# The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898/Volume 8/Account of the encomiendas

ACCOUNT OF THE ENCOMIENDAS IN THE PHILIPINAS ISLANDS
A detailed account of the encomiendas in the island of Luçón and the other Philippinas Islands, both those belonging to his Majesty and to private individuals, pacified and hostile, with instruction and without it; with the names of the encomenderos, the number of tributarios in each encomienda, the number of ministers of instruction in them, and the number they lack and need; the capitals and the alcaldes-mayor established therein, who maintain peace therein, and govern them in peace, justice, and civilization, in their present condition. May the last, one thousand five hundred and ninety-one.
MANILA
The city of Manila is located in the island of Luzón. It is the capital of all the islands, and the usual residence of the governor and captain-general, his counselor, and his Majesty's army. This city has about three hundred citizens. It contains the cathedral and bishop's house, and the prebendaries—to​wit, dean, archdeacon, schoolmaster, treasurer, two canons, seven or eight clerical priests, and some, although few, who are to receive orders. The city has a monastery of Augustinian friars, usually with sixteen religious, counting those who are going and coming—eight of the number being priests, and the rest brethren and candidates for orders. There is one Dominican convent, with four or five friars; and another convent of the same order, with a Sangley hospital, in the Parián in the same city, with two religious. There is one Franciscan convent, which generally contains four priests and seven or eight brethren, counting the teacher and the novitiates. The Society of Jesus has also a professed house, with its father superior, three priests, and three brethren. There is a royal hospital for the Spaniards, and another for the Indians, under charge of two Franciscan lay-brethren. The number of paid soldiers is generally about two hundred, besides their officers. There are two chief constables, one city and the other government; two constables; a prison warden; the three judges; the officials of the royal estate—factor, accountant, and treasurer; an executioner; a notary; a probate judge; the municipal body of the city, with two alcaldes-in-ordinary, twelve regidors, and two secretaries—one of finance and war, the other of administration; six notaries-public, and two attorneys; and one constable to attend to vagabonds. There are many calling themselves captain, but only four have companies. This city contains the silk-market of the Parián, which is composed of Sangley merchants, who have two hundred shops. The Parián contains about two thousand Sangleys, more or less, with their judge and governor. In addition to these there are somewhat more than one thousand ​in the city, in Tondo, and throughout the islands, engaged in various occupations and trades. Inasmuch as this relation treats only of the ministers of instruction here and those necessary, I shall not discuss further details of Manila and the islands, in order to come to my purpose. Manila and its environs have sufficient instruction, and even more than enough; for the usual alms is given to the religious of the convents, and they are charged to administer the sacraments and to give instruction to the natives there, each convent in its own district. Therefore the ecclesiastics occupied in Manila and its immediate environs, where there are plenty of ministers, might be sent to other districts where ministers are lacking.
Thus the encomiendas of Manila, its coast, and the opposite shore of Tondo have nine thousand four hundred and ten whole tributes, which represent thirty thousand six hundred and forty souls, or thereabout. They have thirteen ministers of instruction, without counting that given by the monasteries, as above stated. Thus they are amply supplied with instruction, and even more than sufficiently. They are under the judicial and civil jurisdictions of Manila and Tondo, according to their districts.
LA PAMPANGA
Thus the encomiendas of Pampanga have eighteen thousand six hundred and eighty whole tributes, or seventy-four thousand seven hundred and twenty souls, more or less. They have twenty-eight ministers of instruction, by whom, for the present, they are well instructed, and well governed in judicial and civil matters.
PANGASINÁN
Thus the encomiendas of Pangasinán have about six thousand whole tributes, or about twenty-four thousand souls, who have eight ministers of instruction. They will need five more, which will make in all thirteen. The natives of this province will be sufficiently instructed with that number.
ILOCOS
Bigan—The town of Bigan is called Villa Fernandina. Five or six Spanish citizens are settled there. It has one parish priest, one alcalde-mayor, and one deputy.
Thus in the province of Ilocos and its jurisdiction, there are seventeen thousand one hundred and thirty whole tributes, or sixty-eight thousand five hundred and twenty persons. It is in charge of twenty ministers of instruction, and needs about eleven other ministers for the districts where they are wanting, in all more than thirty ministers. With this number it would seem that there would be sufficient instruction in the gospel, as there is in peace and justice.
CAGAIÁN
The city of Segovia—The city of Nueva Segovia is the capital of Cagayán, and its principal port. It has a number of Spanish citizens, with an alcalde-mayor, his deputy, and regidors. There is one Augustinian convent in charge of the Spaniards, with one priest, and his associate, a brother.
​We have notice of other islands, although we have not seen them, and they remain yet to be allotted. Thus in the province of Cagayán and the islands of Babuyanes, there are twenty-four thousand whole tributes, or about ninety-six thousand souls. Notwithstanding that most of it is in rebellion, a great part of it is being reduced to the royal crown. In all the province there is not a single minister of instruction, and it will need thirty-eight religious, when it is wholly pacified. As to the administration of justice, in the part now pacified or being pacified, the encomienda and government of Nueva Segovia has it in charge. When all is pacified, more alcaldes-mayor will be needed, and will be provided.
LA LAGUNA
Thus the province of La Laguna, which is the alcalde-mayoralty styled by itself Bay, has eleven thousand five hundred whole tributes, or forty-eight thousand four hundred souls. These are well instructed, for with its twenty-seven ministers, if the tingues were gathered in the settlements, and another four ministers were added, it would have sufficient instruction. Likewise it is all furnished with adequate justice.
VICOR AND CAMARINES
Cáçeres: The town of Cáçeres is the capital. It has thirty Spanish inhabitants and one Franciscan convent with two religious, not counting those who come and go. There is one parish priest with his church, stationed by himself, to whom his Majesty gives a stipend of fifty thousand maravedis; and, with the balance given by the citizens, the sum amounts to more than three hundred pesos. There is one alcalde-mayor and his deputy.
Thus the province of Vicor y Camarines, with the island of Catanduanes, has twenty-one thousand six hundred and sixty whole tributes, or eighty-six thousand six hundred and forty souls. For its entire instruction it has at present fifteen ministers. According to the allotment of the land, thirty-two more ministers are necessary, so that it may have sufficient instruction. In all it needs fifty-three, if there are sufficient. All the province has justice, which is administered from Cáçeres.
[ZEBU]
Zebu—In the island of Zebú is the capital city, Sanctíssimo Nombre de Jesús, with more than thirty Spanish citizens, with its alcalde-mayor and magistracy. It has one ecclesiastic, who acts as vicar of the Spaniards.
Thus the tributes of the island of Çebú and its jurisdiction amount to fifteen thousand eight hundred and thirty-three whole tributes. This means thirty-five thousand [sic] persons, and for these there are but two ministers. Twenty-one ministers are necessary to furnish sufficient instruction. As to justice, the entire province is sufficiently governed by one alcalde-mayor and his deputy.
PANAY
The town of Arévalo is the capital of this island of Panay, and contains more than twenty Spanish citizens. There is one alcalde-mayor and one corregidor for the river of Panay, besides its body of magistrates, ​and a parish which is in charge of an ecclesiastic.
Thus, in the island of Panay and its jurisdiction, are twenty-five thousand eight hundred and ninety tributes, or sixty thousand [sic] souls. It has at present eighteen ministers, and needs twenty-five more, which will make in all thirty-eight [sic] with whom it will be well instructed. In regard to justice, it is quite sufficient throughout the island.
Thus Calilaya has five thousand five hundred tributes, or twenty-two thousand persons, who have but little instruction. Nine ministers are necessary now, so that it may have some instruction. With the nine ministers it will have sufficient instruction; but it has adequate justice.
Thus in the city of Manila, along its coast and the coast opposite, and in the provinces of Pampanga, Pangasinan, Ylocos, Cagayán, La Laguna, Camarines, Masbate, Zebú, Panay, Balayán, and Calilaya, which is all of Luzón and the other Philippinas Islands settled, there are one hundred and sixty-six thousand nine hundred and three whole tributes. Each tribute includes husband, wife, and excepting the sons, the children. Therefore there are six hundred and sixty-seven thousand six hundred and twelve souls in the said provinces, besides the religious of the convents of Manila. One hundred and forty ministers—twenty of whom are ecclesiastics, seventy-nine Augustinians, nine Dominicans, and forty-two Franciscans—are divided among the provinces to instruct the natives and administer the holy sacraments. It appears from this relation that there is a lack of ministers through the departures above noted. It shows that one hundred and sixty-one more ministers are needed to furnish adequate instruction. These should be sent very soon, and even a greater number, for when they arrive here, one-fourth of these will have died. His Majesty has ​thirty-one encomiendas in the said provinces. Private individuals have two hundred and thirty-six. Of these, however, from many of those in Cagayán and some in other districts no tribute can be collected, because they are not pacified, while others are quite worthless or of slight importance.
The said provinces have twelve alcaldes-mayor, each with his deputy; and, in addition, are three who are their own deputies. In some of these districts it is impossible to go to administer justice, because of their distance from the capitals where the alcaldes-mayor live. This must be carefully looked into and these needs supplied.
* ↑ The allusion to this document which appears in section 8 of Dasmariñas's letter to the king of June 20, 1591, which immediately follows this, shows that it was prepared by his order, to accompany the letter.
* ↑ Spanish puente, in Retana's text; apparently an error for some other word referring to the priest at Tabuco.
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