The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898; Volume 50

Volume 50 — ORDINANCES OF CORCUERA AND CRUZAT Y GONGORA, WITH LATER ADDITIONS (continued 2)

Reading edition

92. [While there is great excess in the sumptuousness of the houses of the missionaries, there is a corresponding degree of ruin and dilapidation in the royal buildings throughout the islands. Many are in so poor condition that they are unfit for habitation, and travelers and alcaldes-mayor are caused great hardship in their journeys through the villages. Often it is impossible for the latter to visit their jurisdiction for the lack of royal buildings; and, because of trouble with the missionaries, they cannot live in the convents. Still more disagreeable is it for ministers of the royal Audiencia to exercise their commissions in the provinces, for it is not in harmony with their dignity or good for their health for them to lodge in places unsuitable for habitation; while law lxxxix, título xvi, book ii, forbids them to take lodging in the convents. In consequence of this it is ordered that all villages, especially the capitals of the provinces, erect suitable royal buildings, in accordance with plans that will be issued by the superior government. These shall be kept in repair, and in them the gobernadorcillos shall hold their courts and shall have their prisons.]

93. [According to old ordinance 52 (q.v., ante, pp. 223, 224), and to Arandia’s ordinance, no. 17, it is strictly ordered that the alcaldes-mayor request the father ministers to exert themselves, so far as it concerns them, to establish schoolmasters in all villages, who shall teach the Indians to read and write in Spanish, and the Christian doctrine and other prayers, in accordance with the royal decree of June 5, 1574. The pay of the masters shall be one peso and one cavan of rice per month, but may be increased at the option of the alcaldes-mayor; and it shall be paid from the communal treasuries of the villages (see no. 25 of the present ordinances). If the masters do not teach and instruct the Indians in Spanish, they shall make restitution of all the pay that they have received, be incapacitated from all employment in the islands, and punished at the will of the alcaldes-mayor. This matter shall constitute a factor in the visits of the alcaldes-mayor, and if any persons oppose the teaching of Spanish, they shall be proceeded against according to law. Neglect on the part of the alcaldes shall incur punishment in proportion to its degree. As yet but little zeal has been shown in this matter, and there has been a total lack of observance of law xviii, título i, book vi, of the Recopilación, which is in harmony with many royal decrees.]

94. [The visitas or chapels in villages, besides being unnecessary for divine worship, which is to be held in the churches where the Indians can attend, are a burden on the Indians, by reason of the expenses incurred in their building and repairs, and the increase of feast days (although there should only be the three permitted by the government), fees, and alms, which must be paid to the curas and missionaries. Consequently, alcaldes-mayor are ordered, at the time of their visit, to report to the superior government all the visitas in their jurisdictions where the sacrifice of the mass is celebrated; with what authority and license they are established; the distance from each visita to the church of the village; the advantages derived from them; the expenses, fees, and alms contributed by the natives; and all other matters connected with them. No visita shall be established without the sanction of the superior government.]

All the above sections contained in this royal ordinance shall be observed and complied with by the governors, alcaldes-mayor, and corregidors of the provinces of these islands, and by each of the persons mentioned therein—with warning that, if they do not execute them, they shall be punished according to the penalties imposed in them. Given in the city of Manila, and the royal hall of the assembly thereof, February 26, 1768.

Don Jose Raon Francisco Enriquez de Villa Corta Manuel Galvan Y Ventura

Registered, José Raon (seal)

By the grand chancellor, José Raon

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Del-Pan considers the ordinances of Corcuera and Cruzat much superior to those of Raón. (See his introduction, p. 20.) These ordinances (onl Note 2 · The leaders indicate that the text is illegible or lacking, because of the poor condition of the MS. (See Del-Pan, p. 117, note). ↑Note 3 · Crawfurd calls attention (Dict. Indian Islands, p. 345) to the resemblance between the Philippine barangay and “our Anglo-Saxon tithings and Note 4 · The Tagálog equivalent of polla, a chicken or young hen. ↑Note 5 · Filipinos who serve as domestic servants. ↑Note 6 · Noceda and Sanlucar’s Tagálog Vocabulario defines casonó as “a servant or companion who lives at home;” but it does not contain the word bil Note 7 · At this point the ordinances proper of Corcuera, revised by Cruzat, end. The revision was signed by Cruzat at Manila, October 1, 1696; and h Note 8 · Noceda’s (also Santos’s) Tagálog Vocabulario gives compra (Spanish, meaning “purchase”) as the equivalent of the native word bandala, meanin Note 9 · These ordinances are published also in Autos acordados (Manila, 1861), i, pp. 29–71; and in Rodriguez San Pedro’s Colección legislativa, i, Note 10 · When the ordinances were printed in 1801, the superiors of three of the religious orders immediately petitioned for the revocation of ordina Note 11 · This decree was registered in the accountancy-mayor of the royal tribunal and Audiencia of accounts in Manila, September 16, 1801; in the ac Note 12 · The ordinances of Governor Pedro Manuel de Arandía were formulated in 1758, but no copy of them is known to exist. The ordinances of Raón we Note 13 · A considerable number of these requests for such exemption are discussed in Viana’s Respuestas; sometimes this privilege was granted, and so Note 14 · Ordinance no. 51, it is to be noted, is only against brandy made from sugarcane; and the use of and traffic in other brandy was allowed and Note 15 · This is the “Zamboanga donation,” made by the Indians for the maintenance of the fort there (see VOL. XLVII, pp. 119, 120). In 1765, the reg Note 16 · “By royal order of September 21, 1797, issued in virtue of an expediente which, in the preceding year, gave full information in regard to th Note 17 · In April, 1765, the royal engineer Gomez asked that the churches of San Anton, Dilao, San Lazaro, and the Parián be demolished, as dangerous Note 18 · In 1838, the Spanish government considered seriously the formulation of some new ordinances of good government for the Philippines, the comm Note 19 · [Then follows the short statement of the government secretary, Ramon de Orendain, who had the ordinances written down at the order of the Au