Father Pedro Chirino

I offer my petition to your Majesty that you will make a grant against the following sources of income:  In the first place, against the royal treasury of Mexico, and especially against the saleable offices; against the royal treasury of Manila; against the dues collected on the merchandise brought to Manila by the Chinese and Japonese; against the tributes collected from the Chinese in the island of Manila; against the dues and tributes collected from the Chinese in Cebu and Oton; against the Indians who are assigned to the royal crown, so long as funds remain in the treasury of the fourth. [34]

The Camara [i.e., Council]; let this be now examined.  At Valladolid, January 14, 1605.

The licentiate Alonzo Fernandez de Castro

I, Pedro Chirino, of the Society of Jesus and procurator thereof for the Philipinas, affirm, in the name of the residence of the said Society in the city of Santo Nombre de Jesus, that when your Majesty had examined the official reports conveyed in letters from the royal Audiencia of Manila and from the bishop of the said city of Santo Nombre de Jesus, and the ex parte statement made at the request of the said residence, your Majesty decreed that the matter should be considered at the present time.  Since the present necessity of the residence is so urgent, as appears from the documents presented, and since the service which it will perform to our Lord God and to your Majesty is so great, provided that the grant desired for the said residence shall be given, I supplicate your Majesty anew to be pleased to consider again the documents which in virtue of a royal decree of your Majesty were made and have been presented.  From the four Statements of testimony officially presented, will plainly appear the care and attention with which the religious of the said Society have attended and do attend to the administration of the holy sacraments, and to preaching and hearing confessions, not only from the Spaniards of the said city of El Santo Nombre de Jesus but from the natives and Sangleys.  They give their assistance in all the necessities of the people, both spiritual and temporal, with special care; and the said residence has schools in which their children are not only taught to read and write, but also receive instruction in good morals and habits, and, for all those who desire it, in Latin also.  There are many students, from whose education and instruction results much good and advantage to all that country.  At the same time, the aforesaid residence is very poor, since it has no fixed income to sustain it.  The result is that it suffers great need; and if it receives no assistance there is no doubt that the necessity in which it at present is will be increased, since the country is very poor, and the gifts which are made to it are extremely small.  At the same time the expenses are heavy; and it is now housed in a very small, old, wooden building, which at the present