History of the Philippine IslandsMorga, Antonio de
History
History of the Philippine Islands
Morga, Antonio de
Philippines -- History
While affairs in the Filipinas were in this condition, ships from
Nueva España arrived at Manila, in the month of May, one thousand five
hundred and ninety-eight. These ships brought despatches ordering the
reëstablishment of the royal Audiencia, which had been suppressed
in the Filipinas some years before. Don Francisco Tello, who was
governing the country, was named and appointed its president; Doctor
Antonio de Morga and Licentiates Christoval Telles Almaçan and Alvaro
Rodriguez Zambrano, auditors; and Licentiate Geronymo de Salazar,
fiscal; and other officials of the Audiencia were also appointed. By
the same ships arrived the archbishop, Fray Ignacio de Sanctivañes,
who enjoyed the archbishopric only for a short time, for he died of
dysentery in, the month of August of the same year. The bishop of
Sebu, Fray Pedro de Agurto came also. On the eighth of May of this
year-five hundred and ninety-eight, the royal seal of the Audiencia
was received. It was taken from the monastery of San Agustin to the
cathedral upon a horse caparisoned with cloth of gold and crimson,
and under a canopy of the same material. The staves of the canopy were
carried by the regidors of the city, who were clad in robes of crimson
velvet lined with white silver cloth, and in breeches and doublets of
the same material. The horse that carried the seal in a box of cloth
of gold covered with brocade was led on the right by him who held
the office of alguacil-mayor, who was clad in cloth of gold and wore
no cloak. Surrounding the horse walked the president and auditors,
all afoot and bareheaded. In front walked a throng of citizens clad
in costly gala dress; behind followed the whole camp and the soldiers,
with their drums and banners, and their arms in hand, and the captains
and officers at their posts, with the master-of-camp preceding them,
staff in hand. The streets and windows were richly adorned with
quantities of tapestry and finery, and many triumphal arches, and
there was music from flutes, trumpets, and other instruments. When
the seal was taken to the door of the cathedral of Manila, the
archbishop in pontifical robes came out with the cross, accompanied
by the chapter and clergy of the church to receive it. Having lifted
the box containing the seal from the horse under the canopy, the
archbishop placed it in the hands of the president. Then the auditors
went into the church with him, while the band of singers intoned
the Te Deum laudamus. They reached the main altar, upon the steps
of which stood a stool covered with brocade. Upon this they placed
the box with the seal. All knelt and the archbishop chanted certain
prayers to the Holy Spirit for the health and good government of the
king, our sovereign. Then the president took the box with the seal,
and with the same order and music with which it had been brought
into the church it was carried out and replaced upon the horse. The
archbishop and clergy remained at the door of the church, while the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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