Brother Pablo de Jesus, and all our congregation
BISHOP SALAZAR’S COUNCIL REGARDING SLAVES
The meeting and resolution held by the bishop in regard to the execution of the decree about slaves
Monday, October sixteen of this year one thousand five hundred and eighty-one, while the most illustrious and reverend Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, first bishop of these Philipinas Islands, was in the monastery of St. Augustine in Tondo, he had the very reverend fathers, Fray Pablo de Jesus, [70] custodian of the Order of St. Francis, Fray Andres de Aguirre, [71] provincial of the Order of St. Augustine, Father Antonio Sedeño, [72] rector of the Society of Jesus, Fray Francisco Manrrique, [73] prior of the monastery of St. Augustine in Manila, Fray Diego de Muxica, [74] prior of the said convent of Tondo, Father Alonso Sanchez, [75] of the Society of Jesus, Fray Cristobal de Salvatierra, [76] of the Order of St. Dominic and the bishop’s associate, Fray Puan de Plasencia, [77] of the Order of St. Francis, and Fray Alonso de Castro [78] and Fray Juan Pimentel, of the Order of St. Augustine, [79] summoned and assembled in the said monastery. He informed them that the very illustrious Don Gonçalo Ronquillo de Peñalosa, his Majesty’s governor of these said islands had communicated with his Lordship in regard to the decree concerning the slaves certain methods that he thought advisable in order that his Majesty’s instructions in regard to the matter might be carried out with more mildness and less severity and hardship to the community. Their Lordships having exchanged opinions regarding the matter, the bishop declared that he thought the matter one of so great seriousness as it touched so deeply on the life and conscience that it ought not to be determined without referring it to the prelates of the orders and the learned and weighty persons of the orders. For his Majesty had sent him to that land and was supporting them there for such necessities and cases. After his Lordship had informed all the abovesaid fathers of the above matter, he said that he had assembled them in order to lay the following matters before them.
First: Whether the hardship that it is thought will follow on the part of those who hold slaves or any other reason that the former can offer in their behalf will be a sufficient reason so that the governor may in conscience neglect to publish and execute the said decree.