A Digital Repatriation of a Lost archive of the Spanish Pacific: The Library of The Convent of San Pablo (Manila, 1762)

We, the nobility of the three visitas, Palanyag, Las Piñas, and San Nicolas, who have affixed signatures here [and] those who know how to write, and those who do not know have entrusted to others who know how to write to sign on their behalf, humbly give our utmost respect to our most reverend father provincial on the occasion of his visit to the convent and church of our town. We declare that shame and trouble have filled our minds on the recent tumult of which everyone has been aware and which His Reverence has also heard about. Those who claim to speak on behalf of the townsfolk of Palanyag and yet are ignorant claim that we, too, are involved in the said tumult, which is why we have been compelled to craft this document as an apologia, especially to disprove the allegations that we, the people of Palanyag, are displeased with our former fathers and masters, the Augustinian priests, and that we are supposedly appealing to the most illustrious archbishop to assign another clerical order to administer us. We take exception to the said appeal and we do not share the same sentiments with those who have made that appeal. The priests of Saint Augustine have been our longtime fathers and masters, whose gracious protection and care for us, their adoptive children, have led us to see the light of having faith in the Holy Trinity. They have been responsible for removing the blindfolds wrapped around our dull minds, and through their zealous teaching of the doctrine, the dull and short-sighted minds of us pitiful Tagalogs of Palanyag have been enveloped in a brilliant light. For their efforts in administering us night and day, we are bound to unconditionally repay them, and we recognize this great debt of ours towards them. And apart from this, they have helped in saving the townsfolk to the point that they have sacrificed their own well-being, and in such cases, they ask help from their leader and provincial, who has indeed helped them and is one who truly cares. Thus, to our master, our most reverend father provincial, we appeal and we plead to him that we be exempted from the wrath and resentment towards those who do not know how to recognize their indebtedness which we have elaborated above. What we request is that we be given protection and mercy. Don Juan Mamonong

= Monacillos: That the children of the Mestizos would become them =

= Testimonies about: That the Mestizos and natives of Vetuz and of Pasay become monacillos in the service of the church.

=Chinese-Mestizos: That their children become monacillos of the church and that they do not oppose it =

There are two such [items], the first is this one, and the other is that which follows, and is confirmatory =

It pertains to the shelf outside the wall Box number 9, papers of the Tagalogs 5th Folder =

finished schooling. As such we cannot comply with the six altar boys [required] of us by the most reverend father minister. And on this [matter], in Pasay as well as in Vetuz and in the rest of the district of this jurisdiction, there are enough baguntao children, from the Mestizos as well as from Tagalogs, and other nations, to whom, when possible, our children bring vestments and everything else necessary for the administration of the sacraments, the blessing of the sick, and the last rites. As a result, some (as has happened) made our children sick given the extreme fatigue of walking across such wide expanses and at very uncomfortable hours given the extreme heat waves from the sun or coldness from the rain. [All this] without the said Mestizos' nor the rest of the nations recognizing that we are not their slaves, nor have we obliged ourselves to serve them given that they do not serve us in the least. [They] go as far as to [have our children] become bantayes for the fires, not wanting to come [themselves].