On considering the above and other reasons of your Majesty’s service, this Audiencia believes that, if your Majesty wish, you may avoid the increase of the said salary.  May God preserve the Catholic person of your Majesty.  August 14, 622.

Licentiate Don Alvaro Messa y Lugo Licentiate Don Juan de Saavedra Valderrama

[Endorsed:  “The Audiencia of Manila in regard to the pretensions of the archbishop of that island.”]

For the same reasons that move the Audiencia to present information that it will be just to increase the salary of the prebendaries of this church, the governor thinks it proper to increase that of the archbishop to the sum that your Majesty may be pleased; and not in the last place, since his obligations are in the first place.

Don Alonso Fajardo de Tenca

Letters from the Archbishop of Manila to the King

Sire: 

In compliance with what your Majesty ordered in your royal decree of May eighteen, 619, countersigned by your secretary, Juan Ruiz de Contreras, I shall inform your Majesty in this letter [40] of the matters pertaining to the ecclesiastical government of this archbishopric, that are mentioned in the said royal decree, and I shall answer and satisfy each section in the same order as set forth therein.

Possession of the archbishopric and residence therein. [41] I took possession, Sire, of this archbishopric, July 23, 620, and I have always resided therein without having absented myself therefrom.

Visitation of the ecclesiastical cabildo, clergy of Manila, and province of Pampanga.  From the said day on which I took possession of this archbishopric, I have busied myself in this city of Manila, its metropolis, visiting my cabildo, clergy, hospitals, and confraternities, and bestowing confirmation and attending to other duties in my charge, until April 20, 621, when I set out to visit the province of Pampanga.  In that and in administering the sacrament of confirmation, I was busied somewhat more than one month.  Then I returned to Manila, where I have resided until now, without having gone to visit the rest of my diocese, because of nine Dutch vessels that were in the mouth of the bay, and because of other events which have hindered me.  I shall do so, God willing, as soon as the vessels about to go to Nueva Espana have set sail.

Thanks to God, the inspection of my cabildo resulted in not finding any offense for which charges ought to be brought against any prebend; nor against the other clergy of this city was anything proved that merited punishment, except that three or four had gambled with some publicity, for which they were punished.  Some cases of open concubinage of lay persons have caused and are causing remark in this city; and as this city is so small, they cannot be very well hidden.  In order that such might be avoided, I have made and am making all the efforts possible.