ACTIVE MISSIONSThere 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 sometimesamounts 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.ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantasMinisters, 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.Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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 contributionsMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasGeneral summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty’s account.CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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 furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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 bookReason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
ACTIVE MISSIONSThere 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 sometimesamounts 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.ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantasMinisters, 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.Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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 contributionsMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasGeneral summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty’s account.CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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 furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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 bookReason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
ACTIVE MISSIONSThere 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 sometimesamounts 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.ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantasMinisters, 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.Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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 contributionsMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasGeneral summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty’s account.CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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 furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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 bookReason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
ACTIVE MISSIONSThere 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 sometimesamounts 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.ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantasMinisters, 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.Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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 contributionsMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasGeneral summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty’s account.CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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 furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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 bookReason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
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 sometimesamounts 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.ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantasMinisters, 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.Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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 contributionsMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasGeneral summary of the amounts, in stipends, contributions, and grants, with which the ecclesiastical estate in these islands is aided on his Majesty’s account.CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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 furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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 bookReason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
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 sometimesamounts 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.ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantas
Summary of the expenses which the active missions which are mentioned occasion to the royal exchequer.
ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.gantas
ProvincesMissionary ministersCash,Rice,Wine,Oil,pesostom.cavansarrobasgantas——152 missionaries of the Society of Jesus, with escorts and transportation331472Pampanga4 mission., calced Augustinians, with escorts and transportation9601,088Idem4 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation8201,016Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation4805442150Pangasinan3 Dominicans, with escorts and transportation537744Idem2 Augustinian Recollects, with escorts and transportation412544Ylocos1 missionary, a secular ecclesiastic100200175Cagayàn13 Dominicans, with their escorts and transportation4,03044,352Laguna de Bay1 Franciscan, with escort and transportation189272Tayabas2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation616Mindoro1 Augustinian Recollect151520075Camarines2 Franciscans, with their escorts and transportation412544Zebu2 Augustinian Recollects20040010 provinces39 missionaries, in 2 missions9,239110,3763300p.t.16cavansarrob.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:
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:
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.Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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 stipends which each religious order is entitled to receive for the mission villages and ministries that it has.
Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasReligious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasCalced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasSociety of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasDiscalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasIn 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.
Secular ecclesiasticsProvincesCurates, sacristans, and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasManila2 curas, with their sacristans551362150Tondo3 curas, with 3 sacristans7432112003225Cavité2 curas, and 2 sacristans51752002150Mindoro1 cura and 1 sacristan223311175Laguna de Bay3 curas396195743225Balayàn2 curas32732654192150Cagayàn1 cura and 1 sacristan3580116414175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Ylocos2 curas and 1 sacristan770731,3582150Camarines6 curas and 1 sacristan1,0227469496450Tayabas3 curas25343073225Albay10 curas1,1732,34610750Zebu1 cura and 1 sacristan27559175Idem3 curas76642797193225Ogton2 curas and 1 sacristan4581364192150Panay3 curas517721,035193225I. de Negros4 curas723241,446144300Leyte1 cura79138175In 16 provinces49 curas, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain9,338349,76421493,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
Religious of St. DominicProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo2 ministries3910978244150Pampanga5ministries,,22064441149375Cagayan20ministries,,1,517093,0344331,500Pangasinan15ministries,,2,534175,0688261,125In 4 provinces,42 ministries4,663159,3266726,150p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
Discalced religious of St. FrancisProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo4 ministries41672833199300Bulacan4ministries,,611091,22245300Bay24ministries,,1,492172,9849281,800Cagayàn1ministries,,44328819175Camarines18ministries,,1,883093,7664201,350Tayabas11ministries,,1,3126417825In 6 provinces,62 ministries5,760398,8957804,650p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
Calced Augustinian religiousProvincesMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo6 ministries1,224492.449415450Bulacan9ministries,,1,07742,15513675Pampanga18ministries,,1,416492,8334301,350Pangasinan3ministries,,36847374225Ylocos19ministries,,2,8435,686251,425Balayàn6ministries,,933171,866910450Zebu3ministries,,4417351644225Ogton14ministries,,2,164724,32919211,050Panay10ministries,,1,098242,1961411750Bay1ministries,,122092444175In 10 provinces,89 ministries11,6904723,013101346,675p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
Society of JesusProvincesMinistries and chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo9 ministries710241,4201416675Cavite4ministries,,546491,09346300Mariveles1ministry,,62481254275Mindoro3ministries,,21244253225Zebu15ministries,,1,661723,32319171,125Ogton1ministry,,1124225175Idem1 chaplain for the fort180I. de Negros3 ministries2384763225Leyte32ministries,,3,433096,8664322,400Samboanga3ministries,,3006003225[Idem]and for their transportation75In 9 provinces71 ministries and 1 chaplain7,5323814,55421835,325p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
Discalced religious of St. AugustineProvincesMinistriesand chaplainsCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasTondo1 ministry1734375Mariveles2ministries,,2263150Mindoro4ministries,,31564631147300Pangasinan4ministries,,26557531910300Albay2ministries,,15632312194150Zebu2ministries,,17164343146150Panay2ministries,,2104204150Caraga7ministries,,606721,2131911525Idem1 chaplain for the fort180Calamianes4 ministries3984979747300Idem1 chaplain for the fort180In 9 provinces28 ministries and 2 chaplains2,728144,2847552,100p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
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 contributionsMinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
Summary of the amounts of stipends and contributions
MinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
MinistriesCashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas49 curates, 13 sacristans, and 1 chaplain—[seculars]9,338349,76421493,67542 ministers, religious of St. Dominic4,663159,3266723,15062 ministers, discalced religious of St. Francis5,760398,8957804,65089 ministers, calced Augustinian religious11,6904723,013101346,67571 ministers and 1 chaplain of the Society of Jesus7,5323814,55421835,32528 ministers and 2 chaplains of the discalced Augustinians2,728144,2847552,100Totals41,7132169,83947325,575p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
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.CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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].
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.
CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasThis 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].
CashRice,Wine,Oil,p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantasFour cathedral churches26,490Colleges, hospitals, and other houses without administration15,32644,9241582,319Grants of encomiendas, and their net product7,81741Encomiendas in which collections are made by the royal treasuryActive missions, summary9,2391410,3763300Stipends of ministers in charge of doctrinas41,7132169,83947325,575Totals100,5863685,13963428,194p.t.gr.cav.gant.arrobasgantas
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 furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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:
Reduction of commodities for the computation of the whole in cash
[Class of aid]Commodities furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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:
[Class of aid]Commodities furnishedRates of costCash value,p.t.gr.Actual cash100,58636Rice (24 gantas in a cavan)85,139cavans4tomins a cavan42,5694Wine for masses (arrobas)634arrobas25pesos an arroba15,850Oil for the lamps (gantas)28,194gantas1tomin a ganta3,5242Sum 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 officialsof 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 dividedpro rataamong 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 ofthe 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 thepro ratadivision 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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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.
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]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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.
[Class]MinistersVillagesTributesOfferings,p.t.gr.Secular ecclesiastics498632,25412,0952Religious of St. Dominic424223,316½8,74356Religious of St. Francis626625,5209,570Calced religious of St.Augustine899356,92321,3461Society of Jesus719035,524½13,32156Discalced Augustinians283811,276½4,22856Totals341415184,814½69,30536
Consequently the 341 ministers in charge who administer the 415 villages and 53 visitas, and in them the number of 184,814½ 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 sumof 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 politicalscheme 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 theRecopilaciónof 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 bookReason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
Index of the plans, relations, and descriptions which are contained in this book
Reason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]
Reason for this work; with letter by Don Joseph Patiño,17stating 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,18with 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,19which states it;” and, at the end, “Remarks, and conclusion of the work.”]