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diff --git a/30350-0.txt b/30350-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a0e5be0 --- /dev/null +++ b/30350-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8209 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30350 *** + + 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 XXXVI, 1649-1666 + + + + Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson + with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord + Bourne. + + + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXXVI + + + Preface 9 + + Documents of 1649-1658 + + Royal funeral rites at Manila. [Unsigned;] Manila, 1649. 23 + Royal aid for Jesuits asked by Manila cabildo. Matheo de + Arceo, and others; Manila, June 20, 1652. 44 + Condition of the Philippines in 1652. Magino Sola, S. J.; + September 16, 1652. 49 + Jesuit missions in 1655. Miguel Solana, S. J.; San Pedro, + June 30, 1655. 53 + Letter from the archbishop of Manila to Felipe IV. Miguel + de Poblete; Manila, July 30, 1656. 63 + Two Jesuit memorials, regarding religious in the Moluccas, + and the Inquisition. Francisco Vello, S. J.; [Madrid, 1658]. 68 + Jesuit protest against the Dominican university. Miguel + Solana, S. J.; [1658?]. 74 + Description of the Philipinas Islands. [Ygnacio de Paz; + Mexico, ca. 1658]. 87 + + Documents of 1660-1666 + + Recollect missions, 1646-60. Luis de Jesús and Diego de + Santa Theresa, O.S.A., (Recollect); [compiled from their + works]. 109 + Description of Filipinas Islands. Bartholomé de Letona, + O.S.F.; La Puebla, Mexico, 1662. 189 + Events in Manila, 1662-63. [Unsigned; July, 1663?]. 218 + Letter to Francisco Yzquierdo. Diego de Salcedo; Manila, + July 16, 1664. 261 + Why the friars are not subjected to episcopal visitation. + [Unsigned and undated; 1666?]. 264 + + Appendix: Judicial conditions in the Philippines in 1842 279 + + Bibliographical Data 307 + + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Map of Philippine and Ladrone Islands; photographic + facsimile of map by Sansón d'Abbeville ([Paris?], + 1652); from copy in Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris. facing p. 50 + + Map of Cavite, with proposed fortifications, by the engineer + Juan de Somovilla Tejada; photographic facsimile from original + MS. (dated 1663) in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla. 93 + + Chart of the island of Luzón, with some of the smaller + islands, drawn by a Dutch artist, ca. 1650; photographic + facsimile of original MS. map in the British Museum. 191 + + Birds-eye view of bay of Cavite, showing towns, fortifications, + etc., by the engineer Richard Carr (in employ of the Dutch), + captured in Madrid; photographic facsimile from original + MS. (dated 1663), in Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla. 215 + + + + + + +PREFACE + + +The present volume, covering the years 1649-66, is mainly +ecclesiastical in scope. An appendix, showing the judicial state +of the islands in 1842, is added. A number of the documents are +from Jesuit sources, or treat of the affairs of that order. Among +these are an account of the Jesuit missions in the islands, and their +protest against the erection of the Dominican college at Manila into a +university. The archdiocese of Manila strives to gain more authority, +both in the outlying islands of the Eastern Archipelago and over the +administration of parishes by the regular orders; and effort is made to +strengthen the power of the tribunal of the Inquisition at Manila. The +question of episcopal visitation of the regular curas is already vital, +and the later conflicts over this question are plainly foreshadowed, +and even begun. The history of the Recollect missions for the above +period shows their prosperous condition until the time when so many +of their laborers die that the work is partially crippled. As for +secular affairs, the most important is the Chinese revolt, of 1662; +this and other disturbances greatly hinder and injure the prosperity +of the islands. + +Reverting to the separate documents: a curious pamphlet (Manila, 1649) +describes the funeral ceremonies recently solemnized in that city in +honor of the deceased crown prince of Spain, Baltasar Carlos. Solemn +and magnificent rites are celebrated, both civil and religious; and +a funeral pyre, or chapelle ardente, is erected in the royal military +chapel, the splendors of which are minutely described. + +The Manila cabildo send a letter (June 20, 1652) to the king, praising +the work of the Jesuits in the Philippines, and urging the king to +send thither more men of that order. Their services as confessors, +preachers, missionaries, and peacemakers are recounted, and their +poverty is urged; they are sending an envoy to Spain, to ask for +royal aid, a request supported by the cabildo. + +The Jesuit Magino Sola represents, in a memorial (September 15, 1652) +to Governor Manrique de Lara, the needs of the Philippine Islands. The +greatest of these is men and arms; and with these must be provided +money to pay the soldiers. Sola enumerates the many misfortunes which +have reduced the islands to poverty, and urges that the aid sent from +Mexico be greatly increased. + +An account of the Jesuit missions in the islands in 1655 is furnished +by Miguel Solana, by command of Governor Manrique de Lara. He +enumerates the villages administered by Jesuits, with the names of +the priests in charge. To this we append a similar report, made the +year before, enumerating the missions in Mindanao and the population +of each. + +The archbishop of Manila, Miguel Poblete, writes to the king (July +30, 1656), making some suggestions regarding diocesan affairs: that +the bishopric of Camarines be discontinued, and its prelate assigned +to the Moro and heathen peoples farther south; and that ministers +be sent from Manila to outlying islands for their spiritual aid, +as thus far these have been dependent on Goa. Poblete asks whether +he shall ordain Portuguese priests who come to him for this office; +on this point the royal Council ask for further information. + +Two memorials presented (1658) by the Jesuits to the king ask that +a tribunal of the Inquisition be established at Manila, and that +the religious jurisdiction of Ternate be vested in the archbishop +of Manila. + +A memorial to the king is presented (1658?) by Miguel Solana, +procurator-general at Madrid for the Jesuits of Filipinas, +protesting against the erection of Santo Tomás college at Manila +into a university, claiming that this will interfere with the rights +already granted to the Jesuit college of San Ignacio there. Solana +accuses the Dominicans of trickery and bribery in having obtained +privileges for Santo Tomás; and maintains that the rights of his +order have been legally granted and authenticated, while the claims +of the Dominicans are mere assertions. Nevertheless, the latter are +scheming to secure new letters and bulls granting their pretensions; +Solana adduces various arguments to show that they should not be +allowed the privileges of a university in Santo Tomás, and that +such a foundation should rather be made in San Ignacio, which "will +be subject in all things to the behest and commands of your Majesty +and your Council." The king is asked to examine certain documents in +the case, which show that the students of Santo Tomás are obliged +to swear allegiance to the doctrines taught by Aquinas, and are +not allowed to teach other branches than philosophy and theology; +moreover, that college has "no teachers who are acquainted with the +first principles" of medicine and law; and the curious statement is +made that there is no graduate physician in the Philippine Islands, +since one could not obtain a living, and the sick are treated by +Chinese. There is no need and no room there for a regular university, +and the burden of its support should not be imposed on the treasury; +but, if one be founded, it should be in San Ignacio. + +From a document of 1658 relating to the Inquisition we extract a +description of the Philippines, written in Mexico from data furnished +by the Jesuit Magino Sola. It outlines very briefly the government of +Manila, civil and ecclesiastical; mentions the convents, hospitals, +and other public institutions there; and enumerates the villages of +that archbishopric, with mention of the missions conducted therein +by the several orders. Similar information is given about the towns +and villages of the suffragan bishoprics; and the location, extent, +government, and missions of the principal islands in the archipelago, +including the Moluccas. At the end is a statement regarding the number +of commissaries of the Inquisition who are needed in the islands. + +The Recollect historian Luis de Jesús relates in his Historia +(Madrid, 1681) the holy life and death (1646) of Isabel, a native +beata of Mindanao; and the foundation in 1647, in the City of Mexico, +of a hospice for the shelter and accommodation of the Recollects who +pass through that city on their way to Filipinas. The history of the +discalced Augustinians for the decade 1651-60 is found in the Historia +of Fray Diego de Santa Theresa (Barcelona, 1743), a continuation of +the work begun by Andrés de San Nicolas and Luis de Jesús; such part as +relates to the Philippines is here presented (partly in synopsis). It +begins with the troubles of 1647 in the Recollect mission at Tándag, in +Mindanao, when its convent was destroyed by the military authorities, +as dangerous to the fort at that place in case the convent were +occupied by an invading enemy. Accusations against the Recollect +missionary there are sent to the king, who warns the provincial of that +order to see that his religious aid the civil government in keeping +the natives pacified. Santa Theresa here prints letters from the civil +and ecclesiastical authorities at Manila, praising in high terms the +Recollect missionaries in the islands and their great services in +all directions, and asking royal aid for them in their great poverty. +The life of Fray Pedro de San Joseph is sketched. In the village of +Linao, Mindanao, a revolt occurs (1651) among the natives, which is +related in detail; it arises from an order issued by Governor Faxardo +requisitioning from each of the islands a number of native carpenters +for the government service at Manila. A Manobo chief, named Dabáo, +fans the flame of discontent among the converted natives of Linao, +and by a stratagem brings conspirators into the fort, who kill nearly +all the Spaniards. Troops are sent to that region who punish severely +even the natives who surrender; and the people, although overawed, +are filled with resentment. The Recollect missionaries do much to +aid the natives, overlooking the fact that the latter had killed one +of those fathers; and one of them, "Padre Capitan," secures an order +from the Audiencia liberating all the Indians who had been enslaved +in consequence of the above revolt. This is followed by a sketch +of Fray Santa María's life; he was slain by the insurgents in that +same year. The writer recounts the difficulties met by the Recollect +province of Filipinas, and the coming to Manila (1652) of a body of +Recollect missionaries. The lives of many of these are sketched. + +Considerable space is devoted to the subjection of religious to the +episcopal visitation, when they act as parish priests. Santa Theresa +describes the plan on which the missions have always been administered +in the Philippines by the various orders, and their relations to the +diocesan authorities. His account is a brief for the orders in their +controversy with the bishops over this question of visitation, and +presents the main points in its history; he writes it for the purpose +of refuting the slanders that have been current in Europe regarding the +attitude of the orders toward the diocesans, and discusses at length +the arguments against the episcopal visitation of the regulars in +parishes. These are advanced in behalf of all the orders in general, +and then the writer adduces special reasons, which concern the +Recollects in this matter. He enumerates the villages administered +by that order in different islands, and the spiritual conquests +made by his brethren; in their missions the number of Christians +has been steadily increasing, and the hostile heathen element much +reduced. Santa Theresa relates the dangers and sufferings experienced +by the Recollects in their missions, which lie on the very frontier +toward the Moro pirates; many of these devoted missionaries have even +lost their lives in the Moro raids. Have not these religious, then, +deserved the exemption from episcopal supervision that was granted +to the religious in Nueva España? Moreover, the missions need more +laborers than can be supported by their incomes (the royal grant from +the tributes), and the order itself must maintain these additional +men. It will become necessary for the order to abandon the missions if +these are to be placed under diocesan control; nor, in such case, can +it do more than sustain its leading convents in the islands. Finally, +the writer presents sketches of some illustrious Recollects who have +labored in the Philippines. + +In a rare pamphlet by the Franciscan Bartholomé de Letona--bound +in with his Perfecta religiosa (La Puebla, Mexico, 1662)--occurs an +enthusiastic description of the Philippines, which we here present +(in translation and synopsis). He describes the voyage thither, +the location and distribution of the islands; the various provinces +of Luzón; the climate, people, and products; the city of Manila, +which Letona describes as the most cosmopolitan in the world; and the +Chinese Parián. Letona relates the downfall of Venegas (the favorite +of Fajardo), and the achievements of Manrique de Lara; enumerates and +describes the various churches, colleges and seminaries, convents +and hospitals of Manila; and gives a sketch of each of the various +religious orders there, with special attention, of course, to his own, +the Franciscan. + +One of the Jesuit documents preserved in the Academia Real de la +Historia, at Madrid, relates in detail the embassy sent to Manila by +the noted Chinese leader Kue-sing (1662) to demand that the Spaniards +submit to his power and pay him tribute. This demand being angrily +refused by the Spaniards, the Chinese in Manila, fearing evil to +themselves, and hearing of their intended expulsion from the islands, +undertake to flee from the Parián and other neighboring settlements, +blindly endeavoring to save their lives. The Jesuit missionary at +Santa Cruz hastens to the governor, to secure pardon for these poor +fugitives; and other priests second his efforts. Meanwhile, the +other Sangleys in the Parián are so terrified that many are drowned +in trying to swim across the river, others commit suicide, and most +of those who remain flee to the hills. The Spaniards in Manila, +in fear of an attack by the Chinese, are ready to slay them all; +and a repetition of the horrors of the Chinese insurrection in 1639 +is averted only by the prudence and good sense of Governor Manrique +de Lara, who, with mingled sternness and humanity, calms the fear +of the Chinese and the anger of the Spaniards. Granting protection +to all who return to Manila by a certain day, he allows a specified +number to remain there for the aid and service of the Spaniards, and +obliges the rest to return at once to China. The fugitives who do not +come back to Manila are hunted down and slain by the Spanish troops, +aided by the natives. The two chief leaders of the Sangleys in their +flight are executed in public, and those who remain in Manila are kept +in the Parián under heavy guards of Indian troops; afterward these +Chinese are set at forced labor on the fortifications of Manila and +Cavite, thus taking a great part of that burden from the shoulders of +the natives. The same ambassador sent by Kue-sing returns to Manila +in April, 1663, this time with news of that corsair's death, and a +request from his successor for an amicable arrangement between them +and the maintenance of their trade. Our writer gives an interesting +sketch of Kue-sing's career, especially of his conquest of Formosa +(1660-61), the first occasion when Chinese had defeated a European +nation in war. The death of this formidable enemy relieves the fears +of the Manila colony; and the authorities decide to allow a moderate +number of Chinese to reside in the islands, since their services are +so necessary to the Spaniards. + +Governor Salcedo sends to a friend (July 16, 1664) some account of +the affairs of the colony at his arrival in the islands--the treasury +almost empty, the soldiers unpaid, commerce paralyzed, and the natives +"irritated by cruel punishments." He takes vigorous measures, at once, +to improve the condition of the colony. + +An unsigned document (1666?) gives the reasons why the civil +authorities have not executed the royal decrees subjecting +the Philippine friars in charge of parishes to the episcopal +visitation. Apparently written by a friar, it gives the reasons why +the missions must be administered by the religious orders rather +than by secular priests, and why the friars ask that they be not +placed under the episcopal authority. They allege that there are +still many heathen and Mahometans to be converted, throughout the +islands; that the missions are full of hardship; that the courage +and strict observance of the religious would grow lax under diocesan +supervision; and that the most able of them would not consent to such +subjection. Difficulties, also, must necessarily arise in the attempt +of a religious to obey his superiors when these are both religious and +ecclesiastical, and from interference by the civil authorities. All +sorts of scandals and irregularities are liable to spring from these +causes, affecting not only the missionaries but the natives, as well +as the many heathen peoples who surround Manila. + +The present volume is terminated by a short appendix taken from +Sinibaldo de Mas, showing the condition of the judiciary of +the Philippines in 1842. Justice is administered by the royal +Audiencia, by the alcaldes, and by the gobernadorcillos, the last +being Filipinos. The action of the alcalde-mayor is very limited and +dependent on the Audiencia. Mas draws a vivid picture of some of the +alcaldes which shows that the system is honeycombed with graft. The +great evil arises from the fact that alcaldes are allowed to trade, and +hence business absorbs all their energies for the six years of their +office, for during that time they must become rich. As one does not +need to be a lawyer to become an alcalde, those posts generally being +assigned to military officers, the incumbent of such post needs an +adviser. This results in great delay, and often justice is completely +subverted. By advancing money at usurious rates the alcalde bleeds +those who borrow from him, and in fact such unfortunate people can +almost never get square with the world again. The gobernadorcillos +in turn lash the alcaldes, for they are necessary to the latter, +and good terms must be maintained with them. For the general legal +business the alcalde depends on his clerk, a native, who runs things +to suit himself, and in his turn makes his office an occasion for +graft. The parish priests who formerly had so great influence in the +villages have now been ordered by the governors to cease meddling +with secular matters, and some of them even are in collusion with +the alcalde, whom they endeavor to aid in order that they may gain +their own ends. Notwithstanding the alcaldes are few who are not +often fined during their term. The government is most to blame for +this state of affairs for its course implies that the alcaldes +are expected to be rogues. Crime has increased greatly of late +years. Punishments are too light, and many criminals even get off +scotfree. This produces only bad results. The officials are slow to +arrest because the criminal will soon be released as a general rule, +and will always take vengeance if possible. Although he argues that +the death sentence ought to be abolished as an unnecessary cruelty, +Mas urges that the lash be not spared, for a good beating will correct +more faults than anything else. The jail only acts as an allurement +for the majority of Filipinos, for it is generally better than their +own houses. The laws in force in the islands are a confused mass, +consisting of the Leyes de Indias, royal decrees and orders, the +decrees and edicts of the governors, a portion of the laws of the +Siete Partidas, parts of Roman law, etc. Mas advocates strenuously +the prohibition of trade granted to alcaldes and an extension of their +term of office. One common native language, could such be established, +would be very useful. There should be a commission after the manner +of that in British India, to advise revision in the existing laws. + + +The Editors + +March, 1906. + + + + + + +DOCUMENTS OF 1649-1658 + + + Royal funeral rites at Manila. [Unsigned;] 1649. + Royal aid for Jesuits asked by Manila cabildo. Matheo de Arceo, + and others; June 20, 1652. + Condition of the Philippines in 1652. Magino Sola, S.J.; + September 15, 1652. + Jesuit missions in 1655. Miguel Solana, S.J.; June 30, 1655. + Letter from the archbishop of Manila. Miguel de Poblete; + July 30, 1656. + Two Jesuit memorials. Francisco Vello, S.J.; [1658]. + Jesuit protest against the Dominican university. Miguel Solana, + S.J.; [1658?]. + Description of the Philipinas Islands. [Ygnacio de Paz; + ca. 1658] + + + +Sources: The first of these documents is taken from Retana's Archivo, +ii, pp. 105-158; the second and sixth, from Pastells's edition +of Colin's Labor evangélica, iii, pp. 786, 787, and 804, 805; the +third and fourth, from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library), +ii, pp. 385-389. The following are obtained from original MSS. in +archives as follows: the fifth, in the Archivo general de Indias, +Sevilla; the seventh, in the Academia Real de la Historia, Madrid; +the eighth, in the Archivo general, Simancas. + + +Translations: The fifth document is translated by Robert W. Haight; +the seventh, by Rev. T. C. Middleton, O.S.A.; the remainder, by James +A. Robertson. + + + + + + +ROYAL FUNERAL RITES AT MANILA + + +Funeral ceremonies and the royal pyre of honor erected by piety and +consecrated by the grief of the very distinguished and ever loyal +city of Manila, in memory of the most serene prince of España, Don +Balthassar Carlos (may he dwell in glory). By license of the ordinary +and of the government. [Printed] at Manila, by Simon Pinpin, in the +year 1649. + + +[This document is presented in translation and synopsis, because of the +light it throws on the religio-social life of Manila in the middle of +the seventeenth century. It is preceded by the license to print given +(June 5, 1649), for the archbishop by Doctor Don Juan Fernandez de +Ledo, precentor of Manila cathedral, judge-provisor, official and +vicar-general of the archbishopric; by that of the government, given +(May 27, 1649), on recommendation of Joseph de la Anunciacion, prior +of the Recollect convent in Manila; and by a letter (dated Manila, +December 15, 1648, and signed by Lucas de Porras, Gabriel Gomez del +Castillo, and Diego Morales) addressed to the governor Diego Faxardo +y Chacon, which amounts to a dedicatory epistle. The relation begins +with the grief that comes to the city of Manila with the announcement +of the sudden death (at the age of seventeen) of the prince Balthasar +Carlos, heir to the throne and son of Felipe IV and Isabel of Bourbon, +who had died but a short time before. The document continues:] + +The first rumors of this so sad event reached this city in the +middle of December, 1647, by means of the Dutch, who were harassing +these islands at that time with a large fleet of twelve galleons, +which sailed from Nueva Batavia with the intention of capturing this +stronghold. But they, after having experienced the valor and boldness +of our Spaniards in the severe and obstinate combat in the port of +Cabite, of which a full relation has been written in former years, [1] +attempted to terrify the hearts and take away the courage of those whom +they had not been able to resist by hostilities, by sending a letter to +Don Diego Faxardo, knight of the Order of Santiago, member of the War +Council, and president, governor, and captain-general of these islands; +and with it part of a gazette printed in the Flemish characters +and language, which contained a copy of a letter from his Majesty +to the Marqués de Leganés, in which was mentioned the heavy grief +of his royal heart because of the sudden death of his son and heir, +Don Balthassar Carlos. The minds of so loyal vassals were alarmed, +and their hearts chilled, on hearing so sad news; and those who had +not given way before the violent attack of cannon-balls yielded to +the tenderness of grief, and to the sighs of sorrow; and they bore in +their faces the effects of their dismay and the marks of their pain, +as if the prince were seen dead in each one.... There was no doubt +of the truth of that news, for its arrival with the superscription of +misfortune gave it the credit of truth. But neither the condition in +which we found ourselves, with arms in our hands, nor prudence allowed +us to proceed with public demonstrations and funeral ceremonies until +we received a letter from his Majesty, and with the letter the order, +direction, and prudent management which so serious a matter demanded. + +[The royal announcement arrived in July, 1648; and by his decree +the king ordered the demonstrations of sorrow to be made on the same +scale as if intended for his own person.] + +In conformity with that decree, and in order that they might obey it, +the auditors called a meeting, and resolved to publish the mourning, +and to prepare the things necessary for the splendid celebration of +the funeral ceremonies. At the same time they elected as the manager +of that solemn function the fiscal auditor, Don Sebastian Cavallero +de Medina, who was as vigilant and punctual in the affairs of his +office as attentive to the service of both Majesties--guaranteeing +by the completeness of his arrangements the entire success which so +serious a matter demanded. As his assistants in carrying out that +commission were named the treasurer, Lucas de Porras Ontiberos, +alcalde-in-ordinary, and Captains Gabriel Gomez del Castillo and Don +Diego Morales, regidors. At a suitable time, the mourning rites were +heralded, in fulfilment of the above resolution; and all the provinces +were notified to make the same demonstrations, so that the external +conduct of so faithful vassals should correspond to the sorrow which +palpitated in their hearts and saddened their breasts. Scarcely was +the word given before the obedient people changed the precious and +fine appearance of their attire with somber mourning garments; and +this whole community became a theater of grief--each one showing the +loyalty which was as much evinced by his grief as it was wondered at +by the barbarous nations who trade in these islands, when they saw +in so remote a part of the world so extreme piety, so intense love, +and so faithful allegiance to their king, that distance does not make +it lukewarm, or absence weaken the affection that these deserving +vassals have ever had for their Catholic kings. + +The day set for their expressions of condolence arrived, Monday, +November 9, 648; for the direction of the ceremonies, Admiral Don +Andres de Azcueta and Captain Don Pedro Diaz de Mendoza were appointed +managers. The halls of the Audiencia and royal assembly were made ready +with the funereal adornments and other preparations significant of so +melancholy an occasion. At two in the afternoon the bells of all the +churches began to ring, in so sad and doleful tones that they filled +the air with sorrow, and the hearts of those who heard their plaints +with bitterness and grief, learning from the very bronze to grieve for +so considerable a loss. At that same time all the religious communities +assembled, with their crosses, priests, deacons, and subdeacons, clad +in their vestments, in the royal chapel of the garrison. That temple, +although small in size, has all the characteristics of a great one +in its beauty, elegance, and arrangement. There, architecture was +employed to the best effect, and genius was alert in erecting a royal +tomb and mausoleum proportionate to the grandeur and sovereign rank +of the person; and one not at all inferior to the one erected during +the funeral rites and pageant of our lady the queen, [2] by the +direction and advice of Doctor Don Diego Afan de Ribera, auditor of +this royal Audiencia, and auditor elect of that of the new kingdom +of Granada. The royal assembly entrusted the arrangements of that +solemnity to him. Each community in succession chanted its responsary, +with different choirs of musicians, so well trained that they could +vie with those of Europa. While that pious action was going on, the +ecclesiastical and secular cabildos were assembling, as well as the +tribunal of the royal official judges, the superiors of the orders, +the rectors of the two colleges--San Joseph, which is in charge +of the fathers of the Society of Jesus; and San Thomas, which is +ruled by the fathers of St. Dominic--and the members of the bureau +of the Santa Misericordia (as was determined and arranged two days +previously, the place of each being assigned) in the hall of the royal +Audiencia. There the managers assigned them their position, observing +toward each one the order of his seniority and precedence. They left +that place in the same order, to express their condolences to Don +Diego Faxardo, governor and captain-general of these islands, who +stood in the hall of the royal assembly. He was covered with mourning, +which well manifested his grief and represented very vividly in his +majestic appearance the royal person--in whose name he received the +condolences for the death of the royal son and heir, Don Balthassar +Carlos, the prince of España. First entered the royal Audiencia, in +company with their official, as grave in the pomp of their mourning as +adequate in the demonstrations of their grief. Don Antonio de Castro, +senior auditor and auditor-elect of Mexico, spoke in the name of all, +expressing in brief and impressive sentences the universal grief of +all the community and the special grief of that royal Audiencia. His +Lordship listened to him attentively, and answered him gravely and +concisely, with words suitable to the subject, thanking him in the +name of his Majesty for the demonstrations of grief which servants +so loyal were making on an occasion so consecrated to sorrow. Having +finished their oration, the royal Audiencia gave place successively +to the ecclesiastical cabildo, the secular cabildo, the tribunal of +the royal official judges, the superiors of the orders, the colleges, +and the bureau of the Santa Misericordia--each one taking its proper +place as regards precedence. All of them observed the courtesies +and punctilious forms due to the decorum and seriousness of that +function. After these had signified by the gravity of their words, +and by the seriousness and sadness of their countenances, the heavy +weight of the sorrow which oppressed their hearts for a loss so worthy +of immortal lament, and after his Lordship had answered with equally +apposite speech what good judgment dictated and sorrow forced out, +that act of mourning came to an end. It was no less dignified than +refined; and no accompaniment or ceremony was lacking in the decorum +of that action--the daughter of the affection with which so faithful +vassals serve their king and sovereign. + +That parade was followed by another of no less gravity, namely the +accompaniment of the royal crown to the chapel of the royal camp for +the solemnity of vespers and the funeral oration which was prepared +[for this occasion]. For that purpose, after the condolences the +members of the royal Audiencia returned to the hall of the royal +assembly, where the august crown reposed with all authority and +propriety, signifying, in the somber mourning with which it was +covered, a sorrowing majesty and a monarchy grief-stricken at +beholding itself without the head from whose glorious temples it +had fallen--Cecidit corona capitis nostri. [3] His Lordship handed +the crown to General Don Pedro Mendiola y Carmona, entrusting to his +hands the honor of so great a Majesty, and thus crowning the great +services which the latter had rendered to his king in the lofty posts +that he has occupied in these islands. This was the opening act of the +parade, which commenced at the palace, encircled the entire plaza of +arms under the galleries, and ended at the royal chapel--the theater, +as we have already remarked, destined for the magnificence of that +funeral celebration. That act was arranged by the care and foresight +of the royal assembly, and carried out by means of the managers with +so great brilliancy, gravity, and propriety that it corresponded in +all things with the majesty of the [dead] person. The orphan boys +of the college of San Juan de Letran--who number more than one +hundred and fifty, and are reared at the expense of his Majesty, +in charge of the fathers of St. Dominic--marched first of all, two +by two (the universal order that was observed in that act by all the +tribunals and communities) holding their candles of pure white wax, +which were distributed, that day and the following, with magnificence +and liberality by this illustrious city. The alguaçils followed, and +then the ministers of justice, the attorneys, the judges' secretaries, +the notaries, public and royal, with their gowns and cloaks trailing +behind. Next to them came the confraternities with their pennants and +banners, and after these the parishes from the suburbs of this city, +with their crosses, and their curas clad in black cloaks. Next in the +line was the college of Santo Thomas, and following it that of San +Joseph, with their badges [becas] turned back at the collar as a sign +and token of grief. Then followed the bureau of the Santa Misericordia +(which is composed of the most noble persons of this city) all clad +in their black surtouts and hats, with heads covered, bearing their +small bells, and the standard with their insignia in front. The holy +families also marched: the brethren of St. John of God, the Recollects +of St. Augustine, the Society of Jesus, the hermits of St. Augustine, +the seraphic family of St. Francis, and that of the Preachers. These +were not so splendid by reason of the candles which they carried in +their hands as by the gravity and modesty of their manner, showing in +the seriousness and composure of their faces the religious sorrow and +pious grief that oppressed their hearts. The ecclesiastical cabildo +followed with their black choir-cloaks, with the skirts extended +and their heads covered; and altogether with so grave and majestic +a demeanor that they commanded the eyes and also the applause of all +the people. The city [cabildo] followed, together with the tribunal of +the royal official judges, bearing their maces and insignia. They were +accompanied by the nobility of the city with flowing black mourning +cloaks, and with heads covered; but very apparent was the grief and +manifest the sadness which their love and good-will towards their +unfortunate prince brought to their faces. The royal standard of the +city was carried by Captain Gabriel Gomez del Castillo, assisted by the +two alcaldes-in-ordinary, who carried it between them, as authorizing +the action. The royal Audiencia with their president, the governor +of these islands, crowned all that grave and religious concourse with +all the splendors of authority. They were followed by the government +and court secretaries, and by the gentlemen and pages of the palace, +clad in all display of grandeur in funeral garb, thus manifesting +in somber grays the sharpness and depth of the wound which they had +received by the sudden death of the most serene and very august prince, +Don Balthassar Carlos, the clear and resplendent light of the Spanish +monarchy, at whose taking away all the world was darkened. Between the +city cabildo and the royal Audiencia was carried the Cæsarean crown, +with two kings-at-arms, on a cushion of rich cloth, with the gravity +and decorum which is due to the head [that it adorns], to which all +the people who were present that day rendered humble veneration. So +sad a spectacle was made by all that splendid parade, that never was +more bitter grief represented, never was Majesty seen more afflicted, +never was sorrow seen more at its height. All the Plaza de Armas +was occupied, while that brilliant procession was going round it, +by the royal regiment of the Spanish troops, the governor of which is +Sargento-mayor Manuel Estacio Venegas. It consisted of four hundred +and eighty-six infantrymen formed in a body with four fronts, each +of which was commanded by two captains and one alférez. The regiment +marched to take position in five lines, with fifty artillerymen in the +rear with their campaign linstocks. They all maintained so great order +and discipline that the military art was seen in practice in all its +splendor--a glorious proof of the diligence of their commandant and +the loyalty and devotion of so valiant soldiers; for notwithstanding +the excessive heat of the sun they remained immovable on that and +the following day, their zeal and love for their king, which burn +most brightly in their hearts, being preponderant in them. The +parade having passed, all the soldiers fell in behind, captained +by the sargento-mayor himself, the commandant of the regiment. They +entered by one door of the royal chapel and went out by the other, +with drums muffled and banners trailing, and the soldiers carrying +their arquebuses under the arm with the butt-ends reversed, with an +order so regular and so in keeping with military rules that that action +deserved the acclamation and even the admiration of all. The father +chaplain-in-chief of the regiment, namely, the presentado father Fray +Joseph Fayol, of the Order of Nuestra Señora de la Merced, was present, +as were also all the royal chaplains, at the door of the royal chapel, +with cross and wax tapers [ciriales] held aloft while the procession +was entering. After they had entered, the royal crown was placed on +its royal catafalque--or rather a funeral pyre of fire, crowned with +candles as is the firmament with stars, where the brilliant and the +majestic glowed in competition. I leave the description of that for +the crown of this historical compilation. Those in the procession took +possession of and even filled all the seats which were provided for +the tribunals and the communities, distributing themselves therein +according to the same order of their seniority. With this began the +vespers for the dead, which was in charge of the chaplain-in-chief, +assisted by the royal chaplains, with all the requisites of solemnity +and pomp, accompanied by the piety, devotion, and silence of so grave +an assembly who were present, at the verge of tears. They paid with +fervent suffrages the debt of their love and the obligations of their +loyalty to the prince, their deceased sovereign, whose obsequies they +were performing; and they refreshed their memories with his heroic +virtues, and his brilliant deeds in the tender and flowery years of +his age--gifts that assured us that he was glorious and triumphant in +the court of Heaven. The complement of the solemn splendor of that day +was the reverend father, Fray Vicente Argenta, of the seraphic order, +and past provincial of this province of San Gregorio. He, occupying the +pulpit, took up the space of an hour with a funeral panegyric, where +his eloquence had an opportunity to exercise itself in all its colors, +and in a beautiful variety of erudition, both divine and human. He +roamed through the spacious and extensive field of the virtues of +our most serene prince, with so impressive discourse adjusted to the +gravity and meaning of the subject, that he softened the hearts of the +people and even drew tears from their eyes, the faithful witnesses +of their grief. That solemn function ended with a responsary; and +then the procession was again formed, in the same manner and method, +until they left his Lordship at the palace. After having performed +the due courtesies, the gentlemen of the royal Audiencia, and of +the cabildos, tribunals, and religious communities bade one another +farewell, and returned to their houses, for the night had set in. + +The following day, Tuesday, November 10, before sunrise, the care and +anxiety of the sacred families were awake, and all went to the royal +chapel with different choirs of musicians. There, at the various altars +assigned to them, they sang first each their mass, and afterward the +responsary in front of the royal catafalque. The mingling of so many +voices with the dead silence and serene quiet of the night made an +indistinct harmony and a confusion of echoes pleasant and agreeable +to the listeners, awakening at the same time in their hearts tender +affection and loving grief, which they consecrated to the glorious +memory of the prince whose obsequies were being celebrated. After +having performed this pious action they went to the palace, where they +waited until all who had taken part in the parade of the preceding +day had assembled. The parade was arranged and directed at the +appointed hour, with the same order and brilliant display as on the +preceding day, and took the same course until they entered the chapel +of the royal camp. There having filled the seats, and the order and +arrangements of the day before having been observed, the office for the +dead was commenced, and then the mass was sung. Doctor Juan de Ucles, +the venerable dean of the holy church, officiated, accompanied with +all solemnity and pomp, at an altar which was erected near the center +of the catafalque in front of the urn. He was clad in his vestments, +with precious ornaments; and on that day the music was better than +ever before, the musicians outdoing themselves in heightening its +beauties, and with the consonance and harmony of their voices rendering +it suitable to the majesty and high dignity of him who filled their +thoughts at that moment. The reverend father Francisco Colin, outgoing +provincial and present rector of the college of the Society of Jesus, +and qualifier of the Holy Office, sealed the glory of that day. He +mounted the pulpit, where he preached a sermon so well suited to the +subject in its eloquence, the depth of its arguments, the gravity +and maturity of its discourse, the profundity and erudition of its +fundamental proofs, and the solidity and thoroughness of its learning, +that he arrested the attention and even the admiration of those +present. Not less learnedly did he instruct them than he melted them +to affection and sorrow, quickening in them all, with his intellectual +vigor and his well-known pulpit eloquence, grief at having lost a life +so filled with virtues and so crowned with merits. Some responsaries +followed the sermon, and with that ended the funeral ceremonies for +our prince, whose memory will live immortal in our hearts. During +those two days was shown the devotion and loyalty of vassals ever +attentive to the service of their Catholic monarch, in recognition of +the rewards that they receive from his august hand. The same parade +was formed once more; and, leaving his Lordship at the palace, they +bade one another farewell, and returned to their houses. + +The sumptuous and royal mausoleum, which was erected by the piety +of this noble community, occupies the last place in this brief +relation. In the description of it, one finds his eloquence fail +and he is dismayed, and he can find no excellence in his art that is +proportionate to the measure of its grandeur and majesty. The said +alcaldes-in-ordinary and two regidors assisted the fiscal auditor as +managers in the construction of that catafalque. They urged forward the +work, and attended to what was done by the best workmen and those who +were most skilled in the matter. Beyond doubt they saw fulfilled the +object of their vigilance, in the applause and admiration of all. It +was a work that seemed born of nature rather than a contrived invention +of art. In it gravity was surpassed, richness gleamed forth, majesty +was displayed, and method excelled; and its brilliancy was dazzling, +with so beautiful an arrangement and display of lights, without proving +an obstacle by their number or the lights paling, that grandeur was +never seen to greater advantage or majesty more resplendent. + +Its ground space and arch occupied all the space of the principal +chapel, until it met the very ceiling of the temple; and had the +capacity of the place allowed more, the execution of so extensive a +contrivance would not have been confined to so narrow limits. The +height of the socle was six feet, and it was thirty-nine feet +wide. In the center of it arose the catafalque, which was octagonal in +form. It was composed of two structures made after the best ideas of +architecture. The first structure was composed of sixteen columns, +with foundations on a like number of bases and pedestals crowned +with beautiful and curiously wrought capitals. On top of them arose +the entablatures with their friezes, architraves, fluted mouldings, +and pediment of the arch crowned with balusters--all regulated to the +requirements of art without detracting one jot from the idea [that +they expressed]. That structure ended in a cupola, [4] which well +supplied the place of the sky, when it was seen reflecting the lights, +and bathed in splendor. The cornices, mouldings, representations +of fruit, mouldings above, and brackets, were of a bronze color, +so cunningly done that they appeared rather the work of nature than +the imitation of art. The pedestals and capitals, touched with beaten +gold, heightened the fiction of the bronze which the brush and hand +of the artist feigned and imitated. The shafts of the columns, with +their pedestals, friezes and architraves were so vivid an imitation +of jasper that one would believe them to have been cut from that +mineral; or that they had stolen the confused variety of its colors, +so that one's sight was mistaken in it. Their beauty was heightened by +the brilliancy of silver work or broken crystals with which they were +wreathed. In the center of that structure shone forth majestically the +urn, which was placed under a canopy of solid silver covered with a +rich violet cloth of gold, with two cushions of the same material, and +and her of white cloth of gold, on which reposed the royal crown. On +its pedestal was seen a stanza of ten verses, as follows: + + + "Esta fatal urna encierra This fatal urn encloses a + fallîda vna Magestad: ayer dead majesty, but yestreen + temida Deidad, oy breve a reverenced deity, now a mere + montón de tierra. heap of earth. Little gains + he, and much he errs, who, + Poco alcança, y mucho hierra cautious, does not note the + quien prevenido, no advierte mutability of his lot; for + lo inconstante de su suerte; Fate does not exempt the + pues no reserva la Parca al successor of a monarch from + Sucessor de un Monarca del the tribute of death." [5] + tributo de la muerte." + + +At the four corners of the urn, outside the circumference of the +catafalque, were seen four kings-at-arms, of beautiful appearance +with their headpieces pulled down and gold maces on their shoulders, +with which one hand was occupied, while with the other they held up +the escutcheon of the royal arms embroidered with gold. The royal arms +were also stamped upon their breasts on their black corselets, girdled +with a beautiful variety of bands and edgings of gold. In the niches of +the first columns, which formed the front and faced the urn, upon their +fretted pedestals and spattered with gold rose the figures of Grammar +and Rhetoric with their emblems--so excellent in their workmanship +and lifelike in attitude that, although mute, the excellence of their +sculpture and make-up instructed [the beholder]. I do not describe the +grace of their shapes, the beauty of their features, the easy flow of +the hair, the undulations of the drapery, spangled with bits of glass, +and the other accompaniments of beautiful ornaments and fantasies of +art, in order not to weary [my readers] with prolixities. They were +significant of the excellent progress which the prince made in both +of those branches of study, and an illustrious trophy of his early +genius and marvelous intellect. Grammar had the following attached +to the placard of her pedestal: + + + "La primera, que dictò al "The first to dictate to Prince + Principe Balthassar Preceptos Balthassar the rules of + de declinar, y de construir, declension and construction was + fuy yo. I. At death he declined in his + last lesson; for it is a sure + A la muerte declinó en su conclusion that in the art of + postera licion, porque es dying the construction of + cierta conclusion; que en living ends in declension." + el arte del morir, la + construccion del vivir acaba + en declinacion." + + +Not less pithily and elegantly did Rhetoric explain her thought in +another stanza, of ten verses, as follows: + + + "Yo enseñé lo figurado, y lo "I taught the figures and + terso del estilo al Principe, polish of style to the + aquiem el hilo cortò de la Prince, whose thread of life + vida, el Hado Fate cut short. But now + already lies he disfigured + Mas ya está desfigurado en in that dark tomb. Look at + aquesta tumba oscura: mirale him, robbed of his beauty; + sin hermosura; y desde tus and, from thy tender years, + tiernos años, Rhetoricos learn in that figure + desengaños aprende en esta rhetorical errors." + Figura." + + +The second structure was built upon the first, and it was no less +grave and majestic. There symmetry and proportion vied with beauty and +variety of colors, which the brush usurped from nature. It was composed +of twelve columns, made in imitation of jasper, with their pedestals, +architraves, and flying cornices; and these were closed above with +a cupola, adorned with spirals and volutes, which happily completed +the work. In the space between the columns of the facade or front, +and occupying their own pedestals, were set majestic and pleasing +figures of Arithmetic and Geometry, with their emblems. These statues +faced each other, and corresponded to Grammar and Rhetoric who were +in the first structure--in both their location and altitude, and in +the proportions and excellence of their sculpture. It was a glorious +blazon for our prince, who, although of so tender years, was able, +having cast aside sloth and childish amusements, to give himself up +to the exercise of branches of learning so useful, thus preparing for +success in the monarchical government of his kingdoms. Arithmetic had +an inscription on the placard of her pedestal, which read as follows: + + + "A guarismo reducida la cuenta "Reduced to a cipher is + de Balthassar, no vino mas que the account of Balthassar, + a sumar diez y siete años de who at last added up but + vida. seventeen years of life. + The entry was concluded, and + Concluyóse la partida, y la the account having been + cuenta rematada se hallò la ended, death was found to + muerte pagada: porque se be paid. For he so balanced + ajustó de suerte, en la vida his accounts with death in + con la muerte, que no quedó life that he did not remain + a dever nada." at all indebted." + + +Geometry had a corresponding placard on her base, which read as +follows: + + + "Balthassar con mi medida el "Balthassar estimated the + orbe entero midio: y no whole world with my measure, + contento passó a medir la and, not content, he passed + eterno vida. to measure eternal life. It + is better to be able to + La indistancia conocida, measure the unknown distance + que ay del vivir al morir; between life and death + es mejor saber medir lo (which must endure eternally) + que eterno a de durar con with the rule of good works + regla del bien obrar, con and the compass of good + compas del bien vivir." living." + + +The space between the columns of this structure was occupied by +the prince (or rather, our sovereign)--the glorious shoot from the +Austrian trunk, and the beautiful flower which was the most brilliant +ornament of the august lily of Francia--who, because he had no room +in the entire sphere of his extensive monarchy, mounted gloriously, +by means of the wings of his brilliant and heroic virtues, to rule in +the heavens. His statue was so well conceived, and so commensurate with +the beauty of the architecture, that one would think it had a soul, +for it gave soul to the entire work. Not only did it take possession +of the eyes but also of the hearts [of the people] who rendered humble +adoration to the image of their prince. The prince was armed, with +breastplate and shoulder-piece embroidered with beautiful edgings of +gold, and his clothing was elegant and showy. In his right hand he +held an imperial and Cæsarean crown. In his left hand was another +and royal crown, indicating him as sworn prince of the kingdoms of +España and of the empire of the Indias. On the base of the image was +an inscription which read as follows: + + + "Iurado Principe fui; y Rey, "I was the sworn prince, and + y Emperador fuera: mas ay would have been king and + que la Parca fiera, embidia emperor, had it not been that + tuvo de mi! Hiriome cruel, y savage Fate was envious of me. + perdi el ser Rey, y Cruelly did she wound me, and + Emperador: mas orto Imperio I lost the kingship and the + mejor por el perdido he empire. But I have gained + ganado: porque crece el another and better empire + embidiado, quanto la embidia instead of the one that I lost; + es mayor." for greater does the envied one + become when the envy is greater." + + +By way of a finial, there was displayed on the ball at the center of +the cupola a proud and spirited figure of Monarchy--armed gracefully +but heavily with breastplate, shoulder-plate, greaves, cuisses, +gorgets, and bracelets; and wearing skirts of bronze color edged with +gold. Her head was encased in a morion surmounted by waving plumes +and beautiful crests. Over her breast was a rich sash that hung +loosely with airy grace and splendor. She was clad in a military +cloak, flowing in beautiful lines, and ornamented here and there +with embroidery in silver. In her right hand she gracefully held +a general's baton subduing with it by the jaw a rampant lion of +wonderful fierceness. With the left hand she clasped an escutcheon +of the royal arms, bound about with many spirals of gold edging and +beautiful ornaments. Massed about her feet were various military +instruments, and at her side were the standards and devices of +her glorious triumphs. All that variety composed a collection +of beauties which was the crown of the entire work. Two finely +carved pyramids arose gloriously at the two extremes of the socle, +which they confronted. They were as high as the catafalque, and +were painted in various colors, and spangled with bits of crystal, +and on them were many rows of candle-sockets. There were, besides, +other triumphal obelisks which were erected upon the cupola, and +garlanded the upper structure, which accompanied Monarchy as glorious +monuments. Many escutcheons of the royal arms and of the city were +seen hanging at regular intervals--some of them embroidered and +others in bas-relief, and all with much ornamentation of ribbons +and resplendent in colors. The brilliant display of candles, +(more than one thousand two hundred in number), enhanced all this +splendor. Most of the lights were candles of two, three, four, five, +or six libras, and were placed in their silver candlesticks, sockets, +and holders. Besides, there were a great number of codales, [6] which +were made for that purpose and filled the entire space of the plinth. + +The funeral poems and eulogies with which all the royal chapel was +crowned were a glorious acquittance of the Muses, in the happy death +of their illustrious pupil. Some of these will be given in conclusion, +and with them will end [the account of] what was done at the funeral +ceremonies which this noble and loyal city of Manila performed for +its august prince. The public demonstrations corresponded, not to the +devotion with which so loyal vassals serve their Catholic sovereigns, +but to the condition in which this community finds itself at present, +worn out with so many calamities, oppressed by so many misfortunes, and +even bloodless and exhausted by the so continual invasions of enemies; +had not the divine hand been so favorable on its side, it would not +now have any shoulders to support so heavy a burden. May our Catholic +and invincible monarch accept these slight indications of the desire, +and the proofs of the affection, which all this community offers as +the obligation of its loyalty and in token of its grief, consecrated +to the happy memories of their prince, in this public manifestation; +if not suited to the grandeur of his person, it is to the generosity +of his royal breast and august blood. May Heaven extend his life for +the glory and increase of this monarchy, as we his humble and obedient +vassals desire. [7] + +[Then follow the poems and eulogies above mentioned, which are written +partly in Latin and partly in Spanish.] + + + + + + +ROYAL AID FOR JESUITS ASKED BY MANILA CABILDO + + +Sire: + +This city of Manila has informed your Majesty on other occasions how +the Order of the Society of Jesus, which came to these islands many +years ago with an ardent and apostolic zeal for the greater service +of our Lord and that of your Majesty, has been employed in the +conversion of souls; and that it has made and makes use of various +means extraordinarily and especially efficacious to allure souls +to the true knowledge of the matters of our holy Catholic faith, +as experience has proved and proves daily. Their modest prudence +and their admirable example of life and morals have verily aided in +that--qualities which, resplendent in them, as is right, our Lord has +permitted to shine out with great profit in the missions that they +have in charge in these remote islands, besides the great edification +that they cause in this city by their holy and excellent instruction. + +We say the same in this letter, and, in particular, that the +said order, recognizing its extremely great need of religious, has +determined to send at the present time Father Diego Patiño [8] as their +procurator-general--a religious of excellent abilities and learning, +and of long experience in everything relating to these islands, as +he has served your Majesty here for thirty years--in order that he +might petition your Majesty to be pleased to grant him permission to +bring as many religious as he can; for the said need is today greater +than what it was when Father Diego de Bobadilla came with the forty +men that he brought. For, since that time, sixty-one religious have +died here, and some of them of but moderate age, as the land and its +means of livelihood in general are so poor. The said order uses them as +sparingly as is demanded by the poverty that the land suffers at this +time. They are also placed under great restrictions by the continual +hardships and dangers of their missions, as they are so separated +in various islands--some of Moros and others of infidels--and by the +stormy seas and awful currents. In that said number of sixty-one who +have died, are nine priests who have gloriously given and sacrificed +their lives to our Lord at the hands of the infidels. Attested official +reports regarding three of these have been given before the ordinary +of the city of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus, while those of the remaining +six are being considered. For that reason the posts of the province +are suffering the said need of the workers who are necessary; for the +college of this city has one-half of the number of priests that it had +formerly, in order that they might attend to the so numerous duties +that they exercise--the school for children; chairs of grammar, +arts, and theology; and as preachers and confessors, because of +the great frequency with which people of all nations go to their +college for the administration of the holy sacraments of confession +and communion throughout the year, and especially during Lent. This +is something which does not receive due consideration; and with the +few religious that they have, they are necessarily very hard-worked, +for they have to go out day and night to confess the sick; to minister +in the hospitals, prisons, and girls' schools; and to the ordinary +preaching in the guardhouses--from which abundant fruit has been seen. + +The colleges of the city of Santísimo Nombre de Jesus and of the port +of Yloylo, which formerly had five or six priests, do not now have +two apiece, so that it is impossible to attend to the many duties +that there present themselves. + +Many of their Indian missions which formerly rendered two religious +indispensable, have now but one. In the great island of Mindanao, +nearly one-half of the civilized villages are without a minister, and +consequently many people die without the sacraments. It is necessary +for one minister to attend to one, two, three, or four villages which +are very distant from one another, when each village needs its own +priests. They do not hesitate, for all that, to go in the fleets +when opportunity offers, in the capacity of chaplains, and in the +shipyards where galleons are built. In those duties they have performed +well-known and special services to our Lord and to your Majesty. + +By the industry of the said religious, and by the toil and hardships +which can be understood, they have aided the arms of your Majesty; +and the kings of Jolo and Mindanao, who were the ones who had rebelled +and were destroying the islands with their plunderings, were reduced +to peace, and today are increasing their friendship. The greatest +foundation for that friendship is the example furnished by the said +religious in their lands, and in the region where they have their +missions, such as the mild and fitting treatment that they employ, +according to their custom, having hopes [thereby] to gain the natives +for God; for they listen without any reluctance to the matters of +our holy Catholic faith from the mouths of the fathers, and learn +from them very willingly. + +The poverty of the houses of the said Society is as great as that which +the inhabitants suffer, who are the fount whence originates all the +support of this order and all the others. For since they are so poor, +they cannot aid with the generosity that they might wish this and the +other orders, the colleges, hospitals, prisoners, and brotherhoods. For +that reason it was necessary to beg alms from door to door for more +than five years, in order that they might maintain the college of +this city and the few fathers in it; and the reason why they have +ceased to beg is not because the need is not the same and greater, +but because it is recognized that the citizens cannot continue their +aid. For that reason the said father procurator-general of the said +order is going [to España], as others have gone, as he can expect no +more aid here. Consequently, it will be necessary to make heavy loans +there, if your Majesty do not please to order that he be assisted +in that royal court, and in Sevilla and Mexico, with your usual +liberality. This city humbly petitions your Majesty to be mindful +of the said great need of ministers and the great fruit that they +obtain for our Lord and your Majesty, whose royal Catholic person may +the divine Majesty preserve, as is necessary to Christendom. Manila, +June twenty, one thousand six hundred and fifty-two. [9] + + +Matheo de Arceo +Jeronimo de Fuentes Cortés +Nicolas Fernandez Paredes +Cristobal Velazquez +Gabriel Gomez del Castillo +Pedro de Morales +Pedro de Almonte +Juan de Somonte +A. de Verastegui +Francisco Lopez Montenegro +Albaro de Castillo + + + + + + +CONDITION OF THE PHILIPPINES IN 1652 + + +Summary of the memorial of the Jesuit Magino Sola [10] to Don Sabiniano +Manrique de Lara, governor of the Filipinas Islands, explaining the +needs of the islands. + + +In this memorial Magino Sola shows that the conquest cannot +be sustained, or extended to the points that are indispensable, +without arms and soldiers. That the conquest may be carried on, it is +necessary that the pay of the soldiers be met, as well as the other +obligations of the islands, which have been quite disregarded for +several years. Especial attention should be given to the evangelical +ministers, who ought to be helped by the military. + +The scarcity and misery has been the cause of serious disturbances. The +father says: "The reason why the Chinese in Filipinas rose in revolt +was only because of the lack of the ordinary supplies for the soldiers, +so that the soldiers violently seized their food and clothing from +the houses and Parián of the Chinese. The merchants could not pay +the Chinese for the goods that they had bought from them for the +want of the same succor. [11] The reason why the natives in some +provinces have risen in insurrection and killed their ministers and +the Spaniards was only because, the ordinary supplies being lacking, +the Spaniards could not satisfy the natives for the food and goods +that they had given on credit, nor pay them for their work. + +"The reason why the governor of those islands found himself obliged +to seize the money of their citizens and that of this city [i.e., +Mexico], with so great loss to trade, was only for the reënforcement +of the presidios, and to avoid troubles which follow from not paying +the soldiers. Let one consider in how many years either the relief +for those islands has been lacking altogether, or has been sent in so +small quantity that it neither supplies the need, nor gives any hope of +paying the amount owed. That is the origin and beginning, if I do not +deceive myself, of all the many troubles and misfortunes that were and +are suffered by the inhabitants of those islands, since the year 1637, +when the trade began to dwindle because of the harshness at Acapulco +in the visitation of Licentiate Don Pedro de Quiroga y Moya--troubles +predicted, without doubt, by the ashes that rained down throughout +those islands in the year 1633, which was followed by a general +famine. In the year 1636, no ships came from those islands. In the year +38, the 'Concepcion' was wrecked in the Ladrones. In the year 39, the +two ships which were being sent back from this kingdom were lost on the +coast of Cagayan, and the Sangleys rose in revolt. In the year 1640, +the volcanoes burst open and some villages were entirely engulfed; +and many other damages resulted. It would appear that Heaven itself +was announcing new troubles and was sounding to arms against those +islands. For throughout that archipelago one could hear distinctly +aërial combats with artillery, and skirmishes with musketry. + +"In the year 1644, occurred the so terrible earthquake which destroyed +and overthrew two-thirds of the temples and buildings of Manila, and +buried many persons among their ruins. In the year 46, the ship which +was returning from this kingdom to those islands was wrecked. In that +year and in that of 47 no ships could come here, for the Dutch held +those seas, and they were committing great depredations and robberies +in those islands. In the year 49, the ship 'Encarnacion' ran aground +while returning, and was lost with all the cargo aboard it, while some +of the people lost their lives. There was no ship in the year 1650, +for that which was coming had to put back into port. 'Nuestra Señora +de Guia' was almost wrecked among the islands when returning, with +great loss and damage on the goods carried. No help was sent to those +islands in the year 51-52. Let so many misfortunes be considered, and +whether so many losses demand extraordinary reënforcements. Let one +consider what must be the present gloomy conditions in those islands +since the reënforcements have failed there for so many years. Let one +consider whether an extraordinary and all-surpassing reënforcement +is now rightly due and demanded, and according to the command of his +Majesty. For, as appears by his decrees, he ordered in past years, on +hearing of some of the above-mentioned troubles, that those islands +be reënforced, even though the usual money and treasure should not +be sent to España for that purpose." + +The father continues to speak of the sacrifices made by the citizens +of Manila because of the wars with the Dutch, not only giving money to +the royal treasury, but also military service in the Plaza de Armas +and manning the galleys with their slaves. In the time of Corcuera, +money was taken from the charitable fund of the Misericordia for +the maintenance of the infantry; and the gratings and balconies, +and even the bells, served for the making of nails and artillery. + +Therefore, the father states the necessity to the islands of a governor +who should have as his chief aim the relief of the soldiers, and of +the other classes who received assistance from the state. + +This relation is dated September 15, 1652. + + + + + + +JESUIT MISSIONS IN 1655 + + +Father Fray Miguel Solana [12] of the Society of Jesus, provincial +of this province of Filipinas, in fulfilment of the royal decree, +of which he was notified by order of your Excellency, commanding him +to give accurate information of the religious whom the Society has +engaged in work in the missions of the Indians and of the villages +which are in their charge, declares that all the villages and missions +that they administer are located in the archbishopric of Manila and +the bishopric of the city of Dulce Nombre de Jesus, where there are +sixty-seven priests, distributed as follows: + +There are seventeen in the archbishopric of the city of Manila. + +There are four priests in the city of Manila, who are interpreters, +and are at the expense of his Majesty, so that they may attend to the +ministry to the Indians who go thither from all parts, as that place +is the capital of the islands. They also minister to the mulattoes +and those of other races. At present those priests are Fathers Antonio +Juan Sana, Jose Pimentel, Juan Bautista Suredo, Francisco Manuel. + +In the village of San Miguel, which is inhabited by Tagálog Indians, +is Father Magino Sola. + +In the village of Santa Cruz, which, is inhabited by Christian +Chinese, mestizos, free negroes, and Tagálogs, are two priests, +namely, Fathers Francisco Ferrer and Ambrosio de la Cruz. + +The village of San Pedro, where Indians, Chinese, and mestizos who +work in the surrounding country congregate, has Father Francisco Colin. + +In the residence of Antipolo, where there are other villages--namely, +Antipolo, Taytay, and Baras, with four visitas in the mountains--there +have always been three priests. At present there are two, namely, +Fathers Luis Espinelli and Ygnacio Zapata. + +In the residence of Silang reside three priests, namely, Fathers +Ygnacio del Monte, Diego de Sanabria, and Juan de Esquerra. They +have charge of three villages, namely, Silang, Yndan, and Maragondon, +and their visitas. + +In Cavite, the port of Manila, and in Cavite el Viejo, Fathers Andres +de Ledesma and Juan Lopez attend to all the people of every class. + +There are two fathers in four settlements of the island of Marinduque, +namely, Fathers Luis Pimentel and Juan de Espinosa. + + + + +BISHOPRIC OF CEBU, OR OF SANTISIMO NOMBRE DE JESUS + +In various islands of the bishopric of Cebu there are fifty priests +of the Society of Jesus, in the following residences and villages. + +In the city of Cebu itself are two fathers, who attend to the village +of Mandaui and to the many Indians in the said city [of Cebu]. They +are Fathers Domingo Esquerra and Francisco Combés. + +There are four fathers in the island of Bohol--namely, Luis Aguayo, +Pedro de Auñon, Bartolome Sanchez, and Francisco de la Peña--who attend +to all the villages of the said island, five in number, called Loboc, +Baclayon, Panglao, Ynabangan, and Malabohoc, and their visitas. + + + + +Island of Leyte + +The Society has two residences in this island. The first is that of +Carigara, where there are six priests, namely, Juan de Avila, Juan de +la Rea, Pedro Carlos Cristobal de Lara, Andres Vallejo, and Antonio de +Abarca. They instruct twelve villages, namely, Carigara, Leyte, Jaro, +Barugo, Alangalan, Ocmug, Baybay, Cabalian, Sogor, Ynonangan, Panaon, +and Luca. Those villages are scattered through a space of sixty leguas. + +The second residence in the same island is that of Dagami. Its villages +number ten, namely, Dagami, Malaguicay, Tainbuco, Dulag, Bito, +Abuyo, Palo, Basey, Guinan, and Balanguigan. They are in charge of +six fathers, namely, Carlos de Lemos, Diego de las Cuevas, Francisco +Luzon, Laudencio Horta, Juan de la Calle, and Jose de Leon. + + + + +Island of Samar and Ybabao + +The Society has two residences in this island, which is a very large +one. One is located on the coast on the side toward España, and the +other on the opposite coast. The former is called the residence of +Samar, and the alcalde-mayor of this jurisdiction lives there. It +is composed of six villages, namely, Catbalogan, Calbigan, Paranas, +Bangahun, Ybatan, and Capul; and other smaller villages have been +reduced to these. The ministry of that residence is in charge of four +priests, namely, Fathers Melchor de los Reyes, Baltasar de Portiçela, +Ygnacio de Alçina, and Matias de Montemayor. + +The second residence is that of Palapag. The villages in its mission +number ten, namely, Palapag, Catubig, Burabur, Catalman, Bonbon, +Biri, Bacor, Tubig, Sulat, and Borongan. They are visited--with great +difficulty, because of the roughness of the seas--by six priests, +namely, Fathers Bartolome Besco, Simon Baptista, Diego Flores, Cosme +Pilares, Pedro de Espinar, and Jose Luque. + + + + +Oton + +One father looks after the fort of Spanish infantry owned by his +Majesty. Another priest attends to the village of Yloilo, which is +composed of Indians and Sangleys. Those priests are Fathers Pedro de +Montes and Juan de Contreras. However, his Majesty gives a stipend +to only one. + + + + +Island of Negros + +In four villages, namely, Ylog, the capital of the corregidor of the +island of Negros, Canancalan, Suay, and Ygsiu, with two other visitas +in the mountains, there are two fathers, namely, Esteban Jaime and +Francisco Deza. + + + + +Mindanao + +His Majesty possesses two forts in this great island, that of +Yligan and that of Samboangan, to which two priests of the Society +attend. Father Ygnacio Navarro attends to that of Yligan, and Father +Nicolas Cani to that of Samboangan. There are also two residences in +the said island. The one lying toward the north is that of Dapitan. The +villages in its district are inhabited by Subanos. There are fourteen +churches, besides the one of the natives in the village of Yligan. They +are Cayaguan, Delanun, Bayug, Dapitan, Lairaya, Dipolo, Dicayo, +Duhinug, Piao, Licay, Manucal, Ponot, Silingan, Quipit, besides +some others of less renown. They are in charge of four priests, +namely, Fathers Jose Sanchez, Carlos de Valencia, Francisco Angel, +and Bernardino de Alison. + +The second residence is that of Samboangan. It extends from the border +of Dapitan to Sibuguy, the boundary of King Corralat, which is a +distance of about fifty leguas. There are seventeen villages along +that coast, which are as follows: Siocon, Siraney, Cauit, Sibuco, +Bocot, Malandi, La Caldera, Baluajan, Masluc, Manicaan, Ducunney, +Coroan, Bitali, Tungauan, Sanguito, Boloan, and Bacalan. Besides +the above there are three [sic] villages of Lutaos near the fort +of Samboanga, namely, Bagumbaya, Buayabuaya. In addition to these, +that residence includes the island of Basilan, and also the island +of Joló and the island of Pangotaran, and other islands where many +Christians live. Five priests are divided among all those places, and +sail in the fleet of Samboangan, and they are paid at his Majesty's +expense. Those priests are Father Pedro Tellez, Father Francisco +Lado, Father Francisco de Victoria, Father Juan Andres Palavicino, +and Father Juan Montiel. + + + + +Terrenate and Siao + +Three priests are busied in these missions, by order of the +government. They are Father Vicente Choua, Father Francisco Miedes, +and Father Diego de Esquivel, and they are paid at his Majesty's +expense. Another one is needed to go and come thence, in order that +the said priests may be sustained. + +The above sixty-seven priests are actual instructors and +missionaries. Besides them, there are eleven students in the college +of the Society, who are studying the language and becoming suitable +ministers to supply the place of those who shall die. There are also +five masters, who teach not only the members of the Society, but also +laymen. To their teaching are indebted the majority of the beneficed +clergy, secular priests, in the islands, besides many others who have +entered the orders. They also have charge of missions. Other priests +in the said province who are occupied in the care of the Spaniards +are not named in this paper, because they are not maintained at his +Majesty's expense. These are also used to fill the vacant places of +those who are lacking in the said missions either from sickness or +death; for no priest is permitted to work therein who does not know +one of the languages of the Indians who are in our care, so that all +may be instructors. In order that this may be given credit, I have +affixed my signature in this village of San Pedro, June 30, 1655. + + + + +The Mindanao Missions + +The island of Mindanao [13] is the largest of these Filipinas +Islands, next to that of Manila. A great portion of it is yet to be +subdued. In that part which is conquered, the Society has charge of +the jurisdictions of Iligan and Zamboanga. The latter is the chief +presidio of the Spaniards, where a college is in the first years of +foundation, which has a rector and five priests who work in it. The +villages that it instructs are as follows: The village of the natives +and Lútaos [14] of the same Zamboanga, who number 800 families. In +place of paying tribute, they serve as rowers in our fleets, which +are quite usually cruising about in defense of our coasts and to +harass the enemy. The island of Basilan opposite the presidio of +Zamboanga and two leguas distant, has about 1,000 families--who, +attracted by the industry, affection, and care of the mission fathers +are most ready to show themselves for the Christian instruction, +but few appear at the time of collecting the tribute. The Christian +kindness of the Spaniards, which attends rather to the welfare of +the souls than to personal interest, is tolerant with those people, +as they are not yet entirely tamed and subdued, and because of the +danger of losing everything if they are hard pressed. That happens +not only in the island of Basilan, but also in all the other places +of that jurisdiction of Zamboanga, in the land of Mindanao. Those +places are: La Caldera, a port so named, two leguas from Zamboanga +toward the east, with about 200 families; Bocot, 250 families; Piacan +and Siraney, 100 families; Siocon, 300 families; Maslo, 100 families; +Namican, 30 families; Data, 25 families; Coroan, 20 families; Bitales, +40 families; Fingan, 100 families; Tupila, 100 families; Sanguinto, +100 families. All those places are at the southern part of Zamboanga, +and contain in all 3,251 families. The islands of Pangotaran and Ubian +are also included in that jurisdiction, which are two days' journey +from Zamboanga; and their inhabitants, now almost all christianized, +pay some kind of tribute when the fleets pass there. The islands of +Tapul and Balonaquis, whose natives are yet heathen. There are many +islets about Basilan which serve as a shelter for Indian fugitives, +many of whom are Christians, who on occasions come to the fathers for +the sacraments, and come at the persuasion of the fathers to serve in +the fleets. The island of Jolo also belongs to the same jurisdiction +of Zamboanga. It has many Christians, who remained there when the +Spanish presidio was withdrawn. The father ministers go at times to +visit them, and endeavor to attract them in order to administer the +holy sacraments to them. All of the people in these various places +reduced to families will be a little more or less than as follows: +in Pangotaran and Ubian, 200; in Tapul and Balonaquis, 150; in the +islets of Basilan, 200; in Jolo, with its islets, 500--all together +amounting to 1,000. + + + + +The jurisdiction of Iligan, with its residence of Dapitan + +This jurisdiction runs along the eastern coast of the island, and +its territory extends for a distance of about sixty leguas. That +district includes the people of the Subanos, who are one of the +most numerous in the island, and one of the most ready to receive +the evangelical doctrine, as they are heathen and not Mahometans, +as are the Mindanaos. The village of Iligan, which is the capital of +the jurisdiction, where the alcalde-mayor and the infantry captain +of the presidio live, has about 100 tributes along the coast. The +district further inland, in another village called Baloy, has +about 200 families, although only 30 make their appearance for +the tribute. Another village called Lavayan, which is located on +the other side of Iligan and the bay of Panguil, has 50 tributes, +although there are [actually] twice as many more. Then comes Dapitan, +which is our center for residence and instruction, as it is one of +the most ancient Christian villages in these islands. Its inhabitants +went of their own accord to meet the first Spaniards who went out +for the conquest, and guided and served them in that conquest; and +they have always remained faithful in their friendship, for which +reason they have been exempted from paying tribute. There are about +200 families there, while another village in the interior at the head +of the same river has about 250. The villages located along the coast +toward Zamboanga are Dipoloc, with 300 families Duino, 600; Manucan, +100; Tubao, 100; Sindangan 500; Mucas, 200; Quipit, 300--in all 2,750 +families This is the number estimated to be in this residence. Five +priests generally aid in their instruction. [15] + + + + + + +LETTER FROM THE ARCHBISHOP OF MANILA TO FELIPE IV + + +Sire: + +When we became established in these islands, and they were divided +up into bishoprics, the division was not made with due regard +to convenience, and as the distance between the several parts +required. This was due either to a lack of information, or to the fact +that the conversion [of the heathen] had not yet been accomplished, nor +had various islands, inhabited by numerous souls, yet been discovered; +but these are now for the most part brought to our holy Catholic faith, +or are shortly to be so, as we hope. To this must be added the lack +of gospel laborers in regions which are distant more than a hundred +leguas in the sea; as are the Litaos of Zamboanga, the Mindanaos, +the Xoloans, the Borneans, and other nations, to which no bishopric +extends or can extend, nor is there any prelate to care for those +souls. Such a condition demands a remedy, and it appears to me best to +present the matter to your Majesty, beseeching you to be pleased to +apply the remedy which is fitting, by providing a prelate and bishop +to govern the church for so many souls. The most effective measure, it +appears to me, is to discontinue the bishopric of Camarines, and have +the bishop put over the said nations--considering that the former is +the smallest bishopric, and borders on this archbishopric of Manila; +and that the administration of the sacraments of confirmation, and +the visitations, could be attended to by land journeys [from here]. In +this way these souls will be provided with their needed nourishment, +and many will receive [spiritual] aid who today are neglected, or +who have hardly any ministers. It has seemed best to me to present +this matter to your Majesty, that you may command what shall seem +best. [In the margin: "Let the decision on the printed memorial, +number 47, 48, and 53, be executed."] + +In the year 654 I gave an account to your Majesty of all the kingdoms +and islands in the neighborhood of these. In some of them your Majesty +has garrisons and government, as in that of Terrenate; others are +governed by their own native kings; and in all there are an infinite +number of Christians. But all of them are lacking in ecclesiastical +jurisdiction and spiritual administration, because priests have to come +to them from Goa; and on account of the want that they have suffered, +they find themselves in need of ministers. Considering the fact that +I am the nearest metropolitan in these islands, it seemed best to me +to make known these facts to your Majesty, so that, if it be your +pleasure, you may provide assistance from this archbishopric--as +is provided for the countries of Camboxa, Tunquin, Macazar, Sian, +which are all governed by their native kings and are inhabited by an +infinite number of baptized persons, who are afforded salvation in +the same manner and way as was done in the year 654 in the islands +of Terrenate, where the power of your Majesty is established. Your +governor, Don Sabiniano Manrrique de Lara, withdrew the curacy which +was established at Malaca, as it seemed expedient for the service +of your Majesty; and at that time he sent ministers to maintain that +Christian community until your Majesty should determine otherwise, or +his Holiness should make provision [through me], as the metropolitan +nearest at hand, for the saving of these souls. [In the margin: +"The same as in the preceding clause."] + +I also relate to your Majesty how, through the lack of bishops which +prevails in the kingdoms near these islands (whose ecclesiastical +government has been administered by the archbishopric of Goa), several +Portuguese candidates, both secular priests and religious, have come +to this city from Macam and other regions, to be ordained. As a vassal +of your Majesty, I decided not to ordain them without special advice +from your Majesty; I, therefore, informed your governor of this, +and have ordained none of them. That I may execute in this and in +everything else the will of your Majesty, I beg you to be pleased to +command me what I must do. May God protect your Catholic and royal +person, granting greater kingdoms and seigniories. Manila, July 30, +1656. [In the margin: "This question was found in another letter +from the archbishop. Have the fiscal examine it at once, and have it +brought with everything to the Council." "The fiscal, having examined +this clause of the letter, says that the Council might be pleased to +command that the archbishop give information as to the manner in which +those mentioned in this clause came to be ordained--whether with or +without dismissory letters, and from whom they bring them--so that with +this he may make such request as is suitable. Madrid, March 2, 660."] + +Miguel, archbishop of Manila. + +[Endorsed: "Manila, July 30, 656. To his Majesty. The archbishop +informs us concerning various subjects, which are noted on the margin, +namely: the great number of Christians who are in those islands, +and the few laborers; much besides bishops and ministers is needed +for their government and instruction; and he proposes other matters +which should be decided." "June 6, 659. Memorial, number 47, 48, +and 53." "Session of the Council of March 4, 1660. Let his Majesty be +advised that the Council have considered what the archbishop of Manila +writes in the last clause of this letter of July 30, 1656, in regard +to his refusing to ordain the religious and secular priests who come +to his archbishopric from the Portuguese who are in the territory of +the archbishopric of Goa, on account of the state in which Portugal +is; and, besides, what the fiscal answered on this point, after he +had seen the letter--namely, that the archbishop should be asked to +give information in regard to the manner in which these men came to be +ordained, whether with or without dismissory letters, and from whom +they bring them, so that the proper request may be made. Although +orders to this effect have been issued, it has seemed best to the +Council to render account to your Majesty of what this information +contains, on account of the bearing which it has generally upon +the affairs of Portugal; so that, in so far as this knowledge is +important to him, such consultation may be held as shall appear most +expedient." "Let the Council take immediate action on this, so that +their decision may go with the fleet." + + +Don Juan Gonzales +Don Pedro de Galbez +Don Miguel de Luna + + +Dated on the same day.] + + + + + + +TWO JESUIT MEMORIALS, REGARDING RELIGIOUS IN THE MOLUCCAS, AND THE +INQUISITION + + +Sire: + +I, Francisco Vello of the Society of Jesus, procurator-general of +the province of Filipinas, who am at present in this court, deem +it advisable for the service of your Majesty to make the following +statements: + +The governor of Filipinas, for certain reasons and motives that he +had, withdrew from the Terrenate forts the rector of a house of the +Society of Jesus which the province of Cochin in Eastern India had +there from the beginning of those conquests, and placed there instead +religious belonging to my province of Filipinas. The said rector acted +as commissary of the Inquisition for the tribunal of Goa, as long as he +was there; but when he was withdrawn those forts were left without any +commissary. I gave testimony regarding that to the inquisitor-general, +so that he on his part might procure from your Majesty the appointment +for those forts of a minister--a matter so important for the purity +of our holy faith--since your Majesty strives, as your chief glory, +to preserve it in all the kingdoms and provinces of your monarchy; +and it is most necessary in them, as they are in the midst of many +sectaries, and, as those people are very warlike, they are more ready +to receive errors. + +Everything relating to the Inquisition of the Filipinas is carried to +the tribunal of Mexico, with great hardships to the persons, expense +to the treasury, and the risk of losing everything--sometimes years +being spent in questions and answers, and the enemy capturing (as +happened at various times) not only the records but the criminals +as well. And when affairs are settled, whether the criminals are +punished or freed, they are left about two thousand five hundred +leguas from their home and abode, and sometimes it is impossible +for them to return. One would think that, since it was considered an +inconvenience for the vassals of the Canarias (who are distant only +two hundred odd leguas from Hespaña) to go to Sevilla, and a tribunal +was established there for their alleviation, there is not less but +much [more] reason in the Filipinas for your Majesty to be pleased +to order that a tribunal be erected in the city of Manila, as was +done in the Canarias. Moreover, supposing that Goa return later to +the allegiance of your Majesty, it is as difficult to take criminals +and records from the forts of Terrenate to that place as to Mexico; +and, in proportion to the dangers of the sea, much greater. + +At present, even if the road from Terrenate to Goa were short and easy, +it is not right to take the faithful vassals of your Majesty to be +punished by rebels, and by secret decrees, in districts so distant +from one another. And if they are not taken--as they have not been +taken for many years, during which acts have been fulminated--evildoers +remain without punishment, and the one evil is as bad as the other. All +that will be avoided by establishing a new tribunal in Manila. By that +erection no new expense will be added to the royal treasury other than +that of the inquisitor, and the amount given him will be proportioned +to the income of the country, and can be obtained by assigning a +certain number of Indian tributes to the royal treasury for that +purpose; and he can afterward be advanced to bishop and archbishop, +with greater experience than those have who go from other regions. The +other officials do not receive a salary. I trust in God, and the +piety of your Majesty, that provision will be made for this in the +manner most to our Lord's glory and the welfare of your vassals, etc. + +Francisco Vello [16] + + +Sire: + +I, Francisco Vello, procurator-general of the Society of Jesus for +the province of Filipinas, declare that, on account of the information +that I have had from those islands and from all parts of the Orient, +I have deemed it necessary to represent to your Majesty that, when the +forts of Terrenate were restored from the possession of the Dutch in +the year six hundred and four, the temporal government of those forts +(which was before under Eastern Yndia), was administered by Filipinas, +while the ecclesiastical and spiritual was left to the said Yndia, +as it belonged to the bishopric of Malaca, and the Inquisition to the +tribunal of Goa, and a house of my order to the province of Cochin or +Malabar (which is one and the same thing)--your Majesty paying both +the expenses of the military and the salaries of the ecclesiastical +persons from your royal treasury of Manila. + +Because of the troubles that Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera +recognized while governor, after the insurrection of Portugal and their +conquests, he had the religious withdrawn--leaving only the vicar, +because of the jurisdiction--which could not be administered by secular +officials, but by those to whom it belongs. After Don Diego Faxardo +assumed that government, he again introduced Portuguese religious +there, and withdrew those of my province. [That plan was pursued] +until Don Saviniano Manrrique de Lara assumed the same government, +who, on account of information from the warden of those forts, again +withdrew the religious from Yndia, and likewise the vicar--entrusting +to my provincial that administration and house, at the advice of the +archbishop of Manila. That charge was immediately accepted, in order +to serve your Majesty; and it has been thus far fulfilled. + +Although those presidios and the king of Tidore (who is a Christian) +and the people of those districts have persons to administer the holy +sacraments to them, their ministers have no jurisdiction, as it has +to emanate from the ordinary of Malaca. In the same way there is no +commissary of the Inquisition, as the tribunal of Goa thus far has +jurisdiction there. Malaca, to which the said forts belonged, has +been occupied by the Dutch since the year six hundred and forty-one; +and our holy Roman faith is no longer exercised there, nor has there +been left any city or village of that bishopric which could obtain +that see. Also is there no hope of the restoration of what has been +lost, according to the trend of the times. Because of that loss the +jurisdiction of Terrenate had to be transferred either to the bishopric +of Cochin--which is the nearest one, being distant thence six hundred +leguas--or to the metropolitan of Goa, which is seven hundred leguas +from Malaca, while the first one is one thousand three hundred leguas +and the second one thousand four hundred from Terrenate. Consequently, +on account of the long navigation, they cannot be furnished with +supplies from there, as their proper administration requires. For +that same reason they were not visited for more than twenty years +by any ordinary or ecclesiastical superior, as is commanded by the +councils. Besides the above difficulty there is another one, namely, +that no people sail from Yndia to the Moluccas except the Dutch, as the +latter have gained possession of those islands and of their drug trade, +which they defend from all, most especially the Portuguese of Yndia. + +Consequently, it seems to be necessary that the spiritual affairs of +those forts be placed in charge of the archbishop of Manila (although +they are nearer to the bishopric of Zebú), because of the ships which +continue to carry reënforcements, with a voyage of three hundred leguas +or a little more or less. No other object is intended in this than the +welfare of those Christians; and your Majesty will obtain no other +advantage than that of maintaining our Roman faith in its purity in +that most remote district of the world, among so warlike nations as +are the Japanese, Chinese and Tartars, Tunquinese, Cochin-chinese, +Cambojans, Siamese, Joloans, and others who almost surround it. For +that alone so great a sum of money is spent as is known, not only in +those forts but in all those islands. It has been proved to be very +agreeable to God because of the extent to which the holy gospel has +spread among them, for they are the best fields of Christian effort of +all the conquests of the monarchy. It is well seen that He favors it +in the continual victories that your Majesty's arms have had in those +regions on sea and land, although it is so distant a member of the body +of this monarchy. May God prosper this monarchy well with fortunate +victories for the welfare and increase of our holy religion. [17] + +Francisco Vello + + + + + + +JESUIT PROTEST AGAINST THE DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY + +Memorial of Miguel Solana, Jesuit, petitioning the king not to +allow the Dominican friars to carry out their purpose of founding a +university in Manila. + + +Sire: + +Miguel Solana of the Society of Jesus, and procurator-general of the +province of the Philippine Islands, makes the following declaration, +namely: That he has been shown a memorial presented by the father +master Fray Mateo Vermudez, [18] procurator-general of the college +of Santo Tomas in the city of Manila, wherein for reasons therein set +forth he asks that the ambassador at Rome be authorized in writing to +petition his Holiness to erect a university of general studies, and to +incorporate and establish it in his college as above--so that, should +there hereafter be founded separate schools and general [studies], +the said university is to be transferred to them, in which may be +taught three other branches of learning--namely, canon law, civil +law, and medicine, as more fully set forth in the said memorial, +the meaning whereof to be taken for granted. Your Majesty will be +pleased to order that the same be stricken from the judicial acts, +and furthermore, that no other petition of similar import be admitted, +with the declaration to the opposing party that, inasmuch as the matter +has already been decided [cosa juzgada] in favor of the college of San +Ignacio, which the Society conducts in the said city, they are barred +from further relief. All which I petition for, for reasons to be more +fully described hereafter, whereon I found the necessary petitions +and prayers, which, as is evident and appears, will be acknowledged +throughout the whole line of reasoning and the acts of the suit that +has been entered by the said college, as well as from the allegations +and claims deduced therein. The claim of the college of Santo Tomas, +in brief, is the establishment of a university in order to nullify +the right and privileges of the Society and of the said college of +San Ignacio, whereon the Audiencia of Manila has acted and delivered +judgment--which acts, on being brought before the Council on appeal, +were ended definitively in the trial and review of the said suit. The +case, therefore, is finished and closed, and for no reason can or +should it be reopened, either in whole or part. Wherefore it results +that the claim now introduced is faulty with no other purpose than to +burden the said Society with new suits and expenses; as the case, as +stated, has been decided and closed, and the reopening of it barred, +as being a matter already determined. The said memorial therefore +should not be admitted, nor a hearing granted to the claim advanced +therein, which should be refused further consideration. And to the +end that his plea be drawn up according to the requirements of law, +and for the better confutation of the reasons advanced in the said +memorial, he [i.e., Solana] maintains that what was petitioned for and +obtained by the opponents in the warrant (which was secured through +the aid of money) was the establishment of a university like those +at Avila and Pamplona. But in order to avoid raising the question +of temporal privileges with the necessary expenses therefor, as well +as because the paper to be sent to Rome had to be of similar tenor, +it was trickily drawn up, and the petition for a university made to +read as for one like Lima and Mexico, whereof the reasons advanced +in the said suit were set forth in full form, whence it follows that +it is not entitled to any further consideration; especially so, since +the concession made by his Holiness was according to the tenor of the +clear and truthful petition that had been presented to him, without +taking into consideration the ulterior meaning that through deceit +and malice had been introduced into the report and the subsequent +decree thereon. Nor should so important a defect be glozed over with +the assertion that the said paper bore the signatures of the president +and the members of your Council (whereof there is no evidence) while +the very contrary is evident in the acts. [Let it be noted] that +considerable time has passed, while, moreover, the proceedings have +taken for granted the certainty that those acts should have in similar +matters--besides the facts that, in the endeavor to secure a bull, the +accompanying statement was vague in that no mention was made therein +of the authority possessed by the Society of conferring degrees by +perpetual and lawful right; and that in the Council acknowledgment was +made (with full cognizance of the case and of whatever was proposed in +the said memorial and papers), that they were in favor of the college +of San Ignacio and its degrees and students, and not of those of Santo +Tomas. Moreover, the bulls and apostolic privileges that have been +enjoyed by the Society are in legal and recognized form, and have +been admitted and certified to in all the audiencias and tribunals +of the Indias, as is notorious; they were passed by the Council, and +were presented in the suit, and acknowledged as being of value; while +what was advanced by the said father procurator whereon were issued +the decisions and writs of the Audiencia of Manila and the Council, +was held as gratuitously asserted and without foundation. As early as +the year 26, the said bulls were presented to the president, governor, +and captain-general, at that time Don Juan Niño de Tabora--from which +the subreption latent in the bull which they obtained is inferrible, +for in the form wherein it was granted, they would not have secured +it if his Holiness had had the evidence of the right and [fact of] +possession on the part of the said Society. Nevertheless, the said +father procurator-general seeks and claims to have all the defects +therein corrected through the issuance of new letters and bulls, +in order that the said Society may thereby be deprived and despoiled +of its said just privileges and legal titles. In virtue of these it +is toiling to the great benefit and advantage, both spiritual and +temporal, of the vassals of your Majesty who are resident in those +regions and provinces, and who again and again have sought to have +the Society upheld in its said right, the same having been duly +acknowledged and certified, of which there cannot be the slightest +doubt. In order to make plain the baselessness of the arguments that +are raised against the said bulls, it suffices to say that they have +been presented in legal, authentic, and unchallengeable shape, whereof +the evidence is wholly undeniable; and have been recognized as such +by the Council, by which they have been accepted with all needed +circumstances and requirements--so that, had any further scrutiny +been needed therein, the same would not have been neglected, nor, +[in such case], would the audiencias of the Indias have allowed them +to be cited. Moreover in the suit now pending in the Council, between +the college of the Society and that of Santo Tomas in sequence of +the one conducted before the royal Audiencia resident in that city +[of Manila], the fiscal of Santa Fé [in Mexico?] required that those +bulls should be recognized and fulfilled; and although opposition +thereto was offered on the part of the college of Sante Tomas, +the acts of the trial and the review show that a writ of execution +was issued empowering the Society to make full and complete use of +the same by conferring degrees, as it had been doing, the college +of Santo Tomas being enjoined therefrom. In consideration of this +it is not right to grant the father procurator a hearing. Besides, +in that suit many other arguments and reasons were brought forward +in favor of the Society. Wherefore, if this had not already been +decided, finished, and closed, as is the case, a petition would +be presented to have all the acts relative to the same brought +together, or that a report should be drawn up of the proceedings +in the trial. With this concurs the fact, as said, that they were +passed by the Council, of which a cedula to that effect has been +presented. Moreover in the said suit before the Audiencia of Manila, +the cedula of November 25 of [the year 16] 45 having been offered in +opposition thereto, full recognition was had of this article; and in +the trial and review of the case the claim was refused consideration, +since the truthfulness and promptness wherewith the Society was and +is proceeding was in evidence--as also was its right use of the said +bulls and its conferral of degrees, of which recognition and discussion +was made before all parties in this said suit. Besides, to assert +that the powers to confer degrees were revoked by Pius V and Sixtus +V is contrary to established fact, inasmuch as, so far as relates, +appertains, and belongs to its privileges and bulls, these not only +were not withdrawn from the Society, but rather were confirmed most +amply, with the grant besides of new favors and graces. Wherefore, +as regards this plea all question is ended, while the revocation +to which he refers concerns other parties, and other intents and +purposes, which do not belong to or affect this suit relative to the +firm and unalterable right of the Society of Jesus. The said father +procurator-general, then, should know what is so notorious that even +in Rome, where the Society has its principal university, it has been +conferring degrees on its students without any opposition whatever, +which would not be the case were the bulls in any way detective. But +this [claim] is wholly gratuitous and censurable, as the said decrees +of execution were issued by the audiencias and councils; nor should it +be offered in opposition on the part of the college of Santo Tomas; +nor should an attempt be made to reopen what has been resolved and +decided legally with such full knowledge of the case. And the report +which he files is also opposed to established fact, in his statement +that the city [of Manila] petitioned for the foundation of a university +in the said college; for no such paper was written, nor has one been +discovered, to the best of our knowledge. Nay, the evidence on the +contrary goes to show that a special petition was drawn up in both +the general and the particular interest of that community wherein the +said Society is established and the use and exercise of its said bulls +maintained. For this reason, when the Audiencia ordered the trial to +be held, the citizens displayed so much regret for this disturbance of +the Society, that the cabildo and magistracy felt obliged to repair to +the governor and most urgently petition him to interpose his authority +to have the suit remanded to the Council. They asked that no change +[in regard to the college] be made, and that he would petition your +Majesty on their behalf not to sanction the finding of the said act; +or, in event of this being done, to extend the same grace also to the +Society of Jesus, in opposition to whose growth it was not right or +within reason (with due respect) to have the question decided through +the expenditure of money, and that the petty amount of two thousand +pesos. Because of the harm to the public welfare and the service +of your Majesty, besides other cogent reasons, any similar proposal +should be regarded with disfavor and refused a hearing. Moreover, it +[i.e., the Jesuit college] was sought for and granted on the fiat of +the Conde de Castrillo, through whose agency this grant was secured, +and confirmed by the Council. This they secured and obtained fully and +sufficiently, and their warrants have been put into effect; whence it +results that (even though the intent [of these] had not prevailed and +been put into execution, as it has been; even though the res judicata +bars further action, as it does) no recourse is open to them [i.e., +the Dominicans], nor means that can be of use for introducing the said +claim, nor ground for complaint--especially since in virtue of the bull +they enjoy many and valuable prerogatives which were not contained in +the temporal privileges which they exercised in former times. Then +the archbishop gave them their degrees, which were recognized only +in the Indias, while now these are recognized everywhere, being +conferred by the rector of the college, which has other officials, +insignia, and preëminences of special import. Nor do they [i.e., +the Dominicans] refrain from nor content themselves with disparaging +in every way the degrees and students of the Society of Jesus, whom +they deprive and despoil of their just titles and rights. Such is +the reason wherefore your Majesty should not give them a hearing were +the subject one entitled to a hearing; such the reason wherefore the +Council, although wrongly the contrary is maintained, has not declared +the college of Santo Tomas to be a university--since what it did do, +as is evident in the acts, was to order and declare that both colleges +use their bulls. Thus the opposing party is deprived of nothing; nay, +especially since, as is stated in the petition and prayer drawn up for +that purpose, it was in order to obtain such powers as are held by the +universities of Avila and Pamplona. They should not now seek, because +of the illegal act of the secretary, to have those powers extended +and enlarged to those [possessed by the colleges] of Lima and Mexico, +even though his Holiness had not reduced them to the form, limits, +and branches of knowledge, referred to in the said bull--to whose +tenor and decision one must submit without therefore giving undue +significance to the word academia used therein. For, without now +raising any question as to the effects thereof, the burden of this +treatise simply states that whether a college be a university or not +depends on the will of him who is empowered to grant it after inquiry +into the fundamental grounds of the matter. In the said lawsuit, +the truth was established; accordingly it is neither expedient nor +fitting to discuss new points, as whether the term academia, or that +of university, or something else be used. Besides, as already stated, +the city of Manila did not petition for a university as alleged +by the opposite party. The petitioner to that effect in the paper +referred to was the said college itself, which secured the grant with +limitations as in the decree. Wherefore, even if the said bull had not +been secured, there would have been no cause for complaint, inasmuch +as they paid the said two thousand pesos with your Majesty's consent; +nor could a new petition at any time be presented, one already having +been granted, even though they had not obtained the bull. + +But without calling in question the matter which is already +settled, or his other representations which he insists on and firmly +maintains--without appearance, however, of abandoning his claim in +case of its rejection--the point that now may be discussed relative +to a regular university and general studies is as follows: Has the +college of Santo Tomas the needed requisites therefor? or are there +new conditions by which their claim can be supported, and which would +deprive your Majesty of all ground [for refusing it], although you do +not support it? In case a new foundation should be deemed advisable, +this more suitably should be established in the said college of San +Ignacio, for the reasons to be gathered from the acts of the said +trial, from the reports that have been made in favor of the Society, +and from the excellent progress which, as is proved by experience, has +resulted from their learning and teaching in those islands, with the +general applause and approval of their inhabitants and citizens. All +this [the writer] again brings forward in the interest of this plea; +and he represents that the college of San Ignacio is one founded by +your Majesty, and the earliest, and is older than that of Santo Tomas; +he also asserts its precedence and other prerogatives adjudged to it +in the said trial. Its teaching staff has been, as it will continue +to be, adorned with the needed endowments and learning; and that the +Society will, as is usual in such cases, carefully teach and train +youth follows from its statutes; and the results of its labors in this +direction are well known. For its teachers it has never demanded any +fees, nor have they any other reward than the luster which is derived +from the learning and uprightness of the scholars. They need no royal +endowment for their support and maintenance, nor will they ever apply +for one. From the revenues enjoyed by the college and the favor shown +by your Majesty from the beginning of their earliest establishments +they will maintain themselves and be gladly occupied in the fulfilment +of this duty. Your Majesty will be their only patron and will give them +such statutes as he shall please for their better government. Moreover, +without having the royal exchequer put to the slightest expense, +application will be made to his Holiness for bulls whereby this +institution may win greater renown; while it will be subject in all +things to the behest and commands of your Majesty and your Council, +as ever has been the notable course of the Society of Jesus in those +regions, in order that you may clearly see and understand its mode of +procedure and how consistent are its actions. As a favor from your +Majesty, it prays with the utmost earnestness and respect that you +will be pleased to command that the papers and reports bearing on +this matter in the secretary's office be examined and compared--not +only those from the present governor, but those from his predecessor; +and especially what the latter wrote in the year 49, on the occasion +of his referring [to the Council] this lawsuit. Therein will appear +the arguments in opposition to the college of Santo Tomas, and +the decisions thereon--among others, the fact that its graduates +and students have to take oath that they will uphold the teachings +of Saint Thomas [of Aquino]. As a matter of fact, in the renowned +universities of the world an oath is taken to defend whatever the +consensus of Christian piety has decreed--as during these days was +sworn to amid public demonstrations and applause, in the presence +of your Majesty--relative to the mystery of the conception of the +most holy Virgin our Lady. [19] Besides this, by express enactments +of law they are forbidden under censures to read and teach other +faculties and sciences than those of philosophy and theology. It is +therefore unbecoming and in conflict with the said enactments, as well +as incompatible with their institute and profession, which forbid them +to conduct public universities in the form now claimed. It, moreover, +is in manifest prejudice to the right conferred by bulls and privileges +on the Society of Jesus, as well as to what has been decreed in its +favor with so much toil and expense. And, besides, it may be remarked +that the establishment of a university, with courses of medicine, +and canon and civil law, in the convent of Santo Domingo would be +an improper and absurd proceeding, as they have no teachers who are +acquainted with the first principles of these sciences, in default of +which there could be but poor instruction, whereas the law requires +that the teachers thereof be very learned, besides being endowed +with singular talents and qualifications. As the matter is well and +generally known, it may be observed that in the Philippines and the +city of Manila, where the only persons who treat the sick are Chinese, +there is no graduate physician; for no one wishes to go thither from +Mexico, as he would be unable to get a living. As regards canon and +civil law, graduates therein might go thither every year, if only they +could obtain a living and find scholars to whom they might lecture +and give instruction. But the city of Manila is so small and confined +that--as is evident from the paper here presented with the necessary +formalities from Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corquera--it numbers no more +than two hundred and seventy citizens. Behold then, your Majesty, under +what conditions and in what sort of a place it is sought to establish +a regular university of sciences and arts, with chancellor, rector, +secretary, beadle, and other officials and teachers who make up its +stall--for whose support would be needed twelve thousand ducados of +income, no matter how moderate the salaries; whereas, if a portion +of this were applied in increasing the number of settlers, with +a consequent saving of burdens on the royal exchequer, this would +redound to the greater benefit and service of your Majesty. With +consideration of the same and whatever besides in fact or law may be +of moment, the writer prays and beseeches your Majesty to order the +said memorial to be rejected, and allow no other of similar import +to be received--with the addition of the declaration, if needed, that +the case has already been settled, and the claim is not entitled to a +hearing. In conclusion, without prejudice, however, to his plea nor +with abandonment of the same, he [i.e., Solana] prays that, should +a university be established, it be founded in the college of San +Ignacio of the said Society; and on each and every matter relating +thereto he files all the petitions needed therefor, wherein he will +receive favor with justice, etc. [20] + + + + + + +DESCRIPTION OF THE PHILIPINAS ISLANDS [21] + + +Although it appears by the information above that in regard to the +Philipinas Islands (which belong to the district of the Inquisition of +Mexico) it has not been possible to arrange the itinerary, because of +the great distance thither from this kingdom; and that the inquisitor +visitor, Doctor Don Pedro de Medina Rico, charged its execution by +letter to the father-definitor, Fray Diego de Jesus Maria, discalced +religious of St. Augustine, and calificador of the Holy Office, as +he had labored more than twenty years in the said islands--the said +letter being sent in duplicate in the two ships that left this kingdom +in this present year of one thousand six hundred and fifty-eight--yet, +because the said visitor has heard of the great knowledge of those +regions that is possessed by Father Maxino Sola, a religious of +the Society of Jesus (who is at present in the City of Mexico, and +about to go to the kingdoms of Castilla as procurator-general of the +province of Philipinas), in order that the said itinerary might be +arranged with greater despatch, and so that in the interim until the +coming of the person who shall settle things in those islands, there +may be such relation as we are able to have in this book (which must +be sent at the first opportunity to the most illustrious and most +reverend inquisitor-general and the members of the Council of the +general Holy Inquisition), his Lordship ordered me, Ygnaçio de Paz, +that, continuing the work, I should set down the information given +by the said Father Maxino Sola. And, in obedience to that order, +that relation which I have been able to procure with the exercise of +all care and minuteness, is as follows. + + + + +Archbishopric of Manila + +The city of Manila, from which the said archbishopric (as well as all +the island) takes its name, occupies the same site as did the largest +settlement of the natives of this island when they were heathen, +who called it by the same name. It was conquered and happily united +to the Spanish crown on May nineteen, one thousand five hundred and +seventy-one (the same year of the establishment of the tribunal of +the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Mexico) by the valiant Miguel +Lopez de Legazpi, native [of Guipúzcoa: blank space in MS.], and a +former citizen of the said City of Mexico, whom his Majesty honored +with the title of adelantado of the said islands. The city lies +in fourteen degrees of north latitude. The governor lives there, +who is the captain-general and president of the royal Audiencia +which resides in that city, and consists of four auditors who are +also alcaldes of the court, a fiscal, and the chief constable of the +court. Their archbishop and the ecclesiastical cabildo live there, +the latter consisting of the accustomed dignitaries--three canons +(for one of the four canonries there was suppressed by his Majesty), +two racioneros, two medio-racioneros, one secular cura, who has +charge of the Spaniards, and another who has charge of the natives +and mulattoes. They are building at the cost of his Majesty a temple +for a cathedral, as that which they had before fell in the ruin caused +throughout those islands by the earthquakes in the year one thousand +six hundred and forty-four [sic; sc. five]. There is a royal chapel in +the Plaza de Armas for the funerals and ministry of the soldiers, and +it has a chief chaplain and six secular chaplains, all at his Majesty's +expense. There is a commissary of the tribunal of the Holy Office, +counselors, calificadors, a chief constable, and other employes. The +said commissary is necessary in the said city, and he will suffice for +all the jurisdiction of the archbishopric of Manila, with the exception +of the port of Cavitte. Because of the vessels that anchor at the said +city from foreign kingdoms, and because it is not easy to cross the +bay during certain months of the year, it is advisable for that city +to have its own commissary, as will be related later in the proper +place. There is also need of the chief constable, four familiars, +and two notaries. [There is] a house of the Misericordia with its +temple and two seculars as chaplains, where marriages are provided +[for girls]. There is another house, called Santta Pottençiana, with +its chapel and secular chaplain, where the wives of those who travel +and leave the islands in his Majesty's service are sheltered. There +is a royal hospital for the treatment of Spaniards, with its chapel +and secular chaplain. The convents of religious in the said city of +Manila, in regard to the seniority of their establishment there, are +as follows: the calced religious of St. Augustine; the discalced of +St. Francisco, of the advocacy of St. James; those of the Society of +Jesus; those of St. Dominic; and the discalced of St. Augustine--all +with convents and churches of excellent architecture. In addition, +the fathers of the Society of Jesus have a seminary with some twenty +fellowships under the advocacy of St. Joseph, with a university from +which students are graduated in all the faculties. The religious of +St. Dominic have another seminary, with not so many fellowships, under +the advocacy of St. Thomas, where they also graduate students in all +the faculties. In both, lectures are given in grammar, philosophy, +and theology. There is a convent with religious women of St. Clare, +who are in charge of the religious of St. Francis; a hospital of +the Misericordia for poor people and slaves of the Spaniards, the +administration of which is in charge of the religious of St. John +of God, whose convent is located at the port of Cavite. There is +a cabildo and magistracy, with two alcaldes-in-ordinary, a chief +constable, regidors, and a clerk of cabildo; and an accountancy of +results, with its accountant and officials. There are also three +royal officials, with their employes. There are about sixty Spanish +citizens, not counting those who occupy military posts. The latter +amount usually to about four hundred men. There are many servants, +of various nations, amounting to more than four thousand men and women. + + + + +Hamlets falling in the circumference of the city of Manila + +Outside and near the walls of the city lies the parish of Santiago +where one beneficed secular has charge of all the Spaniards who live +outside the said walls. The village of San Antonio is also near the +walls, and is in charge of a beneficed secular. + +The village of Quiapo, which lies on the other side of the river, +is administered by the said beneficed secular. + +The village called La Hermita, in whose temple is the venerated image +of Nuestra Señora de Guia, is two musket-shots away from the walls +of Manila, and is administered by a beneficed secular. + +The village called Parián, the alcaicería where the Chinese merchants +and workmen live--most of that people being infidels, and few of them +Christian--are in charge of religious of St. Dominic. This place is +close to the walls. + +There is a small village next the walls called San Juan, which is in +charge of the discalced religious of St. Augustine. + +Another village, somewhat farther from the walls than the said San +Juan, and called Malatte, is in charge of the calced Augustinian +fathers. + +Another very near village, called Dilao, is where some Japanese +Christians live, separated from the natives; and their administration, +as well as that of the natives, is in charge of religious of +St. Francis. + +There is another small village contiguous to that of Dilao, called San +Miguel, which has a house of retreat for the Japanese women who are +exiled from their country because they follow our holy faith. They, +as well as the natives of the said village, are in charge of religious +of the Society of Jesus. + +All of the said villages, so far as the secular affairs are concerned, +belong to the jurisdiction of the alcalde-mayor of Tondo, who lives +in the village of that name on the other side of the river. That +village is densely populated with natives and Chinese mestizos who +are in charge of calced religious of St. Augustine. + +Still nearer the river is the village of Milongo [sic; sc. Binondo] +which is almost wholly composed of Chinese mestizos. It is in charge +of religious of St. Dominic. + +The religious of St. Dominic administer and care for a Chinese hospital +which is located on the bank of the said river. + +On the same shore of the river is a village named Santa Cruz, composed +of married Christian Chinese, who are in charge of religious of the +Society of Jesus. + +Up-stream toward the lake are various villages. One is called San +Sebastian, and is in charge of discalced Augustinians. + +Another is called Santa Ana and is administered by religious of +St. Francis. + +Another, called San Pedro, is in charge of religious of the Society +of Jesus. + +Another, called Guadalupe, is in charge of calced Augustinians. + +Another, called Pasic, is in charge of calced Augustinian religious. + +The village of San Matheo is in charge of religious of the Society +of Jesus. + +The village of Taitai is in charge of the said religious of the +Society. + +The village of Antipolo is in charge of the same religious of the +Society of Jesus. + +The village of San Palo [i.e., Sampaloc] is in charge of religious +of St. Francis. + +Coasting along from the city of Manila to the port of Cavite, where +the ships that sail from this kingdom anchor, and across the said +river, is the village of Parañaca, which is in charge of the calced +Augustinian religious. + + + + +Port of Cabitte + +The port of Cabitte is six or seven leguas distant from Manila by land, +and three by sea, and the seamen live there with a Spanish garrison; +they have their castellan, who is also the chief justice. There is +a secular cura who ministers with the help of his assistant and +sacristan. There is a college of the Society of Jesus; a convent +of St. Francis, another of St. Dominic, and another of discalced +Augustinians, as well as a hospital in charge of the religious of +St. John of God. The cura of that port also has charge of the natives +living about the walls, who are almost all workmen who work at the +building of galleons. The same cura also has charge of the small +villages which are located on the other side of the port. Another +called Cabitte el Viexo [i.e., Old Cavite] is in charge of fathers of +the Society of Jesus. At a distance of four or five leguas about this +port are located some cattle-ranches and some farmlands belonging to +the citizens of Manila, which are in charge of a secular cura. + +In the jurisdiction of the alcalde-mayor of Tondo, which is the place +nearest to the city of Manila besides the aforesaid villages (which all +belong to him, except the port of Cabitte), is the village of Tegui, +close to the lake. It is in charge of calced Augustinian religious. + +In the interior are located the villages of Silan and Ymdan which +are in charge of fathers of the Society of Jesus. + +Up-stream and next to the jurisdiction of Tondo begins the jurisdiction +of the lake of Bari [sic; sc. Bay] which lies east of Manila; this +jurisdiction lies along the shore of the said lake. The chief village +is called Barii (whence the name of the said lake) and it is in charge +of calced Augustinian religious. + +The village of San Pablo, distant six leguas inland, is in charge of +the same calced Augustinian religious. + +There is a hospital located on the bank of the said lake, which is +in charge of religious of St. Francis. These religious have charge +of most of the villages of that jurisdiction with the exception of +that of Binan and its subordinate villages. + +Coasting along Manila Bay, one comes first to the island of Maribeles, +a small jurisdiction in charge of a Spaniard, who is corregidor and +serves also as sentinel. Its villages are in charge of discalced +Augustinian religious, with the exception of that of Maragondon and +its subordinate villages, which are in charge of religious of the +Society of Jesus. + +Leaving the bay, and pursuing the same voyage made by the ships that +go to Nueva España, on the left and some fourteen leguas from Cavitte +is the jurisdiction of Balayan or Bombon, located on a small lake +which bears that name. It has an alcalde-mayor; most of its villages +are in charge of seculars, and the others, of calced religious of +St. Augustine. + +Opposite the said jurisdiction and to the right, lie the islands of +Mindoro and Luban, which are in charge of secular priests. They have +an alcalde-mayor, to whom belongs also the island of Marinduque, +which is in charge of fathers of the Society of Jesus. + +Traveling along the other side of the land of Manila, [22] one +encounters the jurisdiction of Bulacan, which is but small, and is +administered by religious of the calced Augustinians--as also is the +jurisdiction of Panpanga, which is large and fertile, and contains +many large villages. + +Fourteen or fifteen leguas past the island of Mindoro to the southwest, +are the islands called Calamianes, which number about seventeen. They +are small and most of them now subdued; and they lie between the +island of Mindoro and that called Paragua, which is the third of the +said Philipinas Islands in size. [23] A small portion of the latter +island is subject to the Spaniards; it is one hundred and fifty leguas +in circumference, and its greatest latitude is nineteen degrees. + +In the islands called Calamianes is located an alcalde-mayor with +a small presidio, as it lies opposite the Camucones enemy. The +administration of all those islands, and of that called Cuio, is in +charge of discalced Augustinian religious. + + + + +Bishopric of Cagayan or Nueva Segovia + +The city where the seat of the bishopric is located is called Nueva +Segovia. It has a Spanish presidio and its fort, whose castellan +is the alcalde-mayor of that jurisdiction. It is in charge of one +secular cura. The religious of St. Dominic have a convent in the said +city. The jurisdiction is about eighty leguas long and forty wide. All +the province of Cagayan is in charge of religious of St. Dominic except +the village and port of Viga, which is in charge of a secular cura. + +Next to that province on the side toward the archbishopric of Manila, +lies the province called Ylocos. It is very fertile and abounds in +gold and cotton, and is densely populated. It has an alcalde-mayor, and +all its administration is in charge of calced Augustinian religious. + +The province called Pangasinan is next to the said province of +Ylocos. It is densely populated, fertile, and abounds in gold. The +religious of St. Dominic have charge of it, with the exception of +some small villages on the seacoast, which are in charge of discalced +Augustinian religious. All those three provinces together with the +islands called Babullanes belong to the said bishopric of Cagaian. They +lie north of Manila. There are many people yet to be converted, some +of them being rebels who have taken to the mountains, while there +are others who pay their tributes although they are not Christians. + + + + +Bishopric of Camarines or Nueva Cazeres + +In the part opposite the bishopric of Cagayan lies the bishopric +called Camarines or Nueva Cazeres. Its city, called [Nueva] Cazeres, +is the seat of the bishopric and has a secular cura and a convent of +religious of St. Francis which has a hospital. All that province of +Camarines, and another one called Paracale is in charge of religious +of St. Francis; and they are in the jurisdiction of one alcalde-mayor. + +The province called Calilaya or Taiabas, which has another +alcalde-mayor, is also in the charge of religious of St. Francis, +except the villages called Bondo which are in charge of seculars. The +said jurisdiction has another province called Canttanduanes, which has +its own corregidor; and some small islands a short distance from the +mainland. Those islands, which are called Burias, Masbate, and Tican, +are in charge of seculars. + +The islands of Romblon and Bantton, which belong to that jurisdiction +of Canttanduanes, are in charge of religious of the discalced +Augustinians. Those two bishoprics of Nueva Segovia and Nueva Cazeres +are located in the island of Manila. That island is about two hundred +leguas or so long and runs from the east to the north, from about +thirteen and one-half degrees [of latitude] to about nineteen or a +trifle less. In the east it has a width of about one day's journey +from one sea to the other, or a trifle more; and in the north is +thirty or forty leguas wide. The total circumference of the island +is about four hundred leguas. + + + + +Bishopric of Sebu or Nombre de Jesus + +The see of that bishopric is located in the city called Sebu, as it +took that name from that of the whole island; the Spaniards gave +it the name of Nombre de Jesus. It was so called from the image +of the child Jesus which was found by the adelantado Miguel Lopez +de Legazpe in the Indian settlement in the year one thousand five +hundred and sixty-five. It appears that that image was left in that +island in the year one thousand five hundred and twenty-one, when +Hernando de Magallanes (who died there) arrived at that place. Only +one secular cura lives there, for although dignitaries, consisting +of a dean and the others, have been assigned to Sebu, they are so +only in name; and those dignities are enjoyed by the seculars who +have charge of the places nearest to the said city of Sebu. In +that city is located a convent of calced Augustinian religious, +which was the first convent to be founded in the said Philipinas +Islands. There is a college of the Society of Jesus, and a convent +of discalced Augustinian religious. As far as the secular power is +concerned, there is an excellent stone fort with a Spanish presidio, +which is governed by an alcalde-mayor who generally bears the title +of "lieutenant of the captain-general." There is a cabildo and +magistracy, with alcaldes-in-ordinary and regidors. That island is +somewhat prolonged for fifteen or twenty leguas, and is eight leguas +wide. It has a circumference of eighty or ninety leguas, and extends +northeast and southwest in ten degrees of latitude. [24] The city has +a Parián or alcaicería of Chinese who are in charge of a beneficed +secular. About it are some natives who are in charge of calced and +discalced Augustinian religious. + +The nearest island to the above island is that called Bohol, which +runs north and south for some fifteen leguas, with a width of eight +or ten leguas and a circumference of forty. It is all in charge of +religious of the Society of Jesus. As regards secular affairs, it +belongs to the jurisdiction of Sebu. + +Next the said island of Bohol lies that called Leite. It also extends +north and south, and has a length of some thirty leguas, and a width +in some parts of only three leguas, while its circumference is about +ninety or one hundred leguas. It is also in charge of fathers of the +Society of Jesus. + +Next the said island of Leite lies that called Samar or Ybabao, +the last of the Philipinas. Its coast is bathed by the Mexican Sea, +and it makes a strait with the land of Manila which is called San +Bernardino. By that strait enter and leave the ships of the Nueva +España line. It lies between thirteen and one-half degrees and eleven +degrees south latitude, in which latitude it extends for the space +of two and one-half degrees. It is also in charge of fathers of the +Society of Jesus. That island and that of Leite have one alcalde-mayor. + +North of the island of Sebu lies the island of Negros, which extends +between nine and ten and one-half degrees, and has some hundred leguas +of circumference. It is almost all in charge of religious of the +Society of Jesus, except one mission which the discalced Augustinian +religious have there. + +Northeast of the same island of Sebu lies the island called Bantallan +with four other islets, all of which are in charge of one secular. + +Lower down and near Manila is the island called Panai, which is +very fertile and densely populated. It is some hundred leguas in +circumference, and runs east and west, and north and south in ten +degrees of latitude. The city of Arebalo or Oton is located in that +island, and an alcalde-mayor lives there--who is also the purveyor for +the fleets of those islands, and of Mindanao and its presidios. The +cura of the town is a secular; but the Spaniards of the presidio are +in charge of religious of the Society of Jesus; they have a college +in the said city, and also have charge of the district called Hilo +Hilo. The balance of the said island of Panai has an alcalde-mayor, +and is in charge of calced Augustinian religious. + +There are two other districts in the said jurisdiction which are in +charge of seculars. All the above islands belong to the bishopric of +Sebu, as do also the great island of Mindanao, with Jolo, and their +adjacent islands. + +The island of Mindanao is the largest of all the Philipinas Islands, +next to that of Manila. In its largest part that island extends from +five and one-half degrees northeastward to nine degrees--a distance of +some seventy leguas. Its two headlands, which are called San Augustin +and that of La Caldera, bound a coast which runs east and west for some +hundred and ten leguas. That island has at the port located about its +middle, called Sanbuangan, an excellent Spanish presidio with a stone +fort which is well equipped with artillery. That fort has its governor +and castellan, who is also governor and castellan of the islands of +Jolo, Baçilan, and some other smaller islands. The administration of +all the islands called Mindanao, Jolo, and the others, both Spaniards +and natives, is in charge of religious of the Society of Jesus. + +From the cape of San Augustin northeastward in that island +is the jurisdiction called Caraga and Buttuan, which has its +own alcalde-mayor. Its administration is in charge of discalced +Augustinian fathers. + +Along the coast toward the vendaval [i.e., southwest], on that same +island is the jurisdiction of Yligan, the principal part of which +lies on a lake of the same name. It is in charge of fathers of the +Society of Jesus. + +The district called Dappitan in that same island is in charge of +fathers of the Society of Jesus. + + + + +Terrenate + +The islands called Terrenate or the Clove Islands are located for +the most part under the equinoctial line toward the east; and are +three hundred leguas distant from Malaca in India, and slightly less +from Manila, toward the southeast. The islands are five in number, +extend north and south, and are quite near one another. The largest, +from which the others take their name, is that of Terrenate. [25] Two +leguas from it is that of Tidore, and then comes Mutiel. The fourth +is called Maquien and the fifth Bachan. All of them lie opposite +the land called Battachina. Those islands of Terrenate have various +Spanish presidios, the principal one of which is in the same island +of Terrenate where the governor lives; he is the governor of all the +other presidios. The Dutch have a settlement in that island with a good +fort, all for the sake of the profit [that they obtain from the] cloves +and nutmeg. The number of Christians there is small, although there +were many in the time of the glorious apostle of Yndia, St. Francis +Xavier. It has always been administered by religious of the Society +of Jesus, as well as the natives of the island of Siau, who are the +most affectioned to our holy faith. The Spaniards of Terrenate are in +charge of a secular cura belonging to the jurisdiction of the bishopric +of Cochin in Oriental Yndia; for the administration of those islands +has always been in charge of that bishopric and province of Cochin, +although the ministers of the Society of Jesus have been appointed +since the time of the revolt of Portugal by the superior of the said +Society in the province of Philipinas. The stipends of the cura and +of the other evangelical workers are paid from the royal treasury of +Manila, as are also the salaries of the governor and the presidios. In +the island of Terrenate is a house of the Society of Jesus, whence +they go out to administer the other islands and presidios. It has +also a royal hospital which is in charge of the discalced religious +of St. Francis. The cura of that island and presidio was withdrawn to +Manila when Portugal rebelled, and the archbishop chose a cura from his +archbishopric; but it was a question whether he had any jurisdiction +for it, so that the appointment of cura passed again in due course to +the proprietary cura of the jurisdiction and bishopric of Cochin, which +is in actual charge of the said presidio [and will remain thus] until +the determination and commands of the king our sovereign are known. + + +The commissaries that seem necessary in the said islands, and in the +places where such office will be desirable, are the following. + +1. In the city of Manila, with the jurisdiction of all the +archbishopric except the port of Cavitte. On account of the vessels +that anchor in the latter place from foreign kingdoms, and because +during some months in the year it is not easy to cross the bay, +it is advisable for that port to have its own commissary. + +2. In the said city of Manila, the said employes who are mentioned +in its description. + +3. In the fort of Sanboangan in the island of Mindanao, and the +islands subordinate to it. + +4. In the city of Sebu, whose commissary can serve for all the islands +called Pinttados. + +5. In the town of Arebalo or Oton; the same person may be commissary +of its jurisdiction and of that of Panai and the island of Negros. + +6. In the presidio of Yligan and Caraga. + +7. There could also be one in the islands of Calamianes and the +islands subordinate to them. + +8. Another commissary in the jurisdiction of Cagaian, Ylocos, +and Pangasinan. + +9. Another in the forts of Terrenate. This is most necessary, as the +Spaniards of the said forts are among Dutch and Moros, and so far +from the city of Manila. + + + + + + +DOCUMENTS OF 1660-1666 + + + Recollect missions, 1646-60. Luis de Jesús and Diego de Santa + Theresa, O.S.A. (Recollect); [compiled from their works]. + Description of Filipinas Islands. Bartholomé de Letona, + O.S.F.; 1662. + Events in Manila, 1662-63. [Unsigned; July, 1663?]. + Letter to Francisco Yzquierdo. Diego de Salcedo; July 16, 1664. + Why the friars are not subjected to episcopal + visitation. [Unsigned and undated; 1666?]. + + +Sources: The first of these documents is taken from the Historia +general de los religiosos descalzos ... de San Agustin: part II, by +Luis de Jesús (Madrid, 1681), from a copy in the library of Edward +E. Ayer, Chicago; and part III, by Diego de Santa Theresa (Barcelona, +1743), from a copy in the Library of Congress. The second is from a +pamphlet bound in with a copy (in the possession of Antonio Graiño +y Martinez, Madrid) of Letona's Perfecta religiosa (Puebla, Mexico, +1662), a rare work. The remainder are from the Ventura del Arco +MSS. (Ayer library), ii, pp. 401-483. + + +Translations: The first and fifth of these are translated by James +A. Robertson; the remainder, by Emma Helen Blair. + + + + + + +RECOLLECT MISSIONS, 1646-60 [26] + + +CHAPTER SIXTH + +The venerable sister Isabel, a beata, dies holily in the faith in +the province of Butuan + +Only section: (Year 1646) + + +One of our Beatas, named Isabel, passed to the better life this year +in the village of Butuan of Filipinas. We know nothing else about her +except that she was converted to the faith by the preaching of Ours +when they entered that province. The Lord illumined her so that she +should leave the darkness of their idolatries, and she was baptized and +given the name of Isabel. She produced great fruit in a short time, for +the hand of God is not restricted to time limit. Seeing her so useful +in the mysteries of the Catholic religion, our religious sent her to +become a coadjutor and the spiritual mother of many souls, whom she +reduced to the faith and catechized thus gaining them for the Church. + +She was sent to the villages where the devil was waging his fiercest +war and deceiving by his tricks, so that she might oppose herself to +him by her exemplary life and the gentleness of her instruction. She +established her school in a house in the village to which the +young girls resorted. With wonderful eloquence she made them +understand that the path of their vain superstitions would lead +them astray, and explained the rudiments and principles of the +Christian doctrine. At her set hours she went to the church daily, +and the people gathering, she instructed the stupid ones, confirmed +the converted, and enlightened the ignorant--and that with so much +grace and gentleness of words that she seized the hearts of her +hearers. To this she joined a modesty and bearing sweetly grave, +by which she made great gain among those barbarians. + +Since so copious results were experienced through the agency of Isabel, +both in the reformation of morals and in the many who were converted +from their blind paganism, the fathers sent her to preach in the +streets and open places where the people gathered to hear her--some +through curiosity, and others carried away by her wonderful grace in +speaking. By that means many souls were captured and entreated baptism, +for she was a zealous worker and an apostolic coadjutor in that flock +of the Lord. She also entered the houses of the obstinate ones who +did not go to hear her in the streets. There, with mild discourses +and full of charity, she softened their hearts and inclined them to +receive the faith. + +After some years of employment in that kind of apostolic life her +husband died. Upon being freed from the conjugal yoke she desired +to subject her neck to that of religion. Father Fray Jacinto de San +Fulgencio, at that time vicar-provincial of that province, gave her +our habit of mantelata or beata. She recognized, as she was very +intelligent and experienced in the road to perfection, that her +obligations to make herself useful were stricter, that she must live +a better life and employ the talent which she had received from God +for the benefit of her neighbor, and she did so. One cannot easily +imagine the diligence with which she sought souls; the means that +she contrived to draw them from the darkness of heathendom. What +paths did she not take! What hardships did she not suffer! She went +from one part to another discussing with the spirit and strength, +not of a weak woman, but of a strong man. The Lord whose cause she +was advancing aided her; for the solicitation of souls for God is a +service much to His satisfaction. + +She finally saw all that province of Butuan converted to the faith +of Jesus Christ, for which she very joyfully gave thanks. She retired +then to give herself to divine contemplation, for she thought that she +ought to get ready to leave the world as she had devoted so much time +to the welfare of her neighbor. She sought instruction from Sister +Clara Calimán (whose life we have written above), and imitated her +in her penitences, her fastings, and her mode of life, so that she +became an example of virtues. + +For long hours did Isabel pray devoutly; she visited the sick; she +served them; she exhorted them to repentance for their sins and to bear +their sorrows with patience. She devoted herself so entirely to those +works of charity that it seemed best to our fathers (who governed that +district) not to allow her respite from them, and that she could [not] +live wholly for herself. They built a hospital for the poor and sent +her to care for them. She sought the needy, whom she often carried on +her shoulders, so great was her charity. She cared for their souls, +causing the sacraments to be administered to them; and for their +bodies, applying to them the needful medicines. She solicited presents +and alms, and she had set hours for going out to beg for the sick +poor. She did all that with a cheerful and calm countenance, which +indicated the love of God which burned in her breast. Her hour came +during those occupations and she fell grievously ill. She knew that +God was summoning her and begged for the sacraments of the Catholic +Church; and, having received them with joy, she surrendered her soul +to her Lord--leaving, with sorrow for her loss, sure pledges that +she has eternal rest. + + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTH + +A hospice is established in the City of Mexico for the accommodation +of the religious who go to the Filipinas. + +Only section: (Year 1647) + + +As the province of San Nicolàs de Tolentino had been founded in the +Filipinas Islands by our religious, and since they had many missions +in various districts to which to attend--not only converting infidels, +but comforting and sustaining those converted--they thought that it +would be necessary for them to send repeated missions of religious +and to conduct them from España to those districts. The usual route is +by way of Mexico, a most famous city; and since our Recollects had no +house there where the religious could await in comfort the opportunity +to embark for the said islands, they determined to take a house or +hospice in which they could live and where those who fell sick from the +long and troublesome journey could be treated. The Order petitioned +it from the king our sovereign, Felipe Fourth, who, exercising his +wonted charity, issued his royal decree in this year of 1647 for the +founding of the said hospice; and it was actually founded. It does +not belong to this history to relate the conditions that were then +accepted; we have only thought it best to give this notice of it here. + +[The remainder of this book does not concern Philippine affairs]. + + + +[The following is translated and condensed from Diego de Santa +Theresa's Historia general de los religiosos descalzos, being vol. iii +in the general history of the Recollect order.] [27] + + + + + + +DECADE SEVENTH--BOOK FIRST + + +CHAPTER I + +Treats of the fifth intermediary chapter; and of some events in the +province of Philipinas. + +[The first section treats of the fifth intermediary chapter of the +order, which was held at Madrid, May 27, 1651]. + + + + +§ II + +The convent of Tándag, in the province of Carágha of the Philipinas +Islands, is demolished + +232. Tándag is located in the island of Mindanáo, and is the capital of +the district of the jurisdiction of Carágha, where the alcalde-mayor +resides. In regard to ecclesiastical affairs, it belongs to the +bishopric of Zibú. Our convent which is found in that settlement has +charge of three thousand souls, scattered in the said capital and in +five annexed villages called visitas. How much glory that convent has +gained for God may be inferred from the repeated triumphs which its +most zealous ministers obtained, thanks to His grace; and the words +of our most reverend and illustrious Don Fray Pedro de San-Tiago, +bishop of Solsona and Lerida, in the relation of the voyage made by +our discalced religious to the Indias are sufficient. "There was," +he says, "a powerful Indian, called Inúc, the lord of Marieta, who, +waging war on the Spaniards and peaceable Indians, killed many of them +in various engagements while he captured more than two thousand. The +very reverend father Fray Juan de la Madre de Dios left Tándag, +without other army or arms than his virtues. He went to meet Inúc +and, by the force of the divine word, he alone conquered Inúc, who +was accompanied by squadrons; the religious conquered the soldier, +the lamb the lion, and forced him to lay aside his arms and reduce +himself to the obedience of the king our sovereign, and to be baptized +with all his family." Thus did he give in that one action, peace to +the country, a multitude of souls to heaven, and an exceeding great +number of vassals to the Spanish monarch. + +233. The seasons continued to pass interwoven with various incidents, +now prosperous, now adverse; although as the world is a vale of tears, +it gave its pleasures with a close hand and its sorrows with prodigal +liberality--especially in the years 46 and 47 when the Dutch, having +become the ruler of the seas, forced or compelled all vessels to take +refuge in the ports. The commerce of the Sangleys or Chinese fell off +almost entirely; and according to the common opinion, the Dutch were so +victorious that their invasions, painted with those rhetorical colors +that fear is wont to give, filled all the islands with terror. Don +Diego Faxardo, knight of the Habit of San-Tiago, was then governor +and captain-general of Philipinas, and also president of that royal +Audiencia. He was most vigilant in defending those wretched villages +from the powerful invasions of the enemy, who, by the specious pretext +that they were going to set them free, induced the chiefs to [join] +a general conspiracy. Don Diego tried to ascertain the forces of the +enemy with accuracy; he ordered the ports to be reconnoitered and the +presidios to be fortified. He solicited truthful reports in order to +obtain advice upon the best way to decide. + +234. There was at that time an alcalde-mayor in the fortress of +Tándag whose name is omitted for a special reason. The venerable +father Fray Pedro de San Joseph Roxas, a religious of eminent +qualities and excellent virtues, was prior of that convent. He, +having concluded that the minister ought, as a teacher, to attend +to the Indians in regard to instruction, and as a father, to watch +over their protection, on seeing his parishioners persecuted with +unjust vexations thought himself obliged to oppose the illegal acts +of the alcalde. Father Fray Pedro saw the people of Tándag and its +visitas oppressed with insupportable burdens. He saw them suffering +so great sadness that their weeping did not dare to mount from the +heart to the eyes, nor could the bosom trust its respiration to the +lips. The father noted that, in proportion as they were sacrificed to +the greed of another, just so much did they grow lukewarm in living +according to the Catholic maxims. Since there was no one to speak +for the Indians if that zealous minister became dumb, he resolved +to defeat them efficaciously in order to make so great wrong cease, +even if it were at his own risk. He asked humbly, exhorted fervently, +and insisted in and out of season in proportion to the cause; but +seeing his petitions unheeded in Tándag, he placed them in a Tribunal +where they would receive attention. + +235. The alcalde-mayor, resenting the father's demands, took occasion +to send his reports to Don Diego Faxardo; accordingly he said that +that fortress of Carágha was in a state of vigorous defense, although +it had a dangerous neighbor in the convent, for that was a very strong +work and dominated the fortress. Consequently, he thought that it was +a necessary precaution to destroy it. Thereupon the governor called +a meeting of auditors, judges, and officials of the royal treasury; +and on the nineteenth of December, 1647, they despatched a general +order to all the alcaldes-mayor commanding that the stone churches +and convents built along the sea shore be demolished. The reason given +was that if the Dutch succeeded in capturing them in their invasions, +they would find in them forts enabling them to continue their raids +with greater persistency. Already the said captain had been withdrawn +from Tándag and Don Juan Garcia appointed in his place when that +order from the royal Audiencia was received. He called a meeting of +Captains Juan de Sabáta and Don Marcos de Resines, also summoning +Sargento-mayor Don Andrés Curto and the same alcalde-mayor who had +been at Tándag--of whom he did not yet even know that he had given the +said report. They recognized that the church could be burned and pulled +down in less than six hours, in case the Dutch came; for its walls were +built of the weakest kind of stone and the roof of nipa, which is as +combustible as straw. On the other hand, they saw the Indian natives +somewhat sad and feared that they would take to the mountains in flight +in order not to be forced to work at a new building. Therefore they +resolved, by common consent, to suspend the execution [of the order] +until those reasons could be represented in the royal Audiencia, and +the most advisable measures taken for the service of both Majesties. + +236. Don Diego Faxardo and the royal assembly saw that those reports +were contrary; for the first said that it was very important to +demolish the convent and church, as it was a very strong work; and +that, since it was within musket-shot and dominated the redoubt, the +Dutch could demolish it in twenty-four hours with only two ten-libra +cannon: while the second report set forth the fear of the revolt and +flight of the Indians, alleging that the convent and church, although +built of stone, would serve as no obstacle. But, notwithstanding that +contradiction, a new decree was despatched ordering the demolition of +the church and convent of Tándag. That was done immediately amid great +sorrow, although with great conformity of the religious and Indians +to so peremptory decrees. Since malice thus triumphed, vengeance +was satisfied, and a religious order so worthy was slighted; and +although its members had more than enough reasons for anger, they never +permitted it to pass their lips, and only employed their rhetoric in +restraining the natives so that they would not take to the mountains. + + + + +§ III + +Philipo Fourth is informed that Fray Pedro de San Joseph resisted the +demolition of the convent strongly, and that he was the cause of the +insurrection of the Indians in the village. + +237. Nothing else was thought of in the Philipinas Islands than their +defense from the fear occasioned by the Dutch with their fleets. That +holy province was engaged in the reparation of the ruins of their +demolished church, and the zeal of those evangelical ministers was +working with the same ardor, for they were wont not to become lukewarm +[even] with the repeated strokes of the most heavy troubles. In May, +1651, it was learned at the court in Madrid, that the royal mind of +his Catholic Majesty had been informed of what will be explained +in more vivid colors in the following letter, which the venerable +father-provincial of Philipinas received in the year 53. "Venerable +and devout father-provincial of the Augustinian Recollects of the +Philipinas Islands: It has been learned in my royal Council of the +Indias from letters of the royal Audiencia resident in the city of +Manila that, in virtue of a resolution taken by the council of war +and treasury of those islands, certain strong churches in the islands +were ordered to be demolished, such as those of Abucáy, Marindúque, +and Carágha, so that they might not be seized by the enemy, as those +edifices were a notorious menace and peril to the islands after the +Dutch attacked Cavite. It was learned that, although the church of +Carágha was demolished, it was done after the greatest opposition from +the religious of your order who are settled in those missions. He who +instructed the Indians there threatened that the Indians would revolt, +as happened later. For the village rose in revolt, and the Indians +took to the mountains--thereby occasioning the many and serious +troubles that demand consideration. The matter having been examined +in my royal Council of the Indias, it has been deemed best to warn +you how severely those proceedings by the religious of that order +have been censured--so that, being warned thereof, you may correct +them and try to improve them, in order that the religious may restrain +themselves in the future and not give occasion to the natives to become +restless. For they are under so great obligation to do the contrary, +and they ought to have taken active part in calming the Indians and +restraining them if they believed that they were attempting to make +any movement; since the care and watchfulness of the officials cannot +suffice if the religious of the missions fail to aid them with the +natives. I trust that you will be attentive to correct this matter +from now on; for besides the fact that it is so in harmony with your +obligation and with the example that the religious ought to give to +others in respect to their rules, I shall consider myself as well +served by you. Madrid, May 27, 1651. + + + I THE KING" + + +238. It cannot be denied that the terms of that royal letter could +serve the most austere man for no small exercise [in mortification]; +and more on that occasion when that holy province was laboring in +the service of his Catholic Majesty, so much to the satisfaction +of his ministers that many praises of our discalced religious were +published.... We confess that the king alleges that he received +that notice through letters from the royal Audiencia, a tribunal of +so great circumspection that it would not undertake to inform its +monarch without sure knowledge. But we declare that the secretary of +the king our sovereign might have been mistaken in the midst of so +great a rush of business, in representing as a report of that most +upright assembly that which proceeds from private subjects only. In +order that the good opinion in which our Augustinian Recollects were +held by the cabildo, city, and royal Audiencia may be thoroughly +evident, I shall insert here their letters of April 29 and 30, 1648, +those dates being somewhat later than the notice which was received +in Manila of this entire affair. + +239. The letter of the royal Audiencia runs as follows--"Sire: Your +Majesty was pleased, at the instance of the discalced religious +of St. Augustine, to order this royal Audiencia to report on the +justification for the continuation which they ask of the alms of +250 pesos and 250 fanegas of rice for the support of four religious +who administer to the Indians in this convent of Manila. We know the +excellent manner in which they attend to their ministry, and their +poverty--which obliges them to beg weekly alms, for the incomes of +some of the chaplaincies were lost in the earthquake. They are very +strictly observed in their ministries and hasten to serve his Majesty +on occasions when we encounter enemies, by sea and land, where some +have been killed or captured. Consequently they are today very short +of laborers. These are causes which demand that your Majesty, with +your accustomed liberality, should be pleased to continue the said +alms and allow the Recollects to bring religious hither. May God +preserve, etc. April 30, 1648." + +240. I find the letter of the most illustrious cabildo to be couched +in these terms--"Sire: As this see is vacant, it is incumbent +upon us in obedience to your royal decree to assure your Majesty +that the Augustinian Recollect religious attend to their ministry +punctually. The poverty that they suffer is great, for they are obliged +to beg alms from door to door as they lost the incomes of some of their +chaplaincies in the earthquake and their convent was ruined. They +are very observant in their rules, and in their administrations to +the natives in the missions in their charge. As those missions are +among the most unconquerable and fierce people in these districts, +many of the religious have been killed and captured. Consequently, +they suffer from a great lack of laborers; but they have not for +that failed in the service of your Majesty on the occasions that have +arisen by sea and land--all, motives that should impel your Majesty +with your royal liberality to be pleased to continue the said alms, +and to concede them a goodly number of religious for these islands. May +God preserve, etc. Manila, April 29, 1648." + +241. That of the city of Manila speaks of the Recollects in the +following manner--"Sire: This city of Manila has informed your Majesty +on various occasions of the great importance in these islands of the +order of discalced Recollects of St. Augustine; of the apostolic +men in that order; of the great results that they obtain by the +preaching of the holy gospel; of the singular example that they have +always furnished, and do now, with their strict and religious life +and their so exact mode of observing their rules; and of the so +considerable effects that have through their agency been attained +in the service of our Lord and that of your Majesty, with the aid +of your royal arms, in the great number of infidels whom they have +converted to our holy Catholic faith, and how they have been brought +to render to your Majesty the due vassalage and tribute, which they +have generally paid, and are paying, annually. [We have also told +your Majesty] that they have engaged in all this with the spiritual +affection that belongs to their profession, with singular care--both +in the conservation of what they have attained and in their continual +desire, notwithstanding the many discomforts that they suffer, to carry +on their work, steadily converting new souls to the service of our +Lord and to the obedience of your Majesty. [We have also reported] +the great peace and quiet which they preserve among themselves so +that they have always been and are, one of the most acceptable and +well-received orders in these islands--although they are the poorest, +as all their missions are in districts very distant from this city, +and among the most warlike people that are in all the provinces of +these islands, as they are recently conquered; and the danger in +which, for that reason, the lives of those fathers are. Indeed, some +have already risked life, at times, when those people who appeared +to be peaceful have rebelled; and others have gloriously [met death] +at the hands of those who were not pacified, when the holy gospel was +preached to them--besides many others who have suffered martyrdom +in the kingdom of Japon, enriching with noble acts the church of +God and the crown of your Majesty. [We have reported] that no fleet +has gone out in which those fathers do not sail for the consolation +of the infantry, and that, in the emergencies that have arisen, +they have fought like valiant soldiers; and that they accommodate +themselves to everything with the angelic spirit that is theirs, +when it is to the service of our Lord and that of your Majesty. At +the present we inform you of the extreme poverty that the convent of +San Nicolás of this city is suffering; for with the earthquake which +happened on November 30 of the former year 1645, their entire church +fell, so that today they are living in great discomfort in cells of +straw which have been built in the garden. The sick are the ones who +suffer the greatest inconveniences; and they generally have sick +people, since the religious of the missions in their charge come, +when ill, to this convent to be treated. Consequently, this city is +constrained to petition your Majesty, with all due humility, to be +pleased to order that 250 pesos and 250 fanegas of rice be annually +contributed to them on the account of the royal treasury of your +Majesty--which amount was given them as a stipend for four ordained +religious (although there are always more)--as well as 150 pesos for +medicines. [We ask for] the continuation of the extension conceded +by the decree of May 3, 1643, without any time-limit being set; for +the great affection with which our Lord and your Majesty are thereby +served merits it. This city petitions your Majesty to be pleased to +grant the said order license to send as many religious as you may +please from those kingdoms to these islands, in consideration of the +remarkable necessity for religious in their so distant missions--where, +because of the poor nourishment from the food which they use for the +sustenance of human life (treating themselves like actual beggars), +with the great abstinence which they observe, and where no discomforts +of sun or rain keep them back (for they go through dense forests and +over inaccessible mountains in order to reduce to our holy Catholic +faith the thousands of souls in those districts who have no knowledge +of it), many have perished in that work; for in this year alone such +number more than twelve. To some of them no companions have come for +this vineyard of the Lord, and the increase of the royal estate and +crown of your Majesty--whose Catholic person may the divine Majesty +preserve, as is needed in Christendom. Manila, April 30, 1648." + +242. These letters--which are authentic, and preserved in our general +archives--are those written in the year 1648 by the city, the cabildo, +and the royal Audiencia. The order to demolish Tándag was given in the +year 47, and it was apparent to them that the fear of the [Indians'] +insurrection and flight with the other motives for suspending the +execution proceeded only from that junta of the captains, and that +there was no resistance on the part of the minister. Further, it was +clearly proved in the year 55 that that information was not written +by the royal Audiencia (nor could it be, since that is a fount whence +the truth flows with so great purity); but that the secretary Was +mistaken in thus ascribing to so upright a tribunal what was only +signed by an inferior, who desired to dazzle by giving the first news +which generally arrives very much garbled. + +[Section iv is a vindication of the Recollects in regard to +the demolition of the convent and church of Tándag. Juan Garcia, +alcalde-mayor and captain of the fort of that place at the time of +the demolition, declares (July 29, 1654) that "he proceeded with the +razing of the building without the religious losing their composure, +or threatening that their natives would revolt; and that neither +before nor after was there any insurrection or disquiet in Tándag or +throughout its districts; neither did the natives desert and flee to +the mountains; neither did he see or know of any such thing while +he was alcalde-mayor, or during the many months after that while +he resided in the said village." The following section treats of +the life of father Fray Pedro de San Joseph (whose family name was +Roxas) prior of Tándag in the time of the above troubles. He was +born in Manila (where he took the Recollect habit) April 21, 1621. He +achieved distinction in the study of moral and mystic theology. At the +completion of his studies he was sent to various villages to preach, +proving himself a successful preacher. In 1635 he was sent to the +island of Romblon, where he worked with good results in spite of the +hostile attempts of the Moros in that district. At the completion +of his term of service at Romblon he was sent to Tándag, where he +had to contend against the Spaniards themselves, on account of their +excesses toward the natives. After the demolition of his convent and +church he returned to Manila, arriving there on May 26, 1650. That +same year he was sent to Taytáy in Calamianes, although he desired +to remain in retreat in Manila. His death occurred in the following +year at Manila, to which place he went as his last illness came on.] + + + + +§ VI + +The insurrection in the village of Lináo + +257. It has been stated above that when the Dutch enemy came in the +year 48 to bombard Cavite, they had treated with certain Indian +chiefs, saying that they would return with a larger fleet in the +year 49. They gave the Indians to understand that they only would +treat them as their friends and not in the domineering manner of +the Spaniards, who (as the Dutch said) treat them as slaves; and +therefore they hoped to find the Indians prepared, so that, having +become well-inclined toward the Dutch power, they might be able to +free themselves from so heavy a bondage. That proposition continued +to spread from one to another; it was agreeable to them all because +of the liberty that it seemed to promise, although it was offensive +to many because it incited the natives to seditious movements. At +that time Don Diego Faxardo, governor of Manila, despatched a decree +ordering a certain number of carpenters with their wives and children +to go to that city from each one of the islands. The effects produced +by that mandate were especially fatal for the village of Palápac in +the island of Hibábao. For they refused to obey the governor, killed +their minister, a zealous father of the Society, took their possessions +to the mountains, and commenced to gather to their following a great +number of rebels. + +258. That decree caused a great disturbance in the island of Mindanáo, +for of its five divisions scarcely one is reduced to obedience; +therefore those who live unsubdued in the mountains only wait for such +opportunities in order to foment disturbances and restlessness. Many +of the natives hid their property in the province of Carágha, and +proved so unquiet that although the Butuans were the most trustworthy +Indians, the father prior, Fray Miguel de Santo Thomás, had to work +hard to restrain them. Those of Lináo descended to the last vileness, +and it is presumed that the same would have happened in the district +of Tándag if the alcalde-mayor, Bernabé de la Plaza, had not concealed +the decree. That was afterward approved by the auditors in Manila, +as they had experienced that that decree had been a seed-bed for +many troubles. All that disquiet continued to operate with the +manifest disturbance of the public peace, even at the news alone of +the above-mentioned decree. Even the hint of it succeeded in Lináo +where the insurrection took place in the following manner. + +259. There are certain wild Indians in the mountains of Butuán, +located in the province of Carágha, called Manóbos. [28] They have +kinky hair, oblique eyes, a treacherous disposition, brutish customs, +and live by the hunt. They have no king to govern them nor houses to +shelter them; their clothing covers only the shame of their bodies; +and they sleep where night overtakes them. Finally, they are infidels, +and belie in everything, by the way in which they live, that small +portion that nature gives them as rational beings. Among so great a +rabble, but one village is known where some people are seen far from +human intercourse. They are a race much inclined to war, which they are +almost always waging against the Indians of the seacoast. There lived +Dabáo, [29] who had become as it were a petty king, without other right +than that of his great strength, or other jurisdiction than that of his +great cunning. His wickedness was much bruited about, and he made use +of subtle deceits by which he committed almost innumerable murders. He +was often pursued by Spanish soldiers, but he knew quite well how to +elude them by his cunning. For on one occasion, in order to avoid the +danger, he went to the house of an evangelical minister saying that he +wished baptism, and that the minister should defend him, as it would +be the motive for many conversions; but he only made use of that trick +to save his life. Father Fray Agustin de Santa Maria--a very affable +religious, and one who labored hard to attract the infidels--was prior +of the convent of Santa Clara de Monte Falco of Lináo, a place forty +leguas up-stream from Butuán. He visited Dabáo, and won him over so +well by presents and gifts to intercourse with the Spaniards, that +he spent nearly all the day in the convent and entrusted father Fray +Agustin with the education of one of his sons--being quite eager in +that in order to work out the treachery that he had planned. + +260. Dabáo went by night to the houses of the chief Christians. He +laid before them the harsh decree of the governor, the offers that +the Dutch had made, and especially the attaining of freedom to keep up +their old religion. Since they were not well rooted in our holy faith, +those discussions were very agreeable to them. That faithless Indian +was so contagious a cancer that he infected the greater part of the +village with his poison. Therefore, almost all of them assenting to +his plan, the day was set on which he resolved to kill the Spaniards +and the minister. He warned the people to be ready with their arms +to aid him. He had previously held a meeting with his Manóbos, in +which they decided that if the provincial sent a visitor and did +not come personally to make the visitation, it would be a clear sign +that the Dutch were infesting those coasts. When they learned with +certainty that the father-provincial, Fray Bernardo de San Laurencio, +had not gone out for the visitation, but that he was sending the +father ex-provincial, Fray Juan de San Antonio, as visitor, they +were confirmed [in the belief] that the hostile fleet was coming, +and began immediately to stir up the country. + +261. The father visitor had already reached the convent of Butuán, +and Dabáo sent his Manóbo Indians to the river Humáyan with obsequious +appearances of readiness to receive him, but with the peremptory +order to kill him. God so arranged that the father visitor, Fray +Juan de San Antonio, should pass to the convent of Cagayáng without +stopping to visit that of Lináo. He left a letter for the father +prior of Lináo which he sent by Juan de Guevara, one of the soldiers +who was later killed in the fray. That soldier met the Manóbos who +were waiting at the river; they asked him for the father visitor, +and he told them simply that he had left Butuán. They, without asking +whether the father were to pass that way, returned to their village +to inform their leader of the matter. Thus did God save the life of +His minister for the second time, thereby allowing one to see even +in so slight occurrences the height of His Providence. + +262. At that time some hostile Indians began to harass the peaceful +Indians, from whom they took a quantity of their rice and maize. Dabáo +offered to make a raid in order to check so insolent boldness with that +punishment, and he assured them that he would immediately return with +the heads of some men, from which result their accomplices would take +warning. He selected, then, eight robust and muscular Indians, whose +hands he bound behind their backs, but by an artifice so cunning that +they could untie themselves whenever occasion demanded. Thus did he +bring as captives those who were really Trojan horses; for, concealing +their arms, they showed only many obsequious acts of submission. The +captain ordered them to be taken to the fort where the father prior, +Fray Agustin de Santa Maria, was already waiting; and when the order +was given that the feigned captives should be set in the stocks, at +that juncture Dabáo drew a weapon which he had concealed, and broke +the captain's head. The Indians untied their bonds, the rebels came +with lances from the village, and a hotly-contested battle took place +in which almost all our men lost their lives. Only the religious and +four Spanish soldiers and a corporal were left alive. It did not occur +to them, in the midst of so great confusion, to take other counsel +than to drop down from the wall. We shall leave the father prior, +Fray Agustin, for the present, and speak only of the soldiers who +opened up a road with their invincible valor by means of their arms, +in order to take refuge in the convent. But finding it already occupied +by the insurgents, who had gone ahead to despoil it, they fought there +like Spaniards, hurling themselves sword in hand on the mass of the +rebels. However, they were unable to save the post, for the convent +and the church were blazing in all parts. Thereupon it was necessary +for them to hurl themselves upon a new danger in order to return to +the redoubt, where they arrived safely at the cost of many wounds, +although they found the fort dismantled. Thence they sent the Indians +in flight to the mountains by firing their arquebuses at them. + +263. Only the family of one pious woman remained in the village, who +(although sparingly) gave them food every day. But that charity could +not last long, for necessity forced that family to take refuge with +the insurgents, thus leaving the Spaniards destitute of all human +consolation. They, seeing themselves wounded and without food, made +a small boat of bamboo, dangerous at any time, and embarked in it in +order to go to Butuán by way of the river, after they had dismantled +the fort and spiked the artillery. In order that the so evident risk +of that voyage might be more increased, their opponents pursued them +with swift caracoas, from which firing many arrows they multiplied +the wounds of the soldiers. The Spaniards, seeing that they could +not defend themselves, entered the village of Hóot where the people +had not yet risen. There they met an Indian called Pálan, who was +going to Lináo for his daughter, so that she might not be lost amid +the confusion of that so barbarous race. He took compassion on those +afflicted soldiers, and, availing himself of fifteen Indians who were +with him, accommodated them in his bark and took them to our convent of +Butuán. They arrived there twenty days after the insurrection at Lináo, +so used up and crippled that they were already in the last extremity. + + + + +§ VII + +Relation of the punishment of the rebels and their restoration to +their villages + +264. As soon as father Fray Miguel de Santo Thomás, prior of +our convent of Butuán, learned what was passing in Lináo, he +sent a messenger to Tándag and to the royal Audiencia of Manila; +for promptness is generally the most efficacious means in such +cases. Afterward the afflicted Spaniards arrived at his convent, +and he received them with great love, accommodated them in cells, +set up beds for them, and gave them medicines--assisting them with +the compassion of a father, to their consolation, and with extreme +charity aiding in their entertainment. One of those soldiers, who was +named Juan Gonzalez, had broken a leg, his body was full of wounds and +a poisoned arrow had pierced his loins. When he was treated, he was so +lifeless that all thought that he had expired. The father prior was not +a little afflicted at that, for the man had not yet been confessed, +as the father had been assisting the others. In that extremity the +father applied to him a picture of St. Nicholas of Tolentino, and +at its contact the dying man returned to his senses, confessed very +slowly, and received the other sacraments with fervor; and had even +twenty-four hours left in which to bewail the carelessness of his life, +as he did. All held that event as a miracle worked by St. Nicholas, +for whom the sick man and the religious had great devotion. + +265. That fatal news having reached the city of Manila, a general +revolt was feared as in the former year of 1631, when our churches +were burned, our convents pillaged, our sacred images profaned, +and our ministers seized and killed. In consideration of that, +Governor Don Diego Faxardo sent Captain Gregorio Dicastillo to +Tándag with a small band of Spanish infantry to join Bernabé de la +Plaza, alcalde-mayor and captain of that fort, so that they might +try all means to reduce the insurgents. They went to Butuán where +they established their military headquarters. A general pardon was +published with the warning that those who did not submit would bring +upon themselves the full rigor of the war. But many of the Indians who +presented themselves were hanged, and there were very few of those who +descended the mountains to surrender who were not made slaves. The +very persons who were under greatest obligation to fulfil the word +that they had given in the name of their king broke that word. + +266. Our whole convent of Lináo was consumed by fire, except +two chalices and some vestments from the sacristy, which three +Indians were able to carry out. They presented themselves with it, +thinking that they would thereby secure their freedom; but they were +immediately thrown under the heavy yoke of slavery. With such acts +of injustice, although the rebels were subdued by that expedition, +their hearts were more obstinate than ever. The city of Manila and +its environs were full of slaves. The Butuán chiefs who were the +mirror of fidelity, suffered processes, exiles, and imprisonments; +and although they were able to win back honor, it was after all their +property had been lost. Some heedless individuals blame the superior +officials with what their inferiors have done, and the excesses and +abuses of others are considered to be done by the influence of the +superiors. But the uprightness and honesty of the royal Audiencia +of Manila can be seen in what they did. For after two years of +imprisonment of one of the Indians whom that expedition prosecuted, +his property was confiscated. Another was tortured and condemned to +death by decapitation. Another was reduced to extreme poverty. All +were persuaded that the heavy hand was entering there. Finally the +governor committed the examination of the causes to Licentiate Manuel +Suarez de Olivéra, auditor-general of war and assessor of the governor +of Manila. He declared in favor of the Indian slaves, and freed them +all. The wretched Indians were overjoyed at the decree, but they were +troubled because they had no one to solicit their freedom for them +by attending to the necessary expenses of the court; consequently, +they regarded the day of their redemption as a thing impossible to +attain. They did not dare to ask the aid of the Recollect fathers, +as they thought that the latter were angry at them, as they had +murdered a religious in that insurrection. But since the Recollect +fathers regarded that as [the vicissitude of] fortune, they took the +part of the Indians and did considerable in their defense. + +267. Father Fray Agustin de San Pedro was secretary of that province, +who was known by the name of Padre Capitan because of his military +feats which will be explained in part in recording his life. He had +illumined those Indians with the light of the gospel, for which they +held him in great affection. Therefore, he made a list of the slaves +who were in Manila, and its environs, giving the name and surname of +each, and the village where he lived. In the list he included many +others who were not contained in the processes. He presented that +list to the governor and asked him to order the slaves to be set at +liberty. Such a writ was despatched very promptly, and the father +went with the notary through all the houses in order to place the +order in execution. That was a work that caused him great fatigue, +and produced violent contentions. For since those who had paid their +money for slaves were deprived of them, scarcely did he arrive at a +house where some insult was not heard. The expenses were increased, +but he obtained his purpose; for he secured all the slaves, and the +[Recollect] order took care of them, providing them with all the +necessities of life until they were taken to their own native places. A +religious accompanied them, as it was considered necessary to have +a person to defend them in case that any one attempted to injure them. + +268. That race is not so rude that it cannot be conquered by kind +acts. Therefore, those Indians talked over among themselves what +the Recollect fathers had done for them without remembering that +the Indians had killed a religious. As they did not remain in their +villages, the notice of our method of procedure spread to the most +hidden recesses of the mountains. In the year 1650 father Fray Joseph +de la Anunciacion was elected provincial; and at the beginning of +the following year, while making his first visit to the province +of Carágha, he arrived at Butuán where he learned that the Indians +were having some trouble with the soldiers. But they were very mild +in telling them of the Recollect fathers. He became encouraged at +that, and having placed his confidence in God, directed himself +to the village of Lináo. He entered the mountains, talked with the +Indian chiefs, and exhorted them to become peaceful and return to +the vassalage of his Majesty. He obtained that in a very few days, +and left that region in the utmost peace. + +269. At this point we must reflect upon what was insinuated above. I +said that the king our sovereign wrote to the father provincial of +Philipinas ordering him to see to it that his religious did not rouse +up the Indians, since they ought, on the contrary, to take part in +calming their minds. His royal letter is dated May 27, 1651, and +in regard to it I mentioned that at the same time when his Majesty +ordered it, he was obeyed in the village of Lináo, and with that +statement is already given the proof. I add to this that on the tenth +of July of the above-mentioned year, while the father provincial, +Fray Joseph de la Anunciacion, was in Manila, he wrote to our father +vicar-general informing him of the visit to Carágha. Among other +things (which do not concern the matter) he wrote the following, +which is very suitable for our purpose: "I made the first visit to +the province amid remarkable sufferings and contrary winds, and thus +spent about one year there. But I considered that labor as well spent +because of the fruit that was obtained from it; for God was pleased +by my assistance to reclaim more than six hundred tributes in Lináo, +who had revolted and were disturbed, without greater cost than one +decapitation and some punishments of little importance. All was +left as quiet as it had been before, and it has been increased by +some tributes. The only thing that especially troubled me was, that +I could leave no more than one religious in each mission, while some +missions were such that two were not sufficient. These are so separated +from one another that the distance is at least twenty leguas. That +distance must be made over troublesome seas, for the winds are not +always favorable, so that one can only occasionally favor or console +the other. It is a mercy of God that zeal for the conversion of souls +has penetrated all, so that they put away their own welfare, relief, +and consolation for those of others." + +270. That section proves, first, the care of the superiors in aiding +to pacify the Indians; secondly, that, to maintain them in peace, +one cannot accomplish so much by the severity of punishment as +by the mildness and gentleness of love; thirdly, the vast amount +of hardship that those poor ministers suffer. I must only add now +that some who had but little fear of God, seeing that the Indians +in Tándag had become quiet through the efforts of father Fray Pedro +de San Joseph Roxas, ascribed the sedition of Lináo to father Fray +Agustin de Santa Maria. No investigation was made in order to give +the lie to the enormity of that falsehood, for he was purified from +that accusation by the blood from his veins, and because Heaven itself +gave some more than ordinary testimonies of his innocence. I am going +to mention them by compiling a treatise on his life. + +[Section viii treats of the life of father Fray Augustin de Santa +Maria. He was born in Macan of Portuguese parents, and entered +the Recollect order. After being ordained as a priest, he was sent +to Carágha to learn the language of the natives, where he labored +diligently. Some years later he was sent to Lináo, where he was killed +by the insurgents, May 16, 1651. His body, after being treated with +indignities by the natives, was finally buried by a pious native +woman. The section and chapter close with the recitation of several +miraculous occurrences.] + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Life of the venerable father Fray Francisco de la Resurreccion; +and other events that happened in the year 1651. + +[Section vi is the only part of this chapter referring to the +Philippines.] + + + + +§ VI + +The eleventh mission goes from España to the Philipinas Islands + +328.... Our holy province of Philipinas was burning with the most +ardent desire to enlighten the wretched Indians with the rays of +the faith; but it found itself opposed by contrary winds; these +blowing forcibly against the four corners of the house (as happened +there with Job), God proved it in patience. The church and a great +portion of the convent of the city of Manila had been ruined by +earthquakes, and the religious had no other habitation left than +some wretched cells, or rather huts, that they had set up in the +garden. Governor Don Diego Faxardo had ordered the convent of Tándag +to be demolished. The insurrection of that village (which thus far +has not succeeded) was said to have been caused by our religious. The +village of Lináo had been withdrawn from its subjection to España, +and the venerable father Fray Agustin de Santa Maria had been killed +by lance-thrusts. The triennium of our father Fray Juan de San Antonio +was passing; and during that time some missionaries had been seized +and made captives--among them fathers Fray Martin de San Nicolás, +Fray Miguel de la Concepcion (a native of Guadix, or as others assert, +of Granada), and brother Fray Joseph de la Madre de Dios, a native +of México. The Jolo Moros practiced the greatest cruelties on those +men; they also pillaged and burned the convents of Cúyo, Romblón, +and Marivélez. The Chinese occasioned a great fire in the convent +of San Sebastian de Calumpán, and the Dutch another in the convent +of Cigayán. All those unfortunate events kept that holy province +harassed to the utmost; but their fervor did not cool one whit. On +the contrary, the fire of their zeal always mounted high and blazed +more brightly the more they were oppressed by misfortunes, as it was +a flame that never knew other paths. + +329. In the year 1646 was celebrated the intermediary chapter of that +holy province, during the provincialate of our father Fray Juan de San +Antonio. In it the venerable father Fray Jacinto de San Fulgencio was +chosen to come to España and attend, as one of the voting fathers, +the seventh general chapter which was to be celebrated in the city +of Valladolid in the year 48; and especially, so that he might enlist +evangelical soldiers who should go to work in the spiritual conquest +of the Indians--for, since so many religious had been captured, there +was a lack of them. The said father Fray Jacinto could not embark that +same year, because of the great disturbances caused on the sea by the +Dutch, as already remarked. Consequently, he did not reach the city +and court of Madrid until March, 1649, after the chapter had already +been held. In that chapter, our venerable father Fray Pedro Manuel +de San Agustin was elected vicar-general of all the congregation. + +330. The said our father vicar-general was outside the court visiting +the provinces, when the father commissary arrived. Accordingly, the +latter wrote to him, petitioning him to advise the convents of his +coming so that the religious might in that way learn of the opportunity +presented to them to go to employ their talents in the new world. Our +father vicar-general attended to that with the so holy zeal that he +was known to possess. His pastoral letter was filled with the flames +of divine love; for he inspired the souls of the religious in such a +manner that, in a few days, he had the signatures of more than fifty of +them. At that same time his Reverence received a paper from the convent +of San Carlos de Turin (which belongs to our Recollect congregation +in Italia) in which father Fray Celestino de San Christoval, lecturer +in theology, father Fray Bruno de San Guillermo, and father Fray +Archangel de Santa Maria petitioned him very urgently to admit them +in that mission, binding themselves to get the permissions of their +prelates. But, praising their good intention, our father vicar-general +refused to admit them on the ground of the royal decree that forbids +the passing [to the Philippines] of foreigners. + +331. While all the above was happening, the father-commissary, Fray +Jacinto de San Fulgencio, delivered to his Majesty the letters of +the royal Audiencia, the city, and the most illustrious cabildo of +Manila, which were given above for another purpose. He obtained a royal +decree to take back eighteen religious. The king our sovereign gave +him three hundred and sixty-two thousand three hundred and ninety-two +maravedís for the journey, beside what his Majesty had assigned for the +maintenance and transportation of the missionaries in Cadiz, Vera-Cruz, +Mexico, and Acapulco. His Majesty also continued the alms for the four +ministers of the convent of Manila, and the medicines; ordering also +that four thousand pesos be given them in Mexico for the repair of the +said convent, which had suffered almost total ruin in the earthquake +of the year 45. In addition to that, the father-commissary petitioned +that the father-procurator at Roma urgently request permission to +send evangelical ministers to Japon, China, Siám, and other near-by +kingdoms, showing in all his great zeal for the conversion of souls. + +332. The eighteen missionaries whom the king hail conceded to the +father-commissary for that so distant harvest in the Philipinas +Islands gathered to him in a few days. He also took six more religious +at the cost of that holy province, in its name contracting many new +obligations, in order not to fail in the cultivation of the vineyard of +the Lord. Of those who had volunteered, those who appeared to be most +intelligent and zealous were chosen; and the procurator tried to get +them to Sevilla as soon as possible, where they arrived on February +20, 1651. They finally embarked, and celebrated their spiritual +exercises on shipboard just as if they were in the retirement +and quiet of their own convents. They preached many afternoons; +persuaded the sailors to be present at the prayer of the rosary +daily, exhorted them never to let the sun go down on their sins, +since they had the sacrament of penitence so near at hand; and were +very urgent in teaching them all the Christian doctrine. God granted +them the consolation of experiencing considerable fruit by that means; +for morals were considerably reformed, and oaths and blasphemies were +banished, so that the ship was like a religious house. The religious +gave many thanks to God, because at their exhortation He conquered the +obstinacy of a Moro who begged them to wash him with the holy waters +of baptism. The Moro received those waters with great fervor, and died +shortly after, leaving all in the great hope that he attained glory. + +333. For twenty days they suffered violent and contrary winds, but God +delivered them from that peril and from other very serious dangers. He +preserved them also from an epidemic that was raging in the port of +Vera-Cruz--a disease called vomito prieto, [30] from whose malignancy +the greater part of those who had embarked died, although only one of +our religious perished. They reached Mexico all worn out, and remained +in that city until March 10, 1652. Finally they reembarked in the port +of Acapulco, whence they had a fortunate passage to the Philipinas +Islands. They arrived there so opportunely that the fathers were +discussing the abandonment of some of the missions because of their +so great need of ministers. Consequently, they gave many thanks to the +divine Majesty for those religious who arrived at so suitable a season. + +[Chapter iii consists of accounts of the lives of various Recollect +fathers. Those who labored in the Philippines are the following. Miguel +de Santa Maria was a native of Cadiz and a son of Rodrigo Lopez de +Almansa. He professed in the Manila convent June 26, 1618, at the +age of 28. Later he became prior of the Caraga mission, and founded +the convent of Tándag. In 1624 he was elected procuratol-general +of the Philippine province. He attempted in 1629 and 1630 to go +to Japan; but in the first year the vessel was wrecked, and in the +second the governor forbade the journey. He was sent finally to the +mission at Cuyo, but the troubles with the Moros compelled him to +flee. Reaching Manila, he refused the offer of the secretaryship to the +visitor-general, and the remainder of his life was spent in that city, +his death occurring in the year 1644 or 1651. Gaspar de Santa Monica +was a native of the city of Orihuela, in Valencia, his family name +being Padrós. He took the habit in the convent at Valencia, November 1, +1613. He joined the mission organized by Andrés del Espíritu Santo, and +arrived at Manila in 1622. The following year he was appointed prior +of the convent of Marivelez; and in 1624, when the first provincial +chapter of the order was held in the Philippines, he was elected +prior of the convent of Cuyo, where he suffered many hardships. He +became secretary to Andrés del Espíritu Santo upon the election of +the latter to the provincialate in 1626; but, falling ill, he was +unable to perform the duties of that office and was made prior of +the convent of Calumpán, in 1627. In 1629 he was one of the religious +shipwrecked in the endeavor to reach Japan surreptitiously. He became +definitor of the province in 1632, and in 1638 prior of the convent +at Lináo. On the completion of that office in 1642 it does not appear +that he filled other posts. He died in the city of Manila in 1651.] + +[Chapter iv treats in great part of the life of Pedro de la +Madre de Dios. He was born at Salamanca in 1580, and his family +name was Lopez. He took the habit in the convent at Valladolid, +in 1605. Somewhere between the years 1612-1614 he was sent as +vicar-provincial to the Philippines, with the brief for the separation +of the Recollects from the regular Augustinians, conceded by the +pope. After the expiration of that office in 1615 he spent the time +until 1623 in work among the novices and as prior of the convents +of Manila and Cavite. July 1623 to February 1624, he acted again +as vicar-provincial. In the latter year he was chosen procurator +to Spain, and the representative of the Philippines to the general +chapter of the order to be held in 1627. Sailing from Manila in 1625, +the remainder of his life was spent in Spain in various employments and +in retirement. His death occurred between the years 1649-1652. Section +vi of this chapter treats of the Recollect convent of San Juan +de Bagumbaya (for whose early history given in summary here, +see VOL. XXI). In 1642, the governor Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera +ordered all the buildings in the village of Bagumbaya to be torn down +for fear of the Dutch, among them the convent. Despite the endeavor +of the religious to save their convent, it was demolished and a new +fort begun there. The order had refused the 4,000 pesos offered them +by the governor, saying that their possessions were worth more than +50,000. This action of the governor was made part of the charges in +the residencia, and he was condemned to pay the order 25,000 pesos, +and the ground-plots were restored to them. Thereupon the fort was +demolished, and a new convent and church erected. Section vii details +the placing of the holy image of the Christ of Humility and Patience +(Santo Cristo de Humildad y Paciencia) in the Recollect convent at +Manila in the year 1652.] + +[Chapter v contains treatises on the lives of the following Recollect +missionaries in the Philippines. Diego de Santa Ana was a native of +Zaragoza (his secular name being Ribas), and was born in 1599. He +professed in the convent of that city, July 26, 1616. Volunteering for +the Philippine missions in 1620, he arrived at Manila in 1622. That +same year he was sent to the islands of Calamianes, in company with +Francisco de San Nicolás, where he labored amid great difficulties for +the conversion of the rude people inhabiting those islands. In 1626 +he was sent to the village of Caviscaíl in Paragua, where he labored +for a year; then he was appointed prior of the convent of Linacapán, +the most dangerous mission of the Calamianes, which was infested by +the hostile Moros. He was in the district of Butuan in 1629 when the +insurrection of Caraga broke out, where he was in considerable danger +of losing his life. He remained in Caraga for several years after the +insurrection was put down; but asked leave to return to the Calamianes +missions. In 1652 he suffered extreme hardships while hiding in the +mountains from the Joloans, who had made one of their numerous raids +in the village of Dináy in the island of Paragua. Some assert that +he died in the Manila hospital, while others say that he met his +death in the mountains about Dináy. Lorenzo de San Facundo was born +in Calaceyte in Aragón (his family name being Valls) and professed +in the convent of Zaragoza, July 8, 1618, at the age of 36. He went +to the Philippines in 1621. There he became prior of the convent +of Marivelez, and afterward of Binalgában in the province of Panay, +of Masíngloc in the province of Zambales, and lastly of Bacoág where +he suffered various hardships and captivity. He especially obtained +good results by his preaching in the island of Cuyo, and in Siargáo +in the province of Caraga. He was afterward president of the chapter, +definitor of the province, and procurator to Spain with a vote in the +general chapter (although he was unable to arrive in Spain in time +for the chapter). In company with Juan de San Joseph, he was taken by +Corcuera on his Jolo campaign to look after the Caraga natives in his +army. The two religious penetrated the mountains alone in an endeavor +(partially successful) to reduce the Joloans to peace. He died in 1652, +after a long and deep-seated infirmity. Antonio de la Madre de Dios, +son of Fernando Romero Pizarro of Truxillo, professed in the Madrid +convent, September 24, 1615. He went to the Philippines in 1621. He +was sent to the island Hermosa, where he remained until that island +was abandoned by the Spaniards. On returning to the islands he was +employed in various missions, dying in 1652 from fever contracted while +nursing a secular priest. Juan de San Joseph was a native of Granada, +and took the Recollect habit in Manila. Being sent to the missions of +the Calamianes he proved very successful in the snaring of souls. He +was captured in 1632 by the Joloans, and was a captive among them +for more than two years. After his service in the Jolo campaign he +returned to Manila, and finally died in the mission of the island of +Romblon. Diego de San Juan Evangelista, son of Pedro de Olíte, was +a native of Zaragoza and took the habit in the convent of Manteria +in Zaragoza, April 3, 1606. Shortly after, he deserted the order; +but afterward returned to it. He left for the Philippine mission +in the year 1622, where he became an eloquent preacher. He served +as chaplain in two fleets, missionary in the Calamianes, and prior +of Cavite and Manila. Death came to him in the convent of Bagumbaya +in 1652. Antonio de San Agustin was a native of Manila (being born +about 1592), where he professed. In 1634 he obtained permission to go +to the Japanese mission, but the Chinese who had been hired to take +them failed to fulfil their contract. In the great Chinese revolt +of 1639 he acted as minister to the Zambal archers in the Spanish +army. He served in various capacities, among them being the office +of definitor. His death occurred in 1652.] + +[Chapter vii treats of the lives of Onofre de la Madre de Dios and +Augustin de San Pedro, the famous "Padre Capitan." The first was the +son of Joseph Boquét, and was born in Perpiñán in 1584, and professed +in the convent of Zaragoza, March 16, 1606. Joining the Philippine +mission, he reached those islands in 1620, where he was immediately +sent to the new missions in the south of the archipelago, with the +appointment of prior of Cebú. In 1624 he was elected first provincial +of the order in the Philippines, serving in that office for two years, +during which time he visited his province at the risk of capture from +both Dutch and Moros. After the expiration of his term he asked and +obtained permission to go to the Calamianes, and worked faithfully +in the island of Culión, where he mastered the language. In 1627 he +was sent to Spain as procurator, but did not return thence, as he +was elected provincial of the province of Aragón. His death occurred +in the convent of Calatayud in Spain, in 1638 (reported wrongly to +have occurred at Barcelona in 1653, as he was confused with another +religious of the same name). "Padre Capitan," the son of Miguel +Rodriguez, was born in Berganza, Portugal, and professed in Valladolid, +in 1619. Arriving at the Philippines in 1623, he was speedily sent to +the Caraga missions, where he labored for the rest of his life in the +conversion of its natives, and in defending them from the inroads of +the Moros. He was many times prior of Butuán, Cagayáng, Lináo, Tándag, +and Romblón. In Mindanao he personally baptized more than 10,000 +adults. His death occurred in 1653, and he left behind a name long +revered among the natives because of his prowess. The seventh section +of this chapter is an answer to Father Combes of the Jesuit Society +(who had tried to belittle the efforts of the Recollects in Mindanao), +in which the good work that the Recollects have accomplished is shown.] + + + + + + +BOOK SECOND OF THE SEVENTH DECADE + + +CHAPTER II + +The attempt is made in Philipinas to subject the religious who are +parish priests to the visitation of the bishops. + + + + +§ I + +Relation of the practice that has always been followed in the spiritual +administration of the islands; and what happened when the attempt +was made to change it. + + +Year 1656 + +[In 1654 the first mutterings of the storm caused by the visitation of +the regulars by the bishops break in the Philippines. The dates of the +arrival of the various orders are given; and the narrative continues:] + +719.... Those holy orders, each one doing its share, declared pitiless +war against paganism, and achieved signal victories in that war, +destroying the idols of Belial and planting solidly the health-giving +sign of the cross; so that whatever is conquered in the islands is +due to their fervent zeal. For they planted the faith, and watered +that land with blood so that it might produce fruit abundantly; and +God was the cause of so wonderful an increase. The system that they +have always followed in the spiritual administration of the missions +and villages which they have formed at the cost of their sweat is +the same as that observed in América in the beginning by various +apostolic privileges. In the provincial chapters held by each order, +they appoint as superiors of the houses established in the villages +of Indians who are already converted, those religious who are fit to +exercise the office of cura by their learning, their morals, and other +qualities. The same is also done in regard to the residences of the +active missions, where those thus appointed continue the preaching to +and conversion of the heathen, with very perceptible progress. Both +the former and the latter exercise the ministries to which they +are destined, without need of other approbation than that of the +definitors--who entrust to these heads of houses the administration +of the sacraments and the spiritual cultivation of those souls, in +the respective territory where the convent is located, a superior +being elected for each convent. This is done independently of the +bishops. Likewise the definitors of each order in their meetings +appoint various of the most learned and experienced men, to whom is +entrusted and delegated the faculty of giving dispensation in regard +to the obstacles of marriage, and the exercise of other favors and +privileges contained in the pontifical briefs. Those powers are never +exercised if the diocesans are intra duas dietas, [31] without their +permission and approbation; and always this is done [only] in cases +of evident necessity. + +720. The provincials visit their provinces annually; and the said +religious not only in what concerns their profession and regular +observance, but also in what relates to their activities as curas. The +diocesan prelates appoint their outside vicars for those territories +which are in charge of the orders. They almost always avail themselves +of those same religious for that, because of the great lack of secular +priests. The religious submit to the visitation of the diocesan in +matters touching the erection of chaplaincies, charitable works, the +inspection of wills, and confraternities that are not exempt. They +resist only what includes the violation of their privileges granted +by the supreme pontiffs to the said holy orders for the purpose of +the propagation of the faith in regions so distant. Such privileges, +although not used in other parts of the Indias, ought to be maintained +in Philipinas, for reasons that will be stated below. This is what +has been observed from the discovery of the said islands until the +present time; and the contrary has not been ordered by the king as +patron, by the royal Council of the Indias, or by the apostolic see, +although they have had full knowledge of the cause. This method has +been practiced, both before and since the Council of Trent; and there +has been no change in it--not even since the year 1652, when special +provision regarding it was made for Nueva España and Perú; and it +was ordered that the missionary religious of those provinces should +receive collation and canonical institution from the ordinaries of +those countries, in order to continue their exercise as curas; and +that consequently they must submit to the visitation and correction +of the bishops in officio officiando et quoad curam animarum. [32] But +however thoroughly that was placed in execution in those kingdoms, it +could not be carried out in the Philipinas Islands; for there even the +reasons which influenced the exemption of the regulars are in force. + +721. It is true that the bishops have always made the strongest efforts +to subject the parish priests who are religious to their jurisdiction; +but they have never been able to succeed in it, for the religious are +unwilling to accept the charge with that burden. The first bishop +of Manila and of all the islands, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, +tried to establish that subjection. The Observantine Augustinian +fathers and the Franciscans made use of the means which prudence +dictated, in order to quiet their scrupulous consciences. Seeing +that nothing [else] was sufficient, they resigned their missions +before the governor, as vice-patron, protesting that they would care +for the conversion of the heathen, but that they could not keep +the parochial administration of those who were converted, without +the enjoyment of all their privileges. Therefore, his Excellency +was forced to desist from his attempt, as he had no seculars to +whom to entrust that administration. In 1654, the attempt was made +to establish in Philipinas the practice recently adopted in the +kingdoms of Perú and Nueva España by petition of the fiscal of the +royal Audiencia. That body ordered that plan to be carried out, by +a decree of October 22; and since the chapters of the two provinces +of the order, the calced and discalced, were to be held in April of +55, that decree was communicated to them, with the warning that if +they were not obedient they would be deprived of their missions, and +the missionaries of the emoluments which had been assigned them for +their suitable support. All the orders opposed that change, following +logical methods in their defense, and averse to seeing the necessity +of abandoning their missions. But at last, as there was no other way, +the venerable fathers-provincial were reduced to handing over to the +governor and bishops all the ministries in their charge, so that, +as the former was the vice-patron and the latter were the ordinaries, +they might appoint whomever they wished to the curacies. + +722. That resignation was handed to the fiscal, and in view of +it, in order that the most suitable provision might be made, with +full knowledge, he asked that writs be made out--first, to show how +many secular clergy were in the four bishoprics; second, so that the +officials of the royal treasury might attest the amount of the stipends +paid to the religious employed in the missions, and third, so that +the provincials might send the names of their subordinates employed in +the missions. That was ordered by a decree of May 10 in the said year +1655. It resulted that, in all, 254 religious were occupied in 252 +missions; that the royal treasury only paid stipends corresponding to +141 missionaries; and that there were only 59 suitable secular priests +in all the islands. The fiscal, seeing that according to the report +the procedure that had been taken could not be maintained, in order +to obviate the inconveniences that would ensue to the natives and +inhabitants of those dominions if the religious were withdrawn from +the villages, petitioned on January 4, 1656, that without innovation +the orders be maintained in the missions, until it should be proved +that there was a sufficient supply of secular priests to take care of +them; and that they be assisted with the usual emoluments. He asked +and charged the reverend fathers-provincial to look after the spiritual +administration with their accustomed zeal. The royal Audiencia having +so ordered in toto by an act of February 17, the holy orders returned +very willingly to apply their shoulders to the work. Those acts +were sent to the royal Council of the Indias. The cause having been +discussed there, in view of the reports of the governor (which were +throughout favorable to the orders), and of the manifestos presented +by the orders in justification of their rights, the documents were +approved on October 23, 1666, and the result was to make no innovation +in what had been decided, and it does not appear that any other decree +was enacted against the observance and practice that the religious +have always maintained in those islands. Therefore the archbishop, +having claimed that the appointments for the missions devolved on him +by the form of canonical collation in cases where his Majesty did +not make use of the privilege which belonged to him as patron; and +endeavoring by that means to deprive the orders of the right which +they possess of making those appointments without the intervention +of his Excellency: the royal Council by a decree of September 26, +1687, ordered that the matter be continued in the form in which it +had been administered until then, and that no change be permitted. + +723. Shortly after the archbishop of Manila, Don Diego Camacho, making +use of the most powerful means, attempted to subject the religious to +his approbation, visitation, and correction in officio officiando. For +that purpose he had recourse to his Holiness, to whom in the year 1697, +he represented that there were many religious in the islands employed +in more than seven hundred parishes, who had refused and were refusing +to receive the visitation and correction of the diocesans; and he asked +that they be compelled to receive such visitation. Upon seeing that, +his Holiness Clement XI decided (January 30, 1705) that the right +of visiting the parochial regulars belonged to the said archbishop +and other bishops; but he made no mention of the other points which +had been referred to him, and which were also under dispute. This +appears from the brief despatched in this regard. This brief having +been presented in the Council of the Indias, it appears that it was +confirmed on April 22 of the same year. The said archbishop ordered +it to be executed (October 26, 1707) with the most strenuous efforts; +but he encountered in this such dissensions and disturbances that it +is considered advisable to omit the relation thereof. It was necessary +to resign the ministries once more, the superiors [of the orders] +protesting that they would never agree to such a subjection, and +that the archbishop could make appointments to the curacies as he +wished. By that means his Excellency was so balked that, the cause +having been fully proved, the evidence received, and the proofs +adduced by both parties, the petition introduced by the orders was +allowed on March 30, 1708; and it was ordered that the necessary +official statements be given them. The authority of the governor +was interposed extra-judicially, and he ordered that the religious +should occupy the abandoned curacies, and that there should be no +change. The archbishop himself, who had put forward that claim, +was obliged to confess that he could not put it into practice. + +724. It was sufficiently clear by that alone that the holy orders have +more than enough reason for the independence from the bishops that they +enjoy in their parochial ministry. For if they did not have in their +primitive being the causes and motives for the apostolic privileges +which exempted them, even from that of the ordinaries, it would not +have been possible for them to maintain themselves so long with that +prerogative which could not subsist in the kingdoms of América. But, +since there are some persons who, as their understanding is on a +par with their bodily senses, register events on the surface only +without going within for the reasons (from which the report has been +originated and spread through Europa, that the orders of Philipinas +have seized all the authority without other reason than because they +wish it so), I am compelled to vindicate them from so atrocious a +calumny by making known some of the reasons why they have made (as +they still do) so strong a resistance to this subjection. I shall +first discuss all the orders in common, and then our reformed branch +in particular. But I give warning that I do not intend to transform my +history into formal charges. Adequate apologetic writings, founded on +law, have been scattered through those holy families to demonstrate the +exemption that attends them. Quite recently, in the former year 1734, +a formal statement was presented in the royal Council by twenty-three +graduates of the famous University of Salamanca (confirmed by eight +who are not regulars) in which their testimonies agree in affirming +that the religious act according to the dictates of conscience in +administering the curacies without subjecting themselves to the +bishops. Some add that they are bound in conscience to resist this +subjection, as it is an imposition on the regular religious. Therefore, +I shall treat that matter simply as an historian, taking for granted +the right which, according to various apostolic privileges, supports +them in not subjecting themselves to the bishops; and, in case the +latter attempt this, in abandoning the ministries. + + + + +§ II + +Some of the arguments that support the orders in Philipinas in not +submitting to the visitation of the ordinaries in regard to the +ministries. + +725. That various supreme pontiffs, especially St. Pius V, conceded to +the regulars of the Indias the privilege of obtaining their ministries +with complete independence from the bishops, no one is so bold as to +deny. The motive for that concession was the lack of secular priests +in those countries. Consequently, the question (or doubt) as to +whether that indult is or is not to be observed is not one of law, +but one of pure fact. Its solution depends on ascertaining whether +there are in those regions a sufficient number of clergy suitable +to serve their parishes and exercise the care of souls. For, in case +there are, it is not denied that that duty belongs to the seculars; +for it is the peculiar duty of the religious to devote themselves to +God in the retirement of their cloisters. If, on this hypothesis, +the regulars should desire or be permitted to take charge of the +said spiritual administration, they ought to submit to the bishops +in officio officiando for then the cause of that indult would not +exist. The fact of the exemption having ceased for the great part in +the kingdoms of Nueva España and Perú, did not arise from the said +privileges having been revoked (for they are not, especially that +of St. Pius V) but only and necessarily because the impelling cause +for conceding such exemption did not actually exist. For, in those +kingdoms, the number of secular ecclesiastics increased so greatly +that enough of them were found to administer the holy sacraments to +their inhabitants. Since the motive has ceased, the privilege cannot +endure. Now then, I suppose that there are more than two millions +of people in the Philipinas Islands who confess the name of Christ, +through the influence of the fervent zeal of the religious. In the year +1655, as was stated in the preceding paragraph, for two hundred and +fifty-two missions in charge of the orders there were only fifty-nine +secular priests. In 1705, when that subjection was attempted so +earnestly by Archbishop Don Diego Camacho, the parishes were extended +by his deposition to the number of more than seven hundred. For those +parishes, according to the certification of the secretary of that +prelate, only sixty-seven secular priests were found in his diocese; +and of those only ten were suitable for administering the missions, +as the rest were occupied in the duties of necessary residence. At +present, the number of seculars is not much greater nor will it ever +be--partly because those of Europa do not have any inducement to go +to those islands, and partly because, since the Spaniards there are so +few, there cannot be many persons sprung from these kingdoms who rise +to the priesthood; further, because the Indians are generally unfit for +that holy ministry. In view of all the above, who does not see that +the orders avail themselves of their right in resisting the burden +of the visitation which the bishops are trying to impose on them? + +726. Nor does it avail the opposition that Pope Clement XI determined +and declared, at the petition of the said archbishop, on January 30, +1705, "that the right of visiting the regulars in what concerns +the care of souls and the administration of the holy sacraments +belongs to the archbishop of Manila and the other bishops of the +Philipinas Islands." For besides the defects of misrepresentation and +surreptitious measures [obrepcion y subrepcion] which were then made +manifest, contained in that brief, the said pontifical declaration, +whether it be conceived as a law, as an order, or as a sentence, +cannot fail to be appealed from. This is what the orders did, +appealing to his Holiness, alleging before the archbishop who put +the brief into execution the motives which, according to law, they +rightfully had for resisting that visitation. In order to establish +the truth that the religious had many arguments in their favor, it is +not necessary to adduce other proof than what results from the fact +that the said archbishop, who was the person most interested, desisted +from the execution of the brief. Other diocesans of the islands who, +notwithstanding the above-cited brief, have tolerated and tolerate the +exemption of the orders for no other reason than the actual scarcity +of secular priests, have authorized that procedure. Therefore, they +practically admit that the indult of St. Pius remains in force, and +that the mandate of Clement XI is impossible whenever the religious +abandon the curacies. + +727. Besides, the same fact that the said metropolitan did not put +into execution the above-cited brief of Clement XI as its nature +and authority demanded, gave one to understand either that it was +notoriously surreptitious, or especially grievous and productive of +some scandal, or of irreparable injury to the Catholic religion; +for only through such motives can the mandates of the pope be +suspended. If the first be correct, it is an implied or virtual +declaration that the said order is null and void; therefore, +the regulars can legally proceed with the administration of the +missions without subjecting themselves to the ordinaries, making use +of their former privileges. If the second or third--his illustrious +Lordship having offered in that same act in which he provided for the +suspension of the brief, to inform the pope of the predominant reasons +that determined him to supersede the said brief--in the meantime, +until the said information shall reach him, and the effect that is +produced by it on his Holiness's mind shall be made known to the +religious, the fact that they avail themselves of their privileges +in the administration of the parishes cannot be imputed to them as +guilt. The reason for that is, that they cannot believe that that +prelate will neglect to inform his Holiness of the motives why he +did not proceed with the execution [of the brief]. The fact that the +Roman court has not made any new provision in regard to that matter +shows that, just as in virtue of the allegations of the regulars +the said archbishop found it necessary not to carry his pretension +farther, so likewise the supreme pontiff has tacitly approved and has +left the religious with the exemption that they enjoyed before the +above-mentioned brief. Therefore, in regard to either law, they will +safely be able to proceed with the administration of the churches in +their charge without the intervention of the bishops. + +728. Much less can the said brief of Clement XI stand in regard +to the decree that "the regulars cannot resign from the missions +or parishes under penalty of censures, loss of benefices, and +other arbitrary penalties." For this clause alone is sufficient to +persuade one that the representations that were made to obtain that +decision from the pope were not ruled by truth. For had his Holiness +well understood all the circumstances, how could he have issued an +order from which would follow the inference of injuries terrible and +irremediable to the holy orders? If those religious, in so far as +they are curas, were to become subject to the bishops, they would +not hold their curacies as a reward after serving his Majesty so +much, but would regard their position as lower than that of those +who remain free from responsibility in their communities. For the +latter have no other obligation than to obey their superior or his +two subordinates, so that there can never be any contrariety in the +orders or any doubt for the religious of what he is to do; while +the former, after all their anxiety, have to study very carefully +over obeying their legitimate superiors and in keeping the bishops +content (which, as will be said, would both be impossible things), +whence must originate many disturbances and much restlessness. And +if it is intolerable that he who serves his king with faithfulness be +not rewarded, the order would be inverted on this occasion; for after +so much labor they could only succeed in multiplying subjections, and +be less free in their ministries. The orders would receive as their +reward the abolition of the exemption which the holy see conceded to +them as a recompense for the noble fruits which they have gathered +in the universal Church by their virtue and holiness--preserving it +fresh and beautiful by watering it with the blood of so many martyrs, +by which they made it illustrious; and increasing it with new worlds, +provinces, and millions of children whom they have subjected to it, +of which the histories are full. They will be obliged to place in the +curacies those who solicit them the most urgently, importuning by means +from which the more retiring and the more worthy shrink. They will +expose their religious to danger even after they have well fulfilled +the obligations of their ministries, in case that they are not to +the liking of the ordinary--besides many other annoyances which will +inevitably come upon the regulars. And if the orders have no other +means to avoid that and the rest which will be stated below than to +resign their missions, how could the benign pontiff oblige them to +stay therein if he knew those circumstances fully? + +729. It cannot be denied that the office of parish priest even with +the exemption from the ordinary is altogether accessory, and a heavy +responsibility superadded to the religious estate. For in order that +they might administer in the said form, an apostolic dispensation +has been necessary which is founded on grave reasons--and that with +attention to only what the religious estate demands from him who has +entered it, according to what is taught by common law and the doctrine +of the saints. If that method of administering with exemption from +the ordinary is changed, and the regular who has charge of a parish +should as such become subject to the correction and visitation of +the ordinary, and in other respects to the heads of his order, it is +certain that it would be an innovation so great that they would be +quite changed in their respect for public opinion, and in their mode +of life; and the religious would be like a man cleft in two, those +in some houses being subject to one superior and those in others +to another, all of different hierarchies, and with the dangerous +consequences that will be stated. Will the piety of the pope bind +the religious to so great a cross? + +730. Let us suppose (as is feasible) that the bishop were to become +displeased with any order, or with any missionary. In such case +he could maintain or remove the missionary against the will of his +provincial by very specious pretexts. If necessary, he could even +threaten the latter with censures, in order to make him submit to +his authority. How fecund a source of perdition and total ruin that +would be for the orders, any one can conceive; but only those who +have experience in those islands could perfectly comprehend it. Let +the regulars of América tell how they have to tolerate it through +compulsion. If a religious is found lacking, and the offense has +the appearance on one side of belonging to morals and life and on +the other to the office of cura, the poor missionary is left in the +sane position as those goods which the law styles mostrencos [i.e., +goods which have no known owner], and shall belong to the first one +who seizes them; and even he is in much worse condition, because +of the contests that must necessarily ensue. For, if the provincial +commences to form a process and it comes afterward to the notice of the +ordinary, the latter will issue an act--and, if it should be necessary, +a censure--ordering the said provincial to quash the entire process, +to deliver it to him, and to desist from the cause by saying that he +alone has the power to try it. The provincial appeals to the judge +delegated by his Holiness and he, as he has entire jurisdiction of +the case, commands the ordinary with the warning of censure to leave +the cause alone and deliver up the acts. The latter not obeying, +the matter may be carried to such an extreme that two ecclesiastical +prelates excommunicate each other, and threaten each other with +interdict and the cessation of divine service. This is not fancy, +for that has happened in like case in Manila. That is the greatest +danger since, because of the great distance, redress moves with +very dilatory steps. But in the meanwhile the suits concerning the +religious are proceeding from tribunal to tribunal, contrary to the +clearly expressed privileges of his exemption. + +731. But let us suppose that the regular parish priest is unworthy +to persevere in his mission because of secret sins, and that, even +if he remain in it, he may run some risk of his salvation. The +provincial learns of the matter secretly. In such a case, justice +requires two things--one, the punishment of the guilty person; and +the other, that the delinquent shall not lose his reputation by the +declaration of his fault. Charity urges him to remove his subordinate +from danger. If that regular administers without canonical institution +and subjection to the ordinary, everything will be settled very easily, +and justice and charity will be satisfied without any infamy to the +criminal or any dishonor to the order. But if he is subject to the +ordinary, the provincial cannot remove him by his own authority; but +he must have recourse to the ordinary himself, and to the vice-patron, +and then those two agree on the removal. In that case, what can the +provincial say to them? If he should say that he will impart to them +in all secrecy the [nature of the] crime of his subject, that means +is harsh and less safe. The ordinary and the governor, as the father +and the master, may correct and punish the faults of their inferiors +without the least wound to their honor; and must a provincial do so by +dis-accrediting his subordinate with the heads of the community? If +it is decided that the superior do not tell the kind of crime, but +that he asseverate in general terms that there is cause to remove the +religious from that place, the trouble is not avoided. First, they may +think that he speaks thus in order to go ahead with his oldtime custom; +second, because even though the cause of removing him be not a fault, +it can easily be alleged to be one, and the fact that he does not offer +more explanation in that case comes to be the same as manifesting +its gravity by his silence. Finally, honor is very delicate and is +lessened by rumor and suspicion. Since God made the religious exempt +from the secular judges, and the apostolic see exempted them from +the ordinaries, the religious, when they have not professed as curas, +will find themselves without courage to assume that charge with so many +dangers and burdens. And will the apostolic see force them to that? + +732. The fact that common law decides that the regular parish priest, +as such, is subject to the visit of the ordinary furnishes no argument +against my statement. For, leaving aside the fact that the supreme +pontiff may abolish such a law--as in fact was done by Pius V, after +the holy Council of Trent, while Urban VIII confirmed this action +afterward; and various statements of the most eminent cardinals +favor this when there is a lack of secular priests as happens in the +Philipinas--it is answered that common law which orders such subjection +is only in point when they wish to persevere in being parish priests; +but does not order that they be so under compulsion. If a secular +priest to whom the curacy has been given permanently by canonical +institution can resign it, and the law does not therefor disqualify +him, why cannot the regulars make that same resignation in order not +to live with the risks from having so many superiors? The regulars +are not curas for justice, but for charity, and they have taken +charge of the missions for lack of other ministers. They do not +administer them through right of proprietorship, but are removable +at will. Consequently, they can be deprived of those missions even +though they live like saints. Is it possible that when the will of +another is sufficient to remove them from their curacies, their own +volition will not suffice with the knowledge of the dangers which +will follow from such a charge? Further, is the regular incapable +of being a proper parish priest, or is he not? If he is, why, if the +secular cura is perpetual--so that, if he does not become unworthy, +neither the ordinary nor the vice-patron can remove him--will not the +regular also remain a cura, supposing the incumbrance of collation and +canonical institution? Why does that institution give all favorable +things to the secular and deprive the regular of all relief? It +imposes upon the regular the duty of feeding the sheep. It binds him +to the territory, so that the provincial cannot remove him without +the consent of the vice-patron and of the ordinary. He loses in great +measure the privilege of the exemption, and with those duties does +not have the comfort of being secure in his curacy, for he does not +hold it for life. Neither is he master of the emoluments which the +parish yields, unless it be imagined that he be dispensed from his +vow of poverty. Consequently, he only gets the burdens by reason of +the collation, and nothing to his advantage. If it be said that he +is not capable of being a parish priest, why the pledge in this new +form of administration? + +733. Those who are striving for the subjection of the regulars +as parish priests generally oppose the fact that that form of +administration has been introduced into América, and that therefore it +might serve as an example for the Philipinas Islands. But that argument +is not convincing, and contains many remarkable disparities. First, +because there are plenty of secular priests in Peru and Nueva España; +therefore the bishops rightly compelled the religious either to abandon +the administration of the parishes, or to submit to the visitation. For +the motive of the privilege of St. Pius V was lacking, not by any +revocation that he made of it, but because its force had ceased, +its object not being realized. Second, because no one will say that +the orders of América were obliged to remain in the charge of souls, +with the insupportable burden of the visitations. On the contrary, +they agreed to it willingly in order not to abandon the parishes. The +fact that they consented to it there is no proof that they have to do +the same in Philipinas. Third, because the experience of what happened +in Mexico and Perú in regard to the diminution of strict observance +by the regulars, which originated beyond doubt from that subjection, +ought to open the eyes of the superiors of orders in Philipinas to +prevent such harm in their houses. This is not to cast blame on those +who are now enjoying the curacies in this manner in the said kingdoms; +we ought to consider them all as very excellent religious. But it +is an undoubted fact that, with the practice by which the missions +are maintained, in a manner almost perpetual, the provincials not +being able to dispose of their subordinates with complete liberty, +that oldtime strict observance which was planted in those provinces +at their first erection has been greatly obscured. Human nature +is easily inclined to what promotes liberty; and as St. Bernard +teaches, the same ones who love retirement because of their austere +training in the rigors of the order from childhood, when they come +to taste the life that is not so well regulated, desire, procure, +and solicit it. Nothing of that has been seen hitherto in Philipinas, +where, however much they have the parishes in charge, the holy orders +flourish in the most strict observance--for no other reason than that, +if a religious sins, the remedy is quite near at hand since it is +administered solely by the head of the order. + +734. Fourth, because there are things more to be wondered at than to +be followed. Although the religious orders are alike, we see that, +while the Church is also one and the same, one person elects one +condition which the other does not adopt. From the same order some go +to the Indias, and others do not go. Then why cannot the same thing +happen in regard to being parish priests subject to the ordinary? Let +the histories of the Indias be read. All of them consider earnestly +whether the religious are to be curas of souls, and much more whether +they are to be curas of justice. Resolutions of entire provinces will +be found on the question whether they should abandon the missions; +generals and illustrious men of the same orders will be found who +approved it; and the reader will find bitter complaints for having +admitted such a burden, recognizing it as the seminary of interminable +discords. For, if those on the mainland, seeing a furious hurricane +on the sea which is dashing the ships to pieces and endangering the +lives of those who are sailing, fear to embark, how much should +the regulars in Philipinas take warning from the new practice in +América? How can one wonder that they follow the example of those +who abandoned the missions joyfully, rather than of those who now +live sorrowfully because they adopted the new method? The fact is, +that no one can take it ill that each one procures what he thinks +best so long as he uses means that are not unlawful in order to get +it. This is what the religious are doing in the present case, taking +care that no detriment follows to their estate and profession. For, +before the souls of others, one ought to watch over his own. Let +it not be (as says St. Paul) that we, preaching to others, behold +ourselves in the irreparable danger of becoming reprobates. + +735. Fifth, because the provinces of Philipinas are not, nor can +they be, like those of América, but are as distinct as they are +separate. The latter include, besides the ministries, many community +convents where there are plenty of religious, who greatly exceed +the parish priests in number. The former have but one convent apiece +in Manila, which enjoys an adequate community as do the convents of +Europa. The other houses are located in the villages of the Indians +where those who have charge of the spiritual administration live, and +there is no more community at times than the head of the house alone; +and at the most he has one or two associates, if they are considered +necessary for the exercise of the duties of the mission. Since that +is true, an undeniable inconvenience will follow, namely: if they +are subjected to the visitation and correction of the bishops all can +call themselves not regulars--those outside, because they are parish +priests; and those of Manila, because they have to go to take the +places of the others in case of absence, sickness, or death. They +cannot be excused from that by either the actual definitors of the +outgoing provincials, and all to have to be employed if there is a +lack of ministers. Since the provinces are composed of them almost +entirely, and the consent of the ordinary and the vice-patron would +be necessary for their removal, there would be some provinces which +would have the name of religious government and in reality would be +under the secular government, dependent on those two wills, to which +they would make no vow of obedience. It is a fact that it would be +a real change which those religious would have to endure, from free +and unhindered evangelical ministers to seculars bound in justice to +the care of souls. Can it be considered ill that they resist so great +a transformation, and leave the missions if they find no other way? + +736. Sixth, and last, because in América the practice of presenting +three religious for each mission in the form ordered by the king can +be easily observed, as there are many religious. But that presentation +is mortally impossible in Philipinas because of the great scarcity of +religious. For although the orders make the most painstaking efforts +to get them from España, they succeed in this with difficulty. For +lack of workers, they are often obliged to entrust the administration +of many villages to one person, and sometimes to abandon districts in +toto. Then how can three be presented for each ministry when there +is scarcely one for each mission? Besides, since there are so many +languages, there is no order which does not minister in four or five +languages; and although all of them apply themselves to the study +of the languages, few attain them so perfectly that they can explain +entirely the height of the mysteries of our holy faith; and since there +are so many missions, what order can present three times the number of +ministers who will worthily serve the missions? Let us suppose a case +also where there would be a sufficient number of capable religious. On +that account there would be no assurance of better results; for +of the three who would be presented, it is possible that the least +capable would be chosen, as there would be no accurate information +of his being less competent. That would be known better within his +own order, where by continual intercourse it is learned who is most +suitable for the ministry. Besides that, there might be a religious +whom it would be proper to retire because of his demerits, but by +virtue of the fact that the prelates have to present three religious +for each mission, they are obliged to include him in the presentation +for the sole purpose of completing the number. Who will prevent a +froward one from slandering the electors, discrediting the worthy, +and gaining the favor of friends and relatives by putting forth all +his efforts to attain the desired liberty in order to escape from the +observance and the cloister? Oh, beginning so full of troubles! If +one had to describe all the troubles, it would be necessary to use +much paper. Let the above suffice, so that it may be recognized that +the reason why the holy orders resist subjection to the bishops is +not so much for the sake of preserving their authority, as because +they see the grave dangers that must ensue for them. Finally, they +exercise their right in that, of which no one can complain, for they +are doing wrong to no one. + + + + +§ III + +Continuation of the matter of the preceding section, with especial +bearing on our discalced Recollect branch. + +737. The reasons thus far advanced touch all the orders in common. Let +us now pass on to speak of our own in particular. There is no doubt +that St. Pius V conceded the above-mentioned exemption to the regulars +because they were employed in the conversion of the Indians, and so +that they might proceed in their apostolic missions. That reason is +clearly expressed in the bull; consequently, whenever it is found to +exist, the orders ought to be maintained in the possession of that +grace so long as it is not annulled by express revocation. Hence it +is that, until the present, the bishops have not attempted to subject +the missionaries who are laboring to allure the heathen to our holy +faith and withdraw them from the darkness of their infidelity; for in +order to effect those ends they acknowledge in its force the privilege +of St. Pius V. I agree then that all the missions held by our holy +reformed branch in the said islands ought to be considered as active +missions, where the religious, although as parish priests they minister +spiritually to those already converted, exercise also the arduous +employ of missionaries, as the villages are surrounded by infidels, +whose conversion they secure by the most diligent efforts. Therefore, +the parishes of our jurisdiction ought to be considered not as villages +of converts [doctrinas] already formed, where the only care is to +administer the holy sacraments, but as new conquests where the flock +of Christ is continually increased by apostolic attempts. + +738. There are at present one hundred and five villages (besides +those called active missions, which do not enter into this account) +at present in the charge of our holy discalced branch, and they +lie in more than twenty islands. In the principal island of Luzón, +where the city of Manila is located, the order administers fifteen +villages; in that of Mindanao, the second in size, thirty-four; +in that of Parágua and others of the Calamianes, twelve; in that of +Mindóro, twenty-four; in that of Romblón and its outlying islands, +eleven; and in that of Masbáte and its intermediate islands, nine. It +is seldom that one of those villages has no infidel inhabitants; +and the religious are kept quite busy in converting them. For +beginning with the island of Luzón and the mountains of Zambáles, +the villages of Marivélez, Cabcáben, Móron, and Bagác are surrounded +by blacks who are there called "de Monte" [i.e., "of the mountain"] +[33] who are being constantly converted to our holy faith, for they +are of a very peaceful disposition. Súbic is a new conquest, where +various Indians are settling who wander about and are forgotten by the +Christianity of those districts. The settlements that follow from that +point to Bolináo are so near to the black Zambals and Aetas that, +when the latter revolt, one cannot go there without running great +risk of his life. But when peace makes them tractable, some souls +are obtained for God. The villages of Uguit and Babáyan, which have +recently been founded in this century with the converted blacks and +wild Indians, [Zimarrónes] clearly attest that fact. In Mindanao +the territory conquered by our religious, namely, the district of +Cagayáng and the province of Carágha, ought to be considered as the +rose among the thorns, oppressed by Moros, Mindanáos, and Malanáos, +and by infidel Tagabalóyes and Manóbos. Of those peoples, the former +keep the evangelical ministers in continual fear, because of their +persecutions; the latter keep us in a perpetual mission for converting +them to our holy Catholic faith. As proof of the great and continual +advance of Christianity there, it suffices to state that at the end +of the last century the tributes which those who have been subdued +paid to the king did not equal the expenses occasioned to the royal +treasury by the maintenance of the said province; in the year 1720, +the expenses and collections were equal; but now the royal income +exceeds the expenses necessary for conservation. [34] Since the +expenses have not decreased--for there is always the same number +of infantry forces in the presidios of Tándag, Catél, and Lináo, +to which all the expense is reduced--it is inferred that the royal +tributes have increased, and consequently the number of Christians. + +739. There are so many heathen in the islands of Calamiánes, especially +in the island of Parágua, that at least one hundred heathens will be +found for each Christian. In the island of Mindóro only the coasts are +conquered, and heathen fill all the interior of the island. The same +success as I said was obtained in the province of Carágha has also been +secured in the above two provinces; although a very notable decrease +of Christianity has taken place in them because of the invasions +of the Moros of which I shall speak later. The island of Zibuyán, +whose mountains are peopled by infidels--who, as they are exceedingly +obstinate in regard to conversion, give us considerable anxiety, +although some converts are obtained among them--is located in the +Romblón district. The island of Mæstre de Campo, formerly peopled +by Indians who were almost all apostates from religion, has now in +great part embraced the faith through the efforts of the religious, +who scarcely ten years ago founded a new village peopled by families +of the said Indians. It is not many years since the wild Indians +[Zimarrónes] were feared in the island of Masbáte but these are now so +few, through the persuasions of the religious, that one can cross the +island without danger. The villages have increased greatly with the +people who have been reduced to a Christian life and civilization. The +village of Camasóso is a new colony peopled by that before indomitable +people; and the same has happened in the island of Burías. Now then, +I ask, since this is so (and it is a fact, and one that can be proved +whenever necessary), in what are these ministries or curacies different +from those in Nueva España and Perú, when St. Pius V conceded the +exemption of the regulars? What difference is there between those +missions or parishes and those founded in the Philipinas Islands +when they began to be subject to the crown of España? There appears +to be no difference. If the privilege conceded to the religious in +América with those circumstances was considered justifiable, and was +also observed in the said islands at the beginning, our discalced +religious will proceed quite conformably with right in resisting any +change with all their strength, as long as their individual parish +priests are also, as stated, engaged as missionaries. + +740. More force is given to this argument if one considers that, +even in carrying on missions in infidel lands, our religious could +not suffer greater hardships than those which they endure in the +said ministries. That it may be seen that this is not imagination, +I shall give a rough outline of what happened recently from the +year 1720 until the present. I shall do it as briefly as possible, +for those regrettable tragedies will occasion great extension to this +history in due time. It is well known that our villages are the most +exposed to the invasions of the Moros; consequently, they always +serve as the theater of war and as the object of disasters. In the +said year, then, they attacked the province of Calamiánes with a +powerful fleet. Landing on the island of Linacapán they burned the +village, convent, and church; outraged the sacred images; and killed +with lance-thrusts the venerable father, Fray Manuel de Jesus Maria, +a native of Lupiana in Alcarria--while another religious who was there +was able to escape miraculously, at the cost of incredible hardships +that he suffered, by hiding in the mountain. In the year 1721 they did +the same thing in the village and island of La-Agutáya, [35] and in +Manàol, which is located in the island of Mindóro. The evangelical +ministers fled thence in a small boat and thus saved their lives, +although after very prolonged hardships; and from there they took +refuge in the mountains, in order to endure, without other relief +than that of God, the discomforts that one can imagine. In the year +1722 the Moros landed on the island of Cúyo, and although they could +not take the redoubt, for the Indians (captained by our religious) +defended it bravely, one can imagine what the latter suffered in a +siege so immeasurably prolonged. In the year 23, the Moros bordering +on the province of Carágha besieged the presidio of Catél. Father +Fray Benito de San Joseph, son of Casál de Cáceres in Estremadura, +who, as its minister, undertook to attend to its defense, was left so +exhausted from the fatigues of war in which no relief came, that after +the retreat of the Moros, he lived but little longer; for he gave up +his soul to God amid the plaudits of victory. Almost at the same time, +in the island of Camiguín, the religious were compelled to hide in +the mountains, where they were besieged by many fears. In Parágua, +they killed father Fray Juan de la Purificacion (a native of Atéa in +the kingdom of Aragon) with an insidious poison. The invasions of the +said Mahometans were continual until the year 30 through Calamiánes +and other districts; for, although they were not seen in large fleets, +a great number of pirates were never lacking, and they caused those +persecuted ministers repeated troubles. But in the above-mentioned +year they had the boldness to assault the presidio of Taytáy [36] +with such swiftness and fury that two of the three religious who +were there succeeded by great good luck, and without any preparation, +in retiring afoot to the mountains; while the other, only saving the +chalices and ciborium, retired to the redoubt where he suffered the +hardships of the siege. + +741. In the year 31 they attacked the village of Culión; in 32, that +of Linacapán and all the villages of Parágua, where they committed +innumerable acts of cruelty. In 33 they ruined the village of Calatán; +and father Fray Antonio de Santa Ana (whose death I shall relate +later), had no other opportunity than to flee to the mountain afoot +and naked as he was in his bed, so that one can imagine what he +suffered. In the year 34 they destroyed the villages of Malampáyan, +Dumarán, and Linacapan. Father Fray Domingo de San Agustin, a native +of Aldeguela near Teruel, while escaping to the mountain remained for +five days in a cellar with the water up to his waist without eating +anything else than herbs. As a consequence of that and other hardships +that he suffered on various occasions, various illnesses came upon +him which finally ended his life, he refusing to turn his back on the +evangelical enterprises, although he could have done so. Father Fray +Juan de la Virgen de Moncayo (a native of Añon in Aragon) retiring +first to the redoubt of Taytáy and then to the mountains, as he had +done at other times, became so ill that he surrendered his soul, +though always fighting, in the island of Mindóro. The Moros went to +that island also in the above-mentioned year and attacked several +villages, and the religious remained in the mountains for a long time; +this caused father Fray Joseph de San Agustin (a son of Azarét, in the +said kingdom of Aragon) to contract his last illness, and he retired +to Manila, where he ended the miseries of this life in order to pass +to life eternal. In the year 35 they became masters of the villages of +Parágua, whose Christian faith is little less than lost. In the year +36 they again besieged the presidio of Taytáy; and although it was +possible to defend it at the cost of miracles, in one of the assaults +a bullet took away the life of father Fray Antonio de Santa Ana, a +native of Gandia in the kingdom of Valencia. In the years 37 and 38 +the Moros, already masters of the sea, filled Calamiánes and Mindóro +with horror. In the year 39 they had so closed the passage from the +said islands to Manila that for more than six months nothing could be +heard from the religious living in those fields of Christendom. In the +year 40 they went to the coast of Mindóro opposite Luzón, where they +inhumanly killed father Fray Leon de San Joseph (a son of Peraléda in +Castilla) and captured another religious who was going as missionary to +Mindanáo; and it was a miracle that they did not capture all those who +were returning from the chapter-meeting. In that same period, although +I do not know definitely the year, they also landed at Hingoóg, a +village of the province of Carágha; in the island of Camiguín, which +belongs to the alcaldeship of Zibú; and on the coast of Zambáles at +the boundaries of the village of Cabangán. The inference from the +above is that the missionary religious had to hide in the caverns +of the mountains in all districts; to look for their sheep in the +deserts; go without food, or live on herbs of the field; to suffer +the inclemencies of the weather, which is a martyrdom in Philipinas; +and always to flee from one part to another without other relief +by sea or land than fears and fatigues. What is lacking, then, +to those ministers of the evangelical doctrine to enable them to +say that they are toiling in apostolic missions? Now, did those who +began the conquest of América or those of Philipinas endure the more +grievous and continual persecutions? Therefore, if those were worthy +of receiving the exemption, because they were employed at the cost +of their lives in the promulgation of the faith, no change ought to +be introduced in these missions. + +742. The procedure of our religious in resisting the subjection +of the ordinaries is justified even more by that which causes the +anxiety of the ministers, if one considers the fact (on which their +resistance is founded) that the proper administration of those souls +is morally impossible. For that we must assume that the king assigns +one missionary to each five hundred tributes or families. But our +districts, especially those of the islands of Luzón, Calamiánes, +and Mindóro, although each does not exceed three hundred tributes; +need each one or two religious in order that they may be looked after +as is necessary for the preaching and for the [spiritual] food of +the holy sacraments. This arises from the fact that each mission +is extended over a distance of twenty or thirty leguas, without +its being possible to make any other arrangement. For although the +reduction into large settlements has been attempted, for the more +suitable spiritual administration it has been impossible to attain +that. On the contrary, whenever it has been attempted, Christianity +has decreased. In the islands of Mindanáo, Romblón, and Masbáte, +the missions have more people, for they contain from six to eight +hundred tributes. But, for the same reason, each one needs three or +four religious; and even that number must be on the road continually +in order to fulfil their obligations as parish priests. Hence it +results (the stipends not being received in proportion to the number +of the religious but in proportion to the tributes), that they have to +maintain three and sometimes four religious with what the king assigns +for one minister. It is endured with the greatest kind of poverty, +and they even lack the necessities for the maintenance of life. + +743. I suppose also that, when once the new form of administration +would be established according to the subjection that is claimed, +it would follow that each ministry would have a prior appointed in +the chapters, and a cura assigned by the ordinary with canonical +institution. For this is the observance in América, in order to save +the freedom of the elections in what concerns the regular superiors, +and in order to prevent the religious who are curas from being free +from the vow of obedience. Of these, the parish priest cares for +the administration, the prior looks after matters pertaining to the +regular estate but cannot assist in what pertains to the instruction +[doctrina], for generally he does not know the language. The former +has increased expenses with the visit of the bishop and other matters +relating thereto; and the latter, with the journeys to the chapter +and the visitation of the provincial; and all these expenses must be +paid by the stipends of the mission, for there is no other source +of income. Consequently, it is inferred that it would be necessary +in this case, to reduce the ministries to a new form and assign one +single cura to each five hundred tributes. It would be doing well if +the product of those tributes sufficed for the maintenance of the +two religious, prior and parish priest, with the other unavoidable +and necessary expenses. But if at present two priests scarcely +suffice to administer two hundred families well in our villages, +how could a single one look after five hundred families? Then, if +(and this could be proved with exactness) the children or neophytes +begged the bread of the teaching of the faith, there would be no +one to attend to that need. Therefore, our holy reformed branch +foreseeing so formidable and unavoidable consequences do very well +in abandoning the missions. For there is no reason why they should +load injuries upon themselves which cannot be corrected afterward, +and of which their prelates must render account to God. + +744. Let us conclude this matter by stating one other motive for the +justification of our religious in resisting exercise as parish priests, +when one tries to subject them to the visitation and correction of the +bishops. It is a constant fact that the Christianity of the Philipinas +Islands cannot maintain itself unless numerous missions be continually +taken thither from Europa. For there are few sons of Spaniards there +(to whom only the habit can be given), and of those few the smallest +number are inclined to the religious estate. I state then, that in case +of the said subjection it would be impracticable to take missionaries +there, especially those of our holy discalced branch. Consequently, +the administration of the missions could not be cared for, as is +already seen, when affairs are going to the prejudice of the Catholic +faith. In order to prove the aforesaid, we must take it for granted +that each religious causes an expense of practically one thousand +pesos from the time he leaves his convent in España until he sets foot +in Manila--about one-half of which is paid from the royal treasury, +while the remainder is supplied by the order. To realize that sum, +which amounts to huge figures, the ministries contribute with some +voluntary offerings, and the province applies all its incomes and +alms. Compare this now with that alleged in the preceding number, +and it will be seen that in the said case it would not be possible +for the missionary religious to attend to that necessity. For, even at +present, they have to live like beggars in order that they may assist, +taking from their necessary support what they give, so that they may +support that expense. On the other hand, the province would not be +able to employ its incomes in this either, for it would have to use +them in establishing solidly the convents which are not ministries, +There are five of these, namely: in Manila, in Bagumbáya, in Cavíte, +in San Sebastian, and the convent of La Concepcion in Zibú. Of that +number only the first has a community at present, for the others can +scarcely support two religious apiece. But in the said case it would +be indispensable, so that the province might maintain itself as such, +to place communities in the convents and to apply to them the incomes +that it possesses; and on that account it could not attend to the +expenses of the missions. + +745. But let us suppose that some funds existed for those expenses. The +trouble remains that the religious of España would not consent to +go to the islands, if they were informed that they had to be curas, +and submit to the bishop in what they have not professed. Thus has +experience shown by what has happened to our province, because no +religious went from these kingdoms from the year 1692 until that of +1710, during which time Archbishop Camacho was attempting to bring +about the subjection. That is a precedent which induces the strong +suspicion that no one could be found who would voluntarily submit to +correction by a strange prelate, and at times be accused and denounced +in a foreign jurisdiction as he had only promised obedience to his own +superiors. Grant that some would be allured, but those would be the +least capable who would be incited by the perverse desire for greater +freedom. As a rule, when a mission for those islands is now proclaimed, +those who volunteer in their desire for the conversion of souls are +so many that one may choose laborers of excellent qualifications; for +their zeal for the propagation of the gospel and for the spiritual +health of those poor Indians impels them. But were that subjection +inaugurated, what timorous religious after that would leave his cell +(a safe port whither to escape during storms) only to serve in the +employ of cura? That is, any change is accompanied by a very great +alteration; and he who attempts to introduce it must be responsible for +all the consequences, in order to prevent and forestall them. Nor is +it prudent not to oppose oneself to the foregoing, when one foresees +the sequel of conclusions so fatal. Therefore, our holy order opposes +itself to the innovation of this subjection, for it considers the +inevitable injuries that must result. In view of that and many other +losses, it acts most holily in abandoning the missions, in order that +they may remain in the full charge of the bishops. + +[Chapter iii deals with the life of certain Recollect religious, +of whom the following labored in the Philippines. Jacinto de San +Fulgencio, the son of Vicente Francisco Claramonte, was born in +Cocentayna, and was received in the convent of Valencia January 17, +1614. He joined the mission to the Philippines which was organized +in 1619; and on his arrival at Manila began to study the languages, +becoming fluent in the Tagálog, Zambal, Bisayan, and Calamian. In 1622 +he was sent with Juan de San Nicolás to Caraga, where he worked to +good effect. Later, accompanied by one religious and some converts, +he ascended the river for fifty leguas to Lináo, where his labors +were crowned successfully. He was appointed prior of the convent of +San Joseph in Butuan in 1624, where he continued his work, with the +evident approbation of heaven. In 1626 he became prior of Bacoag, and +later was the first prior of Iguaquét. He was the first to preach to +the Caragas, among whom he remained for ten years, during which time +he erected six convents. In Butuan he worked for four years, where he +converted three thousand people and erected three convents. In 1635 +he went to the island of Negros, where he converted six thousand +Indians; and the same year was appointed prior of Tándag, where he +brought order out of chaos. In 1638 he was elected definitor, and in +1640 became prior for the second time of Tándag, and vicar-provincial +of Caraga. He was elected procurator to Spain in 1646, and definitor +with vote in the general chapter in that country, which he reached +in March 1649. His mission which he took from Spain reached Manila +in 1652 and consisted of twenty-one religious. In the next chapter +he was again elected procurator, but he died at Manila in 1656. He +had served as chaplain for the Spanish fleets, and as ambassador to +the natives, in addition to his mission work proper.] + +[Section ii of chapter v contains an account of the life of Salvador +del Espiritu Santo, who had formerly been an Augustinian of the +Observant branch, but who joined the Recollects. He went to Manila +in 1634 with the desire to go to Japan, learning some little of +that language for that purpose. After much entreaty he obtained +permission from the provincial of the order to go to Japan in 1635, +but he was unable to effect his purpose. He served as prior in +the Cavite convent, was twice superior of the convent of San Juan +Bautista in Bagnumbáya, prior of the Manila convent, twice definitor; +twice visitor of Calamianes and Mindoro. He was elected procurator in +place of Jacinto de San Fulgencio, and after various setbacks arrived +in Mexico in 1657, where he died in December of that same year.] + +[Chapter vi deals with the life of Andrés del Espiritu Santo. That +valiant worker was born in Valladolid in January 1585, his father +being Hernando Tanégo. He made his vows in the convent of Portillo +in 1601, and joining the first Philippine mission arrived at the +islands in 1606. There he was sent immediately to the Zambales coast, +where he founded the village of Masinloc, from which as a center he +carried on his work. In 1609 he was elected vicar-provincial, which +office he kept until 1612. He was elected vicar-provincial for the +second time in 1615; and on the completion of that office in 1618, +being elected procurator, he went to Spain for new missionaries, +of whom he obtained a fine band, returning to Manila in 1622. The +following year he was elected vicar-provincial for the third time, +and in 1624 first definitor. The highest office of the province, +namely, that of provincial, came to him in 1626 and at the end of +his provincialate he asked permission to go to Japan, but in vain; he +therefore continued the work among the Philippine missions until 1632, +when he was again elected provincial. In 1635 he was again definitor, +and at the expiration of that office he was appointed prior of the +Manila convent; thence he retired to the Cavite convent where he +worked with the most vigorous men, although worn out by his excessive +toil. He finally retired to the Manila convent, where he died at the +end of 1657 or the beginning of 1658, at the age of 78.] + +[Chapter viii records the death, in 1659, of Nicolás de la Madre de +Dios, who had labored in Cagayán, where he had accomplished most in +quieting an insurrection that had broken out under a native heathen +priest called Salúr.] + +[Chapter x contains a bull promulgated by Alexander VII, dated August +5, 1660, confirming a decree of the congregation Propaganda fide of +June 28, 1660 (inserted in the bull) forbidding Recollect religious +who had been sent to the Philippines from turning aside on the way +or unnecessarily delaying their journey. The penalty imposed by the +decree is that such fugitives are to be deprived of all active and +passive vote, and can never hold any dignity or honorary charge in the +order. That same year of 1660, a mission left Spain for the islands +but did not arrive there until 1664.] + + + + + + +DESCRIPTION OF FILIPINAS ISLANDS + + +[After a prolonged address to Fray Diego Zapata, a high official of +the Franciscan order and of the Inquisition, Fray Letona proceeds with +a description of the Philippines in numbered sections. No. 1 states +that it is written for Zapata's information; no. 2, that the voyage +from Acapulco to Manila is more than 2,500 leguas in length. The +course of the ships in that voyage is given in no. 3. Such parts of +this description as are useful for our purpose are here presented +in full; other parts are omitted, in each case stating the nature of +such matter.] + +3. Acapulco, in Mexico, which is the eastern port for the South Sea +and for navigations from Nueva España to Filipinas, is in sixteen and +one-half degrees of latitude. If in voyaging from Acapulco to Filipinas +the ships sail in a straight line from the rising toward the setting +sun, from east to west, without change of latitude, they will arrive +at Baler, [37] a village in the northern part of the further coast of +Manila Island, which is in the same latitude as Acapulco. But usually, +as soon as they set sail from Acapulco, they descend to the eleventh +or the tenth parallel in order to find the winds with which they can +navigate; then they again go northward and follow their former course +to a point five hundred leguas from Manila, and one hundred from the +Ladrones Islands--among which they pass, in a latitude of fifteen +degrees. Thence they sail again to lower latitudes, descending to +barely thirteen and one-half degrees--on which line is the Embocadero +of San Bernardino, one hundred leguas from Manila. Thence the voyage +is made between that same island of Manila--which extends as far +as the Embocadero, and remains on the right hand--and other islands +which lie on the left, to the port of Cabite which is two leguas from +Manila. Ordinarily this voyage is made in three months, although the +return trip is usually much longer--sometimes requiring more than +seven months; while in this year, sixty-two, it lasted eight months. + + + + +Distribution of these islands + +4. Although they are innumerable, hardly more than forty of the +inhabited Filipinas Islands are subject to the monarchy of España. The +first and chief of these, and the head of all, is that of Luzon. It is +large, being almost three hundred and fifty leguas in circumference; +and has more than twenty bays and ports where ships of all sizes +can anchor. It is the frontier [of the islands] toward Great China, +which is a hundred leguas distant from Manila. The island lies between +thirteen and one-half and nineteen degrees of latitude, and it has +the form of a square with two narrow arms--one of which extends from +south to north, the other from west to east. + +5. In that which points northward lie, on its western coast, four +distinct conquered provinces. The first and nearest of these on the +bay of Manila (and belonging to the archbishopric of that name), and +in latitude 15°, is Pampanga; it is very populous, and abounds in rice +and other products of the soil; and it contains some gold-placers. Its +natives have the reputation of being the best and bravest, and +most faithful to the royal crown [of all in the island]; they have +a language of their own. On the western outskirts of this province +among its mountains, and within the archbishopric of Manila are some +Negrillos; they are heathen, and natives of the country (which is yet +to be conquered) that is called Zambales. They are very barbarous, +resembling the Chichimecos of Nueva España who eat human flesh. + +6. Next at 16° latitude and on the western coast [of Luzon], follows +Pamgasinam; it belongs to the bishopric of Cagayan, and is rich in +gold and other products of the soil. The natives have a language of +their own. + +7. Ylocos is a province of the same bishopric, and lies next [to +Pamgasinam] on the same coast; it also abounds in the same products +and is very populous. The natives have their own language. Its +latitude is 17°. In the year 1661, these two provinces rebelled; +they were conquered and pacified with extraordinary valor and skill, +by General Francisco de Esteybar with three hundred soldiers. He +punished thirty persons with death and five hundred with slavery. + +8. Cagayan is the last province in this arm of the island, and the most +northern, lying in 18° to 19° latitude. It contains many Indians who +are good soldiers. Here is the city of Nueva Segobia, which has few +Spanish residents. It has a bishop and cathedral; an alcalde-mayor, +and a garrison of Spanish soldiers. This province yields the same +products [as the others], and has a distinct language. Almost opposite +this province, to the northeast (that is, between north and east) +is Xapon, a noted empire. It is distant three hundred leguas, and +this voyage is made in sight of land, that of various islands. + +9. This arm of land is almost a hundred leguas long and fifty or +sixty wide; on its eastern coast the province of Baler is conquered +and pacified. The region midland of all these five provinces is +called Ytui, and is peopled by heathen Indians, not yet subdued. On +the south lies Pampanga; northward, Cagayan; to the east, Baler; +to the west, Ylocos and Pangasinan. All these provinces have their +alcaldes-mayor. The ports on the eastern coast are mentioned below +in section 91. + +10. In the eastern arm of this island of Luzon there are two provinces; +both abound in rice and other products, and are very populous; and each +one has its own distinct language. The first is Tagalos, which begins +at the city of Manila, and belongs wholly to that archbishopric. It +contains the environs of the city; and the lake of Bay (a freshwater +lake, of many leguas in circumference), and extends along the coasts +of this arm, both northern and southern, more than fifty leguas +in a direct line, southeast and northeast--that is, from Manila to +Silangan, which is an island very near to that of Luzon. There ends +the archbishopric [of Manila]; also the Tagal province (which is +divided into six or eight districts of alcalde-mayor and corregidor) +and the Tagal language. + +11. The second and last province of this eastern arm is Camarines, +which has a different language, and belongs to another bishopric. It +begins at the village of Paracali, which is on the northern coast and +has some rich gold mines. It is distant from Manila sixty leguas, +and extends almost forty eastward, as far as the extremity of this +island. Here is the city of Nueva Caceres, where there is a bishopric +and a cathedral, and an alcalde-mayor; the Spanish population +is very small, but there are many Indians, as also in the entire +province. Inland from these two provinces there are some Çimarron +Indians, who are not yet conquered. This arm [of land] is almost a +hundred leguas long, and ten to twenty wide; its northern ports are +mentioned below in section 91. + +12. At the center where these two arms of land meet, in the middle +and on the shores of a beautiful bay--closed in from the sea; thirty +leguas in circumference, and eight wide; and everywhere clear, +soundable, and safe--at the mouth and on the banks of the great +river of Bay [i.e., Pasig River] (which, having flowed four leguas +from its own lake, empties into this sea) is built the distinguished +city of Manila, the capital and court of Filipinas. It is, for its +size, the richest in the world; a special account of it will soon +be given. Entrance into this bay is furnished by a passage on its +western side, four leguas in width. In the middle of this passage, +eight leguas from Manila and opposite this city, is an islet called +Maribelez; it is inhabited, and is two leguas in circuit in 14 1/2° +latitude. It serves as a watch-tower to look for foreign ships, +which can be seen fifteen leguas at sea. + +13. The "Modern Geographer," which was printed at Amsterdam in four +large volumes in Latin and Castilian, containing the geographical +maps of the world, does not present a map of these islands, although +it gives a special one of the Molucas or Ternate Islands which are +adjacent to the Filipinas. For lack of facilities, I do not insert here +a map of these islands, which I have drawn by hand, with the greatest +exactness, from my personal knowledge. In place thereof, I will write +a description so clear that any geographer can reduce it to a map; +and for greater clearness the above-mentioned island of Maribelez will +be the center of this description--which is divided into four parts +or voyages: to the east, southeast, south, and north, respectively. + +14-28. [These paragraphs contain data for the map that Letona would +have made--the location, latitude, size, and names of islands, +with distances and direction by compass. We note a few points of +interest which contain new information. In Mindoro is "El Baradero, +a celebrated bay and a very safe harbor." With the island of Burias +"ends the archbishopric of Manila; the next lands [i.e., Banton] +belong to the bishopric of Zebu." In Catanduanes reside a beneficed +curate and a corregidor. "The interior of Mindanao is still unsubdued; +its natives are heathen in the eastern part, and Mahometan pirates +in the west. They have been reduced to his Majesty's obedience and +to the Church, and among them are four garrisons of Spaniards--one +in the east, at Tandag; two in the north, at Bacilan and Malanao; +and another in the west, at Samboanga. In this island some cinnamon +is collected." "Sanguil, or Calonga, is a small island under a petty +king--who is a Catholic Christian--named Don Juan Buntuan. At his +request, I sent thither in the year 1651 with my credentials and +instructions father Fray Joseph de Truxillo, a deserving son of our +father St. Francis in this convent of La Puebla; ... who, with his +excellent example, preaching, and instruction--aided by his companion +father Fray Mateo Rodriguez, a man of his own spirit--established +and renewed the faith, built a church, and converted and baptized +many infidels, both children and adults." "Macazar is an island +yet to be conquered; its people are Mahometans and heathen, and +are very numerous. It is 180 leguas in circuit; in its eastern part +it has a powerful Mahometan king, who has at his capital factories +from Europa and Assia; and he has the utmost devotion and reverence +for the king our sovereign." The four islands of Bolinao form the +boundary of the archbishopric of Manila; from these extends the +bishopric of Cagayan. The following islands are depopulated (some +of them being mentioned in earlier accounts as having inhabitants): +Ticao, San Bernardino, Maesse de Campo, Cimara, Panaon, and Capones +(fifteen leguas from Maribeles); islets near Luban, Panay, Bantayan, +Mindoro, and Cuyo; and islets between Leyte and Cebú.] + + + + +Climate, population, and products + +29. The climate of these islands is, for sensible people, for the +most part reasonably healthful and temperate. On the coasts it is +hot; in the mountains it is cool, pleasant, and refreshing. There is +no certain knowledge of the time or source of their settlement. The +nearest mainland is Great China, the eastern end of Assia (one of +the first which were inhabited after the general deluge). On the west +of China is the gulf and kingdom of Bengal, from which (through the +strait of Sincapura) it seems very probable that the first settlers of +these islands came, [38] to judge from the similarity in their color, +customs, and language. They are of average size, light-colored, and +have well-shaped features and much intelligence. They live in high +wooden houses, and support themselves by tilling the soil, fishing, +and other industries. At the time of this writing, there are more +than 600,000 Christians here, vassals of the king our sovereign; +and the Catholic piety of his Majesty maintains them in the holy +faith, although they are 5,000 leguas from his court, at the cost +of immense expenditures from his royal treasury. It appears from +the books of the royal accountancies that his Majesty has, in only +twenty years, expended more than 300,000 ducados in sending religious +to Filipinas--from which it will be seen that incalculable treasure +has been spent for this purpose during only the ninety-eight years +since the islands were discovered. + +30. Their products are: Rice in great abundance, which is the +wheat of that country and the usual food of its people, serving +as their bread. Everywhere, whether in mountains or plains, there +is abundant growth of cocoanut palms. These nuts are as large as +average-sized melons, and almost of the same shape; the shell is +hard, and contains a sweet liquid which makes a palatable beverage, +and a meat which is a delicious food. This is the most useful plant +in the world; for not only are food and drink, and wine and oil, +obtained from it, but innumerable other things--comprising all that +is necessary to human life, for the dwellings, food, and clothing +of man. There are plantations of these trees, as in España there are +vineyards--although the former are at less cost and labor. In these +islands there is abundance of salt, fowls, and cattle, besides swine, +deer, and buffaloes; there are also several kinds of beans, and other +vegetables. With these foods not only do the people support themselves, +but the fleets and garrisons, and the ships that make long sea-voyages +are furnished with provisions. On all the coasts, and in all the +rivers and lakes, excellent fish are caught in abundance; and in the +mountains the people gather much honey and wax. In the gardens, they +raise a great deal of delicious fruit, and much garden-stuff. Oranges +and bananas not only grow in abundance, but are of the best quality in +the world. In some of the islands nutmeg, pepper, cloves, and cinnamon +are found. The country is everywhere fertile, and green and pleasant +all the year round; and in some places wheat is sown and harvested. + +31. In these islands grows much cotton, from which the people make +Ylocan blankets, lampotes, white cloth, medriñaques, material for hose, +and other useful fabrics. In many (indeed in most) islands are found +amber and civet, and gold mines--these especially in the mountain +ranges of Pangasinam and Paracali, and in Pampanga; consequently; +there is hardly an Indian who does not possess chains and other +articles of gold. Besides these products (which are peculiar to +the country), others are brought to Manila from Great China, Xapon, +and numberless other kingdoms and islands of this archipelago--wheat, +iron, copper, some quicksilver, tin, and lead; cinnamon (from Zeilan), +pepper, cloves, nutmeg, musk, and incense; silks (both raw and woven), +and linens; Chinese earthenware, ivory, and ebony; diamonds, rubies, +and other precious stones; valuable woods; and many uncommon and +delicious fruits. In Manila, gunpowder is manufactured, and excellent +artillery and bells are cast; and various articles are exquisitely +wrought in filigree of gold and silver. All things necessary to human +life [are found there] and even articles of superfluity, ostentation, +pomp, and luxury. + + + + +The city of Manila + +32. This city was conquered and founded by its first governor on May +19, the day of St. Potenciana the virgin, in the year 1571. It was +built on a site naturally strong on the shore of the sea, and at the +mouth of a great river--which flows four leguas from the lake of Bay, +and here loses itself [in the sea]--on a strip of land formed between +the sea and the river. Thus half of the city, that on the north and +west, is surrounded by water; and the other half, toward the east and +south, by land and a ditch. It is entirely surrounded, almost in a +circular form, by a rampart wall of stone; this is high and strong and +so thick that in some parts it is more than three varas wide, and one +can walk on top of it everywhere. It extends three-quarters of a legua, +and is adorned and furnished with battlements and merlons in modern +style; with towers, cavaliers, and Hankers at intervals; and with two +castles and some bulwarks. It is furnished with excellent artillery, +and a force of six hundred (sometimes more) Spanish soldiers--with +their master-of-camp, sargento-mayor, captains, wardens, and other +military officers. There are five gates and several posterns. + +33. The streets of the city are beautifully laid out, and level, like +those of Mexico and Puebla. The main plaza is large, rectangular, and +well proportioned. Its eastern side is occupied by the cathedral; +the southern, by the government building, which is a splendid +palace--large, handsome, and very spacious; it was built by a merchant, +the favorite [39] of a governor, for his own use. The northern side +of the plaza (opposite the palace) contains the cabildo's house, +the jail, and other buildings that belong to private persons (which +also occupy the western side). + +34. The houses in the city, before the earthquakes of the years 45 +and 58, numbered six hundred (many of which must be by this time +rebuilt), most of them of hewn stone with handsome iron balconies and +rows of windows, and built in costly style. In them resided various +gentlemen and nobles, and two hundred citizens who were merchants +(who themselves form a commonwealth); there were also soldiers, +royal officials, prebends, and other citizens. Much of its material +grandeur and beauty was destroyed by the earthquakes above mentioned, +but it lost not the essential greatness which it has and always has +had as a court and an illustrious commonwealth. In the villages of +Bagunbaya and others of its suburbs there are probably six hundred +houses more--not counting those of the Parian, which number many more +than those of the city and suburbs together. Along the river are a +great many country houses for recreation--some very costly, and all +very convenient and pleasant, with gardens, orchards, and baths. + +35. It is the capital of all these islands, with its governor, who is +the captain-general, and president of the royal chancilleria, which is +composed of four auditors and one fiscal who have cognizance of cases +both civil and criminal; then there are the other employes of the +royal Audiencia, and the royal officials with their tribunal. The +jurisdiction [of this audiencia] is the most extensive in the +Spanish monarchy; for it extends to all territories that are +discovered and pacified in that great archipelago (the largest in +the world)--extending more than four hundred leguas in a straight +line, and more than a thousand in circumference--and to all yet to +be discovered and pacified, an immense region. The city has twelve +perpetual regidors, who on the first of January in every year elect +two alcaldes-in-ordinary; these have jurisdiction throughout the +district of the municipality, which has a radius of five leguas. + +36. On the eastern side of the city, but outside of it and in front +of its walls, at the distance of a musket-shot is a silk-market which +they call Parian. Usually 15,000 Chinese live there; they are Sangleys, +natives of Great China, and all merchants or artisans. They possess, +allotted among themselves by streets and squares, shops containing +all the kinds of merchandise and all the trades that are necessary in +a community. The place is very orderly and well arranged, and a great +convenience to the citizens. It is [an indication of] their greatness +that although they are so few, they have so many workmen and servants +assigned to their service. The Sangleys live in wooden houses; they +have a governor of their own nation, and a Spanish alcalde-mayor and +the other officers of justice, with a notary; also a jail. They have +a parish church, where the sacraments, the divine word, and burial +are administered to the 4,000 Christians among these Sangleys; the +rest of them are heathen. + +37. Accordingly the commerce of this city is extensive, rich, and +unusually profitable; for it is carried on by all these Chinese +and their ships, with those of all the islands above mentioned and +of Tunquin, Cochinchina, Camboja, and Sian--four separate kingdoms, +which lie opposite these islands on the continent of Great China--and +of the gulfs and the numberless kingdoms of Eastern India, Persia, +Bengala, and Ceilan, when there are no wars; and of the empire and +kingdoms of Xapon. The diversity of the peoples, therefore, who are +seen in Manila and its environs is the greatest in the world; for +these include men from all kingdoms and nations--España, Francia, +Ingalaterra, Italia, Flandes, Alemania, Dinamarca, Sueçia, Polonia, +Moscobia; people from all the Indias, both eastern and western; and +Turks, Greeks, Moros, Persians, Tartars, Chinese, Japanese, Africans, +and Asiatics. And hardly is there in the four quarters of the world +a kingdom, province, or nation which has not representatives here, on +account of the voyages that are made hither from all directions--east, +west, north, and south. + +38-58. [These sections are devoted to brief biographical notices of +the governors of the islands--information already presented in our +VOL. XVII. Letona says (no. 58) of Diego Fajardo's government:] +In the year 51, the governor withdrew his favor from his petted +favorite, whom, after confiscating his goods (which were many), +he imprisoned in the castle of Santiago--in the same quarters where +(at his own instance, as people say) the five years' captivity of +Governor Corcuera was accomplished. Then Faxardo opened his eyes, +so that he could recognize the serious troubles which result from the +favorite's having great power in the government. "For," Fajardo said, +"he did not regard the vassals of the king with the affection that he +ought; nor did he attend to their welfare, but to his own advantage and +profit." Imitating him, the subordinate officials, he said, "committed +acts of violence in the provinces that they governed, harassing them +with various oppressions, and failing to administer justice to the +poor--levying on them repartimientos of many products that were not +necessary, and at exorbitant prices; and, although the commodity might +be had in another district for half the price, the natives must not +buy it there, but only from the agent of the magistrate, who would +not allow any one else to traffic or trade in all the province. From +these practices," said this gentleman, "arise irreparable injuries +to the poor vassals, and to his Majesty's alcabalas [i.e., excise +taxes]. Nor have those vassals any redress, since the door is closed +to them by the favor shown to the minion." For this same reason, +he gave no office of justice to a relative or servant of his own, +judging that no aggrieved person would dare to utter a complaint on +account of his fear lest the governor would take ill a suit against +his relative or servant. These and other very just opinions were +expressed by this governor during the last year of his rule. + +59. [Of Manrique de Lara, Letona says:] "He governed for ten years, +a longer term than that of any predecessor of his. Many of these +he surpassed not only in the period of service, but in his care and +efficiency--personally assisting in the despatch of the armed fleets +(although this had to be done at a distance of twenty leguas from +Manila), and attending to the shipbuilding and the timber-cutting; +crossing seas, rivers, and mountains, and overcoming great dangers and +hardships, in order to serve the commonwealth and his Majesty, and that +the royal revenues might be spent with due faithfulness, and without +oppressing his Majesty's poor vassals. He opened up the commerce of the +kingdoms of Tunquin and Cochinchina, and extended that of Great China; +and he brought to terms the king of Tidore. He repressed the invasions +of the Mindanaos, Xoloans, and Camucones through the instrumentality +of Andres de Zuloeta, a valiant captain--who was sargento-mayor of +Manila, admiral, and commander of the fleet that carries supplies +to Ternate. In the year of 61 there were disturbances in Pampanga, +the finest province in this government, and inhabited by a people who +are valiant and very skilful in the use of arms. This governor with +courage and tact went to Pampanga, and pacified the province without +shedding blood, thus acquiring a great reputation. He subdued also the +provinces of Pangasinan and Ilocos, which had rebelled, he punished +some with death, and others with slavery, bestowing on the rest a +general pardon. This campaign increased the reputation of the Catholic +arms throughout that archipelago, a renown that is still maintained." + + + + +The ecclesiastical estate + +60. In April of the year 1565, there was founded in Zebu (afterward +being transferred to Manila) the church and ecclesiastical community +of these islands; and its ordinary jurisdiction was allotted to the +superiors of the Order of St. Augustine, who were the founders and +apostles of this kingdom; they held that dignity up to the year of +77, in which it passed to the fathers of the order of our father +St. Francis. It remained in their keeping until the year 82, in +which Don Fray Domingo de Salazar--a Dominican, the first bishop of +all the Filipinas--with a bull from his Holiness Pope Gregory XIII +founded the cathedral of Manila, dedicating it to the most immaculate +Conception of the Virgin. It was established with five dignitaries, +four canonries, and four other prebends; they are appointed by his +Majesty, or ad interim by the governor. The cathedral has a good choir +of singers, also chaplains and many able clerics, and two curas and +two sacristans. It is the only parish church of the city, although +outside in the suburbs there are two others--that of Santiago, and +that of San Antonio--administered by learned and exemplary clergymen. + +61. Within the city, on the Plaza de Armas and opposite the castle of +Santiago, is the royal chapel founded by Governor Corcuera. It is a +magnificent church (containing the most holy sacrament), and is richly +adorned with altars, reredos, pulpit, and sacristy ornaments of silver, +with a monstrance of pure gold which is worth 11,000 ducados. It has +a choir, an organ, and a famous chorus of singers; also chaplains, +sacristans, and other ministers, who serve it with much propriety +and pomp. These clergymen are independent of the parish church, and +go through the public streets, wearing their copes and carrying the +cross aloft, to the royal hospital for the bodies of dead soldiers, +which they solemnly convey to the royal chapel for interment. + +62. In the midst of the city is the Misericordia's seminary for orphan +girls with its church dedicated to the Presentation of the Virgin, +which was founded in the year 1594. It is of beautiful architecture, +handsomely adorned, and served by clerics with the utmost care +and propriety. Since the year 1653, this church has served for a +cathedral. It is in charge of the brotherhood and congregation of +the holy Misericordia, which is directed by a manager and twelve +deputies with the same rules as that of Lisboa; its mission is to aid +the poor. In the best part of the city is another seminary for the +shelter of girls, with its church of Santa Potenciana, served by a +cleric. There are two hospitals--the royal, for the soldiers; and that +of the Misericordia, for the other poor. There are two others in the +environs--one of San Juan de Dios for the Spaniards; and another for +the Indians in Dilao. There is also a noted sanctuary, that of Nuestra +Señora de Guia, besides the two parish churches above mentioned; +and the convents and colleges, which will be enumerated below. + +63. Most of the clerics of this archbishopric are learned men, +excellent preachers and distinguished in all branches of study, +on account of the opportunity which this city affords in two +universities--in which they employ their abilities, emulating and +rivaling one another in letters. They administer many benefices and +curacies in the islands of Luzon, Luban, Mindoro, and others--besides +the above-mentioned curacies and chaplaincies, both within and +without Manila. + +64-84. [These sections are occupied with biographical notices of the +archbishops and bishops in the various dioceses, which we here omit, +intending to present data of this sort in a later volume.] + + + + +Religious orders in Filipinas + +85. The Order of St. Augustine entered the islands in the year 565; +its first superior, and first prelate of all the islands was Fray +Andres de Urdaneta--a Vascongado, [40] and a son of the convent and +province of Mexico; he was the apostle who unfurled the gospel banner, +and he planted the faith in the island of Zebu and others. They have +in Manila a notable convent, with fifty religious--counting novices, +students, and men of mature years; it was founded in the year 71. It +is the head of eighty other parish convents, most of them having +costly buildings; and in all these the sacraments are most watchfully +administered to more than two hundred thousand Christians. They are +located on the river and in the environs of Manila; along the lake of +Bay, and in its mountains; throughout Pampanga, and in Pangasinan and +Ilocos; and in the islands of Pintados, whose vicar-provincial is the +prior of Zebu. In all times this order has possessed illustrious men +of distinguished virtue, and martyrs in Xapon, and zealous ministers +of the gospel. Next followed the order of our father St. Francis, +which is left for the end. + +86. The Society of Jesus entered Manila in the year 1582, in which +was founded their college of La Concepcion, which is one of the most +costly and magnificent buildings of this city. Its first superior +was Father Antonio Zedeño. It is a university, where instruction is +given in reading, writing, and accounts; and in grammar, rhetoric, the +arts, theology, and literature--with the earnestness, thoroughness, +and care which is customary in the [colleges of the] Society. Its +rector confers the degrees of bachelor, licentiate, and doctor, +with very rigorous courses of lectures, examinations, and literary +theses, as in Salamanca and Mexico. Near, this great college the +Society has another, that of San Joseph, with lay students; they +wear tawny mantles and red bands. In Cabite, Zebu, and Mindanao the +Society has also colleges, which are most useful for the education of +the youth and of the entire commonwealth. Its fathers are in charge +of many conversions and parish ministries about Manila, and in the +islands of Marinduc, Ybabao, Panay, Negros Island, Bohol, Leyte, +Imaras, and Mindanao--all belonging to the bishopric of Zebu--and in +others; all these are administered with admirable exactness, courage, +thoroughness, and zeal. In all the languages spoken therein, grammars +and vocabularies have been prepared. The Society has, and always +has had, some very learned writers, and other members distinguished +in all branches of knowledge; and it has many martyrs, not only in +Xapon but in Mindanao. This province is one of the most illustrious, +and most worthy of imitation, belonging to the Society, and in it is +evident much austerity and excellence. + +87. The Order of St. Dominic entered Manila in the same year of 82; +but its first convent was founded in the year 87, and its first +superior was father Fray Juan de Castro, provincial of Chiapa. That +convent had a magnificent building; but in the earthquake of 645, +and in those of 51 and 52, their church was ruined. It was rebuilt +with greater splendor and thoroughness than the old one; the author +of this work (at that time prior) being the illustrious master Don +Fray Francisco de la Trinidad y Arrieta, most worthy bishop of +Santa Marta in Peru, and the first bishop who was a son of this +convent. Without having any fixed income, this convent supports +more than thirty religious. It is the head of a province, the most +religious one in the entire order. In the environs of Manila these +fathers have the parishes of the Parian and of Binondoc; a hospital, +and a church at San Juan de Letran; and Batan in Pampanga. They have +many Indian missions in the provinces of Pangasinan and Cagayan. In +Xapon and China this order has had many and resplendent martyrs; and +it now has in China some gospel ministers. In Manila it has a notable +college, that of Santo Tomas, which is a university. There with great +ability are taught grammar, the arts, and theology, and both higher +and lower degrees are conferred. It has lay students, who wear green +mantles and red bands. They train many able men there, of whom many +have been martyrs in Xapon. The order has had and has some writers, +who have by their erudition ennobled this new church. The commissary +of the Holy Office in Manila always belongs to this province. + +88. The discalced fathers of St. Augustine entered Manila in the +year 606, at which time they built a large convent, that of San +Nicolas. It is the head of a very religious province which contains +eleven other convents. Four are in the archbishopric--San Juan, San +Sebastian, Cabite, and Bolinao; and seven in that of Zebu--Romblon, +Paragua, Zebu, Siargao, Bacilan, Tangda, and Catel. There are three +in the province of Caraga in the island of Mindanao (where they have +had four martyrs). All their convents are of very strict observance, +and devoted to an apostolical administration of the sacraments. They +have had some martyrs in Xapon, and always have members who are well +versed in all branches of learning. Their first superior was father +Fray Juan de San Geronimo, who directed twelve others, his companions, +the founders and apostles of this province. + +89. The order of our father St. Francis entered Filipinas in the +year 1577, when fifteen religious arrived at Manila, all apostolic +men. Of these, six came from the province of San Joseph, two from +that of Santiago, one from La Concepcion, another from Mechoacan, +and five from the province of Santo Evangelio in Mexico. The superior +of all was father Fray Pedro de Alfaro, of the province of Santiago +(incorporated into that of San Joseph). On the second of August in the +same year was founded the convent of Manila, with the title of Santa +Maria de Los Angeles; their first guardian was father Fray Pedro +de Ayera, a man in every respect remarkable. He was provincial of +Mechoacan, and bishop-elect; and he was provisor and ecclesiastical +judge of Filipinas. This convent usually has more than thirty +religious--novices, students, and graduates; and it is the head of a +very religious province of Discalced, who have more than fifty convents +(which will soon be enumerated), in which they religiously administer +the sacraments to one hundred and thirty thousand Christians. + +90. This province during the first fourteen years was a custodia, +subject to the province of San Joseph; and it was governed by +four custodians, up to the year 1591. It was then erected into +a province, and its first provincial elected; this was father +Fray de Jesus, a Catalan from the province of San Joseph, a most +accomplished religious. From then until this year of 662 there have +been twenty-three provincials. This province has the following +convents, most of which have very substantial buildings of hewn +stone, and handsome churches well adorned with altars, reredoses, +and ornaments, with much silver--and with singers, organs, and other +musical instruments, and ecclesiastical jewels. + +91. Cabite, two leguas from Manila, is the chief port of Filipinas; +it is safe, and very convenient for all the ships of that region. With +soldiers, pilots, and mariners, it numbers one hundred and fifty +Spanish citizens; there are also many Indians, and it has a ward +of Mahometan Lascars, and another of Chinese. It has a parochial +church, with secular priests, a hospital, and convents; that of San +Francisco is the second of this [Franciscan] province, the third +being that of Ternate. The rest of the convents are in mission +parishes, each one with a religious or two teachers. There are six +in the environs of Manila--Dilao, Santa Ana, Sampaloc, Polo, Bocaui, +and Meycahuayan. There are ten [sic] along the lake of Bay--Moron, +Tanay, Pililla, Mabitac, Siniloan, Pangil, Paete, Lumban, Santa +Cruz, Pila, and Baños. There are seven in the mountains or tingues +of that lake--Nacarlan, Lilio, Mahayhai, Cabinti, Luchan, Tayabas, +and Sadiaya. On the seacoast between east and north are six--Baler, +Casiguran, Binangonan, Mauban (or Lampon), Atimonan, and Silanga +(an island), where end the archbishopric and the use of the Tagálog +language. The same coast extends through the province and bishopric of +Camarines; and journeying by way of the eastern point to the southern +coast, there are twenty convents--Paracali, Indan, Daet, Ligmanan, +Quipayo, Naga (which is Caceres), Bula, Iriga, Libon, Polanguin, Oas, +Camarines, Albay, Tabaco, Malinao, Bacon, Casiguran, Nabua, Quipia, +and Bolosan. For just reasons, I omit the administration of Ilocos, +Panay, and other districts. In Great China the order now has father +Fray Antonio de Santa Maria, a man who is great in learning and +in the religious life; with another companion, a learned preacher, +he aids in the propagation of the gospel in that great empire. + +92. This province is the only one of these Indias that has six of its +sons as holy canonized protomartyrs in Xapon--besides twenty-seven +other martyrs here and in other islands. This province has also gained +great distinction by having in Manila the convent of Santa Clara, +and in it Mother Geronima with many others who have inherited much +of her spirit. + +93-94. [In these sections Letona enumerates some of the holy +Franciscans who have been canonized from the Indias.] + + + + + + +EVENTS IN MANILA, 1662-63 + + +Relation of the events in the city of Manila from the embassy sent +by Cotsen, [41] captain-general of the coasts of China and king of +Hermosa Island, with father Fray Victorio Ricio his ambassador, in +the year 1662, until the second embassy, which his son sent with the +same father, and which was despatched on July 11, 1663. + +On the fifth of May the ambassador of Cot-sen made his entry; this +was father Fray Victorio Riccio, [42] a Florentine, a religious of +the Order of Preachers. He was attired in the garb of a mandarin's +rank, which the barbarian had conferred on him to equip him for this +embassy. Little pomp was displayed in his reception, for the unfriendly +nature of his errand was already known. Don Sabiniano Manrrique de +Lara received the letter which he brought; it was full of arrogance, +ostentatiously boasting of Cot-sen's power, and declaring that his +champans were many thousands in number and his perfect soldiers +hundreds of thousands; (it is a fact that those champans, counting +large and small, amount to 15,000, as is known by eyewitnesses); +and, in virtue of this pompous and noisy declaration, he demanded +that these islands should pay him tribute, threatening us with the +example of the Dutch. [43] + +The insolence of this demand angered all the Spaniards, and our +resolute attitude filled the Sangleys with anxiety; for, as it +could not be imagined that a less generous one [would be taken], +they feared the injuries that would be caused by the war, and that +they would be the first to suffer from these. The governor, as pious +as prudent, commanded that in the church of the Society of Jesus the +blessed sacrament should remain exposed, in order that the archbishop, +the three auditors, the superiors of the religious orders, and the +military chiefs might assemble in a devout public supplication; and +ordered that, at about the same time, a council should be summoned +(in order to give the Sangleys less cause for blame), where Cot-sen's +letter should be read and such decision made as in the opinion of +the council ought to be adopted. + +In regard to the principal point in the letter, there was little +discussion; for, as the Spanish blood was coursing impetuously in the +heart of every man there, all gave angry reply to Cot-sen's demand, +showing the courage and resolution that was to be expected from +their noble blood, and feeling shame that [even in] imagination [he] +could dare to cast so black a stigma on the Spanish name. Resolved +to die a thousand times rather than consent to such humiliation, +and regarding war as certain, as being our honorable decision, +the members of the council discussed the question of drawing off +beforehand the unwholesome humor from the body of this commonwealth +by expelling the Sangleys--who in an emergency would dangerously +divide our attention and our forces. Most of the speakers were in +favor of driving away all the infidels, leaving only the Christians, +who would in part render to the community the many services in which +the men of that nation are employed for its benefit; and, since the +Christian Sangleys were few, it would be easy to secure ourselves +from them. Moreover, we could, profiting by our experience of their +procedure, easily get rid of them if that should be expedient for our +defense in such an emergency. The council came to the conclusion that +the merchants should be allowed to carry their property with them, and +return [to China] in peace with their merchandise--not only because +they had come here in confidence and on the security afforded by the +peace, but because this generous conduct of ours would pacify their +resolute attitude, and Cot-sen would feel more anxiety at seeing how +little importance we attached to increasing his forces with the men +whom we were sending away, and at our contempt for his resources in +not appropriating the property of his people. + +As this sudden change might cause some disturbances when it should +be put into execution, the publication of the council's decision +was delayed until as many of the cavalry horses as possible could be +conveyed to the stock-farms; for, after the military authorities had +seized the roads promptly with their troops, they could check any +rash attempt, and the infidels could be peaceably sent to the ships +as had been decreed. It was resolved by unanimous vote to withdraw +the garrisons from Ternate, Zamboangan, Calamianes, and Yligan, +since everything was at risk in the principal fort [i.e., Manila], +which had not more than six hundred soldiers--and of these hardly +two hundred were in condition to endure the hardships of a campaign +or of service on the walls. [44] + +These conferences, and the activities that necessarily followed from +them were perfectly known by the Sangleys (whose fear kept them very +attentive to everything), and the lack of secrecy in the members +of the council gave them exact knowledge [of its proceedings]; +consequently, they were fully assured of a war and of their own +danger. This fear was increased by the haste with which the citizens +who had wealth in their possession undertook to hide it away. Their +desperation was completed by the interpretation which the common +people gave to everything--irresponsible soldiers, with mestizos, +mulattoes, and blacks, telling the Sangleys that they were to +have their heads cut off, as if they were men already sentenced to +death; and inflicting on them many injuries and uttering a thousand +insults. Such circumstances as these concurring in the insurrection +of the year 1603 necessarily caused it, as Doctor Morga observes; +and on this occasion their fear of the like proceedings led them +to a similar desperation. They heard that the twenty-fifth day of +May was to be that of their destruction, because the cavalry troops +were to arrive on the day before. Some of them--the most worthless +class, as butchers and vegetable-sellers--began to talk of extricating +themselves from he danger; but those in the Parián displayed no courage +for any measures, for, as their interests are so involved in peace, +they never have incurred the hazard of war except under compulsion. + +On the night of the twenty-fourth, the governor received information +from the castellan of Cavite that the Parián was to revolt on the +next day; but on that very night it was quite evident that their +determination was not to revolt, but to flee as best they could from +the death which they regarded as certain. For on that night all the +talisays [45] (which are the fishermen's boats) departed in flight; +and although General Don Francisco de Figueroa talked to the Sangleys, +endeavoring to calm their minds, it was not possible to remove their +fear. They excused themselves by saying that they knew that on the +next day all their heads would be cut off. They said that in planning +the insurrection it had been agreed that they would not separate; +but they had formed an organization to be prepared, their shops made +secure, and such weapons provided as they could find for this purpose. + +On the next day, May 25, his Lordship being anxious at this went out +with only four captains to stroll through the Parián, to learn their +intentions by observing what arrangements they had made. He found +them all very peaceable, and their shops open; they were furnishing +supplies therein, and most of them were eating breakfast. In various +places they entreated him very submissively to protect them, because +the blacks threatened them, saying that they were to be slain. His +Lordship reassured them, and offered to send a force of soldiers +who should protect and defend them from the insolent acts of the +blacks. In order to obtain further security, his Lordship ordered +that the [Sangley] ship-captains be summoned and that a bell be rung +to assemble them, in order to provide for the guard and defense of +the Parián. When they saw the captains enter the city, they regarded +the arguments of their fear as confirmed; and the entire Parián +turned out to watch what was done, all being doubtful of their +own courage. Finally, thirty Sangleys from those who were uneasy, +seeing the last captain enter, ran toward the gate to detain him +and laid hands upon him when he was near the portcullis--either to +obtain by this service means to ingratiate themselves with Cot-sen, +or to secure a person who at all events could direct them. The men +stationed at the gate, who saw the haste with which they approached, +seized their arms and shot down some of the Sangleys. The guard on +the walls suspected them of greater designs; and from the bulwark of +San Gabriel Sargento-mayor Martin Sanchez, without the order that he +should have had for this, fired two cannon. At the noise of the shots +the people in the Parián, who were in suspense waiting to see how this +tragedy would end, without further delay raised an outcry; and having +heard that all Manila was coming to attack them flung themselves into +the river--those who could, in bancas; most of them held up by some +piece of bamboo. Others, more alarmed, took to swimming, and as they +were confused by fear, went down the current, and many of them were +drowned. The multitude of bancas hurried to a champan which was about +to depart, which lay outside the bar with only two soldiers to guard +it; and the Sangleys going aboard it hoisted sail. The [rest of the] +crowd crossed to Santa Cruz where they halted; they talked with the +father minister of that village (who was minister to the Chinese), +Father Francisco Mesina, and gave him an account of their flight, +saying that they feared that our people intended to cut off their +heads. The father calmed them and offered to obtain for them pardon +from his Lordship, for which purpose he immediately set out. The +merchants and peaceable people in the Parián, some 1,500 in number, +remained in their houses--in hiding, so that it seemed as if there was +not a soul in the Parián--awaiting their doom. Considering that in +the hills they would not better their condition, but that this with +excessive hardships would only delay their end, many fore-stalled +death by inflicting it upon themselves--some by hanging, and others +by plunging into the river. + +Without delay his Lordship went to the gate, most fortunately for +the Sangleys and with great benefit to the community, as the result +showed; for if he had not been present at the gate, the fear of being +besieged which all felt, would have led them to engage in hostilities +with the Parián and use their arms, compelling the governor to +give them his entire attention. But his Lordship in so difficult a +crisis which demanded prompt and resolute action, took counsel with +past experiences and present necessities, his keen and quick mind +attentive to everything. Knowing well that this disturbance was caused +by fear, he was unwilling to make it greater in the outcome without +dissuading [the Sangleys from revolt] by acts of clemency--since an +encounter with the Parián must of necessity make both [parties among +the Sangleys] declared enemies, and desperation would render them +terrible as had been experienced in former insurrections. Moreover, +our people would be obliged to use time and people when both were +scanty for the emergency that we were expecting of further conflict; +since the guards necessary for fortifying the city were inadequate, +on account of our pursuing the rest of the fugitives. Accordingly, the +governor prudently preferred to leave them uncertain and in expectancy +rather than in declared and resolute attitude, since in the former +condition they were easy to subdue, which in the other case would +involve a great expenditure of military supplies--which would of +necessity be greatly impaired when, for a long siege, all abundance +is moderation. [For economy is needed:] of provisions, when there are +no funds in the treasury, and no harvest in the villages with which +to supply the city with food; and of men, when there are not enough +to man the walls--to say nothing of the severity of fighting and of +the inclemencies of the weather with their exposure to the rains. + +His Lordship left the Sangleys reassured, and the rage of the Spaniards +checked; he retired to the storehouses from which he immediately +despatched a champan with a strong force of men in pursuit of the one +that the Sangleys had stolen, and furnished all the military posts +with abundance of supplies. It was past one o'clock when he returned +to the palace; and before he took any rest or sat down at his table, +he appointed General Francisco de Esteibar as chief master-of-camp, +to act if occasion should arise for a military campaign, and that +there might be, either for that purpose or for affairs in the city, +an officer to take his own place when absent. + +While the governor was at the warehouses the first embassy sent by +the Sangleys found him; it came by Father Francisco Mesina, who said +that those who had crossed over to Santa Cruz were in the greatest +uncertainty, and would return to their obedience if he would pardon +them. During the time which the father spent in this mission the +scoundrels who had approached the gate, and in the first onslaught +had killed two Spaniards, finished crossing the river; these fled +in confusion by way of the Parián, and completed the terrorization +of the other Sangleys, most of whom therefore went out to Sagar and +others to Meysilo. + +Father Mesina returned with pardon for them and found it necessary +to pursue them. He continued his endeavors by means of the father +mandarin, [46] giving him a paper written in the Chinese language [to +assure them] of entire safety. Although the latter set out with it, +he did not reach the Sangleys, and Father Francisco Mesina sent his +despatch by a messenger whom he encountered, placing it in the hands +of a boy who carried it; for lack of a horse, he himself remained +at Meyhaligue. + +Fathers Nicolas Cani and Bartolome Vesco, who mounted on good horses +had been pushing ahead since noon, went as far as San Francisco +del Monte where they encountered some troops. They fell in with +the soldiers and talked with them about bringing in the Sangleys; +it was finally decided that Father Francisco Mesina should go ahead, +and that the matter should be settled with him. + +While the religious were making these efforts, his Lordship took +all suitable measures by way of preparation for any event. He sent +for Master-of-camp Don Juan Macapapal, who in the disturbances in +Pampanga had proved his constancy and devotion in his Majesty's +service, and ordered him to bring three hundred picked bowmen, +the best in his villages; and he commanded that two hundred veteran +soldiers be selected from the villages of Pampanga. From two o'clock +were continually arriving the cavalry which the governor had ordered +to be brought from the ranches [47] in order to relieve the Sangleys +of the Parián from their fears; for the coming of these horsemen would +guide the fugitives from the mountains in their decision. His Lordship +charged the religious orders to send some fathers in order that they +might assist the Spaniards, and by their authority check the insolent +acts of those who might try to harm the Sangleys, in order that the +latter might not be further upset by their misfortunes. This was a +prudent decision; for, even with all this foresight, it was almost +impossible to defend the Sangleys from the robberies which were +attempted by negroes and base fellows at the risk of frustrating his +Lordship's pious efforts. Among these were not lacking some persons +from whom more might be expected, who--some in person, and some by +means of their servants--furnished their own houses very well [from +the spoils of the Sangleys]. + +That afternoon, his Lordship walked through the Parián; the Sangleys +came to their doors, and kneeling before him with faces like those +of dead men entreated mercy from him. His Lordship consoled them, +telling them that they had no cause to fear; that his anger was not +directed against them, and that he was their father; that only the +foolish ones who would not submit would find him severe, while those +who were discreet and peaceable would experience his great clemency. + +From the time when the disturbance began until it was entirely quieted, +his Lordship had much to do in defending his prudent decision against +the many Spaniards who desired to break entirely with the Sangleys +and make an end of them--not considering that such proceedings would +ruin the colony, all the more as, since we had to prepare for the war +that we regarded as certain, we needed more of the Sangleys' industry +for the many labors required for defending and fortifying the walls, +erecting temporary defenses, and harnessing so many horses; for it +is they who bear the burdens of the community in all its crafts, +notably in those that are most necessary. + +The debate became hotter when, at nightfall, our people found the body +of Fray José de Madrid, [48] a Dominican whom the seditious Sangleys +had slain in that morning's outbreak in order to crush the rest by +the horror of that crime--making the other Sangleys think that after +so atrocious a deed there remained for them no hope of pardon, and +no other means of saving their lives than to follow [the dictates of] +their desperation. There is no doubt that if this murder had been known +in the morning, it would have injured the interests of the Sangleys; +and that between the scruples of prudence and justice [on the one +hand], and the boldness of the counsels given by all the rest of the +military men [on the other], the piety of so just a vengeance would +have strongly prevailed. But the corpse was quickly buried--either +by the father's assailants, repentant; or by the peaceable Sangleys, +in fear--and, detected either by the odor or by the signs made by +some servants who, hidden in the convent of the Parián, witnessed the +occurrence, the body was found that night. The news, which quickly +ran through the Parián, filled all with horror and caused some of the +Sangleys to flee from that quarter. Accordingly, by morning affairs +assumed a worse aspect, and the more influential personages and the +military leaders became less friendly to the Sangleys. All directed +their efforts to persuading his Lordship to have the heads of all the +Sangleys cut off, commencing at the Parián and conducting a campaign in +pursuit of the rest of the fugitives. His Lordship, seeing that they +had allotted the Sangleys but a short respite, that they had the day +before left the settlement of matters with Father Francisco Mesina +and that more time than this was necessary for securing the proper +degree of order, resolved to hasten the negotiations for peace and +to go to see the father with the Sangleys in company with a Sangley +named Raimundo, an agent of Cot-sen in this city. + +At this time so many lies were current against the behavior of the +Sangleys, and these were so well received by those who desired to +destroy them--persons who were actuated more by avarice and selfishness +than by interest in the welfare of the community--that they caused +hesitation among even the most cautious and prudent. On one hand they +said that a battalion of Sangleys had entered the village of Tondo +(which is distant a cannon-shot from the city) and had already set +fire to the church. Again, the fugitives had retreated upon Sagar, and +had fitted up many forges in order to make weapons, and were working +these eagerly day and night. But his Lordship--who was well informed +regarding the available forces, and knew that he could send hardly +one hundred strong men into the field out of the six hundred whom +he had in the city, and how important it was to reserve his entire +strength for the greater danger; and who very correctly judged that +inconsiderate desires for an assault [on the Parián] had fabricated +these inventions, and that the more discreet gave credit to these tales +in order to oppose his own steadfast determination--instantly went in +person to satisfy himself regarding this story about Tondo. Finding +that it was imaginary, he realized how little credence should be given +to novelties brought from afar when some one had dared to concoct +such things under his very eyes; and he therefore allowed the peace +negotiations to proceed by the agencies which had commenced them. + +There is no doubt that the successful outcome of this affair is due +solely to the prudent management of the governor; and that, if he had +allowed himself to be dragged along by the opinions which prevailed +in popular estimation, an insurrection would have been contrived +that would have fatigued the soldiery in a campaign of many months, +and caused much destruction in the villages; for the insurrections +that we keep in mind in these islands included no more [favoring] +circumstances [than did this one], nor did this lack anything except +the actual assault. But his Lordship knew how evil advisers are the +individuals concerned in this matter, in which one seldom finds a +person who is not interested in the ruin of the Sangley--some on +account of the loot [that they may obtain]; the rest, because there +are few persons who do not hold property of the Sangleys in trust, or +else owe for much merchandise which they have bought on credit. Many +have become depositaries for their acquaintances, who, fearing the +removal of their property to other hands, give it to their intimate +friends to keep; and by slaying the Sangleys all render account with +payment. Accordingly, in the insurrection of 1639 it was found by +experience that those in whom the Sangleys placed most confidence were +the first and most importunate voters for their ruin. In this decision +it is only the king who hazards his treasure, and his governor who +risks a point of honor; for finally the very persons who, through +either self-interest or greed, advised the assault [on the Sangleys] +cast on the governor the blame of the insurrection, as happened to +Don Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera. The very persons who, censuring +him as a coward and representing to him instances of boldness forced +[by desperation] on the part of the Sangleys as causes for employing +armed force against them, afterward, when at their importunities +he had kindled the fire, declared that by this act he had caused +the revolt, compelling the innocent and peaceable to become enemies +against their own will. Here this class of persons was protected, +and the way left open for [the return of] the others; for with the +burning of the Parián these would have been enemies, and all would +have despaired of reconciliation. This was seen by the response made +to Father Francisco Mesina the first time when he went to confer with +them about their submission; they said, "To whom shall we turn if the +Parián is burned now?" But when he assured them that the affair had +not reached that stage, they were astonished and readily discussed +submission--as those who had gone away, fleeing from our arms which +they supposed to be declared against them; and the haste of their +flight had not given them leisure to ascertain our decision, as they +regarded their own imaginations as facts. + +In their mode of action they plainly showed their intentions--that +they were not rebels, but terrified fugitives; nor did they injure +either life or property, whether of Spaniards or of natives. Nor +did they avail themselves of the privilege which the necessity of +supporting life gave them, to use the rice, for they used what they +needed of the food which the Sangley farm-hands had in their houses; +while in the insurrections attested as such they did not leave a +village without burning it, or property that was not pillaged in all +this province of Tondo--sparing not even what was holy, profaning +the churches and the sacred images. + +In consequence of his agreement with the Sangley fugitives, Father +Francisco Mesina set out again on the twenty-sixth of the month in +company with the Sangley Raimundo; and at night he reached Sagar in +the fields of which the Sangleys were encamped. Many of them (mostly +Christians) hastened toward the father bewailing their misery and +asking permission to go down to the Parián. So great was their anxiety +that, on that very night, they undertook to carry out this plan. How +important was the preservation of the dove-cote, in order that these +doves might not complete their flight to the mountains and might +easily recover their domesticated tranquillity! The father delayed +their journey until morning, and on the next day, the twenty-seventh, +sent to Manila four hundred of them whom he found most inclined to go +and who showed least distrust in the company of Father Nicolas Cani, +so that he could assure their safety from any misfortune. On the same +day he went with Father Bartolome Besco and the Sangley Raimundo to +the place where the fugitives were encamped. On the way he encountered +some companies of seamen from the champans and other riff-raff, who +were ignorant of the agreement for the submission of their fellows; +and these would not allow the fathers to pass. But when this was known +at their camp two of their leading men went down to the father and told +him that they all would follow his advice; but that Raimundo was not +a suitable person for settling the matter with them, because many of +the Sangleys were suspicious of him on account of his long residence +among us. They told the father to bring two of their ship-captains, +so that this business might be concluded with them. The father retired +to San Juan del Monte, in order to say mass there the next day, the +twenty-eighth (which was the feast of Pentecost), and sent word to +his Lordship of what the Sangleys demanded. + +In accordance with this his Lordship on the twenty-eighth summoned +the ship-captains, and after he had conferred with them they went +back to the father and told him that it was not necessary that he +should fatigue himself by going to the [Sangley] camp, since all +the fugitives had already agreed to come down. They only asked that +the ships might go to Nabotas, from which place all the Sangleys who +had to embark for China would sail; and that the father would, for +this purpose, go there in company with the regimental master-of-camp, +Domingo de Ugarte, who was very acceptable to them and well known for +his kindness to them. On the thirtieth they came down with this reply; +and on the thirty-first the father went back with it to confer with his +Lordship. The latter was ill pleased with the stipulation of embarking +at Navotas on account of the lack of confidence that they displayed; +but the father set out to bring them over to whatever his Lordship +should ordain, as he finally decided it--departing on the first +of June accompanied by Master-of-camp Domingo de Ugarte and three +ship-captains. They arrived that night at the village of Taytay, the +nearest village to the place that the Sangleys had occupied; and that +very night they despatched the ship-captains fully instructed. On the +next day, June 2, the captains came down with the reply and decision +of all the Sangleys--that they would come down to the Parián from +which they would embark in the champans which were ready to depart; +while the Christians would come down to the villages of Santa Cruz +and Binondo, or as his Lordship should command. This they carried +out in the time which they asked, which was two days. + +Their resolution was much aided by the one which his Lordship had +taken ever since May 26, when he ordered that one of the champans +should be made ready for the voyage, promising its captain beforehand a +thousand Sangleys, whom he must without fail transport. He commanded +one of the three champans that were at Cavite to come to Manila; +this was to open the door wide in the face of their mistrust, and it +showed that his intention was only to make the country safe and not +to avenge on them (as they had believed) the insolence of Cot-sen. + +The fugitives thereupon came down in all haste and especially on the +day that had been set, June 4; yet notwithstanding this, so great +was the anxiety to feed on the wretched Sangleys that [some people +attempted to] persuade his Lordship that the whole arrangement was a +sham; that all the Sangleys were still in the field, and that they only +came down from their camp on this pretext, in order to search for what +they needed and to carry away the few who remained in the Parián. His +Lordship, giving another day of vigilance, apparently yielded to +the importunate outcries of the many who clamored for the punishment +of the Sangleys--who had committed no crime except their terrified +flight; and ordered the soldiers to be made ready in order that he +might freely select the troops who were to go out for the campaign. + +The bowmen of Master-of-camp Don Juan Macapagal had already arrived, +also the 200 Pampango veteran soldiers in charge of Master-of-camp +Don Francisco Lacsamana. He [i.e., his Lordship] commanded them to +be mustered on June 6; and when all were expecting [that he would +select] a strong battalion of Spaniards, Pampangos, Mardicas, [49] +Japanese, and creoles, he left them all mocked and humiliated who had +attributed to cowardice the forbearance dictated by his prudence. He +set aside only the regiment of Pampangos, arquebusiers and bowmen; +and committed the exploit to the Pampango master-of-camp, Don Francisco +Lacsamana--leaving in the lurch those who attached so much importance +to the enterprise, and who attributed his delay to fear. Unaffected +by considerations of mere policy, his Lordship moved in accordance +with right and the light of truth which belongs to those free from +prejudice; he had carefully considered the enterprise and saw that but +little [poisonous] humor remained to be corrected. He therefore chose +to make it evident that his delay was not for the sake of temporizing +but to show clemency; and that, able to resist no longer, he was using +rigor against those who in so many days had not availed themselves of +his clemency. And, to show how great was his courage and how superior +he regarded his forces, he did not vouchsafe to send out Spaniards +but entrusted the issue to the Pampangos. + +This was information which by one act, his discretion gained with +great results. He made trial of the fidelity of the Pampangos, whose +commotions and recent punishments had left their fidelity uncertain; +and he put them on their honor with this so honorable commission, to +act then with valor and afterward with constancy. It would make them +hated by the Sangleys, to oblige them to become enemies; and would give +Cot-sen to understand how little importance the governor attached to +the latter's men, since he was attacking them with natives alone. He +could ascertain thus what was the disposition of the Pampangos, and +how much courage they had for resisting that pirate; for himself, +the injury which the islands had experienced in so many disturbances +of the natives gave him some confidence. + +He gave them their orders--that they should march to the camp of +the Sangleys without doing harm to any peaceable Sangleys whom they +might encounter on the way, who should be going to the city; and when +they should arrive there, giving the troops a rest, they should make +the assault on the next day cutting off the heads of all [whom they +should find there]. At the same time his Lordship despatched orders +to the alcaldes-mayor of Bay and Bulacan--through whose provinces +the Sangleys would necessarily have to disperse after they were +routed--to go out with three hundred bowmen from each province to +occupy the roads against them; so that wherever they should seek +a route to safety they should meet destruction. The Pampangos left +the city before noon; his Lordship anticipating all possible events +three hours later commanded two companies of horsemen to make ready, +who should set out at daybreak for the [Sangley] camp--in order that +if the Pampangos met bad luck they might have sufficient protection, +and could thus recover their courage and renew the attack in full +assurance of victory. + +The Pampangos encountered on the way many bands of Sangleys, who +were coming to the Parián, and allowed these to pass them without any +harm. About five o'clock in the afternoon they came in sight of the +camp; and, in order not to divide the merit of the exploit with the +Spaniards--who, as they knew, were to go thither at daylight--they +would not wait until the daylight watch as they had planned. Without +taking any rest and unarmed they closed with the Sangleys who numbered +some 1,500 men; and in two assaults they routed the enemy without any +loss save a captain of their nation who fell dead, and some soldiers +who were wounded. The Sangleys left in their camp more than sixty dead +men, and all their provisions and baggage remained in the possession +of the Pampangos; the latter did not follow in pursuit, partly as the +hour was now very late, partly that they might satiate themselves +with the booty. But on the morning of June 7 the cavalry appeared, +who, learning of the defeat, pursued the fugitives until they entered +a region that was rocky and overgrown with thickets, where most of +them perished--some from hunger, and many from the cruelty of the +Negrillos of the mountains. Then, as the alcaldes-mayor of Bay and +Bulacan attacked them with their troops, hardly a Sangley could escape +who did not perish either at their hands or those of the Negrillos. + +Up to the twenty-fourth of June the troops, both cavalry and infantry, +remained in active service--partly to put an end to the remaining +fugitives, partly to keep the retirade occupied in case of any +disturbance in Manila, since it was a place near that point to which +the Sangleys resorted on such occasions. After that date the troops +gradually withdrew, his Lordship showing great kindness and many +favors to the Pampangos. To those who had shared in this exploit he +granted exemption from paying tributes; and, honoring them by the +confidence which he had in their fidelity, he gave up to them on +the twenty-sixth the guard-room in the palace--with which they left +service well content and full of courage for greater enterprises. + +Afterward, the regiments from Pangasinan and Ylocos entered Manila, +brought by General Don Felipe de Ugalde. After they had been mustered +in Manila, so that the Sangleys could see the force that had been +provided against Cot-sen, they were ordered to return to their +own country so that they could attend to the cultivation of their +grainfields; for, as they were nearest to us, they could easily be +summoned for an emergency. The same orders were given to the Pampangos +and to the men from the provinces of Bay and Bulacan; also that they +should keep the picked and trained men separate, so that these might +be found ready without confusion or disturbance at the first warning. + +The cavalry, a suitable number for 600 horses, were finally assembled +by General Don Francisco de Figueroa whom his Lordship had honored with +this command. They were divided into six companies each containing +twenty-five Spaniards, the remainder being cowherds, negroes, and +mulattoes--men very suitable for this service as being dextrous and +inured to hardship. They were mustered in the city and along the +beach in sight of the champans; and were at once divided among the +posts that were most suitable--two companies in Cavite, and the rest +in the environs of Tondo. + +All the Sangleys in the provinces of this mainland [of Luzón] who had +not taken refuge in the Parián in time were decapitated. Those who +thus took refuge were confined to the point of Cavite or to the Parián +of the city, so that we might keep them within range of our guns, +and where they would be of advantage for whatever had to be done for +the fortification of both posts and the protection of the shore. His +Lordship commanded that lists be made of [the Sangleys engaged in the +different] crafts, reserving as many of these as were deemed sufficient +for the needs of the city and service; and he ordered that of all the +rest as many as space could be found for should be shipped [to China], +compelling the captains to transport them. There was one champan which +took aboard 1,300 of them; they were so crowded together that they +could hardly sit down; but in this the captain had no small profit, +for they exacted from each one ten pesos as passage-money. + +When the champans were ready to weigh anchor, his Lordship was +informed that the two chief leaders of the people who had fled to the +mountains had come down in the last bands. These two were infidels; +one was the contractor for the slaughterhouses, named Barba, and the +other a shopkeeper named [blank space in MS.]; and by the help of +some of their followers they had been hidden, so that they could go +away in the first champans. We had certain information that these +men were among the people on shipboard, but all the efforts of +the officials were frustrated by the dissimulation of the Sangleys +until his Lordship resorted to direct measures, and, summoning the +ship-captains, commanded them to find and surrender those two men, +saying that if they did not he would order their heads to be cut +off. All were terrified and within a few hours they dragged out the two +culprits by the neck--one from the champan on which he had embarked; +the other from a hut in which he had hidden himself. On the following +day they were executed between the Parián and the city in sight of the +Sangleys. They had ruled tyrannically, and with their deaths our fear +passed away, having inflicted due punishment with so little bloodshed. + +The champans departed one after another; and on the day when the last +three--those of the ambassador and two others which he carried in his +convoy--were to set sail, which was June 10, his Lordship ordered that +the chimes should be rung as a token of rejoicing over false news +of the ships from Nueva España (which he caused to be published), +artfully brought in by an advice-boat. This was done in order that +the ambassador and the Sangleys, persuaded that we had received +succor of men and money, might with this belief aid in repressing the +fierceness of the barbarian, artfully supplying what was lacking in our +reputation for strength. But God, who directs the hearts of rulers, +made the bells ring for true news, bringing to port on that very day +the patache which came from Nueva España, July 13, when people were +becoming discouraged by the delay of the second advice-boat. + +His Lordship gave orders to collect in the Parián all the remaining +Sangleys under penalty of death to any who should leave it; +and although in a few days he gave them more space, it did not +extend beyond the range of the artillery. With the same severity he +compelled them to sleep within the Parián; and as the regiment from +Cagayan came unexpectedly--a warlike people, who, as they belong +to a province so remote, cannot wait for news of the necessity, +but can only forestall it--he lodged these near the Parián in full +readiness for any disturbance. The regiments of Caragas, Cebuans, and +Boholans arrived; the Caragas were sent to the point of Cavite, and +the rest were quartered in La Estacada, [50] the Cagayans proceeding +to Santa Cruz. With these forces the river was thoroughly occupied +from the bar to the upper reaches, and its passage was closed to +the Sangleys. The same plan was observed with the cavalry, the two +companies at Cavite being quartered in the fields there and the rest +in Binondo and Meyhaligue. The Sangleys were thus more thoroughly +imprisoned than if they were in the jail. + +From the first day [of the commotion] his Lordship directed all +his efforts to supplying the city with provisions, and succeeded in +bringing in 120,000 cabans of rice with meat, fish, and vegetables. Now +with greater energy he attended to its fortification, personally +overcoming the difficulties: in [procuring] the lime--which were great, +for the rains had begun and the lime was brought so far (from Bulacan +and Bacolor)--and in the construction itself, for eleven defenses +were begun in different places. His Lordship gave personal attention +to those which were most important--eating his meals and despatching +business on the beach in a straw hut that was built for him, so light +that it was carried on men's shoulders from one place to another as +the importance of the work required; and was watchful on every side, +not only on account of the ardor which caused him to give his aid, +but also for the sake of his example. He was the first and most +steadfast in the work of conveying earth and stones for earth-works +and masonry; and his example was followed by the citizens with the +men in their service. Besides this fatigue he was overburdened with +the minor cares of the work, sending in all directions for the lime, +and himself allotting it as if he had no other matters to attend +to. In order that the dissensions among the military leaders might not +delay the execution of his plans, he suppressed the office of chief +master-of-camp and sargento-mayor--which had been created to divide his +cares, and when necessary, to supply his place when absent, since he +must render aid in all quarters--and took upon himself all those cares, +in order that those who were working should find no obstacle that +would delay them. Thus he finished in a short time and with less than +6,000 pesos of expense, works which would have consumed half a million +[pesos] and caused ten years of hardships to the provinces--availing +himself of the opportunity to attain his endeavor, and arranging that +the Sangleys should be exchanged in shifts, 300 together in these. The +[various native] peoples [were exchanged] by companies in the same +manner as were the Spaniards; and the people of the neighboring +villages with longer time for resting their relays, so that they might +not be hindered from attending to their grain-fields. And in this +there was much latitude in the execution of orders, the neglects and +omissions which are so usual to the sloth of those peoples being +overlooked--although the way in which the people were treated, +their willingness, and their consideration of its importance, all +facilitated so difficult an enterprise as the repair of the castle, +which toward the river was threatening to fall. A fausse-braye [51] +was applied to it, which commenced at a cupola and ended at the bar, +with a very handsome platform; and five redoubts were erected which +ran from that point toward the sea as far as the bulwark at the foundry +(which defends the gate on the land side), as the wall was there very +weak and its defenses were far apart and not very convenient. From +this bulwark to the gate was built a covert-way, and in front of it a +ravelin, from which again ran the covert-way until it connected with +the bulwark of Dilao, and met the estuary which crosses from Malosa +the land as far as the moat. At the gate of Santo Domingo another +redoubt was erected, and another at the postern of the Almacenes +[i.e., magazines], so that these shook hands with the cupola at the +river. At the gate of the Parián a spacious ravelin was made with its +covert-way toward the bridge over the river, cutting the land between +the inner and outer ditches, and leaving a passage sunken around the +ditches for a movable bridge. The wall was strengthened toward the +river and Bagumbayan by its fausse-braye. A fine bridge was built +on the estuary of Santa Cruz, so that the cavalry and troops could +reconnoiter unhindered the other side of the river, as well as Sagar +and Antipolo. [52] + +At the same time, public prayers were offered. The Augustinian +religious began this with the opportunity afforded by the fiesta of +the canonization of St. Thomas of Villanova. They were followed by the +fathers of the Society of Jesus with the triumphal reception of the +bodies of Sts. Martial and Jucundus and the relics of other martyrs, +which were deposited in the cathedral, and were carried in a grand +procession to the church of the Society; the governor, the Audiencia, +the cabildos, and the citizens, with the regiment of soldiers (who +fired a salute) took part in this. The governor paid the expenses of an +octave festival in the cathedral in honor of the archangel St. Michael +on the fourteenth of January; it began with a procession which marched +through the Calle de Palacio, past the house of the Misericordia, +the convent of San Agustin, and the college of the Society; thence it +turned toward the Recollects by way of the convent of San Francisco +to that of Santo Domingo; and by the college of Santo Tomas returned +to the cathedral. The said prayers were continued until Lent. + +In the midst of these pious exercises the ambassador from China found +us: this was the same religious as before, Fray Victorio Riccio. To +the salute which he fired his Lordship commanded answer to be made +with ball, as one who, having been challenged, awaited the envoy on +a war footing; and despatched to the shore the sargento-mayor of the +garrison to tell him that, on account of the hostilities which he +had announced in the name of Cot-sen, we had expected him to come as +an enemy and were prepared to receive him with the sternness that is +customary in war, and that he must inform the governor of the nature +of the despatches that he carried. The ambassador answered that he +came in peace; and by the news which he at once related it was learned +that, only a few days after his Lordship had placed his forces under +the powerful protection of the holy archangel, Cot-sen had died. + +That ruler was ready in all the strength given by ships, men, and +provisions to deliberate according to the news that he should receive +from here upon the measures that would have to be taken, when the first +Sangleys [from Manila] arrived. They, driven by fear and urged on by +desperation, scorning the cannon-shots that were fired from the castle, +seized a royal champan which was ready to sail; and those Sangleys who +had left [the Pasig River] in the talisays, for whom there was no room, +seized other champans in the channels of Mariveles. These fugitives +regarded as already executed that of which their fear persuaded them; +and they told the corsair that the governor had commanded that all +the Sangleys should be slain, not only the traders but those who were +living in this city. At this he was kindled to such anger that he +immediately undertook to sally forth for vengeance without heeding the +obstacles that he would now meet in the expedition from unfavorable +weather. It seemed to the Chinese that with only half of their fleet, +even though the other half should perish, they could carry abundant +force for the enterprise. Upon this disturbance of his mind came the +rebellion of his son whom he had commanded to be slain; [53] and the +mandarins of his city, Vi-cheo, [Fuh-chau, or Foo-chow] protected the +son, having resolved to defend him. With these anxieties Cot-sen was +walking one afternoon through the fort on Hermosa Island which he had +gained from the Dutch. His mind began to be disturbed by visions, which +he said appeared to him, of thousands of men who placed themselves +before him, all headless and clamoring for vengeance on the cruelty +and injustice which had been wreaked on them; accordingly, terrified +at this vision (or else a lifelike presentation by his imagination) +he took refuge in his house and flung himself on his bed, consumed +by a fierce and burning fever. This caused him to die on the fifth +day, fiercely scratching his face and biting his hands--without any +further last will than to charge his intimate friends with the death +of his son, or more repentance for his cruelty than to continue it +by the orders that he gave for them to kill various persons; thus +God interrupted by his death many cruel punishments. + +Moreover, some mandarins were pacified who were resentful because +the alcaldes of Pangasinan and Cagayan had seized some goods from +their agents; and the father ambassador made satisfactory answers +to the complaints made on account of the incorrect reports of the +fugitives. The Chinese therefore solicited peace, and the continuance +of the trade. This was a piece of good-fortune so timely that it +enabled us to send this year a ship to Nueva España for the usual aid, +the building of this ship having been stopped for lack of iron; for, +since the iron which came in three ships from China had been bought +on his Majesty's account, it became necessary to beg iron from the +religious orders and the citizens and to tear out the few iron gratings +which such emergencies as these had left in the city. This necessarily +made evident to that [Chinese] nation how greatly we depend on them +for our means of support. + +The ambassador, Fray Victorio Riccio, finally came hither on April 8 +with news of the peace; it had been concluded so much to our favor +that no further conditions were imposed beyond the restitution of +the property which had remained here placed in the hands of private +citizens, and that which the alcaldes-mayor had withheld in Cagayan +and Pangasinan. Thus the country was quieted, and all its people +were freed from the affliction which the haughty and cruel kingdom +of China had caused us by its threats. + +The people who followed this corsair amounted to over a million +of men of war alone. The champans (which are their ships), large +and small, numbered 15,000 and many of them carried forty pieces +of artillery. So arrogant was the corsair with his power, that he +aspired to gain the kingdom from the Tartar king (who is also ruler +of Great China) and be crowned at Nanquin, assured that, as Fortune +showed herself friendly to him, the entire empire would follow him as +the man who maintained the authority of it all--not only as he was +captain-general for the dead king but because he had been confirmed +in this office by the king now living, who is called Ens-lec. [54] He +also intended to maintain the superstitions, dress, rites, and customs +of his ancestors--especially the garments and [mode of wearing] the +hair, to which the Chinese are excessively attached. This purpose +had caused them to endure his cruelty, which had been so great +that more than three millions of men had died for his satisfaction +alone. This fierce captain would have succeeded in that enterprise, +if he had not been drawn off from it to gain the neighboring cities, +nine in number (the smallest one containing 200,000 souls), thus +giving the Tartar king time for better preparation. Nevertheless, +he had the courage to invest Nanquin, the court city of Great China, +which is defended by three walls two leguas distant from one another, +the circuit of the first being thirty leguas. [55] He gained the first +wall and brought affairs to such a crisis that the king, fearing his +fierce determination, talked of fleeing from his court of Pequin. The +mandarins warned him that by such a course he would lose the entire +kingdom; for the inhabitants of the city, dispirited by such tokens +of weakness, would instantly surrender in order not to experience +the corsair's ferocity. They said that this victory would give him so +much reputation that he would easily subdue the entire kingdom; that +it was most important to make all the rest of their power effective, +withdrawing all the troops from other strongholds to increase the +royal forces with a multitude of veterans and well-disciplined +soldiers. The king did so and attacked the enemy with 400,000 +horsemen; and as Cot-sen on account of having left his islands had +no cavalry worth mention, he was compelled to yield to a power so +formidable. With the loss of 80,000 men and most of his champans, +he left the river on which the court city stands, and returned to his +own town, Vi-chen. But this blow left him so little inclined to profit +by experience and his strength so little diminished that, when the +entire Chinese force pursued him in a fleet of many ships, he went +out to meet them at a legua's distance from his principal island, +[56] and fought with them the greatest battle that those seas have +ever seen. Cot-sen sent most of their champans to the bottom, and +captured many; few escaped, and those were damaged. This filled that +country with such fear that their precautions [against him] wrought +more destruction than his cruelty could have accomplished; for these +obliged the king of China to depopulate the extensive coasts of his +entire kingdom, a strip of land six leguas wide embracing cities of +100,000 or 200,000 inhabitants, in order that they might not be the +prey of the conqueror. [57] This was a measure tending to the latter's +prosperity; for all those many people, finding themselves without +land or settled mode of life, crowded into the corsair's service to +spend their lives and to maintain themselves on the abundant booty +offered to them by his power as absolute master of the seas. + +The intention of this barbarian [Cot-sen] was to become the master +of China, profiting by the hatred of the Chinese to the Tartars, +and on the present occasion by the fact of the king's death. But +as Cot-sen needed land whereon to maintain so many people, he was +minded to conquer Hermosa and these islands. Accordingly, he landed +[on Hermosa] first in April, 1660, with 100,000 men, a hundred cannon +for batteries, and a still larger number of field-pieces; the cannons +carried balls of forty to fifty libras. At first the Dutch scoffed +at their forces, calling them "men of the paypay"--that is, "of the +fan," which all of that nation use, as if they were women. Confident +in the impregnable nature of their fortress (into which they gathered +the feeble garrison of the island), and in the large and splendid +force of men which defended it, more than two thousand in number, +although they had nineteen ships, they did not take these out of +the river when they could; and the Sangleys attacked them on the +sea to great advantage overcoming the Dutch with their champans, and +inflicting much injury on them--for these champans are lighter vessels +[than those of the Dutch], and their people are very skilful in the +management of artillery. The Dutch at once sallied out with 300 men +to prevent them from occupying the islet in the Mosamboy entrance, +[58] on which the Chinese expected to plant their battery; but the +multitude charged upon the Dutch and cut off the heads of all, except +one or two who escaped by swimming. This humbled the pride of the +Dutch and dispirited their men. As soon as the Chinese landed their +men they attacked the eminence, where the Dutch had a fort called +Chiacam garrisoned with sixty soldiers; but it surrendered on the third +day, and the Chinese used the Dutchmen for handling the artillery, +assigning them to various stations. In the harbor they burned three +ships and boarded one; and such was the fear that filled the hearts +of the timid of falling into the hands of so bloody and savage an +enemy, that twelve Dutch fugitives with other people went to him +[as those who surrendered] with five brigantines which the [Dutch] +fort had employed for many purposes. + +The Chinese began their enterprise with as much fury as if they +had lacked time for the attacks of their batteries; but in their +assurance and the manner of their encampment they acted as if +time were of no importance, since it was the chief enemy of the +besieged. Palmo by palmo they steadily gained the [surrounding] +country, carrying with them branches, and baskets [of earth], until +they established themselves near the fortifications of the Dutch; +and during the ten months while the siege lasted they did not cease +firing all their artillery, night or day. In another direction an +innumerable throng of laborers were continually at work cultivating +the soil, as if they were already its owners; and before the fort +surrendered, the Chinese were already enjoying the produce of their +farming. For the proud corsair went [to Hermosa] so confident in his +strength that among the 500 champans which he took with him for this +enterprise many went loaded with plows, seeds, and the other things +used in cultivating land with innumerable workmen who were set aside +for this service alone. Consequently, while he fought he peopled and +cultivated the island without any one being able to prevent him; and, +as he is so rich, he carried a great quantity of cloth, in order to +attract the poor natives and bring them over to his side, in which +he has succeeded. + +Only one other engagement was a success for the Dutch, who undertook, +when the Chinese first encamped, to bombard them with all their cannon +at once; and, having thus demolished their huts and fortifications, +the Dutch made a bold sortie, spiked six of the enemy's cannon, +cut to pieces the garrison, 3,000 in number, and were carrying away +nineteen pieces of artillery to the fort. But another Sangley officer +hurried up with his regiment and attacked the Dutch with such fury +that they were obliged to leave the captured cannon behind, and in +disorder, take refuge within the fort. With the twelve Dutchmen they +put the fortifications in better shape, and their bombardment began +to be more effective. Finally they demolished the redoubt with all +the fortifications outside, and approached the fort so closely that +the men on the walls talked with those in the enemy's camp. They +demolished the second height of the wall, which had no terreplein; +the governor of the place was killed by a cannon-ball; and every day +the enemy came up to the walls to drink the health of the Dutchmen +and display other soldierly civilities. + +They had now demolished all of the wall that rose above the +terreplein, and talked of making a general assault. The Dutch began +to be disheartened by the death of the governor and the loss of so +many soldiers; and when they saw the preparations for the assault +they talked of negotiating fur surrender, in order that they might +not be left exposed to the enemy's cruelty--since for that arrogant +tyrant it was the same to slay five or six thousand men as one. He +therefore at once replaced twice the number in a post [which had +lost its defenders], as he was so near to his island of Vicheu +where he kept the main body of his followers, from which they were +continually coming and going; and for every one who died a thousand +fresh men came to his camp. They now set out to engage the Dutch with +six hundred scaling-ladders, fourteen of their men being allotted to +each ladder; but the besieged hung out a white flag, and came out +to propose terms of surrender. This was granted with the condition +that only the property of private persons should be removed, and +that they must surrender intact the property of the [East India] +Company, which was done. It is computed according to the Company's +books, that with the military supplies and the artillery of the fort, +[this capture] had a value of five millions--an amount which will +not cause surprise to any one who knows that this place was the +magazine for the two richest traffics in the Orient, those of China +and Japon. The artillery found there [by the Chinese] included 150 +pieces; the firearms, 4,000; and there were provisions and military +supplies for years. The slain in this war, for the entire period, +were: of the Dutch, 630; of the Chinese, 10,000 men. The vanquished +left the fort on the day of the Purification of our Lady, six hundred +in number, and embarked in nine ships which had remained in the harbor. + +In short, this [i.e., the Chinese] people is the most ingenious in +the world; and when they see any contrivance in practice they employ +it with more facility than do the Europeans. Accordingly, they are +not now inferior in the military art, and in their method of warfare +they excel the entire world. No soldier is hindered by providing his +food; every five men have their own cook. All are divided into tens, +and every ten have their own flag, and on it are written the names +of its soldiers. These tens are gathered into companies and regiments +with such concert and such ease in governing them that Europeans who +have seen it are astonished. + +Consider the anxiety that must be caused by a nation so ingenious, so +hardy, so practiced in the military art, so numerous, so haughty and +cruel, in a city where all the forts together could not call to arms +2,000 Spaniards--and these of so many colors that not two hundred pure +Spaniards could be picked out from them--and occupying so much space +that for its suitable garrison it needs 6,000 soldiers. From this may +be inferred the joy that was felt throughout the city [at his death] +and the so special kindness of God in putting an end to this tyrant +in the prime of his life--for he was only thirty-nine years old, and +had spent his time in continued military practice from the year 1644 +until that of 1662, when he conquered Hermosa Island. He was always +favored by fortune, and there was no undertaking in which he did not +succeed except the siege of Nanquin--which would be considered foolish +temerity by any one who will consider the strength and greatness +of that city--an enterprise in which he had to entomb or submerge +in blood his fortune and his acquired glories; yet it weakened him +so little that he quickly restored the losses, victorious over the +entire naval force of China. + +At the beginning of June his Lordship gave permission to all the +[native] tribes to return home; they went away well satisfied and +loaded with praises. He gave the Chinese more freedom, permitting +them to remove to the villages adjoining the city, and releasing +them from serving on the ships [de las faginas] on account of the +great labors which they had performed before his Lordship's eyes in +completing, with so much readiness and with so little expenditure +of time and money, [public] works which [otherwise] could not have +been finished in ten years of hard labor, with half a million pesos, +and the exhaustion of the weak natives of the neighboring provinces. + +His Lordship summoned a council, in which by his command were read +the letters from the mandarins who were directors and guardians of +Cot-sen's estate, written by order of his son, in which was discussed +the stipulation which they made a condition of peace--the restitution +of the property which their agents had left here in trust, and +other merchandise which the alcaldes-mayor of Ylocos and Cagayan had +withheld. In accordance with the [decision of the] first council, this +one ordered that such restitution be made. Therein was also discussed +the question whether the Sangleys should be permitted to live in the +islands; this was done by a few ecclesiastics (only three in number), +who opposed such permission; they had attempted, both in the pulpit and +in private conversation, to persuade the rest to their opinion. All of +the council agreed with only one dissenting voice, that the Sangleys +ought to be allowed to remain here up to the number which the decrees +of his Majesty regarding this matter have prescribed--that is, 6,000 +men--provided that they be not allowed to spread into other provinces, +nor go beyond the villages included in the jurisdiction of Tondo +(which is in the territory of this city) conformably to the royal +ordinances which have fixed these limits. All recognized our need of +that [Chinese] nation, in the lack and scarcity of all things to which +we see ourselves now reduced--all because the number of the Sangleys +has been diminished, since the natives have neither energy nor strength +to support the burdens that the Chinese carry; and much more on account +of our dependence upon their trade, for everything. For not only does +everything necessary for life come to us from China--as wheat, cloth, +and earthenware--but it is the Sangleys who carry on all the crafts, +and who with their traffic maintain the fortunes of the citizens +(without those other products of vineyards and olive-groves that +are furnished in the industries carried on in Nueva España) from +the merchandise of China, having secured in their hands the entire +commerce of these islands, since that of Yndia and Japon failed. His +Lordship, having handsomely entertained the ambassador, dismissed him, +with letters for the prince and the mandarins; and we here remain in +peace, affairs settled as they were before, and the fear [removed] +that an enemy so powerful and at our very gates must occasion us. + + + + + + +LETTER FROM GOVERNOR SALCEDO TO FRANCISCO YZQUIERDO + +Summary of this letter, written from Manila, dated July 16, 1664, +giving information regarding the condition of the islands at his +arrival, and the measures that he had taken. + + +He states therein that he set sail from the port of Acapulco on +March 25, 1663; and after a prosperous voyage they sighted the +cape of Espiritusanto. There a vendaval storm came against them, so +violent that it carried them to Cape Engaño; and on July 8 he landed, +made the ship secure, unladed all the money sent for the situado, +and made arrangements for its transportation to Manila. The governor +was gladly received there, and took possession of the government and +the authority of captain-general, on September 8, 1663. + +He found the islands in most wretched condition--the Spaniards as +yet hardly reassured after the insurrections of the years 61 and 62, +and the natives irritated by cruel punishments. The royal treasury +was so exhausted that it contained no more than 35,000 pesos; the +magazines were destitute of provisions, ammunition, and other supplies +for the relief of the fortified posts and the soldiers. A few months +before, the soldiers had received part of their pay--each one who +had eight pesos of wages being paid one peso, and others receiving +only a ration of rice and meat. But the governor found the officials +of all classes still unpaid; and he had no ship to send to Nueva +España, because the vessel sent thither by his predecessor had put +back to port. The commerce [of the islands] with all the neighboring +countries was paralyzed, and the said commerce must again be revived, +for without it Manila could not exist. + +He states that he had ordered timber to be cut for repairing the ship +that would go to Nueva España, and for the construction of the forty +galleys that were needed for the defense of the islands from the +Moro pirates that infested them--who were still more daring since +the abandonment of our forts on account of our fear of the Chinese +Cotseng. The governor ordered that wheat shall be sowed, since this is +so necessary to the manufacture of sea-biscuit for the ships, and in +order not to depend upon foreigners for the supply of this article. For +the same reasons, he caused an engineer (whom he had carried to the +islands at his own expense) to make examination of the iron mines; +this reconnaissance had given satisfactory results, for the engineer +had begun to work the mines with so good success that he had taken out +nearly 600 arrobas [of iron], and was continuing to operate the mines. + +In another (but undated) letter on the same subject, he mentions the +improvements that he had had to make in the walls of Manila; and says +that he had ordered four forts to be built in the interior of Luzon, +in order to push forward the conquest of the infidel peoples. He also +repeats much of what he had said in the preceding letter. [59] + + + + + + +WHY THE FRIARS ARE NOT SUBJECTED TO EPISCOPAL VISITATION + + +The reasons that the governor and the royal Audiencia of the Filipinas +Islands apparently might have had for suspending the execution of the +royal decrees, which were repeatedly ordered to be observed in favor +of the right of the royal patronage, from the year 1624 to that of 1656 +[sic] have been as follows. [60] + +First, the consideration of the zealous observance of [their rules +by] all the orders in those islands; the zeal with which they busy +themselves in their ministries; the new conversions that are made daily +in certain portions of the islands; and because if the religious are +forced to that subjection [to the diocesan authorities] they will +surely fall into laxity, and consequently, will lose the zeal that +they today exercise, as experience shows in the orders throughout +America that have entered that subjection. + +Second, because of the few seculars that there have always been in the +islands to take charge of those missions; for when these were most +numerous here was in the years 24, 28, and 34, for then the city of +Manila had 400 citizens, and Cebu, Oton, Nueva Segovia, and Arevalo had +nearly 200 more. Now the representative citizens throughout the islands +do not number 60. Then if in that time, when the islands contained most +Spaniards, there were no secular priests, how can there be any today +when there are not 60 citizens in all the islands, while the number +of priests is steadily growing less in America, where the Spanish +settlements are large and populous and are continually increasing? + +So great is the lack of the secular clergy that they cannot even +take care of the missions in their charge. For there is no district +belonging to the seculars, especially outside of the island of Manila, +that does not need two or three priests; for most of the villages +of their jurisdiction are 10, 20, or 30 leguas distant from the +chief mission station--from which, as they find themselves alone, +they do not go out to visit their districts as a rule, except once a +year. Consequently many must necessarily die without the sacraments, +and even the children without baptism, because of the laziness of the +Indians and the little esteem in which they hold the faith because of +the lack of instruction. Even the ministers themselves run the risk +of dying without confession, and there are not few examples of that +in those islands. That occurs because they can do no more, and have +no priests who can aid them in their ministries. In order to have +these, they must maintain them at their own cost, in order to meet +the obligations of their consciences. But the regulars in all their +districts which consist of many villages (they have three or four +priests in each district), are ever traveling unceasingly by sea and +land, visiting their villages. Consequently the villages instructed +by the religious are frequent in their use of the holy sacraments, +because of their good opinion of our holy Catholic faith, and their +stricter observance of it. + +The ministries of those islands need at least 400 priests who are +religious; for I assume that there must not be only one to a district, +as are the seculars in regions so extensive as these, but three or +four, and sometimes more, and that is a matter involving a question of +conscience, because of their ministries and their own souls; for there +is a district belonging to the seculars where a priest does not arrive +for a whole year, and if one reaches some parts, it is only by chance. + +For the above reasons I believe that the governor and the royal +Audiencia of Manila, as those who have the matter in hand, in the past +year of 1665 suspended the execution of the said decrees, giving a +time-limit of four years to the Order of St. Dominic to present the +said reasons to his Majesty and his royal Council of the Yndias. For +it is to be believed that if they found it advisable for the royal +service (as they are so attentive to it) to carry out the exact royal +orders in the matter, they would not have delayed the execution of +the orders for four years, nor have allowed any more replies. + +The reasons that the regulars have for petitioning his Majesty to +be pleased not to change the method that they have followed for the +space of one hundred years in their administration of the Indians in +the islands, are as follows: + +First, because the Indians are not yet well rooted in the faith, +and there are still a great number of heathen and Moros to be newly +converted--for the sacred Order of St. Dominic has many heathen +in the provinces of Cagayan, Pangasinan, and Ytui. The Order of +St. Augustine has still many heathen among the Yglotes (who belong +to the province of Ylocos) and in the island of Panay. The Society of +Jesus has all the island of Mindanao, those of Jolo, and the islands +adjacent to them, which are for the most part inhabited by Moros and +to a less extent by Christians and heathens. They have abandoned the +Maluccas, where they have labored for so many years; and at present +they administer only the island of Siao which is all Christian. The +Recollect Augustinians administer the Negrillos of Masinlo and many +of the Caragas bordering upon the Mindanaos. The Order of St. Francis +is not lacking in Aetas (who are still heathen) in their districts +of La Laguna and the mountains there to be converted. + +Second, because the missions of the Filipinas are suitable for +him who is looking for hardship and not ease. How is it possible +for missions in the islands of old infested by infidel pirates, and +[now] having new conversions of Moros and heathen, not to be full of +hardship? For as a rule, those missions outside the island of Manila +are visited by sea by their ministers; and that brings them no little +trouble besides the constant danger of being killed by the Moros. + +Third, because the regulars in those islands now and those who have +always been there have almost all come from España, and have gone +to them, not for the purpose of any temporal advantage, but with +the design of reducing infidels to the bosom of the Church. Most of +them are desirous of going thence to Japon, as the reduction of that +empire as well as a portion of that of China belongs to the crown of +Castilla. Since, then, the missions and doctrinas of those islands are +so apostolic, and the zeal of the regulars in going there is expended +only in the direction of promulgating the gospel among heathen, one can +easily infer how necessary it is that the regulars be maintained there +in the strict observance and spirit with which they left España. They +fear, and with great reason, that if that subjection be accepted the +regulars in those islands will relax, as has been experienced in the +provinces where the orders have bowed to that subjection, paying heed +perchance rather to not leaving the comforts of the fatherland than +to the observance of their rules. But since the religious in the +Filipinas Islands are not rooted in their fatherlands, but on the +contrary regard themselves as exiled therefrom, it is impossible for +them to return thither. Subject there to hardships and sickness (for +the climate of Filipinas is less favorable and healthful to Europeans), +they will not have the difficulty in quitting their ministries that +has been experienced in America--where, in order not to leave their +ministries, they have become subject, thus losing their positions; +and they will not be willing that the most religious and those most +zealous for their rules should at least keep away from the missions and +ministries of the Indians through the imposition of that burden, and +that no others should be found. Consequently, with that subjection they +desire again to journey to parts so remote; so that in such case, in +those provinces which are today so religious, their courage would grow +less and that not without danger to those ministries, which by their +very nature demand zealous persons and those of a very superior virtue. + +For it is sufficient to consider that, if serious men of learning +and virtue subject themselves to the ordinary in order to minister +in a doctrina, it may happen that they will be punished for a slight +omission or neglect, perhaps one that they could not avoid--such as not +being able to arrive in time to hear the confession of a dying person +or to give him the holy oil; or to baptize a new-born infant. It is +possible that this fear alone would make some refuse the ministries +of the islands with such a risk. For although the ordinary cannot +punish them as religious, he can punish them as curas; and in such +a case it is difficult to proceed between cura and religious. + +In the first place the religious's definitorio may assign him also to +a house with a vote, all of which have ministries in the Filipinas; +and an ambitious man may by the exercise of skill, and by influence, +intercessions, and presents deprive him of the place, and perhaps +may impute to him faults and defects that he does not possess in +order to attain his purpose better and to justify his action. That +can not fail to be a cause for sorrow, and more so to one who has +no foundation in the islands, but who is rather disgusted at being +there; and it will be a sufficient cause for him to retire from his +ministries and even to attempt to return to España. + +And even though the superiors may order the religious to live in +their missions with that subjection, it may be that they cannot +obtain it by entreaty from them, and that the religious will excuse +themselves by saying with St. Paul: Unusquisque enim in ea vocatione +qua vocatus est permanet. [61] They may also say that they wish to +persevere in the vocation to which they were called by God, and that +they did not enter religion to recognize two superiors, one a regular +and the other a secular, but rather one of their own profession--by +whom they would willingly allow themselves to be visited, censured, +and punished; but not by two distinct in profession. For if there +are two superiors who are unequal in profession, it is quite possible +that they will be at variance in the matters of orders and obedience; +and that such subordinate may be in doubt without the power to help +it lest obedience to one be an offense to the other. Consequently, +placed between two extremes, he will come to obey the more powerful +and to disobey his regular superior, who is the one from whom he can +fear less. + +And one might doubt whether the superior could impose on those +who should be thus firm in their purpose the precept of obedience, +so that they should subject themselves as curas to an ordinary and +to tho choice of a governor. And if for the above reasons those who +are zealous for their rules should be lacking in the provinces and +ministries, the men who are less religious would become the mainstay +of the provinces and would administer the missions--men whom neither +ambition nor their slight attachment to the observance calls away [from +the order]. Consequently, such men coming in time to rule the provinces +and to possess the ministries in those islands, the end will be that +there will be no religion, observance, or examples in them to invite +the Indians, but only scandals by which they will stumble; for, as a +foolish people, they embrace what they see rather than what they hear. + +Besides the above, the orders fear lest the governors and the +ordinaries will make use of that subjection to harass them, especially +if by any accident some collision should occur between them and the +authorities. For if the governor had the selection of the [religious +of the] villages in his control, who could prevent him from removing +or appointing whomever he wished, or choosing those whom he considered +better for his own purposes and even molesting the good? For since all +the houses with votes in those islands except the convents of Manila +are doctrinas, he could place in them the men satisfactory to himself; +and these would not fail him in the following provincial chapters in +accepting from his hand a provincial who would be most advantageous +to him, or most inclined to agree with him. Consequently, he would +become absolute master of the monastic government of the orders. If the +ordinaries wished to molest those religious whom they did not like, +who could prevent them from fulminating penalties for the slightest +causes? and this especially where the witnesses are Indians who would +swear against their missionaries at any threat or for any profit, +whatever the ministers or the visitors of the bishops wished. + +It is well seen that all those troubles, so possible, would cease +if the governors would govern according to the pious zeal and most +Christian intention of his Majesty, and the ordinaries according +to the obligation of their estate. But, nevertheless, in parts so +distant and remote from the heart of the monarchy, not all the +governors and ordinaries work in harmony. For even the good and +those regarded as such in España are wont to become changed in +the Yndias, and to act very differently from what was expected +of them; for power and opportunity generally change the purposes +and disorder the expectations of those who are by nature covetous, +revengeful, or subject to other passions. What may not [therefore] +be feared? On account of all those things the fears of the orders are +not ill founded. Would that experience did not testify to all these +possibilities. Since even without that subjection the governors and +ordinaries are wont to give the regulars causes for merit for very +slight causes, what would it be if they held the regulars as subjects +and had absolute power to be able to punish them as criminals and to +depose them as guilty? + +If the regular superior should decide that he ought in conscience +to remove any occasion for scandal, or one who was a discredit to +his profession, in the case of any of his subjects; and it should be +necessary for that reason to remove him from his mission: in such case, +if he went to the governor to impart his purpose as he is obliged to +do by the right of the royal patronage, the governor having heard the +reasons would have a copy of the charges given to the party; and the +suit having been brought to trial the defense might even manage with +crafty pleas to frustrate the zeal of the superior. In such cases +(which are quite ordinary where the said subjection to bishops and +viceroys is allowed) the superior will come out disaccredited and +justly angry, and the accused triumphant; for his evil conscience +and the zeal of his prelate will put him on his guard, and he will +be forewarned of each attack. + +How many scandals will follow from this, and how many discords, +edicts, and enmities! how many expenses in money, and how much +bribing of witnesses and intercessors! both of servants and friends +of the governors, who are usually benefited by religious of that +sort. They are generally aided as much by cunning as by what they +spend in order to succeed in their designs, without considering that +they are trampling upon all the three essential vows of the estate +which they profess--namely, poverty, obedience, and chastity. + +Therefore, if the desires of his Majesty are that the regulars shall +live in accordance with their own laws; that the natives of the Indias +be well instructed; and that they be not molested by the officials +of the two estates: the remedy for that is to leave the regulars to +their observance without obliging them to become more subject than +they have been hitherto. If this is either not advisable or cannot +be done, it would be better for the orders that the secular clergy +should administer those missions. + +For how is it possible that such missionaries should not be covetous +if they are inclined to that vice as an efficacious means to maintain +themselves in their posts, to attain others that are larger and more +wealthy, to defend themselves from the zeal of their prelates? Such +will have the power of loading the Indians with pecuniary fines and +of doubling the fees; and even perhaps there will not lack some who +will avail themselves of trade and commerce to attain that end. + +The subjection will result only in advantage to the governors and +ordinaries, in trouble to the Indians (for the latter furnish the +wealth of such ministers) and disservice to his Majesty; since it means +the ruin of religious discipline. The Indians being harassed and the +governors and ordinaries being interested parties, all contrary to his +Majesty's holy intent, the Indians will come to have disinclination +instead of love to affairs of the faith and religion. And I dare +affirm that Christians thus instructed will be Christians rather by +force than in their hearts. + +In no part of the Yndias can one more intelligently expect that the +regulars will be strict of observance than in the Filipinas Islands; +for all their missions, even those in the suburbs of Manila, are +surrounded by heathen and Moros--Chinese, Japanese, Mindanaos, +Joloans, and Borneans, and people of almost all the other kingdoms +of the Orient whose conversion is so anxiously desired. For if those +heathen and Moro nations, who have before their eyes the conduct of +the Christians, come to observe it as not at all in accord with right, +not only among the secular clergy but among the regulars--who are by +their profession teachers of the law and are bound to furnish a good +example as the rule of their observance--what would they think, or +what notion would they form of it? It is learned from some mandarins +of Great China who were converted to our holy faith because they saw +in all the ministers of it for many years a conformity of morals that +was regulated to natural law, that they prudently conclude therefrom +that the law which taught such actions could not be other than +true. If the Chinese and Japanese who live in those islands should +see the evangelical ministers acting against all natural dictates, +they would come to a contrary conclusion, for they have no greater +arguments for belief than those which come through their eyes. + +The regulars of the Filipinas Islands have well understood how just it +is that the right of his Majesty's royal patronage be observed therein +according to his orders. Therefore, they do not petition for exemption +from the choice by the governors and the collations by the ordinaries +under any other title than that of a favor from the greatness of his +Majesty, if perchance their merits have deserved it. For, as is well +known, there are no missions more distant throughout the monarchy +nor more seas to pass nor seas so endangered by the enemies of the +faith--which can be affirmed by those who administer outside the +suburbs of Manila and their environs, who continually bear death or +captivity before their eyes. + +If his Majesty has been pleased to give privileges to the citizens of +those islands with the honorable title of hidalgos and nobles--the +munificence of his Majesty supplying what birth denied to many, a +privilege not conceded to any others of the Yndias--as a reward for +having been willing to become citizens in regions so remote from their +fatherland without any other service, in order that by such kindness +others might be encouraged to do the same, not less do the regulars +merit some special privilege and reward from your Majesty, and the +welfare of the souls of the natives. This is the chief object of your +Majesty in conserving the Filipinas Islands and all that conduces +to this is only a means--namely, that it is inhabited by Spaniards +and garrisoned with soldiers, and the expenses which are incurred in +all this. Therefore if his Majesty exercises so great munificence in +order that the means may not fail so that the end may be attained, +in order that it may be more completely and perfectly executed, the +regulars may hope for greater favor from the piety of their king. And +if laymen are rewarded for the services that they have rendered in +those islands with military honors and with great encomiendas of +Indians, one can trust that the services rendered to his Majesty by +all the orders during a hundred years in the islands will merit some +recompense in immunity (even though it be not due for their services) +from his gratitude and liberal hand, as they hope from the grandeur +of their king and sovereign. + + + + + + +APPENDIX: JUDICIAL CONDITION OF THE PHILIPPINES IN 1842 + + +Source: This is from Sinibaldo de Mas's Informe de las Islas Filipinas, +ii, no. 12. + +Translation: This is by James Alexander Robertson. + + + + + + +APPENDIX: JUDICIAL CONDITION OF THE PHILIPPINES IN 1842 + + +[In addition to the following account by Mas, the student desirous +of pursuing the subject will find much data in the various Guias +de Filipinas. Some statistics are also presented by Montero y Vidal +(Archipielago Filipino, pp. 194-203) for the years 1883-1884. Much +of value and interest will also be found in the various reports of +the Philippine Commission, and in the numerous pamphlets issued by +the United States Government.] + +Justice is administered by means of an Audiencia, which has the +title of royal, and resides in Manila, being composed of one regent, +and five judges; by means of alcaldes-mayor who govern the provinces; +and by the gobernadorcillo whom each village has and who is equivalent +to our alcalde de monterilla. [62] The latter proceeds in criminal +cases to the formation of a verbal process, and tries civil causes +up to the value of two tailes of gold or 44 pesos fuertes. + +The royal Audiencia is a court without appeal in Filipinas. The +alcaldes-mayor cannot terminate by their own action civil questions +that have to do with a sum of greater value than 100 pesos fuertes, or +impose any corporal punishment without the approval of the Audiencia, +and then only imprisonment for one week. But they are judges of the +first instance for every kind of litigious or criminal cases. + +In order that one may obtain the post of alcalde-mayor, it is not +necessary that he should have studied law. Hence, the greater part +of the heads of the provinces are laymen in that respect. Generally +those posts are given to military men. Consequently, this is the +origin that for every process which is prosecuted in a lawsuit or +cause, the alcalde has to have recourse to an assessor, in order to +obtain the opinion of that one on which to base his action. But since +the advocates reside in Manila, the records have to make at times +many trips from the province to the capital. From this results the +inconvenience of delay, the liability of theft, or the destruction +of the mail. For, in the many rivers that must be crossed, the papers +become so wet that they are useless (as happened with several letters +of a post which was received in the chief city of a province when +I was there, the envelopes of which it was impossible for us to +read), and the malicious extraction in order to obscure the course +of justice. The defect of this system can only be understood if one +reflect that the various provinces of the colony are not situated +on a continent, but in various islands, and that by reason of the +periodic winds and the hurricanes which prevail in this region, the +capital very often finds itself without news of some provinces for +two or three months, and of that of Marianas for whole years. + +It appears that what we have said ought to be sufficient to show the +necessity of radical reforms in this department, but, unfortunately, +there are other more grave reasons for such reform. The alcaldes-mayor +are permitted to engage in business. [63] The author of Les Estrits +des Lois [64] said many years ago that the worst of governments is +the commercial government; and surely, for those who have studied the +science of government, all comment on this point is superfluous. The +alcalde who is permitted to engage in business naturally tries, if +possible, to monopolize it by all means in his power. This vice of +the system leads some greedy men to the greatest excesses, which later +are attributed to all alcaldes in general. Upon my arrival at Manila, +I asked a very respectable Spaniard who had been in the country for +many years about what happens in the provinces. He replied to me: +"You know that the alcaldeships are reported to be worth 40,000 or +50,000 duros, and he who seeks one of those posts very earnestly has +no other object or hope than to acquire a capital in the six years +for which the government confers them. Before going to his province, +he borrows 8,000 or 10,000 duros from one of the charitable funds +at such and such a per cent. Besides, he has to pay an interest to +those who act as bondsmen for him, both to the government for the royal +treasury, and to the charitable funds which supply him with money. When +he arrives at his province he acts according to conditions ruling in +that province, for not all provinces are alike in their productions +and circumstances. He generally establishes a supply store, and, +consequently, from that moment, any other storekeeper is his rival and +enemy. If such storekeeper has a creditor whom he tries to hurry up +and goes to the alcalde, he gets no protection. If any theft happens +to him the same thing more or less occurs; for, although the alcalde +orders efforts made to ascertain the thief, far from taking those +measures earnestly, he is secretly glad of the losses of his rivals, +and it has even been asserted that there are cases in which the alcalde +himself has been the instigator of the crime. Who is your enemy? That +of your trade. But does the alcalde himself sell the goods? Sometimes +he sells and measures them, at other times he keeps an agent in the +store; the most usual thing is, if he is married, for his wife to take +charge of the expense, especially of those goods of any value. But +his greatest gain consists in making advances of money at the time +of the sowing, the period when the Indians need it and try to get it +at any cost, for their negligence and their vices do not allow them +to foresee such a case and be prepared for it. For example: a farmer +signs a paper for the alcalde which obliges him to deliver at harvest +time ten measures of sugar, which are worth at least two and one-half +duros, and he himself receives only one and one-half, consequently, by +that operation alone of advancing money, the alcalde-mayor sometimes +gains 40 per cent. But what generally happens is that the Indian is +so short sighted and is so indifferent to the future that he signs +any burdensome obligation provided he gets some money, and he only +takes account of what they give him without thinking of what they are +going to get from him. For example, the alcalde gives him 60 duros +as an advance for forty measures of sugar at the harvest time. The +harvest is bad and he can only give 20. In such case the reckoning is +after the following fashion: 'The sugar has been sold for 4 duros, and +hence 20 measures will amount to 80 duros. You cannot pay them to me, +consequently they can just as well remain as an advance for the coming +year at one and one-half.' In consequence of that the farmer signs a +paper by which he enters under obligation to deliver 53 measures at the +next harvest. Harvest time comes, and if it is bad, he only presents, +say, 13. Therefore, 40 measures at 4 duros amount to 160 duros of debt, +and at one and one-half make 108 measures for the following year. In +this way the man keeps on adding more and more until all his goods +are at the disposal of the alcalde. Besides, there are innumerable +other vexations to which he must subject himself. For instance: he has +to deliver to the alcalde 100 cabans of rice; when he presents them +the alcalde measures them out with a larger measure than that used +in the market. Hence, in reality, the alcalde exacts from him more +than he is bound to pay. The same thing happens with indigo. For, a +discussion arises as to whether the indigo is, or is not, very damp, +and some libras must be taken off for waste; or, whether it is of +poorer quality than the Indian promised, and so on." "But surely it +must needs be that it is fitting to take money advanced, since there +is one who seeks it, and it is worth more for a farmer to cultivate +his land in this way than that he leave it without cultivation for +lack of the necessary capital. In regard to the tyrannies which the +alcalde tries to commit, it seems to me that they might be avoided by +the countryman borrowing the money from a private person who is not +in position to annoy him." "That is all very well thought out, but +I will tell you what happens. The Indian borrows money very easily, +but it is very difficult to get him to pay it, and he generally avoids +doing so, if possible. If a private person lends him money and does +not collect it when due, he has to go to the alcalde in order that +the latter may force payment. The latter either does so coldly, or +pays no attention to the whole matter, since his intention is that +such private persons take warning and never again lend to anyone; +for, it is evident, that if many come to speculate in this kind of +business, the alcalde will soon be shut out, or at least will have +to submit himself to the general rules. Consequently, the result is +that capitalists draw back from him, saying, and very rightly, that +it is only fitting for the alcaldes who possess the means to cause +themselves to be paid when a debt is due. The alcalde, then, remains +master of the field, and monopolizes this department at his pleasure, +for he who needs funds has to go to him, for there are very few who +enjoy enough credit to get them elsewhere. Many other advantages also +favor the alcalde. The parish priests aid him, and many times take +charge of the division of the money of the alcalde in their villages, +for they know that that is the sure means of keeping on good terms with +him, and obtaining the measures which depend on his will in the matters +of their villages. The gobernadorcillos and officials of justice are +other instruments of which the alcalde makes use to apportion and +collect his funds." "Why is it that these do not occupy themselves +rather in their affairs than in those of the alcalde?" "The alcalde can +always, whenever he wishes, make trouble for the gobernadorcillo by +making him go to the chief village with innumerable pretexts, and by +various other methods which it would take a long time to enumerate, +and which it is very easy to conceive. Besides, it is important +for the alcalde to keep the gobernadorcillo satisfied. Suppose now, +that a road has to be built, or a bamboo bridge, or any other work +for which the people of the village who have to do it, according to +their obligation called polos and services, are summoned. As some +of them are busy in their fields or other business, they wish to be +free from such a burden, and they give the gobernadorcillo two or +three reals and he excuses them on the ground of sickness. A party +of troops or a Spaniard passes by and asks for some beast of burden, +or an aid in food. That is also an occasion for the gobernadorcillo to +get even with those whom he dislikes and obtain part of his demands; +for some give him presents in order that he may not give the beasts +of burden, while others do not receive the pay for that food. During +the days of tiangui or village fairs, such and such a sum is exacted +for each post in the market place. In general there are some men of +service called bantayanes who are a kind of sentinel placed at the +entrances of villages. Many of them also pay to be excused from +that burden when their turn comes or when they are told that it +comes. In general he has ten or twelve men called honos, manbaras, +etc., given to him, who are exempt from polos and services, and they +serve the ayuntamiento to send papers, conduct prisoners, etc., and +the gobernadorcillo gives them permission so that they may cultivate +their lands, by collecting from them a contribution." "But it seems +to me that the gobernadorcillo will have to give account, if not for +all, at least for many of the taxes that you have mentioned." "It +ought to be so, and in fact, some enter into the communal treasury, +but they are the fewest and those connected with the legal matters, +for of the others there is nothing to be said. For example: I have seen +an order enclosing a fine as a punishment on the gobernadorcillo for +some fault or misdeed that he had committed. He assembles the cabezas +de barangai; the whole sum is apportioned among the people of the +village. The amount of the fine is collected and the gobernadorcillo +has still something left for his maintenance and revelling." "Why +do they not complain to the alcalde?" "Because, sir, of just what I +told you. The alcalde needs the gobernadorcillo so that he may use +him in his business, and for all such things he is a very far-sighted +man. Besides, the alcalde who tries to investigate those snares of +the tribunals (ayuntamientos) will lose his senses without deriving +any benefit from it. He does not know the language. As interpreter +he has the clerk, who is an Indian, and the entangler-in-chief, and +almost always in accord with the Indian magnates." "If the clerk is a +bad man, will he not be hated?" "I do not say that he is beloved, but +some fear him, and others are his accomplices. Since the alcalde is, +in reality, a business man, he naturally takes more interest in his +business than in that of other people, and leaves all court matters +in charge of the clerk, who comes to be the arbiter in that matter, +and here is where the latter reaps his harvest. One of the members +of the tribunal (ayuntamiento) steals, or causes to be stolen from +some man his buffalo. The man finds out where it is; he complains +to the gobernadorcillo; they begin to take measures; at last the +animal is returned to him, but if it is worth five duros, they make +him pay ten duros in expenses so that the man either considers his +beast as lost and the thieves keep it, or the latter get from him +twice as much as it is worth. Hence, if I were to tell all that +passes in this wise, my story would be very long. One of the things +which they are accustomed to do is to let the prisoners go out of +the prison for several days without the government knowing it. I +have seen that done this very year of 1841 in the province of---, +in regard to some prisoners whom the alcalde-mayor believed to be in +prison; but they were working on the estate of the clerk, and one of +those prisoners had committed very serious crimes." "But why do not +the curas remedy all that? I have heard it said that they are really +the ones who govern the villages." "In reality, when the curas take +that matter upon themselves, those abuses are remedied, at least +in great measure, for they know the language well, and every one +in their village knows the truth, if the cura wishes to ascertain +it. That is what happened in former times. And also at that time +the communal funds were deposited in the convent, and [thus] many +tricks and tyrannies were avoided. But for some years the governors +who have come from España have desired that the parish priests should +keep to their houses and say mass and preach and not meddle with the +temporal government; without taking heed that in a whole province +there is no other Spaniard who governs than the alcalde-mayor himself, +who generally comes from Europa and goes without reflection to take +his charge without any knowledge whatever of the country or knowing +even a single word of its language. Consequently, many religious, +in order to avoid trouble, see and keep still, and allow everything +to take what course God wills. This is one of the chief causes of the +disorders of the villages, and of the increase of crime." "Now tell me, +do the alcaldes make all the wealth that they are accustomed to acquire +with the kind of trade which you have explained to me?" "They have many +means of hunting [buscar] for that is the technical expression used in +this country, but those means vary according to circumstances. In some +provinces great efforts are made to obtain posts as gobernadorcillos +and officials of justice, and that department generally is worth a good +sum annually. Those are things which the clerk or secretary manages. In +the province of--- while Don--- was alcalde-mayor, that gentleman was +in collusion with the manager of the wine monopoly and they practiced +the following. The harvesters came with their wine, but they were +told that it was impossible to receive it. There was a conflict +within themselves, for they had to return to their village. Then +they were told that if they wished to deposit the wine they would +put it in certain jars which had been provided in the storehouse, by +paying such and such a rent until the administration could introduce +it. The harvesters, who needed the money, thereupon sold the wine to +the agents of the alcalde, at any price at all in order to return to +their homes. Finally, as he who had come to be an alcalde, has had +no other object than to acquire wealth, every matter which does not +contribute to that object, such as the making of a bridge, or a road, +the prosecution of evil doers, or any occupation purely of government +or justice, distracts and troubles him. On the contrary every means +of attaining his end appears to him fitting and good. This method of +thought is a little more or less in the minds of all; and thus you +observe that no one says here, not even excluding the religious, who +are those who know the country best, 'I have such or such reasons for +gaining this suit,' but, 'I have so many thousand pesos to gain the +suit.' But to tell the truth, it is not to be wondered at that the +alcaldes-mayor work without much scruple. In the space of six years +they have to pay their passage from and to España; to satisfy the high +interest on the money which they have borrowed; to acquit themselves +of the amount which their alcaldeship has often cost them; and besides +they make their fortunes. Not more or less is done in Turquia." + +In the same way as this good man talked, the majority talk. The faults +and vices of some are attributed and laid to all. It is certain that +this system is fatal, for governors of such sort must be essentially +interested in turning down the attempt of private speculators, +and to frighten away instead the attraction of capital. That has, +as a natural consequence, the increased interest on money which +so endangers production, and, consequently, exportation and the +encouragement of the islands. But not less fatal is the opinion that +the authorities of Manila themselves are fed on such abuses. Complaints +are continually presented against the alcalde, at times very captious +and filled with falsehood and absurdity. The Audiencia and office of +the captain-general receive those complaints kindly and very easily +dictate measures humiliating for the alcalde, and impose fines on him, +of which a copy is given to the complaining parties. Rarely is it +that one leaves his alcaldeship without having paid many fines. The +Filipinos make the greatest ado, as is natural, over those triumphs +against authority, but authority loses decorum and moral force. All +this comes from the bad system established, for, since the governor +from the moment that he becomes a merchant, must be a bad governor and +a usurer and tyrant, the government of Manila is predisposed against +his acts, and declares itself the protector of the Filipinos. In this +way one evil is remedied by a worse. The supreme authority instead +of supporting and sustaining the subordinate government punishes and +degrades it. Illusion, respect, and fear vanish. It is believed that +that severity against those who rule is advantageous in making our +yoke loved, and that the natives will say, "The government is kind for +it punishes the alcaldes," while it would be better for them to say, +"The government is kind because it gives us good alcaldes." + +Shortly after my arrival in the islands, being at the feast of +Cavite, distant four hours from the capital, I wished to go thither +on horseback, but all who heard of it dissuaded me from the idea, +asserting that I was about to commit a rash act. Another time when +I was coming from Laguna, on passing through Montinlupa, the manager +of the estate of that name was so greatly alarmed that he wished to +accompany me with his servants until we came near the city, and in +fact I learned soon that I was running a great danger on that road, +and that shortly before a Spanish sergeant had been murdered on +it. Then I was very much surprised to find that it was dangerous to +go near the capital without an escort, but later I have been much +more surprised to see that in provinces distant from the capital a +complete security is enjoyed. In order to show the condition of the +criminality of the island we shall present the following data drawn +from the clerk's office of the Audiencia. + + +Criminal causes sentenced in the Audiencia of Filipinas between the +years 1831-1837 + +[not inclusive] + + + Years Causes + + 1832 75 + 1833 83 + 1834 43 + 1835 102 + 1836 108 + + 411 + + +Report of the criminal causes sentenced between the years 1836-1842 +[not inclusive] + + + Crimes +=====+=======+======+========+=======+=====+=======+=======+======+====== + |Rebell-| |Robbery | |Mobs |False- |Immor- |Wounds|Total +Years|ion or |Murder|Theft |Incen- |and | hood | ality | and |no. of + | Con- | |and Im- |diarism|Lam- | and | and |rough |Causes + |spiracy| |position| |poons|Perjury|Scandal|usage | +-----+-------+------+--------+-------+-----+-------+-------+------+------ +1837 | | 43 | 54 | 2 | | 2 | 8 | 5 | 114 +1838 | | 108 | 145 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 52 | 60 | 382 +1839 | | 74 | 149 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 45 | 41 | 317 +1840 | 2 | 83 | 106 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 41 | 54 | 295 +1841 | | 131 | 216 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 66 | 67 | 499 +-----+-------+------+--------+-------+-----+-------+-------+------+------ + | 2 | 439 | 670 | 26 | 16 | 19 | 212 | 227 | 1609 +=====+=======+======+========+=======+=====+=======+=======+======+====== + + + Penalties + ==========+=======+==============+================+=========== + | | | Deprivation of | + [Years] | Death | Imprisonment | Office and | Total no. + | | | other | of + | | | correctives | Sentences + ----------+-------+--------------+----------------+----------- + [1837] | 6 | 99 | 17 | 122 + 1838] | 6 | 140 | 169 | 313 + 1839] | 6 | 192 | 46 | 244 + 1840] | 7 | 131 | 19 | 157 + [1841] | 3 | 173 | 77 | 253 + ----------+-------+--------------+----------------+----------- + | 28 | 735 | 328 | 1089 + ==========+=======+==============+================+=========== + + + Total number of causes sentenced in the first five years 411 + Idem 1607 + Increasing the latter 1196 + + +[Here follows a report in tabular form showing the number of causes +in each province for the years 1840 and 1841. This table is compiled +at least in part from the guide of Manila for the year 1840; the +population of each province being taken therefrom. Thirty-three +provinces are enumerated. The total number of causes for 1840 was 295, +and for 1841, 499.] + +The first thing which arrests the attention in these reports is the +increase of crime. The fiscal, whom I questioned in regard to this +matter, told me that now many causes are elevated to process which +were before finished in the interior courts, and that during these +latter years many old causes had been sentenced. This may be true, but +in regard to the accumulation of back cases that have been sentenced, +I believe that that can only be understood from the year 1838, or even +from that of 1839, because of the lack of judges in which the court +found itself in 1837. No matter how it is considered, the increase is +palpable, for the causes alone for murder of last year amount to more +than all those of any of the years of the first five years, and it is +incredible that at that time they neglected to try people for homicide, +although they did dissimulate in regard to lesser crimes. The second +thing which arrests the attention is the tendency to theft, since +the greater part of the homicides have been committed by robbers, +and further one sees a great multitude of causes for theft. For +among those two kinds of crime are found two-thirds of all kinds of +criminality. This is a matter well worthy of reflection in a country +where the means of existence can be procured so readily. The third +[thing that arrests the attention] is the mildness of the sentences. In +the last five years, when there were 439 homicides, only 28 have +ascended the scaffold, one-third of those tried have been set at +liberty, and 328 condemned to light punishment. One would not believe +that those treated with so great mercy are (at least always) criminals +for insignificant faults. A man of the village of Narbakan was tried +in the year 1840 for having begotten children twice by his daughter, +the second time that having been done by means of assaulting her with +a dagger. The attorney asked for ten years of imprisonment, but the +Audiencia did not impose any penalty and did not even condemn him to +the costs, nor did it take the measure in honor of public morality of +causing them to separate, but allowed them to live together as they +are still doing. At the beginning of the same year, 1840, Mariano +San Gerónimo, a servant from youth to a Spanish tailor called Garcia, +stole one hundred pesos fuertes from his master, and another hundred +from Captain Castejon, adjutant of the captain-general of the islands, +who was living in his house; by extracting them from the trunks of +each one. That of the captain-general he opened with the key which +the latter's own assistant gave him. The greater part of the money +was delivered to that assistant, his accomplice; the rest was lost +at play. This deed served the defender of San Geronimo, Don Agustin +Ruiz de Santayana, to petition his acquittal, alleging in his favor +the incapacity and irreflection which that individual had shown with +the said thief. Both the criminal and his accomplice confessed, and no +obstacle was presented to substantiate this verbal process. However, +it lasted for more than one year. They troubled the master Garcia +so much with notifications and accounts of the maintenance of the +prisoner that at last he refused to have anything more to do with the +matter, and abandoned the charge. The alcalde-in-ordinary sentenced San +Gerónimo to six months' imprisonment. When the Audiencia examined that +clause, March 31, 1841, it ordered the prisoner to be liberated. In +Inglaterra, that violator of his own daughter, and the domestic thief +would have been given the death sentence on the gallows. + +This impunity for crimes is, to my understanding, very fatal, not +only because of the encouragement which it gives on that account to +criminality, but also because of the fear which gobernadorcillos and +alcaldes have in arresting the guilty, for they know that they will be +soon liberated and will soon take vengeance on them by robbing them, +cutting down their trees, and burning their places of business. An +employe of estimable qualities in the department of taxes told me that +once grown tired in a certain province of seeing that no one dared +to arrest a thief who had terrified the entire village, he himself +took the trouble to waylay and seize him in the very operation of +committing a theft. He had him bound, and sent him to the alcalde with +the general complaint. In a few weeks he saw him again in the village +and had to reckon with him. I have been in the estate of Buena-Vista +in the outskirts of which live very many robbers. However, they do not +steal there, but they go to do that in other places, bringing there +afterward horses, buffaloes, and whatever they can lay their hands +on. The manager does not dare to wage war against them or to denounce +their thefts, although he knows them. One night when I was there at +twelve o'clock, appeared a cavalry troop sent from the neighboring +province of Pampanga by Alcalde Urbina and commanded by Lieutenant +Lao. With them they brought several persons who had been robbed, and +took them before the official. He had a list of many whom he was to +arrest. It had already been given to the justice of the village. We +amounted to four or five Spaniards in that place. One of those who +live there came within a few minutes to tell us secretly that those +who were to do the arresting had already advised those who were to be +arrested so that they might get out of the way, and so that no one +could be caught. That person and the manager were silent in order +not to compromise themselves, and I did the same, because the evil +was already done, and in order not to abuse the confidence which +they had in me. In fact, the officer and his men, and the guides, +went away without having arrested a single one. A fortnight after +another official, named Dayot, who knows the language of the country +well, returned. Warned by what had happened the first time, he went +directly to the houses where his guides took him; and, consequently, +he seized some of them. Later he came to the estate and asked us for +a very notorious fellow who was said to be absent. We assured him that +we had seen that man less than an hour before. I advised Dayot to have +the soldiers put aside their arms and uniforms, and send them dressed +like the natives together with the guides, and if they surprised anyone +to take him to the barracks; since, to imagine that the justice would +aid him to arrest the criminals was to imagine something that could +not be. In fact, he did that, and within three days he marched away +taking five or six prisoners with him. A great state of consternation +reigned throughout that district, which was good evidence of the moral +condition of the inhabitants. In a few months I asked and learned that +they were back already and in quiet possession of their homes. One day +I was talking in Manila to the regent of the Audiencia, Don Matías +de Mier, about that system of impunity which I had observed in the +islands. That gentleman remarked to me: "It is not possible to take +severe measures here, Señor Mas, for it is necessary to govern here +with mildness." I praise and esteem most sincerely the benevolent +ideas and the good heart of Señor Mier, but it seems to me that his +words might be answered somewhat by those of Jeremias Bentham: [65] +"How many praises are wasted on mercy! It has been repeated, time +and time again, that that is the first virtue of a sovereign. Surely +if crime consists only in an offense to one's self-love, if it is no +more than a satire which is directed against him or his favorites, the +moderation of the prince is meritorious. The pardon which he grants is +a triumph obtained over himself! But when one treats of a crime against +society, the pardon is not an act of clemency, it is a downright +prevarication.... Every criminal who escapes justice threatens the +public safety and innocence is not protected by being exposed to +become the victim of a new crime. When a criminal is absolved all +the crimes that he can perpetuate are committed by his hands." In no +army are there so many executions as in that in which slight faults +are disregarded. How many charges can be laid to the door of the one +who carried away by a poorly understood charity, contributes to the +increase, in any society, of assault, theft, assassination, tears, +and executions. "Every pardon granted to a criminal," says Filangieri, +[66] "is a crime committed against humanity." I cannot conceive how +there is anyone who can imagine that the exercise of kindness to evil +doers is useful or agreeable to the good. I believe, on the contrary, +that those are lamented by the people who are unsafe in their houses +while they are paying contributions to the government which is obliged +to protect them. [Other reflections of a similar nature follow.] + +The tribunal might declare that it works in accordance with the spirit +of the Leyes de Indias, but be that as it may, it is, in my opinion, +certain that with this system of tolerating everything from the +natives, and of punishing and degrading the subordinate authorities, +the Audiencia of Manila is losing the islands. + +So far am I removed from being a bloodthirsty individual that I would +like to see the death sentence removed from our criminal code. It would +be useless to repeat in support of my opinion the ideas expressed +by many celebrated socialists in regard to the abolition of capital +punishment, but I will make one observation only, which I have read +in no author. The criminal ought always to inspire public scorn and +horror, but from the instant in which he is seen on the scaffold, +the aversion of people becomes calm, and he is converted into an +unfortunate fellow and an object of compassion. This impression does +not seem proper to me. Further, restricting myself to Filipinas I +shall say that since the penalties are imposed so that fear of them +may keep others from committing the crimes, the death penalty does not +cause in that country the same effect as in others, for its natives +have a distinct physical organization from us, and their instinct of +life is much less strong than that of the Europeans. Consequently, +outside of cases in which one treats of questions vital for the colony, +I believe that the death penalty is a useless cruelty. To mark those +criminals well, and to use them in public works, or in agriculture, +would be much more advantageous, and would better conserve the real +object to which laws should tend, namely, the common good. + +One of the things which contributes to the increase of crime is the +prohibition in which the chiefs of the provinces find themselves +from applying corporal punishment, without the approval of the +Audiencia. For if a cause were to be made for the theft of buffaloes, +horses, etc., it would be an interminable matter. To put the Filipino +in jail is to move him to a better dwelling than his own. Then +he is given his food there, which, however little and poor it be, +will never be less than that to which he is accustomed daily. He +does not work; on the contrary he lies stretched out all day, and +that is his happiness. Besides, he finds in the same dwelling other +fellow-countrymen with whom to converse and to chew buyo. Consequently, +in the country, the idea of going to prison is very far from the +impression that it gives in España where men are always animated by +the spirit of activity and love to society. It has happened many +times and I have seen it, that prisoners escape to attend a feast +or go on a pilgrimage, and as soon as that is over they return to +present themselves. I am of the opinion that the prison ought alone +to be used as a means of detention, and that for light punishments, +the lash should be applied. The idea of beating a man is repugnant to +many philanthropic persons, for they say that such punishment is for +beasts. However, for certain people who do not know what self esteem +and honor mean, material punishments are necessary. How can one infuse +fear and aversion to crime in one who despises that powerful stimulus +for well doing? Who will tell us? This question is still disputed in +cultured Europa and the civilized English have not dared to banish +the rod from their military code. The first thing which is seen in +the hut of any Filipino is the rattan for bringing up their children, +and whoever has been in the country for some years thinks that all +the provinces would be most tranquil and free from highwaymen if less +papers were written and more beatings given. + +There are over 80 advocates in Filipinas. The majority have +studied in Manila in the same manner as they did a century ago in +España. It might be said that they belong to the casuist school. The +preparation for any lawsuit is consequential and the superfluous +writs innumerable, as our system has always been to open all the +doors to the innocence of the natives; and many of the advocates +are of that same class or are Chinese mestizos. The language which +they use is often indecorous, bold, lacking in purity and idiom, +and even in grammatical construction. The Audiencia endures it as it +is the old style custom, for in times past there were few advocates +capable of explaining themselves better. The Filipinos believe that +composed and moderate writs can have no effect at court, and they +are only contented with those which are full of invective, reticence, +interrogation, and exclamation. + +Since the alcaldes of the first instance are laymen, they have to +appoint an assessor and very often when one party sees that his suit +is badly prepared, he challenges the assessor even three times. It is +an abusive matter, and to the prejudice of justice, for in case of +challenge of the assessor, that ought to be done at the moment that +he is notified of his appointment, and not after seeing that which +is not favorable to him, and that judgment is near. + +The Leyes de Indias, compiled in 1754, and all the previous decrees +and royal orders before that time still rule in Filipinas, in addition +to the decrees and edicts of the governor-general. Of all this there +is nothing, or very little, printed. The advocates generally know +the laws in force by tradition and hear-say, but when they need any +of the laws they have to look for it in the house of some friend, +or, if not that, in the secretary's office of the government, whence +very frequently it has disappeared, or in the office of the fiscal, or +that of the intendant; because some orders are communicated by grace +and justice, and others by the treasury or by other ministries. He +who has no relatives or is new in the country is ignorant of the +rules in force, or has not the means of acquiring them. Besides so +far as they are not overthrown by the Leyes de Indias the laws of the +Siete Partidas have as much force as do the latest Recopilación, [67] +Roman law, royal and old law, and, in fact, all the confused mass of +the Spanish codes. Consequently, it is a vast sea in which are found +abundantly the resources necessary to mix up matters and stultify +the course of justice. In English India, a book is printed annually +of all the orders which have been communicated to the tribunals and +governors. This forms a collection which is entitled The Regulations, +which is now being translated into the language of the natives by +order of the government. + +There are orders and even articles of the ordinances of good +government to specify the price of food. These schedules are very +often, as is evident, the cause of the disappearance of things, and, +as they are not found in the market it is necessary to petition the +gobernadorcillo to provide food which he is obliged to furnish at +the price named in this schedule; and at times where there are many +Spaniards and soldiers, that amounts to hundreds of fowls, eggs, +etc., which the village must supply monthly and even daily. This is +not only an odious task, but also the reason for infamous vexations +on the part of the cabezas de barangai, for the unhappy cailianes are +those who have to furnish it all without even collecting a thing. It +must be well known that cheapness in articles proceeds only from +collecting those articles and this proceeds only from abundance, +and abundance only from freedom in the market; and the assigning of +a low price to any article by schedule is the most direct method of +restricting its production and heightening its price. + +After all that we have set forth, one can well say that the department +of the administration of justice is what needs the most prompt +and speedy reform. From that, then, it is obvious that all the +alcaldes-mayor ought to be jurisconsults. The custom of allowing +governors to trade is not suitable for the age in which we live, +surely, although there are some who do not abuse their position, +and today there are some who can be presented as models of honor and +nobility, especially Don Juan Castilla who governs in Samar, and Don +Francisco Gutierrez de los Rios in Laguna. Not only is the latter +free from the avarice and other faults which are so common to other +alcaldes, and does not make use of the permission to trade, but also +recognizes the defects of the present administration, and declaims +in the bosom of his friends against them, since he is imbued with the +sane principles of justice and political economy. But in such matters +one must not reckon on virtue but always with human nature. One day +happening to question one of the most judicious and kind persons whom +I have known in the islands, how Alcalde Peñaranda had happened to +lose his money, he answered me: "He gave it to an agent to use, he to +share in the profits, and then paid no attention to it for three years +after. He gave up his time very greatly to the building of bridges +and roads, and while he was busy in such bits of foolishness, the +other made the most of his time and consumed it all." Another person, +of whose philanthropy and gentlemanliness I have positive proofs, told +me that if he obtained the government of a province, he would assemble +all the influential men and make them an offer to renounce all trade +provided that they gave him a certain annual sum. I replied to him +that that was an impracticable project and stated my reasons. "Then," +replied he, "I would harass everyone who engaged in trade until he +ceased it, or left the province, and it would be all the worse for +him." Such are the evils of a bad system. One becomes accustomed +to the idea that a government post offers the opportunity of making +money and nothing else. The moment that one has obtained office, he +believes that he has a right to make money, without considering the +means to any extent; while he who is careless of his own interests and +busies himself in the progress of the province, like Señor Peñaranda, +is ridiculed and called a fool. + +Many believe that to prohibit the alcaldes from trading would be +useless, because they would do it by all means through a second +person. There might be some fraud, but there is no doubt but that the +evil would be remedied, if not wholly, in great measure, especially if +any contract in regard to business interests signed by the alcaldes +in Filipinas be declared null and void; for it is very difficult to +find in the country persons to whom to hand over a capital and be sure +of their good faith, and it is not easy to take them with him from +España. And even leaving aside these disadvantages, it will always +result from the prohibition that the agent of the alcalde will have +to manage his money with great secrecy and as if it were his own, in +which case there would be no trouble. The government of India was a few +years ago entirely commercial, but since the commerce was prohibited, +none of its dependents engage in it. Those who have savings deposit +them in one of the banks or in one of the good commercial houses there +at four or five per cent, or indeed they buy public stock or speculate +with them. Alcaldeships in my opinion ought to be divided into three +classes and given to individuals, all of them advocates, who would +form a body of civil employes. When an alcaldeship of the first class +fell vacant, it would be given to the senior advocate in charge of +those of the second class, and so on. The regulation that alcaldes +were to remain in the country only six years was founded certainly +on the fear that they might acquire a dangerous influence over the +country. To the degree that the precaution is not unfounded, the term +is very short for so long a distance, for among other obstacles it +contains the one that when a chief is beginning to know the country he +has to leave it. Fifteen or twenty years would be a more fitting time. + +In English India all the civil and military employes know the language +of the country. That extreme, however advantageous it be, and is, in +fact could be brought about here only with difficulty. It would have +been easy if one of the dialects of the islands had been established +from the beginning as the language of the government and of the courts; +for a Visayan learns Tagálog very quickly, and any other idiom of +the country, and the same thing is true of the other natives. + +[If that had been done] all would at this moment show well or poorly +the dominant language, just as in Cataluña, Valencia, the Baleares +Islands, and the Basque provinces, Castilian is known. But this is +not a matter which can be remedied in a brief time. Consequently, if +an alcalde who is beginning to administer justice in Cagayan has to +go immediately to Cebú, he will surely arrive there without knowing +the language, although he had given himself to the study of it from +the very beginning. But if this is an evil, this evil is now being +endured, for the alcaldes arrive from España, and since they know that +they have to return in six years, they do not take the least trouble +to learn the language, and they leave the government in this regard +just as when they entered it. + +In the capital and its suburbs, justice is administered by means of +two lay alcaldes, who are appointed annually by the ayuntamiento from +the citizens of the city. When the appointees are men of wealth, they +resign, for this charge alone occasions them ill-humor and serious +occupations which distract them from their business. Those who accept +or desire it, can have no other stimulus than that of vile interest, +tolerating prohibited games, etc. It is, then, necessary to appoint +two lawyers with suitable pay to be judges of first instance. + +Everyone knows what the Leyes de Indias are, the epoch in which they +were made, and the distinct regions for which they were dictated. It +is, then, indispensable and peremptory to make the civil codes of +legal processes, of criminal instruction, and of commerce especially +for the country. + +In India there is a commission of the government composed of four +votes and a president, charged with making and revising the laws of +India. For the same purpose, in my opinion, three persons who had +studied or should study the country would be sufficient here. In +such case I would be of the opinion that they be not allowed to +do their work together, but that each one work alone and present +his results. Another commission ought to be appointed immediately +(there would be no harm in those same men forming it) to examine +the codes and present a résumé of the points in which they differed +essentially. These would be few and in regard to them the government +could take the best resolution. + + + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA + + +The following document is obtained from a MS. in the Archivo general +de Indias, Sevilla: + +1. Letter from the archbishop of Manila.--"Simancas--Eclesiastico; +Audiencia de Filipinas; cartas y espedientes de arzobispo de Manila; +años 1579 á 1697; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 32." + +The following document is obtained from a MS. in the Real Academia +de la Historia, Madrid: + +2. Jesuit protest.--"Papeles de los Jesuitas, to. 4o., no. 259." + +The following document is obtained from a MS. in the Archivo general, +Simancas: + +3. Paz's Description of Philipinas.--"Consejo de Inquisicion, +libro 786." (We present such part of this document as relates to +the Philippines.) + +The following are taken from the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library): + +4. Condition of Philippines, 1652.--Tomo ii, pp. 385-390. + +5. Jesuit missions, 1655.--Tomo ii, pp. 391-399. + +6. Events in Manila, 1662-63.--Tomo ii, pp. 421-480. + +7. Letter from Salcedo.--Tomo ii, pp. 481-483. + +8. Friars and episcopal visitation.--Tomo ii, pp. 401-419. + +The following is obtained from Retana's Archivo: + +9. Royal funeral rites.--Tomo ii, pp. 105-158. + +The following are taken from Pastells's edition of Colin's Labor +evangélica: + +10. Aid asked for Jesuits.--Tomo iii, pp. 786, 787. + +11. Two Jesuit memorials.--Tomo iii, pp. 804, 805. + +The following is taken from Historia general de los religiosos +descalzos ... de San Agustin: + +12. Recollect missions, 1646-60.--Part ii, by Luis de Jesús (Madrid, +1681), pp. 371-373, from a copy in the possession of Edward E. Ayer, +Chicago; and part iii, by Diego de Santa Theresa (Barcelona, 1743) +pp. 134-558, from a copy in the Library of Congress--using only such +matter as relates to the Philippines. + +The following is obtained from an old pamphlet not usually included +in Philippine bibliographies: + +13. Description of Filipinas, 1662.--From a pamphlet published at +Puebla, Mexico, in 1662; it is bound in with Letona's Perfecta +religiosa (Puebla, 1662, a rare work), in the copy possessed by +Antonio Graiño y Martinez, Madrid. + +The following is obtained from Sinibaldo de Mas's Informe de las +Islas Filipinas: + +14. Administracion de Justicia (1842).--Vol. ii, no. 12. + + + + + + +NOTES + + +[1] Evidently a reference to the "Relation" of Father Fayol, q.v., +Vol. XXXV, pp. 212-275. + +[2] This was the mother of the dead prince Baltasar Cárlos--Isabel (or +Elizabeth) of France, daughter of Henri IV; she died October 6, 1644. + +[3] i.e., "The crown of our head has fallen." + +[4] Spanish, una media naranja, literally, "a half orange." + +[5] The original verses are given for this and following stanzas, +because of the plays on words which cannot be perfectly rendered +in English. + +[6] Codal: A short thick wax candle, one cubit in length. + +[7] Upon the occasion of the death of the late pope Leo XIII, a rich +catafalque was erected in the great cathedral of Sevilla, between +the choir and the high altar, and services were conducted somewhat +in the same manner as here described. + +[8] Diego Patiño was born June 1, 1598, at Tarancon, in the diocese +of Cuenca, and entered his novitiate March 22, 1613. After teaching +grammar he went to the Philippines in 1622. He had charge of missions +in Catubig, Malanao, Iligan, and Dapitan; was afterwards associate +to the provincial, rector of Catbologan and Manila, and provincial +of the Philippines; and was finally sent to Rome as procurator. He +was versed in the various dialects of the Bisayan Islands. See +Sommervogel's Bibliothèque, and post, note 9. + +[9] The archbishop of Manila, Miguel Poblete, wrote to the king in +like terms under date of July 8, 1654, as did also the bishop of +Nueva Cáceres, under date of December 15, 1654. When Father Diego +Patiño reached Mexico, he obtained permission from the viceroy there +(June 26, 1656) to go to Madrid and Rome. Patiño died of suffocation +from hernia, in Tenerife at the convent of the Dominicans, July 26, +1657, and was succeeded in his office by Brother Francisco Bello, who +presented his licenses, authorizations, and memoranda to the Council, +September 30, 1659 [sic. in Pastells, but probably 1658.] Recruits +finally reached the Jesuits in 1662. The above document is only one +of many written by various persons, detailing the need of the Jesuit +missions and petitioning aid. See Pastells's Colin, iii, pp. 787-790, +where some of these letters are given with press-marks. + +[10] Magino Sola was born at Girona, April 22, 1605, and was admitted +into the Society of Jesus, August 15, 1624. He went to the Philippines, +where he labored among the natives for three years, was procurator +of his province for four years, minister at Manila for three years, +rector of Silang, and after 1659 procurator for the Philippines in +Spain. He died at Cadiz, October 31, 1664. Sommervogel mentions two +letters written by him. + +[11] A note of Ventura del Arco, the transcriber and synopsizer of +this document, says: "It is not exact to say that this was the cause +of the insurrection of the Sangleys either in 1639 or in 1603." + +[12] Miguel Solana was born in Castilla, June 1, 1594; at the age +of eighteen he entered the Jesuit order, and ten years later (1622) +came to the Philippines. During twenty years he ministered to both +the Spaniards and the natives, and later was (twice) provincial, and +procurator-general at Madrid. He died at San Miguel, December 21, 1669. + +Cf. this document with "Jesuit missions in 1656" (Vol. XXVIII of this +series, pp. 78-103), both being written by royal command. + +[13] This information is obtained by Montero y Vidal from a report +made in 1654 by the Jesuits, at the order of the colonial government; +it is probably one of the local reports used by Solana in compiling +the preceding account. + +[14] Murillo Velarde says of the Lutaos (Hist. de Philipinas, +fol. 73b): "They are capable and alert, and remind me of the gypsies +in España." + +[15] Montero y Vidal adds: "It is seen, then, that the Christian +population in charge of the Jesuits in Mindanao and adjacent regions +was at that time 50,000 souls. The discalced Augustinians, who had +gone to aid the Jesuits in 1621 in extending their jurisdictions of +Butuan and Caraga, had 20,000 more or so in charge. As the entire +population of the island was, according to Father Colin, calculated +at that time at 150,000, it follows that more than two-fifths had +embraced Christianity and were obedient to Spanish authority." + +[16] Before embracing a religious life, Brother Francisco Bello (or +Vello) had been a fine business man and merchant, and had a thorough +knowledge of the Orient. See Pastells's Colin, iii, p. 806. + +[17] Considerable legislation took place in regard to these two +memorials. They were submitted to Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, +who indited his reply from Santander, November 22, 1658, in which he +corroborated the statements of Vello, and advises that the suggestions +in both be followed. They were also submitted to one Licentiate +Antonio de León Pinedo, because of his knowledge of such matters, +who answered under date of Madrid, January 10, 1659, advising that +the forts of Terrenate be annexed to the spiritual jurisdiction +of the Philippines. The fiscal, reporting on the matter at Madrid, +February 11, 1659, also favors the establishment of a tribunal of the +Inquisition at Manila and the merging of the Terrenate forts in the +archbishopric of Manila. On March 11, 1659, the council resolved that +the viceroy and Audiencia of Nueva España report pro and con on the +founding of a tribunal of the Inquisition in Manila, after conferring +with the inquisitor of Mexico; also that the governor and archbishop +of the Philippines report on the means of supporting a tribunal of the +Inquisition without royal expense. A royal decree of April 24, 1659, +directed to the governor and Audiencia of the Philippines, orders them +to report pro and con on the separation of the Terrenate forts from +the bishopric of Malacca and their addition to the archbishopric +of Manila. Another decree of like date addressed to the viceroy +and Audiencia of Nueva España orders a report on the establishment +of a tribunal in Manila. Although the memorials are without date, +it is probable that they were presented to the royal Council in the +latter part of 1658; for Bello succeeded Patiño as procurator-general +at Tenerife, July 26, 1657. See the original documents presented by +Pastells (Colin, iii, pp. 806-810). + +[18] Mateo Bermudez was one of the Dominican mission that arrived +in the islands in 1626. He ministered in Formosa, and in the Parián +of Manila; and was afterward procurator at Madrid and Rome, and +visitador to the American provinces. In 1658 he returned to Mexico, +remaining there until his death (1673), at the age of eighty. + +[19] In the MS. this latter clause is separated from the preceding one, +but obviously refers to it. The argument of Solana is: The Dominican +school requires the teachings of St. Thomas, "the Angelical Doctor," +to be maintained. But St. Thomas opposed the belief and doctrine of +the immaculate conception of the blessed Virgin Mary. In Solana's day +the dogma of the immaculate conception had not yet been defined by the +Church; it then was a moot question. But in that day the belief in and +teaching of the immaculate conception was common, though not (as said) +of duty--Dominicans only, one may say, holding to the contrary. The +pupils, then, of Santo Tomas had to swear to uphold what was not common +belief, although it was not then heretical.--Rev. T. C. Middleton, +O.S.A. + +[20] Many passages in this document are very involved and elliptical, +and in some places the sense is not at all clear. The translation +is necessarily somewhat free, at times, in wording; but it is +believed that the author's meaning is, as a rule, accurately +rendered.--Rev. T. C. Middleton, O. S. A. + +[21] This description of the Philippines appears in a manuscript +book of an itinerary of the district of the Inquisition of Mexico, +made by the order of the bishop of Plasencia, Diego de Arce Reynoso, a +member of his Majesty's Council and inquisitor-general of his kingdoms +and seigniories, and given to Pedro de Medina Rico, visitor of the +Inquisition of the City of Mexico and its districts. The Philippines +have place in this itinerary, as they were under the Inquisition +of Mexico. This general visit or itinerary was to include a general +review of all things affecting the Inquisition, its establishments +and employees. + +[22] That is, along the bay shore in the other direction--northward +from the city of Manila. + +[23] This is a misstatement, for the three islands of Samar, Negros, +and Panay are larger than Paragua, the areas of the four islands in +square miles being respectively, 5,031, 4,881, 4,611, and 4,027. See +Census of Philippine Islands, ii, p. 30. + +[24] The island of Cebú has an area of 1,762 square miles; Bohol, +1,441; 2,722; 5,031; Samar, 5,031; Negros, 4,881; Bantayan (the +Bantallan of the text), 47; Panai, 4,611; Mindanao, 36,292. See Census +of Philippine Islands, ii, p. 30. + +[25] Bachian, not Ternate, is the largest of the Moluccas, its area +being 800 square geographical miles, while that of Ternate is only +11.5. See Crawfurd's Dictionary. + +[26] The following two sections are taken from the Historia de los +religiosos descalzos (Madrid, 1681) of Luis de Jesús, pp. 371-373. + +[27] The title-page of this book, translated, reads as follows: +"General history of the discalced religious of the Order of the +hermits of the great father and doctor of the Church, St. Augustine, +of the congregation of España and of the Indias. Volume third: +which was written by the very reverend father Fray Diego de Santa +Theresa, pensioned lecturer, ex-definitor, and chronicler-general +of the said congregation; arranged and enlarged by Father Fray +Pedro de San Francisco de Assis, pensioned lecturer, calificador +of the Holy Office, definitor of the holy province of Aragon, and +chronicler-general. Dedicated to Nuestra Señora del Pilar [i.e., "our +Lady of the Pillar"] of Zaragoza. Containing apologetic additions +to the first volume in defense of the discalced Augustinians, in +answer to what was written against them by the father master Fray +Alonso de Villerino; and one decade, namely, from the year 1651 to +that of 1660. With license. In Barcelona; at the press of the heirs +of Juan Pablo and Maria Martí, under the management of Mauro Martí, +in the year 1743." The heading of the dedication is as follows: +"To the sovereign queen of heaven and earth, on her throne of +the pillar in Zaragoza" and it is followed by a long and curious +letter of dedication. We translate and condense from a copy owned +by the Library of Congress, which bears the following inscription: +[This book] belongs to the Library of the convent of the discalced +Augustinian fathers of Valladolid. Fray Tomas de San José, Librarian." + +[28] Manobos: This name is applied to several pagan Malay tribes in +northern and eastern Mindanao, the word meaning "man"--just as many +other savage tubes in all parts of the world designate themselves as +"men" ("the men," par excellence); but Santa Theresa's description +of them does not accord with that of Dr. Barrows. (See Census of +Philippine Islands, i, pp. 461, 462.) + +[29] The same name as Dávao, that of the province occupying the +southeastern part of Mindanao. + +[30] i.e. "Black vomit;" a reference to the yellow fever, which is +still prevalent today in that region. + +[31] i.e., "within two days' journey." + +[32] i.e., "When officiating in his duties, and as far as it relates +to the care of souls." + +[33] The Negritos (who have been frequently mentioned in previous +volumes of this series), or Aetas, form part of the Eastern division +of the pygmy race of blacks. In the Philippines, the Negritos are +tound mainly in Luzón and Panay, and in northeastern Mindanao; in +smaller numbers they also inhabit districts in Palawan and Negros, +and in some small islands besides. As in our text, they are, in +Luzón, often mentioned in connection with the Zambals--who "were +the most indolent and backward of the Malayan peoples," and "who, +in the days before the arrival of the Europeans, were in such close +contact with the Negritos as to impose on them their language, and +they have done it so thoroughly that no trace of an original Negrito +dialect remains." See W. A. Reed's study of the "Negritos of Zambales," +vol. ii, part i of Ethnological Survey Publications (Manila, 1904); +it contains valuable information, based on actual field-work among +those people, regarding their habitat, physical features, dress, +industrial and social life, amusements, superstitions, etc., with +numerous illustrations. + +[34] Apparently this comparison of financial statements was inserted +by Fray Pedro de San Francisco de Assis, the editor of Santa Theresa's +work. + +[35] Agutaya is the principal island of the northern Cuyos group, +and contains a town of the same name. + +[36] There are several places of this name in the islands; the +reference in the text is probably Taytay, the chief town of northern +Palawan. + +[37] Baler is capital of the subprovince of Príncipe, in Luzón; +its latitude is 15° 40' 6" North. + +[38] The following statement by Dr. David P. Barrows--who is chief of +the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes, Manila, and is probably our best +authority on this subject--presents the latest view regarding the +origin of the Filipinos, adopted after much patient and enthusiastic +research in that field by him and other American ethnologists. It may +be found in the recently-published Census of the Philippine Islands, +i, pp. 411-417. + +"Ethnologically, no less than geographically, the Philippines belong +to the Malay archipelago. With the exception of the aboriginal dwarf +blacks, the Negritos, who are still found inhabiting the forests in +a great number of localities, all the tribes of the islands, whether +Christian, Mohammedan, or Pagan, are, in my belief, derived from +the Malayan race. We probably have in these tribes two types which +represent an earlier and a later wave of immigration; but all came +from the south, all speak languages belonging to one common stock, +and all are closely related in physical type and qualities of mind. As +representative of the first migratory movement may be named the Igorot, +the mountain head-hunter of Northern Luzón; and of the latter almost +any of the present Christian or Mohammedan tribes. The migratory +period of this latter type, which constitutes the great bulk of the +present population of the islands, is almost covered by the early +historical accounts of the exploration and settlement of the Far East. + +"Four hundred years ago, when the Portuguese discoverers and +conquerors reached southeastern Asia, they found the long peninsula +in which the continent ends, and the islands stretching south and +east in this greatest and most famous of archipelagoes, inhabited by +a race which called itself Malayu. On the island of Java this race +had some ten centuries before been conquered by Brahmin Hindus from +India, whose great monuments and temples still exist in the ruins +of Boro Budor. Through the influence and power of the Hindus the +Malay culture made a considerable advance, and a Sanskrit element, +amounting in some cases to twenty per cent of the words, entered the +Malayan languages. How far the Hindu actually extended his conquests +and settlements is a most interesting study, but can hardly yet be +settled. He may have colonized the shores of Manila Bay and the coast +of Luzón, where the names of numerous ancient places show a Sanskrit +origin. The Sanskrit element is most pronounced in the Tagálog and +Moro tongues. (Pardo de Tavera, El Sanscrito en la lengua Tagala.) + +"Following the Hindus into the Malay archipelago came the Arabs. They +came first as voyagers and merchants, and here as always the Arab +was a proselyter, and his faith spread rapidly. Long before the +Portuguese arrival Islamism had succeeded Brahminism and the Arab had +supplanted the Hindu.... Mohammedanism gradually made its way until, +on the arrival of the Europeans, its frontiers were almost the same +as those of the Malay race itself. + +"The people who carried this faith, and who still rank as the type +of the race, were the seafaring population, living in boats as well +us on the shore, who control the islands of the straits between +Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula, and Borneo. These people received from +the Portuguese the name of Cellates, a corruption of Orang Salat +(Sea Folk). Under the influence of Mohammedanism this race, which +seems to have originated in Sumatra, improved in culture, formed +many settlements and principalities, and because of their seagoing +habits, their enjoyment of trade, and their lust for piracy, carried +their name (Malayu), their language, and their adopted Mohammedan +religion throughout the Malay archipelago. Probably as early as +1300 these adventurers established a colony on northwest Borneo, +opposite the island of Labuan, which colony received the name of +Brunei, from which has been derived the name of the whole island, +Borneo. The island was already inhabited by Malayan tribes of more +primitive culture, of which the Dyak is the best known. From this +settlement of Borneo the Mohammedanized Malay extended his influence +and his settlements to the Sulu archipelago, to Mindanao, to Mindoro, +and to Manila Bay." The people of Sulúan, whom Magellan encountered +near Sámar, "were almost certainly of the same stock from which the +present great Visayan people are in the main descended. Many things +incline me to believe that these natives had come, in successively +extending settlements, up the west coast of Mindanao from the Sulu +archipelago.... To the present day the physical type and the language, +persisting unchanged in spite of changes of culture, closely relate the +Visayan to the Moro. In addition to these arrivals from the archipelago +of Sulu there was probably a more primitive Malayan population, whom +the later arrivals already had more or less in subjection, as the Moros +even now control the pagans on the mainland of Mindanao.... Thus we may +infer that at the time of the discovery there were on these central +islands of the archipelago, a primitive, tattooed Malayan people, +related on the one hand to the still primitive and pagan tribes of the +Philippines, and on the other hand to the wild head-hunting tribes +of Borneo; and in addition intruding and dominating later arrivals, +who were the seafaring Malays." + +Interesting in this connection is the following remark on the Negritos +by Taw Sein Ko, in his "Origin of the Burmese Race," published in the +magazine Buddhism, (Rangoon, Burma), in March, 1904: "There remains +the question as to the autochthonous races which were displaced by +the Burmese, Talaings, Shans, Chins, and Karens in Burma. Before the +advent of these nations, the Negrito race appears to have occupied +southeastern Asia, including Burma. Remnants of it are still found +in the Andaman Islands, Philippines, Borneo, and Malaya." + +[39] Apparently a reference to Manuel Estacio Venegas, a favorite of +Fajardo's, whose downfall Letona relates in sect. 59. + +[40] Vascongado: a term applied to the people or products of the +Spanish provinces of Alava, Guipúzcoa, and Vizcaya (or Biscay). + +[41] A phonetic rendering of one of the numerous names of a noted +Chinese corsair--generally known as Kue-sing or Ko-xinga; La Concepción +also gives, as his original Chinese name, Tching-tching-cong, +and Coseng and Punpuan (in Diaz, Cogsin and Pompóan) as other +appellations. He also says that Kue-sing (the name meaning "adopted +son of a king") was adopted by the emperor Congun, who had no sons. The +accounts of various writers do not agree regarding the early history of +this adventurer; but that given by our text is apparently corroborated +by other accounts of Kue-sing's achievements and exploits during his +later years. Detailed relations of his career, and of his attempt +upon the Philippines, may be found in Diaz's Conquistas, pp. 461, +551-555, 616-637; Santa Cruz's Hist. de Filipinas, pp. 271-278, etc.; +Murillo Velarde's Hist. de Philipinas, fol. 270b-275; La Concepción's +Hist. de Philipinas, vi, pp. 345 (sc. 355)-359, and vii, pp. 38-56; +Ferrando's Hist. PP. Dominicos, iii, pp. 12-17, 29-41, 47-67, 78-98; +Montero y Vidal's Hist. de Filipinas, i, pp. 313-322, 329. Ferrando +calls Kue-sing the "Attila of the East." + +[42] Vittorio Ricci (Spanish Riccio) was a relative of the noted +Jesuit, Mateo Ricci. He made profession as a Dominican in 1635, +and was a student and afterward a teacher in the Dominican college +at Rome. Meeting there (1643) the noted Fray J. B. Morales, Ricci +decided to return with him to the East, and arrived at Manila in +1648. There he ministered to the Chinese for seven years, when he was +sent to the China mission. He was much favored by the noted Kue-sing +(or Ko-xinga), who obliged him to become his ambassador to Manila +(1662). Returning to China, Ricci found that Kue-sing was dead, +and persuaded the latter's officers that it was to their interest +to maintain peace and commerce with the Spaniards--for which purpose +they sent him again to Manila, as here narrated. In 1664 a persecution +arose in China, and the missionaries were summoned to Peking. Fearing +to obey, as he had been on Kue-sing's side, Ricci fled to Formosa, and +afterward (March, 1666) returned to Manila--where he was imprisoned +for some time. Afterward he held various important offices in his +order, and aided in the compilation of Santa Cruz's continuation +of Aduarte's history. He died at the Parián, February 17, 1685. See +Reseña biográfica, ii, pp. 461-464. + +[43] The letter of Kue-sing, and the governor's reply, may be found +in Diaz's Conquistas, pp. 625, 626, 629-631; and Murillo Velarde's +Hist. de Philipinas, fol. 271, 274. + +[44] The order to abandon Zamboanga arrived there on June 19, 1662; +but this was not accomplished until April, 1663. The commandant of +this fort at that time was Fernando de Bobadilla. Paquian Bactial, +king of Joló, as soon as he heard of the proposed abandonment, plotted +to kill all the Spaniards in Zamboanga, and make it his own capital; +he asked Corralat to aid in this enterprise, but the latter refused +to break his peace with the Spaniards. Royal decrees at various times +ordered that fort to be again occupied; but this was not done until +1718, under the rule of Governor Bustamente. (See Murillo Velarde's +Hist. de Philipinas, fol. 275, 276.) + +[45] Probably thus named from the tree called talisay (Terminalia +catappa), as perhaps constructed from its wood. Its bark is used for +dyeing; and its seeds are edible, resembling almonds. See Blanco's +Flora (ed. 1845), p. 264; and Official Handbook of Philippines, +pp. 309, 356. + +[46] Referring to the Dominican Riccio, who with the title of mandarin +had brought Kue-sing's message. + +[47] "From the cattle-herds on the ranches, and other men who were +skilful in managing horses, he formed a cavalry troop of 400 men, +in command of Don Francisco de Figueroa" (Murillo Velarde, Hist. de +Philipinas, fol. 273). + +[48] José de Madrid, a native of Cebú, was a student and later a +teacher, in the college of Santo Tomás at Manila, having entered the +Dominican order in 1646. He went to China, but, fearing to lose his +life, returned to Manila, only to die, as here related, at the hands +of the Chinese (May 25, 1662). + +[49] These were Malays who had accompanied the Spaniards from Ternate, +where they formed a village, their name meaning "free people" +(Pastells's ed. of Colin's Labor evangélica, iii, pp. 266, 812). La +Concepción (Hist. de Philipinas, vii, p. 102) says: "Under this name +[i.e., Mardicas, or Merdicas] are included natives of Ternate, Tidore, +and Siao; of Manados, Cauripa, Celebes, and Macasar. They were allotted +a dwelling-place at Marigondon, on the great bay of Manila ... and +theirs is the island of Corregidor, from which they give warning +of the ships that they descry, by signal-fires." He says that they +speak three languages--Spanish, Tagálog, and their own dialect; and +"regard themselves as the spiritual sons of St. Francis Xavier, to whom +they are singularly devoted--a feeling inspired by their forefathers, +who had known him and witnessed his marvelous works." Ferrando says +(Hist. PP. Dominicos, iii, p. 94) that these people have preserved +their own dialect, usages, and customs; and up to recent times had +not intermarried with the Filipinos of neighboring villages. + +[50] La Estacada (literally "the stockade") was on the same side of +the Pasig River as Binondoc, but separated from that village by the +little estuary which leads to the village of Tondo. See Muñoz's map +of Manila and its suburbs (1671) in Pastells's edition of Colin's +Labor evangélica, iii, p. 824; this map will be reproduced in the +present series. + +[51] Spanish falsabraga: "a parapet constructed at a lower elevation +than the main parapet, and between the parapet and the edge of the +ditch. It was used only in permanent fortification, and has long been +obsolete;" see Wilhelm's Military Dictionary (Phila., 1881), p. 158. + +[52] Cf. with this description the fortifications indicated on Muñoz's +map, mentioned ante, p. 243, note 50. + +In order to prevent the enemy from fortifying large buildings outside +the walls, "orders were issued to demolish the churches of Santiago, +Bagumbaya, Hermita, Malate, Parañaque, Dilao, San Lazaro, the Parian, +and Santa Cruz--besides various country houses which the Spaniards own +in those environs." (Murillo Velarde's Hist. de Philipinas, fol. 272.) + +[53] This son was called Kin-sié, also known as Tching King-may and +Sipuan; La Concepción says (vii, p. 55) that he, "who had been reared +in the study, among books, did nothing to cultivate the country +which his father had acquired with so many dangers and fatigues, +and the troops therefore became, in his service, lax and cowardly." + +[54] The references in this document to the rulers of China can +hardly be satisfactorily identified; the various names given to the +same person, the conflicting claims of various usurpers or temporary +rulers, and the struggle between the dying Ming dynasty and the Manchu +conquerors, cause great confusion and uncertainty in the history of +that period. The actual ruler of China was then the Manchu Chuntche +(1646-61); he was succeeded by his second son, Kanghi. + +[55] Nanking was, under some early Chinese dynasties, the capital +of the empire. This name signifies merely "Southern Court;" the +proper appellation of the city is Kianningfu. Odoric of Pordenoñe, +who visited it near the year 1325, says that its walls had a circuit +of forty miles, and in it were three hundred and sixty stone bridges, +the finest in the world (Yule's Cathay, i, pp. 120, 121). + +[56] This was Hia-mun, or Emuy (known by the English as Amoy); it lies +off the province of Fuh-kien, at the mouth of the Lung-kiang ("Dragon") +River. On it lies the city of Amoy, a large and important commercial +port; it has one of the best harbors on the coast. (Williams's Middle +Kingdom, i, pp. 114, 115.) + +[57] Diaz relates this (Conquistas, p. 619) in greater detail. "The +Tartar [i.e., Chuntche], seeing himself reduced to so great straits +... resolved to command that all the [inhabited places on the] maritime +coasts should be laid waste and dismantled, for a distance of three +or four leguas inland, throughout the more than eight hundred leguas +of coasts which that empire possesses. This, to the great injury +of the empire, left demolished and razed to the ground innumerable +settlements and cities, enough to compose several kingdoms. This was +the greatest conflagration and havoc that the world has seen, ... and +only populous China could be the fit theater for such a tragedy, +and only the cruel barbarity of the Tartars [could make them the] +inventors and executors of such destruction. The upheaval which the +execution of this so unexampled cruelty caused cannot be described; the +loss of property is incalculable; and human thought cannot conceive the +horror produced by the sight of so many thousands of towns and cities +burning. At last this general conflagration was completed, the fire +lasting many days--the clouds of smoke reaching as far as Hia-muen, +more than twenty leguas, and the sun not being visible in all that +broad expanse. Stations were established at suitable distances for +easily rendering aid, well garrisoned with soldiers; and watch-towers +were erected a legua apart, to keep a lookout over the sea-coasts. A +public proclamation forbade any person to pass the bounds assigned, +four leguas distant from the seashore. With these precautions, if +Kue-sing's ships landed there, a great number of soldiers were quickly +assembled to dispute his entrance into the country--thus keeping +within bounds Kue-sing, who now did not encounter sleeping men." + +[58] Referring to the bay whereon was situated the chief settlement +and fort of the Dutch in Formosa, that of Tai-wan, in the southwestern +part of the island. + +[59] Apparently referring to the usual despatch of several copies of +a letter, to ensure its safe receipt. The form of this summary would +indicate that it is made by Ventura del Arco; and it is followed by +a tracing of Salcedo's autograph. + +[60] Either this date or the date 1665 (see post, p. 266) is doubtless +a transcriber's error. + +[61] I Corinthians, vii, 20. + +[62] Alcalde de monterilla: An ironical and descriptive qualification +of petty judges (Dominguez's Diccionario). + +[63] As appears from a note by Mas, the alcaldes paid a certain sum +for the privilege of trading. Their salaries in 1840 were variously +for the sums of 300, 600, and 1,000 (one instance) pesos. The trading +privilege cost from 40 to 300 pesos. + +[64] This is the famous philosophical treatise on political science, +which was published by Charles de Secondat, baron de la Brède de +Montesquieu, in 1748, and was the product of twenty years' work. + +[65] Jeremy Bentham, the English jurist and philosopher who +lived in the years 1748-1832. + +[66] Probably referring to La scienza della legislazione of Gaetano +Filangieri, the Italian jurist, who lived 1752-88. He was influenced +somewhat by Montesquieu. + +[67] i.e., Of the Leyes de Indias. + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30350 *** |