King Philip IV letter to Governor Corcuera on Mindanao

Letter from Philip IV to Governor Corcuera on Mindanao missions, 1639

Zamboanga City History

The King. To Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, knight of the Order of Alcantara, my governor and captain-general of the Philipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia therein: a letter of August 21, 1637, has been examined in my royal Council of the Indias, in which you advise me that you have stationed ministers of the gospel in the islands of Mindanao and Bacilan—not only for the instruction of the infidels who are in those islands, but for administering the holy sacraments to the Castilian soldiers whom you leave there—and that you have assigned them such stipends as you considered necessary. I approve what you have done in this matter. Moreover, to provide for future increase [in the number of infidels converted], the necessary mission stations [doctrinas] will have to be established; but in this you must avoid unnecessary expense, and, conformably to my royal patronage, confer regarding such establishments with such persons as you should consult. I trust in you that you will carry out my intentions. [Madrid, February 3, 1639.]

I THE KING

By command of his Majesty:

DON GABRIEL DE OCAÑA Y ALARCON

Church-State relations in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial period: A Sourcebook

by: PhilippineHistory.net

(Source: Blair & Robertson, The Philippine Islands, volume 11, pp.257-259)