Note 7 — ROJO’S NARRATIVE

[The royal works needing repair are the hospital, the royal college of Santa Potenciana, the college of San Phelipe, and the royal fort of Santiago; and the sum necessary to be expended on them is slightly in excess of forty thousand pesos. The wall of Cavite is also in a very bad condition, repeated complaints of which have been made to the government, and to which the archbishop cannot turn a deaf ear. The terrible hurricane of October 12, 1761, has damaged the walls still more. Plans are drawn up by the engineers, to put which in operation would cost one hundred and fifty thousand pesos, and would take more than eight years. But because of the expense and time necessary, the engineers are told to discuss a new plan, and accordingly propose a double stockade of palma brava, which can be constructed for ten thousand pesos and which will last at least fifteen years. This plan is followed and is nearing completion when the English enter. The cracks in the walls of Manila are stopped up, but the war with the English shows its weakness, for it has been built, not so much to withstand artillery and civilized warfare, as the attacks of Moros. It is designed to repair the esplanades of the walls and the gun carriages mounted thereon, but the English arrive before the stone and timber for it can be gathered. Twenty men are kept busy, for more than two months, polishing the one thousand two hundred muskets formerly brought by Governor Arandia, which have become very rusty. Various other measures are taken to bring up the military strength of the city, which is in a wretched state so far as defense is concerned. The treasury enters upon a new life with the assumption of government by the archbishop, for although it has but ten thousand pesos from the new tax, and the sums left by the bishops [espolios] in 1761, by September 22, 1762, when the English appear (and the annual situado has not yet arrived), it has 138,633 pesos 5 tomins, 6 granos. This sum includes 36,897 pesos, 5 tomins, 6 granos, in espolios, 40,000 pesos, which the executor of the property of Governor Arandia is ordered to deposit there so that a pious foundation may receive the sum left it by the abovesaid governor, and over 60,000 pesos belonging to the treasury by right. Payments are prompt, and by the methods adopted many losses are avoided. So far as possible, definite times are set aside for the administration of justice and government matters. Two serious matters, especially noteworthy because of their difficulty, are settled by the archbishop. The first is the case of Dr. Santiago Orendain, who was proceeded against by the predecessor of Rojo, the bishop-governor Espeleta, the case being managed by Francisco Villacorta, one of the auditors. The archbishop settles the matter, (which had assumed so vast proportions that Villacorta has been excommunicated), but it breaks out again. Orendain asks for a review of his case, which is concerned with the administration of the funds of the Cruzada7 of which he has been treasurer, and the archbishop accordingly examines the records which fill over five thousand folios. Orendain is at last declared free after two years’ imprisonment. The archbishop quashes the case by his decree of November 27, 1761, as he is anxious to restore harmony, and orders the records sent to the king. The fiscal, Francisco Viana, appeals to Auditor Simon de Anda, who has recently come to the islands, and the matter is again stirred up, but it is at length disposed of definitely, and the records ordered sent to the king.8 The other case is a dispute with Simon de Anda y Salazar in regard to the power of a single auditor to act as the entire Audiencia in the absence of other auditors, in the issuing of royal provisions. This special case arises over the property of the late governor Arandia, in regard to which the judge of the property of deceased persons has recourse to the royal Audiencia. Anda, on coming to the islands, takes up the case, and Auditor Davila falling mortally ill, he endeavors to take entire charge of the matter, even to the issuing of a royal provision. This the archbishop-governor opposes on the grounds that Anda may not issue such provisions alone. Although law 180 of the título regarding audiencias allows one auditor to act as the Audiencia in case of the absence of the other auditors, that auditor cannot determine matters finally, and despatch royal provisions; as other laws of the same titulo forbid that. Among such laws are 62, 63, of titulo XV, book ii, and as well, 88, 106, et seq., and 111.9 Notwithstanding Anda’s wrath, the archbishop maintains good relations with him, and seeks ever to propitiate him, acting so throughout with the other auditors and the fiscal. Since entering upon his government, it has been the custom of the archbishop to invite all classes of people to his mass, in order thereby to promote sociability and restrain complaints and disturbances. The people of Manila are “only busy for two or three months each year, getting ready their bales for the Acapulco ship, and during the rest [of the year] recline at ease. This ease is the pillow and stimulus of other vices, and one of the effects which is experienced is the multitude of clerks, and the huge amounts of copying paper which are consumed throughout the year, especially during the time of the above-mentioned despatch. Since from a few days after his arrival at this city, the archbishop realized that the discord and complaints of Christian charity arose from that vice of laziness, and that already the dominant vice was the painful detriment of souls, he began to use the arms of the Church against the terrible Goliath.” For this purpose he begins a mission, in which the love of God and one’s neighbor is preached. The doctrine is also explained throughout the year every Sunday in one of the three churches assigned for that purpose. After the archbishop assumes the government of the islands his custom of expounding the doctrine is not abated but rather increased; and he keeps a careful watch over all ecclesiastical dispositions.]