The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55: 1601-1604; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55: 1601-1604; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
The religious of the Society live here in an exemplary manner,
which is necessary here, and carry out well the Indian missions in
their charge. They are reputed excellent in some of their methods
of instruction, but it is very necessary that your Majesty should
curb them in some matters. Your Majesty should command that what I
here relate be investigated. Near this city there is a small Indian
village, called Quiapo, which is assigned, it must be by the governors,
for the service of the great church of this city. It is pitiful
indeed to see how bare it is of every advantage. These Indians feel
much aggrieved at the Society's religious, saying that the latter
have taken from them their lands and inheritances, to their very
houses. The poor Indians are in a most poverty-stricken condition,
and certainly one must shut his ears, in order not to listen to what
he hears in this matter. It is a great pity that some poor Indians are
complaining against the religious having taken from them their paltry
property. The said Indians are writing to your Majesty in the matter;
I beseech your Majesty to command that it be noted that these are
the children, grandchildren, and relatives of the former king of this
city, who was here when the Spaniards captured it. He was called Raja
Soliman. They only ask your Majesty to protect them from the Jesuits,
[24] and to cause their lands and inheritances to be returned to
them. They consider all laymen as prejudiced judges; for certainly the
governors as well as the auditors usually are not willing to incur the
displeasure of the religious, as they do not write anything against
them either to your Majesty or to any of your Council. If this matter
could be entrusted to some religious of St. Dominic or St. Francis,
who have no income or property in this country, as the Augustinians
have, or in the lands and property of the Indian villages; the former
know the Indian language, and have no need of interpreters--and it is
these last who often defeat justice. It would be a great thing if your
Majesty could entrust to some of these fathers the affair of these
Indians against the fathers of the Society. They tell me even that
one of the Jesuit fathers, who went from here as their procurator,
is about to claim on their behalf, the donation of the benefice and
doctrina of the said village of Quiapo. The name of this procurator
is Father Chirinos. They do not make this claim for the sake of the
mission or benefice, for it is a very small hamlet; but only because,
if they hold the said village as a mission, the Indians will not dare
to make any claim against them, or to speak. For the love of God,
your Majesty should right this, for the affair itself demands an
effective remedy; and at least we, as ecclesiastics and religious,
should not scandalize or oppress the poor Indians, or take their
property from them. The worst of the matter is that the fathers of
the Society maintain with infidel Chinese the lands of these Indians,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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