Loyola, and a bit of a bone of St. Pasqual Baylon. Other relics are another bit of the wood of the cross, a bone of St. Felix, pope and martyr, a letter of St. Pedro Baptista, O.S.F., who was martyred in Japan, and a shinbone of St. Christina, virgin and martyr. In addition, the brotherhood bears the title of Apostolic syndic of the seraphic Order of St. Francis, and as such its brothers enjoy all the privileges and exemptions conceded to that order by apostolic bulls, and all of the indulgences, privileges, etc., for all the provinces of Nueva España subject to the obedience of the father commissary-general of the order. The royal decree of June 20, 1623, confirms the rules and regulations of the brotherhood. In consequence of this decree, the brotherhood presents a petition to the governor asking him as royal vice-patron to confirm the rules and regulations. This is done by special act on September 4, 1625 by Fernando de Silva. They have already been approved by Francisco Tello, and Gabriel de la Cruz, schoolmaster of the cathedral, January 24, 1597. The royal decree of September 7, 1699, inserted in the decree of June 11, 1708, grants exemption from government or religious visit. Notwithstanding this decree, the effort has been made without success to subject the brotherhood to visit. The closest of supervision has been exercised by the brothers themselves. All the documents mentioned above are given by our author.]
Chaplaincies with collation
There are twenty-nine chaplaincies with collation, of which the Board of Santa Misericordia is patron. They were founded by different benefactors, so that in accordance with the conditions and clauses which were provided in their foundations, the board appoints the chaplains who are to serve them. Such appointees taking the appointments which it sends to them (in which the obligation which falls to each one is made known to them) present themselves before the proper persons within the term which the holy Council of Trent prescribes, for the approval and collation of those chaplaincies. It is intimated to them at this time that they must inform the board promptly that they have fulfilled their so necessary obligation for the good government which is demanded in this. An account must be kept in a separate book of chaplaincies, in the form which is always usual.
Lay chaplaincies
The lay chaplaincies, of which the board is also patron, number ten. They are filled in accordance with the clauses of their foundation by the chaplains whom the board appoints to serve them; in whose despatch a different style is followed since they are lay.
Becas of collegiates
In the royal college of San Joseph of this city, Captain Diego Gonzalez de Arcos founded two becas with a capital of 4,000 pesos, making the Board of Santa Misericordia patron of them, with the condition that the sons of [men from] Estremadura, and especially those of Villa de Don Benito be preferred. Their vacancies are reported by the reverend father rector of the said college.
Number of brothers in this venerable brotherhood and other circumstances
The founders and brothers of this brotherhood, considering the work and business in which they had to employ themselves continually in fulfilment of the works of charity, prudently decided and decreed by a chapter of the ordinances that there should be 250 brothers for the due fulfilment of all the ordinances, in whom good report, sane conscience, honest life, fear of God, observance of His commandments, and prompt obedience to all that should be of service to God and to the brotherhood, and the relief of one's neighbor had to be included. They declared that they should not be single, unless they had reached the age of thirty, but that being virtuous persons and of the said qualities, they might receive dispensation and be received as brothers if they were twenty-five years old or upward. But no one who was not an oldtime Christian, and no one who had any obligatory duties that could prevent him from serving in the brotherhood [could be a member]; neither could those who did not know how to read or to write. Among said 250 brothers would be always the management and government of the house, and the election of the officers, with obligation to serve God by those who should be elected and appointed by the purveyor and brothers of the board if there were no legitimate obstacle to prevent that. Before they should be admitted as brothers, the secretary of the house was to enter in the book of the brotherhood that its ordinances should be submitted to them, so that having seen and read them, they might determine whether they could fulfil them. And if they were questioned by the board in regard to them, and were found with a mind resolved to observe them and to serve according to the rules in the brotherhood, an oath was to be taken from them on the holy gospels in a missal before the purveyor and brothers of the board, to the effect that when they should hear the signal of the house, or the bells, with the sign that had been arranged for the summoning of the brothers, they should come to the house to perform the works of charity in accordance with the orders that they should receive from the purveyor and brothers of the board; and also if they were summoned in the name of the aforesaid and there was no legitimate obstacle. The above was to be a matter of conscience. They were also to swear to keep the secrets of the board and the rules, when they should be summoned by the board, and were obliged, notwithstanding their oath, to recite fourteen Pater Nosters and fourteen Ave Marias for the deceased brothers, and, having done that, they were to be received as brothers, and their names to be inscribed in the book of the brotherhood.
Annual alms given by the house of the Santa Misericordia of the city of Manila
Since we have to furl the sails to this discourse, because of the limits of time, and make an end to this small work in these last chapters, I thought it important to first make an extract (although with much labor) of all the alms and sums of pesos, produced by the funds which are administered by the house of Santa Misericordia, during the years when--all being complete, and no disaster of earthquakes coming upon them, or shipwrecks or other accidents, which depend on time--it distributes to the benefit of all this community. I was also moved to this interesting task by making charts of all the funds and their pious purposes, by having met in the first part of the life of the venerable and most reverend father master, Fray Simon de Roxas, a great servant of God and a member of the Order of the Santissima Trinidad de Redemptores [i.e., the Most Holy Trinity of Redeemers]. [3] written during the year 670 by the very reverend father master, Fray Francisco de Arcos, preacher and theologue of his Majesty, and of the tribunals of his royal conscience, etc., in which he refers to a paragraph of a letter which Juan Baptista Labaña wrote during the voyage from Portugal of Don Phelipe III (of happy memory), in which he cited folio 16; and in the life of the said venerable father, a description of the alms which the royal house of Santa Misericordia of the court of Lisboa distributed in the year 619, and of those which regularly and annually it distributes in the pious ends which are contained in the said chapter, is found in book 8, chapter x, pp. 418-420. It states that those alms are about 30,000 ducados annually. Inasmuch as chapter xi of this work states that the alms distributed by this house of Santa Misericordia of the city of Manila amounted to about 70,000 pesos, I have determined to prove the said proposition part by part, passing over the circumstances which are found in the said chapter, and making a clear demonstration of their reality, without failing one jot in the truth, which is required in a matter of so great importance, and which has to yield in so great glory to the Spanish monarchy. It is a pity that in the circumstances of the present case, there should be many who opposed the truth as it did not issue so clear and apparent in all the books of the house which treat of this matter; and necessarily I am obliged to give it by imagining charts which are fitting and do not leave the least reason for doubt.
This having been granted, therefore, I assert that the alms and sums of pesos received by the holy cathedral church and the sacred orders of this city, the beaterios, confraternities, the venerable tertiary order, the house for sheltered women, the hospice of San Jacinto, the colleges (without including that of Santa Misericordia, St. John of God and its infirmary), the province of Camarines, and the Indians of Marinas Islands, amount to 25,520 pesos. In the alms given for masses, 5,777 pesos are also distributed as a suffrage for the blessed souls of purgatory; among the poor prisoners of this city, 2,691 pesos; as a benefit to the school of Santa Isabel, which belongs to the brotherhood, in the divine worship of its church, the salary of its chaplains, servants of the house, support, clothing and other things which are spent for the girl collegiates (the number of those at present are 58 inmates, rectress, and portress, 9 wards, and 6 slave women, who serve in it), and repairs of said school (in which alone this present year about 6,000 pesos have been spent), they give and apply 10,700 pesos; as dowries for the said girl collegiates and other orphan daughters of noble parents of this city, 16,000 pesos; for the relief of the necessities of poor Spaniards, widows, self-respecting poor, 6,936 pesos. Besides these sums 3,000 pesos are set aside for the benefit of the above-mentioned purposes which, with somewhat more, are produced by the sums at interest, and also 1,200 pesos which are yielded by the encomienda which his Majesty applied to the Board of Santa Misericordia in the provinces of the Ylocos and Leite. Therefore totaling up the eight items of pesos above applied, the amount is 71,824 pesos produced by the funds administered by this house, as is adjusted with the greatest exactness. One may see by the sums that result to the benefit of so many pious ends, the reality and truth of the said proposition, and consequently, the great succor of silver for the relief of the needs of its neighbor. Surely I believe that in this small work of rich treasures, an extraordinary splendor for the house must shine forth (with the new discovery of so abundant a mine, which has been buried in silence in the extensive field and space of 134 years); a prodigy which looks to Spain for the non-moderation of this great house of Misericordia in the most remote parts of the world. I believe that without injury to the greater (if it can be that there is another which exceeds it), it merited as panegyrist of its glories (although with more time) a nature suitable to its worth and greatness. Lastly placed in the royal crown of España, it will be one of the most precious stones which beautify that crown with its rich splendor, for the greater honor and glory of God our Lord.
SURVEY OF THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS
[Part I]
[Title-page:] Relation in which, by order of his Catholic Majesty (may God keep him) are set forth the towns, castles, forts, and military posts of the provinces subject to his royal dominion in the Philipinas islands. With sketches of their plans and detailed accounts of the supplies, soldiers, wages, rations, and ammunition, required to maintain them; the annual amount of these, and the product of the incomes and amounts set aside for them from which they are obtained. All these provinces are described, with information not only of essential but of curious matters, with a summary of what they yield for the royal treasury; an account of it is given, with a general résumé of the fixed income and charges of the treasury, drawn up by the field marshal, Don Fernando Valdés Tamón, in whose charge is the government of these islands. In the year 1739. [4]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY OF MANILA
The island of Luzon (it is also called Nueva Castilla) is the largest of all those which submit to the Catholic crown in this Philippine archipelago. Its figure is that of an arm somewhat doubled, and the latest observations give it three hundred and fifty leguas of circumference, and two hundred leguas of length. Its width cannot be accurately stated, because the land is in some places broad and in others narrow, although it is known that it is longer from the elbow to the shoulder, and in that distance it is noticed that the greatest width is forty-three leguas; and it is about twenty-two leguas from the elbow to the hand of this imaginary arm. In this remotest part, then, of the Spanish domain, in 14° 48' of northern latitude and 158° 38' of eastern longitude, is situated Manila, [5] nearly in the middle of its mainland, in the region of the elbow of its [imaginary] figure; and there, as being the capital of all the Spanish possessions in the Philipinas Islands, resides permanently the royal Audiencia with its president the captain-general, the archiepiscopal see, and other tribunals. The number of citizens who distinguish the city is astonishingly small; these are the Spaniards who live within the walls, and in the wards of Binondoc and Santa Cruz, which adjoin it; and although in these places there is an astonishing number of people, I have the idea that they are a contemptible rabble, excepting the small number of the Spaniards. It was June 24, 1571, when Manila was founded, and it recognizes as its founder the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi--a hero in truth, worthy of the greatest praises for the bravery, judgment, and good fortune by which he was distinguished in these conquests.
The site which this town occupies [6] is a point of land on the shores of the sea, in a bay thirty leguas in circumference; into this falls a river of considerable size, which comes down from a lake distant five leguas from the city on the eastern side--by which it flows, surrounding the city, and in its progress washes its walls, until it pours its waters through the bar.
Up to this time the secular government has been in charge of forty governors, twenty-three of them proprietary, and seventeen ad interim. The ecclesiastical government likewise has had one bishop and thirteen archbishops. Both these numbers are carefully estimated from the list of [those who have held] both dignities.
The fortifications with which this town is girt about are everywhere of irregular shape, in accordance with the surface of the ground. Its walls, although of masonry, are not regarded as inferior--if one considers the good quality of the stone, which is easy to work on account of being soft--to those of mud or brick. On the other hand, I am persuaded that an injustice would be done to our walls if one should deny them the advantage of the former kind and the solidity of the latter, in view of their great resistance; for in the course of more than a century since their construction, some slight decay has been noticed only occasionally, and in places here and there little sheltered from the salt winds; and this is remedied, or the wall is preserved, by applying a thin coat of lime, an idea which has come as the result of experience. Its circuit appears to be 12,498 Castilian feet, both its extremities closing in with the castle of Santiago, which, on account of its position, occupies in Manila the place of the citadel.
The bastions in its circuit are twelve, all furnished with terreplein; nine are small, and the others large, of the regular size. In one of these last, named "San Andres," there is a powder-magazine, bomb-proof, which the present governor caused to be constructed; an incentive to building this was the little shelter afforded by a mere shed in former times, and the exposed condition of its contents to the shots of a besieger; these risks that were feared have ceased at sight of the present fortification. There are two sentry-towers incorporated with the said wall, and besides this there are a ravelin and a crown-work. All this is a very respectable aggregate, as contributing to the greatest defense of the city; the situation of each of these defenses will be described in the proper place.
The gates of this city are six, two main entrances and four posterns. Of these Santa Lucia and Palacio, which look toward the west, allow passage to the shore--as also on the north side Santo Domingo and Almacenes give passage to the river. The main gates are distinguished by the names Real and Parian. The latter is situated in the middle of the curtain which faces the northeast between the San Lorenzo and San Gabriel bastions; and inside of it is its guard-station, capacious enough to lodge a company of men. Corresponding to the empty space below, in the upper part it has a spacious sentry-tower, furnished with some cannons, which, by favor of its sides defends the collateral bulwarks--a fortification which, it may be supposed, was placed here in order to make up for the defect of the extraordinary length of this curtain.
The outer works of this are thus composed: a crown-work, which masks the gate; a fausse-braye [falsabraga], which extends from the flank of the bastion San Gabriel, until it almost reaches the said gate, there leaving room for a little bridge for communication with the crown-work already mentioned; a ditch, of which we shall treat further on; its covered way, parapet, and palisade, with its esplanade, the whole regularly surrounded, so far as the narrowness of the place permits; and at its foot a quagmire, which serves as an outer ditch. At the end of this, and along its outer margin, extending toward the south, there is a grand highway, which at its beginning is joined with another but small road, which lies between the outer ditch and the river; and both of these connect with a little bridge, next to a small fort which was erected for the guards stationed at the large bridge which, close by, crosses the river.
The ditch of the half-curtain (of which mention was reserved for this place, in order to avoid confusion) is formed by the waters which overflow from the river at the rise of the tides. It starts from the angle defended by the bastion San Gabriel, and extends until it is very near the Parian gate, with a counterscarp--which there leaves it, bending toward the crown-work, and thus is left almost isolated, with a small arm. This, a little farther, adds all its waters, as if on deposit, to the outer ditch already mentioned. Not thus the main ditch; for this, overflowing the right side according to the amount of water which it receives [from the river], continues its course along the margin of the grand highway, more or less closely according to its curves, until, coming close to the walls, it ends its course round about them, close to the bastion San Diego. At this place art has imposed restraints on it, having in mind, no doubt, the frequent inundations to which that vicinity would be exposed if (as was easy for it) this ditch should come to unite its waters with the sea. From this measure of prudence resulted two benefits of special importance, in which both the fortified post and the public are directly interested--the former, on account of the advantage which it enjoys (as may be seen in the plan) in the fact that the ditch serves it as a moat on the eastern and southern sides; and the latter, because it is utilized for the great number of vessels which, aided by the rising tide, come up to the Puerta Real to discharge their lading.
This is one of the two principal gates already mentioned. It is located on the southern side of this town, in the curtain which defends the bastions San Diego and San Andres, although nearer to the latter; and it much resembles the gate of the Parian (although built in different style) in its convenience and its fortifications--for it has, like the former, a guard-station and watchtower, similarly arranged and equipped. It is only noted that this curtain, peculiar among all, is the only one which is furnished with terreplein; for this reason some cannons (which defense the others lack) have been placed in it.
Its other exterior works, arranged according to their order, are reduced to a bridge that can be raised, a moat with its counterscarp faced with stone [revestido], and at a little distance a ravelin in condition for defense--notwithstanding which, on account of masking the gate it is not found in front of the half of the curtain which was its proper place. Although this gate had the remaining features of covered way, parapet, palisade, and esplanade, they were entirely in ruins at the time when this government began--which induced us to plan them anew, in modern style, and of much better quality than were the old ones.
All the curtains which face the western and northern part of this fortress are, without question, the weakest part of its defenses; but on the supposition (which is believed to be a remote contingency) that European armies may move to attack it in earnest--and it may be regarded as an enormous undertaking by our enemies here, who are most laughable on account of their lack of discipline and of forts--the natural defenses are apparently even more than sufficient. For it has on the west the waters of the bay for a moat, and on the north a river that is broad and deep; and with this all fears may be laid aside.
There is also maintained in this city, at the expense of the royal treasury (as being a necessity), a foundry for artillery, grenades, and cannon balls of all calibers; and an iron-furnace, where men are continually forging, according to the occasion, many hand-weapons and some firearms. The metals for these are transported from countries beyond the sea. Besides these, a scant half-legua to the south, is the powder-factory, which is enclosed by a triangular redoubt of stone and mortar, with seven mounted iron cannons, and fortified by three demi-bastions. This factory supplies gunpowder to Manila and the forts dependent on it; to the ships of his Majesty which sail annually to the port of Acapulco and the Marianas Islands; to the armadas which, when any danger from enemies arises, are made ready on the opposite shore; and to the public festivals. More than enough to cover the expense is received from those who wish to buy it, to whom it is furnished for their money. The ingredients of its composition are produced in the country, except the saltpetre, which is brought from foreign countries.
Artillery, mounted and dismounted, of this fort, with whatever is necessary for handling it
Bronze cannons Caliber Iron Caliber cannons
1 3 2 2 1 4 13 4 1 5 6 5 2 8 10 6 1 9 11 8 1 14 4 10 1 16 4 12 15 8 4 14 7 20 5 18 3 22 4 20 2 24 2 30 6 25 2 stone-mortars, 90 for moat-guards -- -- 43 bronze cannons 65 iron cannons
Military supplies kept in reserve, independent of those used in actual service
20,370 iron cannon-balls, as reserve for the said artillery. 18 bronze stone-mortars, with their chambers. 5 iron esmerils. 4 iron pinzotes. 458 match-lock arquebuses. 409 flint-lock guns and [hand-] cannons, with bayonets. 34 pairs of pistols. 20 blunderbusses, bronze and iron. 2,267 short swords, cutlasses, and broadswords. 1,097 iron grenades. 50,342 lead bullets, of suitable size. 800 arrobas of gunpowder, kept in reserve.
The fighting men who serve in the said royal camp of Manila comprise nine companies of Spanish infantry. The first is under command of the captain-general; the second, of the master-of-camp; the third, of the sargento-mayor; and the rest, under six captains who are appointed by this government. Each company has its alférez, its sergeant, and also its minor posts of page, standard-bearer, fifer and drummer; and, in all, there are six hundred and seventy-five soldiers. There are also a captain and thirteen halberdiers, the personal guard of the governor and captain-general; two paid adjutants, and seven supernumeraries; one deputy-commander of artillery, with his head gunner, and thirty-six artillerists. There is a military engineer, and an overseer of the royal works; and there are masters and a suitable number of workmen for casting artillery, operating forges, and making gunpowder. There are also, to serve as workmen in the said shops, a company of Pampango infantry, with their captain, alférez, sergeant, standard-bearer, and two hundred and forty-three regular soldiers--more or less, according to circumstances.
The wages and rations of the said soldiers are paid monthly, excepting the captain-general, who receives his pay every four months and at the rate of 8,000 pesos (each of 450 maravedis of silver) a year. The amount each one receives is stated thus:
Officers: The master-of-camp, 137 pesos, 6 tomins; the sargento-mayor, 30 p.; the six captains, each 15 p.; the captain of the guard, 24 p.; the deputy commander of artillery, 25 p.; the military engineer, 25 p.; the overseer of works, 20 p.; two paid adjutants, each 8 p.; the seven supernumeraries, each 6 p.; the alferezes, each 4 p.; the sergeants, each 3 p.; the head gunner of the artillery, 8 p.; the Pampango captain, 4 p., 4 t.; his alférez, and his sergeant, each 2 p., 4 t.
Soldiers: The Spanish soldiers, each 2 pesos; the halberdiers, each 3 p.; the artillerists, each 2 p.; the drum-major, 3 p.; the pages, standard-bearers, one fifer, and the other drummer, each 2 p.; the Pampango soldiers, each 1 p., 2 t., and some of them have extra pay; one Pampango standard-bearer, with [blank] p., 6 tomins.
To all the above are furnished respectively a ration of rice, excepting the captain of the guard, the engineer, and the overseer of works--for which purpose are used 7,4543 1/2 fanegas of rice a year--and the wages amount annually to 34,139 pesos, 3 tomins; the latter are paid from the royal treasury of Manila, which, as it has to meet the other charges which are imposed on the amount of the royal revenues, has not, it is acknowledged, funds adequate for this purpose, as will be made manifest in the proper place.
THE CASTLE OF SANTIAGO
It has a circuit of 2,030 feet; its shape is almost triangular. Its fortifications on the southern side, which faces the city, include a curtain with terreplein, flanked by two demi-bastions; it has a fausse-braye, and a ditch which communicates with the river. On the northern side, toward the entrance of the ditch, in place of a bastion is raised a cavalier with three faces or batteries; one of these fronts the sea (the anchorage included), another the said entrance, and the third the river itself. This last side of the cavalier joins a large tower of the same height as the walls; and through the tower there is a descent to a semi-circular platform or battery, at the level of the water, with which the aforesaid triangular figure of this castle is completed. Through these sides the fort has the necessary communication with the city, through its principal gate, which faces that way; with the river, and with the shore or beach of the sea, by a postern gate which furnishes passage to it. All the above will be better understood by referring to the proper plan folio [blank in MS.] where also will be found, placed in their order, the guard-stations, the barracks of the troops who garrison it, and the quarters of the warden and his subalterns. The reduced size of the plan has not allowed room for showing other buildings distinctly, such as the chapel, various storehouses (among these the powder-magazine, which is bomb-proof), the dungeons, the reservoirs of water, etc.
Artillery mounted and dismounted, with the necessary articles for its handling
Bronze cannons Caliber Iron Caliber cannons
4 2 1 3 2 4 1 4 1 6 1 5 3 8 1 6 1 10 2 16 3 16 2 25 8 18 4 32 3 20 4 25 -- -- 29 bronze cannons 12 iron cannons
Reserve supplies
1,534 iron cannon-balls, kept in reserve for the said artillery. 1 bronze mortar, carrying a 300-libra ball. 95 muskets. 85 match-lock arquebuses. 3,414 balls for these guns. 161 grenades. 80 bar-shots. 80 lanterns (a contrivance for [using] fire and stone). 148 Turkish swords, pikes, broad daggers, hand-spikes, lances, and gun-forks. 200 arrobas of gunpowder, kept in reserve.
The troops in the regular garrison of the said castle are composed of one company of Spanish infantry, commanded by the warden (who is appointed by his Majesty), with a lieutenant-commander, an orderly aide-de-camp, an alférez, a sergeant, and five minor posts--those of page, standard-bearer, fifer, and two drummers. It has sixty regular soldiers, one head gunner, and twelve artillerymen. The fort has also, as workmen in the shops, Pampango soldiers in a company of infantry, with their captain, alférez, sergeant, the three minor posts of standard-bearer, fifer, and drummer, and ninety regular soldiers, three of them receiving extra pay.
The wages and rations of the said troops are paid monthly, in the form which is shown in the following schedule:
Officers: The warden, 66 pesos, 5 tomins; his lieutenant, 15 p.; the aide-de-camp, 5 p., 6 t.; the alférez, 4 p.; the sergeant, 3 p.; the head gunner, 4 p.; the Pampango captain, 6 p.; the alférez and the sergeant, each 2 p., 4 t.
Soldiers: The sixty Spanish soldiers, each 2 pesos; the twelve artillerymen, each 2 p.; the page, the standard-bearer, the fifer, and the drummers, each 2 p.; the Pampango soldiers, and the men in the minor posts, each 1 p., 2 t.
These wages amount in the year to 4,595 pesos in cash; and the rice, of which rations are issued to all, to 1,219 1/2 fanegas. All this expense is met from the royal treasury and storehouses of Manila; the exact statement regarding it will be found at the end.
DESCRIPTION OF CAVITE
In sight of Manila, and south-southeast of it, at a distance of three leguas by way of the waters of the bay, and six short leguas by land--in 14° 31' of north latitude, and 158° 38' of east longitude--is the port of Cavite, which is formed by a tongue of land, curved from east to west; it is 5,100 feet long, and 1,200 feet broad. It is the ordinary anchorage for the ships of his Majesty and of private persons, as well as for the pataches belonging to the commerce of the various Oriental peoples, who come here to carry it on every year, at regular times.
Its population is composed of the soldiers who garrison its castle, and those of other posts; the sea-faring men who serve in the vessels of the [Acapulco] trade-route, and in various other vessels, in the royal service; and the men who compose the force of the navy-yard, for the repair and the building of ships. Among so many, the citizens of most prominence are the pilots, boatswains, and other officers of the ships and the Ribera. The entire government--political, military, and social--is in the hands of a warden and chief magistrate, who is not responsible to any one except the captain-general.
Its principal fortification consists of the fort San Phelipe, the shape of which is an irregular quadrilateral; it is situated toward the point of the Ribera, at a distance from it of about 1,100 feet. It has four bastions with orillons, in old style; its western curtain, in which is its gate, has a fausse-braye; and its southern curtain, on the shore of the Ribera, has a barbette battery of twenty mounted cannons. A similar account of the two remaining curtains is omitted, because in them there is nothing new for notice. The circuit of the fort is 1,410 feet; and within it are located, in due order, lodgings sufficient for the soldiers in its garrison, an armory, a powder-magazine, a water reservoir, and other offices necessary to the service.
On the western side, which is contiguous with the village of San Roque, this fort is also fortified by a curtain 540 feet long, which, with the two large towers which flank it, occupies the entire width of the tongue of land, and, with a revetted moat, leaves Cavite almost isolated; it would be feasible to make it entirely so by the union of the two bodies of seawater--with experience of fatal results, if the double defense of a counterscarp were not interposed. This curtain has, as a mask to its gate, a half-star work with its own gate, which is the one that people call Puerta Vaga; and these two entrances furnish, for the said town and Manila, the only passage by land that is found in this port.
To this fortification is added another, and of no less importance, the necessity of which was made evident by warnings; and the plan of its structure was thought out by experience. For, having noted in less than fifty years the repeated ravages caused in this port, on the north side, by the violence of the sea when driven by the north winds--which indicated its entire destruction in the future--the superior government decided to construct a stable barrier, by which the so great damage that was feared might be prevented. This was carried out by the engineer then in charge, by constructing in the water a barrier of stone and mortar, large enough to be able to resist such attacks, and of height equal to that of the highest tides, on a foundation of pile-work and beams. This work extended from the point of the Ribera, on the side which was endangered, until it reached the northern tower of the curtain which is mentioned in the preceding paragraph--that is, the entire length of Cavite. Upon this breakwater he raised a parapet with its banquette, in which were formed the bastions, demi-bastions, flanks and curtains, as this line gave opportunity, and in the plan of Cavite they are indicated; but all these works were at the level of the water. For its greater permanency, command was given to cast into the water outside, at the foot of the pile-work, a number of stone-heaps; since these are always multiplying themselves, an evident benefit has resulted.
The arms and supplies for the maintenance of these forts are those which here are scheduled.
Artillery, mounted and dismounted, in the port of Cavite, with all that is necessary for its handling
Bronze cannons Caliber Iron Caliber cannons
10 1 6 1 1 2 43 2 1 3 9 3 1 4 21 4 2 6 46 6 26 8 25 8 4 10 35 10 15 12 15 12 4 14 8 14 1 16 1 16 19 18 41 18 10 25 1 20 7 30 2 35 2 40 1 stone-mortar, of 300 libras. --- --- 109 bronze cannons. 257 iron cannons.
Military supplies kept in reserve, independent of those used in actual service
2 esmerils of bronze, of 8-onza caliber. 4 small iron cannon, of the same caliber. 101 swivel-guns, with 216 chambers and quoins, of iron. 16,905 iron cannon-balls, suitable for the said artillery. 207 bar-shots of iron, "diamond point." 67 iron crowbars. 22 iron angelots. [7] 190 iron grenades. 142 muskets. 221 match-lock arquebuses. 16 guns, some with bayonets. 9 pistols. 1 blunderbuss. 6,672 balls corresponding to these weapons--2,910 of iron, 62 angel--[i.e., double-headed] shot, and the rest of lead. 480 hand-weapons--Turkish swords, broadswords, cutlasses [machetes], lances, pikes, halberds, partisans, half-moons, spears, languinatas, and spontoons. 400 arrobas of gunpowder, kept in reserve.
The fighting men of the said port of Cavité and its fortress (who are in one body, just as the above-mentioned supplies are considered collectively) comprise three companies of Spanish infantry--one commanded by the warden, another by the sargento-mayor, and another by a captain--with 180 soldiers in all, with their leading officers and minor posts. There is also a captain of artillery, with twenty-four artillerymen; the deputy of the castellan; three orderlies; two carpenters for the gun-carriages of the artillery; and one military notary. There is, besides, a company of Pampango infantry with its master-of-camp, sargento-mayor, and other officers, with two hundred and twenty regular soldiers, one hundred and twenty of whom are assigned to work as sawyers. All the officers and soldiers, both Spaniards and Pampangos (except the warden and the notary) receive a suitable ration of rice and their pay in cash monthly. The wages amount to 11,500 pesos, and the rations to 3,084 fanegas of rice. These are furnished from the royal treasury and the storehouses in Manila, according to the list here set down.
Officers: The warden, 100 pesos; the sargento-mayor, 25 p.; one captain of Spanish infantry, 15 p.; the alferezes, each 4 p.; the sergeants, each 3 p.; one captain of artillery, 15 p.; the deputy of the castellan, 15 p.; three orderlies, each 6 p.; one military notary, 8 p.; the Pampango master-of-camp, 10 p.; the sargento-mayor of that people, 6 p., 4 t.; the alférez, sergeant, and adjutant of the said nation, each 2 p., 4 t.
Soldiers: The Spanish soldiers, each 2 pesos; the pages, standard-bearers, drummers, and fifer, each 2 p.; the artillerymen, each 2 p.; two carpenters for the artillery, each 2 p.; minor posts in the Pampango company--standard-bearer, fifer, and drummer--each [blank] p., 6 t.; 220 Pampango soldiers, each 1 p., 2 t. Of the Pampangos the following receive extra pay, with the title of sawyers: three each, 4 p.; another, 2 p., 4 t.; another, 2 p.; and eighteen others, each 1 p., 4 t.
The place which is now called "Ribera of Cavité" includes all the ground from the point of Cavité to Fort San Phelipe. All this is enclosed, with two gates, [which are] at the angles flanked by the bastions--that of the powder-magazine on the northern side, and by that of Cháchara [i.e., "Chit-chat"] on the southern side. Although these passages had formerly been open, it was considered best to shut them off thus, in order to check the frequent thefts that were committed of nails and other furnishings at times when ships were being repaired or built; but in doing so a narrow strip was left, in order to furnish a path for the work-people from the Ribera, thus forming the barbette battery; and this strip has preserved the principal curtain of the fort from the continual former lashings of the waves of the sea.
On this Ribera is located the shipyard, where the galleons, pataches, galleys, and galliots of his Majesty are constructed into ships; also here is the bridge which is used for careening the said ships, and others that belong to private persons. It also includes the royal iron-works, where are forged the iron tools and instruments, of all kinds and sizes, that are necessary for the said construction; and the workshops of the various artisans who are daily at work on this Ribera. There are separate storehouses for the masts, anchors, cables, rigging, and other kinds of cordage; for cannon, and for gun-carriages; and generally for all the military supplies and nautical equipments, with the dwelling-houses of their principal officers. All this was built by the present government, and with so good management that in a short time, and without confusion, everything necessary for this purpose was constructed, repaired, or equipped. Other royal buildings which are not included in the Ribera are indicated on the chart of this port, for which reason I omit notice of each.
All this arrangement for the navy-yard of the Ribera, although it is planned for the benefit of all vessels, whether native or foreign, is chiefly designed for those of his Catholic Majesty, and more especially for the galleons which annually make the voyage to Nueva España; these are built, equipped, and supplied in this port and Ribera. A sufficiently detailed account of these will be given in the following lists.
Ribera of Cavité
Master workmen in the navy-yard: one captain of the Point, yearly, 300 pesos; one alférez of the seamen, 120 p.; one sergeant of the said men, 90 p.; four corporals, and one watchman, 180 p.; two chief pilots, 240 p.; two assistant pilots, 192 p.; one examiner and inspector of the royal works of the port, 300 p.; one constable for the storehouse of provisions, 120 p.; one surgeon, 96 p.; one coxswain of the galley, 120 p.; one chaplain for the galley, 180 p.; one foreman of the royal iron-works, 300 p.; one foreman of rope-making, 120 p.; one foreman of the cooper shop, 240 p.; one foreman for the artisans [8] of the artillery, 120 p.; another overseer of the aforesaid, 30 p.; one head overseer of the carpenters, 360 p.; another, his assistant, 300 p.; one director of works, 300 p. All, except the father chaplain, receive rations of rice.
Workmen in the navy-yard: 226 seamen (of whom 16 serve as captains), with different rates of pay according to their various employments, and, with corresponding rations of rice; this amounts each year to 5,201 p., 4 t., 6 granos; 166 common seamen, with the same pay and ration of rice, yearly 2,490 pesos; to the convicts on the royal galleys are issued rations of 516 cavans of clean rice, which with 22 p., 4 t. for oil for the lanterns, and 300 p. a year for fish, salt, and vinegar, will be worth 580 p.; eight ropemakers, with rations of rice and different rates of pay according to their different kinds of work, amounting yearly to 198 p.; 16 coopers, with different rates of pay and rations of rice, receive yearly 351 p., 9 granos; 152 men for using the augers, at various rates of pay, including rice, receive yearly 3,920 p., 4 t.; tool-grinders, at various rates of pay, receive yearly, including the value of the rice, 594 p.; 305 artisans [pandayes] (15 of them in the artillery), with various rates of pay, and the amount of the ration of rice, receive yearly 372 [9] p.; 33 painters (two in the artillery), according to their different rates of pay, with rations, 495 p.; 135 blacksmiths, with rations and various rates of pay, amount to 4,644 p.; 31 Lascars, barraqueros, [10] at different rates of pay, receive annually 709 p.; 16 carpenters, at various rates of pay, with the value of their rations, receive 1,452 p.; 4 overseers, at various rates of pay, with rations, 300 p.; the hand-sawyers and the calkers (not only natives, but Sangleys) receive, according to the day-wages for which they work, without a ration of rice, wages amounting in one year to 14,922 p., 3 t., 6 granos; the galagaleros, [11] the Indians who work in repartimiento as ropemakers and woodcutters, and the raftsmen, at various rates of pay according to their work, and in rice, receive each year 2,714 p., 1 t.
All the aforesaid people in the navy-yard on the Ribera of Cavité receive yearly 49,948 p., 3 t., 8 granos, in which is included the value of 26,174 cavans, 11 gantas of rice, which is consumed in the rations given to each person; but from this are excluded the father chaplain, the sawyers, and the calkers. This amount, in summary form, is the same which the royal officials now certify, omitting the details of each item on account of the great prolixity which would be caused by stating the various assignments of pay which correspond to the various offices and work, and reserving the full statement for the annual report with which the royal officials fulfil their duty.
Preparation of the ships: Since the chief employ of the navy-yard at the Ribera at Cavité is the building and equipment of his Majesty's ships, and, specifically, those which are annually despatched to Nueva España with the merchandise that is allowed to that commerce and for the royal situado--in which construction is expended the amount from the royal treasury already mentioned--to it also belong the expenses of the entire outfit for the ships, the pay of the naval and military officers, great and small, the men for the crews, and the provision of necessary supplies. As regards expense caused by these things, it is included in the certification of the royal officials in their general statement of purchases; this brief relation refers the reader to that account, avoiding the annoyance of so long a schedule, and here is given only the list of the men assigned to this employ--the computation being now made from the two pataches, the flagship and the almiranta, which in the year 1736 were manned in this form:
Officers of the ships: The commander of the flagship ("Nuestra Señora de Cabdalonga") with salary of 4,125 pesos; the captain of the almiranta ("Nuestra Señora del Pilar") 2,750 p.; the chaplains of the two pataches, each 75 p., 150 p.; two chief pilots, each 300 p., 600 p.; two assistant pilots, each 150 p., 300 p.; two mates, each 150 p., 300 p.; two head gunners, each 150 p., 300 p.; two boatswains, each 150 p., 300 p.; two carpenters, each 150 p., 300 p.; two calkers, each 150 p., 300 p.; two divers, each 150 p., 300 p.; two notaries, each 100 p., 200 p.; two storekeepers, each 100 p., 200 p.; two surgeons, each 100 p., 200 p.; two stewards, each 100 p., 200 p.; two water-guards, each 100 p., 200 p.; two additional pilots, each 150 p., 300 p. Total, 11,025 pesos.
The men of the crews: 64 artillerymen, each 100 p., amount to 6,400 p.; 160 mariners in the crews of the said pataches, at the rate of 75 p. each, 12,000 p.; 72 Spanish common seamen in the said crews, at the rate of 50 p. each, 3,600 p.; 120 deck-hands in the said crews at 25 p., 3,000 p.; extra pay issued to the royal official timekeeper, who made these payments, 25 p. Total, 25,025 pesos.
Adding together these amounts for pay of officers and crews, the total is 36,050 pesos.
DESCRIPTION OF FORT SAN PEDRO IN THE CITY OF SANTISSIMO NOMBRE DE JESUS, IN ZEBÛ
In the island of Zebû, which is regarded as the center of all the islands of Pintados--it is thirty leguas long, twelve wide, and eighty in circuit--is the city of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus. It is the capital of this province, wherein, amid the evident ruins of its former opulence, is preserved, close to the city, the fort of San Pedro. It is built of stone and mortar, with a terreplein, and is situated on a point on the shore of the sea, in 10° of north latitude, and 161° 47' of east longitude; [12] it is distant from the capital, Manila, ninety-six leguas to the southeast, and is five degrees south of that city.
The shape of this fort is triangular, with three bastions having straight flanks; it is 1,248 feet in circuit. Its curtains are of unequal length, and in that one which fronts the city, toward the northwest, is the gate of the fort. This is masked by an outer work of stakes, of square shape, with its gate to the city; and a palisade extends the whole length of the curtain, in the form of a fausse-braye.
This fort contains the necessary buildings, as they are indicated on its plan; it has also arms and soldiers, as herewith stated.
Arms and supplies
13 pieces of bronze artillery, caliber 2 and 4. 18 iron cannons, caliber 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 10, and 14. 2 bronze mortars, with iron pivots. 6 bronze stone-mortars. 12 chambers. 50 pinzotes. 250 arquebuses and muskets. 1,826 iron balls for the artillery. 14,055 lead balls for the muskets, arquebuses, and pinzotes. 294 grenades. 500 arrobas of gunpowder, with small-arms and hand weapons, are kept in reserve, as is certified by the royal officials.
All the above, with the clothing [for the soldiers], and the replenishment of arms and gunpowder, is provided from the capital, Manila, in accordance with the orders of this government.
The military force
A captain of Spanish infantry, who is the alcalde-mayor, with monthly pay of 25 pesos; an alférez of the said company, with 3 p.; a sergeant, 2 p.; an orderly, 4 p.; a lieutenant of the fort, 4 p.; 57 regular soldiers, each 1 p.; 4 minor posts--page, fifer, drummer, and standard-bearer, each 1 p.; 6 artillerymen, each 1 p.; a captain of the Pampango company, 4 p.; his alférez, 1 p., 4 t.; the sergeant, 1 p.; twenty [Pampango] soldiers, and three minor posts--page, drummer, and standard-bearer--each 4 t.; one position as overseer of the iron-forge, 3 p.; two others, as shoremaster and overseer of buildings, 2 p.; another as pilot, 1 p. Each one of the said persons receives a monthly allowance of half a fanega (which is one cavan) of rice.
The maintenance of this military post amounts to 1,584 pesos and 624 fanegas of rice every year; this expense is paid out of the proceeds of the tributes and other revenues which are collected on his Majesty's account in the said province of Zebû.
DESCRIPTION OF FORT NUESTRA SEÑORA DEL PILAR AT SAMBOANGAN
This fort is in the town of Samboangan, [13] a separate jurisdiction with a chief magistrate, who is the governor of this military post. It is situated in the great island of Mindanao, near the promontory which is called Punta de la Caldera, in 7° 4' north latitude, and 160° 30' east longitude; [14] it is distant from the capital, Manila, 134 1/2 leguas south by east, and four degrees to the east.
This fort is constructed of stone and mortar, with a terreplein, at the entrance of the town, on the sea-shore; the beach surrounds it on the eastern and southern sides, along which it has also, externally, a palisade. On the western side, where the gate is, it has a marsh for a moat; and on the northern side, which faces the dwellings, it has an artificial moat.
Its shape is that of a rectangle, with four full bastions--three with straight flanks, and one with an orillon; it has a circuit of 820 feet, and in it are enclosed the necessary buildings, as the plan shows.
The town has its own special fortifications; for on the eastern side it has a long curtain of palisades, in the midst of which there is a semicircular platform, which defends it. On the northern side there is a long curtain of stone and mortar, flanked at the east by a bastion with orillon, called Santa Cathalina; and at the west by a cavalier of rectangular shape, called Santa Barbara. This curtain has its palisade, which ends on the western side of this town, at some distance from the said cavalier; and the rest of this said side has some marshes for defense. The said wall and curtain of this town is surrounded by a canal, full of water, ten or twelve feet wide; and it connects with the said marshes.
The arms, supplies, and soldiers with which this military post is maintained and defended are stated in the following lists:
Arms and supplies of this post
24 bronze cannons, of caliber 1, 2, 3, 4, and 12. 1 bronze culverin, caliber 4. 1 mortar of the same, caliber 18. 45 iron cannons, calibers 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 18. 17 stone-mortars of the same [material], calibers 3 and 4. 58 chambers. 8 blunderbusses, 5 of bronze and 3 of iron. 11 pinzotes. 253 guns, muskets, and arquebuses. 698 grenades, loaded and unloaded. 1 pair of pistols. 2 short carbines [terzerolas]. 8,407 lead and iron balls, suitable for the artillery. 39,104 lead balls, for the arquebuses, guns, and muskets. 500 arrobas of gunpowder, as regular supply.
Other weapons, for hand use, minor supplies, and all the rest that is necessary for handling [the artillery], are enumerated in a separate certified statement by the royal officials.
Military force in the post of Samboangan
One captain of the first company of the Spanish infantry, a post which is held by the governor of this town, with a monthly salary of 50 pesos; its alférez, 4 p.; its sergeant, 3 p.; an aide-de-camp, 6 p.; 74 Spanish soldiers, each 2 p.; three minor posts--page, standard-bearer, and drummer--each 2 p. The captain of the second Spanish company, 15 p.; its alférez, 4 p.; its sergeant, 3 p.; 68 soldiers, and three minor posts--page, drummer, and standard-bearer--each 2 p. The captain of the third Spanish company, who commands the armada, 15 p.; its alférez, 4 p.; its sergeant, 3 p.; 58 soldiers, and 3 minor posts--page, standard-bearer, and drummer--each 2 p. A head gunner for the artillery, 4 p.; a lieutenant and paymaster for this post, 15 p.; a surgeon, 5 p.; a notary for this post, 3 p.; 2 amanuenses, hired by the day, each 3 p., 6 t.; 2 chaplains for the infantry, by the year, each 100 p. A captain of the company of Pampango infantry, with monthly pay of 4 p., 4 t.; its alférez, 2 p., 4 t.; its sergeant, 2 p., 4 t.; 100 Pampango soldiers, each 1 p., 2 t.; 2 minor posts--page, and standard-bearer--each 6 t. One master armorer, 3 p.; 2 skilled tilers, each 2 p., 4 t.; 15 supernumerary seamen, paid at various rates, by the month, [blank]. All these people receive a suitable ration of rice.
Coastguard galleys at Samboangan
At this post are maintained, as a measure of precaution by this superior government since the past year of 1730, two coastguard galleys (a flagship and an almiranta), with [a crew of] 96 impressed men [forzados], and with all the supplies necessary for their outfit; care is also taken to repair and fortify them. They have been kept up as an armament necessary at this time for checking the insolence of the neighboring Moros, who attack the villages of the territory under the royal crown. In regard to the maintenance of these galleys, and the amount of supplies and the number of soldiers and sailors [required for them], although all this is found included in the expenditures of the royal treasury as actual expenses it must be borne in mind that they are not perpetual, but accidental and extraordinary, according to the movements of our enemies. For this reason, these items of expense are sometimes included and sometimes omitted in the statements of accounts, according to the differences of time and occasion.
Galliots at Samboangan
More permanent at this post are the two galliots which are, by act of the general council of the treasury, maintained there since the year 1729, as necessary in those seas, so rough and so infested with enemies, for transporting from the province of Ogtong and the storehouses of Yloylo the rice and other provisions which are needed in this post [of Samboangan]. The amount needed for the pay of these seamen is sent from the royal treasury of Manila.
The entire maintenance of this post of Samboangan amounts each year to 12,592 pesos, 2 tomins, and 7,108 cavans (which are 3,554 fanegas) of rice, according to the last balancing of the accounts. To meet this expense, a situade is sent from the royal treasury of Manila, the number of pesos corresponding to the amount of the fixed charges, and to that of the accidental expenses when there are any. The clothing, gun-powder, supplies for replenishing the storehouses, cordage and sails, other supplies for vessels, supplies for the hospital and other offices of that post--all these are provided from the royal storehouses of Manila; while from those of Yloylo is sent the rice for the rations, with other foodstuffs, in which that province abounds.
In order to meet the said expenses, there is set aside the value of the ganta of clean rice which was offered, contributed as a gift, by every whole tribute (of two persons) in the provinces subject to the royal crown--those of Balayan, Mindoro, Caraga, Marivelez, Calamianes, and Cavite being exempted from this contribution--the amount of which is regularly more than 3,500 pesos a year. For the said expenses is also applied the value of the wine monopoly, which, at the rate of the last sale to the highest bidder, produces 25,000 pesos annually. To this is added the amount of the pay, rations, and supplies of the officers and soldiers who, at the time when this post was reëstablished, were detailed to serve in it, from those of Cavite, Yloylo, and Zebû.
[Part II]
THE ECCLESIASTICAL ESTATE
[Title-page:] The ecclesiastical estate in the aforesaid Philipinas islands: Its archbishopric and its suffragan bishops, and the territory which each one includes. Their cathedrals, with the dignities, canonries, and prebends, with which they are endowed; the stipends and offerings which they receive; and the amounts allotted to the other churches, colleges, and hospitals in the district. Active encomiendas which are at this present time enjoyed by the various corporations and by private persons; and those in which the tributes are collected on his Majesty's account for the objects to which they were granted. Missions established, with a statement of their locations and the expenses which they occasion: settlements of Indians who have been subdued, distinguishing the ministries, conducted by the secular ecclesiastics and the religious; the neophytes whom they direct; what they receive on account of this, not only on his Majesty's account, but from the natives themselves, with a summary of the total of both. Added to this relation by Don Pablo Francisco Rodriguez de Berdozido, accountant, royal official for his Majesty in these Philipinas Islands, and the senior official of those who have appointments in the royal treasury therein. In the year 1742.
The holy cathedral church of Manila
It has its archbishopric, the jurisdiction of which includes the entire provinces of Tondo, Bulacan, and Pampanga; Taâl (or Balayàn) as far as Mindoro and Marinduque; all the coast of Zambales, as far as the district and bay of Bolinao; Laguna de Bay and its mountains, as far as and including Mahayhay; the jurisdictions of Cavite, Marivelez, and the city of Manila. At the present time the see is vacant by the death of his very illustrious and reverend Lordship, the master Don Fray Juan Angel Rodriguez, of the Order of the Most Holy Trinity for the Redemption of Captives; and it enjoys as a yearly stipend 5,000 pesos of common gold, in virtue of the decree by his Majesty dated at Madrid on May 28, 1680. The said holy church has a dean, with 600 pesos as annual stipend in virtue of another royal decree of his Majesty; four dignitaries--archdeacon, schoolmaster, cantor, and treasurer--with 500 pesos each a year, which amounts to the sum of 2,000 pesos; three canons (which include a doctoral, a magistral, and an honorary prebend), with 400 pesos each as yearly stipend, amounting to 1,200 pesos; two racioneros, with 300 pesos each as annual stipend, amounting to 600 pesos; two medio-racioneros, each receiving 200 pesos a year, which make 400 pesos; and a master of ceremonies--a post recently established by a royal decree dated at El Pardo on February 22, 1734, with 200 pesos of yearly stipend. The said holy church has also a grant for its fabrica, material and spiritual, [15] of 600 ducados of silver, which make 825 pesos. [Of this sum] 500 ducados are for the pay of the verger, the musicians, and others who serve it; and the remaining 100 ducados are for the fabrica [i.e., the care of the building]. It has also 400 pesos of offerings each year--by another royal decree of April 12, 1734--for the purchase of Castilian wine, with which is celebrated the holy sacrifice of the mass; olive-oil and balsam for the holy oils; and cocoanut-oil for the lamp which burns before the blessed sacrament.
The holy church of Zebu
It has its bishop, and its jurisdiction extends to that entire province, and comprises that of Leyte with its adjoining islands; the province of Caraga; Panay, and the jurisdiction of Ogton and its islands, as far as Calamyanes; Paragua, and the northern coast of Mindanao, extending even to the Marianas Islands. At the present time this church is governed by his very illustrious Lordship, Don Protaçio Cavezas, who is bishop-elect; and he enjoys an annual stipend of 4,000 pesos, by virtue of the royal decree already cited of May 28, 1680. For the fabrica, material and spiritual, of the said holy church is assigned an encomienda of 1,783 1/2 tributes by royal decree of October 28, 1670; these are collected on the account of his Majesty, and their value (which is 2,000 pesos, after deducting all expenses) is paid from this royal treasury to that prelate annually for the maintenance of chaplains, the purchase of wax, oil, and wine, the pay of singers and sacristans, and other expenses necessary to worship in the said holy church.
Holy church of Nueva Cazeres
It has a bishop, and its jurisdiction embraces the entire provinces of Camarines and Albay, as far as and including the islands of Ticao, Masbate, Burias, and Catanduanes; the province of Tayabas, as far as and including Luchan; and in the opposite coast of Maobàn, to Binangonan, Polo, Baler, and Casiguran. At present it is governed by his very illustrious Lordship Doctor Don Ysidoro de Arevalo, who is the bishop-elect; and he enjoys a yearly stipend of 4,000 pesos of common gold, conformably to the aforesaid royal decree. Likewise a payment is made from the royal treasury, in virtue of a decree by the supreme government and the council of the royal treasury dated October 2, 1723, 200 pesos, for priests of the choir, at 100 pesos each, as assistants of the aforesaid illustrious lord. Another payment is made of 400 pesos, assigned to this church by the royal decree, dated at San Yldefonso on August 19, 1736, for the pay of singers, sacristans, and doorkeepers, and other expenses for worship and for the [care of the] building of the aforesaid holy church. It likewise has a contribution of 232 pesos, 4 tomins, which is paid in 6 quintals of wax, 100 gantas of cocoanut-oil, and 4 arrobas of Castilian wine, in conformity with another royal decree dated February 21, 1705.
The holy church of Nueva Segovia
It has a bishop (whose title is of Cagayan), and its jurisdiction comprises the province of Pangasinan from the promontory of Bolinao, and that of Ylocos; and Cagayan, as far as and including Palauan on the opposite coast. At this time the see is vacant by the death of his illustrious Lordship Doctor Don Geronimo de Herrera y Lopez, and this said bishopric enjoys an annual stipend of 4,000 pesos of common gold, in virtue of the royal decree cited. It has two priests in the choir, to whom 200 pesos are paid yearly for their support, each 100 pesos, in virtue of a decree of the general council of the treasury and of the supreme government, dated December 23, 1723. It enjoys a contribution of 232 pesos, 4 tomins, which is paid to it in 6 quintals of wax, 100 gantas of cocoanut-oil, and 4 arrobas of Castilian wine, in conformity with the royal decree of February 21, 1675.
General summary of the amounts of the stipends, funds for current expenses [fabricas], and contributions belonging to the four cathedrals.
Cathedrals Stipends Expense Contributions Totals funds
Metropolitan, Manila 10,000 p. 825 p. 400 p. 11,225 p. Cathedral, Zebu 4,000 p. 2,000 p. 6,000 p. Id. N. Caceres 4,200 p. 400 p. 232 p., 4t. 4,832 p., 4t. Id. N. Segovia 4,200 p. 232 p., 4t. 4,432 p., 4t. -------- ------- ---------- ------------- Totals 22,400 p. 3,225 p. 865 p. 26,490 p.
CONVENTS, COLLEGES, HOSPITALS AND HOUSES WHICH ENJOY STIPENDS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE ROYAL TREASURY, AND HAVE NO ADMINISTRATION [OF PARISHES]
Within the walls of this city there is a royal chapel with six chaplains, who render service in the functions of the royal Audiencia; and it was especially instituted for the [spiritual] direction and assistance of the soldiers who serve in this royal army. Its expenses are met from the payments and wages which are issued monthly from the royal treasury, deducting from each of these a certain amount called "the contribution" for the said royal chapel, which amounts during the year to 6,004 pesos, 1 tomin. From this sum are paid annually 3,020 pesos for the salaries of chaplains and the expenses of divine worship; and the remainder is held in the said royal treasury, in order with it to provide for repairs on the aforesaid chapel, the renewal of the ornaments, and other extraordinary expenses--on account of which it is not brought into the computation with the other allotments.
There is a royal hospital £or the soldiers of the regiment, with two chaplains, a steward, a physician, a surgeon, and an apothecary, all salaried; and it is provided with everything necessary for the comfort and treatment of the sick. The proceeds of its endowment annually amount to the sum--which is paid to it in money, including the value of 8,400 fowls--of 7,891 pesos; 960 cavans of rice, 3 arrobas of Castilian wine, and 384 gantas of cocoanut-oil.
The royal college and seminary of San Phelipe was founded and erected by royal decrees of April 8, 1702, and December 21, 1712. It has a teacher of grammar, and eight seminarists who serve in this holy cathedral church in all its offices and functions as a class; their maintenance amounts annually to 1,520 pesos in money, including other supplies which are delivered from the storehouses--360 cavans of rice, one arroba of wine, and 192 gantas of cocoanut-oil.
The seminary of Santa Potenciana was founded in the year 1591, when Gomez Perez Dasmariñas was governor of these islands, and was received under the royal patronage. It has twenty-four inmates, daughters of Spanish fathers, with their chaplain, superior, doorkeeper, and other servants, all paid on the account of his Majesty; their salaries and maintenance amount each year to 2,476 pesos in money. They receive also 504 cavans of rice, two arrobas of wine, and 168 gantas of cocoanut-oil; in this is also included the cost of the clothing for the students and servants, that of divine worship, and other lesser expenses. And for this it enjoys an encomienda, by an act of the royal Audiencia dated February 4, 1668, the income of which is collected for the treasury, and its management and administration is placed in charge of the royal official accountant.
There are two royal chairs of canons and institutes, one in the college of San Ygnacio of the Society of Jesus, and the other in the college of Santo Thomas, of the Order of St. Dominic; these were recently established, by royal decree of October 23, 1733, with two professors at salaries of 400 pesos each, which make 800 pesos a year.
The brotherhood of the holy Misericordia, and the seminary of Santa Ysabel for girls, in which a great number of them are sheltered; these are administered by a purveyor and twelve deputies, who are appointed yearly. They take charge of the incomes and charitable funds assigned to the said house, from which is produced a sufficient amount for the support of the establishment, for dowries, and for other large charitable contributions, which they distribute in accordance with the Constitutions of the brotherhood. This house is at present under the immediate protection of his Majesty, by his royal decree of March 25, 1733; and it enjoys on the account of the royal treasury only an encomienda of 963 tributes, by a royal grant of October 24, 1667, the net value of which will be set down in the proper place.
The calced Augustinians have a convent of San Pablo with an adequate number of religious, who are annually assisted by this treasury with a contribution of wine for celebrating the holy sacrifice of mass, and oil for the lamp which burns before the blessed sacrament, in accordance with the late royal order of his Majesty, dated September 15, 1726--at the rate of one arroba of wine for each priest, and 75 gantas of cocoanut-oil for each lamp.
The convent of San Gregorio, of discalced Franciscan religious, is likewise assisted by the contribution of wine and oil, in accordance with the aforesaid royal order.
The monastery of the nuns of Santa Clara is likewise assisted with a contribution of wine and oil, in virtue of the said royal decree; and besides this it enjoys an encomienda, by decree of April 4, 1664, the income of which is collected on the account of his Majesty, and its net amount, which is paid from the treasury, is 583 pesos.
The convent of the religious of St. Dominic, with two colleges (named Santo Tomas, and San Juan de Letran), enjoys the same contribution of wine and oil, in accordance with the aforesaid royal decree. It has likewise 400 pesos in money, and 800 cavans of rice, for the stipend of four priests in active service, who must reside in the said convent in virtue of a royal decree dated July 23, 1639; and the said college of San Juan de Letran enjoys an encomienda of 700 tributes by royal grant of January 10, 1734, the value of which will be entered in its class.
The college of San Ygnacio, of the fathers of the Society of Jesus, and that of San Joseph, composed of students, are likewise aided with a contribution of wine and oil, in accordance with the aforesaid royal decree. They likewise receive 400 pesos, and 800 cavans of rice, for the stipends of four priests in active service who must reside in the said college of San Ygnacio, in accordance with the royal decree dated February 18, 1707. And the said college of San Joseph enjoys an encomienda of 383 1/2 tributes, on account of 20,000 pesos which were granted to it by royal decree of his Majesty dated October 5, 1703, the net value of which will be entered in the class to which it belongs.
The convent of San Nicolas of the Recollect religious of St. Augustine similarly enjoys its contribution of wine and oil, in accordance with the said recent royal decree of his Majesty.
The convent of San Juan de Dios is also assisted with the contribution of wine and oil in virtue of the said royal decree, and 50 pesos in medicines; it also enjoys an encomienda of 541 1/2 tributes, by royal grant of July 2, 1735, the net value of which will be entered in the class to which it belongs.
Within the walls [of the city] are also contained two beaterios--one of Dominican nuns, called Santa Catharina, with sufficient incomes; and another connected with the Society of Jesus, containing poor Indian women, who are maintained by charity and do not enjoy any allotment on the account of his Majesty.
Outside the walls of this city is the hospital of San Lazaro, in charge of discalced religious of St. Francis, for contagious diseases. This is annually assisted from this royal treasury, in accordance with the royal decree of January 22, 1672, with 787 pesos, 4 tomins in money, including the cost of 1,500 laying hens, 200 blankets, and 1,500 cavans of rice; and one arroba of wine for the celebration of the holy sacrifice of mass.
The church of Los Santos Reyes of the Parian, and the hospital of San Gabriel for the Christian Sangleys, and for medical treatment of them and of the infidels, in charge of the religious of St. Dominic, receive from the communal treasury of the Sangleys themselves 2,400 pesos; and from the royal treasury only the contribution of five arrobas of wine for the aforesaid celebration of the holy sacrifice of mass, and one hundred and fifty gantas of cocoanut-oil for the lamps which burn before the depository of the Divine One.
The sanctuary of our Lady of Safety and convent of San Juan Bauptista, of the discalced religious of St. Augustine, situated in Bagumbayan, enjoys only the aforesaid contribution of wine and oil.
To the infirmary which the religious Order of St. Dominic has, for the medical treatment of its religious, is paid every year 100 pesos as a contribution, in accordance with the royal order of his Majesty, dated September 4, 1667.
To the three infirmaries of the Order of St. Francis is paid every year a contribution of 329 pesos, for the treatment of its sick religious who are in this city and in the provinces of Laguna de Bay and Camarines, in virtue of his Majesty's decree of October 30, 1600.
At the distance of one legua, or a little less, there are two houses or sanctuaries--one named San Francisco del Monte, with two chapels close by, where regularly serve one religious (a priest of the Order of St. Francis), and one lay-brother, or donado of the reformed branch, which is called "the house of retreat or penance;" the other is called San Juan del Monte, with a religious of the Order of St. Dominic--and these enjoy only the contribution of wine.
The sanctuary of our Lady of Guadalupe, of calced Augustinian religious, enjoys the same contribution of wine and oil.
In the port of Cavite there is a convent of religious of St. Dominic, and another of Recollect religious; a college of the fathers of the Society of Jesus; and a hospice of the Order of St. John of God--all without [parochial] administration; and they enjoy only the contribution of wine and oil.
Likewise in the city of Zebu there is a convent of calced Augustinians with three religious, priests; another convent of discalced Augustinians, with one priest; and a college of the Society of Jesus, with two priests. In the port of Yloylo, in the province of Ogton, the Society have another college with one priest. The religious of St. Dominic have a convent with two priests in the city of Nueva Segovia, in the province of Cagayan. All these houses are without administration, and enjoy only the same contribution of wine and oil.
Summary of the amounts of the stipends and contributions from the royal treasury which are enjoyed by the convents, colleges, hospitals, and houses which have no [parochial] administration.
Convents, colleges, hospitals, Cash, Rice, Wine, Oil, and houses pesos cavans arrobas gantas
Royal military chapel Royal hospital 7,891 960 3 384 Royal college of San Phelipe 1,520 360 1 192 Royal seminary Sta. Potenciana 2,466 504 2 168 Chairs of canon law and institutes 800 Brotherhood of Misericordia Convent of S. Pablo (cal. Aug.) 25 75 Conv. S. Gregorio (disc. Fran.) 18 75 Monastery of Sta. Clara 583 2 75 Conv. St. Dominic, and two colleges 400 800 23 225 Coll. S. Ygnacio and S. Joseph 400 800 20 150 Conv. S. Nicolas (Recollect) 24 75 Conv. San Juan de Dios 50 2 75 Two beaterios (Domin. nuns and Indian women) Hospital of San Lazaro 787 [16] 1,500 1 Church of Parian and hospital of San Gabriel 5 150 Sanctuary Our Lady of Safety 6 75 Infirmary for relig. of St. Dominic 100 Three infirmaries of St. Francis 329 Two sanctuaries, S. Juan and S. Francisco de los Montes 2 Sanct. of Our Lady of Guadalupe 2 Two conv., one coll., and one hospital at port Cavite 12 225 Three conv., and two coll. in the provinces 10 375 ------ ----- --- ----- Totals 15,326 4,924 158 2,319
ENCOMIENDAS OF INDIANS; HOW THEY WERE GRANTED, AND THE OWNERS WHO POSSESS THEM
In accordance with royal decrees of donation, his Majesty has assigned encomiendas in these islands to the extent of 18,041 1/4 tributes. Of these, 8,784 1/4 are assigned to four religious communities and eleven private persons, and their net product is collected by the encomenderos themselves or by their agents; and the remaining 9,257 are collected by the royal officials of these islands for the subventions and contributions which are stated in the aforesaid grants. They are separately mentioned in the following form:
Encomiendas belonging to religious communities and to private persons
[Grantees] Date of grant No. of Value in Net tributes cash, receipts,
p. t. gr. p. t. gr.
College of Sta. Ysabel, this city Oct. 24, 1671 963 1,328 2 6 1,030 3 7 College of San Joseph, on account of 20,000 pesos Oct. 5, 1703 383 1/2 671 1 485 2 10 College of S. Juan de Letran Jan. 10, 1734 700 963 2 6 718 7 6 Hospital of S. Juan de Dios July 2, 1735 541 1/2 812 2 584 1 D. Pedro de Garaycoechea (2nd life) Oct. 30, 1690 1,247 1,558 6 960 0 4 D. Fernando Hidalgo (2nd life) Sept. 31 [sic; 21 or 30?], 1701 383 536 1 9 386 7 8 D. Juan Francisco de Salinas (2nd life) June 21, 1705 419 1/2 540 2 2 380 2 8 D. Balthazar de Soto (2nd life) June 11, 1709 350 3/4 364 6 2 239 2 3 D. Antonio Gomez Quixedo [17] (2nd life) July 15, 1711 640 880 540 3 6 Da. Josepha de Erquiñigo, Condeza de Pineda, two encomiendas Dec. 19, 1712 1,323 1,659 2 1,036 6 2 D. Juan Afan de Rivera (2nd life) March 6, 1715 387 1/2 406 6 271 5 D. Julian Fernandez de Guevara (2nd life) June 30, 1721 470 517 4 5 342 0 3 Da. Monica de Yturralde (2nd life) July 30, 1721 233 1/2 256 6 9 170 0 11 D. Nicolas Cortez Monrroy (2nd life) July 30, 1721 379 568 4 397 5 2 Da. Maria Manuela Rita Manzano (2nd life), two encomiendas July 14, 1738 363 425 5 273 3 3 --------- ------------ ----------- Totals 8,784 1/4 11,489 4 3 7,817 4 1
Encomiendas in which the collections are made on his Majesty's account, to be applied to the objects for which they were granted.
[Grantees] Date of grant No. of Value in Net tributes cash, receipts,
p. t. gr. p. t. gr. The monastery of So. Clara enjoys, by decree of Apr. 4, 1664 868 971 6 10 583 0 6 The seminary of Santa Potenciana enjoys for its maintenance, by act of the royal Audiencia, Feb. 4, 1668 1,437 1/2 2,078 5 4 1,492 5 5 For the pay of the lieutenant- general of the artillery, he possesses, by decree of Dec. 16, 1608 895 1/2 1,044 1 692 7 8 To pay for the wine for masses and oil for the lamps, there are, by decree of Apr. 8, 1668 4,272 1/2 5,913 2 6 4,760 6 9 For the maintenance of the building of the holy cathedral church of Zebu, it enjoys, by decree of Oct. 28. 1670 1,783 1/2 2,690 3 1 2,000 --------- ------------ ----------- Totals 9,257 12,698 2 9 9,529 4 4
These encomiendas, although they were granted for the maintenance and existence of the five objects here stated, have had the tributes collected on the account of his Majesty with the aggregate of the other tributes united to the royal crown [the aforesaid sums] being paid by the royal treasury to the parties concerned, not only the net amount of what is due to each, but what is necessary for the existence of those for whom they are destined, obtaining from other sources indifferently whatever is lacking to make up that sum. The amount of each is entered in the corresponding summaries [of accounts] as a charge upon the general fund of the treasury, according to what the parties receive--not only in cash, but in other assets from the royal storehouses--in order to establish, with the distinction and clearness which this memorandum permits, the total with which his Majesty piously contributes to the preservation of the ecclesiastical estate in these islands. It is brought in here, in the account of the encomiendas, only to show how it is applied, and not as an increased charge on the royal treasury.
ACTIVE MISSIONS
There are at present thirty-nine apostolic missionaries, distributed among twenty-one active missions which are situated in various places and provinces, who are engaged in the conversion and settlement of the infidels who dwell in the mountains in the greater number of these islands. Of these, one is a secular ecclesiastic; four belong to the calced Augustinian religious; five are discalced Franciscans; twenty are Dominicans; two belong to the Society of Jesus, and seven to the Augustinian Recollects. Aid is given to them on the account of his Majesty, in accordance with his royal decrees, by the stipend of 100 pesos and 100 fanegas of rice to each missionary, and with the military escorts necessary to their protection and to the safety of the subdued Indians. Likewise they receive a monthly allowance for these men, of one peso and one cavan of rice [for each], to which is added the cost of transporting this provision to the places where they are, which sometimes amounts to as much as the value of the principal. The mission which now is especially considered to have made the greatest progress and advancement is that established in the mountains of Ytuy and Paniqui in the province of Cagayàn, in charge of the religious of the Order of St. Dominic--who, penetrating into the country, a task which had previously been greatly facilitated by the calced religious of the Order of St. Augustine, have brought that province into communication with the others in this great island (something which formerly could not be done, except by sea), with great harvest of souls who have been converted to our holy Catholic faith. These costs are stated in the following summary, that which belongs to each mission being given separately.
Summary of the expenses which the active missions which are mentioned occasion to the royal exchequer.
Provinces Missionary ministers Cash, Rice, Wine, Oil, pesos tom. cavans arrobas gantas
---- [18] 2 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with 331 472 escorts and transportation Pampanga 4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts 960 1,088 and transportation Idem 4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation 820 1,016 Idem 2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation 480 544 2 150 Pangasinan 3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation 537 744 Idem 2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation 412 544 Ylocos 1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic 100 200 1 75 Cagayàn 13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation 4,030 4 4,352 Laguna de Bay 1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation 189 272 Tayabas 2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation 616 Mindoro 1 Augustinian Recollect 151 5 200 75 Camarines 2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation 412 544 Zebu 2 Augustinian Recollects 200 400 -------- ------ - --- 10 provinces 39 missionaries, in 2 missions 9,239 1 10,376 3 300 p. t. [19] cavans arrob. gantas
Ministers, and villages of converted Indians; the stipends and offerings which they enjoy on this account, according to the number of tributes to whom they minister.
All the Indian neophytes--settled in four hundred and fifteen villages and fifty-three visitas, which compose the twenty-one provinces of the territory--have their ministers of religious instruction, who exercise toward them the office of parish priests. These ministers are aided on his Majesty's account, in accordance with the regulation made by the adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi while he was governor of these islands, which was approved by royal decree of April 24, 1584. They received a hundred pesos and a hundred fanegas of rice for every five hundred tributes to whom they minister, and the contribution of wine and oil which was ordained by the late royal decree dated September 15 in the year 1726--enjoying this without any limitation of time. The separate provinces and number of ministers, and the amount of expenses, will be shown in the following tables:
Summary of the stipends which each religious order is entitled to receive for the mission villages and ministries that it has.
Provinces Curates, sacristans, and Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, chaplains p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Manila 2 curas, with their sacristans 551 3 6 2 150 Tondo 3 curas, with 3 sacristans 743 2 11 200 3 225 Cavité 2 curas, and 2 sacristans 517 5 200 2 150 Mindoro 1 cura and 1 sacristan 223 3 11 1 75 Laguna de Bay 3 curas 396 1 9 57 4 3 225 Balayàn 2 curas 327 3 2 654 19 2 150 Cagayàn 1 cura and 1 sacristan 358 0 1 164 14 1 75 Idem 1 chaplain for the fort 180 Ylocos 2 curas and 1 sacristan 770 7 3 1,358 2 150 Camarines 6 curas and 1 sacristan 1,022 7 4 694 9 6 450 Tayabas 3 curas 253 4 307 3 225 Albay 10 curas 1,173 2,346 10 750 Zebu 1 cura and 1 sacristan 275 5 9 1 75 Idem 3 curas 766 4 2 797 19 3 225 Ogton 2 curas and 1 sacristan 458 1 364 19 2 150 Panay 3 curas 517 7 2 1,035 19 3 225 I. de Negros 4 curas 723 2 4 1,446 14 4 300 Leyte 1 cura 79 138 1 75
In 16 provinces 49 curas, 13 sacristans, ----------- --------- -- ----- and 1 chaplain 9,338 3 4 9,764 21 49 3,675 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Provinces Ministries Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Tondo 2 ministries 391 0 9 782 4 4 150 Pampanga 5 ,, 220 6 4 441 14 9 375 Cagayan 20 ,, 1,517 0 9 3,034 4 33 1,500 Pangasinan 15 ,, 2,534 1 7 5,068 8 26 1,125 ----------- -------- -- ----- In 4 provinces, 42 ministries 4,663 1 5 9,326 6 72 6,150 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Provinces Ministries Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Tondo 4 ministries 416 7 2 833 19 9 300 Bulacan 4 ,, 611 0 9 1,222 4 5 300 Bay 24 ,, 1,492 1 7 2,984 9 28 1,800 Cagayàn 1 ,, 44 3 2 88 19 1 75 Camarines 18 ,, 1,883 0 9 3,766 4 20 1,350 Tayabas 11 ,, 1,312 6 4 17 825 ----------- -------- -- ----- In 6 provinces, 62 ministries 5,760 3 9 8,895 7 80 4,650 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Provinces Ministries Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Tondo 6 ministries 1,224 4 9 2.449 4 15 450 Bulacan 9 ,, 1,077 4 2,155 13 675 Pampanga 18 ,, 1,416 4 9 2,833 4 30 1,350 Pangasinan 3 ,, 368 4 737 4 225 Ylocos 19 ,, 2,843 5,686 25 1,425 Balayàn 6 ,, 933 1 7 1,866 9 10 450 Zebu 3 ,, 441 7 3 516 4 4 225 Ogton 14 ,, 2,164 7 2 4,329 19 21 1,050 Panay 10 ,, 1,098 2 4 2,196 14 11 750 Bay 1 ,, 122 0 9 244 4 1 75 ------------ --------- --- ----- In 10 provinces, 89 ministries 11,690 4 7 23,013 10 134 6,675 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Provinces Ministries and chaplains Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Tondo 9 ministries 710 2 4 1,420 14 16 675 Cavite 4 ,, 546 4 9 1,093 4 6 300 Mariveles 1 ,, 62 4 8 125 4 2 75 Mindoro 3 ,, 212 4 425 3 225 Zebu 15 ,, 1,661 7 2 3,323 19 17 1,125 Ogton 1 ,, 112 4 225 1 75 Idem 1 chaplain for the fort 180 I. de Negros 3 ministries 238 476 3 225 Leyte 32 ,, 3,433 0 9 6,866 4 32 2,400 Samboanga 3 ,, 300 600 3 225 [Idem] and for their transportation 75 ----------- --------- -- ----- In 9 provinces 71 ministries and 1 chaplain 7,532 3 8 14,554 21 83 5,325 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Provinces Ministries and chaplains Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Tondo 1 ministry 17 34 3 75 Mariveles 2 ,, 226 3 150 Mindoro 4 ,, 315 6 4 631 14 7 300 Pangasinan 4 ,, 265 5 7 531 9 10 300 Albay 2 ,, 156 3 2 312 19 4 150 Zebu 2 ,, 171 6 4 343 14 6 150 Panay 2 ,, 210 420 4 150 Caraga 7 ,, 606 7 2 1,213 19 11 525 Idem 1 chaplain for the fort 180 Calamianes 4 ministries 398 4 9 797 4 7 300 Idem 1 chaplain for the fort 180 ----------- -------- -- ----- In 9 provinces 28 ministries and 2 chaplains 2,728 1 4 4,284 7 55 2,100 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
In order better to understand these tables, no estimate is made, in the class of secular ecclesiastics, of the additional sums which many of them enjoy from the treasury besides the amounts from the tributes to which they minister, for the amount required for their subsistence, in accordance with the royal decrees and acts of the treasury council obtained at the beginning of their establishment; and this surplus causes the disparity which cannot fail to be noticed. In the province of Tayabas, which is administered by the religious of St. Francis, there is no charge for rice, since this is always included in the amount of cash [supplied from the treasury]--as was agreed between this order, the governor, and the royal officials, on account of the scarcity [of supplies] in that province, and the difficulties which are found in the remittance, transportation, and delivery of that commodity.
It is also set forth that, after the budget for the provinces was drawn up, and the number of tributes in them realized, it was resolved in a conference of the royal treasury officials to abolish the register of strolling Indians, reducing them to a poll-list like the rest of the tribute-payers. According to these latest enumerations the amounts of the stipends are settled, and not in accordance with those which were considered in the aforesaid budget--from which fact arises the difference which is found in this one.
Summary of the amounts of stipends and contributions
Ministries Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain --[seculars] 9,338 3 4 9,764 21 49 3,675 42 ministers, religious of St. Dominic 4,663 1 5 9,326 6 72 3,150 62 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis 5,760 3 9 8,895 7 80 4,650 89 ministers, calced Augustinian religious 11,690 4 7 23,013 10 134 6,675 71 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus 7,532 3 8 14,554 21 83 5,325 28 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians 2,728 1 4 4,284 7 55 2,100 ------------ --------- --- ------ Totals 41,713 2 1 69,839 473 25,575 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
General summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty's account.
Ministries Cash Rice, Wine, Oil, p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
Four cathedral churches 26,490 Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration 15,326 4 4,924 158 2,319 Grants of encomiendas, and their net product 7,817 4 1 Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasury Active missions, summary 9,239 1 4 10,376 3 300 Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas 41,713 2 1 69,839 473 25,575 ------------- ------ --- ------ Totals 100,586 3 6 85,139 634 28,194 p. t. gr. cav. gant. arrobas gantas
This is, in brief, what his Catholic Majesty piously expends and distributes every year from his royal exchequer in aiding the ecclesiastical estate and the divine worship in these islands, not only in money but in rice, wine, and oil--in everything conforming to the royal decrees and other provisions, on which is based the certified statement furnished by the royal officials to this government. And, in order that the total amount from both [these kinds of aid] may be better understood, I have thought it best to proceed to the reduction of commodities [to a cash basis], by which may be exhibited the actual cash value [of all that is given for this purpose].
Reduction of commodities for the computation of the whole in cash
[Class of aid] Commodities Rates of cost Cash value, furnished p. t. gr.
Actual cash 100,586 3 6 Rice (24 gantas in a cavan) 85,139 cavans 4 tomins a cavan 42,569 4 Wine for masses (arrobas) 634 arrobas 25 pesos an arroba 15,850 Oil for the lamps (gantas) 28,194 gantas 1 tomin a ganta 3,524 2
Sum total 162,530 p., 1 t., 6 gr.
Consequently, the payments in kind being reduced to money at the prices which are indicated, according to the estimate made every five years--in which are considered the transportation expenses, items of waste, and cost of administration--the whole amounts to 162,530 pesos, 1 tomin, and 6 granos, according to the computation. This amount is annually requisitioned by the royal officials from the amount of the tributes and other branches of income indifferently, in such a manner that when the Indians fail--either in order to keep a reserve, or for some other special reason of scarcity--to pay the portion of rice which is required from them, it is necessary to make extraordinary purchases on his Majesty's account, at the prices which at the time are current, in order to furnish the ecclesiastical estate with a suitable amount for their stipend. It is also necessary that the aid for each individual ecclesiastic be delivered, at the cost of the royal treasury, in his respective place of ministry, from which follows an increased and extraordinary expense in the transportation of these succors.
As regards the wine for masses, the royal officials of this treasury usually ask those of Mexico to send in each ship 500 arrobas of wine, which, it is estimated, ought to be distributed among the communities and ministries of the religious--considering that the secular ecclesiastics are accustomed to receive this in money, at the same rate of twenty-five pesos [an arroba]. The officials of Mexico punctually fill this order, deducting from the situado the cost of purchasing the wine and transporting it to the port of Acapulco--so that, when delivered in this city, and allowance being made for the waste, the total cost never falls below twenty-five pesos [an arroba]. As the aforesaid waste is usually considerable, on account of the long navigation and carrying the wine in [mule-] loads by land--and from the amount thus sent is separated, in the first place, the wine necessary for the use of the royal chapel and of the chaplains of the royal Audiencia, [and for the celebration of mass in] the forts of Santiago and San Phelipe, at the timber-cutting [by the Indians], and in the ships of his Majesty--there is seldom enough wine to furnish the entire arroba which belongs to each priest. For this reason the net amount of what remains is divided pro rata among the aforesaid communities and ministries of religious, without keeping back the third part (as formerly was the custom) for emergency cases, on account of the urgent representations made on this point by the general procurators of the aforesaid communities--giving as their reason that this reserve would be safer and better guarded in their hands than in the royal storehouses, and there would be reason to fear that the wine would be consumed or adulterated. The matter having been considered at a session of the royal treasury officials on December 5, 1738, it was decided that the royal officials should proceed to deliver the wine, obliging the parties concerned to provide for themselves whatever lack might occur in the future, to which all agreed; in virtue of this, from that time was delivered to them all that was their share in the pro rata division of the net amount of all the wine that was on hand for this purpose.
As for the cocoanut-oil for the lamps, there is seldom any change in the amount paid to the churches; for it is the current practice, in all the provinces where that tree grows, that the Indians contribute it on account of the tribute, at the fixed price of one real for a ganta, and at the same price when it must be purchased, which the natives call "bandala." If there is any excess of cost, it is in the fact that oil is bought on urgent occasions in this city for the careening of the vessels and other special needs of the royal service--for which as regards the contributions [to the churches], only so much is levied [from the Indians] as accords with the amount agreed on [with them].
Besides this enormous amount of stipends and offerings with which his Majesty aids the ecclesiastical estate, the ministers in charge of the villages of Indian converts have generally introduced the annual collection, from the parishioners under their administration, of three reals from each whole tribute (that is, a man and wife) and from an unmarried man half that amount, as an offering, for the feasts of the titular saint of the village, the monument, and All Saints' day; this also realizes a considerable sum for them, which may be more clearly understood by the statement which is presented in the following table:
Summary of what the ministers who are in charge of the Indian villages receive from their parishioners, as an offering, for the three feast days of each village.
[Class] Ministers Villages Tributes Offerings, p. t. gr.
Secular ecclesiastics 49 86 32,254 12,095 2 Religious of St. Dominic 42 42 23,316 1/2 8,743 5 6 Religious of St. Francis 62 66 25,520 9,570 Calced religious of St.Augustine 89 93 56,923 21,346 1 Society of Jesus 71 90 35,524 1/2 13,321 5 6 Discalced Augustinians 28 38 11,276 1/2 4,228 5 6 --- --- ----------- ------------ Totals 341 415 184,814 1/2 69,305 3 6
Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814 1/2 tributes of native Indians, mestizos, and Christian Sangleys--according to the latest estimate, in which is included the enumeration of strolling Indians--receive for the aforesaid offering each year 69,305 pesos, 3 tomins, and 6 granos, according to those figures. It cannot be learned that for the exaction of this offering they have further permission or privilege than the custom itself, introduced by those very ecclesiastics and religious in their respective parishes; nor in this accountancy is there any other evidence for it than the extra-judicial information acquired by the alcaldes, the natives, and the business men of the provinces, who have seen this practice in use in the manner which is here stated. The amount of this offering added to the 162,530 pesos, 1 tomin, and 6 granos which those ministers receive in stipends and contributions on his Majesty's account, makes the sum of 231,835 pesos, and 5 tomins, which is the amount of the fixed revenue which they receive. Besides this, they have the proceeds of the occasional fees from marriages, burials, baptisms, and other parochial dues, which are collected in all the parishes that are called curacies and ministries; and no account is rendered of the value of these, because it has not been possible to calculate it everywhere for the total computation of the usufruct, but it has always been considered as a large amount. Notwithstanding all this, the religious orders have their incomes lessened by transporting a large number of religious from the kingdoms of Castilla to these islands, at least every six years. In this way they consume a great part of their means, since the passage-money which his Majesty grants them for their transportation is a very limited sum. More than all, we must not fail to remark that the fine appearance of the churches, and the care taken for divine worship and education, and the zeal for souls, which are so conspicuous in the ministries of the religious, cause more admiration than can be expressed, in places so remote as these and in a Christian church so recently formed. The point most worthy of consideration is the subordination and reverence which these natives maintain toward their religious teachers, permitting the latter to flog them, impose penances on them, and rebuke them, when they incur blame in any omissions or faults, without their being offended at the minister. It may therefore truthfully be affirmed that it is these ministers who preserve in obedience, vassalage, and subjection all the neophytes, gathered into settlements--more being due to the authority and despotic manner in which the fathers rule them than to the political scheme of the alcaldes who govern them. This arises, as the Indians themselves admit, from a natural fear which they conceive for the father's superiority, through a hidden influence which constrains them to feel thus, without knowing how, but which we understand--supernatural effects of the lofty and supreme Providence. This result is greatly aided by the care which the fathers take in instructing, encouraging, and stimulating them in labor and cultivation, and the management of their domestic affairs, in which they are thereby benefited. Would that they might devote themselves at once to suppressing the variety of languages which the natives use (which serve only to keep alive the root of their abuses and idolatries), as is done by the crown of Portugal in all its conquests--gradually bringing them to the use of the Castilian language, and endeavoring to secure instruction therein in all the schools, as is ordained by law xviii, book vi, tit. i of the Recopilación of these kingdoms, in order that its purpose, so holy and just, may be attained. But I have not been able to find a convincing reason for their not putting this law into execution, although I have made efforts to ascertain if there were any. It may therefore be inferred that some insuperable and hidden difficulty must have been encountered on the part of the religious who are ministers in the doctrinas, which has hindered the useful and desirable progress of this Christian maxim of policy.
Index of the plans, relations, and descriptions which are contained in this book
Reason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño, [20] stating it. Folio 1.
Concise description of the city of Manila. Fol. 3.
Description of the castle of Santiago. Fol. 9.
Plan and topographical chart of the capital, Manila, and of the castle of Santiago. Fol. 11.
Description of Cavite, with all the industries which are contained therein. Fol. 13.
Plan of Cavite, and of the castle and Ribera. Fol. 23.
Description of Playahonda, with its plan. Fol. 25.
Description of Fort San Francisco at Cagayàn, with its plan annexed. Fol. 29.
Description of Fort Santiago at Ytugud, with its plan. Fol. 23.
Description of the fortification San Joseph at Cabicungan, with its plan. Fol. 37.
Delineation of Fort San Pablo at Tuao, with its plan. Fol. 43.
Description of Fort San Joseph at Capinatan. Fol. 47.
Description of Fort Santa Ysabel at Calamianes, with its plan. Fol. 51.
Description of the fort of Cuyo. Fol. 55.
Description of the fort of Linapacan. Fol. 59.
Description of Fort San Juan Bauptista of Lutaya. Fol. 63.
Description of the fort of Culion. Fol. 67.
Description of the fort at Capis, capital of the province of Panay, with its plan annexed. Fol. 71.
Description of the fortification of Romblon. Fol. 75.
Description of Fort Nuestra Señora del Rossario at the port of Yloylo, with its plan. Fol. 79.
Description of Fort San Pedro at the city of Zebu, with its plan. Fol. 83.
Description of Fort San Joseph at Cagayàn, [21] with its plan. Fol. 87.
Description of Fort San Francisco Xavier at Yligan, with its plan. Fol. 91.
Description of Fort Santiago at Dapitan, with its plan. Fol. 95.
Description of Fort San Joseph at Tandag, capital of the province of Caraga, with its plan annexed. Fol. 99.
Description of Fort San Francisco at Cateel, with its plan. Fol. 103.
Description of Fort San Juan Bauptista at Liñao, with its plan. Fol. 107.
Description of Fort Nuestra Señora del Pilar at Samboangan. Fol. 115.
Plan of Samboangan. Fol. 115.
General résumé of the fortifications, their various constructions, situations, etc. Fol. 117.
General résumé of the military supplies. Fol. 118.
General résumé of the military forces, pay of the men, etc. Fol. 119.
Description of the provinces. Fol. 120.
Province of Tongdo. Fol. 120.
Province of Bulacan. Fol. 122.
Province of Pampanga. Fol. 124.
Province of Pangasinan. Fol. 126.
Province of Ylocos. Fol. 128.
Province of Cagayàn. Fol. 130.
Province of Laguna de Bay. Fol. 133.
Province of Balayan. Fol. 136.
Province of Tayabas. Fol. 138.
Province of Camarines. Fol. 140.
Province of Albay. Fol. 142.
Province of Leyte. Fol. 145.
Province of Caraga. Fol. 148.
Province of Zebu. Fol. 150.
Jurisdiction of Island of Negros. Fol. 153.
Province of Ogton. Fol. 154.
Province of Panay. Fol. 156.
Province of Calamianes. Fol. 158.
Jurisdiction of Mindoro. Fol. 160.
Jurisdiction of Marivelez. Fol. 162.
Jurisdiction of Cavite. Fol. 163.
Government of Samboangan. Fol. 164.
General résumé of what is included in the description of the provinces. Fol. 166.
Notice of the royal treasury of Manila. Fol. 168.
Résumé of what is produced and expended from the royal treasury of Manila. Fol. 169.
Hydrographic and chorographic chart of all the Philipinas Islands. Fol. 172.
[A similar index is given of the second part, that regarding the ecclesiastical estate; but we omit this, as all the matter in that part is presented in the foregoing pages--save the preliminary statement of the "new reason for this work, with the letter of Don Joseph de la Quintana, [22] which states it;" and, at the end, "Remarks, and conclusion of the work."]
THE ORDER OF ST. JOHN OF GOD
[The following account of the work done in the Philippines by this hospital order is summarized from the history written by Maldonado de Puga.] [23]
CHAPTERS I-IV
[Chapter i relates "the urgent reasons for the present treatise; and the necessity for, and usefulness of, our hospital order in Philipinas." In the last paragraph of the chapter Maldonado says: "These islands are in need of physicians and surgeons, as well as of medicines; for excepting the capital Manila and the port of Cabite--where we have hospitals, and where the few secular persons who exercise the profession [of medicine] can render assistance--the rest of the provinces, and the many dependent towns, are supported by Providence alone, being helped by herbs and other simples about which they have been instructed by continual use. But, as this is so complicated a matter, whenever the patient's constitution and the dose disagree, or when other substances are added to make the latter more effective, the very article which was regarded as a remedy usually aggravates the sickness, and consequently there are continual deaths among those who make mistakes. In this capital, although there are apothecary shops, and practitioners who write prescriptions--whose charity is taken for granted, so far as they can exercise it--the crowd of patients who resort to them does not allow them to succor all, and it results that there is a great number who are unprovided [with medical aid]. Others, because their poverty cannot bear the cost of the medicines, and who have no one from whom to obtain food, find their only asylum in our hospitals--where, without any hesitation, all are received; and, making a distinction in the respect paid to them, in regard to the rank or character of various persons who have entered these houses, in so far as our abilities extend, the institution has succeeded in giving entire satisfaction. Although the royal charity maintains here a hospital and chapel at enormous cost, it is understood that this is only for officers, soldiers, seamen, and Pampangos who have positions and render actual service; for the men retired from service are excluded by this rule, except by special favor of the superior government. On this account, our attention to our duties brings us in contact with a variety of people--priests, citizens, militiamen, retired officers, Indians, negroes, besides foreigners who trade in these ports. [These constitute] a great throng of patients, and convince us that if so important a charity were to fail or be neglected many dead persons would, to our sorrow, be found in the streets and entresuelos [24] (the dwellings of the poor); and others, worn out by their afflictions, would be suffering the pangs of their necessities. These are relieved, in the present circumstances; but the permanency of the work demands that the superiors to whom the matter belongs shall aid us with laborers and encourage us with their support, obtaining from the Catholic royal piety what they shall deem suitable for this purpose."]
[Chapter ii recounts the royal decrees for the aid of the hospitals at Manila, dated in the years 1590-96; the foundation (April 16, 1594) of the Misericordia brotherhood, and their establishment of a hospital, which after 1596 opened its doors to all who needed its aid; and the surrender of the royal hospital to their care (January 8, 1598), at the instance of Governor Francisco Tello--their labors therein making evident the difference between the work accomplished by pure charity and that done by persons hired to do it; they also maintained Franciscan ministers for attending to the spiritual needs of the sick. In the conflagration of May 1, 1603, the royal hospital was utterly destroyed, "with the third part of the buildings of this city, a loss which amounted to more than a million of pesos." Then are enumerated the losses and calamities which rendered this loss more grievous to the colony, the destructive earthquake of June 21, 1599, followed by lesser shocks and disturbances until the following year of 1600; the loss of two richly-laden galleons (1599), the "Santa Margarita" and "San Gerónimo;" the attack of Oliver van Noordt (December, 1600); the wreck of the "Santo Thomas" (1601), and of another galleon which was about to be launched at Panamao; the return to port of the galleons despatched in 1602 and 1604; and the revolt of the Chinese in May, 1603. A royal decree dated November 4, 1606, directed Acuña to make every effort to rebuild the royal hospital; meanwhile the Misericordia were aiding the throngs of people who, made destitute by the various disasters above mentioned, implored their help, and they spent in these exercises of charity eighty thousand pesos in five years. Another royal decree (February 10, 1617) directed the Audiencia of Manila to place the hospitals there in charge of the brethren of St. John of God, who were going thither for that purpose; but the war with the Dutch and other hindrances prevented them from carrying out this enterprise]
[Chapter iii states that about the year 1611 two brethren of this order, Fray Juan de Gamboa and Fray Lucas de los Angeles, had arrived in Manila, desirous to found a hospital; but that the authorities there discouraged their plan. Some writer has stated that these brethren returned in 1621 and founded a hospital for convalescents at Bagumbaya; but Maldonado regards this as uncertain, and difficult to verify, although some circumstances would indicate the probability that they made a second attempt to establish their order at Manila. At various times requests were sent from Manila for these hospitalers, and in chapter iv are related the arrangements finally made by the superiors of the order in Nueva España to send laborers to the Philippines, which was accomplished in the spring of 1641; these were Fray Andrés de San Joseph (a priest) and Fray Antonio de Santiago (a lay brother). The warrant given them and other official documents connected with their going are reproduced in full by Maldonado.]