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diff --git a/42399-0.txt b/42399-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e3bcb69 --- /dev/null +++ b/42399-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7659 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42399 *** + + The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 + + Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and + their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, + as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the + political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those + islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the + close of the nineteenth century, + + Volume XXXI, 1640 + + + + Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson + with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord + Bourne. + + + The Arthur H. Clark Company + Cleveland, Ohio + MCMV + + + + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXXI + + + Preface 9 + + Historia de la provincia del Sancto Rosario de la Orden + de Predicadores (continued) + Diego Aduarte, O.P.; Manila, 1640 23 + + Bibliographical Data 301 + + + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Title-page of Historia de la provincia del Santo Rosario + de Filipinas, tomo primero, by Diego Aduarte, O.P. + (Zaragoca, 1693); photographic facsimile from copy in + library of Harvard University 21 + + Map showing portions of Cochinchina and the Philippine + Islands; photographic facsimile of Dutch parchment MS. + map (in colors; undated, but of eighteenth century), in + Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris 177 + + Map of Ituy and other provinces in northern Luzón, ca. + 1641; photographic facsimile from original MS. map in + Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla 289 + + + + + + + +PREFACE + + +The present volume is devoted to a further installment of Aduarte's +Historia, begun in Vol. XXX--which work will be completed in our +next issue. The part here given covers the years 1596 to 1608 in the +history of the Dominican order in the Philippines. + +Resuming Aduarte's account of the missions carried on by his order +among the Indians of Cagayán, in northern Luzón, the pious and +devout acts of their converts, and the joy and gratitude of the +religious thereat, are recounted at length. In 1596, news comes to +the islands of the death of Bishop Salazar in Spain. Aduarte describes +in detail the life, achievements, and virtues of that prelate. He was +distinguished--not only in the Philippines, but during a long residence +in Nueva España--as the friend and protector of the Indian natives. His +mode of life was most simple and austere; he was charitable and +generous to the full extent of his limited means. By nature choleric +and quick-tempered, he trained himself to patience and forbearance; +and the slanders of the evil-minded against him only roused his +compassion. He was public-spirited, and foremost in all enterprises +for the good of the community. To him are attributed the royal grant +to the Jesuits for maintaining a school, and the establishment and +much of the endowment of the hospital for sick Indians. + +Bishop Salazar's journey to Spain enables him to secure for +his cathedral important aid, and the division of his diocese, +so that its manifold duties may be more satisfactorily performed; +soon afterward, he dies at Madrid. During his absence, his see is +directed by his vicar-general, Fray Christobal de Salvatierra, to +an account of whose exemplary life, valuable labors, and apostolic +virtues a chapter is devoted. He protects the Indians, and does much +to reform the morals of the Spaniards. Among other things, he compels +the Chinese to cease such of their theatrical performances as contain +idolatrous and superstitious matter; and obliges the Spaniards to give +up attendance at these comedies. It is he who begins the spiritual +conquest of the Cagayán region, and he goes on other expeditions; +and he assumes charge of the Bataán mission until missionaries come +for that field. At his death, he appoints two Dominicans to assume his +duties as vicar-general; but they are so opposed by the ecclesiastical +cabildo that they resign the office to the latter. Next comes a +biographical sketch of the younger Juan de Castro, who is assigned +to the toilsome and difficult mission of Pangasinán. In December, +1593, he accompanies an embassy to China; on the return voyage, the +ship is wrecked. Castro escapes to land, but soon afterward dies as +a result of the shock and exposure thus suffered. + +Aduarte recounts, with much detail, the expedition of 1596 to Cambodia, +which is accompanied by himself and another Dominican, Fray Alonso +Ximenez. Velloso's junk is driven ashore by a storm, and the men, after +much privation and suffering, make it over into a shallow oared vessel, +and row along the coast in search of water and inhabited places. When +reduced to the last extremity, they accidentally find fresh water, +and thus are saved, finally making their way to a fort where some +Cambojan soldiers are stationed. From these the Spaniards learn that +the king who was friendly to them has been driven out by a usurper, +and that one of their consorts in the Spanish fleet has reached that +country. They join this ship, and soon afterward, learning that the +king is plotting to destroy them all, and coming to blows with the +Chinese traders who have come to Chordemuco, the Spaniards attack +the Cambojans at night and defeat them, killing the usurper of that +throne. The Spanish commander Gallinato arrives, and decides to +return to Manila; but contrary winds force them to land at Malaca, +after twice encountering enemies. Nearly a year later, they succeed +in reaching Manila, without other result of their journey "but that +of having suffered for the gospel." + +In 1596, Fray Bernardo de Santa Catharina is elected provincial; under +his rule, the conversion of the natives greatly increases. A new band +of missionaries arrives soon afterward, most of whom go to the Cagayán +field. In Cambodia Velloso and Blas Ruiz, Spanish adventurers, have +aided the lawful king to regain his throne, and they persuade him to +send to Manila requesting soldiers and the return of the two Dominican +friars. Luis Pérez Dasmariñas offers to make this expedition at his own +cost, and Aduarte and Ximenez accompany him. A fierce storm scatters +the ships; that of Dasmariñas is driven upon the coast of China, +and that in which Aduarte sails is wrecked on one of the Babuyanes +group. He sends word of this misfortune to Manila; the governor orders +the Spaniards to proceed to China, on which coast they again suffer +shipwreck, but find Dasmariñas--who has met a like disaster there, +and is enduring great privations. Aduarte has meanwhile returned +to Manila; but word of Dasmariñas's misfortune reaches that place, +and Governor Tello sends him a ship with aid, and orders to return at +once to Manila. Aduarte accompanies this vessel. He goes to Canton, +to obtain the viceroy's permission for Dasmariñas's return to Manila; +but there falls into the hands of a greedy and corrupt official, who, +thinking to extort money from the friar, has him tortured. Finally, +Aduarte is placed in prison with the Spanish sailors, but is soon +bailed out by a Chinese friend. He makes his escape, and joins +Dasmariñas; the latter returns to Manila, but Aduarte's health is +so injured that he is obliged to halt at Macao. Fray Alonso Ximenez +dies at that place, as a result of his hardships and sufferings in +the Camboja expedition; a sketch of his life and virtues is given. + +In 1597 another mission arrives at the islands, with Bishop +Benavides. The intermediate chapter of the Dominican province is in +session, and the new arrivals are therefore assigned to the needy +missions; various incidents in those of Cagayán and Pangasinan +are related. Biographical sketches of Antonio de Soria and other +pioneer missionaries are given. Two of these are sent (1598) on a +politico-religious mission to Camboja, with a Spanish officer named +Mendoza; they are attacked by Malays, and most of the Spaniards +are slain. The rest escape to Siam, but are attacked there also, +with further loss of life. Among the dead are the two Dominicans +and Mendoza. + +At the chapter-session of 1600, Juan de Santo Thomas is elected +provincial. The Cagayán missions are extended further into the +interior; and the religious zealously pursue and destroy any trace +of idol-worship. At the intermediate chapter of 1602, the house of +San Juan del Monte, without the city, is established as a retreat for +convalescent brethren of the order. At that time occurs a miraculous +healing of a friar possessed by an evil spirit; also, a large band of +missionaries arrives from Spain, being divinely aided to escape various +dangers of pestilence and shipwreck. With these friars all the convents +in the province are supplied, and some even go to Japan. Aduarte +explains the reason for Dominican missionaries being called to that +country, and describes their first establishment, which is in Satsuma. + +In 1603 the new king of Camboja asks the Manila government for soldiers +and missionaries. Three Dominicans are sent, with a few soldiers as +guards, and letters to the king. They are well received; but two +of them die, and the factions in that country and the fickleness +of the natives induce the remaining friar to return to Manila. In +April, 1604, occurs the great conflagration in Manila, and, in the +succeeding autumn, the revolt and massacre of the Chinese in and near +that city--which have been fully described in previous volumes. + +At the chapter of 1604, Fray Miguel de San Jacinto is elected +provincial, and several new churches in heathen communities are +received. These are supplied with ministers from a new company that +arrives that year from Spain. Some account is given of the journey +of these friars, with its hardships and dangers--among these being +an attack made upon them by hostile Indians at Guadalupe Island, +in which six friars are slain and three wounded. Many of these new +missionaries are sent to the Cagayán missions--some to the Itaves +Indians, who were considered fierce and untamable by the Spaniards +(some of whom, having oppressed the natives, were slain by them) +until "the holy gospel declared by the Dominican religious changed +them from bloodthirsty wolves to gentle sheep." Aduarte declares +that wonderful results were thus achieved, rendering those Indians +moral and obedient, and achieving this entirely by kindness and +gentleness. The Indians even consent to change their abodes to the +mission reductions. The fathers are almost worn out by these tasks, +and one dies; but they are encouraged by the wonderful results of +their labor and by miracles which the Lord vouchsafes them. + +Aduarte presents a long biographical account of Archbishop Benavides, +Salazar's immediate successor. He is distinguished in Spain, both +as a student and as an instructor. Coming to the Philippines, he +immediately undertakes to learn the Chinese language, that he may +minister to the men of that nation who come to Manila; and founds +a hospital for the poor sick Chinese there. Benavides goes to China +(as previously narrated), and afterward to Spain. There he does good +service in refuting the opinion prevalent there that conquest must +precede conversion, and soldiers clear the way for missionaries. He +also procures the recall of a papal brief authorizing the bishops to +visit the friars in charge of the Indians, the same as if they were +parish priests; and accomplishes other important business, especially +in behalf of the Indians, winning golden opinions of his abilities, +good judgment, and virtue. Returning to the islands, Benavides takes +charge of the diocese of Nueva Segovia, where he labors zealously +for the moral improvement of the Spaniards, but most of all for the +protection of the Indians from Spanish rapacity. After Salazar's +death, Benavides takes charge of the vacant see, and is finally +appointed archbishop; but his mode of life is always as simple and +austere as that of the poorest friar, and he spends all his income in +almsgiving. At his death, he bequeaths the little that he possesses to +his brethren, for the founding of a college at Manila. Biographical +accounts of other friars are presented. One of these, Jacinto Pardo, +dies suddenly, it is supposed from poison given him by hostile +Indians. Another, Juan de la Cruz, is a notable linguist. + +In 1605, a papal brief (obtained by the Jesuits) forbids any religious +to go to Japan except by way of India; but it is revoked three years +later. This, in the interim, causes the friar orders much trouble; +and Japan, moreover, is greatly unsettled and disturbed by various +political matters. In 1606 an intermediate chapter is held at Manila, +at which the religious of the order are directed to collect materials +(of which Aduarte has availed himself) for a history of the Dominican +province. The great victory of Acuña at Maluco, which occurs about +that time, is ascribed to the agency of our Lady of the Rosary, +to whom the Dominicans have a special devotion; a confraternity in +her honor had been founded in Acuña's army, and the captured town is +dedicated to her. In this same year, another company of religious +arrives from Spain; one dies before reaching Manila. At this time, +a Dominican mission is established in the province of Hizen, Japan. + +In 1605 the mission in Pangasinan is extended to the village of +Manáoag, farther inland; and, "within a few months, there was not a +heathen in the village." A chief in a neighboring village is also +converted, to whom a miracle occurs. In 1607, two new churches +are established in Cagayán. In Nalfotan the Indians, led by their +excellent chief, build a church even before a missionary is sent to +them; and all is prospering when a priestess of the old idols stirs +up the people, against the new faith, and the villagers take to the +hills. Later, they burn the church; but the good chief saves the +missionary's life. Another revolt occurs in that province, caused +by the cruelty of an encomendero. Troops are sent from Manila; their +commander finds that the Indians had cause for revolt, and sends the +people of Nalfotan home with their pastor. This mission prospers, and +the chief is its mainstay during his life--a function long continued +by his pious sister. + +The provincial chosen in 1608 is Baltasar Fort. Some account is given +of the persecution of Christians in Japan; they are banished from +Satsuma, but many find shelter in Nagasaki. The Dominicans accomplish +much in Hizen. They also extend their missionary labors among the wild +mountaineers of northern Luzón, gathering many scattered hamlets into +larger villages, and converting many of their heathen inhabitants. In +Ituy they attempt to open a mission, but the Franciscans claim that +as their territory; the Dominicans yield, but regret to see these +Indians abandoned soon afterward by their Franciscan teachers. In 1609 +the general of their order commands the provincials of the mission +provinces to report every year the work and achievements of the +missionaries, with information regarding the numbers and condition of +the order in each province. Several friars die in that year, of whom +biographical sketches are presented. One of these, Pedro Rodriguez, +has rendered special and distinguished service in the hospital for +Chinese at Manila. + + + The Editors + + August, 1905. + + + + + + + + HISTORIA DE LA PROVINCIA DEL + SANCTO ROSARIO DE LA ORDEN + DE PREDICADORES + + (Continued) + + By Diego Aduarte, O.P.; Manila, 1640. + + + Source: Translated from a copy of the above work in the + possession of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago. + + Translation: This is made by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University + of Wisconsin. The present instalment covers pp. 167-384 of book i + of the Historia (which will be concluded in Vol. XXXII). + + + + + + + +HISTORY OF THE DOMINICAN PROVINCE OF THE HOLY ROSARY + +By Fray Diego Aduarte, O.P. + +(Continued) + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +The advance made by the Indians of this province in virtue, and their +attendance upon the sacraments + + +Even if the religious in this province of Nueva Segovia had done +no other good than bringing to an end or preventing so many sins of +idolatry as these Indians used to commit, every day and every hour, +by adoring the devil and offering him superstitious reverence in +all the ways which have already been described, a very great service +indeed would have been done to the Lord, to whom all such actions as +these are directly offensive. In these idolatrous acts His honor is +taken from Him, and His divine supremacy is overthrown and given to +His greatest enemy. To prevent one of these offenses to God would be +of much more merit than to prevent any homicide whatsoever, for that +is a direct offense only against a man; while idolatry is directly +against God, and takes from Him His divine honor, which is much more +valuable than the life of a man. If this be true, how high is the +merit of having prevented the innumerable acts of idolatry which used +to be committed daily by those Indians, and having brought to an end +the multitude of sins which followed upon this one--constant wars, +murders, robberies, drunkennesses which surpassed one another, lewd +actions, and all the other vices which were committed--without the +rulers of those people concerning themselves the least in them or +punishing them, except when they personally were wronged. And this +they did, not out of zeal for justice, but as their personal act of +revenge, so that they sinned more in the excess of the punishment +than the delinquents had sinned in the faults for which they were +punished. Now all these evils came to an end, as the result of the +preaching of the religious, to the great glory of God. Hence, if they +had done no more than this, very great indeed would the service have +been which thereby they wrought and continue to work for the Creator of +all and the universal Lord. But this was not all; for when these evil +growths had been rooted out, there were planted in the hearts of these +Indians the opposite virtues. By the aid of the Lord they began so +soon to bear flowers and fruit that the first bishop of this province, +Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, a holy and most learned prelate, wrote +to his Holiness Clement VIII, who at that time governed the church, +the following report, in which he gives a faithful account of the +establishment of his bishopric, with the accuracy to which his office +and dignity obliged him. "This province," he says, "is very new in the +preaching of the gospel, for it is only three years since there were +ministers of the Order of St. Dominic in it. Before that time there +used to be seen now and then a priest in the place where the Spaniards +lived. As for preaching to the Indians, there was no idea of such a +thing. This province is very near Great China, being distant from it +less than seventy leguas; so that now the faith of the Lord appears +to be approaching their powerful and great kingdom. The native race +of the province is a very spirited one, whom it has cost the Spaniards +many efforts and the lives of many men to subdue. As soon as the Order +of St. Dominic came into this region, they immediately went to live +among the Indians; and they built their churches and houses, which +were more like huts built to last two days. They employed upon them +very few laborers, and had no teacher or journeymen. The Indians would +have died before they admitted them to their villages (and, as it was, +there was some difficulty about it), if the good name of those who had +been in Pangasinan had not reached these Indians also--who in this way +learned how the religious treated the Indians as if they were their +own children, and defended them against those who wronged them. When +they began to consider the mode of life followed by the religious, +their patience and labors, their avoidance of flesh food, their many +fasts, continual prayers, great poverty--for the poverty of the Order +of St. Dominic here is very great--and the gentleness and love with +which they treated the natives, God was pleased that in those villages +where there are missionary religious, all the inhabitants desired +to be Christians. They have not only become very devout toward God, +but very friendly to the Spaniards; thus the religious have put peace +and security where they were not before. As a result, in regions where +soldiers and garrisons used to be necessary, there now are none, and +the country is very peaceful. Every evening the men gather together and +recite prayers before a cross, which is usually set up in the plaza +of the village, the women doing the same by themselves in another +place. Baptisms in the heathen villages are constantly increasing, +while those for whom there are not missionaries enough ask for them +with all their hearts, and are so desirous to become Christians that +we ought therefore to offer thanks to God. [Some chiefs invited the +missionaries to their village, saying that they all wished to become +Christians. A Spaniard who had command in one village where they were +building a church, directed the soldiers to interfere with the work, +which would have injured his private interests; but within a short +time all those men died horribly. The fathers drive out devils from +those who are possessed by them. It is only for lack of missionaries +that the whole country is not filled with churches." + +The report is very short, and it is therefore necessary for us to +expand upon it, making use of the reports of the founders and first +missionaries themselves. In addition to what has already been said, +they report as follows. Great as was the labor of bringing these souls +from darkness to light, they have come to understand their duties, +worshiping the Lord with great devotion, and regularly attending +His holy sacraments. They go beyond the commandments of God and of +His church to do additional works of devotion--especially the women, +for they can more easily come to be instructed, and can more easily +do what they are told, as they are less occupied than the men are with +things to distract their minds and thoughts. Some of them are so devout +that they walk always in the presence of God, doing nothing without +an inward prayer to Him. In Tular, or Abulug, a village of more than +a thousand inhabitants, in which there were more communicants than +in the other villages, the religious taught many of them to strive to +meditate every day upon some of the mysteries of the rosary. This was +an exercise to which the first founder of the province, father Fray +Juan de Castro, was very much given, and in which many of his disciples +and subjects have followed him. Thus these Indians day by day meditate +upon one after another of the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. Other +Indians lay aside part of their daily food for charity. Bringing +about these results requires from the minister much labor, teaching, +assistance, perseverance, and prayer; for without these there is very +little or nothing that they can do of themselves, without books or +any other guide to direct them. As it is, the Indians have advanced +wonderfully--visiting and caring for their sick, especially when +they are poor; taking discipline at night in their houses; fasting +beyond what they are required; frequenting the churches; and offering +their prayers at dawn and at evening. There were some of them who, +at the very beginning of their Christian career, went through the +fields looking for the little children of poor people who could not +take them to town; and, bringing these to be baptized, they acted as +their sponsors, making gifts to them afterward of swaddling-clothes +or some such thing. Heavy as are the labors of the religious, their +joy in them is still greater. + +Very great difficulty was found, at first, in bringing the Indians +to confess. They regarded it as a shameful thing for them to report +to the confessor all the evil things they had done and thought, and +they also feared to give the religious power to annoy or blame them by +means of their confession. "When a dozen persons were gathered together +for their first confession, there was not one of them who was willing +to begin, for everyone wished the other to make the experiment. At +last the fathers summoned an Indian who came from Pangasinan, and +who had longer been a Christian and was better acquainted with the +fathers. The Indians asked him many questions about the matter, +all of which he answered well, encouraging them greatly; he told +them that in his country the Christians confessed without any evil +results following. At last one Indian woman, more courageous than +the rest, ventured to go to make her confession where the father +was patiently waiting in the church--commending the matter to God +with all his heart, because it was very plain that the hesitation +of the Indians was on account of the fear they felt. She confessed, +went away very well satisfied, and, returning to the rest, told them +what had happened. They asked her a thousand new questions, especially +if the father was angry when she told her sins, and whether he had +scolded her. She answered 'No,' and that, on the contrary, he had +treated her very kindly and lovingly; so they all determined to make +their confessions, and began them heartily." So they come now and make +their confessions; and in general it is not necessary to summon them, +for they anticipate the confessors, and sometimes even beg that their +confessions may be heard, as a penance. They showed the greatest faith +and sincerity in their confessions, striving to be reconciled with all +their enemies before making their confession. The religious generally +encouraged them to make their confessions on the day of their patron +saint; and one Indian woman, named for St. Anne, was unwilling to +confess on that saint's day. When the father asked her the reason, +she answered that she had had a quarrel with one of her neighbors, +and that they did not speak to each other; and she begged the father +to reconcile them. After he had done that, she very readily made her +confession. It frequently happens that a man accused in a court of +law denies the accusation, and that the religious is unable to draw +anything else from him; while in confession the same man will clearly +accuse himself of the same fault which he had previously denied, and +will deny again if the same question is asked him on another trial. It +not infrequently happens that if they have any ill-will against the +religious, or have said anything against him, they confess to that +very man, telling him of the ill-will that they have felt against him.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +The devotion with which these Indians approached the holy communion, +and some events which give much glory to the Lord. + + +[Since the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist is so high and +difficult a thing to teach a people whose heathen state makes them +opposed to ideas so lofty, the religious in this region spend a great +deal of effort upon teaching the Indians this supreme mystery.] At +first, only very few and very carefully chosen persons were admitted +to the communion, according to the ordinance of a provincial council +of Lima, confirmed by the Apostolic See, which in Act ii, chapter +20, says, [1] Precepit sancta sinodus parochis, ceterisque Indorum +praedicatoribus, ut saepe ac serio, de fide huius mysterii eos +instituant; and, later, Quos autem parochus, et satis instructus, +et correctione vitae idoneos iudicaverit, iis saltem in paschate, +Eucharistiam administrare non praetermittat. It is true that the +Indians of these regions have much greater capacity than those of Peru, +of whom this council spoke; yet because they were so new in the faith, +and so badly fitted by their ancient customs for this supreme mystery, +the holy communion is not given to them indifferently at Easter, but +is given to those whom the minister judges to be properly prepared. At +the beginning, greater attention and caution were necessary. Hence, +after they had been thoroughly instructed in the mysteries of the +faith, and in particular in the doctrine of this holy mystery, +and when they showed a desire to receive the holy communion, they +were examined as to their lives, habits, and reputation, the most +credible witnesses in the village being called in to testify. If +they were found prepared, they were admitted to this supreme meal, +to this holy table. A week before they communicated, unless they +were occupied--and they generally gave up their occupations for this +purpose--they went to church and heard spiritual addresses every +day. [On these days they prepared themselves with more than ordinary +prayer, and rose at midnight to pray and to take their discipline. If +they were married, they separated their beds at least on the eve +and the day of the communion. Many of the men went to the convent, +and followed the hours with the religious. On the day of receiving +communion, they followed the same customs as did the members of our +order, dedicating the whole day to God, and keeping in it the silence +which we observe in our convents on the day when those religious who +are not priests communicate. They were taught to say something after +mass in order to give thanks to the Lord; for since they cannot read, +and have no books, the ministers have to teach them everything of +this kind--especially at the beginning, for afterward there are many +of them who teach the others. At the same time, they receive what the +minister tells them with greater respect. Many extraordinary examples +of piety have been exhibited by the communicants.] In the village +of Pata there was an Indian chief, a man of great valor, named Don +Francisco Yringan, of whom mention has several times been made. He, +being governor there, had as a guest in his house a Spaniard who +was traveling that way. He treated him kindly and entertained him as +well as he could. The guest, not being content with this, asked him +to find an Indian woman, that he might sleep with her; and gave him +some trinkets with which to gratify her. But the Indian refused to +accept them and to do what the Spaniard asked him, saying that this +was wicked and that no one ought to do such a thing, least of all a +communicant. This was a reply with which the old Christian ought to +have been put to confusion, and which should have made him correct +his desires; but it was not so; on the contrary, he grew angry at +the answer, and threatened to cane the Indian unless he did what +he was told. The Indian turned his back and bending his head said, +"Give me as much of a caning as you please, for I am not going to do +what you ask." The Spaniard was so intemperate and discourteous that +he vented his anger upon him and caned him, the Indian suffering with +great patience, as if he had received from God not only faith in Him, +but the power of suffering because he refused to offend Him. This is +a grace which the Apostle praises, urging the Philippians to esteem +it highly; and now it was found in a Philippine Indian. The Indian +who suffered this was a man who could have employed lawyers against +him who wronged him, though he was alone; and, if he had shouted to +his followers, they would have cut the Spaniard to pieces. But, as he +was a communicant, he would neither be an accomplice in the sin of the +Spaniard, nor would he avenge himself; nor would he even make use of +a just defense, as was taught in the counsel of Paul quoted above, +Non vos defendentes carissimi [i.e., "Not defending yourselves, +beloved"]. On another occasion when a great insult was offered to +this same Indian, a religious comforted him and encouraged him to +patience. The Indian answered: "O father, how good it would be if we +all served God with truth. If it were so, that wrong which has been +done to me would not have been done. If this thing had happened in +the days of our heathendom, it would have sufficed to cause me and +my followers to make war to the death against this town; but now that +we are Christians, patience!" He said nothing more and uttered not a +word of indignation, but passed over his sufferings and endured the +insult, although he felt it keenly and was ashamed (though in a very +Christian manner). Thus he gave proof that his virtue was enduring, +because such a blow could not overthrow it. There was one poor Indian +slave woman whom a Spaniard, who had communicated a few days before +in that village, tried to violate. She resisted him with spirit; and, +as if horrified at the lack of respect which by his actions he showed +to the Lord, whom he had received, she said to him: "How is it that, +being a communicant, you dare to commit such a sin?" In this way may +be seen how some of the new Christians surpass others who are old +in the faith, going beyond them in virtue, devotion, and the fear +of God. [In the village of Masi, which is near to that of which we +have been speaking, there was an Indian, a communicant, the fiscal +of the church, who was of blameless life. His name was Sebastian +Calelao. His sown rice had not sprouted on account of the drought; +but, in response to his prayers, God sent rain so that his crop +was saved. In Pilitan there was an Indian woman, named Ysabel Pato, +a faithful Christian. When she was about to receive the viaticum, +the priest found that the Lord had anticipated him. Other marvels and +instances of virtue have been exhibited among these Indians.] Some +Indian women accused themselves of having eaten buyos on fast-days, +but not on Fridays. When the confessor asked them if they had +fasted on other days than Friday--for the Indians are not obliged +to fast on the other days in Lent--they answered that they fasted +the whole of Lent, performing these fasts as works of devotion; for +the holy Apostolic See has excused them from this fast, because of +their weakness and the scantiness of their food. When the religious +thought that this was excessive, and told them that they could not +do so much, they answered that by the favor of God they could do +so, as they had already fasted during the whole of Lent on previous +occasions. The buyo is an aromatic leaf, shaped like an ivy-leaf, +which the Indians are accustomed to chew with a sort of wild acorn +and a little bit of lime. Even some of the Spaniards in this country +very commonly use it, though they do not swallow it, so that only the +juice reaches the stomach; it invigorates the stomach, and preserves +the teeth. To carry some buyos in their mouths, if there were not +many of them, would not break their fast; but in spite of all this, +these Indian women made a scruple of taking it in their fasts, out of +pure devotion and in an entirely voluntary way. [Visions of demons +are frequent among the Indians. One such happened in a part of this +province called Ytabes, of which the order took charge in 1604. The +Indian concerned had a vision of demons driven away by persons whom +he did not know, but who were clothed with white underneath and with +black cloaks. This was something which the Indian had never seen, +because the religious rarely wear their cloaks in the Indian villages, +assuming them only when they go into the pulpit to preach. At that +time the Christians there were so few that the sermons were not +delivered from the pulpit, but from a seat, the cloak not being put +on for the purpose. Frightful visions of the anito drove the father +of Don Francisco Tuliau to baptism. In Camalaniugan father Fray Gaspar +Zarfate drove out several demons who were tormenting Indian women.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XL + +The great comfort which the religious commonly felt in their ministry +both in life and in death + + +[In spite of the sufferings of the religious in this region--the heat, +the strangeness, the homesickness, the poverty of their life--they had +great joy in their work. The aniteras, or priestesses of the devil, +who became Christians, often told them that as soon as they came to +heathen villages the devil left the houses in which he was worshiped, +which were wretched little hovels. They dreamed that they saw their +anitos in the form of carabaos, or buffaloes, and of black men; +and that they likewise suffered greatly at such times, because the +devil was so much their owner that he used to enter them visibly--one +of them, who was the mistress of the others, saying that he entered +her in the form of a shadow, and in that way gave his oracles. The +aniteras were, as the Indians said, beside themselves and out of +their minds at such times. Many miracles were wrought by the fathers, +and they had great joy in the marvels which the Lord showed them +in permitting them to save by holy baptism children and others who +were at the point of death, from eternal damnation. The bishop of +Nueva Segovia, Don Fray Diego de Soria, writing to his great friend, +father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Cathalina, or Navarro, on March 24, +1608, said that when they had come from the province of Ylocos, they +had been detained in a port for two weeks by as heavy a storm as if +they had been in Segovia itself, and that they had suffered much on +the road; but that now they felt consoled by what they had found in +the province, which was a perfect picture of Pangasinan. He reported +that in the mountains of Fotol and Alamonag they had confirmed more +than six hundred Indians; and that even the little boys and girls knew +the definition of the sacrament of confirmation. He reports that the +religious of the province are very harmonious, especially those who +came from the college of Alcala, to which they purpose sending a golden +cup worth a thousand pesos, hoping that the college may pay for it with +missionaries, which will not be simony. He goes on to say that he had +been three days in the village, and that they had already confirmed +eight or nine thousand Indians. The cup of gold was sent, but never +reached its destination. His remarks with reference to the college +of Alcala are due to the fact that several of the religious who came +over on various expeditions had been supplied by that college. Among +them were some of the most devoted of the missionaries--for instance, +the bishop himself, father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Cathalina, and +father Fray Juan Cobo. The report of this father may well be followed +by that of father Fray Francisco de San Joseph, or Blancas, [2] who +wrote from this province of Nueva Segovia to the father provincial, +father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho. His letter is given in full by +Aduarte; the substance of it is as follows: "I have seen with my own +eyes something of what I have read in the letters of your Reverence +with regard to the great need of ministers here, and to the desire of +the people for them. We found the inhabitants kindly and peaceful, and +delighted to see us. When we disembarked at one of the heathen villages +on the way, some of the children ran to kiss our scapulars. Some of +the boys ran before us, reciting the prayers very well, not because +they had been taught, but because they had picked them up from a +couple of our boys whom they had seen several times. Yet in spite of +all this they will be lost and damned, for lack of friars. The wife +of the governor of this village was very ill; and desiring to die +a Christian, she had herself carried to the village of Pia, which +is a Christian village about a day's journey from hers. Father Fray +Pedro was at Pipig, a village near there, at the time, so that he was +in time to baptize her." In another letter to the same provincial, +he said: "Your Reverence might see here this morning a company of +old men learning the doctrines of Christianity; another of girls; +another of married women; another of young boys--giving praises +to God like so many choirs of angels, proclaiming His doctrine and +learning it to prepare themselves for baptism." Father Fray Jacintho +de San Geronimo, [3] who is still living, writes a letter to a friend +of his in Nueva España, which is dated on the last day of the feast +of the Resurrection, in 1607. It is substantially as follows: "I am +at present in the province of Nueva Segovia, in great happiness to +see the desire of the people to become Christians. Our poverty and +disinterestedness have caused them to have great confidence in us. I +would not change my lot for any other in the world, in spite of the +hardness of our life here." The same father wrote another letter to +a friend in Manila, to the following effect: "There are more than +four thousand souls in this village, not the eighth part of whom are +Christians, though all desire to become so. On Holy Saturday three of +us baptized six hundred persons." The date of this letter was April 2, +1607. Although this father had been but a short time in the province, +he had already learned enough of the language for such great results, +and could rejoice in the fruit of his labors. From all this it is +plain that the missionaries in this region who are busied with the +ministry of souls have no need of España nor of anything Spanish +for their comfort, except companions to help them in the work. As +there is no rule without an exception, it must be so in this case; +but if any missionary is unhappy here, it is generally because he has +failed in his obligations and become lukewarm in his devotions. Those +that can speak the language and thereby convert souls are happy +in their work; and those who cannot learn the language should +accordingly be unhappy. But the Lord is not so poor as that, as will +be sufficiently shown by a letter from father Fray Garcia de Oroz, +written from Nueva Segovia to a brother at Manila: "Though I have been +told that I would be very unhappy and discouraged by the difficulty of +learning the language, and though I find that it is very difficult to +me because of my age and lack of memory, I am not disconsolate; because +merely to be in company with a father who is a master of the language, +and to act as his confessor, will greatly serve our Lord. This region +is a pleasant one, and my health is good in it during the winter, which +lasts from the beginning of October to March. It resembles the climate +of Valencia during the same period, having cool and fresh nights. A +great part of the country is very open, and the mountains are not high +or rugged. Some of the convents are on the shore of the sea; others, +on the bank of a copious river, which is navigated by canoes for a +distance of sixty leguas up the river. No one has reached the head of +it, or knows where the spring is." The happiness of the missionaries +in their work will be plain from what has been said. As a result of +having lived devoted lives they died happy deaths, rejoicing in their +firm hope that they were going to enjoy the Lord whom they had served, +and for whom they had abandoned their parents, kinsmen, native lands, +and the ease which they might have enjoyed in España.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLI + +The servant of God, Don Fray Domingo de Salaçar, first bishop of +the Philippinas + + +By the ships which came to these islands from Nueva España in 1596, +arrived the sad news of the death of their father and first bishop, +Don Fray Domingo de Salaçar. This was one of the greatest losses +which they could have met with at that time, for they lost in him a +most loving father and a most faithful defender. In their defense +he had not hesitated to set out on a long and perilous journey to +España, and that in his very last years, when his great age would +have excused him from such excessive labors. But the fervent love +which he had for his sheep would not permit him to offer any excuses, +when he saw them in so great need as they were in at that time. There +was in these regions no place from which he could obtain relief for +them, nor could he have obtained relief from España if he had not +gone there in person to get it, for he had tried all other means. He +had sent a procurator; and he had written most urgent letters, and +had learned by experience that they did not bring about the results +desired. In fine, these islands lost a shepherd and a holy bishop; +and when this has been said, everything has been said. The Order of +St. Dominic, which had been so recently established in these islands, +suffered the greatest loss in this general affliction, for it had +in him a father and a brother who loved it most affectionately; +and a continual benefactor, who, though he was poor in the extreme, +seemed rich and generous in the benefits which he conferred upon the +order. Without them it would have suffered much, because the religious +came as apostolic preachers, in the greatest poverty, and in the +greatest need of the favor which they always received from this pious +bishop. Don Fray Domingo de Salacar was born in La Rioja in Castilla, +and had assumed the habit in the distinguished convent of San Estevan +at Salamanca, where he was contemporary with some who afterward became +famous professors of theology in this illustrious university--the +father masters Fray Domingo Bañes and Fray Bartholome de Medina +[Fray Domingo de Salacar was not inferior to them in scholarship, +but his heart was set more on sanctity than on learning; and hence +he desired to go to the province of Santiago de Mexico, which seemed +to have renewed the primitive austerity of the time of our father +St. Dominic. When he reached Mexico, though he wished to labor among +the Indians, the orders of his superior kept him from doing so, and +he became a teacher, and finally a master of theology, the highest +degree of this kind which can be reached in the order. His virtue was +such that during all the time while he was in Nueva España (namely, +forty years), he never broke any of our sacred constitutions in any +point. As one of the popes has said, a religious who thus follows the +constitutions of our order, has done enough to be canonized. When the +directions of his superiors at last permitted him to give the reins +to his desire, he devoted himself to missionary work among the Indian +tribes in the province of Vaxac. He suffered deeply from every wrong +that the Spaniards did to the Indians; and his suffering was doubled +because he could not remedy their wrongs. However, he did what he could +for those that were under his charge by comforting them and encouraging +them to patience; and it is no small consolation for the unfortunate +to see that there is someone who pities them and sympathizes with their +suffering. So desirous was father Fray Domingo of laboring for the Lord +that he joined the expedition to Florida, [4] accompanying the holy +Fray Domingo de la Anunciacion in the hardships which he endured, +which he felt the more because he could not make the conversions +which he hoped for among those Indians. Before beginning his journey, +he asked the superior to bless all the waters of the streams and +rivers from which he should have to drink, that he might not break +the constitution which directs us not to drink without permission and +a blessing. The want of food from which they suffered was such that +they were obliged to boil the leather straps of their helmets and of +the other parts of their armor that they might have something to keep +them alive, or to delay death a little. When they had exhausted this +supply they ate roots and the bark of wild trees. On this journey our +Lady of the Rosary showed her favor to father Fray Domingo by assisting +him in a remarkable way on several occasions. Once she enabled him +to save the life of a poor soldier who had been condemned to death, +and once gave him grace to change the heart of a man who intended to +commit suicide. Although he desired to give himself to work among the +Indians, he was obliged by the orders of his superiors and by his +vow of obedience to assume several honorable posts in the province +of Mexico, becoming prior and vicar-provincial, and finally the chief +consultor of the Holy Office; but he gave up these positions as soon +as he could to devote himself to the work which he preferred among +the natives. He spent thirty-eight years in laboring for those poor +people, teaching them, and protecting them against wrong. He was at +one time sent to España by his superiors on matters of important +business connected with the missions to the Indians. Here he met +many difficulties, as vested interests and great wealth were arrayed +against him; and on one occasion the nuncio of his Holiness, to +whom he had complained, commanded him not to visit the palace. But, +though he did not attain the end for which he set out, he made a +great impression upon his Majesty, who appointed him first bishop of +the Philippinas.] His Majesty felt a particular affection for these +islands, because their conversion had begun in his time and as a +result of his initiative. As they had received their name from his, +he desired also to give them a bishop with his own hand. He chose a man +whose learning, virtue, and deep zeal for the good and the protection +of the Indians qualified him to be the father and first shepherd +of regions so new and so remote from the presence of their king. In +such regions it is very easy for the wrongs which the powerful do to +the weak to be more and greater than in others; hence they needed a +valiant defender, and a strong pastor and master to contend with the +great difficulties which are always met with in new conquests. At +first father Fray Domingo did not venture to accept the bishopric, +and consulted learned and able religious. They all advised him to +accept it, as being a very heavy charge, but one in which he could do +great service to God and be of great advantage to the Indians. They +suggested that, if he were the bishop of the Indians, he could +help them better in the great sufferings which it might be expected +that they would have to endure, as all newly-conquered people have +endured them. These sufferings he saw and deplored when he went to his +bishopric; and he strove to remedy them as completely as he could. He +accepted the dignity for the labor and the banishment which it offered +him, knowing well that there was no honor and profit to be expected +from it. At this time he strove to bring with him religious of his own +order, feeling that they would be more closely allied to him and under +greater obligations to him; and that thus they would help him to carry +his burden. His Majesty granted them to him, and they reached Mexico; +[5] but here there were so many who died or fell ill that he had left +but one companion, father Fray Christobal de Salvatierra--who was a +wonderfully helpful associate, and aided him greatly in the government +of his bishopric, as well as in everything else which had to be done; +and these additional duties were neither few nor pleasant. He went to +the city of Manila and built in it his cathedral church, assigning +prebends and arranging everything necessary for the service of the +cathedral--although poorly, because he had no ecclesiastical income, +and because the royal income in these islands was very small. He found +his bishopric like sheep without a shepherd, and strove to gather them +together and bring them to order; but, as they had learned to live +without control, they took his efforts very ill. Some of them broke +bounds entirely, one of them going so far that he dared to tell the +bishop to his face that he would better moderate his enthusiasm; for +that if he did not, the speaker could hit a mitre at fifty paces with +his arquebus. But the good bishop in these and similar cases followed +the commands of St. Paul to his disciple St. Timothy: Argue, obsecra, +increpa, in omni patientia et doctrina. [6] The good prelate put his +shoulder and his breast to the wheel against all these difficulties, +and with all his heart strove to reform the morals of the colony. By +his example he animated the preachers and confessors to tell the +truth with greater clearness and courage than before; and, that +this might be the better and more effectively done, he called a +conference, or quasi-synod, composed of the superiors from all the +religious orders and of the learned men who were in the land, both +theologians and jurists. This conference sat for a long time. In it +there were also six captains who had had experience in that country, +and in the conquests which had been made there. These officers were +added to the conference that they might give information with regard +to many matters of fact upon which the determination of justice and +conscience in the case depended; and that the truth and righteousness +of the proceedings of the conference might be more apparent. It was +hoped that in this way the decisions of the conference would be better +received. In this assembly the holy bishop showed his great capacity, +his great knowledge and the clearness of his mind; and skilfully +directed and disposed of a great variety of matters which were there +very effectively decided. Many questions were there propounded and +settled; and from the decrees of the conference there resulted a +sort of general list or set of rules by which the confessors were +to govern themselves in assigning penance to all sorts of people +in that country. These rules affected the governor, the auditors, +the royal officials, the alcaldes, the corregidors, those who had +taken part in the conquest, the encomenderos, the collectors of +tributes, and people of all ranks--in a word, all the inhabitants +of the country. It had validity for what had been done as well as +for what was to come. This was a very helpful matter, because it +dealt with affairs which offered no precedents, did not regularly +happen, and could not be understood by everyone because of their great +difficulty. On this account those who understood them best, and desired +to deal with them as truth and reason required, were not respected by +those who were most concerned. The latter, in order that they might +avoid their obligations, ordinarily tried to find confessors who would +show leniency, to their own harm and to that of their penitents. But as +soon as these decrees appeared, having been voted by so many learned +and holy men, they were such that neither confessors nor penitents +dared oppose them. This conference was accordingly a very important +one; and in a few days it was possible to see the new light which had +come to these islands and to perceive how thoughtful and careful, +and how full of knowledge, was the new shepherd and spouse of this +church. The holy bishop afforded much edification with his teaching, +his addresses, and his sermons, for he was a learned theologian and an +excellent preacher; but he did very much more by the example of his +admirable life. The sermons which he preached in this way had great +power over the souls of those who looked upon this noble example, +and even hardened hearts could not resist them. He did not alter his +habit, his bed, or his diet. His habit was of serge, as was customary +in Nueva España. He wore a woolen shirt, and slept upon a bed which +was even poorer than that of the poorest religious. His food was eggs +and fish; his dwelling had no paintings or adornments in it. He rose +at midnight to recite matins, and after this he offered his mental +prayer. That he might not trouble anyone to give him a light, he +always kept a tinder and flint, and struck and kindled his own light +without having any servant to attend upon him when he went to bed or +when he rose. He was especially devoted to our Lady of the Rosary, +whose grace and favor he had many times experienced; and he desired +to see this same devotion well established in all. When he spoke upon +this matter, he seemed to surpass himself; and some believed that our +Lady spoke in him, because of the grandeur of the heavenly ideas which +he uttered on this subject. When our religious reached this country, +he entertained them in his dwelling, as has been said; and he kept +and cherished them there for many days, gave them extraordinary alms, +and bought a site for their convent. He helped very much in the +building of the convent, without ever feeling poor for this or for +similar objects--though he was really in extreme poverty on account +of the smallness of the salary which he received, without having +any other source of income. Although the salary was small, it never +failed him when the poor required it, to whom belonged everything +that he acquired. Thus he was always consuming his income, without +ever lacking something to give. + + + + + +CHAPTER XLII + +A more detailed account of the virtues of the servant of God, Don +Fray Domingo de Salaçar + + +The conformity of the good bishop with the divine will, and his desire +to be approved before the pure eyes of that heavenly Lord with whom he +always desired most intimately to unite himself, and the knowledge that +he could not attain this approval without striving with all his heart +to imitate His virtues, and by means of them to acquire something of +His likeness, made the bishop endeavor constantly with great solicitude +to attain these virtues--although to attain them it was necessary for +him to strive manfully to conquer his own nature; in so far as it was +opposed to them; and to multiply, in order to attain this victory over +himself, penances and austerities, to the end that his nature might +surrender and be subjected. The virtue of patience, which is in all +circumstances very desirable, and no less difficult to acquire and +maintain, was that which the bishop most needed, for at every step +occasions offered themselves for the exercise of this virtue. Since +he was by nature wrathful and hot-tempered, and was always engaged +in defending the right, it cost him much to control himself and to +be patient. However, he had so restrained himself and so become lord +of his nature, that he did not permit it to display itself. This +was not only in cases where he had time for consideration and for +preparation, but in those sudden and unexpected accidents in which +those who are wronged are accustomed to lose control of themselves, +if the virtue of patience is not well rooted within their souls or has +not reached perfection. He was often obliged to hear many insulting +words from soldiers who were angry because he had interfered with their +excesses; but he kept silent, and walked on as if he had not heard +them, attending to his business without taking any account of things +which did not belong to it. Since the Indians suffered from the abuses +which were inflicted upon them, he went in one day to speak on their +behalf to the governor who was then in office. He was not permitted +to proceed with his business without hearing many insulting words +from the governor, who even put his hands upon his breast and gave +him a push. The bishop did not change countenance; and, following the +counsel of St. Paul, who bids us give place to wrath, he left the hall +that he might not more inflame the wrath of this man. After a while, +when he thought it was time, he went in again, and with great serenity +of countenance and with gentleness of heart and words, he said to him: +"Bend your knees, because my heart does not permit me to leave you +under so heavy a condemnation;" and he added: "By virtue of a brief +of the Supreme Pontiff which I have for this purpose, I absolve you +from the most dreadful excommunication which you have incurred." When +he had done this, he went out again; and even commanded the cleric +who accompanied him not to reveal to anyone what had happened, under +penalty of excommunication. On another occasion another ecclesiastic +whom he rebuked said to him, very angrily: "How badly you treat me, +though you know that I am better than you are." The bishop answered, +with great calmness, that he was delighted to have in his bishopric so +honorable a person. With this gentleness he suffered the blows of those +who exercised his patience, leaving his cause to God, as God commands +us. The Lord assumed the care of his cause, and rigorously chastised +those who spoke evil of him. Some people wrote letters against him to +España; and, before the answer came back, they were called upon to give +their answer before the tribunal of God, ending their lives in sudden +and dreadful death. He took great pains to preserve his chastity and +the purity with which he was born, esteeming it highly like a precious +jewel, and performing many penances to defend it from the assaults of +the enemies who hated its beauty and ever strove to destroy it. Two +priests have borne witness that he was a virgin: father Fray Diego +de Soria, late bishop of Nueva Segovia, to whom he made a general +confession in his old age, at the time when he was about to embark +on the last voyage which he made to España. The other priest was a +clergyman to whom he had confessed more than two hundred times, and +who was well acquainted with the state of his conscience. This priest +confirmed his testimony with an oath. In spite of this, the world +is such that the chaste bishop found it necessary to defend himself +against accusations in regard to this matter, and to bear testimony +to the purity of his own conscience. At a public celebration of the +holy sacrifice of the mass, with the divine sacrament in his hands, he +affirmed, because necessity required it, that he hoped this celestial +food might be his eternal damnation if he was conscious of any fault +of such a kind. If those who spoke against him in this matter had +been only laymen, angry because they had been corrected and forcibly +drawn from such vices, and mad with passion--for such persons will +not forgive those who are most holy--if this accusation had proceeded +from such as these, it would have been matter for sorrow, but would +not have been intolerable; but there were even some ecclesiastics +who saw that the bishop took great pains to seclude abandoned women, +and who ventured to make themselves defenders of these persons of +disorderly life. They declared that a man who gathered in so many +of these women of evil life (some of them handsome), shut them up, +and heard them at their trials, would be sure to put out his hand and +select those who pleased him. This reached the ears of the bishop; +and the vengeance which he took was to commend them to the Lord in +prayer with all his heart--pitying them as being persons who were +really worthy of compassion; since, without comparison, the harm that +one who speaks evil does to himself is greater than the harm done to +him who is wronged. The Lord heard these pious prayers, and touched +their hearts. They acknowledged the evil that they had spoken, and +very repentantly came to beg his pardon, at the episcopal residence, +in the presence of those who lived there. The bishop received them +with open arms and with abundance of tears, and had them that day +as companions at his table. The vengeance which the saints desire to +take upon their enemies is, to have them repent for their faults when +they become conscious of their errors. + +He was very compassionate, and felt the utmost pity for the sufferings +of his neighbor. Of this a marked example was given on the voyage from +Nueva España to Manila. There were in the same ship more than twenty +Augustinian religious, and, while they were at sea, their water gave +out. This is one of the greatest hardships which may be suffered on a +voyage. The bishop took pity upon them; and, although he had not enough +to supply the necessity of so many, he preferred suffering with the +others to seeing them suffer while he was comfortable. Accordingly +he offered them the opportunity to drink from what he carried in +his martabana, which is a large jar holding twenty cantaros [7] +of water. Their need would not permit them to refuse what was thus +offered them voluntarily; and, though they all drank of it, the Lord +was pleased that it should last until they landed on the islands, +as the servant of God had prayed. It is no new or rare thing for the +Lord to multiply food and drink, that it may not be lacking to those +who bring themselves to need out of pity. This same virtue caused +the bishop to watch over this municipality of Manila, by taking care +that in the houses of the fathers of the Society [of Jesus] there +should be religious to give instruction in profitable learning to +those who desired to study it. That this might be made permanent, +and that there might not be any failure in it, he brought it about +that his Majesty gave command that the religious should receive an +allowance to be spent upon the teachers. The answer of his Majesty is +contained in the royal decree given at Barcelona the eighth [sic] of +fifteen eighty-three. The document runs as follows: "To the reverend +father in Christ, Fray Domingo de Salacar, bishop of the Philippinas +Islands. Three letters from you have been received from my Council, +etc. Considering the good report which you give of the great results +which have followed and which are likely to follow from the maintenance +of the Order of the Society of Jesus, and considering that to this end +it is necessary that the Society should receive from me what is needed +for the support of the religious who desire to teach and instruct in +Latinity, sciences and good morals, those who come to them, I have, +until some one shall come forward to undertake this business, granted +the decree enclosed. In pursuance of this decree, the president of +the Audiencia and you will together determine how this object may +be carried out," etc. From this same spirit of compassion arose the +benevolence which he displayed toward all the natives by building +a hospital in Manila in which sick Indians might be cared for. He +gave so much energy to this that he not only was the chief person +who concerned himself with it, but he gave the first and the chief +contribution to establish and endow it. At the very beginning of +the hospital he did something worthy of his virtue and prudence. The +sick in this hospital were cared for by religious of the order of the +seraphic father St. Francis, and particularly by a brother named Fray +Juan Clemente. The infirmity for which they were ordinarily treated +was buboes, which are very frequent on these poor Indians because +they ordinarily have to walk in the water in their grain-fields. [8] +The brother had much to suffer with the Indian men, and still more +with the Indian women, the care of whom was in general not very +consonant with decency. On this account, the religious determined +to give up this duty, and actually asked the bishop for permission +to leave the hospital. The bishop, who was well acquainted with the +conscience of Fray Juan, and who saw the reason for his unhappiness, +encouraged and consoled him; and exhorted him not to give up, on +account of these temptations, the good work and the service which he +had begun there. He gave the brother holy and devout reasons for this, +and finally said: "My son Fray Juan, fast for three days in the week; +give yourself a discipline, and keep your hour of prayer. As for the +rest, I will charge myself with it, and will take the responsibility +upon myself." The result was marvelous, for, because of the good +advice which had been given him and the prayer which the bishop made +for him, Fray Juan found himself so much consoled and changed that he +no longer felt the least difficulty or disquiet in the world; and, +as if he had cast all these difficulties upon another person, he no +longer perceived them in himself. Yet before this he had found himself +so much oppressed by them that, in order not to fall, he had desired to +flee. In a case of this kind, to take flight is to conquer--but not so +nobly as when the Lord puts forth His hand that His servants may handle +such serpents as these without being harmed by them, which happened +in this case as the result of the prayer of His servant the bishop. + +The many virtues which this servant of God possessed were higher in +degree as a result of the fire of charity which dwelt in his breast, +which, as a queen of all the rest, held the highest place in his +soul and governed all. He could not eat or drink in comfort without +dividing with the poor; and therefore every day he set aside a part of +his food, and, placing it on the corner of the table, said: "You know +for whom this is"--namely, the poor, as his servants understood. This +was given to them, and not only this, but other alms. That the matter +might be the better attended to, they kept, by order of the bishop, +a memorandum of the poor and needy of the city. He directed his +servants that whenever the poor women who asked alms were Spaniards, +they should indicate the fact by saying, "Here is a lady that asks +alms;" if they were Indians or mestizas, they should say, "Here is a +woman." In this way, without seeing them, he would be able to tell +their station, and to aid them conformably thereto. Still, when he +was told about some such matter, he often went down with the servant; +and, if it was the first time that she came, he used to say to her: +"Come, good friend, what is the matter now? Beware not to offend God, +nor to be tricked by the devil into doing any base act for need or +for selfish interest. Trust in God, who will aid you; and I for my +part will assist with all my heart." In order that she might see that +these were not merely good words, he used to give her some assistance +and to write her name with the rest, so that he might aid her with the +care required by her need, and by that of her children, if she had +any. Every week he visited the prisons and the hospitals, generally +assigning Fridays for that purpose. He encouraged and consoled the +prisoners and the sick with kindly words and with alms, according +to the need of each one. The money which he could get together from +restitutions and confirmations he kept with the greatest care, that +not a real might be lost; and, as if he were the most miserly man in +the world, he took care of it for the poor alone, without permitting +the members of his household or anyone else to take anything from the +confirmations, as is customary. He used to say that this belonged to +the poor, and that it was not proper that one who was not poor should +share with them. From some of these alms, and from what he could add +from his own poor income, he bought some lots near the Franciscan +convent, and some cattle, with which he established a stock-farm, +and gave it for the establishment of a hospital for the care of the +natives. The hospital was built and still exists, having been very +greatly increased by the care of the Franciscan fathers, who attend +to it with the greatest charity. To exalt the hospital still more, the +bishop obtained for it a liberal concession of plenary indulgence for +the Sunday of Lazarus, [9] as he did for the hospital of the Spaniards +on Palm Sunday. So great was his charity and his desire to do good to +the poor that once, when he was without money to give them, he sold +his pectoral cross, which was worth one thousand eight hundred pesos, +and gave it to them in alms. In the same way went his table silver; +and his silver pontifical ornaments were almost always in pawn. His +steward used to try to excuse himself when he was told to give alms, +saying that he had not the means. The bishop, calling him to one side, +would say to him, "Tell me the truth; how much money have you?" He +commonly said that there was not in the house more than eight reals +for the daily expense, and sometimes only four. The bishop then +made him give half of what he had, saying that it was sufficient +good-fortune to have some money in the house all the time, so long as +the Lord would provide more; and the Lord to whom he gave took care +that he should never lack, sending him what he needed for himself +and for his poor from some source from which he had never expected +it. When he got it, he would show it to the steward, or give it to +him, and say: "Trust in God, father, and know that even if you had +given me all that you had, the Lord would have sent us more." It was +a common saying among the people of his household that the Father of +the poor provided money miraculously, in order that the bishop might +give them alms. A person of rank was once obliged by necessity to ask +alms from him. The bishop was much grieved, as this person seemed to +be an honorable one; and he directed the steward to give him all the +money there was in the house. As he found no more than eight reals, +the bishop gave this to him, and asked the man to pardon him, saying +that there was no more at that time, but that, as soon as he had any, +he would be sure to come to his aid. The Lord did not delay assisting +him who had not only given alms from his superfluity, but had given +all that he had for the maintenance of himself and his household. For +on that very night He touched the heart of a man who had laid upon +him for ten years the duty of the restitution of four hundred pesos, +and caused him, without waiting till morning, to embark at night and +to come from Cavite to Manila; and in the morning he gave the money to +the bishop without the bishop's ever having spoken to him. The bishop +had desired that his penniless condition should be cared for wholly by +the Lord, who was called upon to relieve the urgent need of him who +was in such need as a result of aiding the poor. When the bishop saw +himself suddenly enriched with four hundred pesos, he gave thanks to +the Lord, from whose hand he had received them rather than from the +hand of him who had brought them hither. He instantly summoned the +person to whom he had given only one peso the day before, because he +had no more, and said to him: "For the little which I have given you +and the much which you desired, the Lord has sent me some money. Take +these fifty pesos and give me that one which I gave you yesterday; +for it is that which attracted all this. Be sure that you spend well +that which I give you; and, when you shall see yourself in prosperity, +take care to be liberal to the poor." The good man promised this; +and in a short time God, in fulfilment of what the bishop had said +to him, gave him so much money that he brought four hundred pesos, +and gave them to the bishop to be distributed among the poor. The rest +of what the bishop had received he did not spend on his household, +though it was so poor; but published in the church that he had some +money to distribute, and summoned the poor to his residence. Among +them he distributed it (as he wished to) very quickly; and, showing +them the eight-real piece which he had given in the first place, +he said to them with much happiness and joy: "Just this peso is for +me, because it is that which attracted so many." When the bishop +was at his meal, having with him at the table the first founders of +this province, who had recently come to the city, a man came to beg +alms. The bishop gave him a peso; and, as it seemed to the beggar +too little, he showed it to the bishop, and said that he had not +given him as much as he needed. This conduct appeared to those who +were present bold, and even insolent; so they told the bishop that he +ought to send the man away, because he had received sufficient alms, +and that it was impossible at one time to succor every necessity. The +bishop agreed; but before long his heart was moved to compassion +at the thought that the poor man had gone away dissatisfied; and, +with his eyes moist with tears, he said: "Call that poor fellow back +again. His need must be very great, because it has forced him to be +importunate." The beggar came back; and the bishop, augmenting the +alms so that the beggar should be contented, was contented himself, +and sent him away with his blessing. Once it happened that he went +to bed with fifteen pesos, which, though for persons of his dignity +it was a mere nothing, for him who gave everything to the poor it +was great riches; and in the morning before nine o'clock he had not a +penny, because the poor had taken it all. He used to say: "The riches +of bishops are in caring for the poor, who are their proper purses; +and, so long as my money is not in them, they will suppose that I have +appropriated it." This did not appear only in his words, but he was +so certain of the truth of it that he carried it out in practice; and +it often resulted that he did not have money for the ordinary expenses +of his household. He was obliged to set sail from Manila to España on +important business; and one of the chief supplies which he ordered to +be laid in was a provision of chickens and of conserves--things which +he never tasted, and which were so foreign to his way of living that +he ate nothing but fish, as if he had been in the refectory of an +extremely austere convent. They got together three hundred chickens +for him; but before he had left port two hundred of them were gone; +while with the conserves and other things that he took he was all +the time feasting and making presents to the poor and needy, so that +nobody could even induce him to taste a chicken. [On the road from +Mexico to San Juan de Ulua, though very ill, he charitably undertook +the ordination of some candidates for the priesthood, who had been +caught in a flood on their way to be ordained at Jalapa.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII + +The marvels wrought by our Lord for His servants while in this life, +and the happy death of the bishop. + + +[It is not strange that the Lord should have honored the virtues of +the bishop by working many marvels through him. Many of these have +fallen into oblivion because he strove to keep them concealed, and +also because there has been no one to keep a record of them. Several +times his prayers have saved men in imminent danger of death; among +these was father Fray Miguel de Venavides, who fell overboard on the +voyage from Manila to Nueva España.] + +When he reached España it is said that his Majesty at first was vexed +on account of his return, because his bishopric would need him during +his absence. But afterward, when he saw him, his Majesty was greatly +pleased with him, and carried out the wishes of the bishop in regard +to the principal matters which had brought him there. The income of +the church was greatly augmented, his Majesty bestowing upon him a +large gift, and greatly increasing the small income assigned for the +prebendaries. He succeeded in augmenting the number of prebends so that +the church might be better served. A single bishop was not sufficient +to attend to the confirmations and other episcopal acts in all the +islands, still less to watch over the conversion of so many provinces +as are contained in them, practically all of them being at that time +heathen. Hence the bishop succeeded in having his bishopric divided +among four prelates--an archbishop and three suffragan bishops--and +he marked out the limits of each bishopric. He succeeded in gaining +in Roma what he desired, and was himself appointed archbishop. This +promotion did not suffice to alter the ordinary mode of life of this +servant of God, and made no more change in him than if he had never +been promoted. It is even said that he did not care to be informed +or assured with regard to it; that as his soul had other purposes and +more elevated desires, he cared little for these things. He was right +in doing so, since he was soon to see how little substance there is +in them; for he was attacked by a severe infirmity which, before the +bulls for his archbishopric were despatched from Roma, despatched him +to heaven, ending his labors and commencing his eternal rest. He had +no need to make a will, for he distributed all that he could get among +the poor. In the hour of his death, he had no more than six reals; +and though he had a poor sister, he never gave her a real, because of +his helping those who were in greater need. This came to the knowledge +of his Majesty, and it pleased him so much that he displayed his royal +generosity toward her, as indeed our Lord does command, who takes upon +His own shoulders the obligations which His disciples fail to fulfil +because of their love for Him. [These facts attracted great attention +in the court, and the small estate of the bishop of the Indias became +famous. He was buried in his convent of San Thomas at Madrid. The day +before, the archbishop of Toledo had died, Don Gaspar de Quiroga; he +was cardinal, and the richest prelate in Christendom. As he was to be +buried on that same day, the counselors of the king did not know which +funeral to attend; and his Majesty directed that they should go to +that of the poorest. His epitaph states that he died December 4, 1594.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV + +Father Fray Christobal de Salvatierra, associate of the first bishop +of the Philippinas and governor of his bishopric. + + +There was but a short space of time between the death of the first +bishop of this region of which we have just spoken, and that of his +associate and vicar-general, father Fray Christobal de Salvatierra. The +bishop, when he went to España, had selected him as governor of his +bishopric--having by many years' acquaintance come to know that he was +worthy, not only of this charge, but of much greater ones, because of +his great and well-established virtue, his marked ability, singular +prudence, watchful zeal for the honor of God, indomitable spirit, +and the other noble qualities which he had found in father Fray +Christobal. All these were necessary for the duties of vicar-general +and governor of this bishopric at such times as these, which were so +near to the first conquest of these islands. Even though the conquest +had continued for some time, the very great difficulties encountered +in their spiritual government will be evident. It will be even better +understood by any one who has any knowledge of the conquests of the +Indias; for though it did not involve so many cruelties as others, +it was still impossible to avoid many evil deeds which wars always +bring with them, however well justified they may be. This is still +more the case against poor Indians, who cannot defend themselves, +and sometimes who cannot even complain of the wrongs that have been +done to them, since these are committed by those from whom their +redress should proceed. Since there had not been in the islands, +before the coming of the first bishop and his vicar-general, any +bishop to govern them as their own prelate, the two ecclesiastics +found them abounding in vices which by inveterate custom had put +out such roots and obtained such strength that it was not possible +to destroy them without great difficulty and labor, much vigilance, +and a courageous spirit, in order to meet the thousand peril which +these duties brought with them at this time. God, who never fails the +government of His church, provided for these offices persons with such +endowments as were possessed by father Fray Christobal. He was a son +of the distinguished convent of San Esteban at Salamanca; and showed +that he was so, not only by words, which often perish on the wind, but +by works--and by noble works, which he had learned in that so prominent +school of virtue and letters. He left his convent, intending to become +one of the pioneers assembled by the bishop for this province. The +number of these, as has been stated, was thirty. When they reached +Nueva España, many died and others fell sick. The rest of them, +daunted by the voyage which they had already taken, and attracted by +the agreeable climate of Mexico, remained there. The good bishop was +unable to persuade any of them to come to these regions except father +Fray Christobal, who, like an immovable column, was always firm in his +opposition to these temptations, never abandoned the company of the +bishop, and remained constantly at his side--not only in this tempest, +in which all the others fell away, but in all the other and greater +tempests which afterwards fell upon them. He was greatly aided in this +by the conformity that there was in the natures of the two men. They +were both grave and prudent, intrepid of soul in the performance of +the right, and fearful of everything that not only might be evil, but +might even seem so. Above all, they were of one mind in their efforts +to attain virtue--devout, chaste, charitable, religious; zealous for +the honor of God, in themselves and in others; and ready for this +cause to undergo hardships or dangers of any kind. Hence, though the +dangers through which they had gone had conquered all the others and +discouraged them, father Fray Christobal was always firm and faithful +to his promise; and he accomplished it by persevering with constancy +in that which he had begun, even until death. This he did to his own +great good and to that of his neighbors, serving the Lord not only as +one good religious, but as if he had been many. He was like another Aod +[i.e., Ehud], working with both hands, and having spirit, courage, and +industry for every undertaking of importance that offered itself. He +carried on together the offices of vicar-general and of missionary +to Bataan, at a day's journey from Manila, where he was obliged to +reside. Withal, he filled the functions of these two positions, +which seemed incompatible, with such perfection and vigilance, +that he has left for each one of them eternal fame behind him. As if +this was but little in itself, whenever any military expedition was +undertaken he accompanied the soldiers, in the capacity of chaplain, +as if he had been the most unoccupied person in the province. He gave +his greatest energies to the office of vicar-general, which he filled +with the greatest justice and watchfulness, and in which he offered +a very edifying example. He was greatly loved by the good and feared +by the bad; for his only purposes were to do good to all, to adjust +their disputes, and to make friendships, or to unmake them when they +were bad. He defended and protected the Indians, as being a race in +the greatest need of defense and protection. When it was necessary, +he chastised them, but like a loving father. Hence he was much loved +by them, and was feared both by them and the Spaniards--even by the +Spaniards in official positions, because, when there was a question as +to making restitution for the honor of God, he pardoned no one. The +zeal which he displayed in rooting out vices and scandalous sins +was extraordinary. He never hesitated at any labor in this cause, +however great it might be; he never feared any danger which appeared in +the prosecution of his holy purpose, not even the danger of death. He +was at one time threatened with death itself; for a desperate man +entered his very room with the purpose of taking his life, at a time +when he was careless and not expecting any such evil intention. But the +Lord, to whom he left his defense, protected him; and the malevolent +man was unable to carry out his purpose and to conquer the constancy +of Fray Christobal. The latter knew that whatsoever hardship or +death befell him in this way would surely be for his own greater +glory; and hence, certain that no evil could happen to him that was +really an evil, he did his duty with courage in opposing all the +wicked, fearing no one, but feared by all. This was the case not +only when he was present in the city or village where people were +living scandalously, but even when he was at a distance from them; +because without any warning he would appear, like a ray of light, +in any place where he was needed. He would be at night in the city, +and in the morning ten or twelve leguas away, following the track of +those who were living in concubinage. When they seemed to themselves +to be most safe, he caught them in flagranti delicto. He used to take +out wicked women from any house, no matter how prominent it was, +and no matter to what insults he might be exposed. Nothing of this +kind daunted him, or held him back, or harmed him; nay, it did him +much good, for, armed with patience for any wrong to himself, he was +able to overcome any opposition to his holy zeal, and came out always +victorious and with the upper hand. He knew the women of evil life so +well that they were not able to escape him, or to conceal themselves +from him. The punishment which he gave them was very appropriate, +because he shut them up in a secure place and forced them to work +to earn their living; and this, on account of their licentiousness +and idleness, was the worst punishment that could be inflicted upon +them, while for the holy purposes of Fray Christoval, it was the most +efficacious remedy which could be applied. By being shut up they were +kept from the sins which were caused by their being at large; while +by their bodily labor they paid for something of what they wasted +in their idleness. Hence in the time of this father this wretched +class of people fled to the mountains, without daring to appear +in the city. The Spaniards feared and hesitated to do many things +which after his days began to be very common. All of these actions +of the father were accompanied by such prudence, purity of life +and manners, and by such love and such good works for the people, +that although at the time those who were blinded and carried away +by their passions suffered greatly, and were very angry with the +man who interfered with their vices, still afterwards, when their +minds became calmed, they could not fail to recognize the goodness +of father Fray Christobal. He even gained the hearts of these people, +and forced them to love and esteem them. Wherever he went, he received +information from the most honorable people of what needed a remedy; +and being sure that they were persons who would not deceive him, +he immediately applied the remedy, with the least possible cost to +the delinquents. He knew them all very well, and knew how to treat +them. Hence with some he used no more rigorous means than looking at +them, and letting them know that he was acquainted with their faults; +and this was enough to bring about their improvement, which was what +he purposed and desired. But when more severe measures were requisite, +he was not slow or hesitating in employing them. Accordingly he was +very useful to God in his office by attacking many sins and scandals, +and by preventing others (which is an act of higher prudence). For +the juridical acts which he performed as an ecclesiastical judge he +accepted no fees, and he moderated as much as possible the fees of +the officials of his jurisdiction. Since he understood the language +of the Indians, he had no need of an interpreter, a matter of great +importance and the means of avoiding much injury, deceit, and expense +in the suits of the Indians. Since their means are very small, it is +very easy to distort justice by bribing them, unless the activity +of the judges prevents this evil. Even when this does not happen, +the expenses of suitors are always very large. The vicar-general +was desirous of avoiding these expenses, and therefore employed no +interpreter, as in everything he took care that all might plead and +gain their rights at small expense. This is an evidence that the great +fear which he caused was not due to the fact that he was quarrelsome +or litigious, but because he was zealous for the honor of God and the +good of the souls that were in his care. So long as the bishop was +in the islands, he had some comfort and defense; but as soon as the +bishop had gone to España the father, being the sole governor of the +bishopric (which at that time included all the islands), could not fail +to suffer from the great increase of his labors, and greatly feel the +want of the bishop's support. The thing to which he gave the greatest +amount of attention and in which he found the greatest difficulty, +was the prohibition to the Chinese heathen of the comedies that they +performed, and to Spanish men and women attendance on those comedies, +on account of the manner in which they were performed, which was full +of superstition and idolatry. Up to the time when our religious had +come, there was no one who understood their language and customs, so +no one paid any attention to this point. The Chinese felt sure that +no one but themselves could understand their comedies, and performed +them as in China, full of superstitions and idolatries. This was found +out by Father Juan Cobo when he had learned their language, letters, +and customs. He gave notice thereof to the vicar-general, who ordered +the comedies to cease, as being superstitious. The Chinese were greatly +grieved, and so were the Spaniards--the latter because, although they +did not understand the comedies, they enjoyed seeing them for the sake +of the actions and representations which the Chinese make in a very +realistic way; and the Chinese, because they are devoted to this kind +of entertainment. So every one, including the governor, was opposed +to the vicar-general. He, because he did not understand the evil in +the thing, took the side of the Chinese; but the vicar-general was +certain that these comedies were an offense to the Lord, as well for +the reason stated as because they were performed by night, and many +other evil results used to follow. They were attended at night by +Spanish men and Spanish women and their female servants, and by other +Indian women--who, covered by the dark cloak of night, did many things +which ought not to be done in Christian lands. But the vicar-general +put his shoulder to the difficulty, and commanded that no one, on +pain of excommunication, should go to see the comedies. Since the +governor was of the opposite opinion, there was no one who dared to +publish the excommunications; so the vicar-general himself went and +fastened them on the church-doors, accompanied only by his friars, +since there was no one else who ventured to accompany him. At last, +although it cost him much and much evil was said against him, he +brought this evil practice to an end. Since that time Spanish men, +and many more Spanish women, do not go to see these comedies; and no +permission is given for their performance until they are first looked +over and approved by a religious who understands the language, and +who sees that they are not superstitious but are historical, or have +plots which are not idolatrous. This is what ought to be done in the +realms of a Catholic prince, although the comedies are performed by +heathens and idolaters; for as the latter are not permitted to perform +their idolatries, they ought not to be permitted to play superstitious +comedies made in honor of false gods, for such comedies are part of the +idolatry, which is forbidden to them. It would be supposed that father +Fray Christobal, being so busy and so usefully occupied, would have no +time to attend to anything else except to his position as governor and +vicar-general of this diocese. Yet this was not the case, but whenever +the opportunity was offered--as was not often, there being then so few +whom he could employ--he took advantage of it to leave his duties for +the time. Hence when the first Spaniards went to the pacification or +conquest of Nueva Segovia, he went as chaplain of the soldiers, and +was with them in all the conflicts which they had with the Japanese, +which conflicts have already been described. He was the first priest +that entered that country--as it were, to take possession of it for the +friars of his order, who afterward converted it to the law of God and +to His gospel. In the same way, when another expedition was made to +Maluco, he embarked as chaplain, purposing in both expeditions to do +the greater service to his king and lord by restraining the soldiers, +by his authority and by the respect which they had for him, from the +disorders which the inconsiderate are likely to be guilty of under +such circumstances as these. This same desire of being useful in all +things caused him to take charge of the district of Bataan, which, +although it contained many Christians, had no minister and no one to +take pity upon them or to assume the charge of them. This aroused great +compassion in him; and though these Indians were a day's journey by sea +from Manila, where he was obliged to reside, he assumed the ministry +to them and cared for them with great solicitude and love and with +no less labor. [The situation of that district made the labor of the +ministry very great. Father Fray Christobal went on foot through all +the lakes and swamps, attending to the needs of all the Indians, for +whom the four religious who succeeded him were scarcely able to do the +work. He did all this labor in spite of a painful ailment from which +he suffered. Among the things which afflicted him was the necessity of +sleeping in his clothes for the little time when he could repose. This +is no small discomfort in so hot a country. His love for the Indians +was such that, although his labors caused him this painful infirmity, +he devoted himself to them up to the time of the coming of the other +missionaries; and even after they came he used to take his holidays +by visiting these Indians as his beloved sons. He greatly assisted the +first religious to learn who were and who were not Christians, for the +absence or loss of records had brought everything into confusion. He +was very charitable, especially to the Indians. To the Spaniards he +was a father and a master, assisting them in all their necessities +in peace and in war. He showed his zeal for the honor of God and +for the rooting out of vice in the very last hours of his life, +by writing to the governor, Don Luis Perez das Mariñas, the request +that he would have a bad woman taken from a captain's house which he +indicated; and that he would send three soldiers to arrest a cleric +of whom the report was spread that he was leading an evil life. The +asthma from which he had so long suffered finally brought his life +to an end. He died in the hospital of the Sangleys, in the midst +of the brethren of his order.] He was mourned by the whole country, +and especially by the religious of all the orders who were in it. All +declared that there would never again come to this region such a friar, +such a governor of the diocese, such a father of the poor, such a +zealot for the honor of God, a man of such gifts for everything. When +he died, the need of him was exhibited by the public way in which +those vices which, so long as he lived, dared not appear or lift up +their heads, began to prevail in the country. He received a solemn +interment, attended by the ecclesiastical chapter and by all the +religious orders, to all of whom he had done many friendly acts, +and by all of whom he was therefore heartily beloved. At this very +day his fame is as much alive as if he had died but yesterday. He +appointed to be governors of the diocese, by the authority which he +had received therefor from the bishop (whose death was not yet known), +father Fray Alonso Ximenez, provincial of this province, and father +Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr, or Maldonado. The ecclesiastical chapter +resisted; and although the nominees plainly had right on their side, +and the governor, Don Luis Perez das Mariñas, offered to put them in +possession, they were unwilling to obtain the control of the bishopric +by lawsuits. They renounced or did not accept the appointment, and left +the government to the chapter, as something which should not be sought +or even received except as the result of compulsion or sheer necessity, +not for one's own advantage, but for the common weal--which very seldom +is attained when the entry upon such offices is obtained by lawsuits. + + + + + +CHAPTER XLV + +Father Fray Juan de Castro, one of the first founders of this province + + +[When father Fray Juan de Chrisostomo went to Rome to get the documents +necessary for founding the new province, he carefully looked in every +one of the convents that he visited for men of the devotion, prudence, +and holiness which he regarded as necessary for a firm establishment +of the new province. In it the rule and the constitutions were to +be punctually observed, and the religious were not to be contented +with observing them as others do, for we all profess to observe them +as they were written. He purposed to make this province one of such +virtue that it should be not only holy in itself, but should have +power by the aid of the Lord to fix holiness and virtue in the souls of +persons so alienated from them as were these Indians, who had always +been in the service of the devil. Among those upon whom father Fray +Juan Chrisostomo turned his eyes was father Juan de Castro, of the +convent of Sancta Cathalina in Barcelona. He was from the city of +Burgos, and was the nephew of the other father, Fray Juan de Castro, +the provincial of this province. God always shows His power in His +saints; but to be superior among many saints, to shine with special +glory among shining stars, is a much more marvelous effect of the +divine grace. Such was father Fray Juan de Castro in this convent, +which of itself has the name of being a very religious one; and +father Fray Juan Chrisostomo selected him for the high end which +he designed. Christ our Lord did not need to seek for holy men. His +divine power was such that He could make apostles of great sinners, +like St. Matthew or St. Paul; but Father Juan Chrisostomo, being a +man, was obliged to choose, for the foundation of the province upon +which he had begun, persons whose holiness was already formed. In +order to obtain father Fray Juan de Castro, he caused the general +of the order to assign him by name to the new enterprise. In this +way the convent of Barcelona, much as they regretted losing Father +Juan de Castro, were obliged to let him go to the Philippinas. His +uncle, having been appointed to the leadership of this company, sent +his nephew to the most laborious, but most meritorious part of the +work--namely, to the province of Pangasinan. Father Fray Juan, to +save the other fathers from hardship, carried water from the river, +brought and split the wood, kindled and stirred the fire, and was, +in a word, the servant of the rest; he anticipated all the others +in these works and labors, so that the rest of the religious might +not be wearied out, and that the Indians might not be annoyed, or +feel ill-will toward the preachers of the gospel, by being forced, +against their declared intention, to bring what was necessary for +the services of the church and of the poor convent. He suffered the +lack of food with special content and joy. He took great care of the +neatness and cleanliness of the church and the altar. In spiritual +things he distinguished himself as he did in these material labors; +yet his uncle did not appoint him to any place as superior, but gave +him that which he most delighted in, the position of the greatest +labor and the lowest honor. When the heaviest part of the duty in +Pangasinan was over, the Lord ordained that he should seek labor +somewhere else. It was decided to send an embassy to China after the +death of the governor, Gomez Perez das Mariñas. He had been killed +by some Chinese traitors, who had afterwards made their escape with +the galley, in which was the royal standard, much good artillery, +and other things of value. The purpose of the embassy was to demand +justice upon these traitors. On account of father Fray Juan Cobo's +success in the embassy to Japan, it was decided to select religious +of the same order for the present embassy. Father Fray Luis Gandullo +was accordingly chosen, and named as his associate father Fray Juan de +Castro. As secular ambassador went Don Fernando de Castro, cousin of +the governor who sent the embassy, and nephew of the dead governor. A +storm blew them out of their course toward the province of Chincheo, +to which they had intended to go, and drove them to the province of +Canton, one of the thirteen into which the Chinese realm is divided. As +the Chinese there had had no dealings with the people of Manila, they +did not receive the ambassadors with the respect due their office, +or with the kindness which ought to be shown to men who had suffered +so from the storms of the sea. They were arrested on the charge of +piracy, but, by giving two hostages, they obtained somewhat better +treatment. They were finally permitted to go to Macan, and afterward +proceeded to Chincheo, but could not find a trace of the galley which +they were looking for. The traitors had not gone back to their own +country, but to a neighboring kingdom which was less civilized and had +less justice. Some of them, not expecting to be recognized, afterward +ventured to go to Malaca, and paid for their crime with death. At +last the ambassadors returned, without having obtained any of the +results which were desired from the embassy. The fathers, however, +had at least carried the sweet savor of the Christian religion to +those regions. On the return journey, they met with such a storm that +the vessel was lost, and the people aboard her had to save themselves +by swimming. Father Fray Juan de Castro was carried by a plank to the +coast of Pangasinan, a day's journey from the coast of Bolinao, where +the wreck occurred. The exposure brought on a severe illness. Father +Fray Juan was taken to Manila and died in the hospital of the Chinese, +passing away serenely and devoutly.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLVI + +The journey made by the father provincial Fray Alonso Ximenez to +Camboxa + + +[After father Fray Alonso Ximenez had completed his provincialate, +he went to Camboxa to preach the gospel there. Circumstances seemed +to make this absolutely necessary. In 1595 there came to the city +of Manila as ambassadors from the king of Camboxa two soldiers--a +Portuguese, named Diego Velloso; and a Castilian, a native of La +Mancha, named Blas Ruiz de Fernan Goncales. The kingdom of Camboxa +is on the mainland, like China and like Spain. The king asked the +governor of Manila for soldiers to assist in the defense of his kingdom +against the king of Siam, his neighbor; and also for Dominican friars, +to preach the law of God in his kingdom. The people of Camboja have +special knowledge of our order because of some religious, from the +India of Portugal, who lived there a long time. [10] One of them, named +Fray Silvestre, was so highly esteemed by the king that he had him +about his person continually. The Portuguese, however, were unwilling +to attempt the conversion of this region, because they thought, +and quite properly, that they could not carry it on to advantage +from India. The governor, in spite of the small force of soldiers +which he had, and the religious order, although likewise they had +but few laborers, decided to do what they could to fulfil the wishes +of the king. The order accordingly appointed the father provincial, +who was within a few months of the end of his term. The governor gave +him the title of ambassador, associating with him in the embassy +the commander of the forces, Captain Juan Xuarez Gallinato. Great +difficulty was found in providing an ecclesiastical companion for the +father provincial, as those who were at first suggested could not be +spared from their duties. Finally I was appointed, accepting this duty +in accordance with my vow of obedience. Three vessels were prepared +for the expedition, one of them of Spanish build, the other two of +the sort used in this country which are known as juncos. These are +large boats, and carry a great deal of freight; but they are weakly +built to meet the storms, and have very little rigging on their +masts, and accordingly are easily lost in bad weather. A hundred and +thirty soldiers were collected, most of them without permission of +the governor, who had given his license for only forty. There were +also some Japanese, who are too much given to rashness in war; and +some Indians of this country, who on occasions of honor are very +good auxiliaries. The leader of the expedition [i.e., Gallinato] +commanded the frigate; Diego Velloso, the smaller junk, in which we +religious went; and Blas Ruiz de Fernan Gonçalez, the larger, which +contained most of the forces. [11] January 18, 1596, we set sail +from the harbor of Manila, badly equipped and worse accommodated, +as usually happens on such occasions. We went to the island of Luban, +[12] fourteen leguas from the fort, to finish our preparations for the +voyage, which, though it is but a short one (only two hundred leguas in +length), is across a treacherous sea; for the best-fitted vessels often +suffer severely upon it, much more so those which are poorly equipped, +as were ours. The frigate and the smaller junk made port that night; +but the larger junk was unable to enter, and was not to be seen in +the morning. We assumed, as was true, that it had taken advantage of +the favorable wind and proceeded with its journey. We were, however, +anxious; because it was not well supplied with food or water, though +it was better supplied than the other vessels. Two days afterward, +we set sail; but on a calm sea, and with the wind fair, our mainmast +snapped as if it had been made of candy. It was all rotten; and we +were left like a cart on the water, with nothing but our foresail, +and that very small. The flagship took us in tow and we towed a +small boat with four Chinese sailors, which was the cause of no +little trouble. We sailed in this way for eight days, the sea being +calm. One night at the end of this time, the boat cable broke. The +sailors that were in the boat called out for us to wait for them; +and the flagship hove to, and began to sound while we were waiting +for the boat. Finding bottom in forty brazas, they perceived that we +were near the country of Camboja. In order to reach port early on the +following day, they left us, thinking that in spite of the smallness +of our sail we could reach there on the same day. The result, however, +was not as was expected; for by bad navigation we had gone many leguas +to leeward of the port. To make our way back there we had to sail +against the wind. A storm arose soon after, and the flagship was +obliged to run before the wind; it made port in Malaca, more than +two hundred leguas to leeward of its destination, and was unable to +return for three months. Our vessel could not make sail against the +sea, being entirely unequipped, and good for nothing but to ask for +the mercy of God. Under these circumstances fell the night between +the eighth and ninth of February. We all supposed that this was the +last of our days, and no man expected to see the next morning. The +force of the wind drove us aground more than two leguas from shore; we +had to cut away the stump of the mainmast, which was still standing, +and to throw into the sea the rudder and everything there was in +the ship. The boat, which might have saved us, was swamped; and the +sailors who were in it got aboard the ship. The waves broke over the +vessel, but could not sink it because it was already fast aground.] I +sat all that night in the waist (for it was impossible to stand), +confessing the Christians and catechizing the heathen. I baptized +twenty-two of them, feeling that the great danger in which we were, +authorized the act. When they had all received the sacraments, +I encouraged them to the work which was necessary to keep us from +perishing. Several times I went into the poop to confess myself, +and to receive the confession of the holy old man, my provincial, +who was there waiting for death--at the point of which we now were, +with the rope, as they say, about our necks. We could do nothing but +put up supplications and appeal from the justice to the mercy of God, +by whom sentence of death seemed to have been issued upon us. It was, +however, only a sentence of warning; and He accepted our prayer for +the time, giving us hope that with His aid we might atone for our +transgressions. The efficacy of God's mercy we almost felt with our +hands on this occasion; for death appeared to be actually upon us, +making execution upon the lives of those who were there. We were +somewhat encouraged by the hope of reaching the land which was so +near to us; but we did not know what it was, and what we were to +expect from it. If we had known, we would have preferred to die in +the sea; for our sufferings in this way would have been less than +those which we underwent by reaching the land. We were like those +of whom Jeremiah speaks in his Lamentations, for whom it would have +been better to have the lot of those who died with the sword at one +stroke than of those whose lives were brought to an end by hunger; +for the latter died a prolonged and painful death, being destroyed +by the barrenness of the land. The barrenness of this coast was such +that it greatly exceeded that of which Jeremiah speaks. It was such +that no one would go to it, even to escape death, unless, like us, +he was not acquainted with it. Finally those waves which were on their +way to burst upon the shore pushed on the ship, which was practically +empty, and went along as if it had been a dry stick. This was a result +of the coming in of the tide, and when the tide ebbed afterwards, +we were left aground, a cannon-shot from the sea; and we saw in the +mud (of which all this coast is composed) the track of the ship like +a trench, for the force of the sea as it rose had pushed it along, +breaking a road in the very ground. On this same day the tide came in +again with such fury, because it was a spring-tide, that it carried +the ship up to the trees and even buffeted it about there with such +violence that we were obliged to disembark for fear of perishing +in it. When we were on shore, exploring parties went off in various +directions. After they had made an arduous march, they brought back +the news that it was a wilderness inhabited only by wild beasts, +without any trace of a river or a spring, at least near the coast; +and that the country within proved to be inaccessible because it was +overflowed and very thickly overgrown. This news made us feel that +the sea was less evil for us than such a land, and that the tortures +which we had endured were slight compared with those to which we were +exposed by this desired but unhappy landing. Since eating and drinking +are a necessary and a daily obligation, and as our supply of food +and drink was very small, while we were more than a hundred persons, +we put forth all our energies to search for some remedy. As thirst +was that from which we suffered most, we dug wells in the dryest +parts we found, and when we met water, it was more salty than that +of the sea. I declare, as one who has found out by experience, that +the very dew which appeared in the morning on the leaves of the wild +trees there, was salt. Hence since the land denied us the sustenance +which we required, we determined to return to the sea, which had at +least granted us our lives, and which now gave us greater hopes than +the land of being able to preserve them. For this it was necessary to +help ourselves by means of the unlucky ship which was stranded on the +shore, for it had remained there after the spring tide was over. It +had no masts, or sails, or rudder, or anything that could be used, +because between losing them and perishing there had been no choice. To +supply these, it was necessary to put our hands to the work, until +it was finished. The most necessary thing to be done to the ship was +to cut it down and fit it so that it would draw but little water, and +might be rowed along the coast. Our relief was to be sought on land, +but he who should find it had to seek for it by sea. We were not now +planning for conquests or embassies, but for getting water--for which +we would have given all that has been yielded by the hill of Potosi, +if it had been ours. We spent ten days in getting the ship ready. We +cast overboard all the upper works and a good part of the under +works. We fitted to it twelve oars. In this way it was like a badly +made galliot; rudder, masts, and sails we replaced by rowing. While +some of us were at this work, others went to explore the country, +doing their utmost in the search for water. Some of these came back +very joyful, with good news, saying that about four leguas up the +coast from there a great river ran up into the land; that where it +flowed into the sea the water was salt, but that it must be fresh +above. They also said that they had seen the footprints of men on the +shore. The work was hurried on in the hope of satisfying our thirst, +which was increased by it, and still more by the heat of that region; +for we were in the most torrid part of the torrid zone, and had +practically no defense or covering against the heat. The vessel, +being of so light a draught, was easily launched; and embarking in +it all that we had left of provisions and clothes, which was very +little, we put forth one evening and entered the bight of the river +of which we have spoken, reaching its mouth in the morning by hard +rowing. We entered it with great delight, which was increased by the +sight of a hut on the bank not far from the ocean. Though there was +no one in it, we promised ourselves large towns when we saw it, and +even assured ourselves of certain news of our companions, of whom as +yet we knew nothing, nor they of us. But within a few days we found +out the deceit and lost our joy in it. After going for three days up +the river, we constantly found the water salt like that of the sea, +whose arm it was, and not a river. Upon its banks on either side +there was nothing but impassable undergrowth. At last we reached a +point from which we could not go further up, because the seeming river +divided into so many little creeks that the ship had not room in any +of them. The change from the false hope of water and of towns, which +had possessed our minds, served to redouble our misery; since now, as +it seemed to us, we had lost the hope of relief by land or by sea. Our +necessity had now reached such an extreme that the food was distributed +by ounces, and the drink almost by drops--though the labor of rowing, +each man in his turn (from which no one was excused), was such as to +require much food; and the heat was so excessive that even if we had +been in idleness we should have needed much to drink. But at last, +having confidence in the Father of mercies--who, though He distresses, +does not overwhelm; and, though He chastises, does not slay--we +returned to the sea by which we had come. At sight of it we left the +vessel, in order to rest a little from the labor which we had endured +to attain that for which we were hoping; and I went on land with my +four Chinese (with whom I was very intimate), and had them build a +little boat of four planks--fastened together by some twigs, so to +speak, for we had no nails; and calked with clay, for we had no tow, +or any other thing better than the clay. This made a sort of canoe. If +awkwardly handled, it filled with water. But, such as it was, I had +two of the soldiers get into it--for if they kept close to shore they +would run no risk--and told them to go up to the hut that we had seen +to discover whether there were any people there; because perhaps they +had hidden themselves, from fear of our vessel, when they saw it on +the way up the river. They did so, and at nightfall they discovered +two grown Indians and a boy. They made their way up to them, little by +little; and when they got near them they found that they were asleep +on the shore, not expecting anything to happen to them. They caught +the Indians, and bound them. When the rest of us came by soon after +in our ship, they called out from the land, telling us what they had +done. Our joy was so great that to render thanks the holy old man +and I sang a Te Deum laudamus; and at this hour, which was midnight, +half a cuartillo [i.e., pint] of water was served out to the troops +in token of joy. The soldiers came on board with their captives, +treating them gently and showing them all sorts of kindness. It +seemed to us that God had sent them to us as angels to guide us, +as He sent St. Raphael to Tobias. We began to put questions to them +by an interpreter, asking what country this was, what population it +had; and where they had come from, and where they ate and drank. They +answered that they were from Camboxa, and that the country along this +coast, and inland for many leguas, was uninhabited; and that to go +to the towns we should have to enter a large river and to sail up +for eighty leguas. They said that large vessels went up the river, +and that it was many leguas to windward of this place. They declared +that they were natives of that country, slaves of one of its chief +lords; and that, because of the ill treatment which they had received, +they had fled from him, and had come hither where no man had ever +landed. They said that they ate nothing except shell-fish, which +they caught with their hands, and wild cocoanuts, that grew there; +and that they had no other water except what fell from heaven. When +it rained they caught what they could and kept it in some large reeds +to drink afterward. They said that two years had passed since they +had come there. The effect of such sad news upon the hearts of men +who had suffered as we had may easily be imagined. They also told +us that some days' journey further there was a port; but that, if +we meant to go inland, where the king was, it would be necessary to +leave the vessel at the port, because there was no river that entered +inland. Since our desire was only not to die of thirst, any means by +which we could get water seemed easy and light to us. We accordingly +set out by sea in search of this port, taking these Indians with us, +not with the purpose of increasing consumers when we had so little +to consume, but to have guides. We went along the coast, running +up to it very often wherever we thought we saw any signs of water, +and sometimes digging wells, but always in vain, for the land could +not give what it did not have. On the day of St. Matthew the Apostle, +we discovered a high island in the sea, named Pulonubi. [13] It was +about six leguas from land. We laid our course toward it in search +of water, thinking that doubtless it would have some, being high and +mountainous, and having a sandy shore; but as the equipment of the +ship was fastened on with pins, as the saying is, our rudder broke, +when we had gone out a legua to sea. Being buffeted by the slight sea +which was running, we had to return to land, and even to run aground, +in order to mend the rudder. The Lord seemed to have declared that He +intended to bring death upon us, because the sustenance necessary for +our life was entirely consumed; for since we had no water, we were +not only without drink, but also without food, our provision being +rice, which cannot be eaten unless it is boiled in water. For lack +of water, some ate it parched, which dried their entrails. Others +ate it imperfectly boiled in the steam of salt water, putting it +in a little basket over a pot of this water on the fire, so that by +the steam thus sent out it might be softened. The water was so salt +that it made the rice like itself, and left it uneatable. There were +some who, even after this fine example of cookery, drank sea-water, +which increased the thirst they were so impatiently desiring to +remedy. Others distilled it over the fire and got some fresh water, +but very little, at the expense of much wood and with the necessity +of keeping up fire day and night, which dried them more than the +water that they got moistened them. All this taught us the great need +in which we live, with our life on a thread, and the Lord many times +threatening to cut it short. When we had mended the rudder as well as +we could at the time, we went on up the coast, being disillusioned, +so that we would not have thought of going out to sea even if the +ocean had been as smooth as milk. Three days later, the twenty-seventh +of February, which was Shrove Tuesday, we took our hands from the +oars and placed ourselves in those of God, despairing of life. The +remedy came to us as from God's own hand without our expecting it, +when we were overcome by labor, and dying of hunger and thirst, and +had given up ourselves to death. Thus it is most certain that the Lord +comes to the aid of him who calls upon Him when all things created +fail him--blessed be God's holy name. We had reached such an extremity +that of that sorry ration of water which we had now had about a month, +and which was less than half a cuartillo daily for each person, there +was only enough for two days. We were not now thinking of making +any effort to find any, but had our minds wholly turned to preparing +ourselves for death, when the Lord of life ordained that the waves +of the sea should drive us into a little inlet which the land formed +there, where we went on shore with the intention of never leaving the +place, but of ending in it our voyage and our lives. It happened that +one of the Indians in the ship went to bathe in the water, to relieve +the great heat from which he suffered, and somewhat to moderate the +thirst which was destroying us. He swam to land, and there right on the +shore (which was muddy, like all of that along which we had coasted), +his feet sank in at the foot of a wild palm-tree. Feeling that they +had gone into water, he drew them out, applied his lips to the hole +which he had made, and found that the water was fresh. The thirst +from which he suffered not permitting him to wait until it settled, +he drank mud and water until he was satisfied. He shouted to us to +tell us what he had discovered, but no one believed him. At last, +the Indian persisting in his affirmation, all hurried to the water +to look upon this marvel, which might be compared to that which God +performed in drawing water from a rock that His people might drink in +the desert; for no less miraculous appeared to us this fresh water +in a marsh so near the ocean. We gave God a thousand thanks, and +rejoicing in the feast, we forgot the labor and the fasting which +we had undergone in the long vigil. We easily dug a well, for the +whole soil was muddy, and on the next morning we filled all our casks +with the water, which had now settled. We set sail to look for food, +and even aspired to greater things. [In a few days we reached the +port, where there was a garrison of Indians against their neighbors, +the Siamese. All the news which we obtained about our comrades, and +about the country to which we had come, was bad. The flagship had +not been heard of, and the other ship was at Churdumuco, which is a +large town eight leguas from the port and eighty from the sea. [14] +We were told that the king who had sent for us from Manila, and +whose name was Langara, was not in the country; but that his place +in the kingdom had been taken by his chief vassal, because of the +following circumstances. The king of Sian had made war against the +king of Camboja, with eight hundred thousand men. This number should +not astonish anyone, because the kings could make war almost at no +expense, their vassals providing their own arms and food. The king +of Camboja did not dare to wait for so great a multitude of enemies, +and retreated up the river to another kingdom known as that of the +Laos. The king of Siam made himself master of the country, and after +burning it all returned to his own country, being harassed by hunger, +which made more war upon him than did the king his enemy. The army +being in disorder, one of the chiefs of Camboja, with those who had +retreated to the mountains (about thirty thousand men), attacked +his rearguard, thus obliging him to hasten his retreat. This chief, +having conquered him who had conquered his king, took possession of +the kingdom. The new king regarded those who had come at the request +of the previous king as allies of his enemy, and therefore as his own +enemies. This news alarmed us greatly, as we were without our comrades, +our commander-in-chief, and our ships. However, being obliged to +disembark, and to put ourselves into the hands of the rulers of the +country, we made an honest man of the thief, as the proverb goes, +and decided to send a soldier to him as an ambassador--offering to +him our aid and service, on the ground that we had come to help the +king of this country, and found no other king in it but him. The king +received him kindly, saying that he only held the kingdom as a regent, +and that he was ready to restore it to the lawful king when he should +return. He sent an order to the mandarin of the coast where we were, +to provide us with boats and carts. The soldier on his return met the +Spaniards of the other ship, and learned from them that all that the +king had said was false and that his purpose was to kill us at his +ease. They advised us to join them in their ship, dissimulating in +regard to our affairs, and keeping on our guard. The father provincial +sent me ahead to confess those in the ship, because it was Lent, +and they had sent to him to ask for a confessor. I was on foot and +suffered much, although some things that I saw on the journey afforded +me some alleviation of these hardships. I one day reached a village +where there was a monastery of religious of their sort, of whom there +are many in this kingdom. I went to it and talked to a venerable old +man, who was as it were the superior of it. He was seated on a little +platform about a palm's breadth in height, with a small mat on it, +and the others sat on the ground. Without saying anything, I sat down +next to the old man--at which they smiled, thinking that I had done +so because I did not understand the custom of the country, which did +not permit that. We both showed each other much courtesy by signs, +and I by using some words of their language which I knew, although, +because I did not put them together properly, they laughed much. They +gave me a collation of some fruits; and the sacristan immediately took +me to his temple, which was at some distance from the house. It had a +sort of cemetery about it, surrounded by some slightly raised stones +which divided it from the rest. The door to the temple was small, and +the temple itself was arched, round, and small. (Here follows a full +account of the appearance of the temple. Some description of their +prayers and of their religious customs is also given. Aduarte states, +upon the authority of the Portuguese religious, that these native monks +are vicious and licentious in the extreme.) I finally reached the ship +of our people, and on both sides we told each other what had happened.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII + +The wars which followed in the prosecution of this embassy + + +[By the sufferings and danger which we had passed through, the Lord +had prepared us to endure those which were to follow. To protect the +ship, some of the men had encamped on a little sand island in the +middle of the river. On one bank was the town (i.e., Chordamuco) +of the natives, near which there were about two thousand Chinese, +some settled here, others who had recently come from China as traders, +with their merchandise, in five large vessels, which they kept in the +river near the town. They had controlled the natives, and resented +the coming of the Spaniards, thinking that the latter had come to +disturb or take away the superiority which they had. So they sought +for an opportunity to quarrel with them, seeing that the Spaniards +were few and that they were many. Whenever the men on the ship went to +buy food on land, the Chinese tried their patience by annoying them +without any reason. By orders of the captain, Blas Ruyz de Fernan +Goncalez, they endured this annoyance, though sorely against their +will. The captain sent a message to the king asking him to bring the +Chinese to order. The king spoke fair words, but did nothing. Finally, +the anger of our men got beyond their control. On the Sunday after +Easter, when all had received communion, three or four were in the +town with the captain's permission. One of them came back with his +sword drawn, saying that the Chinese had chased and abused them, and +that they had not dared to violate the captain's orders. The troops +armed themselves, and, breaking away from all restraints, went to take +vengeance on the Chinese. I went along to calm the Chinese, if I could, +by speaking to them in their language, which I understood. They were +all armed with their catanas (a sort of hanger), and languinatas, or +long knives drawn to a point. I dared not put myself in their hands, +because I was told that they would be better pleased to get me than +anyone else. Soon after, sixty of our men in two companies, with some +of our Japanese and Indians, came ashore and instantly attacked the +Chinese. As our bullets took effect at such a distance that the latter +could not attack our troops hand to hand, the Chinese were routed; +and our men followed, killing them, until they had driven them out of +the town. The natives of the country took no part in the conflict on +either side. I saved as many lives as I could. The soldiers, seeing +themselves masters of the field, pursued the Chinese to their ships, +into which the Spaniards were able to shoot from the high banks. In +this way they soon got control of the ships, which was necessary, +because with these large ships they would easily have overcome our +smaller vessel, and thus all hope to escape from the anger of the +king would have been taken away from us. The king [15] was in great +wrath. To send a message to him, and to carry a statement of the +case, the father provincial, Fray Alonso Ximenez, was chosen. He +went accompanied by half of the forces, the rest of us remaining in +the ships. Several days were passed in sending messages backwards and +forwards, but the king would not receive the ambassadors in person. It +was plain that the king was planning to take all our lives. The demands +which he made would have put us entirely in his power; and, when the +father provincial asked permission to return and discuss them with the +rest of the forces, the king refused permission for anyone to return +except the father provincial alone. The intention of the king was to +wait for a rainy day, so that our powder should be moistened and we +be unable to use our arquebuses. When the father provincial came back, +he asked me if I would venture to go to the camp, confess the soldiers +and encourage them, and carry to the king our response declining to +follow his wishes. When I reached the forces near the palace of the +king, we did not consider the question of taking any answer to him, +but discussed two plans of escape. One was to withdraw in good order, +defending ourselves on the way; the other to attack the palace of +the king by night and strive to capture him, his son, or his wife, +whom we might use as hostages. Captain Diego Velloso declared that +if we should attack these Indians boldly they would retreat to the +mountains, and leave the field to us; but that if we should retreat +they would all attack us. He had had experience in this part of the +world, and what he said was confirmed by others, so that his plan was +accepted. That night I confessed the men and told them what under the +circumstances it was lawful for them to do, enjoining them to commit no +unnecessary violence, and to take no lives except in self-defense. The +attack was planned carefully, the troops being divided into a front +and a rear guard, and some of the soldiers being left with a barge +in the river near where we were encamped, with orders to capture +two Indian boats as soon as they should hear the noise of conflict, +so that we could make use of them in our retreat. I should have been +glad to remain with the barge in order to avoid being present at +the conflict, which promised to be sanguinary.] However, it seemed +necessary for me to accompany the rest, and, armed as they were, +and wearing no part of my habit except my scapular, I accompanied the +troops who advanced against the palace. We were immediately detected, +but succeeded in reaching the royal dwelling--which was built of wood, +like the other houses in the town, but was very large. We broke in +the doors, but the people all escaped through other doors; and thus, +though we gained control of the palace, it was empty and we had failed +in our purpose. I restrained the troops from burning the palace; +but we lighted some bonfires, so that we might see each other. One +of these saved my life, for as an Indian on an elephant was charging +upon me and was already very close to me, so that I looked around +at hearing the noise, the beast fled in alarm, being scared away +by the fire. The Indians were not frightened by our daring, as we +had falsely imagined that they would be, but gathered in a large +square near the palace to face us. Everything, however, was noise +and confusion among them, surprised as they were, and there was no +less among us; for the number of our opponents was so much greater +than theirs that, if darkness had not protected us, they could have +buried us in handfuls of sand. [Like Joshua, I would have held back +the dawn if I could. At daylight we were all in disorder. When the +Indians could distinguish us from themselves and saw how few we were, +they began to rain arrows upon us, several being wounded, Captain +Diego Velloso having one leg pinned to another, so that he could not +walk. Our troops were in entire confusion, some calling out that we +ought to come to an understanding with the Indians, others finding +fault with the plan that we had followed, until God was pleased to +give me courage that I might give courage to the others, and I took +upon myself the office of captain. Our last day, as we expected it +to be, was bright and clear. A body of courageous Indians charged +down the street at us, and their captain almost reached our line. I +confess that I wished to leap out upon him, not that I might kill him, +but that I might be the first to die, and not see the carnage which +I feared--or the worse than carnage, if we were taken alive. But +wisdom ruled me, and I ordered Captain Blas Ruiz to attack him with +his halberd; with one blow he thrust the Indian through, shield and +body. The death of their captain somewhat abated the courage of the +rest. God was pleased that one of our bullets should strike the king, +who was in the rear, unseen by us, animating his troops. We did not +learn of this for some days afterward, but we could see that the +Indians attacked us with less ardor. The Indians cut off our retreat +to the barge, and we were obliged to leave the soldiers who were with +it and to make our way, back by the road. As we marched along, we were +obliged to defend ourselves on all sides, and especially against the +crowd of Indians which followed in our rear. We could go but slowly, +burdened as we were with our arms, and being obliged to carry our +wounded.] Two arrows struck but did not wound me, one being caught by +a coat of mail which I wore, and the other by my shield. We suffered +greatly from hunger and thirst. When we came to some puddles with +rain-water in them (which was more mud than water), all drank of them, +and when I came there, though I was one of the last, I did the same; +and though the best had already been drunk, and the rest was mixed +with mud, it tasted better to me than any water that I ever drank in +my life. Under all these circumstances, we marched on this day, which +was the twelfth of May, four leguas by four o'clock in the afternoon, +[when we were obliged to halt because we had reached the bank of a +river. The Indians and we ourselves supposed that we should never +be able to cross. Here some of our men urged that we ought to give +ourselves up to the Indians as slaves for life; others declared that +we ought to attack them, and force them to kill us. At nightfall, rain +began; and the Indians, supposing that our powder would be moistened, +prepared to attack us. I passed along the line, confessing some and +encouraging all, though I must admit I was in great fear myself lest +before midnight we should be cut into bits, that each one of our +enemy might have his piece, as is the custom of Indians when they +are victorious. The storm ceased before they dared to attack, but +the river was still before us. There were two fords, one narrow and +deep; the other, wide and shallow, and at about ten o'clock at night I +decided that we ought to make the venture, and learn whether we were +to live or die. We chose the longer and shallower ford, marching as +quietly as we could, and leaving behind us a number of burning bits +of the matches that we used for firing our guns, tied on the bushes, +in order to make the Indians suppose that there was a large number +of troops there. Our retreat was covered by six courageous men with +two arquebuses each. When we entered the river, our vanguard, which +was already in the middle, began to retreat upon us, fearing the +people who were on the other bank, and their elephants, which they +said they were driving into the water. I succeeded in reanimating +them, and they fired a volley from the middle of the stream, where +the water reached the beards of many of them. The enemy fled, and +our passage was impeded only by the difficulty of dragging ourselves +through the mud. We marched on for the rest of the night very slowly, +with our clothes sticking to our bodies. On the morrow we found +some fruit-trees and broke our fast of two nights and one day. We +had great difficulty in carrying our wounded. One of the men being +left behind by all, I had to carry him myself with his arms over my +shoulders, for he was taller than I, until, after his wound began to +grow feverish, he was able to walk a little himself. Not long before +sunrise we reached the great river in which the ships were, but at a +distance of two leguas from us. We put three of the wounded who were +the hardest to carry into a little boat there, and ordered them to +row down the river and carry the news of what had happened, and to +direct the others to bring the ship near the bank where we were. In +the meantime we cut some trees and made a breastwork; and when the +Indians (who are not accustomed to attack by night) prepared to make +their last rush and overwhelm us, our ship came up and, approaching +the bank as closely as possible, played on the Indians with some +artillery, and fired at them with arquebuses. Under this protection +we succeeded in getting to the ship, being carried in two boat-loads.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII + +Our departure from the kingdom and the events which happened during +our return to Manila + + +[On the same day on which we reached the ships, Captain Juan Xuarez +Gallinato arrived. He was told of our experience with the Chinese +and with the Cambodians, and of the good-will displayed in this +kingdom for its conversion, and also for the temporal ends proposed +in the service of his Majesty. Captain Gallinato showed that he +disbelieved much of what was told him, and that what he did believe +impressed him badly. In spite of all that was done to persuade him +to wait a few days, he was resolved to depart immediately; so we +sailed to Cochinchina for provisions. Here we were at first very +well received. Then Gallinato sent Captain Gregorio de Vargas as +ambassador to visit the king, and to ask him for the royal standard, +the galley, and the artillery, and the other things which had been +carried to that kingdom by the traitors who murdered Governor Gomez +Perez das Mariñas. The king took this demand so ill that he tried +to kill the ambassador, who barely escaped with his life. The king, +partly because of his rage, and partly from fear that the news of his +treatment of the ambassador would be carried back by the Spaniards, +sent two fleets and a large land force to destroy us. We here got +news of the death of the tyrant who had ruled over the kingdom of +Camboja and of the plan of a number of loyal chiefs to reinstate the +lawful king with the assistance of the Spaniards, to whom they meant +to offer great rewards. The Spanish ships were just putting out to +sea when the Indians reached the shore with the purpose of giving +them this invitation. It was known that the kingdom of the Laos +(to which the king of Camboja had withdrawn) was very near that of +Cochinchina; and Captains Blas Ruyz and Diego Velloso asked permission +to go by land and find the king. Gallinato permitted them to do so, +and I accompanied them to the city of Sinoa, where a son of the king +acted as viceroy. Some Augustinian friars who were in that country +begged father Fray Alonso Ximenez to go with them and celebrate the +feast of St. Augustine. During his absence, the rumor that the Indians +intended to murder us treacherously kept increasing; so that we all +went aboard, in order to be able to defend ourselves better. The time +for sailing to Manila had come, of which we had to take advantage +without waiting for either father Fray Alonso or the captain, because +we should otherwise have been obliged to winter there. On the third +of September, a multitude of people suddenly appeared on the hills, +and a fleet came sailing up into the cove where we were. There were +many galleys and small boats, and among them there were fifteen larger +two-masted vessels, fastened together three by three, with no one on +them but a steersman. These were loaded with wood and fagots, to set +fire to us; while, if we took refuge in the water, the people in the +small boats were ready to receive us. The men on the hills began to +shoot at us with their arquebuses, which they used skilfully, aiming +well, though they were slow in taking aim. The bullets, however, +fell short. Our two smaller vessels set sail, and by the aid of a +light breeze moved out into the middle of the bay. The ship in which +I was was larger; and, though we tried to do as the other boats did, +the wind was too light for us, and the fire-boats came upon us and +gave us a great deal of trouble. They came so near that from the top +of our poop we could see the steersmen, some of whom our men shot, +while others took refuge in some little boats which they towed. When +the fire-boats were left without anyone to steer them, they followed +the current of the water, and left us in peace. At this point father +Fray Alonso Ximenez reached the shore. They took off his habit and +dragged him, with nothing on but his breeches, before the viceroy, +who had come as general of this enterprise. He told him to put on his +habit again, and talked of his ransom; but our captain was so angry +at their treachery that he sent back a very wrathful answer. Thus +father Fray Alonso Ximenez was left a prisoner, but was not ill +treated. He received permission to live with the Augustinian fathers, +and at last was permitted to go to Macan without being obliged to pay +a ransom. From there he came back to this country at the end of a year +and a half. On the next day we set sail for Manila. There are shoals in +the midst of this gulf running for eighty leguas directly across the +straight course for Manila; and to pass these shoals it was necessary +to round one of the two ends of the chain--one in latitude nine, the +other in latitude seventeen. The latter being nearer the direct line, +we governed our course by it; and the flagship, sailing well against +the wind, rounded it. The vessel in which I was, being a poor sailer, +went by the other end, but got out of its course. We were becalmed +one night, so near the coast of the Philippinas that the people were +already beginning to prepare their clothes for going on shore. In the +morning we found ourselves in the midst of reefs which were not on +the charts. To make our way out from them, we were obliged to sail +back on our course; and after we had made our way out the wind was +against us, and we were obliged to sail toward the country which we +had left. We decided to land at Malaca, that we might at least escape +with our persons, for we cared little for anything else.] We reached +an island named Pulotimon, [16] which is forty leguas from Malaca. The +Indians here told us that there were some pirates in that sea; that +they were anchored about five leguas off, and that we should have +to pass them. This news greatly disquieted us, because our vessel +did not sail well or answer the helm well, which is the worst thing +that can be in a sea-fight. But it was not possible to escape this +danger, because there was greater danger in every other direction +where we wished to go. So we continued our voyage and met with the +pirates, as they had told us. They had five ships, four of them small, +and one of them large, strong, and well equipped, and provided with +nettings. On these boats there were many little flags, which, we were +told, were tokens of the prizes that they had taken. They were of a +tribe called China-patan, descendants of Chinese who have colonized +the kingdom of Patan. They had learned this business [of piracy], +because it is easier than others; and they had now sailed out to +practice it. That we might not show fear, but might excite fear in +them, we passed close to their ships, with our flag flying and our +drum beating. They failed to see that our invitation was feigned, +accepted it, and, weighing their anchors, followed us all night, giving +us chase till morning. The small vessels surrounded us, and with the +large one attacked us. Their arms at close quarters were pikes and +javelins with points hardened in the fire [tostadas]. The arms which +they used at a distance were culverins and arquebuses. In using our +arquebuses we did not waste a bullet, for there were many on whom to +employ them. [We were alarmed by the explosion of a keg of powder, but +fortunately only one man was killed. I was standing alone on the poop, +watching for the result of the fight; and at first the enemy did not +notice me, since the waist was full of their pikemen. At last, one of +them perceived me and flung a pike at me, giving me a wound of three +dedos in depth. I descended from the poop; but, before I reached the +deck, one of the fire-hardened lances struck me in the right jaw, +leaving its point and innumerable splinters in the flesh. With my +two hands upon my two wounds I went to confess some wounded men +who were in danger. At last when the enemies saw that their prize +cost them much, they left us and went away without our being able to +follow them, because our vessel was so unfit. We afterward learned in +Malaca that out of two hundred pirates (which was their total number) +more than half had been killed. Most of us were wounded, and two or +three died--besides two others, who were shot by accident by their +own friends. After we had escaped this danger we came, two days later, +upon a surprise which was equally great. In the strait of Sincapura, +by which we were obliged to pass, we found a fleet of eighty large +galleys, with heavy artillery amidships and along the sides. This +was the fleet of the king of Achen, who was going to do what injury +he could to the king of Jor [i.e., Johor] to whom belongs the country +of that strait. The latter had sixteen galleys for its defense, which +were in the mouths of the rivers to prevent his enemy from entering +them. Malaca is between these two kingdoms. There was at that time an +agreement that neither of these kings should be assisted with men, +but only with provisions and ammunition, one side receiving the +one and the other the other, but neither receiving both. We passed +ourselves off to them as Portuguese; and when they called upon us to +enter their galleys we excused ourselves, because of the aforesaid +agreement, and went on in peace to Malaca. I went to our convent, +where the religious were surprised at my coming, partly because it +was the middle of November, when they did not expect a vessel from +any direction, and partly because they saw me in so coarse a habit, +very different from that which they wore. Besides that, I was very +dirty and very lean, and had my body and face all bound up because +of my wounds. Although my appearance was so strange, they were so +discreet (or I had better say so charitable) that, without asking any +questions they arranged to take care of me, called in the surgeon, +and brought me underwear and a habit after their fashion. After I +was cared for and clothed, they asked me whence I came and how I had +been brought there. I was charmed with the kindness which they had +shown me, and told of my wanderings and of the sufferings which I had +endured, by which they were greatly astonished. I remained there for +six months. My cure took three months, and from the wound in my face +every day two or three splinters were discharged, some larger and +others smaller, until at least a hundred had come out. Though the +wound closed, two remained within, which came out two years later, +two dedos below the wound. I was much inconvenienced during those +three months, because I could only open my mouth a little way; and +hence it was very painful for me to eat until, by exercise, my jaw +came back to its former usefulness. Of the soldiers who came with me, +some went to India and twelve to Camboxa, supposing that the rightful +king was now probably there. They found on the throne his son, +who with a great army given him by the king of the Laos, and with +the captains of whom I have spoken, had returned to his kingdom of +Camboxa and pacified it. Here they remained for a considerable time, +though they were disappointed in everything. I and the others returned +to Manila. The voyage is one of five hundred leguas, and it took us +fifty days because of the many calms.] One calm night, when there +was no one at the helm, the binnacle, or three-wicked candle which +lights up the compass, fell down from the quarterdeck; and the flame +instantly burst out through a hatchway which was over it, frightening +all of us--for there is nothing more dreadful at sea than fire, for +everything in a ship is like tinder. In this ship, although it was +small, there were more than three hundred slaves, men and women. All of +them raised their cries to heaven. The captain, whose duty it was to +encourage them, immediately fell on his knees to make his confession, +as if things had already gone beyond remedy, but I pushed him away a +pace and a half, saying that it was not time for that yet, and that +he ought to look out for the fire first. I am almost certain that if +he had been permitted to confess to me we should all have burned to +death, because, however little our safety might have been delayed +by confessions, there would have been no remedy afterwards. We put +all the clothes there were there into the water, to soak them, and +then threw them down the hatchway, one on top of another. In this way +God was pleased that the fire should be put out; and we were left as +much amazed by this sudden and dangerous accident as people are who +are waked out of their sleep by a beam of light falling on them. We +at last reached Manila by St. John's day at the end of a year and a +half of this tedious and painful journeying. Soon after, father Fray +Alonso Ximenez arrived by way of Macan from Cochinchina, where he had +remained a prisoner. After all our hardships, afflictions, dangers, +and wounds, we brought back no other fruit but that of having suffered +for the gospel. Our only intention was to go to preach in that kingdom, +having been invited by its king, and influenced by his promises to that +end. These were great, though he was unable to fulfil them, since he +had been despoiled of his kingdom when we reached it, as has been said. + + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX + +The election as provincial of father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catharina +or Navarro, and the churches which were incorporated in the province + + +On the fifteenth of June, 1596, the fathers assembled in the convent +of Manila to elect a provincial, because father Fray Alonso Ximenez +had finished his term. The definitors (who, as they afterward were +to confirm the provincial, were elected first) were: father Fray +Diego de Soria, second time prior of the said convent; father Fray +Bartholome de Nieva, a religious of very superior virtue, as will be +narrated in due time; father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas, or Ormaca; +and father Fray Juan Garcia--all persons of conspicuous devotion to +their religious duties, and of noble example. Several times they +cast votes for the provincial without result. Because there were +many who deserved the office, and because the votes were divided +among them, no one had the number necessary for election. Those who +had the largest number of votes were father Fray Diego de Soria and +father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas. These same persons endeavored to +persuade everyone to vote for father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catharina, +who was accordingly elected. The election was a very satisfactory +one, for, in addition to being a very holy man, he was very wise +and learned, and most devoted to the ministry and preaching of the +holy gospel--in which, and in patience, and in the endurance of the +most severe hardships which befell him for this cause, no one ever +surpassed him, and he surpassed many. During his time he had seen +the province greatly favored by the Lord, by a very great spread of +the Christian faith among the Indians who were under his care. Many +of them in the villages where there were religious were baptized; +and, where there were no religious, they were desirous and eager +to receive baptism. Accordingly, at this chapter not only were new +churches admitted which had been built in the towns where there were +already religious--as, among the Chinese, the church of San Gabriel +at Minondoc; and, in Bataan, the church in the village of Samal, +besides others--but it also seemed good to admit heathen villages, +although they had no religious, and there were none in the province so +that teachers could be provided for them. Yet in this way they strove +to comfort those who asked and desired them, and raised in them the +hope that in this way they would receive religious when they came from +España. Thus were received the church of San Vicente of the village +of Buguey, afterward called Sancta Anna; Sancta Catarina of Nasiping, +afterward called San Miguel; and others like them--to which, in the +course of time, religious were sent when they came to the islands. + +Soon after this provincial chapter had come to an end, another +shipload of religious arrived from España. They had been gathered +with great care and diligence by the new bishop of Nueva Segovia, +Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, whose new dignity had not sufficed to +diminish the love which he felt for his associates. He gave to this +matter more than ordinary attention, because he knew how greatly +needed were good workmen to aid in the great harvest which the Lord +had placed in their hands, ready to be gathered by the means of +baptism into this church militant, that the faithful might pass from +it to the church triumphant. The Indians themselves asked to have +preachers sent to their villages, and were grieved that these could +not be given to them. This not a little afflicted the religious, who +desired to satisfy them by the fulfilment of their just desires, but +were unable to do so on account of their own small number--too small +even for that which they had undertaken, and much more to go to the +aid of new regions. Besides this, the careful bishop was influenced +by the need of his own sheep; for nearly everything to which we +ministered fell within the bishopric of Nueva Segovia, which was +under his direction. Accordingly, taking advantage of his authority +as a bishop, and of the reputation which he had as a learned and holy +religious, he gathered the second shipload, and afterward the third +(with which he came). Father Fray Pedro de Ledesma [17] happened +to be in Castilla when the shipload which the good bishop sent was +about to sail. His presence was very convenient for his superior, +because he was an old and venerable father who had been many years +in the Indias in the very religious province of Guatimala, and who +therefore knew what was needed for the voyage. He was also of a very +gentle disposition, which is of great importance for such purposes +as his. The bishop laid upon this father the charge of conducting +the religious who had been gathered for this province; and he, being +inclined to all good, readily accepted the office, although he knew +that it was a very troublesome one. It not only required him to go +on business to the office of accounts--and, to him who knows what +that is, it is not necessary to say anything more--but he had also +to keep in contentment many religious who, as it was the first time +when they were at sea, were seasick, miserable, and very much in need +of someone to comfort them, bear with them, and encourage them. For +all this father Fray Pedro was very well suited, and conducted them +as comfortably as possible through the two long voyages which have +to be made on the way from España here. He did not shrink from the +great labor which this duty brought with it, that he might serve the +Lord, and aid in the preaching of His gospel and in the conversion of +these heathen. They arrived in the month of July in this year of 1596, +and were received with great joy; and with them those missions which +were in need of religious were strengthened. + +Captains Blas Ruiz de Fernan Goncalez and Diego Velloso, who (as +has been stated in the preceding chapter) went from Cochinchina to +the kingdom of the Laos to look for the king of Camboja, met with +success. They found his son (for the king was already dead), and +told him all that the Spaniards had already done to help him, and how +they had slain the tyrant who had undertaken to establish himself in +the kingdom and had usurped it. They told him that they had come to +seek him that they might put him in quiet possession of his kingdom, +and other things of this kind, and roused his courage so that he put +himself in their hands. Depending upon them, he returned to Camboja +with a tolerably large army, which the king of the Laos gave him; and +the Spaniards fulfilled their word and established him in his royal +throne and palace, causing the largest and best part of the kingdom +to be obedient to him. The king in reward of services so faithful +and useful gave them lands and vassals in his kingdom. To Blas Ruiz +he gave the province of Tran; to Diego Velloso that of Bapano, with +titles very honorable in this kingdom. The two captains in their +new favor did not forget God, to whom they had so especial reasons +to be thankful; or their natural king and lord, from whom also they +had received rewards. They informed the king of Camboja of the great +good that it would be to his kingdom to know and reverence God by +entering into His service through holy baptism, and to have the king +of España for his friend. For the first purpose, father Fray Alonso +Ximenez and myself were proposed. They urged the great devotion, +virtue, and prudence of the holy old man, and the many sufferings +which we had both undergone from favoring the king's own cause; and +they said that, if he sent to call us back, we would very readily +come to preach the holy gospel. As for the second purpose they said +that he ought to send an embassy to the governor of Manila; and, as +a sign of the beginning of this friendship, that he ought to ask for +some soldiers, by whose aid he might easily complete the pacification +of his country. The king assented to all this, and sent his embassy +with letters to the governor, telling him that his principal reason +for asking for soldiers was that his vassals might be baptized with +greater certainty and less difficulty. To father Fray Alonso Ximenez +he wrote another letter, in the language and characters which those +people use, and sealed with his royal seal, of a red color. In the +Castilian language its tenor was as follows: ["Prauncar, king of +Camboja, to father Fray Alonso Ximenez of the Order of St. Dominic: +Greeting. From what I have heard from the captain Chofa Don Blas +Ruiz of Castilla, and from the captain Chofa Don Diego of Portugal, +with regard to the conduct of father Fray Alonso Ximenez when the +Spaniards slew Anacaparan, I have conceived a great affection for +father Fray Alonso Ximenez. Now that I am in my kingdom I beg father +Fray Alonso Ximenez to come to it, and to bring with him father Fray +Diego. I promise to build them churches and convents, and to give +permission to all in my kingdom to become Christians. Though I have +shown the two chofas [18] great favor and wish to keep them in my +kingdom, they are unwilling to stay, because there are no religious +here." The two captains wrote in the same strain to the fathers, +begging them to come and reunite this kingdom with the Church. + +The governor of Manila saw how much could be done for the service of +the king by sending the soldiers for whom the king of Camboja asked; +but they were in such need of men and money that they could not well +meet his desires. For this reason, a knight of the Habit of Calatraba +who had been governor of these islands, by name Don Luis Perez das +Mariñas, promised to pay the expenses of the expedition from his own +fortune. The enterprise thus being made possible, we two religious +of the order for whom the king of Camboja asked were obliged to go; +and with us some religious of the Order of St. Francis, who were +much beloved by Don Luis. There were equipped for the expedition two +vessels of Spanish build, of moderate tonnage, and a galleot. The +preparations were made (as preparations usually are made by the +hand of servants of the king) slowly and faultily, as was seen by +the results. We did not set out for some months, and our ships were +so badly equipped and so weak that they began to leak as soon as the +voyage began--a forewarning of the evils that we afterwards suffered, +in which the poor knight Don Luis was disappointed, while all of us +who accompanied him paid for the inadequacy of the preparation. [19] +Since we were so late, the pilots decided to follow the course by +the gulf of Haynau to go round the shoals by the end in latitude +seventeen, because in that way the wind would be favorable; while if +they rounded the end in latitude nine, which was the regular course, +the wind would be adverse. They left Manila September 17 [1598], with +one hundred and fifty soldiers and sailors. In the flagship Don Luis, +who went as commander, took with him father Fray Alonso Ximenez and +the two Franciscan fathers. He directed me to go in the ship of the +second in command, [20] giving that officer orders to govern himself +by my advice. Within six days the vessels were scattered in the storm +and were all lost, no one knowing anything of the rest, and each one +supposing that the others were continuing their voyage in safety. The +galleot met with the best fortune, for, although damaged, it reached a +friendly port, was repaired, and continued its journey. The flagship +was obliged to cut away the mainmast, and sailing under its foresail, +ran aground in China on the eve of St. Francis. All who were on board +had to save themselves by swimming, and lost even their clothes. In +the ship of the second in command, in which I was, the mainmast broke +close to the deck, fortunately falling over the side so as not to +injure the vessel or to kill any of the men. The mizzenmast, being +badly wedged, began to topple, and had to be cut away. We sailed +on under the foresail, hoping to reach a port. But the fury of the +tempest and the force of the waves were such as to break the gudgeons +of the rudder. Some of our men flung themselves into the sea after +it and brought it back, but it was lost again; and we steered the +vessel with two long spars fastened to the side of the boat with a +cable. The ship was so strained that the boards on the sides began to +play up and down like organ-keys; but we threw cables about her, and +drew them taut with arquebuses. Then the bow began to work loose, from +the weight of the foremast and bowsprit, and we were forced to bind it +firmly with cables to the poop. All that we could do against the storm +and the wind was like the strength of a child exerted to restrain the +fury of a mad bull. In fear of another storm, we took refuge upon an +island which we encountered, one of the group called the Babuyanes. We +found a harbor, ran the bow ashore, and dropped two anchors from the +poop. We put the ammunition and the provisions that we had on shore; +and had hardly begun to dry our clothes, on the eve of St. Francis, +when the storm broke upon us with such violence that it seemed to me to +try to swallow us. The ship was broken in pieces; but the keel, and the +artillery which was carried as ballast, being too heavy for the deck, +were buried in the sand. We protected ourselves from the storm--which +lasted two days, and was one of both wind and rain--in some huts, which +we built on the beach of branches.] After the storm was over we dug up +the artillery, which consisted of four medium-sized cannon, mounted, +and set them up in a little fort which we made of logs, because there +were many Indians on the islands, and we did not know whether they +were friends or enemies. In a short time many of them appeared in a +troop on the shore, with their weapons. These consisted of two lances, +one for hurling, and the other large like a pike, with iron points; +both were made of ebony, of which there is much here. For defensive +armor they had sheets of the bark of trees, resembling cork. We sent +to them a man as a hostage and mark of peace, and they made signs to +him from a distance to put down his arms. He laid them at one side +and went to the Indians; and then they sent to us one of their own +number, whom we treated kindly, and after giving him some trinkets, +sent him back to his comrades; agreeing with him that they should +bring us provisions at a just price. They did this for two days, +although very scantily; and on the third day they broke the peace +by killing one of our Japanese, and badly wounding another who had +come in our company. He came back with his arm pierced, and with a +wound a span long above the pit of his stomach, but not entering it; +but he was very well satisfied because, by throwing himself forward +by the pike, he had killed the Indian who had wounded him--so proud +is that race. Now that our supplies were cut off, we were obliged, +since food is necessary, to take it by force, where we could find it, +since they would not sell it willingly; so for several mornings a +troop of our Indians went out under escort of our soldiers, gathered +what they could from the fields, and brought it back as food for +all. At one time when they were engaged in this, they thought that +they had discovered a great treasure; for they found some jars of +moderate size covered by others of similar size. Inside they found +some dead bodies dried, and nothing else. In that shipwreck we had +had the good luck to bring the boat ashore, and thus to save it. This +we intended to make use of by sending it to ask for aid from Nueva +Segovia, which was only twenty leguas distant. In order to do this, +it was necessary to lengthen the keel a braza, and to raise the sides +about half a vara. Both these things were done, though there was no +one among us who understood more carpentry than that best teacher, +Necessity, had taught them. We all thought that it was best that the +pilot and two men and I should go in it, because they believed that, +if I went, more effectual aid would be sent. We did so, and then, +when we sailed around the island we gave thanks to the Lord for His +kindness in having brought us to this little bay; for on any of the +other sides of the island we should certainly have been drowned in +the ocean, or, if any of us had escaped, should have perished at +the hands of the Indians. The Lord gave us a favorable wind, which +was needed by our tiny boat in that rough ocean, and we reached the +river of Nueva Segovia, which is very large; the distance from the +mouth to the city is three leguas. The alcalde-mayor immediately set +about the rescue, appropriated two fragatas, and had them prepared +to go to our people who were in the islands. At the same time I wrote +to Manila to the agents of Don Luys to send a ship, ship-stores, and +everything else required for continuing the voyage. I also wrote to my +superior, giving him an account of what had happened. The answer to my +letters was made plain, both on the island and in Manila. The governor +commanded that the voyage should be continued, all of the expenditure +being made anew, while my superior directed me to return to Manila; +and so I did, although my companions were greatly grieved. In truth, +by failing to go with them I caused their destruction; because, as they +were sailing toward the coast of China, they saw a Chinese ship, and, +against the will of the pilot and some few others, the rest determined +to pursue and plunder it. The ship fled, turning toward the coast of +its own country, which was all sown with shallows, well known to them +but not to our men. So eagerly did the Spaniards chase after them +in their greed for the prize, which they now regarded as certain, +that our ship ran aground and broke into two parts. The men were all +thrown into the sea, where some of them were drowned immediately, +and others, who took refuge on shoals, were drowned when the tide came +in. Some few only escaped, with the pilot, in a raft which they made of +planks from the ship. Even of those few some died of the cold, which +was very great, and was still more severe for them because they were +all wet. At last those who escaped reached the coast, with difficulty +enough. They were seized by the Chinese, and carried about for many +leguas from one judge to another. In this way they learned that Don +Luis was on the same coast, and that he had been wrecked on the same +day of St. Francis, and at the same time with us. They learned that +he was twenty leguas from there, on an island called Lampacao. They +received permission to join him; and in spite of their miseries they +forgot their ills in their pity for the poor knight and his men, +who kept themselves alive with shellfish, which they found there +and ate in small quantities. They all suffered patiently, because +of the example of their commander--who, that he might not offend +[the people of] the land, never allowed his men to ask for anything, +even what necessity almost compelled them to request. + + + + + +CHAPTER L + +I am commanded to go to China; events there, and the death of father +Fray Alonso Ximenez + + +[In spite of the wretched state of the noble knight Don Luis, the +Portuguese of Macan, who were only seven leguas away, were so far +from pitying him that they rather made bloody war against him. He +accordingly decided to send the pilot of the second in command, +with eight other men, to Manila in a small boat, to ask for what was +needed to escape from that labyrinth. They arrived after great peril, +and delivered their letters which were filled with the innumerable +complaints of those who remained there. They moved all the city to +great compassion, but our religious more than the others, who always +had a very tender regard for the good knight, Don Luis, both for his +virtue, and for his great love toward us. He never forsook us or our +churches, where he received all the sacraments, and went to hear all +the masses that were said, to the great edification of the village +of Minondoc--where he lived, near to our house. Consequently, I was +charged with the immediate care of procuring what was needed for the +relief of the present trouble, since the past troubles had none. My +superior notified me that I should go to take the relief to Don Luis, +and ordered me to attend to that matter with the greatest possible +despatch, since delay meant manifest danger. With all that care he was +unable to get the help out within four months, and notwithstanding +that I exercised very great earnestness in it, and attended to +the equipment of the ship that was assigned, which I had fitted +up so that it would stand any storm--having taken warning from the +previous ships, which had proved deficient in the first storm that +came upon us. By such diligence, we set sail, with suitable relief, +on September six. Arriving with it in less than twenty days, we were as +well received, as we were so heartily desired. We also found bad news +from Camboja, which had been brought by some ships that had returned +from that country. That news was that all the Spaniards there--both +those of our galliot, and all the others--had perished at the hands +of the Indians themselves, because of quarrelsome persons among +them, who were intolerable to the natives. Since it was impossible +to go thither as friends, and since our forces were very few to go +in any other manner, consequently, a general council having been +held, it resulted that we should return to Manila. To carry that +into effect, it was necessary to go to the court of the viceroy at +Canton to get permission, for we could not leave his port without +it. It was determined that I should go to get the permission. I was +accompanied by two soldiers and an Indian up a large river with most +beautiful and refreshing banks, which contained some very densely +populated villages. Arrived at Canton, we were lodged in a house +in the suburbs, as foreigners were not allowed to live in the city, +nor even to enter it without express permission from the judge who is +in charge. Guards are stationed for that reason at all the gates, so +that they may refuse admittance without such permission. It happened +that there was a eunuch of the king there at that time, as inspector +of that province. Within his palace the king of China is served only +by eunuchs, and many are castrated, in order to be eligible to serve +the king; and as they alone have access to his person and ear, they +persuade him of whatever they wish, and derive immense bribes from +the judges throughout the kingdom. The latter give them the bribes, +so that the inspectors may hand in a good report of them. That year +the eunuchs got for themselves the inspection of the provinces of that +kingdom, as a great harvest was offered therefrom, not only to the king +but also to the others who remained at his side in order to perpetuate +their acts of injustice with security, the gates to the complaints +that could have been uttered against them having been closed. Then +was it my unhappy lot that I should fall into the hands of one of +them, called Liculifu, who had charge of the visit to Canton, and +who, under pretext of the visit, was making haste to impoverish the +country and the inhabitants; for his charge there also comprehended +the inspection of a pearl-fishery for the king in the gulf of Haynao, +which was situated about one hundred leguas farther along the coast. It +was said that he had borrowed one thousand ships for that purpose, +and that he was in haste; but that he wanted first what fish he +could get on land--for which he had innumerable parasites at his +side who were wont to seek out means by which, rightly or wrongly, +he could employ them, by which they were always the gainers; and who, +in addition, always flattered him by showing him such means of gain, +by which he considered himself as well served, and rewarded those +most who were most advantaged by it. Certain of those creatures, +ferreting us out, immediately went to denounce us, not as evildoers, +but as men absolutely rolling in silver; for that is their opinion +of the Spaniards, even though they see them going naked. Therefore, +it suited him to employ his greed on us, although asking silver from +us was equivalent to asking pears from the elm tree. The inspector, +believing that we had maliciously concealed the silver, tried to get +it by force; but instead of silver he drew blood. Acting upon that +information he had us summoned before him, a day or two after our +arrival. We entered the gate used by foreigners, and there is only +one such gate. The guards registered us there, so carefully do they +watch and guard their city, although so rare are the foreigners who +enter it. We approached the inspector's court, but before we entered +it I had the inspector notified, by an interpreter whom I had with +me, that I would not kneel before him, as such was not the custom of +Castilians--whether religious or captains--even were it before the +kings of that land. He had me told that I should do so, but I answered +to the contrary twice more. However, finally paying greater heed to +the advantage that he expected [to derive], than to his honor and +courtesy which he claimed, he had me told that the soldiers should +kneel and that I should make him the bow and reverence that I was +wont to make to my king. Thereupon we entered, and found him seated +in great state at his desk, on which were the instruments used in +writing, according to their usage. Many servants stood near him, in a +chapel-like place that faced a large open court, whence those having +business entered as he summoned them. Placed on their knees between +two rows of executioners with frightful visages--twelve to the side, +who stood there--their cases were disposed of, and they were punished +there immediately, as soon as he ordered it, without further appeal +or recourse. The soldiers and the interpreter knelt before them, +while I remained upright, after having made him a very deep bow. He +received us well, and addressed some pleasant words to us. I thanked +him heartily, and made him a present of a piece of scarlet cloth +and a large and excellent mirror, with its silver chain by which to +hang it up, which had been given me for that purpose by General Don +Luis. The latter already was aware that no business was transacted +without a present. The inspector received the present very gladly, +as it consisted of articles that were scarce in that country. He +expressed many scruples in regard to it, so that it might not appear +that he was receiving it as a bribe, and said that it would be taken +as part payment of the duties due and to be paid by the ships; and that +he had a conscience and kept his gaze on the heavens, so that he might +not commit any unjust act. But in truth, although I thought that he +would be satisfied with that present, he regarded it as the beginning +of what we had to give and waited for the rest. I asked him to send +someone to measure the ships and receive the duties, for it was now +time for us to leave. He did so immediately, and sent officials like +himself. Those officials declared, because they were not bribed at +the beginning, that the duties amounted to one thousand eight hundred +ducados. Don Luis, having been advised of what ought to be done, +asked that the measurements be made a second time; and after he had +given them their bribe, they took off the thousand ducados, and the +duties remained at only eight hundred. Believing that the inspector's +greed was satisfied, I delayed two or three days in going to see him; +but he, as his appetite had been whetted for the desire of more with +the taste that he had received, took my delay very ill, and had only +the two soldiers and the interpreter summoned, but ordered me not to go +to him. On seeing them, he broke out into great anger because they had +not treated him according to his dignity. He ordered the interpreter +to be beaten as the most guilty, since, knowing the custom of the +country, he had not advised us thereof. They actually administered +five blows to him, and the blows that they give are always few, but +very severe. Those blows accordingly formed great wounds on the upper +part of his legs, that being where they are administered. He ordered +the soldiers to be all but lashed. They were thrown to the ground, +and their legs bared, while the executioner stood near them with his +lash raised. That instrument is made from a very large bamboo (such +as grow there), split in two and weighted somewhat with lead, and +having many slits, whose edges cut like knives. And as the executioner +stood thus, waiting for the order to strike the blow, he ordered him +to stay his hand, being satisfied to see them thus fearful. Then +he ordered all three to be taken prisoners to a public prison, +which was located at a considerable distance from his house. While +on the way thither they had me summoned, and bribed the officials +to stop in an idol temple. I went there alone, although with great +difficulty. They implored me again and again not to leave them in +custody, for they would die in prison. I promised them not to leave +that place until they were liberated, or else I would share the same +fortune with them. I well understood that those blows were directed +at me, rather than at them; and that, although given to others, +were a threat to me so that I should tremble and give the inspector +what he desired, or he would cause me also to suffer such things, +or even greater. I knew already that his parasites had informed him +of the esteem in which the Spanish hold their priests and religious, +and that they would redeem by weight of silver whatever insult he +might try to inflict on me; and that if he wished to fill his hand +well, he should make what extortions from me his tyrannous and greedy +taste dictated. I had no silver to satisfy his desire, nor, even had +I desired to supply that lack by any efforts, did I have any method +or means to do so. It even cost me very dearly to enter the city, +and I could not go on that account. I was persecuted by children, who +accosted me as did the children of Bethel the holy prophet Elisha; +while not one of the men had compassion on me, for they do not know +what compassion means toward their own countrymen, however afflicted +they see them to be. And further, if they behold them persecuted by +the more influential men, then in such case they flee from the sight +of them, in fear lest they receive a portion of the punishment, as +being accomplices in the guilt. The soldiers, as they were afflicted, +attributed the slowness of the relief to my neglect, and the inspector +to obstinacy. Finally he endeavored to satisfy his greed by making +open proof of my patience. Therefore, he summoned me on All Saints' +day. I heard of his resolve some days beforehand, and prepared for it +by saying mass--for which I had the opportunity, as the Portuguese +from Macan happened to be there at that time, by virtue of their +ordinary permission to go to Canton twice each year, to purchase +the articles that they need in certain fairs which are held there +at that time. However, they are not permitted to live in the city, +but must remain in their own boats in the river. As that purchasing +(which lasts many days) is a matter of consequence, the Portuguese +bring a priest, who says mass to them, in a little house near the +river. At that time there were three fathers of the Society there, +one of whom was acting in the capacity of chaplain for the traders, +while the other two were about to enter the interior with Father Matheo +Riccio, who had lived there for years. One of those two fathers, one +Lacaro Catanio, had lived with the above father for some years; and, +having gone to Macan on business, was then returning with another +Spaniard named Diego Pantoja. Both of them dressed themselves, +on the afternoon of the eve of All Saints, in Chinese habits, in +order to make their journey with some guides that they had with +them. Father Lacaro Catanio, as he had been a long time in China, +had long hair and beard, but the other father, having only recently +arrived, did not; and consequently he was in some danger, as he did +not follow the customs of the country in everything. By way, then, +of those fathers I was enabled to say mass. Scarcely had I concluded +it, when I was accosted by an official of the inspector, with his +chapa (or summons) to take me before the inspector. I went thither, +and found him in his courtroom, as at the first time. Although I +intended to show him the same courtesy as the first time, he made me +kneel down, besides going between those two files of executioners, who +appeared to me like demons. The inspector began then to shout at me, +in his treble voice, and poured forth a torrent of words, which were +explained to me by a Chinese who understood some Portuguese. He charged +me in his speech with being a spy, as I had not observed my duty. At +the end of the speech came his deeds. At the inspector's order one +of those executioners threw me to the ground, and, baring my legs, +raised himself in a position to lash me. While in that position, +the inspector repeated many times his assertion that I must be a +spy. Thereupon I drew a report from my bosom that I brought from +the Chinese who were living in Manila, both Christians and heathens, +which told of the great good that the members of my order had done +there to all of their nation--how we cared for their sick, supported +the poor, and defended them all from injuries which were attempted +against them. It was written in their own characters, on a sheet of +paper one braza long, and was folded within a covering, also made of +paper, after their manner and custom. I had come prepared with that +for whatever might happen, and accordingly I presented it at that so +pressing moment. The inspector read it, while I was kept stretched out +and bared ready for the lash, and the executioner awaiting only the +sign to chastise me. As the letter was not to the inspector's liking, +he paid no heed to it. However, he did not carry out the execution +[of the punishment], but ordered me to rise and adjust my clothing +and come to his desk. I thought that it was to make peace, but it +was only to vary the mode of affliction by changing the torture, +which he ordered to be given me between the fingers, while placed on +my knees before him with folded hands. For that purpose some little +rounded sticks were brought, in which there were some small grooves +at each end and in the middle. Those sticks were placed between the +fingers of both hands and were then pressed together by some cords, +tighter and tighter as the inspector ordered--until, when I fell as if +in a faint, he ordered the torment to cease. He ordered me to be gone, +and said that, if I did not give him a thousand taes of silver on the +morrow (each tae being equivalent to ten reals, thus all amounting to +about one thousand ducados), he would kill me. I left his presence, +with the bad treatment that I have described, and went to my lodgings +as best as I could, where I found an order from the inspector not to +receive me. I knew not where to go, for all fled from me, being fearful +lest some blow should come upon them by reason of me. I determined to +go to the ship where the fathers were. Then the merchants returned, +much earlier than was their custom, saying that all the city had +risen against them, because I had gone to their ship. They besought +me not to do so evil an act, for they feared a serious danger from +that. As they refused to receive me, I returned to the shore, where +a Chinese trader who had been in Manila on various occasions received +me into his house. He got me the loan of one hundred taes of silver, +payable with interest; and that night I went clad as a Chinese, +so that I might not be recognized, to the Portuguese ships. On my +word--which I pledged on that of General Don Luis, in whose cause +I was acting--they lent me two hundred more. I sent that whole sum +to the inspector next day by my host, who was a man of esteem in +the city; I also had him ask that the inspector would be satisfied +with that amount, as I had borrowed it as an alms, and could find +no more, and that he would be pleased to liberate the prisoners, +and grant us permission to go to our ship. That was a just petition, +but it was ill received and worse despatched; for although I thought +that that gift would soften that heart of stone, I discovered that it +had been like throwing a little water on the forge which blazes all +the fiercer. The inspector sent a constable with his chapa to summon +me that afternoon. It was necessary to go; and, thanks to my host, +who accompanied me, they took me to the entrance by another gate of +the city, as it was nearer his house. But when the guards saw me they +refused to allow me to enter, and although the constable showed them +the chapa of the inspector, they declared that that concerned me, and +not them; accordingly, they refused me entrance. It was necessary for +the constable to go to his master, and report the matter to him. The +latter gave another chapa for the gatekeepers, and they, taking it, +copied it and allowed me to enter. I did not find the inspector in his +court, but in a lodging nearer the center of the city. He was the only +one seated, while all his officials were standing. The money which I +had had sent to him was on a desk. I knelt down, at a considerable +distance from him, whereupon he began to chide me, and to say many +things to me that I did not understand. It seemed to me that he was +asking questions of me, and I only answered Purhiautet--that is to say, +"I do not understand." He rose from his chair, and came toward me, +in order to address me from a shorter distance. It seemed from his +actions that he meant to scratch out my eyes with his fingers (they +are great men for such deeds, the more when they are angry). He finally +satisfied his wrath by ordering me to be taken straight to the prison +where the soldiers were. An iron chain was therefore quickly put about +my neck, and fastened with a padlock; and one of the executioners, +holding the end of it, walked before me, obliging me thus to follow +him as a captive. The prison was at a considerable distance, and was +under the orders of another mandarin, to whom he sent me, so that +the latter might incarcerate me. In such guise, I crossed all those +streets, which swarmed with people, at four o'clock in the afternoon, +and appeared before this mandarin--who was in his tribunal, into which +the door of the prison opened. When the soldiers saw me through the +door, they began to weep. [I fell on my knees before him, and he asked +me through my interpreter the cause of my imprisonment. I replied, +and the cause seemed to him bad: but he told me that no one could +undo what the inspector did. He said that he would try to satisfy the +inspector, because the latter was obliged to go off very quickly on +his inspection, and, if he left me a prisoner here, no one else had +the authority to release me. With this he ordered the chains to be +taken off, and sent me into the prison. When I saw myself in prison +with the soldiers I was without anxiety, because for their sake I +had made all these stations, [21] and after all without succeeding in +rescuing the prisoners--though I could have taken refuge in our ships +if I had chosen, as I afterwards did; while now, by adventuring the +same fortune with them, I left God to watch over all. There were in +this prison some three hundred prisoners, many condemned to death, +but permitted to work during the daytime in order to earn their +food. I suffered in the prison, because I had little protection and +the weather was very cold. God delivered me within only three days; +my host became my security for a thousand taes. As I was about to +leave the prison, all the servants crowded about me asking for plata +(silver), for they already knew its name in our Castilian. There were +so many that, even if I had had much to give, there would have been +little for each one. As I had nothing to give, I gave them nothing, +and they paid me with hard words and blows. It was very late; and we +were obliged to go to the house of the inspector, and from it to that +of the guarantor outside of the city, in which we were not permitted +to sleep. All this was to be done before they closed the gates. We +were kept waiting in the courtyard of the inspector for some time. In +addition to falling on our knees before him, he made us bow our heads +and then turned us over to our bondsman. When we reached the latter's +house, we had to enter by leaping over a lighted fire which they said +was the ceremony of security. The poor guarantor immediately began +to suffer persecution, for all the servants and attendants of the +inspector, though they had in no way intervened in our business, came +to beg money from him from that which they said he must have received +from me, to persuade him to become my security. The man brought all +these demands to me; but I answered him that nothing more was to be +paid than the thousand taes, and these we should get from Don Luis. He +was unwilling to go to Don Luis, and took great care to prevent us from +escaping. We, fearing that Don Luis and his soldiers might be forced +by our delay to leave us in this embarrassment, determined to save +ourselves. We agreed with a Chinaman, for ten taes to help us escape, +letting us out through a secret door opening upon a creek that flowed +into the large river, and taking us down in a boat. We sailed down +stream that night and the next day, no one appearing on the boat in +the daytime except the Chinese sailors. We succeeded in eluding all +the vessels that might have wished to inspect us, and reached our +ships. As soon as our sailors received their pay they ran away. A +few hours later, my guarantor appeared with an armed vessel. He was +unable to find out who had helped us, and was satisfied with receiving +the amount of money for which he had been pledged. We then set sail, +Don Luis and the rest to Manila, and I to Macan, for I was in such a +condition of ill health as a result of hardship and exposure that I did +not dare to undertake the voyage to Manila. At this time father Fray +Alonso Ximenez died in Macan. His death was caused by the hardships +and exposure which he had undergone in endeavoring to evangelize the +kingdom of Camboja. Though he was almost seventy years of age when +he set out on the expedition, he endured everything that befell him +with patience and courage, consoling the others, though he had always +himself the most to suffer. He was very devout, never omitting his +daily hours of prayer on his journeys or voyages. When in Cochinchina, +his captivity was comforted by the opportunity given him to convert +two condemned criminals. The failures of his attempts to reach the +kingdom of Camboja and to convert the people there did not discourage +him or diminish his enthusiasm. When Don Luis and his men were +cruelly attacked by the Portuguese of Macan, father Fray Alonso +went to Macan to interpose his authority, and to act as mediator +between the Portuguese and the Castilians. Father Fray Alonso had +great difficulty in pacifying the Portuguese, and was obliged to +encounter much vituperation; but he received more joy in the baptism +of two sick persons at the point of death than he had lost in all +the sufferings which have been narrated. He died in our convent at +Macan, to the great sorrow of the religious about him at the loss of +so holy an associate. General Don Luis and all of the troops that he +had brought with him attributed to the loss of father Fray Alonso +all the sufferings which they were obliged to undergo afterward; +while they ascribed to his presence and his prayers the rescue of +their ship in the dreadful storm which they had experienced on the +day of St. Francis. On that day they had been in the midst of shoals, +and had seen many Chinese vessels wrecked about them; and the wind had +been so violent that it had thrown down many strongly-rooted trees +on land. Father Fray Alonso was a son of the convent of S. Esteban +at Salamanca. Desirous for the conversion of the Indians, he passed +his youth in the devout province of Guatemala. Having retired +to his convent, to take up the works of Mary after he had done +those of Martha, he heard of the foundation of the province of the +Philippinas. When many were turned back by the difficulties in Mexico, +father Fray Alonso was always firm and constant. When he reached +Manila, the ministry of Batan fell to his lot. In spite of his age, and +the great difficulty which he had in learning the Indian language, he +at length succeeded. In this ministry he suffered the hardships which +have been described already. He was especially kind and serviceable +to sick Indians, preparing dishes of meat or eggs for them, and even +putting the food in their mouths, with his own hands. Being taken +severely ill as a result of all the hardships to which he was exposed, +he was carried to the convent of Manila. Scarcely did he feel better, +when he left his bed and began to work at the building of the church, +turning his hand to this manual labor with the greatest skill. When +he was elected prior, he had no assistance in the convent except one +priest and one lay brother; but, few as they were, they performed all +the offices of a community. As he had a sonorous voice and understood +music well, he would sing the whole mass alone; then leave the choir +to go to the pulpit and preach, and then return to the choir, though +he had been hearing confessions all the morning. This he did without +failing to make his regular daily prayer. Even when alone he used to +say matins aloud, and on some feast-days would sing a great part of +them. He was elected provincial from this office of prior; and in his +provincialate he made many excellent ordinances for the ministry to +the Indians, which are still observed and esteemed as if they had been +ordained yesterday. During his time the province was greatly extended, +the whole of the province of Nueva Segovia being admitted, and many +new churches and missions being established in that of Pangasinan. It +was his desire also that the kingdom of Camboxa should be added to +it; and in the glorious enterprise of extending the gospel to that +kingdom he ended his life.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LI + +The coming of some religious to the province, and the transactions +of the intermediate chapter + + +Though the procurator whom this province had in España [i.e., +Benavides] had become bishop of Nueva Segovia, he gave his main +attention to the augmentation of the province, having seen with +his own eyes the service done by the religious here to the Lord, +and their service to their neighbors. So, though he had sent off +two shipments [of missionaries], he prepared to send a third, whom +he should accompany when he went to his bishopric. So greatly had +the hearts of the religious of all the provinces in España been +moved that sixty were found gathered and assembled together, having +been designated by Father Juan Volante. They were all far advanced +in religion and letters, which are the excellences that the order +desires and strives for in its sons, that they may fulfil the command +of its institutes, by laboring not only for their own salvation, +but for that of others. It happened at this time that the English +found the city of Cadiz unguarded and unprepared, and sacked it. [22] +This aroused a great excitement in all the ports of Andalucia; and +the announcement was made that in that year there would be no fleet +for Nueva España. Though all these religious were at that time in or +near Andalucia, they returned to their provinces of España and Aragon +whence they had set out, with the exception of some few who waited +to see the end of this matter. Although it was true that there was +no fleet, a rumor spread that some ships were being fitted out for +the voyage. Hereupon the bishop--who had come on foot from Madrid, +but had been several days on the return journey because of the +misfortune which had happened--took courage and went to the port a +second time, reassembling the religious as well as he could. With +these, and with some others who offered themselves, he made up a +reasonable number. When they reached the port they found that the +ships which were about to sail were only some galizabras, with troops +who were going to guard the silver which came from Peru and Nueva +España. It seemed that for a second time the purpose of the bishop +and the religious had been frustrated and their labor wasted; but God +sent them a patache or fragata, with only one deck, which was to carry +the baggage and the ship's stores; but it had no accommodations for +passengers, and was not designed to carry them, because of its small +size. In spite of this, their willingness to suffer even greater +evils for God made them despise the hardships which they might +suffer by making so long a voyage on so uncomfortable a vessel, and +they determined to sail in it. They spread the only tarpaulin which +there was, that they might have some defense from the sun and the +rain. They could not place it high enough for them to stand under it, +and whenever the sea was rough the waves dashed over it; but, as there +was no better ship, the bishop and the religious had to take advantage +of this one. The Lord felt such compassion for their discomfort as +to give them fair weather, so that during the sixty days of their +voyage it only rained twice: thus they were able to sleep on deck, +and at least to enjoy the coolness of night if they could not avoid +the heat of the day. During the voyage, they acted as if they were in +a very well-organized convent. The bishop filled the place of reader; +and upon what he read they held daily conferences, and very frequent +sermons and spiritual discourses. On the great feasts they had, as +it were, literary contests, composing verses in praise of God and of +His saints. Being thus very well occupied, they felt the discomfort +of the ship less; and as a result of the fair weather they were all +cheerful. The bishop alone was silent--so much so that his religious +became anxious, and felt obliged to ask him the reason. He answered: +"I am afraid, fathers, that the Lord does not look upon us as His +own, so much happiness does He grant us in so cramped a ship. Such +fair weather, and not more than one religious sick; we are not what +we ought to be, for the Lord has sent us no hardships. My coming was +sufficient to prevent you from receiving that blessing." When they +reached Mexico, he planned to buy a house where the religious who came +to this province from that of España might be cared for. He wished to +avoid scattering them among the towns, the evil results of which had +already been learned by experience. He found someone to make a gift +of a piece of land suited for the purpose, with the obligation of +building a church upon it named for St. Just and Pastor. The writings +were already made out; but afterward, because of difficulties which +arose, the agreement went no further and had to be given up. + +The voyage which they made from Acapulco to Manila was very +prosperous. The religious having been divided between the two ships, +those who embarked in the flagship, called "Rosario," were unable +to get their ship-stores on board because of the great hurry of the +commander, Don Fernando de Castro. But God provided for them from the +ocean; for every day without exception they fished from that ship, +and thus the food of the religious was supplied. This is something +which never happened before or since that voyage to any ship. Being so +extraordinary, it caused astonishment, and gave reason for reflecting +upon and praising the divine Providence, which with so free a hand +comes to the aid of those who depend upon it in their need. The +intermediate provincial chapter was in session when the bishop and +the religious reached Manila; and thus they were received joyfully +and gladly, and the meeting was enriched by their presence. Religious +were assigned to the conversion of villages which, though they had been +admitted for their own comfort and for the sake of somewhat encouraging +the holy desires with which they so eagerly begged for missionaries, +could not hitherto obtain them, because of the lack of missionaries +to send. In the convent of Manila a regular school of theology and +arts was established. The chapter appointed as preacher-general father +Fray Diego de Soria in place of father Fray Miguel de Venavides, who +had hitherto held this place and had now become bishop. Because of the +small number of religious and of convents up to this time, it had been +customary that some should be designated from the distant provinces +to come and vote in the provincial chapters, although they were not +superiors. Now, however, as there was a sufficient number of convents +and of superiors, vicariates were designated, the vicars of which were +to be in the place of priors. These and no others were now to have a +vote in the provincial chapter, in conformity with the constitutions +and privileges of the provinces of the Indias. It was also ordained +that the confirmation of the newly-elected provincial should belong +to the eldest definitor, according to the privilege of Nueva España, +which is likewise that of this province. At this chapter there were +received: in Nueva Segovia the village of Dumon, the church of which +at that time was called San Antonino; the villages of Gatarang and +Talapa, with the church of Sancta Catalina; and the village on the +estuary of Lobo, the church of which was San Raymundo. The title of +vicariate was given to San Pablo of Pilitan in Yrraya. [23] In this +place it seemed that another climate had been found, different from +that of the rest of this province, other fields and spacious meadows, +another temperature, and another race of people. The country is very +fertile, and abounds in game. It is very well watered, very pleasant +and very healthful, although at first it did not seem so for the +religious. The first vicar straightway died, and those whom he took +as associates were afflicted with severe illness. For this reason +and because of the distance from the other convents, it seemed to +many that it would be best to abandon it; but the desire prevailed to +go to the aid of those souls, though at the cost of health and life, +since on no occasion could these be better offered. [The devil greatly +resented their coming, and complained and uttered frightful howlings +through the mouths of his priestesses or aniteras. The coming of the +missionaries and the building of churches forced him to show himself +in his true light to his deluded followers. He often appeared to them +in dreams, bidding them resist and not become Christians. When they +reminded him that he did not resist, he answered that he could not +endure the sight of "those barbarians with white teeth." He called +the religious "barbarians," because of their little knowledge of +the language at the beginning; and he spoke of their white teeth +because the Indians regard this as a blemish, and make their own teeth +black.] In this mission of Pilitan the fathers found a madman with a +child, whom they desired to baptize as other children generally were +baptized; the father feared that they wished to take it away, and +never left it. He ate with it, slept with it, and went to the bath +with it. He did all he could to give it pleasure, but as a madman +would. Hence, often, in bathing it, he plunged it down so far under +the water that he drew it out half dead. The religious was in great +anxiety, fearing some disaster, and finally baptized it. Soon after, +the father caught a venomous serpent, ate it, and caused his child +to share in the meal. They both died, but the child to live forever, +thanks to the care of the missionary in baptizing it so as to give it +grace and glory. [From the last village which at that time had been +discovered, which was named Balisi, an Indian came with his family to +that of Pilitan to spend a few days. He brought with him his little +daughter, who was only six years old. She was so bright and charming +that all who saw her loved her. She grew so fond of the church that, +though she was a heathen, she wept bitterly when she was obliged by +her father to return to their own village. Soon after, falling sick +to death, she was baptized by a Spaniard named Alonso Vazquez, who +happened to be there. The Lord showed His kindness in several other +striking or marvelous instances of baptism. In one case a little girl +was very ill and the father had given his permission for baptism, +but the relatives and all the rest of the village resisted. Father +Antonio de Soria went there and asked him that they would let him +look at her to cure her. Spreading over her a moist cloth which he +had brought purposely, he cured her soul, which was soon to taste +the joys of eternal salvation. + +To the province of Pangasinan there was added by this chapter a church +and village, that of San Jacintho, which was formed here of people +from different regions, on a very pleasant river named Magaldan, +[24] the inhabitants gathering to it from several villages and some +from the mountains of the region. The Lord showed His kindness to +one woman by striking her with blindness when she purposed to run +away from the baptism which she had promised to receive, and by thus +bringing her back to the salvation of her soul. + +At this time the Lord took to himself father Fray Antonio de Soria, +one of the first missionaries of Nueva Segovia. He did not enter upon +the religious life, as generally happens, when he was in boyhood or +youth, but in mature manhood. He had been left a widower; and though +he had sons to care for, he provided for them in such a way that +he was no longer needed to attend to them. Being thus left free for +the service of God alone, he determined to become a religious, and +was accepted in the convent of our order at Puebla de Los Angeles, +in Nueva España. Most persons of this age and condition, especially +when they have lived in the luxuries which are common in Nueva España, +find it difficult to accommodate themselves to the severities of +religious life, both in little and in great things. Father Antonio +was not such. He began with the greatest humility to study Latin, +and became a master of the tongue. He entered upon greater studies, +following them with such success that he was made lecturer in arts +and a director of students. And as he was so superior not only in +his learning, but also in virtue, he was also appointed master of +novices, which is the same thing as being a teacher of the religious +life. He joined the fathers who came to these islands in 1595, and +became one of the first missionaries to the province of Nueva Segovia, +there suffering all the want, discomfort, and hunger which have been +described. The first results of his mission were at Camalaniugan, where +he drove a demon out of a woman who was possessed. In the following +provincial chapter, he was appointed superior of Nueva Segovia, to +preach to and teach and guide the Spanish, who in these new conquests +need the best of teachers. For his consolation they gave him the care +of the villages of Camalaniugan and Buguey. Not satisfied with all +this, he also took charge of the village of Daludu.] There lived in +that city Captain Alonso de Carvajal, encomendero of Pilitan, which +is distant from the city five or more days' journey. He collected +his tribute from the natives, and desired to give them a minister, +as he was obliged; but he was unable to find anyone who was willing +to undertake the mission. He accordingly urged father Fray Antonio +to go to visit these Indians and their country, called Yrraya, to +see if he could attract them to the law of God and the belief in +His holy gospel. The journey was long and hard, not only because it +was up the river, but because there were enemies on the road; and, +besides, there was no religious to leave in his place. Yet the desire +of converting heathen was so strong in father Fray Antonio that he +overcame all these obstacles and went to this new spiritual conquest, +in which all of the rest of the religious soon aided him. He preached +the holy gospel, and the Lord gave him such favor with that tribe, +that he led them by his command like tame sheep. The credit which they +gave to his teaching was such that long after, when Christianity was +more settled in Yrraya, and there was some difficulty in rooting out +some superstition which had remained among them, the old people said: +"If father Fray Antonio had commanded us that, there would not now +be a trace of it, or anyone to contradict him." To build the church +in the village of Pilitan, he threw down the hut of an old woman, a +noted anitera, by whom the devil gave answers to the questions which +were asked him. As this was done in this hut, the devil regarded it +as his own, and therefore greatly resented the overthrow of it. This +he said on many occasions, and he even sometimes said that he had +killed the father for tearing down his hut. But in this the Father +of Lies should not be credited; for, as he often confessed, he was +not able to appear before the religious; how much less, then, to kill +them. The manner of living followed by this father among these Indians +was exemplary, and such as to cause wonder among them. He suffered +and endured many hardships, and hunger and want, that he might not +inconvenience them. He was at once the master and the servant, at the +house. In order that a boy who served him by preparing his food might +not be offended at the work, the father went to the river and carried +the water that he had to drink; he was the sacristan who cared for the +church, the porter who closed and opened the doors of the house. He +it was who attended to everything that was needed, that he might not +trouble any persons by making them serve him. It was a journey of +a day and a half from Pilitan to the village of Nalavangan. He went +there and built a church, and baptized many; for the spirit of Fray +Antonio was to undertake much, and he was never contented with that +which would have seemed excessive to others. While he was engaged in +these holy exercises, the time of the intermediate chapter arrived, +and he was obliged to go to it to Manila. Here he was definitor, +and gave an account of the good work which was being wrought by +the Lord in the conversion of Yrraya. The chapter, feeling that the +Lord had chosen him therefor, appointed him as first vicar of San +Pablo at Pilitan. He returned in great contentment, because he was +going where he would have more to do than in other places, much as +there was to do everywhere, since all of these were new conversions, +where the labor is great and the ease very little. When he was among +his children he gave himself with such devotion to the labor of the +ministry that within six months he was attacked by a mortal disease, +which obliged him to return to the city to be cared for. Here, when he +had received the holy sacrament, he gave up his soul to his Creator, +to the great sorrow of all the religious, who were greatly afflicted +to lose such a father and associate. He made some compositions in +the language of the natives, which served as a guide to those who +followed him; but the greatest guidance that he gave was that of his +life spent and consumed in these so holy exercises. + + + + + +CHAPTER LII + +Fathers Fray Pedro de Soto, Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr, and Fray +Pedro de la Bastida who died at this time. + + +[Father Fray Pedro de Soto was a native of Burgos, and assumed the +habit in the convent of San Andres at Medina del Campo, where he +professed, and whence he went to study in the distinguished convent of +San Pablo at Valladolid. Here he showed signs of his great ability and +the subtlety of his mind, soaring above his fellow-students as does a +royal eagle above all other birds of less flight. In him the fathers +hoped that they were to have a third Soto, in addition to the other two +famous ones whom that province has had. He exhibited as much virtue as +learning. When the religious for this province began to be gathered, +his superiors were planning that he should become a professor. The +devotion and the severity of the discipline, and the opportunity to +save souls, attracted father Fray Pedro; he was also influenced by +the example of his two masters, Fray Miguel de Venavides and Fray +Antonio Arcediano, who had left their chairs of theology to enter +the new province, as had also two other fathers, lecturers in arts +at the same convent. The father master Fray Hernando del Castillo, +who was then prior, strove by all means to prevent him from going; +but the calling and inspiration of God prevailed in the heart of father +Fray Pedro. He arrived at Manila July 23, and on the day of our father +St. Dominic, less than a fortnight later, they asked him to hold some +public discussions of theology in the main church. Father Fray Pedro +avoided display of his knowledge and ability; but, on occasions when +necessity required him to speak, he made evident the great superiority +of his mind and his great learning. In the first distribution of the +religious, he was assigned to Pangasinan. The people of this region +still lived in their ancient villages and rancherias in the hills and +mountains, without civilization, order, or system, any more than if +they had never known Spaniards. Father Fray Pedro lived among these +tribes for three years, suffering the hardships and perils which +have been already described. He was constantly in danger of death, +being particularly hateful to the hostile natives because he was +the first one who learned the language of the Indians. When some of +them began to accept the faith, he offered money for information as +to those who continued to sacrifice to the devil. Keeping secret the +source of his information, he immediately went] in haste to the place, +sometimes alone, and caught the sacrificers in the very act. Without +waiting an instant, he upset everything, and broke the dishes and +bowls and other vessels which they used in their rites; poured out +their wine; burned the robes in which the aniteras or priestesses +dress themselves on such occasions, and the curtains with which +they covered up everything else; threw down the hut, and completely +destroyed it. In this way he made them understand how little all those +things availed, and how vain were the threats which the devil uttered +against those who would not venerate him; and, in brief, that this +was all falsehood and deceit. Many were thus aroused and undeceived; +while others, and not a few, were angry, so that it was a wonder +that he was not slain. [The rest of the fathers followed his plan; +but father Fray Pedro led them all, following the track of this chase, +in which his scent was so keen that nothing could escape him. At his +death, father Fray Pedro was able to say that he was sure of the two +aureoles of virgin and of doctor, and that he had almost succeeded +in gaining that of martyr. The village of Magaldan was the most +obstinate of all these villages in their errors. They had striven to +kill a father of the Order of St. Francis, insomuch that the dagger +was already lifted above him for that purpose, and he had fled. They +had refused to admit the fathers of the Order of St. Augustine, and +they would not listen to a secular priest who was assigned to them, +although the alcalde-mayor fined and punished them. It was these +Indians whom father Fray Pedro de Soto came to conquer with patience +and Christian charity. The Indians said that he never employed a +word of their language wrong. He was engaged for a whole year in +translating the gospel into this language, and translated some lives +of saints and instances of virtue--which though they were composed in +the very beginning, are still esteemed and are greatly prized, because +of the propriety of the words and the elevated style with which he +treated these matters. He was devoted to the study of theology and +sacred letters, and was continual in both mental and vocal prayer, +to which he added fasting. Being taken to Manila to be treated for +the fever from which he suffered, he died there. + +In spite of the failure of the two previous expeditions to Camboja, +the governor, Don Francisco Tello, judged it desirable to send another +ship with troops, and asked the order to send some of their friars with +it. The father provincial directed that father Fray Juan de S. Pedro +Martyr (or Maldonado) and father Fray Pedro Jesus (or de la Bastida) +should go. Father Fray Juan was then commissary of the Holy Office. He +was a native of Alcala de Guadiana, [25] and belonged to a rich and +honorable family. He studied canon law at Salamanca, and assumed +the habit in the illustrious convent of San Pablo at Valladolid. The +influence of Father Juan Chrisostomo attracted him to the new province +to be established in the Philippinas Islands. When he was about to set +forth, a certain Doctor Bobadilla, a canon in the church in Valladolid, +took him to one side and assured him that he was to die a martyr; +and this prophecy was corroborated by another devoted monk. It was +on this account that he changed his name of Maldonado to that of +S. Pedro Martyr. He spent his first year in the Philipinas in Manila; +and in his second year was sent as vicar to a village in Pangasinan, +which was at that time the most difficult in the province. From that +place he was transferred to the vicariate of Bataan, the language of +which he learned very well. When Father Juan Cobo went as ambassador +to Japon, father Fray Juan was assigned to the mission to the Chinese, +being thus required to learn a third language in addition to the two +which he already knew. He learned more words of the Chinese language +than any other member of the order, though he was not successful +with the pronunciation. He assisted the Chinese so much that they +named him as their protector; and he was, as it were, the advocate +of their causes, so that they became very much attached to him, and +listened with good-will to his preaching and his corrections. During +the absence of the father provincial in Camboja, the province could +find no one more suitable to govern it in his place, and accordingly +father Fray Juan was nominated as vicar-general. In the following +provincial chapter he was appointed lecturer in theology, for there +was nothing which the province did not find him competent to do. He +made no objection to carrying out any orders that were given him, +although they dragged him about hither and thither, causing him to +learn so many languages and immediately to drop them again. This is a +great evidence of his obedience and subjection to his superior. His +reputation outside of the order was very great.] The tribunal of +the Holy Office of Mexico appointed him commissary-general of the +Philippinas, which office he filled with the prudence and strength +of mind which the Lord has given in these regions to the sons of the +first inquisitor-general, our father St. Dominic. Don Luis Perez das +Mariñas, a wise and holy knight, refused to accept the governorship of +these islands until Fray Juan persuaded him to do so, stood security +for him, and undertook the duty of confessing him and of aiding him +with his good advice, that he might the better fulfil the office. This +he did in spite of the fact that this was certain to be, as it was, +to his own damage; for suitors who did not receive what they desired +immediately threw the blame on Father Juan, whom they well knew that +the governor consulted as to the appointments which he made. Father +Fray Juan knew all this well, but accepted it very readily, in order +that he might undertake the direction of so upright a man as Don +Luis. In spite of the fact that the esteem which was felt for Father +Juan within and without the order was very great, the counterweight +of humility and the consciousness of his own inferiority which he had +was much greater. He regarded himself as the most useless in all the +province, and treated himself as such. Hence, when he was named for +vicar-general of the province, he managed that this title and office +should be given to father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas. [In the same way, +when he was nominated prior of the convent of Manila at the time when +father Fray Diego de Soria went as procurator to España, he succeeded +in bringing about the election of another religious. He likewise strove +to resign the office of commissary in favor of father Fray Bernardo de +Sancta Cathalina, or Navarro. Such was the character of father Fray +Juan de San Pedro Martyr, whom the province was willing to spare for +the mission to Camboja. They would have spared an even more perfect +religious if they could, well knowing that he who had to preach the +gospel in a heathen kingdom like this should be such as father Fray +Juan was, or even greater in all things. The companion of father +Fray Juan, father Fray Pedro de Jesus or de la Bastida, a religious +of great virtue, had come to the islands in the previous year, 1591, +with the rest who were brought from España by father Fray Francisco de +Morales. He had displayed high qualities in the mission to Bataan, to +which he had been assigned. He had come from the very devout province +of Aragon, of which he was a son. When they reached the great river +of Camboja, father Fray Juan endeavored to carry out his mission, +both for the conversion of those tribes and as an ambassador of +the king our lord. He was contemptuously treated by the king, [26] +the son of that king who had sent to ask for religious. The present +king was wholly in the hands of Mahometan Malays, who persuaded him +that the embassy involved some evil to him. When father Fray Juan +asked his permission to return to the ship which they had left in +the port, the king refused to grant it, and thus showed that he +was plotting treachery. Father Fray Juan saw no opportunity for +preaching the gospel, as the country was disturbed and in arms; and +as the two captains, Diego Velloso and Blas Ruiz de Fernan Goncalez, +were in a difficult situation because their comrades were so few, +and the Malays, their enemies, were in such favor. The captain of +the ship [i.e., Mendoza] attempted to secure peace between these +factions, but did not disembark from his vessel. The same thing was +done by the captain of a fragata that had come from Sian. The Malays, +seeing that they had the advantage because their vessel was larger and +stronger than ours, made an attack and shot contrivances of fire and +powder to burn the Spaniards and the Japanese. The ship caught fire, +and those on board had to leap into the water to escape. Father Fray +Pedro de Jesus was unable to swim, and took refuge from the fire on +the poop. Here the Moros came out in small boats and thrust lances +at him. He fell into the water and died of his wounds, or was drowned +by the hands of the Moros. This vessel had done no harm to the Moros, +and had not even tried to aid the Spanish captains in the kingdom. The +only reason for attacking it was the desire of the Moros to prevent the +preaching of the gospel; and hence father Fray Pedro died a glorious +martyr. Father Fray Juan succeeded in reaching the fragata commanded +by Juan de Mendoça. In it father Fray Juan made his escape to Sian, +being wounded in the throat by a shot which had passed obliquely +through it; and thus half of the prophecy had been fulfilled that he +and his comrade were to die the death of martyrs. Father Fray Juan +went to Sian that he might be near to the kingdom of Camboja. The king +of that country was a cruel and barbarous tyrant; he took delight in +causing men to be thrown to wild elephants, who tore them to pieces +with their trunks. He caused others to be fried with a very small +quantity of oil, and their flesh to be torn off from them with pincers +while they were thus tortured, and to be thrust into their mouths, +that by force of the pain which they suffered they might bite and eat +their own flesh. When there were no criminals, he used to perpetrate +these cruelties solely for his own recreation; and that not to one, +or a few, but to a thousand at a time. Only a few days before, he had +had four or five Portuguese fried alive for some trifling offense, +for which they had already paid a fine to him. There were here at this +time a Portuguese religious, Fray Jorje de la Mota, [27] and several +other Portuguese who were now trying to escape from the country. The +force of the tides is so great that, when the tide is coming in, it +is impossible to make head against it; and as they were fifty leguas +from the sea, it was easy to follow and catch them. Overjoyed with +the possibility of escape offered by the coming of Father Juan, they +prayed him for the love of God to rescue them in his boat without the +knowledge of the king. The Spaniards planned to do so; but, because +of the too great haste and anxiety of the Portuguese, the vessel was +followed and found before it had made its escape into the sea. The +king was mad with rage, and sent three separate expeditions after +it. They surrounded the boat and fired at it with small cannon, +arquebuses, arrows, and lances. There were about twenty persons, +Castilians and Portuguese, on the ship, and they had about a dozen +muskets and a few arquebuses to protect themselves with. So long as +the tide was going out, they managed to defend themselves fairly well, +because they could manage to engage a part of the enemy only at one +time. When the tide came in they were obliged to anchor, and they +were like a target for the Sianese. After three days of this torture, +they managed to get to sea. The pilot had been slain by a shot; and +the captain, Juan de Mendoca, and father Fray Jorje de la Mota were so +badly wounded that they afterward died. The arm of father Fray Juan +de San Pedro Martir was broken by a shot from a small culverin. As +they had lost all their drinking-water in the combat, the sufferings +of father Fray Juan were very great. He saw that his hour was come, +and confessed to father Fray Jorje. He wrote to the fathers in this +province an account of the fortunes of this voyage; and expressed +his joy in dying on an expedition carried out by the command of his +superior for the purpose of preaching the gospel, in which he had saved +those poor Portuguese from dreadful danger to both their lives and +their souls.] Almost at the end of the letter which he sent he wrote: +"What we have in this province is good, and God is greatly served in +the province. Let us strive to keep what we have, by observing those +things which we have established; for I am sure that God will show us a +thousand favors. The arms of Saul do not fit all men; nor is preaching +in these regions suitable to any but a very holy man." [They buried him +on land near the port of Cochinchina, on an island called Pulocatovan, +at the root of a tree--not daring to set up a cross, for fear of the +derision of those heathen. He had set out upon this voyage certain +to meet his death in it; and at the beginning of the expedition he +had shown the perfection of his obedience in several ways.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LIII + +The election as provincial of father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas, +and the death of father Fray Damian Valaguer. + + +[On the second of June, 1600, the electors assembled in the +convent of Manila to elect a successor to father Fray Bernardo de +Sancta Cathalina. The example of father Fray Bernardo was so grand +that it was difficult for his successor to reach the same pitch of +excellence. Although all felt that father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas, +or Ormaca, was fitted for the position by character and abilities, +there was some doubt whether his ill-health would permit him to fill +the office as it ought to be filled. He was constantly under the +necessity of receiving dispensations from the severity of the rules; +and though this did no harm in a private friar, it was most unfortunate +in a superior. It was also feared that he would be physically unable +to perform the duties of the situation. One of the best physicians +of the city was called in, without the knowledge of father Fray Juan, +to express his opinion as to the ability of father Fray Juan to fulfil +the duties of the office. His judgment was favorable, and father Fray +Juan was elected. The election was a most fortunate one, for father +Fray Juan was able, learned, and holy; and his nature was so gentle +that the vicar-general, Fray Juan de Castro, who had a gift from heaven +of special insight into character, chose him as his usual associate, +and appointed him to the first position as superior in a mission to +Indians. He filled the office well, and not only lived out the four +years of his provincialship, but has seen ten other elections of +provincials since his own; and he is still alive while this is being +written, in the year 1637. Since he is still living, let us content +ourselves with what has been said--leaving the rest till the time +when, after the end of his life, it may be discussed with greater +freedom. During his term, the Lord opened the gates for the entrance +of the order to Japan, as will be narrated later; this was a great +reward for the hardships suffered by the religious of this province, +and by him in particular, from the perils and miseries of travel by +land and by sea. Many new convents were admitted at this chapter, +both in Pangasinan and Nueva Segovia; for the duties of the ministry +in these regions were constantly increasing, and the religious kept +constantly reaching out to new places. Many excellent ordinances were +passed for the exercise of the ministry to the Indians, and also for +the better maintenance of the rules affecting us--especially in the +matter of showing ourselves disinterested, and careful not to annoy +the Indians. + +In the province of Nueva Segovia the religious labored hard in the +search throughout mountains and valleys, and other secret places, +for the huts where the devil had been adored, to which those people +used to make pilgrimages in search of health or other favors, +giving offerings of bits of gold, or of stones regarded by them as +precious. The natives dared not take anything from those places, or +cut a reed or a tree from the natural growth of the earth in them, +for fear of death, with which the devil had threatened them. In the +villages on the coast many such little huts were found, with many +little figures and idols in them. The religious burnt and broke the +boxes with the offerings; took the gold and the stones, and all the +other offerings; and burnt and ground to dust everything, and cast it +into the sea, that it might not remain to be a stumbling-block to the +Indians. When the heathen saw that the threats of the devil were not +being carried out, their eyes were opened and they were very eager +to be baptized. Great aid was received from an epidemic of smallpox +which attacked a whole region. In this way the Lord took to himself +many souls, especially of children; for there were many newly baptized +in the province of Pangasinan and in that of Nueva Segovia.] Many of +those who seemed to be near their end recovered after they received +the water of baptism. All, therefore, came to be baptized, and the +Lord, by means of those who recovered, gave authority to the baptism; +while of the vast number who died baptized He peopled heaven with +new angels. This brought great comfort to the missionaries, who, +although worn out and greatly fatigued by going from house to house +baptizing and confessing, and giving the sacraments to sick persons, +saw their labors successful and rewarded by the sending to heaven of +so many souls, and also by the strengthening of their hope that they +should go to accompany those souls in glory; for it is not possible +that these should not be grateful, and pray and strive to obtain +salvation for those who labored, with such zeal, to give it to them +by the means of baptism, without which it cannot be obtained. + +[Soon after the provincial chapter, one of the definitors, father +Fray Damian Balaguer, died. He had lived but a short time in the +province, but had gained great reputation in it; and his early death +was much mourned. He was a native of the kingdom of Valencia, and had +two brothers in the same order--one, the present Fray Pedro Martyr de +Balaguer; and the other master Fray Andres Balaguer, at one time bishop +of Albarracin and afterward of Origuela. Father Fray Damian took the +habit in the convent of the Preachers in Valencia, which has been happy +in giving saints to the church. During all his novitiate, the master of +the novices never had occasion to discipline him, even for the merest +trifle--although by the advice of another father he assigned him some +discipline, without any fault on the part of Fray Damian, but not +without a cause; for it is necessary for the novices to be initiated +in these punishments of the order, that they may not afterward be new +and strange to them. He was constant in prayer and fasting, given to +speaking of the things of God, and to mortification. For many years he +was accustomed to repeat the whole of the Psalter of David daily, in +imitation of St. Vincent of Ferrara. He studied at Origuela, becoming a +lecturer in arts in the same college, and afterward in theology--having +a singular grace given him to declare with clearness the gravest and +most profound difficulties of this holy science. He was an excellent +and a moving preacher, having the power to change the hearts of many +of his hearers, who selected him as their spiritual guide. Whenever +he left the convent, which he did only on important occasions, he +was followed by a troop of his disciples, who gathered not only to +honor him, but to profit by what they heard him say. He showed all +his life the greatest humility, and from day to day did not change, +except by the augmentation and advance of his virtue. Being eager for +the conversion of souls, he went to Mexico with master Fray Alonso +Bayllo, who was going out to Mexico with authority to divide the +province of Vaxac from that of Santiago. [28] For the space of two +years he directed the schools in the city of Vaxac; but, as that was +not the end which he had intended, he was dissatisfied. When he heard +that many ministers of the holy gospel were needed in the Philippinas, +he took advantage of the arrival in Mexico of father Fray Francisco +de Morales to ask that he would take him to the islands with the +rest of the company whom he was bringing over. Arriving in 1598, +he was assigned to Nueva Segovia, where in a short time he learned +enough of the language to be able to hear confessions. Father Fray +Damian was first vicar and superior of the mission of Abulug. As such, +he was a definitor in the provincial chapter, and returned to Nueva +Segovia as vicar of the village of Pata. He died greatly mourned. + +At this time there died in the same province of Nueva Segovia brother +Fray Domingo de San Blas, a lay religious of much virtue and known +sanctity, a son of the convent of San Pablo at Sevilla, who came to +these islands in the year 1594. He was of much use to the Indians, +of whose language he learned enough to be understood by them and to +teach them to pray, to attract the Christians to the church, and to +teach the heathen the knowledge of the doctrine of Christianity. He +was fervent in prayer, being often moved to sighs and tears during +his devotions. He strove to hide them from his companion, father Fray +Ambrosio de la Madre de Dios, but was unable to do so. Father Fray +Ambrosio said to him that, as they two lived alone and like brothers, +there was no reason why one should try to conceal anything from the +other. With this permission from his superior he broke out in sobs, +and his heart melted away in tears, directed mainly to the conversion +of these heathen and to the perfecting in Christianity of the already +baptized. Two extraordinary things happened in this village of Pata +while this brother lived there: One was the receiving of a fish on the +day of St. Dominic, under such circumstances that there could be no +doubt that the Lord had sent it to enable them properly to celebrate +the feast of the holy founder of this order. The second event was +the marvelous recovery or restoration to life, at the intercession of +St. Dominic, of an Indian who had been given over for dead. It was the +very man who had given them the fish. Father Fray Domingo died from +exposure to the sun. He was sent back to the convent of Manila for +care, and there grew worse; and, after having very devoutly received +the holy sacraments, exchanged this wretched life for the eternal one.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LIV + +The intermediate chapter; an extraordinary event which took place in +it, and the coming of religious to the province. + + +In the year of our Lord 1602, the voting fathers assembled in their +intermediate provincial chapter, at which was accepted the house of +San Juan del Monte, which is situated a legua from the city of Manila +in a solitary place, a healthful and pleasant situation. There were +two motives and ends with which this house was built. The first was +the consideration that some aged fathers, after their many labors +and years passed in the ministry, desired, having performed the +duties of Martha, to give themselves up wholly to those of Mary by +leading the life of contemplation. For this purpose the locality is +very well suited, for there is nothing in it to disturb the calm of +prayer and contemplation. But it did not serve much for this end, +because it was soon found by experience that these servants of God, +the aged ministers, were of much more usefulness in the ministries, +since their example and authority were very efficacious for the +spiritual increase of faith and devotion in the Indians. Teaching +and doctrine were received much better from such venerable ministers, +who were well known, loved, and regarded. It was also found that the +example of these venerable fathers was of great use to those who +had newly entered upon the ministry, since they could not fail to +venerate and follow the acts and the teaching which they beheld in +these ancient and venerable ministers. Even though there are some +who on account of their great age and infirmity can not continue +in the service, they are of more use in the convent of the city, +where their infirmities may be better cared for, and where their +good example and venerable age are more valuable. The second motive +and object is one which is obviously of great advantage. It is found +that in the city convalescence takes place slowly, or not at all; +therefore those who are being treated for any sickness leave the city +for their convalescence, by the advice of the physicians. If the order +did not have this convent outside of the city, in a situation which +is healthful and where the air is good--which is what convalescents +most require--the religious would be obliged to ask for permission to +go for their convalescence to the farms or fruit-gardens of laymen, +which are never so appropriate as the convent. Now that they have this +convent, no permission is granted to go for convalescence to any other +place, which is to the great advantage of the province. Also when a +religious is worn out and afflicted by the heats of the city, which +are very great, he is permitted to go and obtain some refreshment and +ease at San Juan del Monte, and soon returns to his labors in the city +with new energy; and this, too, is of great value. While the fathers +were assembled at this chapter an event occurred which caused special +awe in the hearts of the religious, and created greater respect for +the sacred constitutions which we promise to observe. Even when the +obligation does not involve a matter of sin, even venial sin, still +the Lord desires us to keep them with the greatest accuracy--not +only in matters of importance, but even in the less significant +ones. It was a very extraordinary incident, and one which seems +to have happened like the blindness of the man who was born blind, +as the gospel tells us, "not because of his own sins nor those of +his fathers, but for the glory of God." Although there was a fault, +it was such a fault as the Lord is accustomed to pass over (and even +greater ones) in us. Therefore it was, as I said, that it seemed to +be for the greater glory of God and of St. Cecilia, who, as we shall +see, had a share in the remedy. There was a religious who came from +the province of Andalucia, in which he had lived in a very devout +convent. It happened one evening that this religious ate between meals +a few capers without the permission and blessing of the superior. This +is something which in the eyes of men did not appear a special fault; +but it was so in the sight of God, who punished this excess. From that +evening the religious suffered from a pain, which seemed to him to be +in his heart. Although from evening to evening it sometimes was very +severe, still it was not of such a nature that on account of it they +hesitated to ordain him, or, after he was ordained, prohibited him +from the use of the orders which he had received. He came into these +regions, and went as minister to the Indians in Pangasinan. In the +course of time his sufferings increased, and afflicted him to such an +extent that he was prohibited from saying mass, as it was feared that +the malady would attack him during the celebration. During this time +when he did not celebrate mass, his malady continually increased and +afflicted him more than before, so that the religious suffered great +torture; and they gave him great care, and as much comfort as was +consistent with our poverty. In spite of this he grew worse and worse, +and suffered greater afflictions and torments. It attacked him one day, +and they gave him some relics. Thereupon he began to be so furious that +he lifted up and carried along the religious who came to hold him. It +seemed to them that it was some evil spirit which received the holy +thing so ill. The prior at that time, who was father Fray Francisco +de Morales, afterward a holy martyr in Japon, asked permission of the +father provincial to exorcise him. While he was saying the litany, +the grimaces and gestures made by the afflicted man were many; but +when the prior reached the glorious name of the martyr St. Cecilia, +his fury became so great that with the torment of it he fell to the +ground, deprived of strength as if in a faint. Now it happened that +this religious was very devoted to this most illustrious saint, and +had composed a special office which he used to recite out of devotion +to her. He had even abandoned his own proper surname, and was called +and called himself "de Sancta Cecilia." Although he did not perceive it +himself, this was of great aid to him against the devil who tormented +him; therefore it was that the evil spirit resented it so much when +the religious invoked her. When the religious saw this, they called +upon her many times, and all those present made a vow to fast for a +day on bread and water, from reverence for this saint. The provincial +vowed to celebrate a feast in her honor, and the church and an altar +were prepared for saying a mass to her with great solemnity. All the +religious were with the afflicted friar in the choir, singing the +mass to the saint. At the first Kyrie, he began to be changed; and, +when the priest said the first prayer, the noise which he made in +the choir was so great that he disturbed the ministers who were at +the altar. While they were singing in the creed the words Ex Maria +Virgine, et homo factus est [of the Virgin Mary and was made man] +the noise became very much greater; and at the lifting up of the Host +his sobs and groans and cries were so loud that, to avoid exciting +the people in the church, they kept sounding clarions to the end of +the mass. They took him from the choir to the oratory. Here in the +presence of all the religious gathered together, he performed an act +of humility, saying that his faults had brought him to this wretched +state, and begging them to pray to God to pardon him; and that, if +it was best for him to suffer all the pains of hell, he was ready to +receive them. He asked permission of the provincial to kiss the feet +of those who were present. The provincial comforted him, and they went +on with the exorcism, during which the devil became calmer. The friar +answered all the questions which were put to him, and, when they gave +him the holy cross, he kissed it with reverence. These were evidences +of his recovery. The friar became so weary that it was necessary for +him to repose. When he lay down to sleep it seemed to him, whether +in dreams or not he could not tell, that the devil complained of +being suffocated, that a religious was repeating exorcisms to him, +and that the glorious St. Cecilia came to his assistance. On the +following day the religious fasted, as they had promised, on bread +and water, and repeated the exorcisms. During them it became evident +that the evil guest had departed, and that he must be one of those of +whom the Lord said that they are not to be cast out except by fasting +and prayer. There was no more necessity of cure for that malady. As a +result, the religious became very much devoted to this glorious saint, +who has favored the order on many other occasions; and they became +very fearful of violating the constitutions, when they saw that the +Lord was zealous for them in such a manner. Among the babblings which +the Father of Lies muttered through the mouth of the afflicted friar, +it was noticed that when he was directed to read the epistle in +the mass of the cross, where the apostle says, Christus factus est +pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, [29] he read pro vobis [i.e., +"for your sake"], excluding the devils from the benefit of the holy +Passion. When one of those present said that Christ our Lord had not +died for devils, the proud one answered immediately: "Then we have the +less to be thankful for." When he reached the words of the apostle, +that "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those who are in +heaven, on earth, and in the hells," he refused to utter this last +word, which affects the devils; and, when they forced him to utter +it, he answered that it was enough to say that every tongue should +confess that He was seated at the right hand of the Father. All this +was to continue further the pride with which he was always tormented. + +At the same time, at the end of April, those religious reached +Manila whom father Fray Diego de Soria had collected in España +during the previous year. He assembled them at the port, where he +delivered them to father Fray Thomas Hernandez, [30] father Fray +Diego remaining in España to collect and conduct another company, +in which he succeeded. The body of friars which arrived at this time +was one of the best which had come to this province. [31] It contained +fourteen members from the colleges of the provinces of España, Aragon +and Romana. These were all very superior in ability and advanced in +knowledge, and still more so in religion and virtue. The provinces +of España were not a little grieved to lose them. There, however, +there was a very easy remedy because of the many who were left behind; +while for this province these friars were of the greatest value, and +have given it dignity and support in various ways, in the offices that +belong to it. It appeared from the beginning that the Lord gave them +His benediction, and such a spirit of constancy and firmness that, +although they had the most urgent reasons for remaining behind, not one +of those who were designated failed to come. This is something which +probably never happened with any other shipload. There also came many +besides [the fourteen above mentioned], taking the chance as to their +being desired, which was an even greater marvel. This was in the year +sixty-one, when Sevilla was afflicted with the plague. It was here +that the religious were to assemble, and to wait for the sailing of +the fleet. On the road, they met many who asked them where they were +going. When they answered, "To Sevilla," those that heard them were +amazed and answered: "You see, fathers, that we, who are inhabitants +of Sevilla, have abandoned our houses and our fortunes almost to +destruction, fleeing from the plague there. Are your Reverences going +to place yourselves in the midst of it?" But nothing sufficed to +prevent a single one of them from continuing his journey, for they +regarded dying in such an enterprise as good fortune, and death on +such a journey as happy. At the court father Fray Thomas Hernandez +and three companions who were with him found the father provincial +of España, who at that time was the father master Fray Andres de +Caso, an intimate friend of him who at that time was president of +the Indias. He said to them, "Where are you going? There is no fleet, +for the president of the Indias has told me so." In spite of all this, +the religious were all moved by a higher impulse; and although it was +true that, on account of the plague, it had been ordered that there +should be no fleet, one was afterward permitted to sail. The religious +reached Sevilla after much hardship; because in many places they were +unwilling to admit them to the towns, or to private houses, or even +to our own convents, so great was the fear of the plague. They were +even unwilling to be satisfied with the evidence that the religious +brought with them that they were healthy. When they reached Sevilla +they saw the plague-stricken taken almost dead to the hospitals and +even this did not frighten them. They were in the Guerta del Corco +[i.e., "garden of the deer"]; and there one of them was taken with the +plague, and was carried suddenly off in two more days. Even then, not +one of them even thought of giving up the voyage, although they saw +the plague and death within the house where they were dwelling. The +Lord favored them so that no one else took the plague. When they saw +the danger more clearly, they gave greater thanks to Him who had not +only rescued them from it, but had taken from them the fear which +they naturally had of it--especially as they had almost all come on +foot, asking alms, all the way from the innermost parts of Castilla +la Vieja; and though they were persons who were not inured to that +sort of hardship, and therefore were the more likely to fall sick, +especially in a season of plague. [The religious who died was Fray +Juan de Solis, a son of the licentiate Jofre de Solis. He was a +man of jovial disposition and fond of company, but corrected his +weakness when he proposed to go to the Philippinas. His relatives and +several of his fellow-friars tried to dissuade him, but he insisted +upon going. In Sevilla, as there was no lay religious with them, he +undertook the duty of cooking for the rest of the company; and it may +be that the great heat and consequent exhaustion were the reasons for +his being taken by the plague.] When the religious reached Sevilla, +they were received with much joy and charity by father Fray Diego +de Soria. Everything they had--their books, their clothes, their +money, and everything, down to their very handkerchiefs--all became +common property; if they had any debts unpaid, the community took +charge of these, and the religious were left without any care, and +even without the use of anything for themselves, except the habit +which they wore. From that day they even said all their masses for +the community, which provided for every one what he had need of, +while no one possessed anything (not even by permission) except +books. Everything else was in common for all of them; and hence they +did not have to think of carrying anything with them for the voyage, +except the very small outfit provided for the whole company. [On the +voyage they strove to live as much as possible as if they were in a +very strict convent. They encountered a frightful storm, so great that +there was not a single vessel which did not lose at least one mast; +and one of the largest and best of the vessels foundered, although +without loss of life. Even the pilots confessed, which they avoid as +much as possible for fear of disheartening the crew. The ship on which +the religious were was very old, and was being sent on its last voyage, +to be broken up and sold as old lumber in the port. In response to a +vow of the religious, the Virgin of the Rosary showed them grace, and +brought the storm to an end. In Mexico some were sick, but none died; +and not one remained behind. This greatly astonished the fathers of +the province of Mexico, because in every shipload some give up the +distant mission--being wearied by the voyage which they have taken, +fearful of the dangers to come, and pleased with the delightful climate +of Mexico. This shipload was the first which occupied the hospice +of St. Hyacinth, where they lived as if in a convent, following +all the rules of the province. While in the hospice, they studied +and had frequent theological conferences. They very rarely visited +the city. On the journey from Mexico to Acapulco, which is very long +and over a very bad road, many of them went on foot. As this was not +customary at that time, it greatly edified those who saw them. There +was only one ship in from the Philippinas; and this and more were +needed by the governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, for the accommodation +of himself and his troops. But while the religious were praying and +offering vows to the Virgin for her aid, they were rejoiced by the +news that one ship had come in from the Philippinas and two from Peru, +which were all taken to make up the fleet. On the voyage they did much +for the consciences of those who were in their ship, dividing among +themselves all the people, from the admiral and his companions down +to the lowest convict or ship-boy. They taught these men and heard +their confessions, opening the way of peace and liberty to many a +captive and unhappy soul. At the port of Acapulco died father Fray +Vicente de Liaño, a religious of much devotion and patience under +suffering, for he was a confirmed invalid. When they reached Manila +they were immediately distributed by the provincial council, which +was then sitting. The number of religious was the largest that has +entered the province since its establishment. All of the houses in +the province were filled, and enough were left to comply with the +wishes of the king of Satzuma, who had sent to ask for religious.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LV + +The causes of the entry of our religious into Japon, and the +circumstances under which they entered Satzuma. + + +[Christianity in the kingdoms of Japon took its origin from the +Society of Jesus, the first preacher and apostle therein being +St. Francis Xavier. The fathers of this Society had entered Japon +according to the rule of the gospel, without weapons or soldiers, but +with peace and mercy and in the strength of holy living. Christianity +flourished so that the first missionaries were obliged to call in aid; +and they sent for assistance to the Philippinas, where at that time +there were discalced Franciscans and Augustinians, besides members of +the Society. Father Gaspar Coello, vice-provincial of the fathers in +Japon, wrote to the governor, Dr. Santiago de Vera, to the bishop, +Don Fray Domingo de Salacar, and to the guardian of St. Francis, +and the rector of the Society in Manila, urging the establishment of +trade between the Philippinas and Japon. The bishop made a number of +formal inquiries, which were verified before a notary. One is dated +at Nangasaqui, September 11, 1584; and the other from the kingdom +of Fixen, January 24, 1585. The witnesses when asked especially if +it would be an advantage to have religious of various orders, and +especially religious under the vow of poverty, replied unanimously +that such would be very well received. They called to witness the +case of the holy Fray Juan Pobre, a discalced friar who disembarked +in Japon on his way to China, and whom the Japanese, both heathen and +Christian, adored. It must be admitted that soon afterward the fathers +of the Society in Japon changed their opinion, in spite of the fact +that the extension of Christianity in Japon required more laborers in +the field and that the empire was large enough for all the religious +orders. God was pleased to put it into the heart of many of the kings, +or tonos, of that realm to send to Manila to ask for religious of all +the orders. The particular reason for the calling of our religious was +as follows: In 1601 a number of Japanese vessels, with many Christians +on them, touched at Manila. A number of these Christians became very +fond of our convent, and often visited it. One of them, by name Juan +Sandaya, brought the captain of his ship to the prior, Fray Francisco +de Morales; and they discussed the possibility of sending religious +of the Order of St. Dominic to Satzuma, whence the captain came. In +the following year a letter was brought from the king of Satzuma, +Tintionguen, inviting them to come to his kingdom. The letter was +dated on the twenty-second day of the ninth month in the sixth year +of Keycho. [32] In response to it religious were sent. Father Fray +Francisco de Morales went as vicar and superior, accompanied by the +fathers Fray Thomas Hernandez, Fray Alonso de Mena, and Fray Thomas del +Spiritu Santo, or Zumarraga, and brother Fray Juan de la Abadia, a lay +brother. [33] They set sail on the day of the most holy Trinity. They +carried but little in the way of temporal things, expecting to live +upon the alms which they should receive in Japon. They rested the first +night in a heathen temple in the island of Coxiqui. [34] The priest of +the idols removed the images, and left the temple unoccupied, and the +fathers consecrated it and set up in it an altar. The Japanese were +very curious about the new missionaries, and were greatly pleased with +them. They were welcomed in a few days by some Japanese gentlemen, +who made them a very ceremonious greeting and welcomed them in the +name of their king. They were escorted to the court of the tono, where +they were honorably received. The black and white colors of the habit +pleased the Japanese, for these are customary in that country; while +the eating of fish as an ordinary article of food is very common in +Japon. They also greatly admired the devotion of the fathers to study, +for they esteem their boncos [or "bonzes"] in proportion as they are +learned; but what above all they admired was the contempt of these +fathers for comforts and worldly advantages. The favor with which +the religious were received enraged the priests of the idols, who +insisted that the Japanese princes who had become Christians had been +unfortunate. They mentioned the instance of Don Augustin Tzunotami, +[35] a great and valiant lord who had been destroyed by the emperor; +also that of Don Francisco, the king of Bungo, [36] who had been +conquered and lost his life; while this kingdom of Satzuma had been +protected by its devotion to its gods, and especially to Faquiman, +who is their god of war. It was no wonder that two Christian princes +should have been overwhelmed when thousands of heathen had suffered +the same overthrow, but the idol priests passed that over. The emperor +intervened, and enacted a decree that no king or tono, and not even +any gentleman of distinction, should become a Christian. The king +of Satzuma, however, would not banish the religious, but gave them +permission to build a church and a house. Not infrequently, however, +they were forgotten, and did not receive their customary supply of +rice. The fathers converted the family of the man in whose house they +lived, and made a chapel in the oratory of the house. The queen was +desirous of seeing the image of the Virgin which was set up in the +chapel; and it was carried to the palace, and there worshiped with +the greatest respect by the chief personages of the court. The king, +being unable to make up his mind how to treat the religious because +of the opposition of the emperor, permitted them, at their request, +to return to the island of Quoxiqui, where they had landed, and +where they had something of an establishment. Here they suffered +from the rigors of the Japanese winter in a wretched hut. They had +insufficient food, and received very small alms. In case of illness, +it was impossible to give the sick man any treatment, or even proper +food. The Lord, however, preserved them; and the tono at last, pitying +them and being edified by their way of living, offered them a town, +the income derived from which would suffice to maintain them. This +they declined, as being against the rule of the province to which they +belonged. The king was much amazed, and gave them some interpreters +to speak for them when they preached. Being on an island seven leguas +at sea, they could not preach to advantage, or learn the language; +the king gave them permission to build a house and a church in the +city of Quiodomari. They said their first mass here on the day of +the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in 1606. Here the fathers made a +number of conversions, although they were permitted to baptize only +the common people, the conversion of persons of rank or of soldiers +being forbidden. Some, however, came secretly and were baptized. One +of them, a soldier by the name of Leon, received the crown of martyrdom +in four months.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LVI + +Another mission of the religious to the kingdom of Camboja + + +In España many times the conquest of Camboja, Sian, and Champan, +neighboring kingdoms, was much discussed. The theologians whom his +Majesty consulted declared that this conquest was justified within +certain limitations. As captain-general was appointed the Conde de +Bailen. There came to Manila in 1603 an embassy from the new king +[of Camboja] asking for the friendship of the governor, for a force +of soldiers, and, most important of all, for religious to come and +preach the gospel. The king disclaimed any part in the murders which +had been committed a few years before by the king his predecessor (who +was his nephew), and by the Malay Moros whom that king favored. By +them all the Portuguese and Castilians who were there had been slain, +except one who made his escape. [37] This new king had had nothing +to do with that murder, because he was at the time a prisoner and +captive in Sian, and had been taken from prison there to the kingdom +at the death of his nephew, who had been slain by the Malay Moros +whom he had favored. They had taken possession of the kingdom, +thus rewarding the ungrateful treachery which he had shown to the +Spaniards, although they had restored him to his kingdom. At this time +the governor of these islands was Don Pedro de Acuña, a man of noble +birth and a brave soldier, a devoted servant of his Majesty, and a +true Christian. In this same year the Lord had given him a glorious +victory over fifteen or sixteen thousand Chinese who attacked this +city, of whom scarcely one was left alive, the Lord aiding this noble +gentleman and the few Spaniards who were in Manila. Not long afterward +He gave him the great victory by which Maluco was recovered and given +into the possession of his Majesty, without the loss of a man, which +greatly enhanced the victory. [The governor was delighted by this +embassy from Camboja, and sent to ask preachers of the order which +had spent so much and labored so hard to introduce the gospel among +these tribes. The province immediately appointed father Fray Iñigo +de Santa Maria as vicar, and, as associates and apostolic preachers, +father Fray Geronimo de Belen [38] and father Fray Alonso Collar, or +de Santa Cathalina--whom the governor despatched with six Spaniards, +letters, and a present, in a good frigate. They had bad weather, +and were obliged to touch at Cochinchina and to coast along the +kingdom of Champan, where they were attacked by Indians when they +went on shore to get fresh water. They reached the port of Camboja +called Chordemuco, in April. The king received them with great marks +of honor, showing particular favor to the religious. The kingdom +was in constant disturbance, but the king was greatly encouraged +even by the presence of these Spaniards. He was greatly desirous of +receiving further assistance from the Philippinas; but the fathers +were doubtful whether any ought to come, for fear that things would +turn out as they had before. Some vessels came from Cochinchina, the +captain of one of them being one of those Sangleys who had killed the +governor of the Philippinas (Dasmariñas); he took possession of the +Spanish galley, and became a pirate. He had at this time the title of +ambassador from the king of Cochinchina. Some of the Japanese knew him, +since he had stolen a ship from them; and they wished to kill him, +but were restrained by the religious. Soon after, when some more +Japanese vessels came into port, they plotted against the man, and +took his life, before the fathers could hinder them. At this time the +fathers and the Spaniards suffered great risks, because the Siamese, +the Chinese, and the Cochin-chinese, and much more the Malay Moros, +who were all assembled here, hate Christianity. There was promise of +much disquiet and many factions; and, to pacify them, the king asked +one of the fathers to go to Manila and to ask for reenforcements +of soldiers and for more fathers, promising to pay the soldiers, +who might defend and guard those who were converted. Father Fray +Iñigo went back for that purpose. The priests, or bonços, frequented +our church and approved our manner of life, giving hopes of their +conversion if the religious should remain. Some conversions were made, +and the manner of life of the fathers greatly impressed all the people +of the city. On his way back to Manila, father Fray Yñigo lost his +life. He was a son of San Estevan at Salamanca, and was almost one +of the first who came to this province, having been sent as a result +of the activity of the first bishop of these islands, and of his +associate, Fray Miguel de Venavides. He was a great preacher and +very devout in prayer. He was elected to the priory of Manila, and +was most useful in enlightening the consciences of the inhabitants +of that city. He was most devoted to St. Cecilia and to St. Ursula; +and when he called upon their names, miracles were wrought for him +by the supplying of a convent in Pangasinan with fish at his prayers, +and on other occasions. He showed at some times the spirit of prophecy. + +At the same time there died in Camboja father Fray Alonso Collar or +de Sancta Cathalina. Father Fray Alonso was a native of Cangas de +Tineo, and assumed the habit and professed in Oviedo. He had come +to the province in the previous year (1602), and after beginning +to learn the Chinese language, had been sent by the order of his +superior on this expedition. His death caused great grief in Camboja, +and his funeral was attended like that of one of the grandees of the +nation. His bones were afterwards taken to Manila, that he might be +buried with his brethren. Thus there remained in Camboja, in the +midst of many and great perils, one single religious (Jerónimo de +Belén), who dared not baptize the people, although he had the license +of the king to do so, because of the confusion and disquiet of the +time. Looking for no future success, and knowing the fickleness of +the Indians of that region--who had asked to have missionaries and +soldiers sent to them, and who then had received them so ill, and +had finally killed them--he wrote back asking permission to return; +this was granted him by the provincial, until such time as the affairs +of this kingdom should promise greater stability and quiet.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LVII + +Some misfortunes which happened at this time, and the experience of +the religious during them + + +The city of Manila is the finest and richest of its size known in all +the world. It is of great strength, being almost surrounded by the +sea and by a large river, which wash its walls. It is the capital and +court city of these islands, where the governor and captain-general +of them has his residence, as well as the royal Audiencia and +Chancillería. Here is situated the largest garrison of soldiers, +with its master-of-camp, sargento-mayor, and captains. From here are +sent out the forces and garrisons subject to this government, which +are very many and very wide-spread, for it includes Maluco and the +island of Hermosa--one of them almost under the torrid zone, and the +other almost within view of Great China and very near Japon. This +city makes the name of España renowned and feared throughout all +these neighboring kingdoms; for, although its inhabitants and its +soldiers are few, yet by the aid of the Lord, whose faith they spread +abroad, they have performed so many glorious exploits that even the +barbarians of the smallest capacity have come to esteem above measure +their greatness, when they see the Spaniards always victorious over +enemies who so surpass them in number that experience only might make +such victories credible. As a kind father with his son, whose good he +desires, not only strives to give him honor and wealth, but in time +provides him with punishment and discipline, therefore, after our Lord +had made the city illustrious with glorious victories and had filled +it with riches, then in the year 1604, at the end of April, He sent +upon it a fire which, defying all efforts to control it, burned to the +ground a third part of the city--with such swiftness that many had no +opportunity to escape it (although the fire occurred about midday), +and they perished in the flames; while the loss of wealth was so +great that it can hardly be believed. Hearing the news of the fire, +which was at some distance from our convent, the religious went to +help extinguish it; for on such occasions as this they labor more +and have more confidence than others. In a moment, as if it were +flying, the fire reached our convent; and since there was no one +to protect it, it was almost wholly burnt, the Lord leaving only so +much as was necessary to supply a crowded shelter for the religious, +without being obliged to go to the house of any other person. In +this we were among the more fortunate who escaped; for the fire was +so extensive that others had not even this small comfort. Many who +on that morning were rich, and had great houses and great wealth, +had that night no house where they might lodge or shelter themselves, +such is at times the fury of this terrible element. + +At the beginning of October in this same year, this city, and +consequently all the islands, were in great danger of being lost, +because of a revolt against it of the Chinese who lived near it. The +event happened in the following way. In the previous year, in one of +the merchant vessels which come to this city from China every year +there arrived three persons of authority, who are called by the +Spaniards "mandarins." These are their judges or leading officers +in war. They entered the city, borne on men's shoulders, on gilded +ivory seats, having the insignia of magistracy: and they were received +with the display due to ambassadors of so powerful a king. They had +come to search for a mountain which a Chinese, named Tiongong, had +described to his king as being all gold. The name of this mountain +was Cavite, and from it he promised to bring back to China ships +laden with gold. The mandarins made their investigations, for which +purpose they carried Tiongong with them; and when they reached the +place which he described, they found no mountain of gold, nor any +sign of one. When they accused him of fraud and deceit, he answered, +"If you wish it to be gold, it is gold" (referring to the ornaments +which the Indians wear, and much more to the wealth of the Spaniards); +"if you wish it to be sand, it is sand." All this was done in the sight +of the Spaniards, who came there with a good deal of interest to know +the reason why these mandarins had come so far away from their regular +duties--and especially their chief, who was, as it were, sargento-mayor +of the province of Chincheo, one of the most prominent officers in +their army. The whole thing aroused suspicion; and the archbishop, +Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, a friar of our habit and a religious +of this province, urged the governor to send them back immediately, +that they might not perceive how small a force the Spaniards had, +and might not make the other reconnoissances which are customary +when foreign cities or kingdoms are to be attacked. They feared that +China was intending an attack upon us. The religious of the order, +as they knew the language, visited the mandarins and learned from them +that this Tiongong meant to inform the king that the wealth of these +islands in the hands of Spaniards and Indians was great; and that, +if he would send ships and forces, he might easily make himself lord +of it all. They accordingly urged the governor to hasten sending +the mandarins away, and he did so. After this event the Spaniards +did not rest secure, but were very fearful that the king of China, +being a heathen, might be carried away by avarice, and might be greedy +for the great wealth which this trickster offered him. Since he was +a very powerful king, his resources would certainly be greater than +this country could resist without great damage to itself. Even if the +city were to be victorious, the result would be its destruction. It +would lose a great many of its people, and the indignation of the +king would be aroused because of his defeat. He would therefore +take away their commerce from them, without which this country could +not be sustained. All these reasonings and considerations made the +Spaniards very anxious and suspicious. Their suspicions were very +greatly increased when the heathen Chinese kept saying that they +believed a fleet would come the next year. This was heard by some +Chinese Christians who were so in truth; and they went immediately +and told it to our religious who had the direction of them. There +were some of them who put on false hair that they might look like +heathen, and went with studied negligence to the alcaiceria [i.e., +"silk market"] where the heathen lived, and heard their conversations +at night with reference to the coming of the fleet. They immediately +reported these things to their religious, and they to the governor +and the archbishop. The archbishop, in a sermon preached at the feast +of the most holy Sacrament in our convent, informed the governor and +the city that they ought to make preparations, because the Chinese +were about to rebel. Although the governor knew all these things, +because he had been told of them by our religious, on the aforesaid +authority, he could never be persuaded that the Chinese were going to +rebel, because of the great harm and the little or no advantage which +they would receive from the revolt. Yet, to make ready for what might +happen, he began to show special kindness to the Japanese who lived +near Manila, and to prepare them so that in case of necessity they +might be on the side of the Spaniards. He followed the same plan with +the Indians, directing them to prepare themselves with arms and arrows, +to be ready if they should be needed. None of this was conceded from +the Chinese, for it could not be kept secret from so many; and they +even heard with their own ears the most prominent people in Manila say: +"We cannot go out against the Chinese, if they come with a fleet, +and leave behind us such a multitude as there is around the city; +so, if we have news that there is a fleet of the Chinese, we shall +have to kill all there are here, and go out and meet those who are +coming." This kind of talk greatly afflicted them; and besides this, +the more ignorant class of people already began to look at them as +enemies, and treated them very badly. The result was that they became +very much disquieted and fearful. In addition, there were not lacking +some to go and tell them lies, bidding them be on their guard, for on +such and such a day the Spaniards were going to break out upon them. In +proof of this lie they called their attention to some facts which the +Sangleys could see--for instance, that all the Spaniards were getting +ready their weapons, and the Indians were making new ones, though +they had no other enemies, unless it were the Chinese. At last, more +out of fear than from any purpose of their own, they rose in revolt, +insomuch that some of them were seen to go where others had fortified +themselves, weeping bitterly because they saw their destruction, +but feeling that there was no other means to save their lives. The +governor and the Audiencia made great efforts to undeceive them and +to pacify them, but nothing that was done gave them any security. On +the contrary, it seemed to them a trick to catch them unawares. It +was a pity to see them leave their houses, which were many, and flee +without knowing where, or considering how they were to obtain food +for so great a multitude. Some of them in this affliction hanged +themselves, to avoid the miseries which as they saw would befall +them if they revolted, and the violent death which they feared if +they did not rise. Finally, on the eve of the glorious St. Francis, +they threw off the mask and came forward as declared rebels against +the city. Sounding warlike music and waving banners, they began to +burn houses and to kill people; and on that night they attacked in a +body the town of Binondo, which is composed of Christians of their +own nation. Their purpose was to force these to join them; but our +religious, to whom the teaching of these Chinese was committed, caused +the women and children to be brought for protection to the church, +while the Chinese Christians took their arms and defended the town +under the leadership of the good knight Don Luis Perez das Mariñas, +who lived there next our church. With twenty arquebusiers, who were +on guard in that town, they drove the enemy back without suffering +any damage. The enemy, however, inflicted injury upon those who were +at work in the fields, many of whom were taken by surprise and were +compelled to join them or to suffer death. They also attacked the +church and town of Tondo, which belongs to the religious of our father +St. Augustine. As the latter had provided against them by a Spanish +guard, they did no harm. After having defended the town all night, +Don Luis das Mariñas sent one of our religious to the governor before +daylight, asking for some troops to attack the Chinese rebels who had +fortified themselves near the town of Tondo, not far from Manila. He +was of the opinion that as these people had spent all the night, +disturbed themselves and disturbing others, they would be tired and +sleepy, so that it would be easy to inflict great losses on them. The +governor took the matter before a council of war; all approved, and +he sent his nephew, Don Thomas de Acuña, with more than a hundred men, +the best in the camp, together with some of the men of highest rank in +the city, who desired to accompany the nephews of the governor and the +archbishop, who went with this party. This small force was regarded +as sufficient to attack more than six thousand who were said to have +banded together and to be in fortifications--so little did they regard +the Chinese. The Spanish, marching in good order, met at least three +hundred Chinese enemies, and, attacking them, put them immediately to +flight. They were near some large plantations of sugar-cane, in which +the Chinese concealed themselves; and the Spaniards followed them, +being thus divided and brought into disorder. The rebels were posted +not far from there, and, when they saw the Spaniards in disorder, +they all sallied out against them, and, surrounding them, killed +them almost to a man, although with great loss on their own side. As +a result, they plucked up courage to advance against the city, and +to try to make an entry into it. For this purpose they made some +machines of wood, much higher than the wall. They came forward with +these, with no small spirit, but soon lost their courage because, +before the machines were brought into position, they were destroyed by +the artillery, which inflicted much damage upon the enemy. So, after +some slight encounters, they abandoned the siege and fled into the +country. Against them was despatched the sargento-mayor, Christobal de +Azcueta, with as many Spanish soldiers, Indians, and Japanese as could +be got together. As a result of the good order which he maintained, +the Chinese were killed off little by little, until there was not left +a man of them. This was accomplished without any harm to our troops, +for, no matter how much the Chinese strove to force them to give a +general battle, they constantly refused it; but they kept the Chinese +in sight while they were marching, and halted whenever they halted, +surrounding themselves with a palisade of stakes which they carried +for the purpose. These they arranged not in one line, but in two, +so that in case of attack--and many attacks were made--before the +Chinese could reach the palisades and pass them, the Spaniards with +their arquebuses and arrows killed the greater number of them. The +loss of life was especially great among the most courageous, who +led the van; while the rest turned back in terror, without effecting +anything. Hunger also fought with them powerfully, because, as our +soldiers kept them constantly under surveillance, they could not go +aside to forage. The little food which they had brought from Manila +was quickly exhausted; and, after that was gone, their lives followed +rapidly. Thus by the twentieth of October the war was at an end and +everything was quiet. But the city was greatly in need of all sorts +of things, for all the trades were in the hands of the Chinese, +and, now that they were dead, there was no shoemaker, or tailor, +or dealer in provisions, or any other necessary tradesman; and there +was no hope that they would come again to this country for trade and +commerce. On this account it was determined to send an embassy to +China, to give information as to the facts of the case. There were +appointed as ambassadors Captain Marcos de la Cueba and father Fray +Luis Gandullo, one of our religious--a man of great virtue, sanctity, +and prudence, who had gone to China on two other occasions. They +suffered much hardship on the voyage, but finally succeeded in +their negotiations with the viceroy of the province of Chincheo, +which is the place from which the Chinese come to Manila. After he +had given them license to get a supply of ammunition for the city, +he dismissed them, promising to continue the trade. This promise was +carried into effect, for in the following year there came thirteen +ships; and from that day forward everything has gone on as if nothing +of what has been narrated had ever taken place. + + + + + +CHAPTER LVIII + +The election as provincial of father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho and +the coming of religious + + +On May 9, 1604, father Fray Juan de Santo Thomas having completed +his term as provincial, there was elected in his place father Fray +Miguel de San Jacintho, a religious of much prudence, great virtue, +and a mind greatly inclined to goodness, and one who loved and honored +those who were good. He exhibited in the course of his office great +talent in governing, watching over the order with great care, and +filling his office with much affability and simplicity, which caused +the religious to love him, and to feel particular satisfaction in him +because they had shown so much wisdom in appointing him as superior of +the province, out of all the many candidates who had been put forward +at that election. His excellent and prudent manner of governing was not +displayed on this occasion for the first time; for he had previously +exhibited his high abilities in such offices when he was elected by +his associates as their superior on the journey from España, that +position having been vacated by the death in Mexico of father Fray +Alonso Delgado, who had come as their vicar. In spite of the youth of +father Fray Miguel, he filled this office so much to the satisfaction +of all that they regarded themselves as fortunate in having found +a superior who looked out so carefully for the advantage of every +one without ever forgetting the general good of the order--which, as +being more universal, takes precedence and commands higher esteem. In +the affairs of the voyage, which are many and full of difficulty, +he conducted himself so well and anticipated them with such accuracy +that it seemed as if all of his life had been spent in the office of +conducting religious. This is a function that calls for many diverse +qualities, difficult to find united in a single person unless he is a +man of so superior a nature as was father Fray Miguel. When he arrived +in the province, they sent him to the district of Nueva Segovia. Here +he was one of the first missionaries and founders of this conversion; +and was one of the best and most careful, most beloved by the Indians, +and most devoted to his duties as a religious, who had ever been in +that province. He suffered all the hardships and necessities, the +poverty and the lack of sustenance, which have been recounted. From +them, although he was a man of strong constitution and fitted to endure +much, the want and the lack of food resulted in causing severe pains +of the stomach. This evidently resulted from hunger, for as soon +as he had a moderate amount of food he was well; but this happened +seldom, and most of the time they had nothing to eat but some wild +herbs which they gathered in the fields, and which were more suited +to purge their stomachs than to sustain their lives. Hence in jest +father Fray Gaspar Zarfate, who was his associate, said to him that +he was greatly in doubt whether they were properly keeping the fasts +prescribed by the constitutions, because they ate the same thing for +supper in the evening as for dinner at noon; for, as they had nothing +else, they ate quilites at noon for dinner, and quilites at night for +supper. There were received at this chapter the church and house of +Nuestra Señora del Rosario [i.e., "Our Lady of the Rosary"] in the +kingdom of Satzuma in Japon; and, in the province of Nueva Segovia, +those of San Vicente in Tocolano, San Miguel in Nasiping, San Pedro +in Tuguegarao, San Raymundo in Lobo, Sancta Ynes de Monte Policiano +in Pia, Santa Cathalina de Sena in Nabunanga (which is now in the +village of Yguig), and Nuestra Señora de la Asuncion ["Our Lady of +the Assumption"] in Talama. These were all villages which had been +waiting for religious; and as the bishop of that region, Don Fray +Diego de Soria, a religious of the order and of this province, had +written that he was about to come back to it with a large following of +religious, the new provincial was encouraged to take the charge of so +many new churches and villages which were so much in need of teaching, +for they had never had any, and were nearly all heathen. The good +bishop did not fail of his promise. He had been one of the first and +most prominent founders of this province, had seen and passed through +the great sufferings which the establishment of it required, and had +likewise had his share in the great harvest which the religious had +reaped in these regions. He therefore loved it much, and strove with +all his might to increase it; and hence, when he was about to come +to his bishopric, he endeavored to bring with him a goodly number +of excellent religious. The vicar in charge of them was father Fray +Bernabe de Reliegos, a son of the distinguished convent of San Pablo +at Valladolid, where in the course of time he went after some years +to die, leaving the religious highly edified by his happy death, +which was to be expected from his very devoted life. The example +which they gave on the way from their convents to Sevilla was such +that it highly edified the people of the towns through which they +passed. The religious who set out from San Pablo at Valladolid +were four in number, and they made their way to the port on foot, +asking alms and sustaining themselves solely by what the Lord gave to +them as to His poor. Although on some occasions they suffered from +need because there was no one to give them sufficient alms, they +never made use of the money which the superior had sent them for the +journey--esteeming more highly that which was given them for the love +of God, and putting aside the shame which begging alms at the doors +brings with it. They came to a small hamlet in the Sierra Morena, and, +though they went two by two to search for lodgings, they found none, +and still less did they find any food. Hence in their need, which was +great because they had gone on foot, they went to find the alcalde, +to lay their necessities before him. After he had several times +refused to see them, he at last admitted them at night, and sent +them to a house with orders that they should receive the friars. A +gentleman from Baeca was there, who, seeing that they were poor, had +compassion upon them and sent a page to invite them to eat dinner, +although he had already dined before the religious could reach the +house. They thanked him for these alms, but declined them, saying that +the alcalde of the town had provided for their dinner and lodging; +and the gentleman sent them forty reals in charity, saying that he +did not send them more because he was journeying on business to the +court, where the expenses were so great that they left him no more +with which he could help the friars, as he wished to do. That the Lord +permits such needs is not due to His lack of power or of love, and He +ordinarily makes up for them with similar or greater recompenses. In +Baylen they went around the town two by two, and when they had all +come together, without obtaining more than two or three cuartos in +alms, night came upon them without any inn or lodging. A man was +following their path who had noticed what happened to them, and he +offered them his house. They thanked him, and accepted his charity; +but the house was nothing but a poor peddler's shed, three brazas long +and two wide, and, that he might take them in, he sent his wife that +night to sleep elsewhere. But a house of charity could not fail to +be large and spacious, and hence the religious rested in it with much +satisfaction and joy. In the morning the Lord paid the charitable host +for the lodging; for the conde, learning of what had happened, called +him to appear in presence of the religious, thanked him for what he +had done, and, promising him his favor for the future, forced a man who +had done our host some wrong, some days before, to recompense him for +it immediately. Thus he went away happier than if it had been a feast +day, though this is not the principal pay for such works, for they +earn glory in the sight of God. All the religious reached Sevilla, +and set sail on St. John's day in a small vessel to go to Cadiz and +take ship. At noon they were at a considerable distance from land, +and the master of the ship was very inattentive. The religious saw +three vessels with lateen sails following them, and were amused at +these because they had never seen that kind of sail before. This +called the attention of the master, and he went up and looked at +them. Seeing that they were Moorish vessels, he trimmed his sails, +and turning the helm, set out to run ashore. When he succeeded, he +said: "Some saint is sailing in this boat, on whose account our Lord +has delivered us today from falling into the hands of Moors; for it +is they who were chasing us with their light sails and swift boats, +from which it was impossible that this heavy bark with its heavy load +should have escaped, if some superior power had not been watching over +us by some saint who has been traveling with your Reverences." On the +following day it was learned that at that very same place some people +who had taken the same voyage had been captured, wherefore they saw +themselves obliged anew to render most humble thanks to the Lord +for His singular mercy and kindness. They went on board the ships; +and when the fleet was sailing in the gulf which on account of its +restlessness and the many waves which are always there, is called +Golfo de las Yeguas [i.e., "Gulf of the Mares"], two sailors fell +overboard from the flagship--an accident which often happens when they +are working in confusion at a critical moment. The flagship--not being +able to help them, since it was carried on and separated from them by +the wind--gave a signal, by discharging a piece, to the ships that +followed it that they should try to pick up the men. As none of the +other ships was able to go to their help, that one on which were the +bishop and the religious hove to; but, on account of the excitement of +the moment, they failed to do so with proper caution and prudence. The +rudder was brought over with all the sails up so that the head of the +ship was brought down dangerously, and the whole bow as far back as the +foremast went under water. That there might not be one accident only, +the violence of the wind and the burden of the sails and the force of +the waves jerked the tiller [pinçote] from those who were at the helm, +and swung it across fast under the biscuit hatchway, leaving the ship +without means to steer it when that was most needed. The hatchway was +closed, and no key was to be found. The ship was going to the bottom, +being submerged in the water, and the waves, which were like mountains, +were beating on its sides, so that the mariners in alarm were shouting, +"We are lost, we are going to the bottom and cannot help ourselves, +for want of a rudder and direction." "Let us turn," said the bishop, +"to our Mother and Lady, the mother of God, and let us promise to +fast in her honor for three days on bread and water if by her help +we may receive our lives." The religious did so, and, falling down +in prayer, they supplicated her for aid; and instantly--a proper work +for the divine pity and that of the Mother of Compassion--the tiller, +or stem of the rudder, came out, of itself, from the hole into which it +had gone. This was contrary to the common expectation in the ordinary +course of similar cases; for the hole was very small, and therefore +it was very difficult for anything which had once entered it to be +brought back again. Four men quickly caught it, and, bringing it +across with great strength, turned the ship back into its course. The +seamen were in amazement at this extraordinary event; and, as they +had had experience in like cases, they regarded it as the favor and +benefit of our Lady who had been invoked by her afflicted and unhappy +chaplains. Therefore to her the religions rendered devout and humble +thanks, and with great joy fulfilled the vow which they had made. + +On its voyage the fleet touched at the island of Guadalupe for wood +and water. This island was inhabited by a barbarous and inhuman race, +bare of any sort of clothing, and (what is worse) bare of any sort +of pity; for they had no pity upon those who, without doing them any +harm, came there to get water which would be wasted in the sea, and +wood for which they had no use whatsoever. There were in the fleet +the Marqués de Montes Claros, going to be viceroy of Nueva España, +and, as commander, Don Fulgencio de Meneses y Toledo; and on the eve +of our father St. Dominic, twenty-five soldiers having gone ashore as +a guard with an ensign in command, all those on board the fleet went +ashore and mass was said as the religious had desired. After that, +the religious and all the rest went to wash their clothes and to +bathe themselves, of which there was great need. The sailors went to +get wood and water. Being all more widely scattered than was proper, +they failed to keep a proper lookout, when they ought to have been more +on their guard against the peril which menaced them. The islanders, +taking advantage of the opportunity to carry out their evil purpose, +came down close to them, being hidden in the thick undergrowth of +the mountain. They began to shoot arrows at the Spaniards when the +Spaniards were not keeping a lookout, and when they themselves had +the advantage. This they did so rapidly and in such numbers that it +seemed as if it rained arrows. When the Indians were perceived many +were already wounded, and much blood had been shed. The surprise +and confusion threw the crew into a panic, and huddling together in +a frightened group they fled, each man striving to put himself in +safety--one leaping into the boat to go back to the ship; another +throwing himself into the sea, which was then regarded as more +pitiful than the land; still another hiding himself among the trees +and letting the savages pass as they shot their arrows at those +whom they found ahead of them, and letting them pick up as spoils +the clothes which he had been washing, or which were now being dried +after the washing. Those who could do least to resist the attack of +the islanders were the religious; and hence many of them fell wounded +and others dead, for it was easier to draw their souls from them than +to draw out the arrows. Three of them hid themselves in a thicket, +where the Lord delivered them from a shower of arrows which were shot +after them as they went to hide. Holding a little [image of] Christ +in their hands, they begged him earnestly that he would blind the +savages that they might not see them and might pass them by. The Lord +heard them, and thus, though the islanders saw them hide themselves +and shot many arrows after them, yet the arrows did not strike them; +and the Indians, who are keener than mastiffs in discovering people, +could not find them, though they passed the place where they were. + +The wounded were: father Fray Juan Luis de Guete, a son of the convent +of Preachers in Valencia, in whose spine an arrow was fastened, being +stopped by the bone; father Fray Juan Naya, a son of the convent of San +Pedro Martyr at Calatayud, who escaped with a wound in his arm where +an arrow had passed through it; and father Fray Jacintho Calvo, who +was struck twice. He was a son of the convent of La Peña de Francia, +where in course of time he hung up one of the arrows. The wounds were +not so penetrating as to take their lives; but they made the fathers +very happy because here, with this blessed beginning, they had begun +to shed their blood for the Lord who had redeemed them with His own, +and for the gospel which they were going to preach in His service. The +religious who died there were six. They were so picked and selected +among all the rest that, as they were the cream of all the others, +it was plain that that which the islanders had done en masse was, +so far as concerned the Lord, a most particular providence of His +who had directed the arrows against the best and the ripest of the +religious that they might be offered as early fruit on the table of +the supreme Father, as something in which one may safely assert that +He takes much pleasure. Three of these holy martyrs were children +of the most religious convent of Preachers in Valencia, which, +as it is so prolific in saints, naturally had here the greater +share. The first was father Fray Juan de Moratalla, a native of +Murcia, a religious of noble example, great mortification, silence, +modesty, and composure. [He was devoted to prayer and solitude, +and to the good of others. The second was father Fray Vicente Palao +Valenciano, a religious very precise in his observance of the rules, +and such as a priest ought to be. The third was Fray Juan Martinez, +a priest, an Aragonese, a religious of purest and holiest life. The +fourth was Fray Juan Cano, a native of Burgo de Osma, a son of San +Pablo de Valladolid, young in age, old in virtue. The fifth religious +was Fray Pedro Moreno, a deacon, a native of Villalba, a son of the +royal convent of Sancta Cruz at Segovia, and a member of the most +illustrious college of San Gregorio at Valladolid. He was devoted +to prayer and to silent meditation. At his death the Lord wrought a +miracle by enabling him to make his way to the seashore, where he died +in prayer, and was afterward found beneath the water in the attitude +of prayer. The sixth religious was Fray Jacintho de Cistenes, a son +of the convent at Valencia, and a native of that noble city. He was +young in age but venerable for his virtue. The Lord had revealed to +him that he should die on the day of St. Lawrence, as he actually did, +after suffering for some time from his mortal wound. [39]] + + + + + +CHAPTER LIX + +The erection of some churches, which took place at this time + + +The religious who were coming to the province, although they had +been diminished in number by the savages of Guadalupe, were of great +use. They were fourteen in number, and, that they might immediately +begin that which they had sought over so many seas and through so +many hardships, they were assigned to their duties. The newly-elected +provincial took with him four for the province of Nueva Segovia, +where at that time the conversions were going on rapidly, because the +country was large and nearly all the inhabitants were heathen. When +they reached the cape known as Cabo del Bojeador, a place which is +ordinarily a difficult one, the provincial saw that a small cloud which +covered the peaks of some mountains near there was moving toward the +sea, which began to be unquiet and rough. The pilot thought it best +that the sails should be lowered somewhat, in order better to resist +the attack of the wind and the waves which threatened them. While he +was striving to do this, the tempest anticipated him; and the wind came +with such force that wind and wave turned the vessel on its side, and +the water entered over the sides of the ship. It was necessary for the +religious to put their hands to the oars, while the rest went to work, +with great difficulty, to get in the sails--nothing being left but the +courses, in order to make it possible to steer. Although the amount of +sail was so small, the wind was so powerful that, lifting the vessel on +one side, it forced the other under the water. The religious repeated +the exorcisms against the tempest, upon which it subsided a little; +but when the exorcism was completed it came back with as much force as +at first, almost capsizing the vessel, and making it ship water. When +the exorcism was renewed, the tempest moderated itself anew; but when +the exorcism was completed, its fury returned as before. Thus they +perceived that this tempest was not merely a tempest of wind and of +waves, but was aided by the devil--who at the words of the exorcism +lost his strength, and as soon as that ceased received it again, +to hinder the ministers of the gospel. Four times they repeated the +exorcism, and four times the same thing happened, upon which the +father provincial, recognizing the author of this evil, said: "Since +I see that ministers are to be given to the villages of the heathen, +and that the devil, who unjustly keeps them under his tyranny, is +about to be banished from them, I promise to build a church under +the patronage of the guardian angels, that they may aid us against +this cursed enemy who is so clearly making war against us." As soon +as he had made this promise, it seemed that the guardian angels took +upon themselves the protection of the fragata; for the tornado began +to disappear, and they continued their voyage. On the following day +they rounded the cape, by rowing against a slight contrary wind which +had arisen; and when this wind had quieted down, the fragata came to +some billows where a number of opposing currents met. The waves were +so high that the little boat put its side under water. A religious +threw into the sea some relics of St. Raymond, repeating the glories +of the saint, and the sea was immediately calmed--just as when water +boils too violently in the kettle, and a little water is poured into +it; and by the kindness of the saint a fair wind was given to them, +with which they continued their voyage. + +When they reached Nueva Segovia, a minister was provided for the +village of Nasiping, which had been accepted ten years before, but +for which it had been impossible previously to provide a minister +because the supply of them was so scanty. Even now there was so much +requiring the attention of the religious, and they were so few, that +half a miracle was necessary for the missionary to be given. Father +Fray Francisco de la Cruz, or Jurado, [40] was taken dangerously +ill. He was a religious of much virtue, of whom they had great +hopes. The father provincial, fearing to lose him, promised to give a +minister to Nasiping if the sick man recovered. Father Fray Francisco +recovered, and the provincial fulfilled his vow and named the church +after St. Michael. This village is on the banks of the great river +[i.e., of Cagayán], five or six leguas higher up than the city of +the Spaniards. In the year 1625, twenty-one years after it received +ministers, there had been baptized in it more than three thousand +four hundred persons, as is certified by the baptismal records; and, +in addition to this, many were baptized in sickness who, because +of their immediate death, were not entered on the records. To this +village there came an Indian from Tuguegarao, which is distant two +days' journey by water. He very earnestly desired the religious to +confess him, and to give him the other holy sacraments. The religious +confessed him and gave him the communion, more that he might assist +his devotion than because he supposed he was in danger. He had come +on foot and seemed strong, so that it seemed that he was very far +from being in such a state of necessity; but after he had received the +sacrament he died. This was something at which the religious wondered, +and which aroused in him great devotion and joy when with his eyes he +saw so plainly the power of divine predestination, carried out in ways +so hidden and mysterious. Father Fray Pedro Muriel, [41] who is still +living, has testified as an eye-witness that when he was minister in +that village, in the year 1631, the locusts were more in number than +the natives had ever seen before. In the fields of that village they +were in such numbers that they spread over a space three leguas in +length and a quarter of a legua in breadth, covering the earth and the +trees so that the ground could not be seen, so thickly did they cover +it; and they ravaged the fields as if they had been burnt. [The Indians +did what they could to frighten away the locusts, but in vain; and the +Lord heard the prayers of one of the Indians that He would drive away +the locusts during the night. At dawn, when he expected to find all of +his fields desolated, he found that just half of them had been eaten, +and that all the rest had been left. The Lord showed a similar grace to +a poor woman who prayed for His aid in protecting her field of maize.] + +In this same year, 1604, the provincial sent three religious to the +estuary of Lobo and the country of Ytabes, [42] in the province of +Nueva Segovia. All those Indians are heathen; and though by nature they +are very tractable and easy to deal with, simple and free from malice, +and concerned with nothing but their agriculture, still the outrages +of those who took tribute from them were so great that they enraged +the natives and obliged them to take up arms, to the great loss of the +Spaniards. As they were few and the multitude of the Indians many, +the few, although they were very courageous, came to their death by +the hands of the many; or, rather, the unjust came to death by the +hands of divine justice, which in this way was pleased to chastise +and end their injustices. And as we very seldom reckon rightly, +the chastisement which God wrought by the hands of these Indians was +attributed by the Spaniards to the courage and valor of this tribe; +and thus they were very fearful of them until the holy gospel declared +by the Dominican religious changed them from bloodthirsty wolves to +gentle sheep--the Lord aiding by manifest miracles to give credit to +His faith and to His ministers, to the end that they might be able +to do that which without this or similar assistance from the Lord it +would have been impossible to achieve. One of the three religious who +entered these heathen villages to undertake their conversion said, +in giving an account of what happened: "Since the hand of the Lord +has been so plainly succoring these Indians by the hands of those +religious who dwelt among them, their reformation has been great and +marvelous. They have gone from one extreme to the other, almost without +any intermediate stage, since the religious took them under their +care. Before that they were so free, so completely without God or law, +without king or any person to respect, that they gave themselves up +freely to their desires and their passions. Evidence of this is found +in those wars which they were continually waging among themselves, +without plan or order; and in the drunkenness and the outrages of +which they were guilty, without regard to God or man. He who was most +esteemed among them was the greatest drunkard, because, as he was the +richest, he could obtain the most liquor. He who slew the greatest +number of men was regarded as superior to all the rest. They married +and unmarried daily, with one or many wives. In a word, they were a +barbarous race, given up to all sorts of shameless conduct. In spite +of all this, when the missionary came among them they were as docile +as if they had during all their lives been learning to obey, which +is something very difficult even in religious orders. This was true, +although the religious instantly laid a general interdict upon all +their ancient vices; obliged them to consort solely with their lawful +wives; even forced many to abandon their land and their old villages, +that they might come where teaching was given them; and, in a word, +compelled them to enter all at once, and in a body, into ordered ways +of living, in matters both divine and human. They had not a thought of +opposing a single command; and this has been achieved without stripes +or penalties, but simply by kindness and gentleness. The result has +been that those who did not understand anything except killing, and +drinking till they could not stand, and running without any restraint +after every sort of vice, now never think of doing these things--as I +have seen in these first three villages in this district of Ytabes. The +day we went among them we found all the men lying about the streets, +dead drunk; since that day there has not been one drunk enough to +lose his senses. The same reformation has been achieved in all other +matters, for they were not compelled to do all this by fear of the +Spaniards. Quite otherwise; the Spaniards regarded these Indians as +so indomitable and intrepid that, for fear of them, they did not dare +go up the river as far as their villages; but after the religious went +among them, they were gathered into large villages that they might be +more easily instructed in the faith, having been previously scattered +among many small ones, like so many farmsteads [in Spain]. There +were three villages thus formed: one of about five hundred tributes, +named Taban, the church of which was called San Raymundo; and the +other two of more than a thousand tributes each--one called Pia, its +church Santa Ynes de Monte Policiano, afterwards known as San Domingo; +and the last one, named Tuao, the church of which was dedicated to the +holy guardian angels because of the incident referred to above. Thus +all those people were brought together and united, to reduce them +to settlements, and to a civilized mode of life and government; and +to the church; but this result was obtained at no small cost to the +religious. Of three of them, two immediately fell very sick, and the +third still more so, for he died as a result of the illness. This was +father Fray Luis de Yllescas, a son of the convent of Sancto Domingo at +Mexico, a very humble religious, very obedient and beloved by all. He +received the holy sacraments for his departure with great devotion; +and went away to enjoy, as may be presumed, the reward of his labors, +which had been many in a short time. Yet neither this death nor the +failure of health in the rest caused them to withdraw their hands +from the work upon which they had begun. On the contrary, the great +good which they beheld, wrought by the Lord among these Indians, +served as medicines and remedies for the ills from which they suffered; +and for their convalescence, though they had no worldly luxuries, +that fruit was much better which, more and more every day, was borne by +this new plant of the church. From it they recovered health, strength, +and new courage to carry on the work which they had begun. To give +them still greater spirit, the Lord came to them working miracles. The +first mass which was celebrated in the village of Pia took place on +St. Bartholomew's day, the twenty-fourth of August. [Before the end +of the month, a sick person who wished to be baptised beheld some +fierce and abominable forms which dissuaded him from baptism, and +reminded him of the rights and customs of his ancestors, charging +him not to change the faith in which his fathers and grandfathers +had lived. These dreadful forms were driven away by three persons, +clad in black cloaks with white garments beneath. The sick man was +often asked if he knew these three persons who had delivered him, and +he said "no." When he was asked if they were religious of our order +he also said "no," because he had never seen any of the religious +wearing their cloaks. He always declared that he had been awake and +not asleep; and the narrative was accepted as certain. At one time, +a religious who was himself in poor health was left in charge of +thirteen newly-converted Christians, who were all confined to their +beds by sickness. Being unable to give them the care which he desired, +he placed upon the abdomen of each of them a little roasted rice-bran, +very hot, begging the Lord to make up by His pity for the lack of +medicine. When he came back the next day to visit them, all but two +were well, and had gone to work in the field; and the others soon +recovered. The same treatment given by another Indian or by the sick +man to himself had no effect; and thus it is plain that the healing was +due to the desire of the Lord to honor and to give authority to the +hand which applied the remedy. The Indians themselves observed that, +after they had religious, far fewer died than before they had them. In +their ancient days of superstition, when a man fell sick he generally +died, because he was treated only by the witchcraft of the aniteras, +whose sole purpose was to get gold from the sick persons by false +promises. The sorcerers did them no good and indeed rather harmed them, +since cures came from our worst enemy, the devil; while now the Lord +was giving them, by means of the religious, health that was health +indeed. One of the religious in this region, father Fray Juan Naya, +[43] fell ill, and grew worse so rapidly that he was given up as a +consumptive. By the advice of another religious, he made a vow to +our Lady to serve in that province among the heathen, if she should +be pleased to grant him sufficient health for him to carry on this +work. He made the vow for seven consecutive years from the day of the +Visitation, July 2, 1605. During all this time he had his health; +but at the end of the seven years he was attacked by a very severe +and dangerous illness, which left him when he renewed his vow for +four years more. Similar experiences have been frequent among the +religious. It has even happened to some who were not very devoted +to this work, and who desired to go to other provinces where the +Lord might be served with less severity and with somewhat greater +comfort, that they have been afflicted with diseases, which gave +place to miraculous health as soon as they made vows to remain and +minister to the Indians whom they wished to leave. In this region the +Lord manifested His goodness and gave authority to his ministers, +curing a sick woman who was at the point of death, by means of the +sacrament of holy baptism. In this same village it happened to father +Fray Juan Naya that a poisonous snake entered his shoe without any evil +effect. An Indian in this same village called upon God in his illness, +and, when it did not seem good to the divine Providence to heal him, +he called upon the devil whom he had previously served. The Lord +punished him with dreadful visions, from which he was delivered upon +praying to the Lord for His protection; and he was finally cured, +after making his confession. A child was miraculously healed in +the town of Pia at the time when father Fray Juan Sancta Ana was +vicar there. A woman who did not seem to be dangerously ill prayed +so earnestly to be baptized that the father granted her wish. She +died almost immediately after, the Lord having shown her a marvelous +kindness in causing the religious to baptize her immediately.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LX + +What our Lord wrought, by the intercession of our Lady of the Rosary, +who stands in a shrine between the two villages of Pia and Tuao. + + +[In the church of the village of Pia there was an image of our Lady +on one of the side altars. It had been made in Macan, and had been +first set up in the church of our order in the city of Nueva Segovia, +whence it was taken to the church of Pia. Here the image was greatly +beloved; and when father Fray Juan de Sancta Ana gave it away to +another village, after having received a second image of much greater +beauty, the people begged so earnestly to have it returned that the +vicar was obliged to have another painted on canvas and sent to the +village of Tuguegarao (to which he had given the one for which the +Indians begged), and to have the first image brought back. While the +father was considering where it would best be put, the idea occurred +to him that it would be well to establish a shrine on the road between +Pia and Tuao, at a distance of about a league and a half from each of +the towns. This shrine was set up on St. Stephen's day in 1623. On +the day on which the shrine was consecrated more than ten thousand +persons were gathered together from the neighboring villages. One of +the women of the highest rank in the village of Pia undertook the +care of the shrine, placing a lamp to burn constantly before the +holy image. This Indian was named Doña Ynes Maguilabun. The Virgin +was not slow to reward her for this devotion, for once when Doña Ynes +took with her to the shrine her little nephew, a child of five years, +who was suffering from a large swelling under his left arm--a disease +among the Indians which runs into an abscess, and, being so near the +heart, is very dangerous indeed, because of the lack of medicines and +of medical science among these Indians--the little one was left in +the shrine, and fell asleep on the steps of the altar. While there +he had a vision of the Virgin, and, when he awoke, the swelling was +entirely healed. Other miracles were wrought by the same image. One +particularly worthy of mention happened in the year 1624. There being +a severe drouth, the father who was at that time in the village of +Tuao, Fray Andres de Haro, [44] and father Fray Juan de Sancta Ana, +decided to make some processions and offer prayers to the Lord for His +mercy. They accordingly arranged to make processions on a certain day +from each of the villages to the shrine. The Indians of Pia confessed +their sins, that the burden of them might be removed from the land; +and on that same Sunday it rained so copiously in the region of this +village of Pia that it seemed as if the village would be drowned and +as if the floodgates of heaven were open. On the day appointed for +the processions, the father of the village of Pia told the Indians +that it was not necessary to make the procession, but that he would +say a solemn mass of thanks to our Lady, which could be done in the +church. They, however, insisted; and when they reached the shrine +they found there all the people of the village of Tuao, where not +a drop of rain had fallen, because the inhabitants of Tuao had not +thought of confessing. They immediately began to prepare themselves for +confession, and all that day the inhabitants of Tuao and Pia confessed +their sins, revealing some which, from lack of faith, or pusillanimity, +or shame, they had concealed. When they reached home in the evening it +began to rain in both villages and in all the fields around them; and +it rained so hard that it was impossible to bring back the ornaments +which had been taken to the shrine for the saying of mass. On several +other occasions our Lady showed mercy by granting rain in answer to +the prayers of those who besought it before this holy image.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXI + +The venerable father Fray Miguel de Venavides, one of the first +founders of this province and archbishop of Manila. + + +Among the great kindnesses and benefits which our province, and indeed +all these islands, have received from the Lord, one of the greatest +was His having given them father Fray Miguel de Venavides as one of +the first who came to establish this province of the Holy Rosary, +and as second archbishop of this city. At a time when its inhabitants +suffered great tribulations, and found themselves suddenly besieged by +a number of enemies much larger than their own--enemies from within +their houses and their homes--they found in him a true father for +their consolation, and a prelate acceptable to God, who could placate +His ire by interceding for his people. He was born in Carrion de Los +Condes, of noble parents, well known in that region because of their +descent and their virtue. When he was not more than fifteen years old +he assumed the habit of this religious order, and learned by experience +how true is the saying of the Holy Spirit that it is well for a man to +carry the easy yoke of the service of God from his youth. He received +the habit and professed in the distinguished convent of San Pablo at +Valladolid. He immediately began to display the subtilty of his mind, +which was very great; at the very beginning of his studies he seemed +like an eagle soaring above his fellow-pupils, distinguishing himself +by special marks or acuteness, so that most of the students and the +learned were astonished. He was, accordingly, soon made a member of the +college of San Gregorio in that city, a crucible in which is refined +the metal of the finest intellects which the order has in the provinces +of España and Andalucia. Here he had as master him who of right was +the master of the theology of España--the most learned father Fray +Domingo Bañez. The two were so completely suited to each other in +virtue and ability that father Fray Miguel could not fail to be the +beloved disciple of such a master. So much did the great teacher love +him that, when he saw him advance so far in both virtue and ability, +he was accustomed to say Hic est discipulus ille [i.e., "This is that +disciple"], giving him by antonomasia the name of his disciple, out of +the many, whom he regarded with so great praise. He taught the arts in +his convent, and theology in many houses of the province; and finally +returned to be lecturer in theology in his convent of San Pablo. It +was while he was engaged in this duty and exercise that he was taken +captive by the voice of father Fray Juan Chrisostomo, who was seeking +for religious for the foundation of the province of the Holy Rosary +in the Philippinas. The province was to be founded for the conversion +of the many heathen who were in those islands, and for the purpose of +entering upon the preaching of the gospel in the most populous kingdom +of China, if the Lord should open the door to it, as well as in that +of Japon and the other kingdoms neighboring to the said islands. Being +seized by a fervent desire and a holy zeal for the redemption of the +souls of the many heathen in these islands, he gave up his position +as lecturer, and the honors and degrees which were waiting for him; +and esteeming it a higher task to labor for Christ and for his fellow +men he made up his mind to go with those who were preparing for this +holy journey. The Lord thus ordained because of the serious problems +which were to be met, in which his character, ability, knowledge, +and talents would be very necessary to overcome the many obstacles +which confronted this holy foundation as soon as its founders reached +Nueva España, and also in the royal court and in the Roman court; +for in all these places there were many impediments. Against all +of them father Fray Miguel was the defender of truth; and by his +speeches and writings he came off always victor. Afterward, when +the difficulty which was met with in Mexico was overcome, he came, +with the rest of the fathers who founded the province, to the city +of Manila on the day of the apostle St. James; and on the day of our +father St. Dominic, which came immediately afterward, he presided in +the great church over some theological discussions. This he did to the +admiration of his listeners, who were not accustomed to have anything +so remarkable in these regions. The good bishop of these islands, Don +Fray Domingo de Salacar, was bathed with tears of joy when he heard, +to the great refreshing of his spirit, such superior preachers of the +gospel in his bishopric--men who were not only fit to be teachers +of these heathen races, but to teach others who might be the same, +and this more excellently than he had ever expected to see in those +regions. Among the many various heathen nations who come to this +country that which excels in intelligence, civilization, and courtesy +is that of the Chinese; and, much as they excel in these qualities, +they likewise excel in their multitude and number. For there are very +many who come every year to attend to their large and rich business, +and to serve the city in all the trades which can be expected in the +best regulated of cities; for they learn everything with the greatest +ability, and succeed in everything that they undertake. + +Some of the Chinese, though very few, were Christians; and it was +believed that many would be converted if there were someone to preach +in their language. But this is so difficult that, although many +desirous to undertake that conversion had endeavored to learn it, no +one as yet had succeeded; and thus no religious order had taken up this +ministry, being afraid of the difficulty of the language. When father +Fray Miguel arrived, he instantly undertook this enterprise--for the +Lord had created him for great things; and this ministry was given to +our order, the bishop asking each and everyone of the religious orders +who were there before to undertake it, and not one of them accepting it +because of the reason given. Father Fray Miguel immediately began with +all his energy to study this language, and succeeded with it. What +is more, he learned many of the letters of it, which are much more +difficult. Father Fray Juan Cobo joining him immediately, they began +to teach the Chinese, amazing those people that anyone should have +been able to succeed with their language and to preach to them in +it. Much greater was their amazement, however, at the extraordinary +virtue and charity which they beheld in these two religious. They did +not content themselves with the labor of teaching them--which was +not small, for soon many were converted and began to be baptized; +but they proposed to build a hospital where the sick poor could be +cared for. The number of these was great, because their sufferings +were great in this foreign land, where they were neglected by all, +and suffered the extremity of need, which is sickness and death. The +fathers began their hospitals; and, poor religious as they were, +they had no better house than that which they were able to make, +almost without money, out of beams and old planks--the habits and +cloaks of the religious often serving as beds, because they had no +other bedclothes. The religious sometimes brought in the sick whom +they found lying on the streets, without power to move themselves +and with no one to pity them. In this way the fame of the virtue +of father Fray Miguel and his companions was very widely spread, +and there were many of the Chinese heathen who were converted and +baptized. The fragrance of this great charity spread so far that it +reached Great China and proclaimed in trumpet tones what was done +for their sick in the Philippinas. There was one man who came from +China to look upon so rare a thing as caring for the sick--poor, and +cast out by their own nation and kinsmen; but admitted, sought for, +and cared for by persons who were not known to them, and who were not +only of another nation, but of a different law and faith, and who +labored without any expectation of temporal profit, but merely for +the salvation of souls. Hence the Lord was favorable to them, and +this work was constantly growing better in all things. It is today +one of the most glorious things in Christendom, not because of its +income and its building (though in these respects it is very good), +but because of the many who at the hour of death are baptized in it +with many indications of going hence to glory, as being newly cleansed +of their faults and their sins by baptism. + +The rich harvest which was reaped in the conversion of these Chinese, +as well by preaching to those in health as by the care and instruction +of the sick, was so sweet to father Fray Miguel that it caused in +him glowing desires to go to Great China. It seemed to him, and with +reason, that there, without abandoning their own country and the +company of their fathers, sons, wives, and kinsmen, which here are +great impediments to their conversion, the Christians converted would +be many more, and far better ones. Hence he was always making plans to +go to that great realm, where the devil is so strongly fortified that +he does not even permit the entrance of those who might, by preaching +the gospel, cast him from the throne which he unjustly holds among +that people. He was finally successful in making his entry into that +kingdom, and went there with father Fray Juan de Castro, who was +the first provincial of this province. They suffered the hardships +which have been described in chapter twenty-six, together with the +marvelous miracles which the divine pity wrought in their favor for +the preachers of the gospel. When they returned to Manila from China, +where they had suffered so much, the orders of their superior directed +them to undertake another longer and more painful voyage, which was +to España. They were to accompany and assist the bishop, Don Fray +Domingo de Salaçar, who was going to discuss very important business +with his Majesty; and were also to endeavor to bring back religious +from España, to aid in the great labor which rested upon the religious +of this province in the conversion of the heathen of these lands, +He did not take for this journey money or anything else, or even more +clothes than those which he wore, so that he did not have a change of +clothes in the whole voyage, which lasts for six months. A ship is so +much an enemy to cleanliness that, when he reached Mexico, his habit +was in such a condition that the father prior of the convent in that +city was obliged to give him clothes wholly out of charity. During +the voyage he fell into the sea and was miraculously brought back to +the ship by the Lord at the prayer of the good bishop--who afflicted +by the accident, prayed the Lord briefly but devotedly for the remedy +of it; and he gained what he desired, for the Lord is very quick to +listen to the prayers of His servants. The time between the end of +this voyage and that which follows afterward over the Mar del Norte +[i.e., Atlantic Ocean] was spent by father Fray Miguel in the convent +which offered him hospitality, but without the dispensations which +the reception of hospitality usually brings with it. He was the +first in the choir and the refectory, and in all the other labor +of the convent. In particular he helped in the infirmary, in caring +for the sick and serving them, whenever he had an opportunity. This +was a charge which he took upon himself when, at the coming of the +first founders to the Philippinas, they were guests in this same +convent. As at that time he had done well in this service, daily +exercising many acts of humility and charity, virtues which are +supremely pleasing to God, he would not cease this same conduct on +this second occasion; on the contrary, as one that had grown in virtue, +he did it better than before. What he did here for the sick religious +was not a heavy task [for him], for he had become accustomed to do +much more in his hospital at Manila for the Chinese heathen, who are +by nature filthy and disgusting. Father Fray Miguel reached España, +and was present before the royal Council of the Indias, endeavoring +to obtain religious for this province as its procurator-general. One +of the counselors, incorrectly informed by persons who resented the +sermons of our religious, said: "If the matter were in my hands, +the Dominican religious would not be in the Philippinas." The rest +desired him to restrain himself, and he went on with what he had to +say. Father Fray Miguel answered, showing his cloak, which was very +old and patched and full of holes: "So far as concerns ourselves, +we have no need to go to the Indias; what we endeavor to do by going +there, this cloak tells well enough." So well did the cloak of rough, +mended serge speak that all were highly edified, and he who had offered +opposition was abashed and corrected. In the convent of San Estevan +he gave to be washed his inner tunic, which served him in place of a +shirt. This was of serge so rough and hard that one of the religious +of the convent of novices, who put it on over his habit, was unable to +bend any more than if it was a bell; and they all gathered around to +look at it as if it were a bell that was sounded. That which began +as jest and ridicule so powerfully supplied the place of father +Fray Miguel in winning religious, that many determined to go to the +province where the religious treated themselves so rigorously and +observed such poverty. + +Father Fray Miguel found an evil doctrine spread abroad in the +court, which a member of a religious order [45] had taken pains +to introduce. He had come from the Philippinas with documentary +authorizations from the bishop and the two cabildos [i.e., +ecclesiastical and civil], before the province of the Holy Rosary +was established there, and before there were any Dominican friars +in the islands. After having carried on some negotiations at Roma he +had returned to the court, and endeavored to bring it about that the +preaching of the holy gospel in heathen countries should be begun by +soldiers, who by force of weapons and musketry should make the country +quiet and subject the Indians, in order that the preachers might do +their office immediately without resistance. This doctrine is very +well suited to human prudence but is contrary to divine Providence, +to that which the Lord has ordained in His gospel, and even to the +very nature of the faith, which demands a pious affection in those who +hear it. This is not to be acquired as the result of the violences, +murders, and conquests wrought by soldiers. On the contrary, as +far as in them lies, they make the faith to be hated and abhorred; +and hence the Lord commanded that the preachers should be as sheep +among wolves, conquering them with patience and humility, which are +the proper arms to overcome hearts. Hence not only the apostles, +but all the other apostolic preachers who had followed them, have by +these means converted all the nations of the earth. This father saw +all this very well; but it seemed to him, as indeed he said, that +these were old-fashioned arguments and that the world was now very +much changed; and that no conversion of importance could or would be +made unless soldiers went before to bring into subjection those who +were to listen to the gospel, before the preachers preached it. He +painted out this monster with such fair colors of rhetoric and with +arguments so well suited to our weakness, our little spirit, and our +less readiness to suffer for Christ and His gospel, that these lords +of the Council were firmly established in this his doctrine--a new +doctrine, as its author himself affirmed, and, as such, contrary to +the gospel and to the works of the saints who acted in conformity +therewith. To overcome this error, much was done by the bishop of +the Philippinas and by father Fray Miguel. The latter, being younger, +was able to exert himself more; and being so great a theologian and +so subtile of mind, he was able to adduce such superior arguments, +and so clearly to reveal the poison which was hidden in the arguments +of this religious, that the king our lord and his Council were firmly +persuaded of the truth. They came to regard it as a great inconsistency +to say that our Lord Jesus Christ had acted with so short a view as +a legislator that, when He made a law which was to last to the end of +the world, He had announced a method which was to be followed only at +the beginning by the preachers of it who were present before Him, and +not under the same conditions by those who should follow after--just +as if His providence were unable to apprehend that which was distant +and future. It will further be seen, if we consider it well, that +the gospel received much more opposition at the beginning than it +does at the present time; and if it was not necessary at that time +to subject kingdoms by war, in order to preach the gospel to them, +much less will it be so now. Hence grave scandal would arise in the +church if, when the Lord commands that gentle sheep shall be the ones +to introduce His gospel, the introduction of it should be entrusted +now to bloodthirsty wolves. Afterward, by the activity and diligence of +father Fray Miguel these black clouds which promised thunderstorms of +arquebuses and soldiery were dissipated; and there were left for the +promulgation of the gospel the gentle clouds of the preachers, which +with the soft rain of teaching, example, and patience have carried the +gospel to the most savage and hardened heathen. On this occasion father +Fray Miguel displayed such force, and such were his arguments, that the +Catholic king directed a most important council to be held, at which +were present the president of Castilla, the father-confessors of the +princes, the auditors of the Audiencia, the lords of the Indias, and +many distinguished theologians. In this conference it was determined +that there should be soldiers in the Spanish towns for the defense of +the country, but that these soldiers should not go as escorts to the +preachers, and that they should not go in advance of them subjugating +or killing Indians; for this would be changing into a gospel of +war that gospel which Christ our Lord delivered to us--a gospel of +peace, love, and grace. So great was the reputation for learning +and sanctity which father Fray Miguel gained in these matters that, +in the arduous and difficult undertakings which afterward came up, +his Majesty directed that he should be consulted and his judgment +should be followed, as that of a learned man despising all things +which were not of God, and zealous for the good of souls. There was +issued at this time a brief of his Holiness to the effect that the +bishops of the Indias should have authority to make visitations to +the religious who ministered to the Indians, in all matters connected +with this ministry, as if they were parish priests. Father Fray Miguel, +understanding the bad results which would follow such a plan, presented +a very learned memorial, signed by all the procurators of the Indias, +to the prince-cardinal Alberto, who gave audience and decided causes +for his Majesty. Nothing more was necessary to cause the brief to be +recalled, and not to be put into execution. Father Fray Miguel was +directed to give the Council of the Indias his advice with regard to +the repartimientos of Indians for mines, estates, and the like. He +gave it, and it was so sound that they esteemed it highly, the more +on account of the character of him who offered it. Hence, when the +time came to appoint bishops for these islands he was appointed +the first bishop of Nueva Segovia, although such an idea had never +crossed his mind, and it was necessary to force him to accept the +bishopric. The Council even went so far as to ask him to indicate to +them those who seemed to him suitable for the other bishoprics; and +those whom he thus indicated were appointed. He sent out religious +to the province three times. The first company he sent with father +Fray Alonso Delgado, the second with father Fray Pedro Ledesma, and +the third, whom he accompanied himself, went under the direction +of father Fray Francisco de Morales as vicar, who was afterwards +the first minister of our religions order in Japon, and a holy +martyr. That he might better prepare the religious for the journey, +he went twice from Madrid to Sevilla when he was already a bishop +traveling on foot with his staff and his hat like a poor friar; so +the people who came to find him and did not know him asked him if he +had seen the bishop of Nueva Segovia. He, to avoid vanity, answered +them that the bishop was on his way to Sevilla, concealing the fact +that it was himself. For the advantage of the inhabitants of Manila, +he brought it about that commerce with Nueva España was opened to +them and that the money which came from their trading was sent back +to Manila up to the amount of five hundred thousand pesos in money +or silver bullion. Up to that time, they had license only to receive +the principal back again; while the profits were retained in Mexico, +or were brought back without a license, at great expense. For the +Indians he obtained, by a memorial which he offered, that the natural +dominion and chieftaincy which they had over their villages should +be left to them, with all their lands, mountains and rivers, and the +other rights which they had from of old; since the fact that they had +become subjects of his Majesty ought not to cause them to lose the +natural right which they had inherited from their ancestors. Further, +since the conquest of these Philipinas Islands had not been carried +out conformably to the holy instructions which the conquerors carried +with them, and which they were bound to observe, but had been carried +out in exactly the opposite manner and with the most serious acts +of injustice, he gave information with regard to these things to +his Majesty and to his royal Council of the Indias. It was decreed +that the consent and voluntary obedience and allegiance of all the +Indians should be asked for anew. The new bishop, Don Fray Miguel, +very earnestly undertook to attempt to carry this decree to execution, +and accordingly it was made. When the bishop was desirous of embarking, +there were so many rumors of enemies, and the damage inflicted at Cadiz +was so great, that it was impossible to have any fleet that year; and +there was no other vessel for him to travel in except a small patache +with a single deck. The cabin in the poop which he occupied was so +low that it could not be entered exception on one's knees, while for +the twenty religious whom he was taking there was no accommodation +at all. He tried, by putting up an awning, to protect them from the +sun and the water; but the only one on the ship was full of patches, +and very small. The Lord made matters better for them by causing +the voyage which they were obliged to take to be very calm, for the +patache was not built to encounter storms. It did not rain more than +twice, so that they were at least able to lie on the deck at night, +though by day they were compelled to suffer the heat of the sun, +which was extreme and very oppressive in their little patache. For +this the religious gave thanks to the Lord; but the bishop was so +accustomed to hardships that this fair weather grieved him; and he +said that the Lord had forgotten them because He did not send them +hardships, which are the best things which in this life He gives to His +friends. "For my sins," he said, "the Lord deprives us of hardships, +and of the merit which they bring with them when they are borne with +patience for the love of the Lord who sent them. Not so did we sail +on our first journey when so devoted servants of God were going; +but we traveled in great and continual afflictions--tempests, fire, +and fears of enemies. That we should now lack all this, and travel +with such fair weather when we are not such as they, is not for our +good. In me is the fault; it is well that I should feel it and weep +over it." When he went ashore, he traveled on foot all the way to +Mexico, and from there to the port of Acapulco, a distance of more +than a hundred and fifty leguas. Thus he afforded the example of a +poor religious, even when his state as a bishop would have excused +him from such poverty and hardship. However, he did not seek for +excuses, but for opportunities for poverty and religious devotion, +though at the expense of so great an exertion, and in his advanced +age. He reached Manila at a time when there happened to be a procession +from our convent to the cathedral, because of an occasional need. He +disembarked there, at a gate which was near our convent on the shore, +and the procession began by receiving him. This caused much joy, on +account of the high esteem and regard in which he was held by both +religious and laymen. He accompanied the procession to the cathedral, +and when the time came he went into the pulpit, taking the sermon +from him to whom it had been committed. He preached most eloquently; +and, though he came down bathed in perspiration, he did not change +the heavy tunic of sackcloth which he wore. On the contrary, he went +direct to the sacristy and robed himself to say mass, though he said +it very slowly, and with so much feeling that it was a great effort +for him. These were acts, and this was an entry, which promised an +extremely good bishop and superior. The promise was not falsified, but +fell short of the truth, so much did he surpass it. He went straight +to his poor bishopric to care for his flock. In the principal part +of his diocese, the province of Nueva Segovia, they were nearly all +heathen. There were only about two hundred baptized adults, those who +were not so being innumerable; for it was only a very short time since +our religious had begun to preach the gospel to them. When the new +bishop was once among his sheep, he began to watch over their welfare, +and to defend them from the alcaldes-mayor and the encomenderos, who +abused them like wolves. The bishop's conduct forced him to hear rough +words and violent insults from those who had fattened themselves with +the blood of the Indians. They feared lest they should grow lean if the +shepherd, coming out to the defense of the flock, were to force them +to be satisfied with moderate returns, without flaying the sheep. The +bishop was not intimidated, and did not desist from this just and due +defense; nor did he cease to strive for the good of his Indians against +the outrages which he beheld. On the contrary, he strove to give his +remonstrances their due effect and if he was unable to succeed there +in securing the rights of the Indians, he was accustomed to write to +the governor and the Audiencia, without taking his hand from the work +until he had brought it to the perfection which he desired. Though he +aided the Indians, he did not neglect the Spaniards, who lived in the +principal towns of his bishopric less edifying and exemplary lives than +those whose Christianity is ancient ought to lead in towns of the newly +converted. They are under obligation to be shining lights, to give +light to those who are either blind because of their heathen belief, +or who know little of God because they have been newly baptized. He +stirred them up to live as they ought, and aided them in their +necessities like a loving father; if he could not make them such as +he wished, he improved them as much as possible. At the death of the +archbishop of Manila, he was obliged to go to that city, and saw in +it so many things contrary to the divine Majesty and to the human one +that he found himself under the necessity of writing to his Majesty +a letter very full of feeling, which begins: "I have twice visited +this city of Manila since I came to these islands as bishop. The +first time was last year, ninety-nine, because I received reliable +information that the governor and the auditors were in such bitter +opposition that there was fear of a serious rupture. Now, learning +that there was no archbishop in the city, it seemed desirable" (and +was so without doubt) "that I should be present and prepared for any +contingency." He gives an account of what had happened, and says: "I am +obliged to speak as my position and the condition of affairs require, +very clearly, without caring who may be affected by my words; for God, +your Majesty, and the common weal are of more importance than any +smaller things." The truth of what he stated, and the clearness with +which he spoke, are plain in the rest of the letter, which to avoid +prolixity is not inserted here. He strove to settle the state of the +church in these islands; and when he saw some bad customs introduced +without any foundation, and contrary to reason and theology, he was +greatly grieved. What he was not himself able to remedy, he wrote +of to the supreme pontiff. Since the competency of the bishop was +so well known in España, he was appointed archbishop as soon as the +vacancy was known, although he had no procurator there; for, being a +poor and peaceful bishop, he did not expect to carry on any suits, +and hence did not care for a procurator or agent at court. Since +his poverty was known, his Majesty caused the bulls to be drawn, and +directed the royal officials of Manila to collect from the bishop the +expense of drawing them when it should be convenient for him to pay +it. The bishop hesitated long, and asked the advice of many, before he +accepted this promotion, having seen and experienced the difficulties, +the opposition, and the dissensions which accompanied this dignity, +at such a distance from the eyes of his Majesty and of the supreme +pontiff, to whom in difficult cases (of which there were many) he +might have had recourse. Yet finally, since all thought that it was +desirable for him to accept the office, he was compelled to take it +for the public good, although he saw that for his private advantage +it would be very injurious. Becoming an archbishop did not change that +poor and humble manner of living which he had followed as bishop and as +religious. He continued to wear the same habit of serge and tunics of +wool. His food was always fish, unless he had a guest, which happened +seldom; or unless he was afflicted by some infirmity. Whenever he +had a journey to take on land--for traveling in these islands is +usually carried on by water--he was accustomed to go on foot; and, +that he might travel with more abstraction from the world, he used +to walk uttering prayers. He sent the others forward in hammocks +or on horseback and he followed after alone, commending to the Lord +himself and the undertakings in which he was engaged, in order that +they might turn out more satisfactorily. If, when he was indisposed, +he was forced by pleadings to go into a hammock--something which is +much used in this country, and which is carried by Indians--he used +to get out again as soon as he left the town, and sometimes earlier, +if he heard any of the carriers groan; for this groan so penetrated +his soul that it was not possible for him to travel any farther in +this manner. His bed was the same which he had when a poor friar, +a mat of rushes or palm-branches on a plank. The small income of his +archbishopric he spent in alms; and he used to delight in giving them +with his own hands, kissing the alms with great devotion as if he +were giving them to Christ, who has said that He receives them when +they are given in His name to the poor. That the principal door of his +house might not cause embarrassments to persons who had known better +days and who were under the necessity of asking alms, he had another +door for these persons which was always open, so that they might come +at any time to tell him their troubles, and that he might relieve +them as well as possible. In this way he spent all his income, and +therefore had very little expense or ostentation in his household. He +never had a mule or a chair to go about with, avoiding all this that +he might have means to give to the poor. He was most devoted to the +ministry and instruction of the Indians and the Chinese; and, whenever +he had an opportunity for doing so, he used to aid in it with great +pleasure. He envied much those who were occupied in so meritorious an +exercise, as he wrote in the last year of his life to those whom he +had left behind in Nueva Segovia, in a letter which reads as follows: +"To my fathers and brethren, the religious of the Order of St. Dominic +in Nueva Segovia. A poor brother of your Reverences, very weak in +health and very full of troubles and of his own wretchedness, has +written this to your Reverences, his truest brethren, who are walking +about in those places of rest and new fields of the true paradise, +feeding the flocks of the Great Shepherd and rejoicing your souls +with the sports and the gambols which the new-born lambs are making +upon the hill-sides at the dawn of the true sun. May your Reverences +refresh yourselves and feed upon that celestial milk which creates +manna covered with honey upon those mountains. May you rejoice in the +fair season that now is; for I once tasted the same pleasures--though +the fair weather lasted but for a short time for me, because of my +sins and my pride; and now I see myself wretched as no one else is +wretched. Happy the father provincial, who, having seen as from the +parapet of a bull-ring something of the wounds and the bulls here, +has returned so soon to the delights of that region, and is among +his sheep. I refer you to him; let him speak the love which I have +for every one of your Reverences and the esteem which I feel for you +all. Pay me with the money of love and pity. Valete in Domino, viscera +mea, felices valete in aeternum. [46] To all the Indians, a thousand +greetings; and I beg their prayers for this poor soul." His life was +continually burdened with scruples which sometimes are more cruel +enemies than those who are openly declared as such. They were not born +in him from ignorance, but from his great depreciation of himself and +from his looking upon the greatness of God, both of which caused him to +be always timid. This, as he said, was the counterweight with which the +Lord burdened him that he might not be puffed up by the great blessings +which the Lord had granted him. He preached continually, that he might +the better advise and direct his sheep. He grieved for the poor much; +and over sinners he was a Jeremiah, weeping for what they failed to +lament, that he might make them weep. He was deeply versed in sacred +scripture, and with it he filled his writings, and even the ordinary +letters which he wrote. In the opinions which he gave, everything was +founded upon and approved by the divine authority, which was his rule +and his arms, both offensive and defensive. He was accustomed to read +with great care the sacred councils and canons of the church. In them +he found stated with the greatest precision everything of which he had +need for the government of his church, as well as for the satisfactory +decision of the questions with regard to which they asked his opinion, +and of the disputes which arose among learned persons. When there +were different opinions among such persons, he was accustomed to say, +"Veritas liberabit nos [i.e., "the truth shall make us free"], and +this will make clear to us that for which we seek; let us follow +it and strive for it." This confidence was always justified; for on +many occasions when it seemed that the whole world was in a tumult, +and that justice was certain to be clouded over and obscured, he was +then accustomed to say, with the greatest confidence, "The truth shall +make us free," and finally it turned out so. Because of the love which +he had for truth, he could not endure to hear new opinions; and if +they were opposed to the doctrine of the ancient saints, he attacked +them like a lion set on fire, though he was in all other things as +gentle as a lamb. For the same cause, he was most devoted to the +teaching of St. Thomas--who, like a mystic bee, made the honeycomb +of his works from the flowers of holy scripture, sacred councils, +sacred canons, and the works of the saints whom the Lord gave to His +church as teachers and guides for its direction. In order that in the +Philippinas so sound and safe a doctrine should be read, he strove +greatly that in the province, although the numbers were so few, there +should always be some one to read St. Thomas. As soon as he entered +upon his archbishopric, he asked for a religious of our order to read +in the cathedral to those who had been ordained; and carefully took +pains to encourage and favor those who went to listen, so that the +rest should imitate them. This desire he retained up to his death; +and hence in his last sickness he gave the little which he had, asking +the order to build a college for this purpose. With this beginning, +which was of the value of a thousand pesos, was established the college +which we now have in Manila under the advocacy of St. Thomas, in order +that from their first letters the students may feel an affection to +this holy doctrine, and may follow him afterward when they are further +advanced. The devotion which Don Fray Miguel felt for our Lady was +so great that in everything which he did or said he commended it +to her, saying an Ave Maria before he began. So scrupulous was he +that he was unable to say the Ave Maria unless he understood all +the circumstances; and even if it occupied a considerable time for +him to repeat it, still, in spite of this, he always said it. One +day the dean of his church, Don Francisco de Arellano--a man whom, +on account of his virtue, the bishop loved and esteemed--asked what +was the beginning of this devotion, and whence it was derived. He +answered that our Lady herself, to whom at first he had said the Ave +Maria, was the beginning, and that she it was who had taught him this +devotion. The dean remained in wonder, and did not dare to ask him +more on this point; nor did the good archbishop ever make any further +declaration. Hence the mode in which this happened was never known; but +the great attention which he gave to it was seen. Whenever there was +anything to be done the Ave Maria always preceded. It was said before +he answered or put a question, or took any medicine, or gave alms, +or did anything else. Thus always all his acts were actually referred +to God our Lord, and to His most holy Mother. This was a custom of the +highest virtue; but when the business was of unusual weight, he was +not contented with an Ave Maria, but recited a rosary. Thus he did in +China, when the judges caused him to write a petition in their presence +in Chinese characters--something which far exceeded his powers, but +not those of the Virgin. Accordingly he wrote a miraculous petition, +to the satisfaction of the judges. They believed that which they saw +to be impossible, as it really was; for though father Fray Miguel knew +some of the commoner Chinese letters, he did not understand those +which were necessary for what was then required of him, since they +were extremely peculiar and were in the judicial style, with which +he was not acquainted. Hence this was doubtless a miraculous event, +worthy of the compassion with which this great Lady comes to the aid of +her afflicted devotees. The sufferings of the archbishop from storms +at sea, as well as from the opposition of clergymen and laymen with +disrespectful words and acts, were very great, but were the cause +of great happiness. As was affirmed by his confessor--a religious +of great virtue, a man who had known him for many years and who was +familiar with the secrets of his soul--when the sufferings were at +their greatest, and in his sorrow and affliction he went to God, our +Lord himself visibly consoled him and gave him strength, not once, +but often. To this was attributed his habit of looking sometimes with +his eyes fixed on heaven, with flames of fire, as it were, shining +upon his face. On such occasions he was heard to utter some words +which, without his striving or having power to say more, he spoke in +affectionate converse with God. This caused great devotion in those +who heard; and as it was so, it is no wonder that he so much desired +other sufferings in addition to the weighty cross of his scruples, +because their absence was much more painful to him than the necessity +of enduring them. Hence he showed much more sadness and melancholy +when he was exposed to no hardships than when they were heaped upon +him; for in the latter case he was sure of the consolation of heaven, +which was lacking when he had no sufferings. + +The end of his days finally approached; and as he lay on his bed +it was plain to him that this was his last sickness, and he began +to prepare for this important journey. At his departure he was much +afflicted to leave without a minister the Indians of Marivelez, which +is situated at no great distance from Manila. Since these Indians +were few and by themselves, he had found no one who was willing to +accept the charge of them. Taking advantage of the present occasion, +he sent for father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, who at that time was +provincial of the province, and most energetically begged him to urge +on his religious to give instruction to these poor Indians. When the +provincial promised that he would do all he could for this purpose, +the bishop remained in great content, as if there were nothing now to +cause him sorrow. He divided his poor treasures, sending part of them +immediately to his church, and giving part to our Lady of the Rosary, +and part to the poor. In his illness he did not complain or ask for +anything; and when he was asked if he wished or longed for anything, +he answered, "I desire to be saved." His face was very full of joy, +and the words which he uttered came forth kindled so by the love of +God that they showed plainly what a fire of love was in the breast +where they were forged. He asked them to dress him in his habit; +and on the coming of the festival of the glorious St. Anne in the +year 1605 he asked them to get ready his pontifical robes, as if he +were preparing to go out on that festal day. This was as much as to +say that his departure was at hand. He was surrounded by his friars, +and though they saw him joyful they themselves were very sad to +perceive that they were to be deprived of such a superior and such +a religious. He consoled them with loving words, and, perceiving +that his departure was at hand he called fervently upon his special +patroness, the Virgin, his guardian angel, our father St. Dominic, +and the other saints of his devotion, with whom he spoke as if he were +already with them in heaven. His countenance appeared to be celestial +rather than to belong to earth; and amid loving converse with God, +with His most holy Mother, and with the saints, his soul departed +to his Lord, leaving his body, as many said, fragrant with the odor +of roses. By the voice of all, he was given the palm of a virgin, +as if all had heard him in confession and felt the certainty which +his confessor had and manifested in this respect, although this +declaration was made after that in which the palm had been given to +him as to a virgin. When the fathers of St. Francis came, father Fray +Vicente Valero, who lived and died with the reputation of sainthood, +went up to the dead man, saying, "This body is holy and should +be regarded as such," and kissed the feet. After this all of his +religious did the same thing, and they were followed by the others, +for in this way the Lord honors those who faithfully serve Him. His +interment was performed with all possible solemnity in the cathedral, +on the epistle side near the high altar. The archbishop left behind +him some writings of much erudition, and full of Christian teaching, +which are very helpful to the ministers of the holy gospel. + + + + + +CHAPTER LXII + +Of some religious who died at this time + + +[At this time there were taken away by death a number of the most +superior religious, the lack of whom was greatly felt. In the year +of our Lord 1604 one of the definitors in the provincial chapter was +father Fray Pedro de San Vicente. He was elected as a definitor in +the general chapter, and also as procurator of the province at the +courts of España and Roma. There was no one at either court at that +time, and a procurator was necessary, especially for the purpose of +bringing over religious from España, without whom this province could +not be maintained. He set out to undertake the duties entrusted to him, +in the ships which sailed that year for Nueva España, and died on the +way, the same ships in the following year bringing back the news of +his death. Father Fray Pedro was a native of Zalamea. He assumed the +habit in the convent of San Esteban at Salamanca, whence he came to +this province in the year 1594. Here he was engaged in the ministry +of Bataan, and afterward in the ministry to the Chinese of Binondoc, +being much beloved and esteemed in both these offices. He always +thought well of all, and never spoke ill of anyone. He was twice +superior of Binondoc, to the great spiritual and temporal augmentation +of that mission. He set sail on the voyage without taking a real or +a piece of silk, or any other thing, either for the journey or for +the business which fell to his charge, trusting solely in the divine +Providence. He even refused to take for his convent some articles +of little value here, but esteemed as rare and curious in España, +and such as it is customary for a religious to take as a mark of +affection to the convent where he assumed the habit. When he died +he made the following testament or declaration: "I, Fray Pedro de +San Vicente, declare that I die as a friar of St. Dominic, without +having in my possession gold or silver, or anything else, except one +old blanket with which I cover myself at night. I pray for the love +of God that this may be given to a boy who travels with me, named +Andresillo." Let it be remembered that father Fray Pedro was in the +Philippinas ten years, for the greater part of the time minister to +the Chinese and for four years their vicar, and that he was very much +beloved; that they are of their nature inclined to make presents; +that many in this town are very rich, and are ready to give much on +small occasions; and that when they saw him about to go to España +they were much more likely to show generosity, without his needing +to put forward any effort. Any one who will consider these things, +and who will observe that he went from among them so poor, without +money or anything else, will clearly recognize his great virtue, and +see how justly he is entitled to the great praise of the Holy Spirit, +who says, "Happy is he who does not follow after gold, and who does +not put his trust in the treasures of money; who is he? let us praise +him because he has wrought marvels in his life." + +In the province of Nueva Segovia there died at this time father Fray +Jacintho Pardo, a learned theologian and a virtuous religious. He was a +native of Cuellar and took the habit in San Pablo at Valladolid. He was +so much beloved in the convent that the elder fathers strove to retain +him; but it was shown in a vision to a devout woman that father Fray +Jacintho was to serve among the heathen.] He was sent to Nueva Segovia, +where there were very many heathen to be converted; for at that time +missionaries had just been sent there, and nearly the whole of the +province was without them. The natives were fierce, constantly causing +alarm from warlike disturbances, and were much given to idolatry and +to the vices which accompany it. The good fortune of going thither +fell to him; and he immediately learned the ordinary language of that +province so perfectly that he was the first to compose a grammar of +it. Since the village of Tuguegarao (where he lived) in La Yrraya had, +although the inhabitants understood this common and general language, +another particular language of their own, in which it pleased them +better to hear and answer, he undertook the labor of learning that +also, and succeeded very well. He acted thus as one desirous in all +ways of attracting them to Christ, without giving any consideration +to his own labor, and to the fact that this language could be of +no use outside of this village. They were a warlike, ferocious, and +wrathful tribe; and, being enraged against their Spanish encomendero, +they killed him, and threatened the religious that they would take his +life unless he left the village. Being enraged, and having declared +war against the Spaniards, they did not wish to see him among them. But +father Fray Jacintho, who loved them for the sake of God more than for +his own life, desired to bring them to a reconciliation and to peace; +and was unwilling to leave the village, in spite of their threats. To +him indeed they were not threats, but promises of something which he +greatly desired. Under these circumstances he fell sick, and in a few +days ended his life. The Spaniards, knowing what the Indians had said, +believed that they had given him poison so that he should not preach to +them or reconcile them with the Spaniards; and this opinion was shared +by the physician, because of his very speedy death. If this were true, +it was a happy death which he suffered in such a holy cause. He died on +the day of the eleven thousand virgins, to whom he showed a particular +devotion; and it might have been a reward to him to die on such a day, +since the church knows by experience the great protection which these +saints offer at that time to those who are devoted to them. + +[In the district of Bataan died Father Juan de la Cruz, a son of the +convent of San Pablo at Sevilla. He was one of the first founders of +this province, in which he lived for eighteen years. He was small of +body, and weak and delicate in constitution; but his zeal gave him +strength for the great labors which accompanied the beginning of this +conversion. He was one of the first workers in the field of Pangasinan, +where he suffered all the evils and miseries which have been described +in the account of that conversion. He very rapidly learned the +language of these Indians, which they call Tagala; and succeeded +so perfectly with it that father Fray Francisco San Joseph, who was +afterwards the best linguist there was, profited by the papers and +labors of father Fray Juan de la Cruz. Father Fray Juan even learned +afterward two other Indian languages, those of the Zambales and the +Pampangos. Father Fray Juan, being the only linguist among the fathers, +was called upon constantly to hear confessions; and therefore suffered +even more than the rest from the exposures of traveling from place to +place in this district. These hardships broke down the health even of +strong men like father Fray Christobal de Salvatierra, who suffered +from a terrible asthma. Father Fray Juan was afflicted by an asthma so +terrible that it seemed as if every night must be his last; and he felt +the dreadful anxiety which accompanies this disease. He also suffered +from two other diseases even more severe, colic and urinary ailments, +which afflicted him even more than the asthma. He was so patient and +so angelic in nature that all these diseases and afflictions could +not disturb him or make him irritable. His body he treated like a +wild beast that had to be tamed, weakening it with fasts, binding +it with chains, mortifying it with hair-shirts, and chastising it +with scourgings. He was chosen as confessor by the archbishop of +Manila, Don Fray Miguel de Venavides. Immediately after the death +of the archbishop he returned to his labors among the Indians, but +did not survive long. When a religious of the Order of St. Dominic +is about to breathe his last, the rest of the convent gather about +him to aid him to die well; and to call them together some boards +are struck or a rattle is sounded, he who strikes them repeating, +"Credo, credo." Father Fray Juan de la Cruz, desiring to follow the +usual custom of the order, taught an Indian to strike together these +boards, although the father was alone in the village; and this was the +last farewell of this noble religious. He had refused repeated requests +to return to Manila for care; and he was buried, as he desired, in the +church of those Indians for whose spiritual good he had spent his life. + +In this year 1605 the religious of our order had been three years +in Japon. They were not a little disturbed by a brief which at this +time reached Japon and which had been obtained by the fathers of +the Society of Jesus. This brief directed that all the religious and +secular clergy who desired to preach in Japon might go thither by the +way of Eastern India, but that no one should have authority to go by +way of the Western Indias. The brief directed that all who had come +in that way or by the Philippinas should depart, on penalty of major +excommunication, latæ sententiæ. The religious of the other orders, +when this brief was shown to them by the fathers of the Society, +replied that the brief had been presented in the previous year to the +archbishop of Manila; and that the fathers of the various orders had +laid before the archbishop reasons for supposing that his Holiness +had been misinformed, and had appealed to the supreme pontiff for a +reconsideration. They declared that it was unreasonable to expect +them to leave Japon until the reply of the supreme pontiff should +be received. The brief was annulled by his Holiness Paul V in 1608, +only three years after the petition; and this repeal was confirmed +afterwards by Urban VIII. In the interim the fathers of the Society +of Jesus did things which annoyed the other religious, but were not +sufficient to drive them from Japon. After the repeal the superior +sent fathers Fray Thomas del Spiritu Sancto, or Zumarraga, and Fray +Alonso de Mena to extend the mission from Satzuma to Vomura [i.e., +Omura]. It was a time of great disturbance and of much feeling against +the Christians. The fathers of the order did what they could for some +fathers of the Society of Jesus who were imprisoned in a church. They +went on to the kingdom of Firando--the lord of which [47] had in 1587 +begged for religious of St. Francis, but was now strongly opposed to +Christianity. Among his vassals they found some who were Christians +in secret, and encouraged them and gave them the sacraments of the +church.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXIII + +The conquest of Maluco by the intercession of our Lady of the Rosary; +the foundation of her religious confraternity in this province, +and the entry of religious into it. + + +On April 16, 1606, an intermediate chapter was held in Manila, +at which notice was given of the brief of Pope Clement VIII, De +largitione munerum. Directions were given to observe this brief +with rigorous exactness, in all things which it commands to all +religious orders and religious. It was ordered and directed that +all memorable things, worthy of being placed in history, which had +happened in this province should be diligently gathered together. In +accordance with this, the father provincial gave a formal precept +to all the religious of the province that they should write down, +each one of them, what he knew in regard to this matter with all +accuracy and truth. In this way something of that which has here +been recounted was brought together; but there continues to be much +which remains buried in oblivion. Some difficulties were resolved; +and it was decreed that devotions to some saints should be offered, +whose devotions had up to that time not been offered in the province. + +On the first of April in this year occurred the glorious victory which +Don Pedro de Acuña, knight of the Habit of St. John, knight-commander +of Salamanca, governor and captain-general of these islands, gained +in the Malucas, restoring them to the crown of España, as for many +years had been desired and intended but without effect. This memorable +victory was won by the intercession of our Lady of the Rosary, who was +the sole source of it. This important stronghold remains incorporated +in the government and province of the Philippinas, to the immortal +reputation and glory of the great soldier and devout cavalier who +gained them during his government. He deserves this glory not less +for his devout Christian zeal, love of God, and devotion to our Lady +of the Rosary--in which from his tenderest years he was bred by his +most devout and prudent mother--than for his great military skill and +prudence, which he and all his valorous brothers acquired from his +father, a distinguished and most fortunate captain, as also he saw all +his sons become. The great favor which our Lady of the Rosary showed to +our army in this conquest was very well known and celebrated. That the +evidence of it might be more clearly made known to those who were not +present [at the victory], a formal narrative of the matter was made +before the treasurer Don Luis de Herrera Sandoval, vicar-general of +this archiepiscopate in the year 1609. Many witnesses being examined, +all agreed that this fort was gained by the miraculous aid of the +Virgin, though the soldiers did not on that account fight the less +valiantly. It was plain, in many things that happened, that sovereign +assistance was given by this Lady, as may be seen by referring to +the statement of the first witness, the sargento-mayor of that army, +Christobal de Azcueta Menchaca, who was present throughout the whole +matter; and, who on account of his position, had better knowledge +of what occurred than anyone else in the army. His statement is as +follows: "In the month of February, 1606, the governor was at Oton, +four leguas from the town of Arebalo, in the bishopric of Zebu, on +his way to the conquest of Maluco--where the Dutch had built a fort, +and had made treaties of peace with the king of that country against +the Castilians and Portuguese. It was also said that they had invaded +the country of the king of Tidore, our ally. The governor mustered +his forces at Oton; and with those who had come from Mexico in June, +and those who had been added in these islands, the total number was +thirteen hundred Spanish infantry, and six hundred Indians from the +vicinity of Manila, who fought courageously under the protection of the +Spaniards. Religious of all orders accompanied the troops, and among +them was a certain father Fray Andres of the Order of St. Dominic, +with another lay religious. As if by legitimate inheritance from their +father, all the friars of this habit had in their charge the devotion +to the Holy Rosary; and hence father Fray Andres suggested to the +sargento-mayor that her holy confraternity should be established in +this army, that this our Lady might open the door to the difficult +entrance they were to make. The sargento-mayor spoke to the governor +in regard to the matter, and to the holy bishop of Zebu, Don Fray Pedro +de Agurto. The sargento-mayor received permission to discuss it in the +army, and the captains and soldiers all agreed with great heartiness; +and they determined that the holy confraternity should be immediately +established, with all its ceremonies and ordinances, so that this +important enterprise might begin with some service done to our Lady the +Virgin. The governor ordered the image of our Lady of the Rosary to be +embroidered on the royal standard, that she might guide the army. He +was the first to pledge himself as a member of the confraternity, and +was followed by the master-of-camp, Juan de Esquivel, and the captains, +the soldiers and sailors, and the members of his household--all of +them promising alms when they should be provided with money on account +of their pay. It was then proposed to establish the confraternity in +the first city which should be gained from the enemy, and to call it +"the City of the Rosary." For this purpose a canvas was painted, +having upon it a representation of our Lady with her son Jesus in +her arms, distributing rosaries to the governor, the master-of-camp, +the captains, and the rest of the soldiers. They confessed and +received communion, and went in procession, as is customary when the +confraternity is established. The bishop celebrated pontifical mass, +giving dignity to this solemn act with his holy presence. According +to the ordinances, a Dominican friar is obliged to preach if any be +present. Since Fray Andres had little skill in this office, and spoke +with little grace, he tried to arrange that the bishop should preach; +but matters turned out so that the religious was obliged to preach +the great things of the Mother of God and of her rosary. As all this +had been guided by God, and the preacher chosen by His own will, God +controlled the preacher's tongue in such a manner that all should be +fulfilled which concerned His purpose. Thus the father amazed those +who were present--the bishop to such an extent that he said aloud to +the whole congregation: "Gentlemen this blessed father has preached +in such a manner that it seems the Holy Spirit has been dictating to +him that which he has said; and I do not know what account to give of +the same except to praise God, for it is He who caused it." The fleet +sailed to Tidore; and when it reached there the forces spent Holy Week +in confessing and receiving communion. While they were there an eclipse +of the moon occurred, which was taken by the augurs of the island +as a bad omen, and they uttered presages of evil, and cried aloud; +but the Spaniards took it as an omen of victory. They did not find in +Tidore the king, who was friendly. They discovered two Dutchmen who +had a factory there; and they and that which was in the factory were +held for the king of España. On Friday of Easter week, which was the +last day of March, the fleet cast anchor a cannon-shot from the fort +of Ternate; and on Saturday the artillery from the ships and galleys +was fired, to clear the field. The sargento-mayor made a landing with +the army, drawing them up along the creek between the fort and the +sea. The vanguard was held by the master-of-camp, Gallinato, lookouts +being posted in the trees. While he was planning to make gabions, the +tumult of the army, as if the voice of all, declared that they should +not doubt the victory; that on that very day they were going to capture +the fort and the country, for it was Saturday, a day dedicated to our +Lady. They began with great readiness. It was about midday, an hour +little suited for an attack in so hot a country, for the sun beat down +on them. In addition, on one side they were harassed by falcon-shots +fired from the fort of Cachitulco; it was a very effective weapon, +although at first they shot their balls too high. After lowering +their aim somewhat, they struck seven Spaniards. The companions +of the governor forced him to move to another place, as balls were +constantly striking where he was. At the very moment when he left the +spot, his shield-bearer, stepping into his place, was struck. On this +account the sargento-mayor endeavored to hold back the forces until +they could hear what the lookouts said, or receive an order from +the governor. From among the body of the troops he heard a voice, +calling upon him to attack without doubting of the victory; that the +mother of God purposed that on that day her holy confraternity should +be established in this country. The sargento-mayor turned his head +and asked in a loud voice: "What devout or holy person has said this +to us?" There was no answer, and it was not known from whom the voice +proceeded; but it seemed to him that it spoke to him from within, and +that it came from heaven. It inspired in him such spirit and courage +that he turned to the captains and said: "Gentlemen, the mother of +God wills us to gain this fort today." Captain Cubas reached the fort, +from which his troops were somewhat driven back by the Moros, and his +foot was wounded by a pointed stake [puia]. Some beginning to call +"Sanctiago!" and others "Victory!" they all began to run on boldly +and proudly without any order. So quickly was the fort taken that the +captain-general did not even know it when the soldiers had actually +surmounted the wall. They went on to where the king was fortified, +with many arquebuses and culverins; and with four pieces of ordnance +(pieças de batïr), and with a high wall, from which the enemy did +much execution with bucacaos [48] and fire-hardened reeds anointed +with poison. But none of these things availed him; and, seeing that +the day was lost he fled with some of his followers, in a caracoa +and four xuangas, to the island of the Moro, or Batachina [i.e., +Gilolo], to which they had sent their women and children and their +wealth. On account of this the sack did not bring very much gold or +money, but amounted to only two thousand ducats and some cloth and +cloves. The rest of the prize was artillery, culverins, arms, and +ammunition. After the victory, the sargento-mayor went to ask the +governor for the countersign, and found him on his knees before an +image of our Lady, saying: "I beg humility of you, our Lady, since +by you this victory has been gained." On the following day, Sunday, +the second of April (which was, accordingly, the first Sunday in the +month), the governor ordered an altar to be prepared, and directed +that the painting we carried of the mother of God of the Rosary, +with the governor, the captains and the men at her feet should be +placed thereon, so that mass might be said. They brought from the +mosque a pulpit, in which father Fray Andres preached. That which +had previously been a mosque was from that day forth the parish +church and mother church--the religious living in one part of it, and +administering the holy sacrament. The confraternity was established, +and it and the city and the principal fort received the name of El +Rosario [i.e., "The Rosary"] that this signal mercy might remain in +the memory of those who were to come. In these events there were many +things that appeared miraculous. The first of them was the voice which +the sargento-mayor heard, with regard to which he declared upon oath +that he could not find out who spoke it, that it appeared to speak +to him within, and that the words inspired in him great confidence, +as has been said. The second miraculous element is the speed with +which victory was attained; for when the governor went away to speak, +with the king of Tidore, who is friendly, the report that the fort +had been gained reached him so quickly that the governor was amazed, +and the king did not believe it. The third was the few deaths which +occurred on our side; for only fifteen died in the war, and twenty +were wounded. The fourth is that when a Dutchman--or, as others say, +a man of Terrenate--was trying to fire a large paterero to clear a +straight path where a great number of our soldiers were marching up +hill in close order, he tried three times to fire it with a linstock, +but was unable to do so. When the Moros told him to hasten and fire +it, he said that a lady with a blue mantle was preventing him with +a corner of the mantle, and sprinkling sand in the touch-hole. So, +throwing away the linstock, he began to run; and the Spaniards came +up with him and killed him. + +At the beginning of August in the same year, large reenforcements +of religious came from España; and so great was the need which there +was of them that they came at a very fortunate time, especially since +they were picked men in virtue and learning. The first who volunteered +for this province were five members of the college of Sancto Thomas +at Alcala, which event attracted so much attention in the convent of +San Estevan at Salamanca that, when the vicar of the religious reached +there, thirteen members of that convent volunteered. Among them was +the preacher of that distinguished convent, father Fray Diego del +Aguila. To these, others from other convents added themselves, and +a member of the college of San Gregorio, of whose great virtue an +account will immediately be given. When the time for beginning the +voyage arrived, the thirteen members of the order from the convent +of San Estevan at Salamanca prostrated themselves on the floor of +the church, after thanks had been returned for the meal which had +been completed, and asked for the blessing of the superior that they +might begin their journey. This act aroused great devotion among +those who were present. When they had received the blessing, they +went in procession to the convent of novices, where they took their +cloaks and bags; and intoning the devout hymn of the Holy Spirit, they +began with His divine support upon this journey, with their staves and +hempen sandals, after the manner of persons who go on foot. They were +led by father Fray Diego del Aguila, the preacher of that convent at +the time, and an example of virtue in that city where he had preached +with great reputation for the four years preceding. Hence to see him +walking on foot, and on his way to regions so remote, was a thing +which caused great tenderness and devotion in those who knew him, and +who saw so devout and so humble an act, so determined a resignation, +and such contempt for the world. He labored much in the ship, hearing +confessions, and preaching and teaching; for as in voyages there are +so many kinds of people, there is need of all of these things, while +many of the people need them all at once, because they do not know the +doctrine which it is their duty to know and believe, and do not take +that care of their souls which they ought to take. Some of them do +not even desire to have such things spoken of, that their ignorance +may not be known; and hence there is much labor in teaching them, +and it is a great service to God not to refuse this labor. + +[The member of the college of San Gregorio at Valladolid who came +with the rest of these religious was Fray Pedro Rodriguez, a native +of Montilla and a son of the convent of San Pablo at Cordoba. His +departure caused much grief. His parents loved him tenderly, for he +was, like Benjamin, the youngest and was very obedient and docile by +nature. The religious of his convent were grieved because they had +seen in him so notable a beginning in virtue and letters. In spite +of the efforts of fathers, kinsmen, and religious, father Fray Pedro +maintained his resolve. His virtues were very great, and he mortified +himself constantly. His last illness befell him when the vessel had +already come among these islands; and they were already at the port +of Ybalon, and were carrying him ashore that he might receive the +viaticum, when he lost consciousness. He had desired to be left in +the islands of the Ladrones, that he might serve as missionary; but +he was not permitted to do so, on account of the great difficulties +which he would have met with because of ignorance of the language. It +may be that father Fray Pedro would have overcome them; but such things +ought not to be left in the hands of a single person. The evil results +which follow are morally worse than the gain which may be expected, +as has been found out by experience since religious of the seraphic +father St. Francis have remained there. His body was taken to be buried +in the church of Casigura. He left behind him among his brethren the +name of saint.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXIV + +Other events which happened at this time in Japon and the Philippinas + + +[The circumstances in Japon were such that many of the converts +were obliged to spend six, or eight, or even fifteen years without +confessing, while some of them had not seen a confessor within +forty years. Hence the fathers Fray Thomas and Fray Alonso were +anxious to go up into the country to continue the good work which +they had begun. The vicar-provincial, Fray Francisco de Morales, +sent father Fray Alonso de Mena to the kingdom of Fixen, [49] where +there had been no church up to this year 1606. A certain captain, +Francisco Moreno Donoso, had taken some Franciscan fathers with him on +a journey, and on the voyage had been delivered from great danger by +the intercession of our Lady of the Rosary. He was therefore devoted to +this our Lady. Although the kingdom of Fixen is very near Nangasaqui, +the king had always been unwilling to admit preachers of Christianity; +but this king had a great regard for Captain Moreno Donoso, who went to +visit the king with father Fray Alonso; and the captain made the king +many gifts, refusing to accept anything in return except a chain. The +king showed him such favor that the captain took advantage of the +opportunity to ask permission that father Fray Alonso might establish +convents and churches in the kingdom. The king was pleased to grant +it, insisting only that the sanction of a great bonze, named Gaco, +should first be secured; he was a native of Fixen, and was the most +highly regarded man in Japan because of his learning. The king sent +his own secretary to go before the bonze, to tell him of the poverty, +the penitence, the contempt for the things of this world, the modesty, +the humility, and the courteous behavior of the father. The bonze, +seeing that it was the pleasure of the king, said that such a man might +very well receive this permission. In conformity with it three poor +churches and houses were built--one in Famamachi under the patronage +of our Lady of the Rosary; the second in the city of Caxima [i.e., +Kashima]. named for St. Vincent; and, after some time, another one +at the king's court [i.e., Saga], for which at that time permission +had been refused. Father Fray Alonso and his companion, when he had +one, got the little they needed for their support from Portuguese +and Castilians in Nangasaqui, that they might avoid asking for alms +from the Japanese, and might thus give no opportunity for the bonzes +to complain against them, and to find a pretext for sending them out +of the country. Father Fray Alonso remained in this kingdom; and the +order persevered until the persecution, when all the religious who +had been hiding there were ordered to depart from Japon. Father Fray +Alonso found in this kingdom some Japanese who had been baptized in +other kingdoms, but had not been well taught in the faith, or who +had forgotten the good teachings that they had received at their +baptism. They were guilty of much irregularity in their marriages; +and some of them had assumed to baptize others without knowing the +essence of the baptismal form, so that it was difficult to determine +which of them had received valid baptisms. These imperfectly prepared +converts had also done harm by endeavoring to sustain arguments against +the opponents of Christianity, and, being insufficiently grounded +in the faith, they had spread false impressions of the Christian +religion. Notable cases of conversion occurred, there being some +instances well worthy of remark in the court; and finally the sanctity +of the life of the missionaries caused them to be called xaxino padre, +"fathers who despise the world." The father Fray Juan de Los Angeles, +or Rueda, came to live at Fixen in the following year, 1607. + +In this year 1606 of which we have been speaking, there died at +sea father Fray Domingo de Nieva, who was on his way to act as +procurator of the province. He had labored much and well among the +Indians of Bataan and among the Chinese. Father Fray Domingo was a +native of Billoria in Campos, and a son of the convent of San Pablo +at Valladolid. He was a man of ability and of good will. When nearly +all the lecturers in theology from that convent, together with the +lecturers in arts, and many of their most able and learned disciples, +determined to go to the Philippinas, father Fray Domingo joined his +masters. He suffered his life long from headache. Being sent to Bataan +in company with three other fathers, he, as the youngest, had to carry +a very heavy burden of duties. He was fortunate enough not to suffer +from any further diseases, the Lord being pleased not to add any to +his constant headache. His mortification, fasting, and discipline were +very great. He wrote some devout tracts in the language of the Indians, +and some others in that of the Chinese. He had printed for the Chinese +in their language and characters an essay upon the Christian life, +with other brief tracts of prayer and meditation, in preparation for +the holy sacraments of confession and the sacred communion. He wrote +a practically new grammar of the Chinese language, a vocabulary, a +manual of confession, and many sermons, in order that those who had +to learn this language might find it less difficult. He was prior +of Manila; and in the third year of his priorate the news arrived +of the death of father Fray Pedro de San Vicente, who was going to +España as definitor in the chapter general and as procurator for +this province. Since it was necessary to send another in his place, +father Fray Domingo received the appointment to the duty. Like his +predecessor, he died on the voyage from the islands to Mexico.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXV + +The foundation of Manavag in Pangasinan and the deaths of some +religious + + +In the year 1605 the missionaries to Pangasinan, not contented with the +fruitful results of their labors in the level region of that province, +took under their charge the village of Manavag, situated among the +mountains at a considerable distance from the other villages. The +first entry into this village was made by the religious of our father +St. Augustine in the year 1600; they built there a church named after +St. Monica, and baptized some children. The village was so small, +however, that it was not possible for a religious to find enough to +do there to justify his continued residence; and accordingly it was +visited from Lingayen, the capital of that province, which was at +that time in their hands. It caused them a great deal of labor, since +they were obliged to travel three days if they went there by water, +and two if they went by land; and therefore it was seldom visited, and +little good resulted to the village. Inasmuch as the whole population +were heathen, they required much persuasion to lead them to baptism, +and a great deal of attention to their religious instruction. On this +account, those fathers placed a juridical renunciation of the said +village in the hands of the bishop, Don Fray Diego de Soria. The +bishop, being a religious of our order, asked his brethren to take +charge of this village, since there were in it many baptized children, +and no other body of religious could care for and guide them. The +bishop, in asking the religious to take this matter in charge, was +laying upon them no small burden; yet the need was almost extreme, +and the great labor brought with it great reward--for, as the +apostle says, each man shall be rewarded at the last judgment in +proportion to his labors. Hence they determined to assume the charge, +and the superior sent there father Fray Juan de San Jacintho, [50] +a devoted religious and an indefatigable laborer in the teaching +of the Indians. He went to Manavag in the year mentioned, and the +fact was spread abroad among the neighboring villages. On account +of the great love which they had for the order, and especially for +the religious who was there (for he was like an angel from heaven), +some other hamlets were added to that one, and the village of Manavag +was made of reasonable size. The Negrillos and Zambales who go about +through those mountains were continually harassing this village, partly +because of their evil desires to kill men, and partly for robbery. They +often came down upon it with bows and arrows, and with fire to burn +the houses and the church which was practically all of straw. They +committed murders, and robbed women and children. Those in the village +being thus terrorized, and the men being unable to prevent the evil, +since their enemies came when they had gone out into the fields, +it was determined to take as patroness the Virgin of the Rosary, +that she might aid them in this need. They accordingly dedicated a +new church to her, and solemnized the dedication with many baptisms of +adult persons. Within a few months, there was not a heathen within the +village--a clear proof that the presence of heathen in the country is +due solely to a lack of missionaries. Wherever the missionaries are, +all are immediately baptized; and not only those of that village which +has the missionaries, but some of their neighbors also, participate +in the teaching of the religious, and in the favors of our Lady of the +Rosary. This is plain from a miracle which occurred a few years after, +and was verified before the vicar-general of this country, who at that +time was father Fray Pedro de Madalena. It happened thus. Four leguas +from Manavag, in a village of Ygolote Indians who inhabit some high +mountain ridges, there lived an Indian chief, a heathen, by the name +of Dogarat, who used sometimes to go down to the village of Manavag, +and to listen out of curiosity to the preaching of the religious. Since +the matters of our faith are truly divine, the Indian began to incline +toward them, and even toward becoming a Christian. He therefore learned +the prayers, and knew them by heart; and the only thing which held +him back was the necessity of leaving his vassals and his kinsmen if +he was baptized, and going away from the washings in a river of his +village, where they used to gather grains of gold, which come down with +the water from those hills and ridges where they are formed. God our +Lord, to draw him to the precious waters of baptism, brought upon him +a severe illness. When he felt the misery of this disease, he sent to +call the religious who was at that time in Manavag, father Fray Thomas +Gutierrez, who came to his village, called Ambayaban, and visited the +sick Indian, giving him thorough instruction in the matters of our +holy faith. When he was thoroughly prepared he baptized him and named +him Domingo. By the aid of the Lord he recovered, and used to attend +church on feast days. He asked for a rosary, which the religious gave +him with a direction to say the prayers of the rosary every day, +that the Sovereign Lady might aid him. He went out hunting once; +and in order that the rosary, which he always wore about his neck, +might not interfere with him or be broken by catching in a branch, +he took it off and hung it on a tree, and with it a little purse in +which he was carrying a trifle of gold. It happened soon after that +some Indians set fire to the mountain to frighten out the game. The +fire kindled the tree where the rosary was hanging, and burnt it all +to ashes. Some time afterward Don Domingo came back for his rosary, +and discovered the destruction which the fire had wrought, and the tree +in ashes. As he was looking among them he found his rosary entire and +unhurt, while everything else was burnt up, and the purse and the gold +were consumed, though they were close to the rosary, which did not show +a sign of fire. The Indian, amazed, went and told his story to father +Fray Thomas, who for a memorial of this marvel kept the miraculous +rosary among the treasures of the church, giving the Indian another +in its place. There it remained, in token of the esteem and respect +which our Lady willed that the fire should pay to her holy rosary. + +[In the month of June, 1607, father Fray Juan Baptista Gacet ended his +labors happily in the convent of Sancto Domingo at Manila. He was a +son of the convent of Preachers at Valencia, and a beloved disciple of +St. Luis Beltran, whom he succeeded in the office of master of novices +at Valencia. When St. Luis returned from the Indias, the Lord moved +father Fray Juan to go to them, as he desired to reap a harvest of +souls, and feared that they might strive to make him superior in his +own province. He received the approval of St. Luis, and went to the +Indias at the time when master Fray Alonso Bayllo went out from his +convent of Murcia, by command of our lord the king and of the general +of the order, to divide the province of Vaxac from that of Sanctiago de +Mexico. Being threatened with a superiorship in the province of Vaxac, +father Fray Juan did what he could to avoid it. When a company of +religious under the leadership of father Fray Pedro de Ledesma passed +through Nueva España on their way to the Philippinas, father Fray Juan +decided to accompany them, though he was already of venerable age; +and he reached Manila in 1596. Here he was greatly honored, and, being +too old to learn the Indian languages, was retained in the convent of +Manila to act as confessor and spiritual guide to a number of devout +persons in the city. He was made definitor in the first provincial +chapter, and was later obliged to accept the office of prior--having +no other country to flee to, as he had fled from España to the Indias, +and thence to the Philippinas, to avoid this elevation. He was given +to devout exercises and to prayer, reading often from some devout book, +usually from St. John Climachus, and afterward discussing the passage, +and making it the basis of devout meditation. After leaving the office +of prior, he returned to his life of devotion and abstraction. + +On the twentieth of July in the same year, father Fray Miguel de Oro +ended his life in the province of Nueva Segovia. He was a native of +Carrion de Los Condes; and he took the habit and professed in San +Pablo at Valladolid. He afterward went to the religious province of +Guatemala, where he remained for some years, but afterward returned +to España. In 1599 the plague attacked all España and raged with +especial violence in Valladolid. Father Fray Miguel, with four other +religious of our order, devoted himself to the care of those who were +plague-stricken. After the plague he retired to the convent of La Peña +de Francia; but his memory was constantly stirred by the recollection +of his service among the Indians, and in 1601 he went with some other +religious to Manila. He was assigned to the province of Nueva Segovia, +where, although on account of his great age he was unable to learn the +language, his holy example was of great value. He was of great help and +comfort to the minister whom he accompanied, doing all that he could +to make it possible for the minister (who knew the language) to work +among the Indians, and to write in the Indian language compositions and +spiritual exercises, which were of service to the ministers that came +after them. He used to wear next his skin a thick chain, weighing ten +libras; and, that the other brethren might not perceive the marks of +it on his tunics, he used to take care to wash and dry them apart. He +died as a result of a fever caused by the heat of the sun. Father +Fray Miguel was of swarthy complexion, with black and very prominent +eyes which inspired fear. After his death he remained handsome, fair, +and rosy, which caused those present to wonder-all supposing that +these were signs of the glory which his soul already enjoyed.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXVI + +The establishment of two churches in Nueva Segovia + + +In the month of August, 1607, at the octave of the Assumption of +our Lady, a church was erected in the village of Nalfotan, the chief +village among those which are called the villages of Malagueg [i.e., +Malaúeg] in Nueva Segovia. This church had the name and was under the +patronage of St. Raymond. The Indians of these villages were and are +courageous and warlike. Hence before the coming of the faith they +were constantly at war among themselves and with their neighbors, +being men of fierce mind and lofty courage, and highly prizing their +valor, strength and spirit, an inheritance left to them by their +ancestors. Thus they and their neighbors of Gatarang and Talapa, with +whom they were very closely related, gave the Spaniards a great deal +of trouble, and were feared and still are feared by the other Indians +of that large province. In the village called Nalfotan the chief and +lord at this time was a young man named Pagulayan, to whom our Lord, +in addition to high rank, great wealth, and courage, had given a quiet +and peaceful disposition. He was a friend of peace and of the public +weal--[seeking not only] his own advantage, but that of his people, +and striving to secure what he recognized as good; and in him ran side +by side the love of peace, and military spirit and courage--in which he +was distinguished and eminent, and for which he was therefore feared by +his enemies. God our Lord, so far as we can judge, had predestinated +him for Himself; and this he showed by the great affection with which +he listened to matters dealing with the service of God, even when he +was a heathen and was living among barbarians, idolaters and demons, +such as were all his vassals. When he heard that the Ytabes Indians, +his neighbors, had religious of St. Dominic who taught them a sure and +certain road to salvation, and to the gaining of perpetual happiness +for the soul in heaven by serving God in peace and quietude, he strove +with all his heart to enjoy so great a good. He discussed the matter +with his Indians, and with their approval went down many times to the +city of the Spaniards to carry out his religious purpose, endeavoring +to have the father provincial, Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, give him +a religious for his village. The provincial would have rejoiced to +give him one; but those whom he had were so busy, and he had already +withdrawn so many in response to such requests, that he was unable +to satisfy this good desire, except with the hope that a missionary +would be provided there as soon as the religious had come whom he was +expecting from España. The good Pagulayan, although he was somewhat +consoled, did not cease to complain, with feeling, that he had been +unable to bring to his village the good which he desired for it. As he +was unable to obtain a religious, he took with him a Christian child +from among those who were being taught the Christian doctrine in the +church, that the boy might instruct him until a father should come who +could complete and perfect his teaching. Nay, more: he and his people, +having confidence in the promise which had been given them, erected +a church in their village that they might influence the religious +[to go there], and have that stronger reason for supplying a minister +to them rather than to other villages which had no church. All this +greatly affected the religious; and finally, in August of this year +[1607], father Fray Pedro de Sancto Thomas [51] went there and found +the church already built, and the whole village--men, women, and +children--gathered on purpose to receive him, as they did with great +joy and the exhibition of much content. This caused like content in the +soul of father Fray Pedro, who giving many thanks to the Lord, whose +work this was, firmly resolved to labor with all his strength in this +vineyard which seemed to bear fruit before it was cultivated. Father +Fray Pedro was very well suited to begin a conversion like this; +for he was so simple and affable that the most remote barbarians, +if they talked with him, were compelled to love him. He was of a very +gentle nature, and extremely open-hearted, being entirely free from +any duplicity or deceit, and acting in all things with the bowels of +charity. This is the greatest snare to catch love which may be set +for men. Hence they received him as if he came from heaven, and at +the beginning they listened to him and obeyed him with great zeal. The +devil at these things suffered from rage and the worst pains of hell, +as he saw himself losing, all at once, villages which had been his for +so many ages. Hence by the means of a sorceress, a priestess of his, +named Caquenga, he began to disturb the Indians, to whom this wicked +woman said such things that many determined to follow the rites of +their ancestors and not to receive the teaching of the divine law. So +devilish was this cursed anitera that she kept stirring up some of them +against the religious, while at the same time with those who wished +to keep him she pretended to be on their side; thus she deceived +them all, especially those who were influenced by their zeal for +ancient superstitions. Hence they themselves killed their fowls and +the swine which they had bred, tore down their houses, and cut down +their palm-groves, in which their principal wealth consisted; and, +crying out, "Liberty!" they fled to the mountains. Here they joined +those who had hitherto been their enemies, that they might be more +in number and might bring a greater multitude of weapons against a +solitary friar who went unarmed, and whom they had invited to their +village with such urgency, and received with such joy; and against +whom they had no complaint except simply that he preached to them +the law of God and the gospel of peace, at their own invitation, and +that a most earnest invitation. Pagulayan, with some of his vassals, +was constantly at the side of Fray Pedro--who, being secure in his +own conscience, was not intimidated, but strove to bring back those +who had revolted. Seeking for means of speaking to them, he determined +to send an Indian who should arrange in his behalf for a conference; +and who should promise the chief of the revolted ones, whose name was +Furaganan, that the Spaniards who were ¡n the city of Nueva Segovia +would not punish him for what he had done. That the Indian might feel +safe and might believe him, he gave the man a relic of St. Thomas to +carry; for among them there was no one who knew how to read or write, +because they had no letters of their own, so that he was unable to +give him a letter, or any other token better known as coming from +the father. This, however, sufficed to cause Furaganan to listen to +the messenger without ill-treating him; and he agreed to meet the +religious at a certain place and on an appointed day. As a token of +fidelity and peace, Furaganan sent his bararao--a dagger with which +they stab close at hand, and can easily cut off a head--that it might +be put in the hands of the religious. They met on the assigned day; +and the Indian, annoyed with Caquenga, who had caused the disturbance +among them, immediately joined the party of the religious against whom +she had caused them to rebel. Furaganan asked them to give him this +Indian anitera as a slave, alleging that she had been a slave of his +mother, and that in this way and no other could quiet be restored, +because he could not suffer that this intriguing slave-woman should, +merely through her crafty acts, be more esteemed by the Spaniards +than were the chiefs. She was, he said, full of duplicity, having +remained with Pagulayan that she might be able to say afterward to +the Spaniards that she was not at fault for the uprising--although, +in point of fact, she had been the cause of it. Fray Pedro promised +to look after this business with great diligence, and to do what +should be best. The Indian departed, apparently in peace; but the +others did not continue in that frame of mind. At midnight, while +the religious was reciting the matins, on the first Sunday of Advent, +and when he had come to the first response, the insurgents set fire +to the church, thus alarming those who had remained in the village, +and causing them to take flight. Pagulayan came to father Fray Pedro, +and, acting as his guide, put him on a safe road, carrying him at +times on his shoulders across creeks and rivers on the road which they +followed. At dawn they halted in a thicket, whence the father went +to a little village farther down, because the place where they were +was not safe. Here Pagulayan carried the robes from the sacristy, +and father Fray Pedro put them as well as he could into a chest, +being obliged to leave out a canvas of our Lady, which on account of +its size the chest would not hold. Leaving it there, he went on to +the village of Pia, where there was a religious with many Christians, +and where the people were peaceful. The insurgents went straight down +to the village where the chest and the picture were; and, opening the +chest, they took out the ornaments, the chalice, and all the rest, +and profaned everything. They cut the ornaments of the mass into +pieces, to make head-cloths and ribbons. They tore the leaves out of +the missal, and drank out of the chalice, like a godless race governed +by the devil. Taking the image painted on the canvas, they set it up +as a target for their lances. One of them blasphemously said: "This, +the fathers tell us, is the mother of God; if this were truth, our +lances would draw blood, and since she sheds none, it is all trickery +and deceit." The savage said this when he was throwing his lance at +the image, and his audacity did not remain without its punishment, for +he was soon after condemned to the galleys; and here, in addition to +the ordinary hardships suffered in them, he was maltreated by all the +other galley slaves when they learned that his crime had been committed +against our Lady. They struck him, buffeted him, kicked him, and abused +him with words as an enemy of the Virgin; and in this state he died, +passing from the wretched life of the galleys to eternal death in hell. + +In this same year the Indians of Zimbuey, in the level part of La +Yrraya in the same province, rose and murdered their encomendero +Luis Henriquez, angered because he had treated them during the +previous year with more rigor than was proper. There was no religious +here. The Indians, in fear of like severity during the present year, +had mutinied against the encomendero and thrust him through with a +lance. Out of his shin-bones they made steps to go up to the house +of their chief--a piece of savagery such as might be expected from +enraged Indians. Information of these two risings was sent to the +governor of Manila, who sent out the sargento-mayor Christobal de +Azcueta with a sufficient number of soldiers. He ascertained the +facts in both cases and brought out the truth clearly--namely, +that the excesses of the dead encomendero had caused the Indians +of his encomienda at Zimbuey to rise, and that the intrigues of +Caquenga had roused the Indians of Malagueg. The latter, conscious +of their fault, came to the city of Nueva Segovia to beg that the +religious might return to them; and father Fray Pedro de Sancto +Thomas returned with them. He had greater confidence in the many +hopes which he had, for many of them, that they would be good and +faithful Christians, than resentment for the wrongs which he had +received from others. All this disturbance came to an end, and he +built convents and churches and baptized many. In course of time all +those people were baptized. Pagulayan was named Luis, and one of his +sisters was named Luysa Balinan. They were always very brotherly and +sisterly in all things, especially in following virtue. They remained +very firm in the faith, and have aided much to bring their Indians +to embrace it. They lived according to the teachings of the faith, +giving a noble example in this respect, and obviously surpassing all +those of their land in everything that has to do with virtue and the +service of God. They were, during all their lives, the support of the +mission, the comfort of the religious, and generous honorers of their +church--upon the adornment of which they spent freely in proportion to +their means, giving silver lamps and other very rich ornaments for the +service and beautifying of the church. Nor did they forget the poor, +not only of their own village, but of the others, who very often come +to this one to find food, since this is generally the village where +food is most abundant. Don Luis Pagulayan died while young, in the +year 1620. His death was much regretted and deplored, as it still is +both by the religious and by his Indians, and much more by his sister, +Doña Luysa Balinan. She is yet living, and perseveres in holy customs +and in laudable acts of all the virtues; for she wears hair shirts +underneath her dress as a married chieftainess, is constantly in the +church, and is very frequent in her confessions and communions. She +is very careful that not only those of her household (who are many) +but all of the village--which is one of the largest in the province +of Nueva Segovia--should carefully observe the law of God and hear and +learn the Catholic doctrine. This she herself ordinarily teaches, and +teaches well, for she has had much practice in this office, so that +she greatly aids the ministers. A few years ago, there was in this +province a great famine; and Doña Luisa having very fertile land, +from which she might have made a great profit, preferred to offer +it to Christ through His poor. Hence she spent it all upon them, +directing all the poor to come every day to her for their food, as +was done. In any tumult or disturbance that may arise, she is one +from whom the religious learn with perfect certainty the truth of +what has happened; and by her assistance (for she is very prudent) +the remedy is obtained. The Lord watches over her and prospers her +in all things--not only spiritual, in which she surpasses, but also +temporal, for she is one of the richest persons that there are in this +province. When some superstitious performances were carried on here +by some of the chiefs, she immediately informed the religious. When +he asked her if she dared to declare the matter before the guilty +persons, that in this way the evil might be demonstrated and cured, +she replied that she would venture, even though they should give her +poison; for they were unable to avenge themselves in any other way, +and she had reason to expect them to do this. Such is the spirit +and courage with which she serves the Lord and strives for the good +of her fellow-men; and so little does she esteem life when there is +an opportunity for her to venture it for such a noble end. In the +year 1626, the names of those entered in the records of baptism in +this church of Nalfotan were counted. The total was found to be four +thousand six hundred and seventy, in addition to those baptized in +sickness, who were many; and all this rich harvest was reaped in a +village which eighteen years ago was composed wholly of heathen. + +At the end of this year, 1607, another church was built in December, +on Innocents' day, in a village of the same province named Yguig, +two days' journey up the river from the city of the Spaniards. The +encomendero had collected his tribute from these Indians with great +care; but he had given no attention to providing them with Christian +instruction, as God and the king commanded him. The Lord, who overlooks +many other grievous sins, was unwilling to let this pass without +chastisement; but the punishment which He gave the encomendero was +that of a kind father, and was inflicted outside of his clothes--that +is to say, it fell only upon his wealth, which, when it is guiltily +acquired, shall not profit. This encomendero lost all; and when these +misfortunes came upon him, one after the other, he perceived that they +did not come by chance, and saw what it was with which the Lord might +be angry. This was his supporting idolatry and the service of the devil +in this village, by his mere failure to provide Christian instruction +in it, as was his duty. He repented of what he had hitherto done, +and vowed to provide in this village the teaching of the true God, +and a religious to preach and teach it. In this year he asked for the +religious from the father provincial, Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, +and one was given him. Since there was a discussion as to what patron +this new church should be given, many slips with the names of saints +upon them were placed in a vessel. Three times the name of Sanctiago, +patron of the Españas, came out; and hence the church was given this +name, which has been retained in this village of Yguig. This has been +done in spite of the fact that, on account of great inundations and +floods of the river, it has been necessary to build the church on +four separate sites--the first three having been overflowed, although +it did not appear possible that the river should reach land situated +so high. This river, however, is very large; and its floods are so +extreme that they overflowed these eminences, until the church was +finally placed where it now is, which is upon a very high hill. Here it +enjoys without disturbance the fresh breezes, and is safe against any +flood. Among all these changes and difficulties, this tribe would have +been scattered and their village destroyed, if the religious had not +sustained them with alms and charities. They received much assistance +from the Indian chiefs, in particular from one who far surpassed the +others in Christian zeal and in fidelity to God, the church, and the +Spaniards. The Lord has wrought him great and apparent benefits for +this. One was as follows. He went for many days under a temptation +of the devil to kill another Indian chief, who had wrought him a +great wrong; and could not rest by day or by night for thinking how +he might obtain satisfaction against the guilty man. Now he thought +of these plans, now of those, and was in such disquiet that he could +not conceal the matter. The religious came to a knowledge of this, +called him aside, and rebuked him earnestly, for his guilt and the +great sin which he was designing, which was entirely contrary to the +laws which should govern a Christian, such as he was, who is bound +to love his enemies. It was even contrary to the principles of his +rank and his chieftainship for him to desire to commit a murder. Don +Ambrosio Luppo (as this Indian was named) responded, weeping freely: +"Would to God, father, that you might see my heart, in order that you +might understand well how much I suffer from the deed of this man, +and might also see plainly how great an impression your teachings have +made upon me. If I had not looked to God for some way of following +your teachings, would this man have had his head on his shoulders +so long? But I pardoned him because God pardoned me; and from that +time I have been calm, and more devout than before." He received +another benefit. He and his wife much desired to have children, but, +though they had lived for many years together, they had now passed +their youth, and had no children. They communicated their desire to +the father, and he advised them what they ought to do, saying: "When +good Spaniards feel these desires, they offer particular devotion to +the mother of God and to other great saints"--naming some who are of +most signal assistance in such cases--"and they go to the churches +and offer prayers before their images, that they may intercede with +God who can do all things. In this way they many times attain what +they desire." "All this will we do very willingly," answered husband +and wife; "but what shall we say in our prayer after we have recited +the Paternoster and the Ave Maria?" The religious taught them what +they ought to say and what prayers they ought to make to our Lady, +briefly indicating to her the desire which they had, and offering +to her service the fruit of the blessing which they might attain by +their prayers. This they did, going with their petition to the Lady +of the Rosary which was in their church. A year later they had a son, +to whom the religious, in memory of that which had been agreed upon, +gave the name of Juan de Sancta Maria. The parents recognized him as +a gift from our Lady. Afterward this same Lady, by means of this same +religious, restored the child to complete health in an instant, when it +was almost at the point of death. This she did for the comfort of the +parents, for it seemed as if they would follow it out of sorrow. On +many other occasions she has come to their help; and the Lord has +rewarded them with a generous hand for the faith and the good services +which, since they became Christians, they have done and are doing. + + + + + +CHAPTER LXVII + +The election as provincial of father Fray Baltasar Fort, the martyrdom +of the holy Leon, and events in the province. + + +In April, 1608, the electors, assembled in the convent of Sancto +Domingo at Manila, chose as provincial father Fray Baltasar Fort, +minister of the holy gospel in the province of Pangasinan. He was by +habit and profession a son of the convent of San Estevan at Salamanca, +and adopted into that of the Preachers in Valencia, his native land, +whence he came to this province in the year 1602. He was at this time +prior of the convent. He was of a character such that all necessary +qualities for so high an office were united in him; and hence his +election was very agreeable to all, both religious and lay, because he +was greatly loved and reverenced by all--not only of his own religious +order, but also of the others. In this chapter were accepted the +houses which had been newly formed in Japon, Pangasinan, and Nueva +Segovia, an account of which has been given in the two preceding +chapters. What had been at other times ordained and commanded was +recalled to mind--namely, that in our conversations we should speak +constantly of God, a subject which is never exhausted, is never +wearisome to a good man, is edifying to all, and keeps the religious +in the fulfilment of the obligations that belong to their estate. + +[At this time the fathers who were laboring for the good of the natives +of Japon had a joyful day in seeing the martyrdom of a person who had +been brought to the faith, instructed, and baptized by their ministry; +and in whom the faith had struck so deep roots that he yielded fruit +an hundred fold, according to the gospel, by suffering martyrdom +within four months after becoming a Christian. Having been baptized on +July 22, 1608, he was decapitated for his confession of faith on the +seventeenth of November in the same year, in the kingdom of Satzuma, +his native country. There were laws of the emperor, and also of the +actual king of that region, that no soldier or person of rank should +be baptized, since it was believed that the strength of these persons +would be weakened if they gave up their obligations to those deities +from whom victory was expected. In spite of this law, many soldiers and +persons of rank were baptized, among them Xichiyemon, a youth of high +rank. He received baptism from the hands of father Fray Joseph de San +Jacintho, who warned him of the tumult which his baptism would arouse, +and of the destruction of his soul which would follow if he were to +renounce his baptism. He was so determined and courageous that the +father baptized him by the name of Leon. His devotion was such that +his conversion could not long be hidden; and, when it was known, the +valiant Leon was obliged to resist the supplications of his superior +officers, his friends, and his relatives, who represented to him the +shame which he would bring upon his family if he should die by the +hands of the executioner. This is a thing above measure infamous in +Japon, because all malefactors of rank who are condemned to death cut +open their own abdomens, and wound their bowels with their own knives +[catanas], and thus kill themselves, that they may not die at the +hands of another." [52] His obligations to his wife and children, +and his duties of obedience as a soldier, were insisted upon; but he +remained resolved to die as a Christian, not taking his own life, but +offering it. He was not imprisoned, and visited his spiritual father, +Fray Juan Joseph de San Jacintho, in a little village a quarter of +a legua from Firaça. At the appointed time he dressed himself in new +white clothes, washed his head, and gird on two swords. He then went +to the cross-roads where he was to suffer, and died with a rosary in +his hand and a little picture of the descent from the cross on his +bosom. His holy body was exhumed by the Christians, and was kept by +the fathers of St. Dominic, who afterward, when they were driven from +the country, took it with them to Manila and placed it in the chapel +of the relics. The tyrant commanded that Leon's wife and eldest son +should suffer death, because they had been unable to persuade him to +recant. Pablo, Leon's friend, who was accused at the same time, was not +so happy as he, but was merely banished from the kingdom of Satzuma. + +On the eleventh of April in this year (i.e., 1609) there arrived at +Manila some religious from the number of those who were brought from +España to this province by father Fray Gabriel de Quiroga. He died +on the voyage before he reached Mexico, and most of the others were +scattered, and remained in Nueva España. Father Fray Gabriel was a son +of our convent at Ocaña. He was a great preacher, and had come to this +province in 1594. He was in the ministry to the Chinese; being unable +to learn the language on account of his advanced age, and being in +ill health, he returned to España. Here he felt scruples at having +left the province of the Philippinas, and asked permission of the +most reverend general to return to it with a company of religious. In +1607 he gathered a company in Sevilla, but was unable to come for +lack of a fleet. Later in the same year, learning that six pataches +were being prepared for the voyage, he arranged to reassemble the +religious and to take them in these vessels, though he had already been +appointed bishop of Caceres. He quickly got together thirty associates, +taking the risk of sailing in December. The storms were so furious, +and the asthma from which the bishop suffered was so severe, that he +departed this life on the way. Of all those who came with him only +eight completed the voyage which they had begun. + +The success of the religious in Satzuma during the six years which +they had spent in that kingdom aroused the tono, who was persuaded by +the devil and his servants the bonzes to expel the fathers from his +country. The case of the holy martyr Leon contributed to influence +the tono. It was said in that kingdom that no one ever failed to do +what his lords commanded him, and hence such disobedience as that of +Leon was regarded as dangerous to the state. The bonzes particularly +were bitter against the Christians, who despised the deity whom they +worshiped. [53] All the cases of misfortune and all the downfalls which +had happened to Christian princes within a few years were referred to +their belief, although the misfortunes of the heathen princes had been +much more numerous. As the king of Satzuma was at this time actually +preparing for a war of conquest against the islands of the Leuquios, +[54] he was greatly impressed by these reasonings. He was also +disgusted because no vessels had come from Manila to this country, +the desire for trade having been his chief object in sending for +religious. The king of Satzuma sought for some pretext for expelling +the father, without finding any. In the month of August, he sent word +to them that the emperor complained because the Spanish religious in +his country had never appeared before him. This was only a pretext +to get the religious out of the country. There were at that time +in all Japan, outside of Nangasaqui, not more than three churches +licensed by the emperor: one in Meyaco, of the fathers of the Society; +a second in Yendo, of the Franciscan fathers; and a third in Ozaca, +of the Society. All the rest were practically in concealment, and +had license only from the tonos or kings. The emperor, though he knew +this, paid little attention to the matter. The fathers, however, were +able to say that father Fray Alonso de Mena had visited the emperor, +and had received license from him for the stay in Japan of the rest +of the fathers. Still, thinking that they might do well to appear +before the emperor, they decided to follow the suggestion of the +tono, and father Fray Francisco de Morales went directly to visit +him and was kindly received. Before father Fray Francisco returned, +the tono gave commands that all the Christians should recant, and +exiled those who refused to obey, confiscating their goods. When this +happened, there were in Satzuma only the fathers Fray Joseph de San +Jacintho and Fray Jacintho Orfanel. Father Fray Joseph went directly +to appear before the old tono, and was received with much apparent +courtesy, which was a mere cloak for the evil which he was preparing +to execute. The father also desired to go to visit the young tono, +but was advised that he could do no good; and therefore he went from +village to village, strengthening and encouraging the converts. He and +father Fray Jacintho, happening to be both at once within the convent, +the governor forbade the religious to leave the church, and prohibited +the Christians from going to it, hoping thus to prevent the religious +from receiving any support. There was only one half-leprous boy, +named Juan, who succored them at this time. When he went to buy what +they needed, the people paid no attention to his coming and going, +because of his being afflicted in this way.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXVIII + +The religious, being exiled and expelled from the kingdom of Satzuma, +are admitted to other kingdoms. + + +[The kingdom of Japon is subject to constant changes and novelties, as +may be known by those who have lived in it, and by those who have read +what historians have to say of it. Although the plague of inconstancy +is very common among all heathen, the Japanese are particularly subject +to it. It is not to be wondered at that the king of Satzuma, after +all that he had done to bring religious from St. Dominic to Manila, +should have expelled them without any cause. The natural inconstancy +of this race is sufficient explanation for his conduct. St. Francis +Xavier was expelled from the same kingdom of Satzuma, as he was +afterwards from the country of Yamaguçu, [55] whence he fled to the +kingdom of Firando. As early as the year 1555, the heathen Japanese +believed that so soon as the faith should enter their country the +kingdom would be destroyed; and in the following year the city of +Amaguchi was destroyed, and there was a great persecution. In the +year 1564 there was another persecution, even more severe, in Meaco, +the imperial court. Father Cosme de Torres was obliged to leave there +and to go to the kingdom of Bungo. In Firando the churches were +overthrown, and the emperor Nabunanga imprisoned Father Argentino +[56] and his associate, refusing to release them until he received, +as a ransom, from the most noble and Catholic Don Justo the fortress +called Tayca Yama. [57] In 1599 the Taico [i.e., Iyeyasu] banished +by public edict all the religious there were in Japon (all of whom +were then Jesuits), declaring that all Christians were his enemies; +but soon after he granted to father Fray Juan Cobo--a religious of +St. Dominic, who had come from Manila as ambassador--that he, and +religious of the Society or of any other order, might preach and make +converts in Japon. The sons of the seraphic father St. Francis went, +under this permission, in 1593, and were kindly received; but very +soon afterward commands were given to crucify them, as preachers of the +gospel. Father Fray Francisco de Morales felt that conditions were such +that it was necessary to comply, and began by taking down the church +and looking for boats to carry it in; for it was fitted together with +grooves, without nails, and could be, used elsewhere. They removed +for a time to Meyaco, and soon afterwards to the city of Ozaca. In the +erection of both churches they were bitterly opposed by the members of +the other religious orders, although the others could not serve the +twentieth or the thirtieth part of the people of those cities. The +Japanese banished from Satzuma suffered greatly. Among this people +banishment is often worse than death, which is not greatly feared by +them. Banishment is generally accompanied with a loss of their goods, +so that those who are noble and rich are by it instantly reduced +to poverty and drudgery. The fathers carried away their vestments, +the timber of the church, and the body of the holy martyr Leon, +removing them to Nangasaqui. Father Fray Francisco also carried +with him the lepers of the hospital which he had before his house, +that they might not be left in the power of wolves. In the meantime, +the affairs of Christianity went on prosperously in the kingdom of +Fixen. In July, 1609, father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas, who sent +the first religious to Japon when he was provincial, came to Japon +as vicar-provincial, bringing with him as his associate brother Fray +Antonio de San Vicente. He labored much and successfully in Fixen, +and the Lord showed the fathers grace by enabling them to baptize many +whom He had predestinated at the point of death. There were especially +many cases of baptism of new-born children, whom the parents intended +to kill, or left to drown in the river.] + +One day's journey up the river from Abulug, in the province of Nueva +Segovia, there is a village named Fotol in the midst of a number of +other smaller villages, as is customary among the mountains. When +these villages were visited for the purpose of collecting tribute, +the religious was accustomed to go along that he might be there +conveniently to give them some knowledge of the law of God, and strive +to bring them to a love of the faith by which they might be saved. This +diligence, although it was exercised so seldom--only once a year--was +yet not in vain; for the words of the gospel sown in the hearts of +these heathen took root and caused them to go down [the river], +voluntarily, for the purpose of seeking a preacher to live among +them, to teach, direct, and baptize them. Father Fray Miguel de San +Jacintho, vicar of Abulug, sent there father Fray Diego Carlos. [58] +The Spaniards did not dare to visit the village when they collected +the tribute, except in numbers and with arms. On this account, +and because they were surrounded by mountaineers who were heathen, +untamed, and ferocious, it seemed to the Christian Indians of Abulug +that the religious ought not to go without a guard to protect his life; +but since the order given by our Lord Jesus Christ is not such, but +directs that His preachers should go as sheep among wolves, father +Fray Diego would not receive the advice given him by these Indians, +though they were friendly; and departed alone with his associate, +as a preacher of peace and of the law of love. All the Indians, +great and small, came out to receive them with great joy; and the +religious immediately began to preach to them and to teach them. In +a short time they did a great work, and baptized not only those of +this village, but also those who dwelt near there. They left their +old sites and, gathering in this one, formed a new settlement. The +church was built under the patronage of our Lady of the Rosary, +and here the Christian faith went on flourishing until the devil, +hating so much good, disturbed them and caused them to fall away for a +time--to their great harm, spiritual and temporal; though afterward, +recognizing their error, they returned to their obedience to their +Creator, as will be told hereafter. Almost in the same manner, and +following the same course, another church was built at this time in +the high region at the head of the great river, six days' journey +from the city of the Spaniards, in a village named Batavag. Here +father Fray Luis Flores, who was afterward a holy martyr in Japon, +gathered together seven little hamlets, making one very peaceful +one. He preached to them, taught them, and baptized many, without +receiving any other assistance in all this than that which the Lord +promises those who, for love of Him and from zeal for souls, go alone, +disarmed, and in gentleness among heathen. To such no evil can happen, +since, if the heathen hear the teaching and are converted, all is +happiness and joy both in heaven and for the preachers, since the +sinners are converted; while if they refuse to admit them, or if, +when the preachers are admitted, the heathen do not become converts, +the preachers have a certain reward, as the Lord has promised. This +reward will be much greater if the heathen, in addition to refusing +to be converted, treat them ill, or take their lives from them, for +the sake of the Lord whom they preach. Therefore in this as in all the +other conversions the religious have always gone alone, unarmed, and +in poverty, but sure that they are to suffer no evil. The results in +Batavag were very good, although they did not last many years because, +desirous of a greater laxity of life than the divine law permits, +the natives went up into the neighboring mountain, apostatizing from +the faith which many of them had professed in baptism. + +In the mountains of Ytui, which are not far from Pangasinan, father +Fray Juan de San Jacintho went on a journey at this time, accompanied +by only two Indians. Here he taught, settled their disputes, and +brought them to the faith. These people were a race of mountaineers, +among whom other religious had not been safe even with an escort of +many soldiers; but the gentle manners of father Fray Juan caused them +to become calm, and many of them came sometimes to Pangasinan to ask +that religious might be given to them. Many years passed before it was +possible to provide them with religious; but the father provincial had, +as minister of Pangasinan, seen their pious desires and wished to give +them the religious. For this he requested the sanction of the ordinary, +and asked the governor for the royal patronage. When the fathers of +St. Francis learned this, they came and said that this conversion +belonged to them, because it was very near to the ministry and the +convent which they had in Baler. The order (which needed religious +in other regions) instantly yielded without any dispute, permitting +the fathers of St. Francis to take charge of these Indians. This they +did, but very soon abandoned them, since the region was not one to be +coveted, but was very unhealthy. As a result these Indians remained +for some time deprived of the ministry of the holy gospel; and, +what caused greater regret, they were morally certain to apostatize, +like many other Christians among heathens, since they were children +among idolatrous parents and kinsmen, without religious and without +instruction. + +[In this year, 1609, father Fray Juan de Anaya departed this life. He +was a native of San Pedro de las Dueñas, two leguas from Segovia, +and was a professed son of the convent at Valladolid, whence he came +to this province in 1598. He was sent immediately to Nueva Segovia, +the conversion of which had just begun. He learned the language very +quickly, and so wrought with them that he not only taught them the +gospel and the Christian life, but also civilization. He showed them +how to build their houses, and how to work their fields; and taught +them all other matters of human life, not only by instruction, but +by example. He sought out the Indians, and brought them down from the +mountains and the hiding-places where some, deluded by their sins, had +gone to hide from grace. Father Fray Juan was not content to ask where +they were and to send for them; but, trusting in his natural strength, +he went to look for them and brought them down from the mountains, +traveling through the rough and thorny places among the thickets +where they hid. He compelled them to enter upon the path of their +welfare, not by the violence of a tyrant, but by the force of love and +charity. When he was vicar of Pilitan, some of the poor Indians lost +all their harvest from an overflow of the river. Not daring to wait +for those who were to come and get the tribute, and indeed through +fear of starvation, they left the village, and many of them fled to +the mountains. Father Fray Juan was deeply afflicted because of the +danger which their souls ran. This grief and his many labors affected +his health, and finally brought on a flux, from which he died. Another +religious, a subordinate and companion of Father Juan, father Fray +Vicente Alfonso, died eight days later. He was a Valencian by birth, +and had been a sailor up to his twenty-fourth year. He assumed the +habit in the convent of Preachers in Valencia, and set a good and +humble example as a religious. He was very charitable, giving away even +his clothes to the poor. In the province of Pangasinan, in the month of +August, 1609, there departed from the miseries of this life father Fray +Francisco Martinez, a native of Zacatecas, and a son of the convent +of Mexico. He came to Manila in 1598, and was assigned to Pangasinan, +where he learned the language of the natives with great perfection. He +was constant in labor and in prayer. To defend the Indians, he did not +shrink from suffering or fear the perils of the sea. On one occasion, +when he had gone to Manila on this account, he fell into the hands +of Japanese pirates on his way back to Pangasinan, and was several +times in danger of death, with the pirate's knife at his throat, who +intended by such terrors to increase the ransom. Death called him from +his labors and sufferings. He rejoiced, and died a most holy death.] + +In this year the most reverend general of the order, seeing how many +great things were wrought by the medium of the divine grace through +the religious of this province, and condemning the silence with which +they hid and covered them, without giving any account of them even to +the general head and superior of the order, issued a mandate to the +provincials that they should every year, on pain of incurring mortal +sin, give him information of what took place in this province of the +Philippinas, Japon, and China in the conversions of the heathen and +the extension of the holy Church, the service of the divine Majesty, +and the edification of the people of Christ. In addition to this, they +were to give an account of the state of our order in each province, +declaring how many and what convents it included, how many religious it +possessed, and of what virtue, sanctity, learning, and good example +they were; telling if any of them, after having done illustrious +things, had died gloriously; and recounting all other matters which +might be an honor to God, a source of comfort to the religious, and +an adornment and decoration of our religious order. Together with +this mandate, he wrote with his own hand the following letter, from +which may be seen the high esteem in which he held this province. The +letter is in the archives of the convent of Manila. + + +"Very reverend Father Provincial: Father Fray Alonso Navarrete has +given me good news of the great devotion, spirit, and continual +preaching in this new province. In this I have felt very great +satisfaction; but it would be desirable that I should receive more +detailed reports with regard to matters there, and particularly with +regard to what has been done for the conversion of the heathen, by +the grace of our Lord, in those kingdoms of China and Japon. This +knowledge would be of great service to our Lord, great edification +to our fellow-men, and great honor to our holy religious order. On +this account and in order that you, very reverend Father, may have the +merit of obedience, it has seemed good to me to send you the enclosed +mandate. This is sent, however, still more that it may serve as a +memorandum for the fathers provincials who may succeed your Reverence +in that province, because I know that there may be some carelessness +in this respect. Orders have already been given that friars religious +shall go to that province to preach and assist your Paternities in the +conversion of the heathen. Would that it might please our Lord that I +might go with those for whom our Lord has prepared so great rewards +in heaven. Your prayers, very reverend Father, and the prayers of +all that province I beg for myself and for my associates. Palermo, +June 18, 1609. Your Reverence's fellow-servant in God, + + + Fray Agustin Galaminio, + + master of the Order of Preachers." + + + + + +CHAPTER LXIX + +The venerable father Fray Bartolome de Nieva, and brother Fray Pedro +Rodriguez + + +[Death fell heavily upon our fathers in this year, seizing the best on +every side. In Manila it cut short the thread of the life of father +Fray Bartolome de Nieva. Father Fray Bartolome was a native of Nieva +in Castilla la Vieja. While still a layman, he went to the Indias in +the search for wealth. He spent some years in Mexico; and in spite of +the great wealth of that country, the luxury of life there, and the +agreeable climate, he could not be satisfied or find peace. Hence he +determined to change his course of life, that he might find the calm +for which he sought. Though he was already a grown man, he became +a child in following the duties of a religious order. He assumed +the habit in the convent of Sancto Domingo in that illustrious +city, and began not only upon the elements of the religious life, +but upon those of grammar. He did well in the studies of arts and +theology, and by the aid of the Lord he came forth a religious of +great spiritual qualities--prayer, penitence, and prudence, both +spiritual and temporal. He joined a company of religious who passed +through Mexico in the year 1594, on their way to the Philippinas. He +was too old to learn the language of the Indians, but he accompanied +the brother who taught and baptized the Chinese in the hospital for +that people; and thus assisted the other minister, whose duty it was to +live in the hospital. When he determined to go to the Philippinas his +companions in Mexico strove to prevent him, because he suffered from +several infirmities, and the labors in the Philippinas were known to +be very severe. The Lord, however, gave signs that He desired him to +go. He showed especial devotion to the holy Virgin and was a useful +and devoted minister. The Lord gave father Fray Bartolome wonderful +powers of spiritual conversation, and of insight into character; and +even some powers of prophecy, of which a number of illustrations are +given. Through him the Lord healed not a few sick. A letter of his is +reported at length, in which he incites a sinner to give up his evil +way of life, and shows a knowledge of the man's heart which could only +have been given him by God. Other instances of the same sort are cited +and an account of the holy death of father Fray Bartolome is given. + +At the same time there died brother Fray Pedro Rodriguez, a companion +of the first founders of this province. He was most closely associated +with those who taught and baptized the Chinese. During his whole life +he had sole charge of the temporal affairs of the hospital. Father Fray +Pedro was not content with receiving those who came, but had persons +to inform him if there were any sick in the orchards or quarries, or +other places where the Chinese who live about Manila were gathered for +work; and immediately sent to have them brought to the hospital. He +often went in person to bring them, and, no matter how offensive or +disgusting their diseases, he cared for them with his own hands. He +waited upon them at all hours of the day and night, caring for +their bodies; and he strove to teach them the things necessary for +the salvation of their souls, as soon as their sickness gave him an +opportunity. He suffered greatly from asthma; but, in spite of this +affliction, he constantly employed the discipline of stripes--not +upon his flesh, for he had none, but upon his bones, which were +covered with nothing but skin; insomuch that some Spaniards came to +look at him, regarding it as a marvel that such a living image of +death should be able to stand. His head was like a skull with eyes +in it, but so sunken that it seemed almost as if he had none. The +truth is that he ate no more than sufficient to sustain him in this +condition; yet he was so attentive and careful to provide dainty food +for a sick man that the religious were sent there to him during their +convalescence. He had no greater pleasure than this and his unexpected +success in converting some heathen. The Lord provided him with these +pleasures, which served him as food and drink to sustain his life. To +the two hours of mental prayer observed in the whole province he added +two others daily, continuing them after that which follows matins, +and prolonging them till dawn. As soon as daylight appeared he left +the work of Mary to go to that of Martha in caring for his sick, +giving them breakfast after their own custom--which is followed in +all the care that is given them, and in everything done for them. In +spite of all these labors he thought so humbly of himself that one +day when a religious heard him uttering heavy groans and deep sighs, +and asked the cause, being unable to refrain from doing so, Fray Pedro +answered that it was because he was so evil that, though he had so many +times prayed to the Lord for a trifle of His love and charity, he had +not gained it. The superior desired to try him as to his obedience; +and seeing that he labored with such delight at the hospital, and +took such joy in serving the sick, he determined to find out if there +were some self-love hidden in all this. He therefore directed him to +leave the hospital, and to come to the city and take up the office of +sacristan in the convent. Fray Pedro immediately obeyed, and, going +into the sacristy which was entrusted to him, he fulfilled his duty +with cleanliness, neatness, and good grace in all things, just as if +he had exercised it all his life, and had never been occupied with +the other. He was accordingly directed to return to the hospital, +where he was more needed. The governor, Don Juan de Silva, went to +visit the hospital; and when he saw this brother with nothing but +bones and skin, and when he heard the things which they said of him, +he felt such reverence for him that he kissed his hand, and offered him +his favor for all things of which his hospital had need, and arranged +to grant him all that he wished, for the governor looked upon him +and venerated him as a saint. At the time of his death, about three +thousand who had died in the hospital had received baptism. In the +intermediate chapter which took place in the following year honorable +mention was made of this religious.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXX + +Father Fray Luis Gandullo, his entrance upon the religious life, +and his coming to this province + + +[The events which happened in the case of this father are such as God +rarely manifests, even in the case of those who are nearest to Him; +and I should not dare to bring them to the light if they were not +attested by three notable circumstances. The first is that he never +formed his own judgment about what happened, but submitted the matter +to a learned and spiritual man. The second is, that father Fray Luis +kept such silence about these things that he only revealed them under +the solemn mandate of his superior. The third is the innocence of his +life, and his marvelous virtue. A formal certificate as to these three +circumstances is given at length; it is by Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas, +and is dated at Manila, August 10, 1615. Father Fray Luis Gandullo +was a native of the town of Aracena in the archbishopric of Sevilla, +and was born of a rich and noble family. At the age of fourteen he +made a vow to assume the habit of the Dominican order. This vow he +was unable to carry out for eight years, because of his duties to +his widowed mother and his two sisters. While still a youth, he was +favored with a vision of the Virgin, which was followed soon after +by a vision in which the devil appeared to him. After his two sisters +were settled in life a certain trouble befell him in his own country, +which obliged him to leave it and to go to the Indias. He dwelt for +some time in Nueva España, where he lived with some freedom, the Lord +preparing to drive him, by the very thorns which he should find in this +road, to the religious life. His ancient desires to become a friar of +St. Dominic returned to his mind, and he began to arrange with the +prior of the convent of the city of Puebla to assume the habit. The +prior and the friars of the convent, being asked by him if a secret +business pledge which he had made had any validity, declared that it +had no force in conscience, and would not hold him in a court of law +if the party concerned would tell the truth of the case. He assumed +the habit and waited for fourteen months to be professed. While he +was looking for his profession to take place his creditor entered the +convent, declaring that they were taking away his money by permitting +the novice to enter the profession, since he could earn what he owed +in the secular life. Upon this, the superior commanded Luis to lay +aside the habit; but the Lord punished the creditor by burning a +great deal more of his property than the debt amounted to. Luis, +who knew that the obligation was merely a confidential agreement, +refused to pay it because he did not owe it. He was ordained as priest, +having determined to become a secular clergyman. Under this condition +he prayed God to help him fulfil his vow; and afterward had visions, +among them a dreadful one of the devil in the form of a snake. Being +constantly attended by visions, he determined to carry out his vow, +and one night heard a voice calling to him, "Luis!" He answered, +"Lord!" and the voice went on to say, "Rise, and go to Mexico to +assume the habit." It seemed to him that it was the voice of his dead +brother. His conduct when he came to the convent was such that the +brethren there decided to grant him the habit and the profession +together, since he had already completed his novitiate. When the +founders of this province went through Puebla, father Fray Luis +desired to accompany them, but was unable to carry out his wish at +that time. He received intimations from a holy woman, a penitent +of his, that the Lord favored his desire to come to this province; +and to this intimation were added other supernatural signs. A great +scandal having arisen because of violence shown by the viceroy +to a superior of a certain religious order, [59] father Fray Luis +felt called upon to preach against the viceroy; he was condemned +to exile in the Philippinas, and received the sentence with joy. He +accompanied father Fray Juan Cobo, who was exiled for the same cause, +as is narrated in chapter twenty-four of this history.] + + + + (To be concluded.) + + + + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA + + +The present volume contains the second instalment of Aduarte's +Historia, begun in Vol. XXX (q.v.); it includes chapters xxxviii to +lxx (pp. 167-384), inclusive, of book i. The concluding installment +will be presented in Vol. XXXII. + + + + + + + +NOTES + + +[1] i.e., "The holy synod commands parish priests and other preachers +to the Indians to instruct them often and earnestly in the doctrine +of this mystery;" and, "To those whom the parish priest shall regard +as sufficiently instructed, and made fit by the correctness of their +lives, he shall not fail to administer the holy eucharist, on the +first Easter following." + +[2] Francisco Blancas de San José was a native of Tarazona, and +entered the Dominican order at Alcalá de Henares. He came to Manila +with the mission of 1595, and was sent to Bataán; afterward he +spent several years in the Manila convent, preaching to Indians and +Chinese, as well as Spaniards. He also gave especial attention to +the instruction of the negroes and slaves there, of whom there were +many thousands. He also labored in Cagayán and (1609) in Mindoro +and Balayan. In 1614 he sailed for Spain, but died on the voyage, +before reaching Mexico. (Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 172-177.) + +[3] Jacinto de San Jerónimo came to the islands with the mission of +1604. The rest of his life was spent mainly in the missions of Cagayán; +near its end, he went to the new mission of Ituy (now Nueva Vizcaya), +where he died in 1637. (Reseña biográfica, i, p. 327.) + +[4] Probably referring to the expedition sent from Mexico early in +1559, to conquer Florida, under command of Tristan de Luna y Arellano; +it included 500 Spanish soldiers and a considerable number of Indian +allies. This attempt proved unsuccessful, and most of the Spaniards +were slain by the warlike Florida Indians. + +[5] The sketch of Salazar's life given in Reseña biográfica (i, +pp. 35-49) states that he obtained permission to carry twenty religious +with him to the Philippines, all of whom he procured from the convent +at Salamanca. But twelve of them died (apparently from ship-fever) +before reaching Mexico; and the others were so prostrated by sickness +that they could go no farther. + +[6] i.e., "Reprove, entreat, rebuke, in all patience and doctrine." + +[7] Cantaro (from Latin, cantharus): the name of a large earthen or +metal receptacle for liquids, hence for the amount contained in it; +also, a measure for wine, varying in different parts of Spain. The +cantaro (or alquiére) of Portugal is equivalent to nearly 2 1/5 or +3 1/3 U. S. gallons in Lisbon and Oporto respectively. + +[8] Referring to the cultivation of their rice, usually in fields +more or less under water. + +[9] i.e., the fifth Sunday in Lent. + +[10] These were Dominicans and Franciscans (Vol. IX, pp. 161, +172). One of the latter was named Gregorio da Cruz; a letter from him +to Dasmariñas may be found in Vol. IX, p. 197. Huerta, however, says +(Estado, pp. 672, 673) that the early Franciscan missions lasted only +from 1583 to 1586, and were not resumed until the year 1700. + +[11] See Morga's account of this expedition and its results, in +Vol. XV, pp. 78-89, 130-160, 187-190. Cf. letters sent from Manila +to Camboja, and papers connected with the embassy sent to Dasmariñas, +in Vol. IX, pp. 76-78, 86, 87, 161-180. + +[12] The island (and group) of Lubang, southwest of Manila; a +dependency formerly of the province of Cavite, but now of Marinduque. + +[13] Pulo Obi--that is, Obi Island; it lies near Cape Camâo (sometimes +called Cambodia), the southernmost point of Cochinchina. + +[14] It is difficult to identify this town with exactness, but it is +probably the same as the modern Pnom-penh (Panomping) on the great +river Me-khong (also called Cambodia). The usurper of Langara's throne +was Anacaparan (see Morga's account, in Vol. XV). + +[15] That is, the usurper Anacaparan. According to Morga, he resided +at Sistor, which probably was the modern Udong. + +[16] Tiuman (Timoan, Timun) Island is off the eastern coast of the +Malay peninsula; it is about ten miles long and five broad, and is +a mass of rock, rising into heights of 2,000 to 3,000 feet. + +[17] Pedro de Ledesma, although an old man when he came to the +islands, lived until 1625, after having filled several offices in his +order--mainly at Manila, where he died. He brought seven missionaries +with him (1596). + +[18] For meaning of this title, see Vol. XV, p. 88. + +[19] See Morga's account of this expedition (Vol. XV, +pp. 160-168). Another relation (unsigned) is presented in a +MS. document conserved in the Archivo general de Indias, with the +pressmark: "Simancas-Secular; Cartas y expedientes del gobernador de +Filipinas; años 1600 á 1628; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 7." + +[20] According to the MS. mentioned in preceding note, this officer +was Pedro de Beaztegui (probably for Verastegui). + +[21] Spanish, Avia yo andado todas estas estaçiones: an allusion +to the "stations" which represent, in a Roman Catholic church, the +stages in Christ's sufferings; and to the devotion which consists in +making the circuit of these stations. + +[22] See Vol. XV, p. 206. + +[23] Apparently meaning here, "the country of the Irrayas," rather +than the name of any distinct district. The Irrayas are in modern +times a heathen tribe, of mixed Malay and Negrito blood, dwelling in +the southern part of Isabela province, Luzón, on the western slopes +of the Palanan range, and on tributary streams far up the Rio Grande +de Cagayán. + +[24] The Angatatan River, on which is situated the hamlet of Magaldan; +it falls into Lingayén Gulf. + +[25] Thus in Aduarte's text, but misprinted for Guadaira. Alcala de +Guadaira is a small town in the diocese of Sevilla. + +[26] Prauncar, the son of Langara; he had been replaced on his throne +by the Spanish adventurers. See Morga's account of Joan de Mendoza's +expedition to Camboja, and the death of these two Dominicans, in +Vol. XV, pp. 183-190, 244-247. + +[27] According to Morga's account, this friar was a Dominican. + +[28] The Dominicans made their first establishment at the City of +Mexico in 1526; nine years later, their houses were organized into +the province of Santiago de Mexico. In 1550, Chiapas and Guatemala +were separated therefrom, and formed into a new province; and in +1592 permission was given to cut out still another, the province of +Oajaca. Alonso de Vayllo was its second provincial (1594-97). See +account of the Dominican order in Nueva España in the sixteenth +century, in Bancroft's Hist. Mexico, ii, pp. 724-733. + +[29] i.e., "Christ became, for our sake, obedient even unto death." + +[30] Tomás Hernández was sent, soon after his arrival at Manila (1602), +to the Japan mission; but at the end of four years he returned with +broken health, which compelled him to cease his labors. He lingered, +however, until 1642, when he died at Manila. + +[31] See list of these missionaries in Reseña biográfica, i, +pp. 307-319. Thirty-one arrived at Manila, besides the two who died +on the way. + +[32] One of the year-periods used in Japanese chronology (see +Vol. VIII, p. 263). The Keicho period is 1596-1615. + +[33] All these priests became martyrs, except Hernandez; the fate of +the lay brother is unknown. + +[34] One of the Koshiki Islands, lying west of Satsuma, and belonging +to that district. + +[35] Konishi Yukinaga Tsu-no-Kami, a noted general, was converted in +1584, and took the name of Augustin. In 1592 he commanded the main +army (composed mainly of Christian Japanese) sent by Taikô-sama +for the conquest of Korea. Konishi won renown in that enterprise, +in which he was engaged until Taikô-sama's death (1598) caused the +recall of the Japanese troops from Korea. Opposing Iyeyasu, Konishi +was among the prisoners taken at the battle of Sekigahara (1600), +and was beheaded at Kioto. See Rein's Japan, pp. 284-288, 290, 299. + +[36] Owotomo Bungo-no-Kami (called Franciscus by the Jesuits), the +most powerful feudal lord in Kiushiu, was one of the first daimiôs +in Japan to accept Christianity, and was the main support of the +missions in their early years. He died in 1587. The family of this +prince were deprived, under Iyeyasu, of their possessions, which were +divided among the latter's adherents. See Rein's Japan, pp. 273, 519. + +[37] This was a soldier named Joan Diaz (Vol. XV, pp. 189, +279). Cf. Morga's account of this Dominican mission (Vol. XV, +pp. 279, 280). + +[38] Jerónimo de Belén, a Portuguese by birth, came in the mission +of 1595, from Puebla de los Angeles, Mexico. He ministered at Bataán, +Manila, and Cavite respectively; in 1603 went on the Camboja mission, +and on its failure returned to Manila. He died in 1642, in Pampanga. + +[39] Sketches of the lives of all these friars are given in Reseña +biográfica, i, pp. 320-327. + +[40] This friar came in 1604; he died at Nasiping, July 16, 1611. + +[41] Pedro Muriel came to the islands in 1615, and was sent to the +Cagayán missions, where he seems to have spent most of his remaining +years. He died at Manila, about 1642. + +[42] Itaves is a district south of central Cagayán, on the waters +of the Rio Chico de Cagayan (or Bangag River). It has over 15,000 +inhabitants, contained in more than a hundred villages; these people +are mainly Calauas, and are heathen Malays. See U. S. Gazetteer of +Philippine Islands, p. 561; also Smithsonian Report, 1899, p. 535. + +[43] Juan de Naya spent most of his missionary life in Cagayán. Finally +being ordered to Mexico, he died on the voyage thither, January +27, 1620. + +[44] Andres de Haro, a native of Toledo, made his profession at +Cuenca in 1613. He came to the Philippines in 1615, and spent more +than forty years in the Cagayán missions. At various times he filled +important offices in Manila, among them, that of commissary of the +Inquisition. He died in that city, September 19, 1670, at the age of +seventy-six years. + +[45] Apparently a reference to the Jesuit Alonso Sanchéz, who had gone +in 1586 to Spain (see Vol. VI) as envoy from the various estates of +the Philippine colony. + +[46] i.e., "Farewell in the Lord, beloved of my heart; may you fare +well and happily forever." + +[47] This was Matsura Shigenobu Hô in, the daimiô of Hirado (Firando) +and Iki. He succeeded his father in 1584, and died in 1614, at the +age of sixty-five. He was an officer in the Korean campaigns under +Konishi, and served during 1592-98. See Satow's note regarding him, +in Voyage of Saris (Hakluyt Society's publications, London, 1900), +p. 79; also his portrait, p. 80. + +[48] The same as bagacay or bacacae; see Vol. XVI, p. 55. + +[49] Hizen is one of the most notable provinces of Japan, commercially +and historically. Its chief city is Nagasaki, which about 1586 was +wrested from the daimiô of Omura by Taikô-sama, and declared the +property of the central government. The Dutch maintained a factory +there, although under humiliating conditions and restrictions, +from 1639 to 1859. Another notable town in Hizen is Arima, where the +Christians were so cruelly persecuted in 1637. The daimiô of Hizen, +mentioned by Aduarte, was probably Nabeshima, prince of Saga, who +was a favorite with Iyeyasu. + +See Rein's Japan, pp. 300, 520-523. + +[50] Juan de San Jacinto made his profession in the Dominican convent +at Salamanca, in 1594. He came to Manila in the mission of 1602, and +ministered to the natives in Pangasinan and afterward in Ituy. He +was finally compelled by ill-health to retire to Manila, where he +died in 1626. See Reseña biográfica, i, p. 316. + +[51] Pedro de Santo Tomás came to the islands in the mission of 1602, +and labored twenty years in the Cagayán missions--especially among the +Irrayas, whom he pacified after their revolt against the Spaniards. He +died at Lal-ló, June 29, 1622. + +[52] The Japanese custom of hara-kiri, or seppuku; see description +Rein's Japan, pp. 328, 329; cf. Griffis's Mikado's Empire, p. 221. + +[53] The bonzes are the priests of the Buddhist temples; but they +belong to various sects under the general appellation of Buddhism. + +[54] This daimiô was Shimadzu Yoshihisa; he was commissioned to +subjugate the Riu-Kiu Islands, which were then added to the province +of Satsuma. + +[55] i.e., Yamaguchi, in Nagato; the latter is the province at the +southwest extremity of Hondo (or Nippon) Island, and lies opposite +Kiushiu Island (in which are Satsuma and Hizen). + +[56] Father Organtinus (Sommervogel can find no distinctive Christian +name) was born at Brescia in 1530, and entered the order in 1556. He +set out from Lisbon for India in 1567; and soon went to Japan, where +he spent the rest of his life, dying at Nagasaki in May, 1609. + +Murdoch and Yamagata's History of Japan, 1542-1651 (Kobe, 1903), gives +this Jesuit's name as Organtino Gnecchi (or Soldi), and the date of +his arrival in Japan as 1572; and furnishes considerable information +(partly derived from Charlevoix) regarding Gnecchi's labors in Japan. + +[57] Takayama (called Justo Ukondono by the Jesuits) the governor of +Akashi, in Harima; at Adzuchi-yama, on Lake Birva, he built a house +and church for the Jesuits, and otherwise favored them. About 1615, +he was, with other Christians, banished to Manila. + +Nobunaga became, about the middle of the sixteenth century, the most +powerful feudal lord in Japan. He strove to govern the country in +the name of the Mikado, but aroused the enmity of the other feudal +lords and of the Buddhist priesthood, and was treacherously slain in +1582. See Rein's Japan, pp. 267-273, 306. + +[58] Diego Carlos was a native of Guatemala, and made his profession +at Puebla de los Angeles in 1592. Six years later, he came to the +Philippines, and spent the rest of his life in the Cagayan missions, +where he died in 1626. + +[59] Probably referring to the act of Villamanrique in sending to +Spain ignominiously (1588) the Franciscan commissary Alonzo Ponce +(Bancroft's Hist. Mexico, ii, pp. 717, 718). + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: +Volume XXXI, 1640, by Diego Aduarte + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42399 *** |