uppressed. Such we call cabezas de barangay
in Tagalog, and Ginhaopan in Visayan. They and their children and
relatives lose nothing of their nobility because they serve the king
in cutting timber, in the fleets, or in other personal services which
are necessary in this land. As they lose nothing, it is also much
honor for them that the king be served by them. Accordingly, there are
sargentos-mayor, masters-of-camp, captains, governors of the villages,
and lieutenants, and all are Indians of distinction. These would not
go to row in a banca, and their hands would certainly be freed from
handling a bolo or an ax in the cutting of timber, and their mothers,
wives, and daughters would not have become spinners, if it were not
for Espana. And although all the Indians seem of one color to the
father, this color is well distinguished among them; and they are
very respectful to their chiefs and much more so to their priests,
even though these be Indians like themselves." Delgado continues
by saying that, although some of the native priests have turned out
badly, that is not sufficient to condemn them all. It is arbitrary
to declare that the Indian enters the priesthood solely for his own
comfort, and because of the respect shown him, and not because of the
spiritual blessings. Many Spaniards also enter the ecclesiastical
estate merely for a living. There are examples of Negro, Japanese,
and Chinese priests. "Consequently, it is not to be wondered at that
the most illustrious prelates and bishops should ordain Indians here
and in Nueva Espana, and in other parts of the Indias."

[326] The date of the Navarro copy is wrongly given as 1725.

[327] Pedro Murillo Velarde was born August 6, 1696, at Villa Laujar,
Granada, and entered the Jesuit novitiate at the age of 22. Having
entered the Philippine missions, he was long a professor in the
university of Manila; and later was rector at Antipolo, visitor to
the Mindanao missions, and procurator at Rome and Madrid. He died
at the hospital of Puerto Santa Maria, November 30, 1753. Murillo
Velarde is one of the more noted among Jesuit writers. His principal
works are the following: Cursus juris canonici, hispani et indici
(Madrid, 1743); Historia de la provincia de Philipinas de la Compania
de Jesus (Manila, 1749); and Geographica historica (Madrid, 1752),
in ten volumes. In the Historia (which work we have used freely in
the present series, as material for annotation) was published hi