Volume 34 — AUGUSTINIAN AFFAIRS

Petition of Brother Thomas Marquez of the Order of Saint Augustine that the definitorship in the Philippine Islands be maintained in force.

Most blessed Father:

[Addressed: “Our most blessed pope.”]

[Endorsed: “Case of Brother Thomas Marquez, procurator-general of the province of the Philippines of the Order of St. Augustine in the name of the said province.”]

[Endorsed: “Received, October 13, 1599; sent to our Lord.”]

[Endorsed: “To the Cardinal San Severino [word illegible] to be acted upon in the new congregation.”]

Memorial of Tomás Márquez

Most illustrious Sir:

Following are the reasons advanced by brother Master Thomas Marquez, procurator-general of the province of the most holy Name of Jesus, of the Order of St. Augustine of the Philippine Islands, in the interest and name of the said province, wherefore he seeks to be released from the authority and jurisdiction of the provincials of Castile (who under the claim of being vicars-general seek to govern it), and be subject only to the most reverend general, as the true sole head and father of the whole order, the same as do the other provinces of the West Indies.

The first reason is the avoidance of great confusion and chaos which we have because of a plurality of rulers; inasmuch as being subject to two rulers, namely, the most reverend father general, our true and worthy superior, as well as to the provincial of Castile, who styles himself vicar-general, we thus would receive diverse orders from the two whence confusion would arise. For as we would be in doubt which one to obey, our province would therefore be in grave peril.

Third reason. That authority of vicar-general which they arrogate to themselves, serves them only for despoiling all the Indies, and transferring the funds of the convents of the Indies to Spain; for by that authority they send brethren to seek alms in those convents under the title of alms-seeker, supporting their greed [cuditias] and sowing (so that the convents might give readily and they receive) news to the effect that they are about to send visitors to them and that they are already appointed. Under that title they obtained twelve thousand gold escudos from the province of Peru for the Salamanca house.

Lastly. This authority over those provinces is coveted by them in order that thereby their own province may be relieved of restless characters. For whenever the procurators of those countries reach Spain in their search for ministers of the gospel to aid them in their ministry, they are given the scourings of the province—unruly and ill-disciplined brethren—instead of upright and learned persons, such as have been picked out for their need, who, moreover, are not allowed to go thither—a practice most hurtful to the preaching of the gospel, which calls for learned and religious men.

For these and other reasons herein omitted for the sake of brevity, the province of the [Philippine] Islands, whose procurator I am, is grievously distressed; wherefore, in the hope of securing a remedy for such evils, it has been moved to send me as its procurator, with power to act as such in Spain and before this curia, as an expert in matters appertaining to those countries for twenty years and upwards. In consideration then of all these plaints, I pray your most illustrious Lordship, in the name of my province, to deign to remedy these grievances, by enjoining the said provincials of Castile from further use of their authority; moreover, in accordance with the mandate of the most reverend father-general, to command them to restore to me all the things they have taken away, besides what I myself left in the convent at Madrid; and again by enjoining them, even under censures, from in any manner hindering the procurators of the said province of the Philippines in their business, which they are to be allowed to carry on freely, or from hindering the brethren of any province whatever of Spain, who may wish to go to the said islands in order to engage in the most holy work of preaching the gospel, whom they are besides, under no matter what pretense, neither to impede, nor harass, nor dissuade from going thither. The execution whereof may be left to the most illustrious nuncio of Spain.

[Addressed: “To the most illustrious lord by brother Master Thomas Marquez, procurator-general of the Order of St. Augustine of the province of the Philippines in the name of the said province.”]

[Endorsed: “Received November 20, 1599.”]

Report of the Nuncio

First. Because from the foundation of the order, it was divided into provinces, which, no matter how small, never were made subject to one another. All are under provincials, who in turn are under the immediate jurisdiction of the said most reverend father-general as head of the whole order. Otherwise, unless the brethren had recourse to their father-general, disorders and disagreements would spring up among them and they moreover would be distressed and ill-treated.

2d. That every province of the Indies, besides being larger and wealthier than the province of Castile, is every bit as observant and religious, with men of equal worth, who, in short, live there in such perfection and so uprightly. Therefore, it [i.e., subjection to another province] would cause the greatest disturbance and trouble to those brethren who serve the Lord God in the conversion of those new plants with so great sincerity of heart.

3d. That the purpose wherefore the brethren of the province of Castile strove to rule the provinces of the Indies was one of self interest rather than zeal, in that they carried off the wealth of the convents of the Indies to those of Castile, and whenever in need sent brethren thither to get money under the plea of alms, as in fact has happened.

4th. That, as provincials hold office only for three years, they cannot become acquainted with or get information relative to the persons or affairs of those countries. Wherefore, their government of them would be confused. For, as every three years the superior is changed, he could get information of those provinces only once [during his term of office], whence it would follow that he would have to rule blindly in all matters.

5th. That all the provinces of the Indies have entered objections to being subject to the province of Castile, which on many occasions in its endeavor to uphold its mastery over the said brethren of the Indies has harassed them and put their provinces to great expense in their efforts to free themselves from that yoke.

6th. That the provinces of the Indies have no need of the brethren of Spain. Nay, they would rather send to the Philippine Islands their own brethren, such as would wish to go thither in order to apply themselves with zeal in the preaching of the gospel.

7th. And finally, in no way is it right to have so extensive and important a part separated from the body of the order. For, with the increase of leaders an increase of confusion ensues, which in turn leads to the ruin and annihilation of the commonwealth, and of the authority of the father-general, from whom as from a common head all the members depend, to the end that he be recognized and revered, and the order governed well; wherefore, it is not right that the brethren of the Indies, who, besides being so well disciplined, are learned, as well as observant of their constitutions, should be governed by a chief whom they themselves have not chosen. Moreover, to withhold from them the right of selecting their own general, to whom they may apply in need, would be doing them a grave wrong, in that their essential vows, which they profess conformably to our constitutions, would thus be disregarded.

Lastly. In general chapter held in Rome in 92, a petition was presented in the interest of the province of Mexico and of other provinces. The reasons whereof having been considered, the definitors of the province of Castile having been summoned, and the reasons of each side heard, a decree was passed which, while enjoining the provincial of Castile from any longer busying himself with the said government, ordered him under pain of being treated as a rebel, as well as under divers other penalties and censures, to hold his peace for all time—a sentence that was confirmed through the goodness of Pope Clement the Eighth. Of this, notice was sent to the provincial of Castile and the procurator-general of the province [of the Philippine Islands?]. From that day to this no change has been made and [the decree] is faithfully observed at present.

[Endorsed: “By the most illustrious Cardinal Santa Severina.”]

[Endorsed: “Reasons why the provinces and provincials of the Indies be not subject to the provinces and provincials of Spain.”]

[Endorsed: “Submitted by the reverend father prior-general of the Order of Hermit Brethren of St. Augustine, November 7, 1599.”]

[This Collection of three documents is addressed on the back of the outside wrapper:

“To Cardinal Santa Severina, to be acted upon in the sacred Congregation of Propaganda Fide.”]

[Endorsed: “The Hermit Brethren of St. Augustine of the Philippine Islands.”]

[Endorsed: “I received it September [sic: perhaps, December] 18, 1599.”]