had of this article; and in
the trial and review of the case the claim was refused consideration,
since the truthfulness and promptness wherewith the Society was and
is proceeding was in evidence--as also was its right use of the said
bulls and its conferral of degrees, of which recognition and discussion
was made before all parties in this said suit. Besides, to assert
that the powers to confer degrees were revoked by Pius V and Sixtus
V is contrary to established fact, inasmuch as, so far as relates,
appertains, and belongs to its privileges and bulls, these not only
were not withdrawn from the Society, but rather were confirmed most
amply, with the grant besides of new favors and graces. Wherefore,
as regards this plea all question is ended, while the revocation
to which he refers concerns other parties, and other intents and
purposes, which do not belong to or affect this suit relative to the
firm and unalterable right of the Society of Jesus. The said father
procurator-general, then, should know what is so notorious that even
in Rome, where the Society has its principal university, it has been
conferring degrees on its students without any opposition whatever,
which would not be the case were the bulls in any way detective. But
this [claim] is wholly gratuitous and censurable, as the said decrees
of execution were issued by the audiencias and councils; nor should it
be offered in opposition on the part of the college of Santo Tomas;
nor should an attempt be made to reopen what has been resolved and
decided legally with such full knowledge of the case. And the report
which he files is also opposed to established fact, in his statement
that the city [of Manila] petitioned for the foundation of a university
in the said college; for no such paper was written, nor has one been
discovered, to the best of our knowledge. Nay, the evidence on the
contrary goes to show that a special petition was drawn up in both
the general and the particular interest of that community wherein the
said Society is established and the use and exercise of its said bulls
maintained. For this reason, when the Audiencia ordered the trial to
be held, the citizens displayed so much regret for this disturbance of
the Society, that the cabildo and magistracy felt obliged to repair to
the governor and most urgently petition him to interpose his authority
to have the suit remanded to the Council. They asked that no change
[in regard to the college] be