The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898/Volume 9/Decree regarding the bishopric of Nueva Segovia
To the reverend father in Christ, the Bishop of Nueva Segovia in the province of Cagayan, in the island of Luzon, and member of my council: Inasmuch as his Holiness at my supplication did see fit to elevate the cathedral church of Manila into a metropolitan see, and to appoint three other bishops, one of them in that city, the purpose thereof having been that there should be prelates who might care for the instruction and teaching of the Indians, the administering of the sacraments, the exercise of episcopal acts, and the visitation of their districts, all which a single prelate could not easily do; I have seen fit to inform you that, for the present, so long as affairs are undeveloped, and until a better arrangement is made, no cathedral church shall be erected in that city, nor dignities or prebends provided for. You are to dwell privately in the monastery of your order in that said city, and remain there as prelate for such time as may please you. That bishopric shall be suffragan to the archbishop of Manila, and you shall have the latter as your metropolitan bishop and shall repair to that city for the synods and other matters arranged by the canons and councils. It is my will that you shall have what is necessary for your sustenance and the maintenance of your episcopal dignities. The tithes in your district are at present to be gathered into one amount, and you are to have all that pertains to the prelates and to the prebendaries, dignitaries, and canons. In case this is not sufficient, you will repair to the officials of my royal exchequer in those islands, whom I command, upon establishment by evidence that all the aforesaid does not reach five hundred thousand maravedis yearly, that they shall grant and pay you such deficit from my royal exchequer. And with the said testimony, and with a copy of this my decree and your receipt, I order that what is thus granted and paid you be received and audited. Done in Ateca, the fifteenth of May, in the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-six.
- ↑ A decree of like import, and couched in exactly the same language, was issued at the same place and on the same date in re the bishopric of Nueva-Cáceres. This decree is published in Doc. Inéd. Amér. y Oceanía, xxxiv, pp. 99-101.