The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 | Page 4

account is largely drawn from these. The Recollects, like the Jesuits, form "reductions" of their scattered converts, in order to carry on their instruction more advantageously. The difficulties between the observantine and reformed branches of the Augustinian order are recounted with some fulness. A singular epidemic of demoniacal obsession at Cavite is dispelled by the religious services held at the new Recollect church there. At the request of the bishop of Cebú, the discalced Augustinians extend their work--a re?nforcement of missionaries having arrived from Spain--to the Visayan Islands and to Mindanao (1622); some account of their successes in the latter region is given. They also push forward into the Calamianes Islands and Paragua (1622). Of these islands the writer presents an interesting account, describing their principal products and natural resources, as well as the character and religious beliefs of the natives. Among these people, unusually brutal and fierce, go the undaunted Recollects, and soon establish flourishing missions, collecting the people in "reductions." Then they send to Manila a request that Spanish soldiers come and take possession of Paragua, which is done. The missions spread farther, and a large part of the island is subdued to the Christian faith and the crown of Spain.
The Editors October, 1904.

DOCUMENTS OF 1624
Ecclesiastical affairs of the Philippines. Miguel Garcia Serrano, and others; 1574-1624. Conflict between civil and religious authorities in Manila. [Unsigned and undated; 1624?] Seminary for Japanese missionaries. Alvaro de Messa y Lugo, and others; July 23-August 5. Extract from letter to Felipe IV. Miguel Garcia Serrano; August 15. Royal orders regarding the religious. Felipe IV; August-December.

_Sources_: The first of these documents is obtained from Pastells's edition of Celin's _Labor evangélica_, iii, pp. 674-697; the second, from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), i, pp. 515-523; the others, from the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla--save the second of the "Royal orders," from the "Cedulario Indico" of the Archivo Historico Nacional, Madrid.
_Translations_: The third document is translated by Robert W. Haight; the second part of the fifth, by Arthur B. Myrick, of Harvard University; the remainder, by James A. Robertson.

ECCLESIASTICAL AFFAIRS OF THE PHILIPPINES
_Royal Instructions to Gomez Perez Dasmari?as Regarding Ecclesiastical Affairs_
The King. To Gomez Perez Dasmari?as, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, or the person or persons in charge of their government: I ordered a decree of various articles to be given to my viceroy of Nueva Espa?a, in regard to what was to be done and observed in that country for the preservation of my patronage, as is contained at length in the said decree, whose tenor is as follows:
"The King. To our viceroy of Nueva Espa?a, or the person or persons who shall, for the time being, be exercising the government of that country: As you know, the right of the ecclesiastical patronage belongs to us throughout the realm of the Yndias--both because of having discovered and acquired that new world, and erected there and endowed the churches and monasteries at our own cost, or at the cost of our ancestors, the Catholic Sovereigns; and because it was conceded to us by bulls of the most holy pontiffs, conceded of their own accord. For its conservation, and that of the right that we have to it, we order and command that the said right of patronage be always preserved for us and our royal crown, singly and in solidum, throughout all the realm of the Yndias, without any derogation therefrom, either in whole or in part; and that we shall not concede the right of patronage by any favor or reward that we or the kings our successors may confer.
"Further, no person or persons, or ecclesiastical or secular communities, or church or monastery, shall be able to exercise the right of patronage by custom privilege, or any other title, unless it be the person who shall exercise it in our name, and with our authority and power; and no person, whether secular or ecclesiastical, and no order, convent, or religious community, of whatever state, condition, rank, and preeminence he or they may be, shall for any occasion and cause whatever, judicially or extra-judicially, dare to meddle in any matter touching my royal patronage, to injure us in it--to appoint to any church, benefice, or ecclesiastical office, or to be accepted if he shall have been appointed--in all the realm of the Indias, without our presentation, or that of the person to whom we commit it by law or by letters-patent. He who shall do the contrary, if he be a secular person, shall incur the loss of the concessions that shall have been made to him by us in all the realm of the Indias, shall be unable to hold and obtain others, and shall be exiled perpetually from all our kingdoms and seigniories; and if he shall be