The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 28 of 55, 1637-38

Volume 28 — Chapter XV

Reading edition

Other matters pertaining to the ecclesiastics of Manila

The city of Manila has a rich and beautiful chapel of the incarnation of our Lady, which was founded by Governor Don Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera, where the functions are performed and the feast-days celebrated that are peculiar to the royal Audiencia. It serves also for the burial of the soldiers of the army, and the ministrations for the royal hospital. Its chaplains are independent of the parish church and wear the cope and carry the uplifted cross, when they go for the corpses of the soldiers, which they bury with all solemnity in the said royal chapel. It has its own chaplain-in-chief and other subordinates, who, besides serving there, fill the chaplaincies of the galleons and armies, when there are any. It has its sacristans and other assistants for the service, propriety, and pomp of the worship; and a fine band of singers, with suitable salaries. The adornment, furnishings, ornaments, sacred vessels, altars, and reredoses correspond to the reality of the name. Among all those things, the first place is given to a great golden monstrance which is worth eleven thousand ducados.

The royal hospital is located near the royal chapel. The soldiers of the army of Manila and the seamen of his Majesty’s service are treated there. It has a chaplain, superintendent, physician, surgeon, apothecary, and other followers with similar duties, and the employees required for the care and refreshment of the sick.

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · A full account of the Jesuit college and university is furnished by Murillo Velarde in Hist. Philipinas, fol. 125, 140, 168–171.Note 2 · Beaterio: a house inhabited by devout women.Note 3 · Evidently then the appellation of that part of the archipelago now included under the term “province of Paragua,” which includes not only th Note 4 · Literally, “holy table,” equivalent to the modern “board of directors;” a reference to the Confraternity of La Misericordia, which, as we ha Note 5 · Reference is here made to chapter xviii, book i, of Delgado’s Historia; following is his statement (from pp. 60–62) of the depopulation of C Note 6 · Delgado has evidently borrowed much of his account from San Antonio; but in this case he inserts no, without any apparent justification. San Note 7 · The two decrees here mentioned are, in the printed text of Delgado, respectively 1692 and 1602—some of the numerous errors which render that Note 8 · There is another royal seminary and college in this city that bears the title of San Felipe. It was founded in the time of Governor Don Faus