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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55: 1604-1605; 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 13 of 55: 1604-1605; 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 Order of St. Augustine in these islands has for years been in
need of reform, and many letters have been written to your Majesty on
this subject. During the provincialate which has just come to an end,
that of Fray Pedro Arce, some reforms were accomplished as a result
of his good example, for he is a friar who follows the rules of his
order very scrupulously; but as he had no one to carry this beginning
to perfection, for lack of friars such as himself, he did not achieve
what he desired. His successor is named Fray Lorenzo de Leon; and he
has begun to overthrow everything which his predecessor established,
by oppressing the Castilian friars and encouraging the creoles,
[41] who are utterly shiftless and a set of fools. From this will
necessarily follow the entire ruin of the province. The only means of
remedy is that your Majesty should send religious from Castilla and
those provinces of Espana in order that this province may lift its head
and be reformed. The religious of the said order will write to your
Majesty. There are very zealous ones among them, especially Fray Pedro
de Arce, [42] the late provincial, to whom entire credit may be given.

May our Lord keep your Majesty for the good of your many
kingdoms. Manila, June 1, 1605.

_Fray Bernardo de Santa Catherina_, commissary of the Holy Office,
of the Order of St. Dominic. [43]

Sire:

In spite of the fact that I am one of those who joined in signing
a common letter which was sent to your Majesty by the majority
of the chapter of this province of our father St. Augustine in
the Philippinas, I cannot satisfy my conscience or manifest the
zeal which I ought to possess, without giving personal notice to
your Majesty of certain things with which as associate of the late
provincial and as secretary of the province I became acquainted, and
which still continue to exist, to the great harm and diminution of
the province. I am encouraged to do this, although it is the first
time that I address you, by reasons which demand a remedy; and by
considering, with the certain proofs which I have, that your Majesty
as a king and father most benevolent and most Christian will not be
indignant that a chaplain, servant, and vassal such as I should give
information, by means of these and other just suggestions, in order
that reform may result from them. Ever since father Fray Lorenso de
Leon returned to this province, it has steadily degenerated from the
harmony and influence which it had previously gained, as a result of
the great improvement shown in all things under the control of the
virtuous superior of the previous term. It now grows worse and worse
the more it has of him who is at present the superior, the father
already mentioned. The plan and the tricks with which he was elected I
do not write to your Majesty, since they have already been recounted
in a common letter, to which I refer. As a result of his election
the religious from Mexico who are here, and have assumed the habit

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 13 of 55: 1604-1605; 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 Order of St. Augustine in these islands has for years been in
need of reform, and many letters have been written to your Majesty on
this subject. During the provincialate which has just come to an end,
that of Fray Pedro Arce, some reforms were accomplished as a result
of his good example, for he is a friar who follows the rules of his
order very scrupulously; but as he had no one to carry this beginning
to perfection, for lack of friars such as himself, he did not achieve
what he desired. His successor is named Fray Lorenzo de Leon; and he
has begun to overthrow everything which his predecessor established,
by oppressing the Castilian friars and encouraging the creoles,
[41] who are utterly shiftless and a set of fools. From this will
necessarily follow the entire ruin of the province. The only means of
remedy is that your Majesty should send religious from Castilla and
those provinces of Espana in order that this province may lift its head
and be reformed. The religious of the said order will write to your
Majesty. There are very zealous ones among them, especially Fray Pedro
de Arce, [42] the late provincial, to whom entire credit may be given.

May our Lord keep your Majesty for the good of your many
kingdoms. Manila, June 1, 1605.

_Fray Bernardo de Santa Catherina_, commissary of the Holy Office,
of the Order of St. Dominic. [43]

Sire:

In spite of the fact that I am one of those who joined in signing
a common letter which was sent to your Majesty by the majority
of the chapter of this province of our father St. Augustine in
the Philippinas, I cannot satisfy my conscience or manifest the
zeal which I ought to possess, without giving personal notice to
your Majesty of certain things with which as associate of the late
provincial and as secretary of the province I became acquainted, and
which still continue to exist, to the great harm and diminution of
the province. I am encouraged to do this, although it is the first
time that I address you, by reasons which demand a remedy; and by
considering, with the certain proofs which I have, that your Majesty
as a king and father most benevolent and most Christian will not be
indignant that a chaplain, servant, and vassal such as I should give
information, by means of these and other just suggestions, in order
that reform may result from them. Ever since father Fray Lorenso de
Leon returned to this province, it has steadily degenerated from the
harmony and influence which it had previously gained, as a result of
the great improvement shown in all things under the control of the
virtuous superior of the previous term. It now grows worse and worse
the more it has of him who is at present the superior, the father
already mentioned. The plan and the tricks with which he was elected I
do not write to your Majesty, since they have already been recounted
in a common letter, to which I refer. As a result of his election
the religious from Mexico who are here, and have assumed the habit

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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