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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:11:48 -0700 |
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+} +</style> + +<style type="text/css"> +h3, .h3 +{ +font-size: 1em; +line-height: 1.2em; +} +h3.label +{ +font-size: 1.2em; +line-height: 1.2em; +margin-bottom: 0; +} +.xd20e123width +{ +width:440px; +} +.xd20e316width +{ +width:430px; +} +.xd20e783width +{ +width:802px; +} +.xd20e971width +{ +width:439px; +} +.xd20e1742width +{ +width:494px; +} +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume +30 of 55, by Antonio Alvarez de Abreu and Diego Aduarte + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 30 of 55 + 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 XXX, 1640 + +Author: Antonio Alvarez de Abreu + Diego Aduarte + +Editor: Emma Helen Blair + James Alexander Robertson + +Release Date: March 4, 2012 [EBook #39054] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 1493-1898, VOL 30 *** + + + + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project +Gutenberg. + + + + + + +</pre> + +<div class="front"> +<div class="div1 titlepage"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first"></p> +<div class="figure xd20e123width"><img src="images/titlepage.gif" alt= +"Original Title Page." width="440" height="720"></div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="titlePage"> +<div class="docTitle"> +<div class="mainTitle">The Philippine Islands, 1493–1898</div> +<br> +<div class="subTitle">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,</div> +<br> +<div class="mainTitle">Volume XXX, 1640</div> +</div> +<div class="byline">Edited and annotated by <span class= +"docAuthor">Emma Helen Blair</span> and <span class="docAuthor">James +Alexander Robertson</span> with historical introduction and additional +notes by <span class="docAuthor">Edward Gaylord Bourne</span>.</div> +<div class="docImprint">The Arthur H. Clark Company<br> +Cleveland, Ohio<br> +<span class="docDate">MCMV</span></div> +</div> +<p><span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb5" href="#pb5" name= +"pb5">5</a>]</span></p> +<div id="toc" class="div1 contents"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e158" class="main">Contents of Volume XXX</h2> +<table class="tocList"> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#preface">Preface</a></td> +<td class="tocPageNum">9</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#doc1736">Commerce between +the Philippines and Nueva España</a>. Antonio Alvarez de Abreu; +Madrid, 1736. [From his <i lang="es">Extracto historial</i>.]</td> +<td class="tocPageNum">23</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#doc1640"><span lang= +"es">Historia de la provincia del Sancto Rosario de la Orden de +Predicadores</span></a> (to be continued). Diego Aduarte, O.P.; Manila, +1640</td> +<td class="tocPageNum">115</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href= +"#bibliography">Bibliographical Data</a></td> +<td class="tocPageNum">323</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb7" href="#pb7" name= +"pb7">7</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="loi" class="div1 contents"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e191" class="main">Illustrations</h2> +<table class="tocList"> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#p021">Title-page of +<i lang="es">Extracto historial</i> (Madrid, 1736)</a>; photographic +facsimile from copy in library of Harvard University</td> +<td class="tocPageNum">21</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#p083">Map of the eastern +islands; photographic facsimile from Mercator’s <i>Atlas +minor</i> (Amsterdam, 1633)</a>; from copy of original map in the +<span lang="fr">Bibliothèque Nationale</span>, Paris</td> +<td class="tocPageNum">83</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#p113">Title-page of +<i lang="es">Historia de la provincia del Sancto Rosario ... en +Philippinas</i></a>, by Diego Aduarte, O.P. (Manila, 1640); +photographic facsimile from copy in library of Edward E. Ayer, +Chicago</td> +<td class="tocPageNum">113</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="tocDivNum"></td> +<td class="tocDivTitle" colspan="5"><a href="#p227">Governor Luis Perez +Dasmariñas</a>; from painting exhibited at St. Louis, 1904, in +the Philippine exhibit of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition</td> +<td class="tocPageNum">227</td> +</tr> +</table> +<p><span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb9" href="#pb9" name= +"pb9">9</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="preface" class="div1 preface"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e231" class="main">Preface</h2> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The present volume contains no record of events in the +year 1640; but its two documents are retrospective from that date. The +first, an historical survey of Philippine commerce with Nueva +España, from its beginning until 1640, is taken from the +<i lang="es">Extracto historial</i> (Madrid, 1736), a work devoted to +that subject and compiled by order of the Spanish government. The +second is Aduarte’s noted history of the Dominican missions in +the Philippines; although much of it is briefly synopsized, its great +length permits us only to begin it here, two more volumes being +necessary to complete it.</p> +<p>Valuable information regarding the trade between the Philippines and +Nueva España is furnished by the <i lang="es">Extracto +historial</i> (Madrid, 1736), from which we take such matter as +pertains to that commerce up to 1640. A brief summary of royal +ordinances thereon is followed by a memorial sent (1640) to the royal +visitor for Mexico, Juan Palafox y Mendoza, by Juan Grau y +Monfalcón, agent at the Spanish court for the Philippine +Islands. As Palafox is commissioned to investigate the condition, +needs, and commerce of the islands, Grau sends him this memorial by way +of information thereon, and as a brief for the islands in their +controversy over the grievous restrictions <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb10" href="#pb10" name="pb10">10</a>]</span>placed +on their commerce with Nueva España (which is mainly their +export thither of Chinese silk fabrics). Grau’s argument is +carefully divided and subdivided; it is not always ingenuous, and +sometimes he overshoots his mark, or uses the same premises for +different and at times incongruous results; but it is on the whole a +forcible presentation of the difficulties and embarrassments under +which that commerce is laboring, and even the colony striving for +existence. He constantly urges the great importance of the Philippines +to the Spanish crown, not only as a center of missionary effort in the +Orient, but for the defense of the Moluccas and the spice trade, the +maintenance of Eastern India, and the diversion from that region and +from the American coasts of the Dutch enemy, on whom the Philippine +colony is a continual and effective check; all these considerations are +discussed at length. He lauds the bravery, loyalty, and piety of the +Spaniards in those islands, and their great services to the crown. He +computes the expenditures necessary to sustain the Philippine colony, +and the revenues which it yields, and shows that its actual expense is +but moderate, and far less than is supposed. From even this should +properly be deducted the expenses of sustaining Moluco, a burden which +falls on the Philippines, although the Spice Islands and their trade +are the property of Portugal; such computation leaves but 26,000 pesos +annually as the actual cost of maintaining the Philippines, Grau +proposes two plans for securing this end: one, to pay all the expenses +of the islands directly from the royal treasury; the other, to grant +them a sufficient amount of commerce—the latter being the most +expedient and desirable method. Granting this, it remains to consider +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb11" href="#pb11" name= +"pb11">11</a>]</span>the character, amount, and form of such commerce; +Grau expatiates on the third of these in especial, recounting the +annoyances and injuries inflicted at Acapulco on Philippine merchants +and their goods.</p> +<p>Grau notices the accusations that have been made against the +Philippine commerce, of infractions of the ordinances regulating it; +while not denying these, he claims that they are not more extensive or +serious than those that are committed in the India trade, and do not +deserve the severity which has been employed against them. In behalf of +the islands, Grau asks for an increase in the amount of trade permitted +to them; for the restrictions on their commerce have greatly reduced +their wealth, on which heavier burdens are constantly laid by the +necessity of defending themselves from so many and so powerful enemies. +The population of Manila is also much larger than when the trade was +first limited, and needs more for its support; moreover, much of the +amount permitted is granted to convents and other institutions, and to +certain privileged persons, and various deductions are made from its +total, thus diminishing its actual value. Grau argues that a sufficient +increase in the trade of the islands would put a stop to illegal +shipments of goods; and that the exporters cannot make any reasonable +profits unless they are more liberally treated. He suggests that they +be allowed to export goods freely, a limitation being placed only on +the returns of silver therefor; and urges that the products of the +islands be free from all restrictions, and not included in the amount +permitted—which latter should apply only to Chinese +goods—for which he adduces various forcible arguments. Discussing +then the commerce between Nueva España and Peru, he <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb12" href="#pb12" name="pb12">12</a>]</span>shows +that the suspension of this trade during 1635–40 has been very +injurious to the Philippines, for various reasons; it has also hurt +both Peru and Mexico, especially by checking the latter’s silk +industry, which found a market in Peru. He defends the Peruvian +merchants from the accusations made against them of transgressing the +trade permission that had been accorded to them, and urges that, for +the sake of all the western colonies, this permission be restored to +Peru.</p> +<p>This memorial by Grau is followed by several royal decrees (dated +February 14, 1640) addressed to Palafox; these are mainly +“informatory,” and lay before that official the +representations made by the citizens of the islands regarding their +distressed condition—ordering him to investigate the affairs of +Philipinas carefully and thoroughly, and report thereon to the home +government. In later volumes of this series will be presented a +considerable part of the <i lang="es">Extracto historial</i>—a +work which, as we understand, has not before been Englished—on +account of the importance attached not only to the book as an official +report, but to the commerce of the Philippines as a factor in the +history and development of that Spanish colony in the Far East.</p> +<p>Aduarte’s <i lang="es">Historia de la provincia del Sancto +Rosario</i> (Manila, 1640) is here presented for the first time in +English dress—partly in full translation and partly in synopsis, +because this work, besides being voluminous, contains much about Japan +and other countries, and other matter outside our scope. The earlier +chapters (i–ix) of book i, here briefly summarized, describe the +foundation of the province and the voyage of the first Dominican +missionaries to Manila; <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb13" href= +"#pb13" name="pb13">13</a>]</span>also the unsuccessful effort at the +same time to open a mission in China. In chapter x is described their +entrance into Manila, their affectionate reception by all, and their +establishment there as a religious community. The new arrivals are +initiated into missionary labor at Bataan, and soon afterward are +placed in charge of the Pangasinan natives, and of the Chinese at +Manila. With the aid of Bishop Salazar, the Dominicans secure a piece +of land for their convent and church; and they receive many gifts and +alms from pious citizens. They labor for the good of the Spanish +residents of Manila, and soon effect a great change in their morals and +religious life. They prosper, and are able to erect a new and handsome +stone church and the other buildings necessary for their establishment; +but the noted fire of 1603 destroys all this great work. It is +afterward rebuilt, even more solidly than before, and all by the alms +of the faithful. Chapters xii-xv are devoted to an account of an image +of our Lady of the Rosary possessed by this Dominican convent, and of +the miracles wrought through its agency. Some of the friars had +complained of the severity of their mode of life and of the rules +imposed upon them; but all finally agree thereto, with great +self-forgetfulness and devotion. Aduarte proceeds to recount the great +advantages arising to the province from this procedure, and the +holiness displayed by the Dominican religious in +Luzón—statements confirmed by various letters written to +Spain by trustworthy persons, not only within but without that +order.</p> +<p>Chapter xix is devoted to an account of the Dominicans’ first +mission-field, that of Bataán, and their labors therein. This +field had been transiently occupied <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb14" +href="#pb14" name="pb14">14</a>]</span>by other missionaries, but was +so hard and barren that none of them had persevered in its cultivation. +But the Dominicans “licked their fingers over the +hardships,” and devote themselves most heroically to the care of +these poor souls, and to learning their language—a difficult task +for old men. One of them, Pedro de Bolaños, is overcome by the +labors and privations of this sort of life, and is compelled to return +to Manila, where he finally dies; and the others suffer much from +illness. As soon as the fathers learn the language of those natives, +they acquire great influence over the natives, especially through the +confessional. They greatly abate drunkenness, the worst vice of the +Indians, by “sending to Coventry” every intoxicated person; +and they persuade the heathen to abandon their idols and superstitious +practices, and even (perhaps the greatest triumph of all) to set free +many slaves, and restore what they had taken from others in usury and +by other unjust means. All this is accomplished within one year; and +Bataán acquires a wide reputation for the religious and peaceful +life which its natives lead. Various marvelous works are wrought for +the fathers by divine power; “on the other hand, the devil played +some tricks on them.” They have to encounter witches and devils, +but the Lord gives them the victory over these evil beings.</p> +<p>Pangasinan is another mission-field assigned to the Dominicans, +which also had been barren of gospel fruit through the obstinate +hostility of its natives to the Christian faith. At first, they try to +drive away the Dominicans also, but the holy lives of those fathers +work a miracle in their hard hearts, and convert them to the faith. +This is told in a letter from <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb15" href= +"#pb15" name="pb15">15</a>]</span>Bishop Benavides to the pope, written +in 1598. He relates their hardships, patience, and devotion, in the +face of the hatred and hostility of the natives—so bitter that +the missionaries are entreated, not only by Spanish officers but by +Bishop Salazar, to leave Pangasinan. But they refuse to go, and finally +their persistent and unwearied kindness to the Indians, and their +consistent Christian characters, soften those hard hearts; and, after +three years of patient waiting, the fathers gather a rich harvest of +souls. Those Indians are excellent Christians, and show most edifying +devotion and piety, a statement thoroughly confirmed by later reports. +The early persecution of the missionaries is explained by the fact that +after their arrival the oracles of the native idols became silent, and +by false accusations which the devil and his emissaries concoct against +the religious. The conversions and pious acts of two prominent chiefs +are related, as well as various miracles which occur in this +mission.</p> +<p>The leading events and persons of the next mission (1588–89) +are described. Amid the greatest difficulties and dangers, those +religious make the perilous voyage to Manila. The first provincial +chapter-meeting is held in that city, on June 12, 1588; on this +occasion the new province is organized, and officers regularly elected. +Some progress is made this year in Pangasinan; but some of the natives +are obstinately hostile, and the missionaries are often ill-treated, +and sometimes in danger of death. Their acts of charity to the Indians, +and especially their success in curing some sick persons, gradually win +the affection of the natives; and the fathers are able to do much to +improve the condition of those people<span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb16" href="#pb16" name="pb16">16</a>]</span>—above all, in +furnishing them hospitals and medical care for the sick, thus saving +many lives.</p> +<p>Soon after reaching the islands the Dominicans also undertake to +minister to the Chinese who come to Manila. In this field, as among the +Indians, they obtain a foothold by their generous and unwearied care +for the sick; and soon they erect a hospital for the care of poor +Chinese sick persons, which rapidly increases in size and in the aid +bestowed upon it, and where nearly all the patients are converted +before they leave it. One of their converts devotes himself to the +service of the hospital for many years, and greatly aids the fathers in +charge of it. New buildings are erected, and the number of converts is +greatly increased. The village of Binondo is enlarged, and a large and +beautiful church is erected, for this Chinese Christian population. The +pious works of several of these converts are related.</p> +<p>The harvest of souls continues to increase, and in 1589 a small but +helpful reënforcement of missionaries arrives at the islands. A +full account is given of their labors in Pangasinan and Bataán, +the marvels wrought for them, the renunciation of idols by the heathen, +the devotion and piety displayed by the converts. Fathers Castro and +Benavides go to China (1590) to attempt the establishment of a mission +there; but their enterprise is a failure, on account of the Chinese +hostility to foreigners. Juan Cobo, acting provincial during +Castro’s absence, visits the missions and makes some arrangements +for their more advantageous management. Excellent crops for several +years, and the advice and aid of the missionaries, increase the +temporal prosperity of the Indians; <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb17" +href="#pb17" name="pb17">17</a>]</span>and they become more friendly to +the religious, and more inclined to receive religious instruction.</p> +<p>Gomez Perez Dasmariñas arrives at Manila in 1590, as governor +of the islands. Dissensions soon arise between him and Bishop Salazar, +and the latter departs for Spain (in June, 1591), accompanied by +Benavides. The governor is afterward slain by his own Chinese oarsmen. +In April, 1592, Fray Alonso Ximenes is chosen provincial; the various +missions are apportioned, and certain ordinances for their conduct and +the better government of the province are enacted. Fray Juan de Castro +and Fray Juan Cobo die soon afterward, of whom Aduarte presents full +biographical accounts. A special assembly of the religious is convened +in December, 1594, at which additional rules for their conduct are +adopted. They are also asked to send religious to Nueva Segovia, for +which mission two fathers are allotted. Aduarte describes that +province, and its conquest (1581) by the Spaniards, to prevent it from +becoming a Japanese possession. The Indians of that province are so +warlike that for a long time the Spaniards can keep but a precarious +hold upon it; and the friars find that they can accomplish nothing +there with either Spaniards or Indians. The Dominicans, therefore, +enter (1595) upon a hard and sterile field; but a considerable +reënforcement of missionaries opportunely arrive to aid them, +although many die while en route from España. Aduarte recounts +the superstitious beliefs and observances current among the +Cagayán Indians, notions which shape or modify nearly all of +their social customs; they are, from his standpoint, slaves to the +devil in all things. The Dominican missionaries, <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb18" href="#pb18" name="pb18">18</a>]</span>now +eight in number, plan and begin the spiritual conquest of +Cagayán. For nearly a year they endure, on account of the +hostility of the natives, great sufferings from hunger, exposure, and +apparently vain efforts; but gradually they subdue the natives by their +unwearied self-denial, patience, and love. Their first-fruits consist +in eight converted chiefs, who are baptized at Easter (1597), and these +are the beginning of a rich harvest—at first, mainly of children +baptized before they die from the prevalent epidemic of smallpox. +Gradually, they are able to build churches in the respective villages, +and to introduce among the Indians a civilized and Christian mode of +life. At the time of Aduarte’s writing (<i>ca.</i> 1637), those +people have become very fond of their religious, and ask for them to +come to teach them—even changing their own residences, when +necessary for their obtaining religious instruction. The supply of +missionaries for that region is very inadequate, and should be promptly +increased.</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">The Editors</span></p> +<p class="dateline">July, 1905. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb19" +href="#pb19" name="pb19">19</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="body"> +<div id="xd20e297" class="div0 part"> +<h2 id="xd20e298" class="main">Commerce between the Philippines and +Nueva España</h2> +<p class="first">By Antonio Alvarez de Abreu; Madrid, 1736.</p> +<p><span class="sc">Source</span>: Translated from Abreu’s +<i lang="es">Extracto historial</i> (Madrid, 1736), fol. 1–28; +from a copy in the possession of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago.</p> +<p><span class="sc">Translation</span>: This is made by Emma Helen +Blair. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb21" href="#pb21" name= +"pb21">21</a>]</span></p> +<div class="figure xd20e316width" id="p021"><img src="images/p021.jpg" +alt="Title-page of Extracto historial (Madrid, 1736)" width="430" +height="720"></div> +<p><span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb23" href="#pb23" name= +"pb23">23</a>]</span></p> +<div id="doc1736" class="div1 preface"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e322" class="main">Commerce between the Philippines and +Nueva España</h2> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[From <i lang="es">Extracto historial</i>.<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e329src" href="#xd20e329" name= +"xd20e329src">1</a>]</p> +<div id="xd20e354" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 class="label">Period I</h3> +<h3 class="main">Of what has been ordained by royal decrees, now +compiled, in regard to the commerce of Philipinas.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">1–15. [This “period” consists of a +very brief summary of the laws regarding the above commerce, issued +from 1593 to 1635; this matter, in fuller form, has been already given +in <span class="sc">VOLS. XVII</span> of this series, pp. 27–50, +and <span class="sc">XXV</span>, pp. 48–73, with which this +document should be read.] <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb24" href= +"#pb24" name="pb24">24</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e368" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e369" class="label">Period II</h3> +<h3 class="main">Of the debates on this commerce which occurred in the +royal Council of the Indias up to the year 1640, and the commissions +which on that account were entrusted to Señor Don Juan de +Palafox, who, being an official of the [India] House, went as bishop of +Puebla de los Angeles.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">Although in the collection of documents which was +furnished to us by the Council, for the compilation of this <i lang= +"es">Extracto</i>, nothing appears relative to the controversies which +occurred during the greater part of the last century in regard to the +commerce of Philipinas, in order that the long silence on this +matter—from the earliest decrees up to the year 1684, of which an +account is given us by the papers in the Secretary’s office (with +which “Period III” begins, and which the <i lang= +"es">Extracto</i> will follow)—may not seem irreparable, it has +seemed to us desirable to form the present “Period” from a +printed quarto book which <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb25" href= +"#pb25" name="pb25">25</a>]</span>was placed in the hands of +Señor Palafox (who is now in Nueva España) by the deputy +of those islands, and has reached us among other interesting documents. +In this book are enumerated, for the purpose of furnishing information +to that prelate—who was charged by the royal orders to inform +[the government] regarding that affair [of the commerce]—the +arguments which during the years 1638–40 were presented in behalf +of the maintenance of the commerce of Philipinas, and the enlargement +of the amount of trade allowed to that colony. We have not been able by +any search to obtain the “Memorial” of one hundred and +thirty-six sections which is said, in this printed book, to have been +presented to the Council on this subject, in behalf of the city of +Manila; but the insertion of the present document will not be +unwelcome—not only because it contains substantially the same +arguments which in following years up to the present time have been +adduced, and which, it may reasonably be believed, those same islands +will reproduce in the future whenever this subject is discussed; but +because at the same time it presents certain information which is of no +little value for better understanding the importance of that remote +domain.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e383" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e384" class="main">Justification of the maintenance of the +Philipinas Islands and their commerce</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">To the very illustrious and reverend Señor Don +Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, member of his Majesty’s Council, in +the royal Council of the Indias, and bishop of Puebla de los Angeles: +by Don Juan Grau y Monfalcón, procurator-general of the +Philipinas Islands, agent for the principality of Catuluña, and +syndic of the city of Barcelona. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb26" +href="#pb26" name="pb26">26</a>]</span></p> +<p>Very illustrious and reverend sir:</p> +<p>Although I wrote for the city of Manila, the capital of the +Philipinas islands, a memorial of one hundred and thirty-six +sections—at the examination and discussion of which in the +Council your illustrious Lordship was present—in regard to +eighty-five petitions, to which can be reduced all the more important +matters which may be presented concerning those islands and their +trade-route and their maintenance; and that memorial with its petitions +your illustrious Lordship is carrying with you, as it is printed, so +that it seems as if there were no need of further information—and +even these were superfluous to one who is so well informed on all the +matters which he has in his keeping, and is so quick to understand +those which may come before him: nevertheless, in order that I may to +some extent relieve and set free your illustrious Lordship from the +burdens imposed upon your memory, as I know the number and importance +of the commissions that you must execute and the matters that you must +decide in Nueva España (all which will be successfully +accomplished, as we are assured by your wide experience in affairs), I +have determined to comprise in this single treatise the matters which +concern the city of Manila, and which it can present to you. It relates +to the four leading points which were entrusted by his Majesty and the +royal Council of the Indias, by royal decrees, to the judicious +decision and accurate information of your Lordship, as follows:</p> +<p>First, to what extent and in what manner shall the commerce of those +islands be tarried on?</p> +<p>Second, whether it will be expedient to increase and extend the +permission which they at present <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb27" +href="#pb27" name="pb27">27</a>]</span>enjoy, both in the export of +merchandise and in the returns of money.</p> +<p>Third, whether in the amount of merchandise allowed to them shall be +included the products of the islands, or only those of China shall be +understood.</p> +<p>Fourth, whether the commerce which Perù was accustomed to +hold with Nueva España shall be resumed, on account of the loss +which results to the Philipinas and Nueva España from its +suspension.</p> +<div class="div3 section" id="xd20e403"> +<div class="divHead"> +<h4 id="xd20e404" class="main">Point first</h4> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">As for the first decree, which is so general as to +include all, for treating of the commerce of the islands, which is +essential to their preservation: this point, which in the memorial that +I have cited is argued at length, can be reduced to an argument of +three infallible propositions, of which, when two are proved, the third +cannot be denied; and they are in this form.</p> +<p>The Philipinas Islands are absolutely necessary: first, to increase +the preaching of the gospel; second, to maintain the authority, +grandeur, and reputation of this crown; third, to defend the Moluco +Islands and their trade; fourth, to support Eastern India; fifth, to +relieve the Western Indias from their enemies; sixth, to aid the two +crowns of Castilla and Portugal<a class="noteref" id="xd20e410src" +href="#xd20e410" name="xd20e410src">2</a> in breaking down the power of +the Dutch; seventh, to protect for both crowns the commerce of China. +In order to support the islands, the commerce <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb28" href="#pb28" name="pb28">28</a>]</span>with +Nueva España is requisite and necessary; for by no other means +can their defense, or means for supporting it, be provided. It +immediately follows that it is also requisite and necessary to grant +this commerce to the islands, or, by abandoning them, to lose all the +advantages which result from their preservation, as here +represented.</p> +<p>The first proposition of this argument consists of eight fundamental +reasons, which are stated therein; but it seems as if they ought to be +proved, in order that their force and cogency may be fully understood. +Accordingly, I will run through them as briefly as possible.</p> +<p>The first one is the increase of the preaching and promulgation of +the holy gospel. This was the principal object which the Catholic +sovereigns of Castilla had in carrying on the discovery of the Western +Indias, and in colonizing and supporting them—and, consequently, +in doing the same for all the islands adjacent to them, among the +number of which are the Philipinas; and although the richness of those +provinces greatly aided their efforts, this was a secondary object with +the sovereigns, and a fulfilment of what is promised in the gospel, +that we must seek first the kingdom of God, and that all the rest which +the world possesses and esteems shall be gathered and added to us. +Therefore, since their intention was the conversion of all the infidels +who inhabit that opposite hemisphere, He who became flesh in order to +redeem them chose that this undertaking should gain, as a secondary +result, the infinite riches which the Indias have given and are giving +to España. Such a reason is not lacking in the Philipinas +Islands. Their first discovery and settlement <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb29" href="#pb29" name="pb29">29</a>]</span>were +solely for extending the Catholic faith; for then it was not known that +those islands would be rich—as indeed they are not of +themselves—nor that there could be any further result than the +conversion of their natives to the gospel law, and the opening of a +gate by which the preaching of the gospel could be carried to other +provinces and kingdoms of Asia. That enterprise was prosecuted very +successfully, as is publicly known; and it is now very evident that all +those islands are today in the bosom of the Church—for they +contain an archbishopric and three episcopal sees, and very many +convents and hospitals; and there may be seen the Christian religion as +pure, as valued, and as venerated as it is in España. And this +rouses all the more admiration because the location of the colony is so +remote, and so surrounded by heathens, Moors, and heretics; and that, +in spite of all, the power and revenues of this crown are able to +maintain it. But for this result, which was the main one, what was the +second, and in what was seen fulfilled the promise of the gospel? It +was, that God has placed in those seas a firm column, on which He could +found, and by which they could support themselves, Eastern India, the +Molucas Islands, their commerce, and that of China; and which shall +prove for the enemies of this crown—heretics, Moors, and +heathens—a check upon their advance, a resistance to their +intentions, and a strong rock on which they shall be broken, or at +least their success may be checked and their machinations prevented. +Such are the Philipinas Islands, and this rank they acquired after the +preaching of the gospel entered them; and it seems as if it were a +providence of Heaven to make them so necessary from the human +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb30" href="#pb30" name= +"pb30">30</a>]</span>standpoint, in order that the divine influences +might not be lacking in them. For if sometimes the attainment of the +first result might not be sufficient for maintaining them (which the +piety of the kings of Castilla renders incredible), that of the second +result would suffice, because even the divine needs to be maintained in +the world by human protection. This is an axiom which, in lands newly +converted, is generally accepted in the Indias; and it has been +thoroughly proved by experience that the gospel is more effective among +the barbarians when it is under the royal banners and standards than +when it goes without them. Accordingly, it pleased God to ordain that +these standards should be necessary in the Philipinas, in order that +the preaching of the gospel, which was the motive for their going +thither, might be established in their shelter. It is therefore +established by a well-grounded proposition that, even if no more is +looked for than this aim of converting the heathen, it is now +impossible to give up the preservation of the Philipinas, as being so +important a part of the Catholic church. And if the kings of Castilla, +in order not to permit liberty of conscience in Flandes, have during +more than seventy years maintained in those states (and, through them, +in all Europa) the most tedious and costly war that any monarchy in the +world has waged: how can it be denied that by abandoning so vast a +number of Catholics as there are in those islands, who have been +instructed by the Christian zeal of Spaniards, there will, if we leave +them now, be introduced among them liberty of conscience? not to +mention a mingling of schismatic heretics, Moors, Jews, and heathens of +various sects, as is seen in Bantan (which <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb31" href="#pb31" name="pb31">31</a>]</span>is the +Oriental Ginebra [<i>i.e.</i>, Geneva]), and in all other places where +the Dutch find entrance; and they would soon enter those islands [if we +abandon them]. Even if they caused great expenses to this crown (which +they do not), they ought to be supported and preserved.</p> +<p>The second reason is, that in these islands are involved the +authority, grandeur, and reputation of this crown. [My statement in +regard to] the authority is proved by various methods, which may be +found in the memorial that I have cited—of which I will only +notice here the power which is exercised by the governor who rules the +islands in the name of his Majesty. So great is this that it may be +affirmed with truth that in all his kingdoms and seigniories (although +the viceroyalties are classed as superior to that government) the king +does not appoint to an office of greater authority. If this is not +evident, let it be noticed how many crowned kings render homage to that +governor, and recognize him as their superior; how they respect him and +fear his arms; how they desire his friendship, and, if they violate it, +receive punishment. The king of Ternate died a prisoner in Manila; and +he of Sian made, by force of arms, satisfaction for a reprisal which he +had committed. Those of Siao and Tidore are our subjects, and that of +Camboxa is our ally. The ruler of Great China is our friend, and the +emperor of Japòn was such until the Dutch alienated him; and +although the failure of the Japanese trade causes us loss, we have not +feared to declare that ruler our enemy—as are those of Champa, +Sian, and Mindanao; and, more than all, the Dutch, who keep those seas +so infested. And it ought to be considered <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb32" href="#pb32" name="pb32">32</a>]</span>that the +governor of Philipinas sends ambassadors to all those kings, with gifts +to present to them, and receives those that they send to him in return; +he makes peace and declares war, and does whatever seems to him +expedient; and all this on his own responsibility, without waiting for +a decision of the matter from España, because the excessive +distance renders him the entire master in these acts. This is a +preëminence of so great authority that no governor or viceroy in +Europe exercises it. The grandeur which this monarchy preserves in +those islands is widely known. In its material aspect, that domain +extends through a circuit of 1,400 leguas, in which are included the +two archipelagos of San Lazaro and Moluco: the latter composed of five +especially important islands, which their own kings govern, with more +than seventy others adjacent; the latter, of those which are properly +called Philipinas, forty in number—some of them larger than all +España, some as large as this country, and others somewhat +smaller. This does not mention the islands that are small and +uninhabited, which are without number. Among all these is [foremost] +the island of Luzon, in which is the distinguished and ever loyal city +of Manila, which is the precious stone of this setting, and which alone +is enough to prove the grandeur of España—by its location, +its splendor, its buildings, its sky, and its soil. In its citizens are +resplendent the religious faith, the loyalty, and the courage which +gave origin to that colony. Since Manila is, as some say, the antipodes +of Sevilla, it seems as if it tried to imitate that city in its +characteristics, and in being a military center and an emporium of +commerce for that hemisphere. If one considers higher things, the power +of <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb33" href="#pb33" name= +"pb33">33</a>]</span>the islands cannot be reduced to the region just +mentioned. Manila may be compared to the city of Goa, the capital of +Eastern India; and it is she who reduces to subjection all the coasts +from the Straits of Sincapura to Japòn, and the islands of the +Ladrones and the Papuas; for her fleets sail through all those seas +with the never conquered and always victorious royal standards of +España. Her ships are admitted into many maritime kingdoms of +Asia, and into numberless islands adjacent to them; they make voyages +so long that no others equal to these are known. They go to China and +Japòn, and by the Southern Sea to Nueva España; and by +way of the Northern Sea—coasting all the Oriental kingdoms, +emerging [from the China Sea] through Sincapura, and doubling the great +Stormy Cape, that of Buena Esperanza—they have reached the bar of +San Lucar, with these two voyages making almost the entire circuit of +the world. And if commerce is regarded as the greatest splendor of +kingdoms (as it certainly is), this greatness is not lacking to the +Philipinas; for they have so rich a commerce that, if they could enjoy +it free, there is no city known to the world that would surpass, or +even equal, Manila. That in that colony resides and is preserved the +reputation of this crown, is evident, if it be noted that the +maintenance of that reputation by the arms of España in +Fuente-Rabia, in Salsas, in Italia, in Flandes, in Alemania, and in +other parts of Europa is not to be wondered at; for if España is +the heart which inspires strength in the mystical body of this +monarchy, it is not much that the members which are nearest and so +closely connected should share most effectively in this influx of +energy. And if his Majesty (whom God preserve!) <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb34" href="#pb34" name="pb34">34</a>]</span>is the +soul or vital breath of this heart, it cannot be denied that the closer +proximity will cause the greater effect. Besides, the great number of +the troops who go out from the adjoining [European] states prevents the +enemy from seizing any one of those states; but the greatest cause of +reputation for this crown is that, at a distance of three thousand +leguas from the royal person and España, three thousand three +hundred and thirty-six Spaniards, all of them occupied in those islands +in war and in peace, on sea and on land, [accomplish what they do]. It +is the citizens of Manila who are the substance of that diamond, where +the adjoining states are all enemies—barbarians, heretics, Moors, +and heathens. Those Spaniards are without hope of succor in +emergencies, without safety for the unfortunate in the retreat, and +even without the reward due them for their achievements; they are +always inferior in numbers, and continually attacked by Dutch, +Mindanaos, Japanese, Jaos, and other peoples. They are always in +anxiety about the Chinese, or Sangleys, who number more than 30,000 in +Manila; and about the natives, of whom there are more than 80,000. In +that land of many islands they maintain fortified posts, and on the sea +armed fleets of galleons, galleys, and champans—one for the +defense of Manila, another for conveying troops and supplies to +Terrenate, and another for the fort on the island of Hermosa. In this +last island and in those of Moluco, our military posts confront the +Dutch; our people are continually fighting on sea and on land, while +they wage on the frontier a fierce war with the most wary people that +is known, and with tribes who are as cruel as they can be. Yet, +although their soldiers are so few, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb35" +href="#pb35" name="pb35">35</a>]</span>they meet innumerable +obligations, acquit themselves of all, and cause the Spanish name to +emerge from all gloriously, and the standards of the king our lord +victoriously. Therefore, it is the Philipinas Islands that preserve the +reputation of this crown with the most valor and the least reward, with +the greatest hazard, and with most glory.</p> +<p>The third fundamental reason is, that the Philipinas defend the +islands of Moluco, and the commerce in the cloves that are obtained +from them. The importance of these islands is everywhere known, because +in all the world there are no other islands nor any other region in +which grows this spice or drug, so highly valued. For their discovery +alone Hernando de Magallanes made, by order of the emperor Carlos +Fifth, that celebrated voyage in which he found the strait to which he +gave his name, and passed through it into the Southern Sea; and, +although he was slain while making his claims, his ship sailed around +the world. The lordship of those islands caused troublesome hostilities +between the Castilians and Portuguese, which were ended by this crown +giving them to that of Portugal, in fulfilment of a contract; for it +seemed (and indeed was evident) that Castilla would have much +difficulty in maintaining them when they were so separated from all its +kingdoms and states, while Portugal, by possessing Eastern India, was +less distant from and could better support them. The course of time +showed that even India was very remote from them; for when the Dutch +power entered the Orient and established a military post in +Bantan<a class="noteref" id="xd20e440src" href="#xd20e440" name= +"xd20e440src">3</a>—a port nearer to Moluco, <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb36" href="#pb36" name="pb36">36</a>]</span>and more +advantageously located than was India—it was so obviously +impossible to defend them that in the end they were lost to us, the +enemy getting possession of them all and of their commerce. But as the +Philipinas were by that time quite populous, and so near to the Molucas +that they were superior to Bantan [as a trading post], the task of +restoring the Molucas [to Spanish control] was laid upon the governor, +Don Diego de Acuña—who with his courage and energy, and +the convenience of being so near, regained them and restored them to +this crown. When both Castilla and Portugal recognized the great +expense that India would have to incur in maintaining the Molucas, and +that even with excessive expenditures it would be impossible to do so, +on account of the injury being nearer than the remedy, and the enemy +than the succor, those islands were, by the mutual agreement of the two +crowns, united to the government of the Philipinas as regards their +defense and support. The clove-trade was left to the Portuguese, +because it was so important that, if it were taken from them, India +would perish, or become greatly weakened. It is thus sufficiently +proved that the Philipinas contributed to the restoration of all the +forts in the Orient; and that in their preservation was and still is +involved that of the Molucas, and consequently of all India. Thus they +have been maintained since the year 1603, defending them by force of +arms against the Dutch, who never cease <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb37" href="#pb37" name="pb37">37</a>]</span>their endeavors to expel +the Castilians from those islands; this has been the cause of many +naval encounters and battles, in which the arms of España have +always remained victorious. Nevertheless, since the military force of +Philipinas is small, the territory that they must defend large, and the +aid which is given to them for this purpose very limited, it has not +been possible to prevent the treachery and persistence of the Dutch +from having some effect; nor to put a stop to their sharing in the +clove trade at some forts which they keep in the Molucas, though at the +cost of many men, armed vessels, and expenses. From all of these +islands are produced each year 2,816,000 libras of cloves, of which the +Dutch secure 1,098,000 libras, and the Portuguese and Castilians +1,718,000—and this latter supply is due to the protection of the +Philipinas; while it is computed that the cloves which the Dutch carry +away amount to three times as much as it will cost them to be absolute +lords of the Molucas, even with the large garrisons and armed fleets +which they keep and maintain for purchasing the spice and transporting +it to Bantan. From this it obviously follows that without the +Philipinas the Molucas would be lost, and their commerce and trade in +cloves would cease—from which would follow two pernicious +results, which would cause the loss of whatever his Majesty possesses +in the Orient. One is, that India would be greatly weakened, for lack +of that commerce; for if that country languishes on account of not +having all of that trade, it may well be understood that she will +perish if it be taken from her. The other is, that the Dutch in that +case would have the entire benefit of the trade, and without much +expense; for if [Holanda] <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb38" href= +"#pb38" name="pb38">38</a>]</span>with less than half the +trade—and that at the cost of so many garrisons and +fleets—gains such profits that they are enough to maintain +whatever she has in India; if she were to secure all the cloves and, on +account of the less cost, thus gain a profit of more than a thousand +per cent upon her investments, while the gross amount would be doubled: +it is very plain that India would not remain safe, the Western Indias +would be more effectively harassed, the rebel states in Flandes would +be strengthened, the coasts of España would experience their +invasions, and everywhere the treasure that could be obtained from the +Molucas alone would cause most injurious effects—as may be seen, +with more detailed arguments, in the memorial that I have cited in +behalf of the Philipinas, to which [colony] we owe the only +compensation [that we receive] for all these losses.</p> +<p>The fourth reason is almost the sequence of what has been said in +the third, although it is more general, since it takes notice that the +Dutch fleets have entered the Orient with so strong a force that they +have often placed India in risk of being lost to us; for if they were +aided by the Moorish and heathen kings and the rulers of Persa and +Mogòr<a class="noteref" id="xd20e456src" href="#xd20e456" name= +"xd20e456src">4</a>—and sometimes the Dutch are leagued with the +English, who also navigate those seas—their invasion would be +irresistible. What has prevented this danger has been the diversion +furnished by the Philipinas—not only by diminishing their trade +and profits in Moluco (as has been seen), in China, and in other +regions, but by compelling <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb39" href= +"#pb39" name="pb39">39</a>]</span>them to divide their forces, and to +maintain in some places very large ones. India is divided into two +parts—[one], from the Cape of Buena Esperanza to the Straits of +Sincapura; the other, from the straits to China and Japòn. The +first is defended by the Portuguese fleets of India, which seldom go +thither through the straits; the second, by the Castilians of +Philipinas, who never come here by way of the straits. For both these, +it is necessary that the Dutch send thither and maintain squadrons; and +therefore it is proved, at this very beginning, that if the fleets of +this crown are deficient in either of those regions, and the enemy can +transfer all of his naval force to the one that remains [without +defense] because there is no diversion [of his forces] in the other, it +will be difficult if not impossible to defend [the one to which he +goes]—an argument which admits no debate in the naval as well as +in the military world. From this it follows that if now the Philipinas +fail us Eastern India will remain without aid, and consequently in +evident danger of being lost [to us]. This is further confirmed by the +fact that, of the two parts into which India is divided, the enemy +expends much more of his energy in the second than in the first. In the +latter he is content with factories and barter, without keeping any +fortified posts; in the former, he maintains the forts of Malayo, +Toloco, Tacubo, Malaca, Tacome, Marieco, Motir, Nofagia, Tafacen, +Tabelole, Bermevelt, Tabori, Gilolo, Amboino, Lagu, Maruco, Mozovia, +Belgio, Bantan, and Hermosa Island. In these nineteen presidios there +were, in the year 1616, 3,000 soldiers; 193 pieces of bronze artillery +and 310 of iron, and 300 stone-mortars [<i lang="es">pedreros</i>]; and +thirty war galleons. And all this is <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb40" href="#pb40" name="pb40">40</a>]</span>solely to defend +themselves from the Philipinas, and to attack the islands so that the +armed fleets of India shall not sail to that region—or, if they +should go thither, it would be easy to stop them at the Strait of +Sincapura. If then, the Philipinas were unable to act, and the Dutch +should abandon those nineteen forts (which now are many more), as being +no longer necessary to them, they would proceed to the coasts of India, +and their galleons to those seas. If even when their energies are +diverted, their forces divided, and their gains diminished as they are +now, they cause so much anxiety, what would it be if, with little if +any opposition, their forces united, and their profits increased, they +should harass India? It is easy to see that they would occasion that +region the utmost distress, and that consequently the Philipinas are an +absolutely necessary defense for it.</p> +<p>The fifth reason has the same ground as the fourth; for, on account +of the diversion of forces and the expense which the enemy now +encounters in the Orient and in the forts of Moluco, he is compelled to +refrain from annoying the Western Indias, and must devote less +attention, military force, and money to that object. And since what he +spends or fails to gain in India enables the Philipinas to oppose or to +embarrass him, it follows that if he there shall gain more and spend +less, he will here take possession of both [the Indias]. And if the +Indias, even with so effective a diversion [of the enemy’s force +as they have now], need the Windward Fleet which is being built there, +and for which a subsidy of 600,000 ducados is granted annually: in +order to dispense with the garrisons, fleets, and expenditures in India +everything would have to be increased, so that in the <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb41" href="#pb41" name="pb41">41</a>]</span>Indias +more expense would be incurred for their defense than is consumed in +the Philipinas.</p> +<p>The sixth is a reason of honor and profit, for these two admirable +results follow from the victories which the inhabitants of Philipinas +have gained over the Dutch: honor, on account of the glory which the +Catholic arms acquire in those seas, which gains for them the esteem of +the Japanese, Chinese, Sianese, Mindanaos, and innumerable other +peoples, who serve as spectators in the theatre for such exploits; and +profit, since, if the enemy’s forces are weakened it follows +that, besides those that he loses in being conquered, he is compelled +to expend still greater ones in order to keep his foothold. This is the +most notable reason for maintaining powerful squadrons on the sea, in +order that if the pirate undertakes to plunder successfully, he will +have to do it with so great a force that either he will abandon the +prize because he cannot hold it, or he will let it alone because the +profits do not make it worth his while. Of the victories which the +Spaniards have gained in those seas there are extant histories and +accounts; and in the large memorial some of these are mentioned.</p> +<p>The seventh is, that [by the islands] are aided the two crowns of +Castilla and Portugal, who are so united and in so fraternal relations +in the Orient, each possessing its share of the two parts into which +that region is, as we have said, divided. If we are to base our opinion +on experience, the facts are evident in the restoration of Moluco; for +in the time of Governor Don Juan de Sylva the forces of both crowns +were joined, and it is regarded as certain that, if death had not +intercepted his designs, he <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb42" href= +"#pb42" name="pb42">42</a>]</span>would have driven from those seas the +arms of Holanda and of Inglaterra, and awakened fear and dread in many +kings who were awaiting the result of so powerful a combination; and, +even though success is not always so immediate, it suffices that it +should be possible to make the enemy fear, and to lead them to believe +that what has occurred sometimes may occur often.</p> +<p>The eighth reason is to protect and preserve the commerce of China +for both crowns. For this argument it is taken for granted that this +commerce is one of the most beneficial and lucrative of those in the +entire Orient; and we can say that there is no other in all the world +that equals it. The Oriental traffic of ancient times, which the Romans +so highly valued, originated in China and in the drugs, fabrics, and +curiosities of that country—although, as they were ignorant of +its real origin, they called it the India trade, since they received it +from that country. In the larger memorial I have already discoursed +upon this at length. Now all the nations in those [Oriental] kingdoms +take part in this commerce, but it is conducted most extensively and +steadily by the Portuguese of India and the Castilians of Manila; we +shall soon relate how important it is to the latter. Of the Portuguese +it suffices to say that they possess in China the city of Macan, and +the privilege of entering that of Canton; and the commerce of these two +cities they maintain through the Strait of Sincapura, though always in +danger from the Dutch. But as the profits are so great, they sail by +that route; it adds much to their safety that they cross through the +seas of Philipinas, and that Macan can find succor in Manila. But if +this should be lacking, Macan could <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb43" +href="#pb43" name="pb43">43</a>]</span>not remain many years without +ruin, nor could India enjoy the commerce with China, which is one of +those which most benefit her; and if the Chinese trade is cut off from +India and Manila, the Dutch alone will be strong enough to carry it on. +Although they are at present shut out from it by the robberies that +they have committed on the Sangleys, they would not find it difficult +to bring the latter to friendship with them; for it is already known +that when money is lacking in Philipinas the Sangleys carry their +merchandise to the Dutch. Therefore, on the preservation of those +islands depends that of the Chinese trade.</p> +<p>These eight fundamental reasons are sufficient to prove the +importance and necessity that exist for maintaining, preserving, and +favoring those islands; for if they were lost the resulting damage +would be great and excessive beyond any possible comparison or +proportion to what the islands now cost us. And because there is seen +in this an error of misapprehension, I will make a statement regarding +it that is worthy of much attention and notice. This is, that it costs +the royal exchequer more to support the island of San Martin<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e491src" href="#xd20e491" name= +"xd20e491src">5</a>—which is of no use, and has no more effect +than to remove an obstacle to the navigation of the Indias, and take +away a landing-place from the pirates (who already have numberless +others)—than to maintain the Philipinas Islands, which have the +utility and effectiveness which I have stated.</p> +<p>For the proof of this, I avail myself of a summary <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb44" href="#pb44" name="pb44">44</a>]</span>of the +detailed statements in the larger memorial, regarding the cost of the +Philipinas. For the officials of justice, who govern them, 37,077 +pesos; for the entire ecclesiastical estate, 37,277 pesos. In +maintaining friendly relations with neighboring kings, 1,500 pesos. In +the administration of the royal exchequer, 11,550 pesos. For the land +forces at Manila, and in the military posts of all the islands, 229,696 +pesos. For wars on land, and the forts in Moluco, 97,128 pesos. For +naval war, shipbuilding, and navy-yards, 283,184 pesos. For supplies +and provisions for all the soldiers and seamen, 153,302 pesos. These +sums amount to 850,734 pesos, which is the expenditure made each year +for the islands—not omitting to reckon wages and salaries, scanty +though they be. This, therefore, is all the charge for their cost which +can be made.</p> +<p>On the credit side of the account, the tributes from the crown +encomiendas are worth each year 53,715 pesos; and the two reals which +are paid to the king by each Indian in the private encomiendas amount +to 21,107 pesos. The licenses which are given to the Sangleys come to +112,000 pesos; and the tributes from these Sangleys, to 8,250. The +fifth and the tenth of gold, 750 pesos. The ecclesiastical tithes, +which are collected by the royal exchequer for the support of the +prelates and clergy, 2,750 pesos. The freight charges in his +Majesty’s ships, 350 pesos. The court fines, 1,000 pesos. The +customs duties, 38,000 pesos. The mesada and half-annats, 6,000. From +these ten sources the income amounts to 243,922 pesos; to this must be +added the imposts, freight dues, and customs duties which are collected +in Nueva España on the merchandise that comes from the +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb45" href="#pb45" name= +"pb45">45</a>]</span>islands—all which amount to 300,000 pesos, +and this is income that results and proceeds from the islands; +accordingly, by a decree of February 19, 1606, it is commanded that +these charges, adding to their amount each year, be remitted to Manila, +and that so much less be sent from the royal exchequer of Mexico. And +if all these goods are sold and traded in Nueva España once, or +two or more times, and pay the customary charges of alcabala,<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e502src" href="#xd20e502" name="xd20e502src">6</a> if +the rate of two [per cent] which they usually pay was moderated to +30,000 pesos in the larger memorial, the rate on the said [sales] will +certainly amount to 60,000 pesos. With this, the islands now have +593,922 pesos to their credit; so that their [actual] expense cannot be +estimated at more than 256,812 pesos—[and that] without counting +the proceeds of the Crusade, those from intestate property, or the +monopoly of playing-cards.</p> +<p>Another item ought to be placed with these, which is the expense for +the islands of Moluco. These were possessions of the crown of Portugal, +which consumed in supporting and defending them great sums of ducados +and many soldiers; but finally it lost them, and the Dutch gained them. +By agreement of the two crowns, Governor Don Pedro de Acuña +regained possession of them (as I have related); and as it was +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb46" href="#pb46" name= +"pb46">46</a>]</span>evident that the crown of Portugal could not +defend them on account of the great expense required therefor, those +islands were committed, in the year 1607, to the governor of +Philipinas. In this must be considered several things. First, that +these islands of Moluco do not belong to those which are called +Philipinas, nor are they included in that group. Second, that at +present they are the property of the Portuguese crown, but are in +possession of the Castilian crown for the purpose of protecting, +maintaining, and defending them; on this account, the commerce in +cloves is left to India, as it was before. Third, that the Philipinas +and the citizens of Manila do not obtain or possess any advantage or +benefit from Moluco, or anything else besides the continual trouble of +succoring and provisioning its forts; for the clove-trade belongs to +the Portuguese, and there is no other commerce in those islands. +Fourth, that since the day when the governor of Philipinas and the +crown of Castile took charge of Moluco, the crown of Portugal has saved +more than 400,000 pesos, the cost which it would have incurred in +maintaining Moluco, estimated on the basis of what it now costs +Castilla for that—although Manila, which is the place where +provision is made for those islands, is so near them. Fifth, that for +these reasons it is evident and plain that what is spent for the +islands of Moluco should not be charged to the Philipinas; nor even +should the crown of Castilla pay it, but rather that of Portugal, which +is the proprietary owner of Moluco, and has the benefit of the +clove-trade. Consequently, whatever is received from that trade must be +placed to the credit and acquittance of the Philipinas, against the +amount charged to them. Sixth, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb47" +href="#pb47" name="pb47">47</a>]</span>and last, notice the [items of] +the annual expenses of the Moluco Islands: for salaries, 97,128 pesos; +provisions, considering the total number of people, will average 30,000 +pesos a year; for the ecclesiastical ministrations and the management +of the royal treasury, the expense will reach 4,000 pesos; and for +naval affairs and shipyards, 100,000 pesos—since in order to send +every year the usual supplies, and to furnish extraordinary aid when +occasion demands, the armed ships are necessary which are always kept +at Manila. Thus the cost of the islands of Moluco comes to more than +230,000 pesos each year; deducting this from the 256,000 which remain +charged to the Philipinas, only 26,000 pesos. This is an amount +unworthy of consideration, even if the islands were of no more use than +to augment the grandeur of this crown; but granting that they possess +the advantages that I have mentioned, the loss, cost, and expense is +nothing; and it remains abundantly proved how necessary, just, +expedient, and requisite it is to maintain them.</p> +<p>If the Philipinas are to be maintained, it now remains to ascertain +how and in what manner this shall be done, in order to secure their +preservation, and [at the same time] to avoid any considerable injury +to the royal exchequer and to the other kingdoms of this crown. For +this there are but two methods, and these alone; no other can be found +which is adequate and efficacious. The first one is, the method which +is adopted for the island of San Martin, and for all the military posts +which his Majesty maintains in the Indias and in other regions, and for +his fleets and armies; this is, to furnish from the royal treasury all +that shall be necessary for this purpose. Granting that the islands +cost annually <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb48" href="#pb48" name= +"pb48">48</a>]</span>850,000 pesos and furnish revenues of 244,000 +pesos, his Majesty will have to supply 606,000 pesos. Although this is +a great sum of money, the preservation of those islands is so +desirable, and so much more will have to be lost and spent if the +islands are lost, that, in case there shall be no other way, it will be +necessary and compulsory to accept and carry out the above +method—although even that would not be enough, for the islands +now cost 850,000 pesos [only] because the citizens of Manila give much +aid, and render service with their persons and property. In one year +they have thus given more than 200,000 pesos, as is made evident in the +larger memorial, nos. 59 and 60. Accordingly, this method is +exceedingly costly, and even more so than it would seem, for the reason +that I have stated.</p> +<p>There remains, then, the second method, the only one [available]; +this consists in granting commerce to those islands, which would +suffice to secure three results. The first of these is, to preserve the +present revenue of 244,000 pesos that they yield; for that sum, or the +greater part of it, is based on the wealth which the islands obtain +from their commerce, and if this fails them they will produce much +less, and therefore much more will have to be supplied [from without]. +The second, to give the royal treasury the benefit of the 606,000 pesos +which (or the greater part of that sum) are deficient for the usual +expense account, as has been shown. The third, to furnish the citizens +with means by which they can, in emergencies, aid the extraordinary +expenses—as they always have done, and still do—by having a +commerce to support them; but without this it will be necessary, as +they would lack the means to render <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb49" +href="#pb49" name="pb49">49</a>]</span>such aid, that the king should +bear these expenses. These three results being granted, the +preservation of those islands readily follows.</p> +<p>The question then remains as to the character, amount, and form of +this commerce, which are three principal topics. As for the character +of this commerce, it is noted in the larger memorial (no. 15) that the +islands have a domestic and a foreign commerce. It has been shown that +this is scanty, except what proceeds from Moluco; but that this might +be very rich, since it is the trade in cloves (as may be seen in nos. +28, 30, 34, and 36 of the said memorial). But, as this trade is +reserved for the Portuguese and prohibited to the Castilians, it is +useless to consider it for this purpose—although it is worth +notice that whatever advantage the crown of Portugal derives from that +trade is due to the Philipinas, and results from their preservation. I +shall soon make some observations on the remaining portion of this +domestic commerce, and what can be obtained from it.</p> +<p>Their foreign commerce is with many regions of the Orient, as is +stated in the said memorial, from no. 20 on; and in no. 37 it is shown +that only the inhabitants of the Philipinas can carry on the commerce +with China, because they have means for this only—exporting that +merchandise to Nueva España, and obtaining the returns from it +in silver, with which to maintain it; for they have no other commodity +which the Chinese crave, as is proved in the said memorial, no. 70. +From this the conclusion is drawn that the islands cannot be preserved +without commerce, and that this must necessarily be conducted with +Nueva España in Chinese merchandise, and in some of their own +products. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb50" href="#pb50" name= +"pb50">50</a>]</span></p> +<p>As for the second point, the amount of the commerce, this was +formerly without any limitation; and during the time (which was short) +while that condition lasted the islands acquired what strength and +wealth and grandeur they now possess. After a time certain difficulties +arose—which are discussed in the said memorial, nos. 80, 81, 94, +117, and 118—all being to the prejudice of España’s +commerce; on account of these it became expedient to limit the commerce +of the islands, reducing it to a fixed amount of 250,000 pesos’ +worth of merchandise and 500,000 pesos in returns. Although the +citizens resented this, and saw that if it were successful they could +[only] preserve their wealth without being able to increase it much, +they went on under this decree from the time when it began to be +executed (in 1605) until 1635—when Don Pedro de Quiroga went [to +Mexico], and by his rigorous measures reduced this permission to terms +so restricted that it was rather taking away the permission entirely +than carrying out its intent. This falling upon the necessity of the +islands that the stated amount of their merchandise be increased, on +account of the many shipwrecks, misfortunes, and expenses which they +had experienced—of which I have made a brief relation in the said +memorial, no. 107—to take away the permission that they had +without granting them a more liberal one, was more than they could +endure; it may readily be seen what results this would cause. And as +divine Providence did not cause these troubles to cease with the death +of him who caused them, it may well be believed that the islands are +today in so miserable a condition that they will either be ruined or +can no longer be reached <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb51" href= +"#pb51" name="pb51">51</a>]</span>by the remedy which the kind +attention of the council has begun to furnish them—entrusting its +final application to the inquiry to be made by your illustrious +Lordship, who is well informed of the losses, advantages and +disadvantages, and all the circumstances of which knowledge is +necessary for your decision in a matter so serious as this, on which +depends the preservation of the Philipinas and of all that depends upon +them. Their citizens hope that your decision will be what is expedient +and necessary for those vassals, always so loyal, but always harassed +by enemies, and even by friends.</p> +<p>There remains, then, the third point of the three that I have +stated; that is, the form which must be adopted and followed in this +commerce of the islands with Nueva España. Don Pedro de Quiroga +proceeded in this matter with measures so rigorous and unusual that he +tried to establish regulations different from those which are respected +and observed in all the ports of España, of the Indias, and of +the world. He undertook to open and weigh the bundles and chests, and +to count, weigh, and measure the commodities and wares, without any +preceding denunciation, information, or [even] indication that these +exceeded the registration. He laid an embargo on all, without there +being any guilt on the part of the owners, or prohibition of the +articles; and for only raising this so unjust embargo he extorted from +the commerce 300,000 pesos—excluding from composition 600,000 +pesos’ worth besides, which are included in the [right of] +composition by express, clear, and plain provisos [of the ordinances]. +He collected the dues on whatever appraisement of the goods it suited +him to make, although it was evident <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb52" href="#pb52" name="pb52">52</a>]</span>to him that they were +being sold at half that rate in Acapulco, and even in Mexico. He +hindered the return of the proceeds from the merchandise, which is +allowed by the royal decree; and it cannot be denied that he who +carries his goods to sell, [even though] with permission, may not exact +the price that he shall obtain for them. For granting that permission, +he demanded new dues and imposed new burdens; compelled the shippers to +do whatever he wished, and harassed the mariners on that trade-route +until he made them leave it—when it is known (and the islands are +making representations to that effect) that it is for what is most +needed in those islands that the governors in Manila make concessions +to their citizens when the latter ask for these, in order to constrain +them by kindness to what could not be obtained by severity; and the +Council is conferring upon those citizens privileges and distinctions, +in order that many may be encouraged to become mariners and +artillerists. All this was done by Don Pedro de Quiroga under pretext +of serving his Majesty; but it caused his royal exchequer the great +loss which has been experienced in the failure, for two years, of ships +to arrive from Philipinas. By this has been lost, in dues alone, +660,000 pesos, and as much more through the suspension of commerce; and +still greater were the losses to the vassals of his Majesty, to say +nothing of the danger in which those islands were left, and to which +they are still exposed. To speak of the plan which should be +established in this commerce, it seems as if it were sufficient to +place before your illustrious Lordship what Don Pedro de Quiroga did, +and what resulted from that, in order to understand that if by his +proceedings he <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb53" href="#pb53" name= +"pb53">53</a>]</span>destroyed and ruined the commerce it is not +expedient to follow his example. Rather should be followed those of +Sevilla, Cartagena, Portovelo, Vera Cruz, and the other ports of the +Indias and of these kingdoms, in which royal laws, decrees, and +ordinances have ordained what shall be observed in these matters; and +since these regulations are not annulled or broken in favor of the +islands, it will not be just if they are broken or annulled to the loss +or injury of that colony. For neither do those vassals merit less than +this, nor is their commerce of different character from the other +commerce that belongs to this crown.</p> +<p>Although representations have been made, with more exaggeration and +less in accordance [with the facts] than would be desirable, of serious +infractions of law that have been committed in this +commerce—which representations I have answered at length and in +detail in the said memorial, from no. 94 to no. 99—it may be +observed that, if there are any (which, if I do not admit, I do not +deny), they are not of greater extent nor of different character than +those which are every year experienced in the fleets and galleons on +the India trade-route. These infractions consist in shipping more +merchandise than what is registered, and different commodities from +what are declared, and in carrying back more silver than is shown by +the registers; and there are not and cannot be on the ships of +Philipinas other infractions than the shipment of more goods and the +return of more silver than appear on the registers. Let, then, the +remedy be ascertained which is applied at Sevilla, Cadiz, and San +Lucar, at Cartagena, Portovelo, Vera Cruz, and Habana, and let the same +be <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb54" href="#pb54" name= +"pb54">54</a>]</span>applied at Manila and Acapulco.<a class="noteref" +id="xd20e545src" href="#xd20e545" name="xd20e545src">7</a> Let guards +be placed, and informers allowed, and goods declared—with rewards +to encourage, and punishments to warn; but it would be a chance success +to ascertain in detail what would be shipped at Sevilla and unloaded in +the ports of the Indias. This would be to establish not order but +disorder in that commerce, as I state in the said memorial, no. 95; and +soon the same thing would be noticed in that of the islands. +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb55" href="#pb55" name= +"pb55">55</a>]</span></p> +<p>And although it may be represented that the infractions in the +Philipinas trade, considering their amount, cause more loss than those +in the commerce of España, especially in the exportation of the +silver—since that which is brought in the galleons outside of the +kingdom finally comes to Castilla; and that which is carried in the +ships of Philipinas soon finds its way to China, and thus is lost, and +the commerce is taken away from the vassals of this crown—reply +may thus be made. The illegal shipments on the Philipinas route cause +much less loss than do those on the India route, as is incurred when a +galleon laden with silver is lost at sea, as compared with one that is +captured by enemies; in the former case there is only our own loss, but +in the latter is the same loss, and an advantage to our enemies. It +cannot be denied that the silver which goes unregistered in the ships +of Philipinas is lost, but no enemy of this crown benefits thereby; for +that silver comes to a halt in China, from which country it never +emerges—as is stated in the said memorial, no. 72—nor does +it work any harm there, whether it be more or less; for neither do we +wage war with China, nor do the Chinese aid any other nation which +wages war with us. As for the silver which comes [to España] +unregistered in the galleons, those who best understand the subject +consider that it would cause less damage if it remained in the Indias +(and even some extend this idea to its being lost in the sea); because, +under the pretext of its coming concealed, it either does not come into +Sevilla, or, if it does come in, soon goes out again. In both these +cases, it remains in the hands of the French, English, Flemish, and +Portuguese, and most of it is anchored in their ships, by <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb56" href="#pb56" name="pb56">56</a>]</span>which +Inglaterra, Francia, and Holanda are enriched; while that which goes to +Portugal is carried to India, and there it is shared by the Dutch, +Persians, Arabs, Mogous, and other hostile nations, until it reaches +China, which is its center [of equilibrium]. It may be judged, then, +which is the greater injury; and since the loss caused by the illegal +shipments on the vessels of Philipinas is less, let that be done with +those ships that is done with the galleons. But let it not be proposed +that the commerce be taken from them, or its amount limited, or that +unusual methods and severity be employed in dealing with them, since +these are not used in the commerce of the Indias, and, comparing them +together, one is no less necessary than the other.</p> +<p>From these considerations we draw the final conclusion that if the +Philipinas Islands are, as has been proved, absolutely necessary to +this crown on account of the eminent advantages and benefits which +result to it from them, and that, in order to preserve them, there are +but two methods: one, for his Majesty to support them; the other, to +grant them commerce by which they can sustain themselves—the +first costly and difficult, the second easy and obvious—the +latter ought to be accepted and carried out. [This can be done] by +giving them the commerce which they have hitherto enjoyed with Nueva +España, to the amount that is expedient, and in the usual +manner, without adding conditions that will diminish or render it +difficult; for that will be to withdraw and consequently to destroy and +end it, and with it those islands, which are so important to this +Catholic monarchy. Your illustrious Lordship will make such report on +this point and argument as [his Majesty’s] <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb57" href="#pb57" name="pb57">57</a>]</span>vassals +there expect and desire from your great ability and zeal.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div class="div3 section" id="xd20e572"> +<div class="divHead"> +<h4 id="xd20e573" class="main">Point second</h4> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">As for the permission [to trade] which the islands +have enjoyed since 1604—which is to the amount of 250,000 pesos +that may be carried in merchandise, and 500,000 pesos which may be sent +back in silver, on the two ships which are allotted for that +trade—the islands have petitioned his Majesty that he would +graciously increase the 250,000 pesos’ worth of merchandise to +500,000, and the 500,000 pesos of silver to 800,000; this is referred +to the inquiry of your illustrious Lordship. And although I have in the +said memorial discussed the main arguments for this request, I will, +since these are related to the entire subject of those islands, here +reduce them to six or seven principles.</p> +<p>First: because, as I have stated and proved, this commerce began in +the year 1565, and was carried on without any restriction of its amount +until 1604, when it was limited to the amount above stated. The islands +could endure this limitation because they then possessed three +attributes which they now lack. The first was, that the citizens were +rich and strong through having enjoyed free trade almost forty years; +and therefore they possessed, and have had thus far, the means to bear +expense and losses. But since, from their trade being reduced to so +small an amount, it resulted that their profits were diminished and +their obligations increased; their fortunes have so steadily declined +that, if the trade permitted to them is not increased, they cannot +improve their fortunes, nor even preserve the remnants of these. The +second was, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb58" href="#pb58" name= +"pb58">58</a>]</span>that those islands had few enemies, and were less +infested and harried by them [than now]; for until the year 1600 +neither did the Dutch cause any anxiety in those seas, nor was there +any other nation which visited them with hostile acts or fleets. Since +that year the profits obtained from the cloves, the plunder of the +ships from China, and friendly relations with the Japanese, have all +been such inducements to the Dutch to frequent the seas in that region +that they have kept the [Philipinas] Islands continually in arms, +rendering them an active military frontier. Hardly a year has passed +without a sea-fight; and, moreover, the Dutch have incited the +Mindanaos, the Japanese, and other barbarians also to make war on us. +The result has been that the citizens [of the islands] have spent their +fortunes in serving his Majesty, which they have done with their +property and persons—as is described in the said memorial, nos. +59 and 60. And as the profits from their commerce have become less, and +the expenses for war greater and more continual, their poverty has +become so great that they are in need of more favor than they have thus +far enjoyed; for if (as has been proved) their commerce only is +adequate to support those islands, and that which they have hitherto +carried on is steadily declining, it must necessarily be increased, in +order that they may not perish and be destroyed. This is confirmed by +the third of the circumstances mentioned above, the excessive and +enormous losses of property which the citizens of Manila have suffered +since the year 1575—which are mentioned, in due order, in the +said memorial, no. 107. Some of these misfortunes occurred before the +year 1604, and, as until then the commerce was free, they had some +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb59" href="#pb59" name= +"pb59">59</a>]</span>reparation for their losses; but those which have +occurred since then have had, on account of the limitation of trade, +but little relief and scanty reparation. The result has been that, +although the injurious effects and great loss have not been noticed +every year, they are in the course of all those years so keenly felt +that a special means of restoration is needed; and there can be no +other save that of increasing their commerce, for their relief must +come from the same quarter as that whence their losses came.</p> +<p>Second: [This relief should be given] because when the permit for +250,000 pesos was granted there were in Manila fewer citizens and +soldiers; and now the number of these and the [size of the] city have +increased, and more aid has become necessary, not only with the course +of the thirty-six years which have elapsed, but because there is more +war. It appears that those who are occupied in his Majesty’s +service on pay, including those who have been sent to the islands and +those who are born there, number 3,338 Spaniards, and 2,540 Indians of +various nationalities—not counting the citizens, or the traders, +or other persons who are pursuing various crafts (as is stated in the +said memorial, no. 55)—which is twice the number employed in the +year 1604. And as it is requisite that all participate in the commerce, +and that—although it must be through the medium of the citizens, +among whom the amount allowed is distributed—all persons may have +some share in it, it becomes necessary, since there are twice as many +people as there formerly were, that the amount of trade permitted +should also be doubled; for if this be not done, and that which +formerly belonged to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb60" href="#pb60" +name="pb60">60</a>]</span>few be shared among many, no one will have +enough for his needs.</p> +<p>Third: this argument being sufficient for the increase and +enlargement of the amount permitted, it is asserted that this amount is +less than what was first granted; for, as concerns the distribution +(which is made by toneladas), the governors have introduced the +practice of giving these to hospitals and convents, and often to the +mariners and artillerists, to those who go on expeditions and +embassies, and to other persons. Thus is consumed a large part of this +permitted amount, and consequently of the 500,000 pesos’ worth of +returns—from which are deducted the legacies, donations, +contributions for charitable purposes, wages of the seamen and +soldiers, wrought silver, and all the rest that is shipped (as is +ordained by the decree of 1606, cited in the said memorial, no. 90), by +which, it is at once evident, the amount granted by the permission is +diminished to just that extent.</p> +<p>Fourth: even if it be granted that some illegalities have been +committed in that trade, these must have been in exporting more +merchandise and bringing back more silver than what the permission +decreed; and the cause must have been the pressing need of the +inhabitants. For since their numbers are greater, and the amount of +trade allowed them is less in quantity, and the share of each one is +less because there are more persons concerned in it, the amount that +some receive will be so little that it will compel them to infringe the +permission, and to export or bring back more than is allotted to them, +in order that they may be able to support themselves and meet their +obligations. These illegal acts will cease when the <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb61" href="#pb61" name="pb61">61</a>]</span>amount +permitted shall be increased and extended; for, as each person will +have a share sufficient to employ his capital, he will not expose it to +risk, or carry goods without registry. With this, not only will the +inhabitants be enriched, but the illegalities will cease; and, as the +royal dues will increase, his Majesty will not have to supply anything +for the maintenance of the islands, but instead will be much profited +by them.</p> +<p>Fifth: because the main reason for having limited this commerce was +the injury which has resulted from it to Sevilla, not only with the +merchandise which it carries to Nueva España, but with the +silver which it drains thence—as has been noticed in the said +memorial, nos. 71–79 and 116–119. And although this +difficulty is there solved, and this concession is thus made +easier—because when the cause ceases, the effect ceases +also—another argument is here adduced; this is as follows. The +[accusations of] illegal acts in that commerce which are made public +are either true or false; if they are false, our object is attained. +But, if they are true and those things are done, how can it be said +that, in place of the 250,000 pesos [allowed], four millions’ +worth of merchandise come to Nueva España; and that for the +500,000 pesos of returns they carry ten millions in silver? What +difficulty is there in [allowing that for] the four millions that are +shipped, a half-million should come under registry, and one out of the +ten millions that are returned should go registered, and that on this +million and a half the royal dues be collected, since actually more +than 750,000 pesos are carried each way without paying these? And even +if those illegal acts be checked, and it be granted that <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb62" href="#pb62" name="pb62">62</a>]</span>for the +250,000 pesos are shipped 500,000, and for the 500,000 pesos of returns +a million be carried: if the excess [now] goes and comes without +registry, how much more certain is it that the goods will be registered +and the royal dues paid? But this argument is made even stronger by the +great probability that the excess over the amounts allowed only extends +or can extend to the investments of the shippers; and since these +actually are only citizens of Philipinas, the citizens neither have +four millions to export, nor can they get ten millions in returns; for +in this way they would be, in four years, at the rate of six millions +of profits a year, the wealthiest in the world, while they are at this +time the poorest. And if that result is not evident, how can the cause +[assigned] be regarded as infallible? Let us grant, then, that they +will infringe the rule if besides the amount permitted as much more be +carried; and even that is much. But if this permission were ample +enough to include the funds of all those who lade goods, it is evident +that the infractions of law would cease, and that it would not be +possible to have them, or means to commit them; and this becomes more +credible, if the urgency with which this increase of the permission is +requested be noted. And how is it to be supposed that those who are +carrying their goods without registry (which is more profitable) prefer +to carry them registered, except in order not to exceed the privilege +that is given to them? And thus it is certain that if a more extensive +permission be granted to them, there will not be illegal shipments, nor +will the injury [to Spanish trade] be greater, nor as much as is now +assumed.</p> +<p>The sixth and last argument is reduced to what was proved in the +said memorial, nos. 101–106: that <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb63" href="#pb63" name="pb63">63</a>]</span>the profits of this +commerce, on account of the many burdens imposed upon it, are more +limited than has been understood; and that in order for the exporters +to make any gain, they need more liberal concessions. For [even] if the +gain be thirty to forty per cent, it is consumed in costs and +management, if the amount laden be small; and the increase of the +principal must incur almost the same costs, for they will only be +greater in [paying] the duties. The exporters demand with justice that +they be authorized to ship twice as much merchandise, since the benefit +that they will experience is evident, and no injury will result, as has +been proved.</p> +<p>I observe that it would seem a very proper measure to place a limit +to the permission only on the returns in silver, and that the shipment +of merchandise be free, under the direction of the governor. One reason +is, that by this means the amount of merchandise would remain limited; +since it is plain that the citizens will not leave their funds in Nueva +España, and that therefore they will not carry back more than +they are entitled to in the returns [for their goods]. The other, +because in this no innovation arises, but it accords with the usage +which has hitherto prevailed, the lading being regulated more by the +burden of the ships, their capacity in toneladas, and the bulk of the +commodities, than by its actual and intrinsic value; and giving +opportunity for the registration of the products of the country itself, +even outside of the permission, as will soon be discussed. And if no +difficulty has been found in this practice, and if the governors and +the viceroys have overlooked this, and if Don Pedro de Quiroga, with +all his severity, never paid any attention to the merchandise being in +excess of the 250,000 pesos that were allowed, <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb64" href="#pb64" name="pb64">64</a>]</span>unless +the goods were shipped unregistered, or incorrectly appraised: it is +not a new or injurious arrangement that such a method be continued, and +that the limitation of the amount allowed be imposed only on the silver +that is carried as returns.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div class="div3 section" id="xd20e605"> +<div class="divHead"> +<h4 id="xd20e606" class="main">Point third</h4> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">In case the amount permitted to the islands is +increased to 500,000 pesos, or the limitation be placed only on the +returns in silver (as is asked and argued in the second question), the +declaration of this third topic is not necessary; but if the permission +is not enlarged to that extent, and the quantity of merchandise is +limited, the petition which the city of Manila has made finds place. In +regard to that, moreover, your illustrious Lordship must be informed +that the city declares that the commodities which are peculiar to those +islands ought not to be included in the amount permitted, but that +these should be registered outside of that amount—which should be +and is understood to apply to the merchandise from China, and to no +other.</p> +<p>Suppose, then, that besides the commodities of China, there are sent +in the ships of this commerce some which are produced and manufactured +in the Philipinas Islands themselves, and are gathered by their natives +and inhabitants—such as wax, white and yellow; +<i>talingas</i>,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e615src" href="#xd20e615" +name="xd20e615src">8</a> table-covers, and <i>lampotes</i><a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e634src" href="#xd20e634" name="xd20e634src">9</a> +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb65" href="#pb65" name= +"pb65">65</a>]</span>(which are pieces of cotton canvas); blankets from +Ilocos, Moro, and Bombòn; and some civet. Of these products a +hundred toneladas are usually shipped, for, as they are bulky, they +occupy more space than they are worth; but it is actually <span class= +"corr" id="xd20e645" title="Source: worth while">worthwhile</span> for +the citizens to ship these to Nueva España, even though it be to +sell them at no more than their cost, because they have no other market +for these goods.</p> +<p>The usage which has hitherto been followed in regard to these goods +is to ship them registered, and value them, and pay the royal dues, +like the rest, without paying any attention to their being included or +not in the 250,000 pesos of the amount permitted, although the returns +for them have always been included in the 500,000 pesos of money; and +in some years when the citizens have not had the cloth from China to +fill up the amount of 250,000 pesos, they have done so with these +goods—not because they supposed that such shipments were +prohibited in other circumstances, but to supply the deficiency with +such goods as they could send.</p> +<p>They ask, then, that to avoid uncertainties declaration be made that +these goods, when satisfactory proof is given that they are the +products of the islands, may be carried to Nueva España without +limitation of their quantity, or obligation to include them in the +amount permitted. This [request] is based on the fact that the +prohibition was expressly imposed for the merchandise of China, which +on account of being silk goods injured [the sale of] those which are +shipped from España. This is gathered from all the decrees that +have been issued in regard to this matter—all of which distinctly +state <i>the cloth of China</i> as <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb66" +href="#pb66" name="pb66">66</a>]</span>being the goods which damage +[the Spanish commerce]—not that of the islands, which is not of +that character.</p> +<p>Another reason is, that no province has ever been forbidden to +export to others its own products, for this would be to close to them +the intercourse with others which is their right by natural law; and +even if its commerce be limited to certain provinces it ought not to be +deprived of trade with all the others, but the exportation which it +finds least inconvenient should be left to it. From Philipinas the +commodities which those islands produce cannot be carried to other +parts of the Orient, which have abundance of the same, and even better. +As the only consumption of these goods is in the Indias, the citizens +had begun to send them to Perù, Tierra Firme, Goathemala, and +Nueva España; but of these four trade-routes three are +prohibited, because with these goods are shipped those from China, so +only the trade with Nueva España remains to them. It immediately +follows that for this latter trade the transportation of goods must be +free.</p> +<p>Another reason: because there is not a province in this [kingdom] +which has not tacit or express permission to export its products to any +place where these may have value and be sold, and with their proceeds +are sent in return other products which are lacking in that land; for +if they could not do this they would be shut in, and not having +communication with adjoining lands, the result would be that both would +perish, or would come to such poverty that they could not support +themselves.</p> +<p>Another reason: because—as is proved in the said memorial, +nos. 115, 116, and 117—these commodities <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb67" href="#pb67" name="pb67">67</a>]</span>from the +islands do not interfere with those that are shipped from +España, because they are so different in quality. If the people +have the former, they consume them; if not, they cannot supply the lack +with the goods from these kingdoms, for these are of much value, and +those from the islands are worth but little. Nor does it follow that +the poor Indian or negro who buys a vara of canvas from the islands for +a real and a half will, if he cannot obtain it, buy the same goods from +Ruan for six or eight reals; since it is more probable that he will +dispense with the goods, even if he go without a shirt, than possible +that he can buy it when he has not enough money to pay for it.</p> +<p>Another reason: because permission is not asked to carry back the +returns for these goods in silver, since their proceeds, as being of +small value, will be part of the returns allowed for the merchandise of +China; and because, in case there is not room for these proceeds, the +inhabitants of the islands will sooner cease to ship cloth from China, +which costs them their wealth, than cloth of their own country, since +they possess it for the gathering, or their Indians pay tributes in it. +And for these and other reasons which might be presented, and which +will be very evident to your illustrious Lordship in Nueva +España as soon as you undertake and investigate the matter, may +be inferred the just cause, the readiness, and the need with which the +Philipinas ask for the above declaration.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div class="div3 section" id="xd20e668"> +<div class="divHead"> +<h4 id="xd20e669" class="main">Point fourth</h4> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">Although the commerce from Perù to Nueva +España does not apparently concern Manila, and <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb68" href="#pb68" name= +"pb68">68</a>]</span>accordingly it will be deemed that Manila is not +interested in the question whether the suspension laid thereon be +continued or removed: proof will first be adduced of the injury which +the Philipinas Islands experience from that suspension, and then will +be presented some arguments, from the many which exist, for the +granting of the permission which was formerly current in that +commerce.</p> +<p>It is taken for granted (as is mentioned in the said memorial, no. +80) that at the beginning the commerce of the islands and of Nueva +España was free to Perù and to all its ports and +provinces, in which two kinds of merchandise were trafficked—that +from China, and that from Nueva España. The commerce in the +goods from China was prohibited, and consequently that in the +commodities of Nueva España has been checked; because, as it was +decreed that no ships should go, neither commerce could be carried on. +A definite form and limitations were imposed upon the commerce in +Chinese goods to Nueva España; but the provinces of that country +and of Perù remonstrated against the complete interdiction of +the commerce that they had carried on together—representing that, +even if the trade in Chinese goods were taken away from them, as being +foreign, that in their own products ought not to be forbidden to them. +The reasons for this petition being considered just and proper, +permission was granted for one ship each year, which should sail from +the port of Callao de Lima, and go to that of Acapulco; and this ship +was allowed to carry goods to the amount of 200,000 ducados in silver, +which should return to Perù invested in the products and +commodities peculiar to Nueva España—whether in +agriculture, stock-raising, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb69" href= +"#pb69" name="pb69">69</a>]</span>or manufactures—and in no +others, even if they were the exports of these kingdoms; while the +prohibition of Chinese cloth remained in force, under greater and more +severe penalties. The trade thus permitted, continued uninterruptedly +from 1604 until, on account of certain malicious reports, and less +attention being paid to that trade than should have been, it was +suspended for a period of five years by a royal decree of November 23, +1634. This decree is, for greater clearness, copied here exactly; it is +as follows:</p> +<p>“The King. To Marques de Cerralvo, my kinsman, member of my +Council of War, and my viceroy, governor, and captain-general of the +provinces of Nueva España. For just causes and considerations +which have influenced me thereto, and because I have understood that +this measure is expedient for my service, I have decided that, for a +period of five years, the ship for which permission was granted to the +provinces of Perù to go every year with two hundred thousand +ducados for their trade shall not go to those provinces [of Nueva +España]. For the execution of this decree I have sent to the +Conde de Chinchon, the viceroy of those provinces, the orders proper +for this, of which I have thought it best to inform you so that, having +understood this matter, you will on your side aid, in what concerns +you. I charge you to do so, in fulfilment of the aforesaid command, +exercising special and vigilant care that there shall be no infraction +of the law, so far as concerns that country; and that no merchandise +from China shall be carried from Nueva España to Perù, +which is the principal object aimed at. For it is certain that, if in +this matter proper care and vigilance <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb70" href="#pb70" name="pb70">70</a>]</span>be not exercised, +whatever is gained by watchfulness and precaution on one road will be +diverted by another. At every opportunity that may present itself you +shall, without omitting anything, always advise me, with especial care +and entire secrecy, how this measure is received by the merchants and +trading people of that country; and what advantages or disadvantages +result from its execution, in order that, knowing this, I may take such +steps and issue such orders in the matter as are most suitable. From +Madrid, on the twenty-third day of November in the year one thousand +six hundred and thirty-four.</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">I the King</span></p> +<p>“By command of the king our sovereign:</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">Don Fernando Ruiz de +Contreras</span></p> +<p>“Signed by the Council.”</p> +<p>That this suspension of the commerce of Perù is injurious to +the Philipinas is notorious. First: because when the ships from +Perù do not sail to Acapulco the islands are left exposed to the +failure of their [usual] succor in any year when their ships do not +make the voyage (as often happens), either by having to take shelter in +some port, or being wrecked, or by their late arrival [at +Acapulco]—three contingencies which are quite possible, and even +usual, as the islands have found by experience. Since in these cases +the failure of these ships was formerly made up by those which went +from Perù—the necessary supplies of men and money being +sent in those vessels—it follows that if they do not go thither, +and the former do not come, there will be no ships for this purpose; +and in one year alone, if the islands fail to receive the aid which +supports them, they run <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb71" href= +"#pb71" name="pb71">71</a>]</span>the risk of being ruined—and +this may even occur on an occasion of such exigency and danger that +afterward they cannot be relieved at all.<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e699src" href="#xd20e699" name="xd20e699src">10</a></p> +<p>Second: because the silk that is produced in Nueva España +(both woven and in skeins)<a class="noteref" id="xd20e713src" href= +"#xd20e713" name="xd20e713src">11</a> was exported to Perù, +since it was the principal commodity included in this permission, and +in order to [help meet] the expenses of the country; and Nueva +España, not being as rich as Perù, prefers the fabrics +from China, which remain at a lower price, so that all those that come +from Philipinas find consumption. If, then, the market that they +formerly had <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb72" href="#pb72" name= +"pb72">72</a>]</span>fails, it is necessary that this [home-grown silk] +remain in Nueva España, as being their own product. It follows +that so much less will be the use of the silks from China, which were +substituted in the place of the Mexican goods when those went out of +the country with the trade permitted to Perù. On this account, +the commerce of Philipinas has been and is steadily +diminishing—to how great an extent may be easily understood by +finding the country full of silks and its own fabrics, which are no +longer consumed except within it, although foreign goods are brought +in. Even if these last are cheaper, they are a hindrance and obstacle +to those which are or can be called original [in the country]—an +injury which has been already experienced with the last ships from the +islands, which as they failed to come in the preceding year, did not +find an outlet for their wares; nor could they sell even enough to pay +the freight charges and the duties, as is stated in letters from Nueva +España, where your illustrious Lordship can learn the facts in +the case.</p> +<p>Third: because, although Nueva España has mines of +silver—and that metal is obtained from them in the quantity that +is known, since the greater part of it all is locked up in the royal +treasuries for shipment to España—since much goes out for +the ordinary trade of Goathemala, Yucatàn, the Windward Islands, +and the coasts of Cartagena and Venezuela, while the bulk of it is +laden for these kingdoms, and even is not sufficient for their trade, +it necessarily results that silver is lacking for that of Philipinas, +and that the islands feel the loss of the 200,000 ducados that +Perù was sending, which make almost 300,000 pesos of silver. +This amount is not <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb73" href="#pb73" +name="pb73">73</a>]</span>so small as to be undeserving of attention, +and is sufficiently large to explain why, for this and the preceding +reasons, the islands have experienced so great a decline in their +commerce; and for all those reasons have so much difficulty in +supporting themselves, that it obliges them to demand relief by all +possible and suitable means. Since one of these is, that the trade +permitted to Perù be carried on as it formerly was, the islands +urge that its prohibition, or suspension, shall cease and be +removed.</p> +<p>And since, besides the advantages which have been mentioned, there +are others which support this decision—some on the part of Nueva +España, and others on that of Perù—and accordingly +it is demanded by both kingdoms, it must be observed that it seems just +and necessary that there should be intercourse between them; and that, +as they are united naturally and morally, being continuous by the land, +subject to one crown, included under the government of one Council, +having the same laws, and being of the same nationality (that is, the +Castilian), trade and commerce should [not] be totally prohibited to +them. Nor, [on the same grounds, should the amount of trade] permitted +to them be so limited, as it was, to 200,000 ducados—which, +considering the richness of those countries, was very little; indeed, +their intercourse is so restricted that it is less difficult to send a +letter from Lima to Mexico by way of Spain than by the route on which +it is now carried. And when it has been ordained by royal decrees and +by the customary instructions [to royal officials] that the two +viceroys of those countries should aid and favor each other when +occasions therefor arise, and when they so frequently encounter enemies +by sea and disturbances <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb74" href= +"#pb74" name="pb74">74</a>]</span>by land, it does not seem consistent +that those who should aid and succor each other cannot hold mutual +communication.</p> +<p>Another reason: because with this prohibition opportunity is given +for greater infractions of the law, or that merchandise which went with +registry may go without it; for hardly is there a year when there are +not voyages of prelates and ministers from Perù to Nueva +España, and from Nueva España to Perù. Very +recently Archbishop Don Feliciano de Vega and Auditor Don Antonio de +Ulloa went from Lima to Mexico, and the bishop of Nueva Vizcaya (who +went to fill the see of La Paz) from Mexico to Lima, as well as the +auditors who were transferred from the Audiencia of Mexico to that of +Lima. All these have to go by the Southern Sea; and it is quite +possible that, by undertaking to sail at different times—and, +because each one [of those prelates] prefers to go as a superior in his +own ship, different vessels convey them—two ships would go from +Lima to Acapulco, and three or four from Acapulco to Lima, without +either of the viceroys being able to prevent the shipment of much +silver in the ships from Perù, and much merchandise in those +from Nueva España. Moreover, these four or five ships are double +that number, because all of them are chartered by the voyage, going or +returning; so neither does the Peruvian ship care to remain in Nueva +España, nor that from Nueva España in Perù; thus +there will be ten ships, five from each country. And all these were +rendered superfluous by the ship that belonged to the permitted trade; +for since the latter sailed regularly and provided registry, there was +sufficient cause for ordaining that the prelates and auditors +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb75" href="#pb75" name= +"pb75">75</a>]</span>should journey in it. This is a reason so evident +that, even if there were no other, it would be enough for granting and +facilitating this commerce.</p> +<p>On behalf of Nueva España, it is mentioned in the said +memorial (no. 92) that more than fourteen thousand persons are occupied +in the culture of silk, who, if that should fail them, would perish. +This industry has two factors: one is, that there be silk from China as +raw material [<i lang="es">para labrar</i>] and a market for that of +the country. If the commerce with Perù fail them, that market +(which is their principal one) is cut off; and thus that industry will +cease, and the country will lose the wealth that it has which is based +on that industry. Moreover, since the trade of the provinces is so +closely connected and bound together, that of España will +experience the same or a greater deficiency. For, if those who in Nueva +España deal in silks, and are engaged in the silk culture and +industry, sustained and enriched themselves with the commerce of +Perù, and whatever they gained in that direction converted into +the commerce of Castilla—consuming, as they necessarily would, +the commodities in which that trade consists—it follows that if +the people of Nueva España lack capital, and if that of the +200,000 ducados from Perù fails them, the wealth of Castilla +will be thus diminished.</p> +<p>On behalf of Perù it is also represented that, when that +permission for one ship each year was granted, this matter was examined +and discussed, with reports from the viceroys and audiencias, and the +more intelligent of the officials, and the advantages and disadvantages +on both sides were carefully considered. Moreover, no new causes have +arisen, nor have illegalities <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb76" href= +"#pb76" name="pb76">76</a>]</span>occurred [in the commerce] which +compel the suspension of a decision so suitable, just, and beneficial. +And there have only been the proceedings of Francisco de +Victoria,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e749src" href="#xd20e749" name= +"xd20e749src">12</a> who, without caring for anything except to make +himself singular and conspicuous, and to show himself capable of what +he least understood—with the desire which many have to improve +the government, even though it be by ruining the countries—in +affairs belonging to the commerce of Philipinas and that of Perù +strayed so far from what was fundamental and requisite in them, as may +be seen in the arguments in the said memorial, nos. 1 and 2, and from +93 to 119. And, granting for the sake of argument that this [course of +action] might have had some foundation: if the suspension of this +permission was for five years, either for the punishment of illegal +acts, or for reasons at the time expedient, when these requirements are +fulfilled, it seems just that those commerces should again continue as +before.</p> +<p>Another: because this becomes more expedient in the present +emergencies, in which those kingdoms desire to help meet the new +impositions which have been levied in all of them since the year 1630: +the union of the armies, the windward armada, the sale of new offices, +the half-annat, the stamped paper, the increase of the avería on +both seas, the incorporation and reduction of encomiendas in both +kingdoms, and other matters, which are well known to your illustrious +Lordship. And if [his Majesty’s] vassals are not favored in these +exigencies by facilitating their commerce, it will be impossible for +them, even <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb77" href="#pb77" name= +"pb77">77</a>]</span>though they desire it (as they all do), to aid in +bearing so great a load.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e759src" href= +"#xd20e759" name="xd20e759src">13</a></p> +<p>Another: because this permission was granted to Perù in +recompense for what was taken away from that country in the goods from +China. That trade was free, as I have said, and those stuffs were +shipped from Nueva España in abundance; and thus the provinces +of Perù experienced great relief, as the Chinese goods were so +cheap that those of Castilla were estimated at three times their price. +It was expedient to prohibit the Chinese goods, in order that the +commerce of España might not diminish for lack of the wealth of +Perù. And, since the welfare of some vassals is not to be gained +by destroying the others, in order to repair the loss which was caused +by this prohibition to the vassals of Perù <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb78" href="#pb78" name= +"pb78">78</a>]</span>permission was granted to them for 200,000 ducados +in goods from Nueva España, which are not so cheap as those of +China, nor so dear as those of Castilla. This is stated in the royal +decrees for the concession, and is inferred from their being of the +same year and date as those for the prohibition. If this was the cause, +and now it does not cease to operate, but rather is still more +active—on account of the commodities which go from España +having greatly increased in price, the land being poorer, and the +impositions, expenses, and losses being heavier—it may be easily +understood that this permission ought not to be refused.</p> +<p>Again: because the principal argument which gave cause for the +suspension of this permission was the representation of glaring +infractions of law therein. Sufficient refutations to these were made +in the said memorial, from no. 94 to 117; but as there they are mingled +with those in the commerce of the islands, answer is [here] made to the +former more than to the latter (although the one depends on the other). +The exaggerated statement is made that the ship which goes every year +from Perù to Acapulco carries, instead of the 200,000 ducados of +the permission, three millions—an enlargement which is an act of +audacity deserving punishment rather than complaisance. [This is +preposterous:] first, because even in transgressions of this character +there is usually some moderation; and never before has it been seen, +heard, or supposed that where two [pesos’ worth] were permitted +the amount concealed would reach thirty. Second, this ship which went +to Acapulco was one of 200 toneladas. The galleons on the India route, +which go only to carry silver, and are <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb79" href="#pb79" name="pb79">79</a>]</span>of 600 to 800 toneladas, +do not carry more than one million each year; and the capitana and the +almiranta, which are larger, carry a little more. Therefore, if a +galleon of 800 toneladas does not carry a million and a half, how could +a ship of 200 toneladas carry three millions? Third, it may be asked +why all that money went to Nueva España. Reply will be made, +“with the royal decree for the permission,” and with the +argument (which is very evident) that the money went thither for +investment in merchandise, and not to be left there, or to come by that +route to España; for the one would be folly for its owners, and +the other a blunder, since it would involve greater costs and risks. +Then if (as is evident) the money must return invested, and in the same +ship, or in another of equal burden, who ever said or imagined that +that ship, with a burden of 200 toneladas, can carry the investments of +three millions? If this sum be in silver, it is impossible to do so, as +is proved; but the same is true if it be in merchandise. The ships +which come from Eastern India to Lisboa are of 1,500 toneladas, and +some of 2,000; and whatever goes beyond a million in the entire lading +is very profitable, and is largely composed of diamonds, rubies, civet, +and musk, commodities which are not bulky. Then how could a ship of 200 +toneladas carry a cargo of taffetas, velvets, silk in skeins, +coverlets, beds, tents, cabinets, and other like articles, to the +extent of three millions of investment, which in Perù would be +four or five millions? Fourth, because it cannot be said that the ship, +since it does not carry three millions of silver, will carry two +millions, or one—which also is a great transgression of the limit +set. It is proved by experience that neither three nor <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb80" href="#pb80" name="pb80">80</a>]</span>two +millions, nor one, nor [even] half a million can be invested in [the +cargo of] a ship of 200 toneladas—which with 200,000 ducados of +silver converted into merchandise (which in Perù will be worth +300,000), and with the people, and supplies for three months (the time +spent in going from Acapulco to Callao de Lima) will sail so well laden +that no considerable quantity can be carried outside of the registry. +Fifth, and last, because if this ship carried three millions, we must +find a source for this silver, and a halting-place for it. There is no +source [for that amount], because the silver produced from the mines of +Perù, whether computed at a little more or less, is shipped to +España every year, without an error of three millions. But if +Perù retained so much silver, if from the year 1636 no ship has +gone to Acapulco (and it is not to be supposed that the merchants keep +their funds idle) from that time the exports from Perù would be +heavier; but if we abide by experience (which is in this matter the +best proof), the opposite is well-known. As little is a halting-place +found for that silver, since [what there is] remains in Perù, on +account of not having permission. Finally, we say, and it is known, +that no more silver comes [from Perù] than did formerly, nor +even as much. When it was going to Nueva España, the necessary +effect of carrying three millions would have been to engross both the +commerce of that country with Castilla and that with Philipinas; that +those two should share the greater part of the silver; and that, when +it ceased, both should feel the lack. The trade of Philipinas has had +less return than formerly, not for lack of silver, but because Don +Pedro de Quiroga did not give them permission to ship the returns for +two years, and therefore the silver remained in Nueva <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb81" href="#pb81" name= +"pb81">81</a>]</span>España for that reason. As little has the +commerce of Castilla experienced a considerable reduction, and not one +in proportion to the lack of Perù’s millions; and thus is +proved that this permission for Perù never had the infringements +that are represented, either in the quantity that is stated, or in any +other considerable amount. [It is clear] that it ought to be decreed +that, since the [term of the] suspension imposed upon that commerce is +completed, it shall again proceed as is demanded in behalf of +Philipinas, and has been requested on behalf of Mexico and +Lima—the matter being referred to the investigation of your +illustrious Lordship, who, after considering the reasons here +mentioned, will decide it with the perspicuity and equity that the +matter demands.</p> +<p>His Majesty has also given commission to your illustrious Lordship +that, having heard the citizens in regard to the claim which they make +of not being included in the two compositions of 630,000 pesos, the +share of it which was levied upon them may be returned to them; since +his Majesty says in his royal decree that he does not wish them to pay +what they do not owe. Since all the considerations and arguments are +fully stated in the said decree, I will, in order not to weary your +illustrious Lordship, refer you to it, which also is very convenient, +as will be seen, in serving to throw much light upon the affairs which +your illustrious Lordship has to arrange and settle.</p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e779" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e780" class="main">Informatory decree regarding the +question to what extent and on what plan shall the commerce of the +islands with Nueva España hereafter proceed.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first"></p> +<div class="figure xd20e783width" id="p083"><img src="images/p083.jpg" +alt= +"Map of the eastern islands; photographic facsimile from Mercator’s Atlas minor (Amsterdam, 1633)" +width="802" height="607"> +<p class="figureHead">Map of the eastern islands; photographic +facsimile from Mercator’s <i>Atlas minor</i> (Amsterdam, +1633)</p> +<p class="first">[<i>from copy of original map in the <span lang= +"fr">Bibliothèque Nationale</span>, Paris</i>]</p> +</div> +<p>The King. To the reverend father in Christ, Don Juan de Palafox y +Mendoza, bishop of the cathedral church of the city of Puebla de los +Angeles, member <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb82" href="#pb82" name= +"pb82">82</a>]</span>of my royal Council of the Indias, to whom I have +entrusted the visitation of my royal Audiencia of the City of Mexico in +Nueva España, and of its tribunals, and that of the port of +Acapulco: on the part of Don Juan Grau y Monfalcòn, +procurator-general of the distinguished and ever loyal city of Manila, +the capital of the Philipinas Islands, he has in the name of that city +presented to me a statement that, having set forth to me in another +memorial the wretched condition in which those islands are, and offered +various petitions regarding it, which have been examined in the said my +royal Council of the Indias, they failed to come to a decision in the +principal points, not only on account of their importance, but in order +to wait for the despatches which they were expecting to come in the +trading fleet. And among those which arrived with the fleet from Nueva +España there were letters from the city of Manila and the +governor of Philipinas, and from certain intelligent persons, all of +which agree—in which, to judge from the condition of affairs, +those islands were in evident risk of being ruined unless the relief +which they needed were sent to them with the utmost promptness, by +helping to give form to their commerce, on which is based their +preservation and defense, in the returns of silver, in the succors +[that they receive] in fighting men, and in aid from the seamen [who go +there]. The said city of Manila and the governor, as men who so +carefully bear in mind the losses [that the commerce has experienced] +mention them in their letters; and the commissaries of the city (who +reside in Mexico), with even more information of what the people of the +said city did not know, have considered and noted these letters, +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb85" href="#pb85" name= +"pb85">85</a>]</span>since the remonstrances which the citizens have +made were caused only by having received some information in general of +the cruel acts of Don Pedro de Quiroga [y Moya], and that he had +prohibited 600,000 pesos to the commerce. And when they knew that, +besides the previous acts of oppression, others had been so recently +committed against them, and such as had never before been known, and +another sum of 300,000 pesos taken from them, it can be judged what +they suffered, and the affliction that they experienced. And [I desire] +that always, and in whatever event, it may be seen and known that the +said Don Juan Grau gave information of and proposed to me all that he +considered expedient for preventing the loss of the said islands, which +with so plain indications is menacing them, and ought to be +feared—as it is feared, not only by their citizens, but by all +who recognize the difficulty of preserving them without commerce, or +money, or soldiers, or seamen—continuing in his obligation, which +is to communicate what shall be written to him, to present such +requests as the said city shall order him to make, and to urge forward +the decision of the most important matters. And he regards as settled +that the commerce of the said islands with Nueva España is +permanent, which is the only way in which they can be maintained, as he +has proved in the said memorial; and that, if it ceases, they will be +ruined and the Dutch enemy will take possession of them, since for so +many years they have with this desire harassed the islands. [He makes +the following statements:] If they should succeed therein (which may +God not permit) all Eastern India would perish—since, if the +enemy should be master of the Straits of <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb86" href="#pb86" name="pb86">86</a>]</span>Sincapura, and of the +archipelagos of Moluco and Luzòn (which have for their defense +only that which Manila and its armed fleets give them), all the +commerce of China would necessarily be hindered, not only for the +Castilians but for the Portuguese; and the factories which (without +other power than that of the commerce and advantage of many nations +which resort to them), I possess in those coasts and kingdoms, with +which I have preserved and sustained them, would come to an end. And +the commerce of the said islands is at present suspended, if not cut +off, as appears from the letters of the city of Manila and the +governor. It must be noted that three-fourths of the merchandise which +the citizens are accustomed to trade is pledged to the Sangleys, since +the commerce has hitherto been sustained on credit alone; and as in the +past year of 1636–37 no money went from Nueva España from +the goods which the citizens sent, which the Sangleys had sold on +credit, they have not been able to satisfy these claims. For this +reason the Sangleys have gone away, and say that they are not willing +to lose more than what they have lost; and the Portuguese of +Macàn have done the same—who, like the Chinese, have +returned to their own country, ruined. And the citizens having refused, +in the past year of 1636, to lade their goods in the two ships which +were ready to sail, fearing (and with good cause) the severity of Don +Pedro de Quiroga, the governor urged them to lade their goods, and +those which they had procured on credit—assuring them in my name +that these would be expedited at Acapulco in the same manner as +formerly, for which purpose he ordered that all the goods should be +registered with the utmost possible <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb87" +href="#pb87" name="pb87">87</a>]</span>exactness and equity. The effect +of this was, that Don Pedro de Quiroga paid no attention to what the +governor had promised in my name; instead, his harsh nature being +thereby irritated, he displayed greater severity, and, not content with +detaining whatever the ships carried, he weighed and opened registered +bales and chests—contrary to the usage at all the ports, against +the regulations provided by royal decrees; and the appraisement that he +made of the merchandise was so increased and exorbitant that what was +at its just price in Mexico worth 800,000 pesos he rated at four +millions. For the commodities which in Manila cost at the rate of nine +pesos, the said Don Pedro appraised at twenty-two; and much of the +cloth was sold in Acapulco, in his very sight, at six pesos, while he +had collected the full amount of the royal dues, on the basis of +twenty-two, at which he had valued the goods. By this one may judge how +considerable a loss the citizens experienced, not only in paying the +dues on so increased a valuation, but in the loss of the money they had +invested. It may easily be judged that, by making this valuation so +contrary to justice and reason, the registers transgressed the +permitted amount; and with this appraisement he began to inflict new +and hitherto unknown injuries on the commerce, with the sole intent of +obtaining another composition, and demanded for it 500,000 ducados. God +permitted that he should die; but, on account of his death, what he had +begun was continued by the <span class="corr" id="xd20e808" title= +"Source: marquès">marqués</span> de Cadereyta, and +continued with no less severity. For he forcibly extorted from the +commerce 300,000 pesos, which the citizens did not owe according to the +document that they signed at the time of their first agreement; and he +made <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb88" href="#pb88" name= +"pb88">88</a>]</span>them draw up a document regarding the commerce, +with declarations at the start that they had not entered protest +against signing the document for the 300,000 pesos, by which act they +left themselves no recourse. In order to relieve themselves from these +annoyances they signed the said obligation, although they knew that it +was the utter ruin of the commerce; but with this, and the damages and +losses that their property suffered—for, besides opening the +packages, they remained several days on the beach, with guards, and +other expenses—not only their profit but their principal was +consumed. Another factor in this loss was the necessity of securing +what belonged to the islands out of the 600,000 pesos of the first +composition; and for this, and the composition of 300,000 pesos, with +the half-annat (which is charged to them), they were obliged to take +moneys at a loss, and to sell very cheaply the goods that had remained. +The result was, that of all the investment for the said year of 1636, +when the entire capital of the citizens of the islands was sent, there +remained no considerable amount that could be returned to them—as +they were informed by the commissary through whose hand the returns +were sent. On account of this—even before the second condemnation +of the 300,000 pesos, or all the unfortunate outcome of their +investments, was known in Manila—the citizens who had some +estates in the country, seeing their extreme necessity, asked the +governor’s permission to go out [of the city] to live on their +lands, with the little money that remained to them, by cultivating the +soil to support themselves. The rest, who are poor, have asked +permission to enlist in the army as soldiers, and to join expeditions, +or go to Terrenate, as they can find no <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb89" href="#pb89" name="pb89">89</a>]</span>other means of support; +and the majority of the citizens were discussing whether to entreat me +that I will be pleased to grant them permission so that they can return +to these kingdoms, to die in their own countries, as they can no longer +support themselves in the Philipinas—but the governor, having +notice of this, persuaded them to ask me for relief in this their +afflicted condition, which they have done. Accordingly, they assembled +in an open session of cabildo, and agreed that, until I should be +pleased to form and establish a definite plan for the said commerce, no +one of them should lade or send to Nueva España any merchandise, +whether in great or small quantity—with which the said commerce +has entirely ceased and been suspended, and will remain in that +condition until a decision shall be sent them in regard to its plan. +[They say] that, if this be delayed, it may arrive at a time when +already no remedy will avail; that, although the citizens of Manila +know that this course may ruin themselves and their islands, they +consider it less injurious to them to spend their funds in maintaining +what they may hereafter acquire, than in sending them to Nueva +España in order to complete the loss of these in one year. They +have acted accordingly, since in a patache which the governor +despatched in the year 1637, with information of these necessities and +of others contained in their letters, there came no merchandise, nor +was there any person who was willing to ship goods; and the same +occurred with the two ships which were despatched in the past year of +1638. And although the governor made all possible efforts to constrain +the citizens to lade the two ships, he could not succeed in this, which +now causes them to feel their loss still more keenly. <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb90" href="#pb90" name="pb90">90</a>]</span>It is +evident that the foregoing alone will cause a greater loss of duties to +my royal exchequer in Nueva España, besides the licenses of the +Sangleys, and other things in Manila and Nueva España, than what +has been gained for it by the 900,000 pesos of the said two +compositions—not to mention the evident risk in which the islands +remain; for, if they are lost, four millions will not be enough to +recover them if the Dutch take possession of them, which is the +principal object at which they aim. It is represented to me that, if +that commerce flourishes, my duties in Nueva España on the +merchandise will amount to about 300,000 pesos, with which was provided +the amount which I ordered to be sent back as returns to Manila, for +the purposes and preservation of those islands; and that now all that +source of income has fallen at a blow, and the loss has recoiled upon +my royal exchequer, since it is necessary that the amount of money +which is conveyed every year for the succor of those islands be +supplied from my royal treasury of Mexico to that of Manila, out of the +silver and the fifths from the mines. And not only is this loss +occasioned, but all the capital with which commerce was carried on from +Mexico to Philipinas (to which the duties gave rise) has ceased to +exist; for in the year 1638, when no ships save one patache came [to +Acapulco] the dues from it amounted to [only] 4,000 pesos, and in 1639 +another 4,000 pesos were collected from the almiranta which arrived at +Acapulco. As the citizens of Manila had no means to lade merchandise, +not only the patache but the almiranta came without registers—as +also did the capitana, which had to go back to port. According to what +the governor writes, he will not send ships in the year <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb91" href="#pb91" name="pb91">91</a>]</span>1640; +with this, in three years I shall have lost 900,000 pesos in +duties—the same amount which was extorted as composition, against +all reason and justice, by Don Pedro de Quiroga; and it is he who has +caused, by his severe measures, these so irreparable losses, not only +to my royal exchequer but to the commerce. [Don Juan Grau] entreated me +that, since all the above matters are worthy of such careful attention, +I would be pleased, in order to place a speedy check on these +losses—which recoil upon my royal exchequer, as he represented to +me—to furnish a plan for the said commerce, without entrusting +the matter to any judge or official visitor, or waiting for reports on +a matter which is so thoroughly explained and well understood, in which +even one year’s delay is enough to render relief impossible, to +judge by the condition in which those islands now are. [He asks that,] +in case this is impracticable, I command that for six or eight years +the usage that has prevailed in regard to the registration and the +appraisement and all the rest be followed, without making changes in +anything, punishing those who transgress the regulations and orders +that have been established by royal decrees; and that this may and +shall be understood without prejudice to what must and shall be decreed +after the documents, reports, and other papers which shall be demanded +or sent have been examined. [He asks that] I immediately despatch a +decree to this effect, since, if a decision on this point be not at +once sent, the commerce will be ruined in one year more—which, +added to what has been already lost, will be the total destruction of +the said islands. This subject has been discussed in my royal Council +of the Indias, and I have taken into consideration all that has been +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb92" href="#pb92" name= +"pb92">92</a>]</span>represented to me, and that it is just to reward +the loyalty, fidelity, and services of vassals who are continually +serving me, arms in hand—defending my crown in lands so +widespread, with so great reputation for my arms; and I desire in +everything their prosperity, comfort, and preservation. By my decree of +September 30 last I thought best to command that in the appraisements +and registrations, and in not opening the bales or weighing the chests +from the ships of the said Philipinas Islands which arrive at +Acapulco—unless such act shall be preceded by the informations +and other requisites that are ordained by decrees that have been issued +on this subject—the custom and usage which were in vogue before +Don Pedro de Quiroga went [there] should be observed, without +infringing the decrees and orders which were issued regarding these +matters; and that this be for the present, and meanwhile nothing else +be ordained by the said my Council until you shall have informed me (as +you will do) about the affairs of Philipinas, since I have entrusted to +you the settlement and enforcement of matters concerning the commerce +of the said islands. I request and charge you, [for all these reasons,] +to inform me about all that I have here mentioned, with great +distinctness and thoroughness, with your opinion and any suggestions +that you can offer regarding the advantages and the preservation of the +said Philipinas Islands—in order that, after the matter has been +examined in the said my Council, I may take such measures as are most +expedient. Done at Madrid, February 14, 1640.</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">I the King</span></p> +<p>By command of the king our sovereign:</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">Don Gabrièl de Ocaña y +Alarcòn</span> <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb93" href="#pb93" +name="pb93">93</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e833" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e834" class="main">Informatory decree upon the augmentation +of the amount permitted to the Philipinas Islands, in both silver and +merchandise; and that the products of the islands shall not be included +in the permission for 250,000 pesos.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The King. To the reverend father in Christ Don Juan de +Palafox y Mendoza, bishop of the cathedral church of the city of Puebla +de los Angeles, member of my royal Council of the Indias, to whom I +have committed the visitation of my royal Audiencia of the City of +Mexico in Nueva España and of its tribunals, and the visitation +of the port of Acapulco: [Here follows a preamble which is identical +with that in the first of these decrees, as far as the words, +“and to urge forward the decision of the most important +matters.” This decree then continues (evidently stating +Grau’s arguments) as follows:] And as for the lack of money, this +cannot be avoided when the commerce in merchandise fails, since, if +that is not sent, there will be no returns from it; and the main thing +to be considered is that as little can the duties be collected, which +(as is proved in the said larger memorial) on the said commerce amount +to the sum which is sent every year for the aid of the said islands. If +these duties fail, it will be necessary that all this succor come out +of my royal exchequer, and it may be needful to send much more there; +for in the past, when the citizens found themselves without means to +aid (as they do aid) in the support of the said islands, the deficiency +had to be made good from my royal exchequer, as has been proved by +experience. The governor of those islands, seeing the pressing +necessities of the citizens, in the year 1637 <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb94" href="#pb94" name="pb94">94</a>]</span>lent +them from my royal treasury 76,765 pesos, besides what he lent them in +the year 1638, when in the same condition—when formerly the +citizens loaned so great sums, as is known, to my royal treasury; and +this is ascertained, with convincing arguments, that in order to lessen +the occasion [for such loans] it is necessary to aid and favor the +citizens and the commerce, since whatever it has of wealth [for them] I +shall be spared from expending in the maintenance of continual war in +those <span class="corr" id="xd20e840" title= +"Source: archipelagoes">archipelagos</span>. For it can be understood +that if this does not cease, and those who are supporting it have no +means for doing that, either I must support it or I shall be defeated; +and that it is of the utmost importance to maintain the war. I have +already recognized the great difficulties that result from the +cessation of sending money to those islands; for, on account of the +fact that in the year 1637 not more than 150,000 pesos of the amount in +the Count-Duke’s permission was carried [to Mexico], and that the +citizens failed to receive the returns therefrom through the harsh +measures and blunders of Don Pedro de Quiroga, the Chinese merchants +have gone from Manila, and carried away their merchandise, because +there is no one who can buy their goods; and it is known with +certainty, according to letters from the city, that the silk sold by +the said Chinese to the Dutch, since they knew that there was no money +in Manila, amounted to more than 5,000 picos. If the commerce with +China is cut off from that city, it will be impossible again to +introduce it, and whatever is collected there from the licenses given +to the said Chinese (which is a very large item) will be lost; and +finally the whole colony will reach so exhausted a condition that it +will <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb95" href="#pb95" name= +"pb95">95</a>]</span>be impossible,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e845src" +href="#xd20e845" name="xd20e845src">14</a> even with a million [pesos] +of aid a year, to maintain the said islands. [Don Juan Grau] has +entreated that I would be pleased to command that in the first ships +which sail from Acapulco for the said islands—or, in default of +these, in whatever ships shall go to the islands—shall be +transported, besides the usual succor that I send, all the residues of +permissions which there may be in Nueva España belonging to +citizens of those islands, and all the money which may be still due as +returns from the permissions, so that in this first voyage may be made +up whatever shall have been deficient in past ones, according to the +amount permitted, and nothing shall remain to fill out the entire +amount of the returns in any year. Moreover, in order to mitigate +somewhat the great injuries and losses for eight or ten years, [he has +asked] that an increase be allowed them in the permission for the +silver, up to the amount of 800,000 pesos instead of the 500,000 for +which they have permission—or such quantity as I shall be pleased +[to grant]; and that I give them permission to carry to Nueva +España, besides the 250,000 pesos’ worth of cloth from +China which is already allowed to them, all the products of the +country—as they have requested by a special petition in the large +memorial, which Don Juan Grau asks shall be again examined, with the +strong arguments which they present for asking this favor; and he says +that at present there are [even] more reasons for granting it. This +matter has been considered in my royal Council of the <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb96" href="#pb96" name="pb96">96</a>]</span>Indias, +notwithstanding that I commanded the viceroy and the Audiencia of +Mexico, by my decree of December 8, 1638, to inform me what permission +the Philipinas Islands have, and that which was granted to the +Count-Duke; and whether it would be expedient to enlarge further that +of the said islands, considering their needs and other circumstances. +By another decree of mine, of the same date, I also commanded the said +my viceroy and Audiencia of Mexico, and the governor and Audiencia of +Manila, to inform me regarding the representations made to me, on the +part of the said city of Manila, that all the provinces of the Indias +are permitted to export the products that in them are gathered and +cultivated, without limitation of quantity. Those of the islands, the +proceeds of their collections and labors, are: wax, lampotes, +coverlets, tarlingas, blankets from Ilocos, musk, civet, and other +commodities which are peculiar to the said islands; and it has been the +custom for many years past to ship these products to Nueva +España (which is their only market), registered, but not +included in the 250,000 pesos of the permission, as it seemed that the +citizens did not need it for these commodities, and that it was granted +only for those from China—which are the ones expressly stated in +the royal decrees, and on which fall the prohibitions and penalties. +And [Don Juan Grau] petitioned that I would command that a declaration +be made to this effect, and that these commodities, coming registered, +and paying my royal duties at their departure from the islands and +entrance at Acapulco, as do the other goods from China, should be (even +though their value and quantity did not come included, and be not +included, in <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb97" href="#pb97" name= +"pb97">97</a>]</span>the permission) passed by the customs officers +without incurring penalty of confiscation, or any other. I request and +charge you that, after having thoroughly informed yourself of all that +I have mentioned, you report to me very fully thereon, in order that, +when the matter shall have been discussed in the said my Council, I may +take such measures as shall be most expedient for the relief and +preservation of my vassals in those islands. Done at Madrid, February +14, in the year 1640.</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">I the King</span></p> +<p>By command of the king our sovereign:</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">Don Gabrièl de Ocaña y +Alarcòn</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e866" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e867" class="main">Informatory decree, in regard to opening +the commerce between the kingdoms of Perù and Nueva +España.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The King. To the reverend father in Christ, Don Juan +de Palafox y Mendoza, bishop of the cathedral church of the city of +Puebla de los Angeles, [etc. Here follows a preamble identical with +that of the first decree, as explained in the second one. This decree +continues:]</p> +<p>Both Perù and Nueva España oppose the method followed +in the commerce of the said Philipinas Islands, and complain of the +above prohibitions, setting forth certain difficulties which result +from closing to them the commerce which those two most opulent states +have maintained (as it were, by nature) between themselves; the chief +of these is their being entirely deprived of the mutual intercourse and +relations which ought to prevail between them. On this account, another +permission of two ships has <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb98" href= +"#pb98" name="pb98">98</a>]</span>been granted to them. One of these +shall sail every year from the port of Callao de Lima, and may carry to +that of Acapulco silver to the amount of 200,000 ducados, for +investment in the products peculiar to Nueva +España—whether of agriculture, stock-raising, or +manufacture—and no others, even those sent from these kingdoms. +The other ship shall return from Acapulco to Callao with these proceeds +[of the investment], the prohibition of cloth from China remaining in +force; and the decree declares that none of that cloth may be sent in +return for the 200,000 ducados, nor outside of that amount, enforcing +its execution by heavy penalties [imposed] by the decrees of December +31, 1604, and March 8 and June 20, 1620. By these decrees final shape +was given to this permission which now is suspended; and it was ordered +to cease by a decree of November 23, 1634, without the reason which had +given cause for this act being known—further than the measures +which had been proposed for ruining the islands, and this, that the +ships of Perù might not sail to Acapulco, to the so great harm +of the Philipinas Islands, as this alone would be enough to ruin them. +For if ships do not go from Perù, the islands remain exposed to +the failure of their aid, in the year when their ships do not make the +voyage, by having been wrecked, or forced to put back to port, or +having arrived late. As in such cases, it is usual to make good their +deficiency with the ships from Perù, sending in them the usual +succor of men and money, if the latter do not go, and the others do not +come [to Acapulco], there will not be ships for that purpose, and the +islands might remain for several years without the succor that supports +them, at the evident risk of being <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb99" +href="#pb99" name="pb99">99</a>]</span>ruined. To this may be added, +that there are, as will be stated, in Nueva España more than +fourteen thousand persons who sustain themselves with the industry of +silk-raising and silk manufacture, by express permission, and the order +that this industry be preserved. It cannot be maintained with only the +silk that is produced in that country, the total amount of which is +very small, and it therefore employs the silk that comes from Manila, +as being suitable for delicate fabrics. The silk fabrics of Nueva +España have always been exported to Perù, as commodities +included in the trade permitted to those countries, which was mainly +composed of these stuffs; while the fabrics of China remained for +meeting the expenses of the country, which regularly consumed all that +came thence. Since the exportation of what formerly went to Perù +has ceased, the necessary result is that these goods remain and are +consumed in Nueva España, as being its own product, and that +just so much less of the Chinese silk is required—which is +substituted in place of the home product when the former goods are +imported through the permission—and necessarily less of the other +is produced. Besides taking away their occupation from the people who +are engaged in the silk industry, this will cause an evident diminution +in the commerce of Philipinas, the bulk of which consists in silks; for +just so much less of what the islands export is consumed [in Nueva +España] as cannot be sold out of what is produced +there—which will be an amount so noticeable that with this +reduction alone that commerce will become excessively weakened. This +has been already proved in regard to the last ships which came from +those islands—for, as they failed to come <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb100" href="#pb100" name="pb100">100</a>]</span>the +previous year, they found no market for their goods, and could not sell +enough of these even to pay the freight charges and the duties, +according to letters from Nueva España and authentic documents; +it is, therefore, very expedient that the permission given to +Perù should be revived, else, by not conceding it, a great +reduction is feared in that of Philipinas. If, when that permission was +granted, the matter was discussed with adequate information, and the +advantages which there might be on either side were considered, and now +if no new reasons or circumstances arise which compel the decision to +be suspended beyond the fact that Francisco de Victoria contrived such +expedients, without heeding other objects, so that it seems as if he +cared only for the abandonment and ruin of the islands, no opportunity +should be given for that suspension. Even if the memorials which [Don +Juan Grau] has furnished on the other topics prove to be sufficiently +answered, and their arguments are shown to be weak or false, it must +not be understood that there are better ones for what concerns the +permission given to Perù; but no answer is made here, save in +what pertains to the Philipinas, for the rest concerns Nueva +España and Perù, who will give fuller explanations. And, +considering the evident injury and risk to which the islands are +exposed by the lack of freight ships that can sail thither, since in +case the ships belonging to the commerce are wrecked, or forced to take +refuge in other ports, or arrive late, the islands will perish if there +are no other ships in which to send the usual succor of men and money: +and since freight vessels are not built, which is necessary in all the +coasts of Nueva España, this deficiency must be supplied some +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb101" href="#pb101" name= +"pb101">101</a>]</span>years by the ships from Perù that go to +Acapulco—which do not sail now, on account of the permission +which was given for that purpose being suspended—from which also +result to the islands the losses which have been set forth in the said +memorial, which are stated anew in this petition, because it is so +expedient that the traffic between Nueva España and Perù +be restored: [Don Juan Grau] has petitioned me to consent to raise the +suspension, or prohibition, which is laid or imposed on the said +permission of Perù and Nueva España, even though, for its +fulfilment and better observance, the penalties be increased so far as +is expedient. This matter having been considered in my royal Council of +the Indias, as I desire to ascertain the advantages or disadvantages +which may result from the aforesaid measure, whether to my greater +service, to the increase or diminution of my royal dues, to the +preservation of my vassals of the said Philipinas Islands, or to their +relief or injury: I request and charge you to inform me very thoroughly +of all that you shall ascertain and understand to be most expedient, in +order that when I have considered all the reliable information in your +report, I may take such measures as may be most fitting. Done at +Madrid, February 14, in the year 1640.</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">I the King</span></p> +<p>By command of the king our sovereign:</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">Don Gabrièl de Ocaña y +Alarcòn</span> <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb102" href= +"#pb102" name="pb102">102</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e892" class="div2 section"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e893" class="main">Decree in which his Majesty commands +that a hearing be given in a court of justice to the citizens of the +city of Manila, regarding their claim that they be not included in the +condemnations and compositions of the 900,000 pesos; and [it is +declared] that it is his Majesty’s intention that they should not +pay what they do not owe.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The King. To the reverend father in Christ, Don Juan +de Palafox y Mendoza, bishop of the cathedral church of +Tlaxcala,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e897src" href="#xd20e897" name= +"xd20e897src">15</a> member of my royal Council of the Indias, to whom +I have entrusted the general visitation of my royal Audiencia of the +City of Mexico in Nueva España and of its tribunals, and the +visitation of the port of Acapulco, and other affairs very important +for my service. [Most of this decree is omitted, as being only a +repetition, in the main, of statements in Grau’s memorial +preceding. The king rehearses the injuries done to Philippine commerce, +the arguments pro and con an increase of duties, and the +representations by the citizens of Manila in behalf of their petition +for relief; and continues:] What they entreat with the humility +belonging to my vassals, and set forth with arguments of expediency and +good government, subject in everything to what shall be for my greater +service, is that what is past be punished, but not so as to inflict the +same penalty on those whose guilt is unequal; for if there shall prove +to be guilt, it must be because they were induced to it more by their +need and hardships than by the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb103" +href="#pb103" name="pb103">103</a>]</span>profits on their investments; +and it is the fact that whatever they have acquired by these is known +to be but a small part of the means which they have at present, and +they have spent it and intend to spend it in serving me and in +preserving those islands at the cost of their blood and property. They +ask that for the present attention be given to what is hidden and +concealed, and that this be diminished and reduced to the amount +permitted and regulated; and that, until they know in the islands what +they ought to do, and what new decrees shall be issued, those penalties +be not carried out against the citizens, and that they shall not be +punished for what they have committed through ignorance. They ask that +for the future the duties be not increased on what shall be found +within the amount permitted, whether in silver or merchandise; that no +innovations be made in the appraisement of the goods, nor by opening +the packages or measuring them, through any different method from that +which has been [hitherto] observed and followed, since (as is very +evident) they pay more than they are able to; and they state that the +despatch of the two ships was included and is still contained in the +composition of the 600,000 pesos for the year 1635—a proposition +very plain and undisputed, which does not admit of doubt, since it is +expressly, clearly, and distinctly stipulated, noted, and agreed in the +document which was executed regarding this matter, the first section of +which reads as follows: “First: that in this agreement shall be +set down and included the two ships which are expected to come from the +Philipinas Islands this present year, or early in this coming year of +1636, to this Nueva España with registry; and if one or both of +them shall not <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb104" href="#pb104" name= +"pb104">104</a>]</span>have sailed, or shall not sail, from the said +islands, or if they be forced to put back to port, this agreement shall +hold good regarding those which shall come in the following year, at +whatever time therein; and the ship which shall not sail this year may +do so next year, so that there will be two vessels; and they may land +at the port of Acapulco in this Nueva España the goods that they +carry, paying to his Majesty his customary royal dues, without those +goods being seized; nor can anything be confiscated thereon in case +each person declares what he shall carry, in conformity with the +proclamation which will be issued. [This goes] with declaration that if +(which may God not permit) the ship be wrecked at sea, or plundered by +enemies, no other shipment be allowed.” It does not seem as if +the persons who drew up and signed this contract could state more +contingencies regarding the voyage of these ships, in order that these +might be included in the document, since they set down the following: +sailing in the year 1635; being obliged to put back to port, and being +shipwrecked; sailing not in that year, but in the following one, that +of 1636; arriving at Acapulco in that year, or in 1637 at whatever time +therein; one ship arriving, and the other being obliged to go back to +port, or not sailing at all; and finally, settling beforehand the +account and despatch of two ships which would arrive after the date of +the contract and agreement, up to the completion of the said year 1637. +Moreover, the necessary declarations were made as to the cargo of the +ships: that it must pay the customary dues, all goods being declared; +and that, if this alone were done, they could not be confiscated, even +though they should come outside of the <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb105" href="#pb105" name="pb105">105</a>]</span>registry, for this is +meant by declaring them. The facts of the case were, in all these +matters, that the ships did not sail in the year 1635, but in 1636, and +reached Acapulco at the beginning of 1637—a voyage included and +expressly stated in the [aforesaid] document. In this case, conformably +to the section which is here copied, it could not and cannot be doubted +that these two ships were the first to arrive after the agreement, +within the limit set therein, and with the permitted amount of goods +registered—not only as that amount had always come, but with more +rigorous and orderly [inspection]. As for the landing of the goods, +this was done as the above section directed; for Don Pedro de Quiroga, +when the ships cast anchor, caused proclamation to be made that all +should declare whatever goods they carried; with this, and the severity +which he exercised in permitting the goods to be removed from the +ships, not a bale was concealed, or considered as such, nor was +anything seized as contraband. [The king then mentions Quiroga’s +rigorous and oppressive measures, almost in Grau’s own words, and +continues:]</p> +<p>But it is a fact that, according to that agreement, what had to be +done was to appraise all that came registered—as had been done +during the six years before, to which the commission extended without +making any kind of innovation, since the contract was that they had to +collect the customary dues; and if anything came outside the registry, +its owners, by declaring it in accordance with the proclamation (as +they did declare it), had to pay the same dues, freight charges, and +alcavala as did the registered merchandise—which is the same +practice as that in Sevilla when, at the arrival of the galleons, my +royal decree <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb106" href="#pb106" name= +"pb106">106</a>]</span>regarding declarations is issued and proclaimed. +And this the proclamation of Don Pedro de Quiroga could not exceed, +because it was of the same character, not only on account of his own +official position, but by the obligation of the contract. Such was the +proper course of action, according to justice and reason, and +conformably to the contract approved by the viceroy and the visitor and +by me; and since, in virtue of his document,<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e910src" href="#xd20e910" name="xd20e910src">16</a> the 400,000 +pesos of the two thirds of 1636 and 1637 were already collected. What +he did was to contravene all this, the same as if such usage had not +been current; [but in that case] such a composition would not have been +made, nor such a contract drawn up. For, as if the ships were not +included in the agreement, whatever they carried was immediately seized +(as has been stated), saying that it was confiscated—not for +coming outside of registry, since of this sort there was nothing +belonging to the citizens of the islands; but because the permitted +amount came registered,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e913src" href= +"#xd20e913" name="xd20e913src">17</a> as it always has come and ought +to come, in order to fulfil therein the condition of the document, +which was that each chest be carried as one pico of silk, to which is +introduced the addition of a quarter, from which Manila has made +petition. For if it were not with the express condition that these +ships should be thus despatched, there would have been no reason for +mentioning them in the agreement. Besides, they conformed to the +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb107" href="#pb107" name= +"pb107">107</a>]</span>order of which Don Pedro de Quiroga notified the +islands, as appeared by a section of his letter, inserted in a document +which the governor wrote to the city of Manila, which reads thus: +“We have been expecting the ships which thus far have not +arrived, by which we deem it certain that they have been obliged to +take refuge in port; and in order that the service of his Majesty, to +which your Lordship is always so attentive, may be furthered, it is +necessary for me to express my opinion (as you commanded me, in your +instructions) that all the goods which go registered in the ships, even +if there be more of them than the 250,000 pesos of the permission, +should remain free, by paying the dues at the port of Acapulco; and the +same should be done with those that are not registered, if they are +declared in the said port within twenty-four hours after the vessel +casts anchor.” This was the proclamation which I ordered to be +made; and that if the said ships should sail from that city, or after +sailing should put back into port, they might come freely the following +year with the said merchandise; and this was the order that the visitor +sent to Manila, and which the governor executed to the letter. In +accordance with it, the ships sailed, according to the agreement and +its first condition; from this is positively known the notorious injury +and injustice which has been done to all those engaged in this commerce +who took part in the first composition—compelling them by severe +measures to enter upon the second one, and to pay or be obliged to pay +for it the said 300,000 pesos, endeavoring to deprive them of having +recourse to my clemency with a protest. For even if there had been (as +was not the case) the same or greater infractions of <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb108" href="#pb108" name="pb108">108</a>]</span>law +in those two ships than in all the preceding years, as these cannot be +of different character from those of the past, and from those included +in the commissions of Don Pedro de Quiroga, they should in justice, and +by obligation and legitimate contract, agreed to and executed, be +included and contained in the composition of the 600,000 pesos; and in +virtue of that agreement ought to have been despatched as usual, +without making accusation or fixing blame for what they carried +registered, or was declared at Acapulco. The islands therefore claim +that they ought not to be included in the first composition, and that +what they have paid ought to be restored to them and is imposed upon +them when they do not owe it, on account of the said composition. They +also claim that the second composition, to which those who signed the +document were compelled, ought to be declared null and void; that all +who were involved therein be set free from their obligation; and that +what they shall have paid or contributed for its fulfilment and +execution be returned and restored to them. [The king here enumerates +(again in Grau’s language) the losses which these rigorous +measures have caused to his royal exchequer, the injuries and dangers +thus occasioned to the Philippines, and the services rendered to the +crown by its citizens;] notwithstanding that in a letter of September +2, 1638, I thought best to inform the said city of Manila that in +regard to the citizens of those islands being included in the former +compositions made by the said Don Pedro de Quiroga, my royal intention +was that they should not pay what they did not owe. And since this +depended on the acts and the general decision which Don Pedro de +Quiroga made regarding <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb109" href= +"#pb109" name="pb109">109</a>]</span>these compositions, in which the +citizens of the islands claim they were not included, the judge was +notified to proceed in those commissions, in order that he might hear +them and administer justice as was fitting, affording redress to those +who had been injured. In conformity therewith, I have considered it +well to issue the present, by which I commission you, and give you all +the power and authority that is required by law in order that, after +hearing them, you may administer justice, and furnish redress to those +who shall have been wronged in whatever has been represented to me; for +such is my will. Done at Madrid, February 14, 1640.</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">I the King</span></p> +<p>By command of the king our sovereign:</p> +<p class="signed"><span class="sc">Don Gabrièl de Ocaña y +Alarcòn</span> <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb111" href= +"#pb111" name="pb111">111</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="footnotes"> +<hr class="fnsep"> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e329" href="#xd20e329src" name="xd20e329">1</a></span> The present +document is taken from the <i lang="es">Extracto historial</i>, a work +compiled (Madrid, 1736) by order of the Spanish government, for its +information and guidance in the discussions then pending in the royal +Council of the Indias upon the subject of the trade in Chinese silks +between the Philippine Islands and Nueva España. The book is an +historical résumé of that commerce, and of legislation +thereon, from its beginning to 1736; it is composed mainly of important +documents—decrees, memorials, etc.—from the original +sources, and is divided into ten <i lang="es">tiempos</i>, or periods, +of which the second (which covers the time from 1603 to 1640) is here +presented, and the others will receive due attention in later +volumes.</p> +<p class="footnote">The title-page of the <i lang="es">Extracto</i> (of +which a facsimile precedes the present document) reads thus in English: +“Historical summary of the measures now under discussion in the +royal and supreme Council of the Indias, at the instance of the city of +Manila and the Philipinas Islands, in regard to the form in which the +commerce and trade in Chinese fabrics with Nueva España shall be +conducted and continued. And for the better understanding of the +subject, the important events in that commerce are noted +(distinguishing and separating the periods of time), from the discovery +of the Philipinas Islands and the concession of commerce to them, with +whatever has occurred up to the present in the operation and at the +instance of the commerce of España and its tribunal [<i lang= +"es">consulado</i>]. Compiled and arranged by order of the king and the +advice of the above-named Council, and at his Majesty’s expense, +by an official of the [India] House, from the papers and documents +furnished by the office of the Secretary for Nueva España, and +[including] other special memoirs, which the said official has here set +down for the greater completeness of the work, and to throw more light +on the subject. At Madrid: in the printing-house of Juan de Ariztia, in +the year 1736.”</p> +<p class="footnote">The official there mentioned was Don Antonio +Alvarez de Abreu; at the beginning of the work he mentions in a +prefatory article the reasons for its compilation, and the plan he has +followed; he claims to have reproduced accurately the documents +presented therein, and to have regarded the interests of both sides in +the controversy then being waged over the Philippine commerce. One +hundred copies of the <i lang="es">Extracto</i> were printed.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e410" href="#xd20e410src" name="xd20e410">2</a></span> Thus in the +original; but in the following expansion of these points eight of them +are enumerated, indicating an oversight on the part of the compiler. +The sixth is there stated as the renown and profit accruing to the +crown from the victories gained by its Philippine subjects; the +seventh, the aid given by them to both crowns; the eighth, their +protection of Chinese commerce.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e440" href="#xd20e440src" name="xd20e440">3</a></span> According +to Crawfurd (<i>Dict. Ind. Islands</i>, p. 38) this is the form, in the +native languages, of the name that Europeans write Bantam, applied to +the extreme western province of Java, and to an important seaport town +in its northwest extremity. Most of the inhabitants of this province +are Sundas, but along the coasts there is considerable intermixture +with Javanese and other Malayan peoples. The port of Bantan was an +important commercial center long before the arrival there of +Europeans.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e456" href="#xd20e456src" name="xd20e456">4</a></span> +<i>i.e.</i>, Hindostan (see VOL. XVII, p. 252). The grave accent is +here used in the word Mogòr, simply as following the usage of +the <i lang="es">Extracto</i>, which throughout prints the grave +instead of the acute accent.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e491" href="#xd20e491src" name="xd20e491">5</a></span> St. Martin, +one of the Antilles, was a resort for French pirates and Dutch +smugglers until 1638, when it was captured by the Spaniards. It was +afterward recovered from them, and in 1648 was formally divided between +the French and Dutch—a status that still prevails.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e502" href="#xd20e502src" name="xd20e502">6</a></span> The +alcabala, an excise duty collected on all sales of commodities, was +derived from the Moors, and was more or less imposed in Spain from the +year 1342 on. It was introduced in the American colonies in 1574, and +for more than two centuries was a rich source of income for the Spanish +crown and a heavy tax on the colonists. The rate was at first two per +cent, but afterward this was doubled and trebled; and it was levied on +every transfer of goods, taxing property over and over again. See +Bancroft’s <i>Mexico</i>, iii, pp. 658, 659; and <i lang= +"es">Recopilación leyes de Indias</i>, lib. viii, tit. xiii, and +lib. ix, tit. xlv, ley lxvi.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e545" href="#xd20e545src" name="xd20e545">7</a></span> Raynal thus +describes Acapulco, in his <i>History of Settlements and Trade in +Indies</i> (Justamond’s translation, London, 1783), iii, pp. 378, +379: “The port of Acapulco where the vessel arrives, hath two +inlets, separated from each other by a small island: the entrance into +them in the day is by means of a sea-breeze, and the sailing out in the +night-time is effected by a land-breeze. It is defended only by a bad +fort, fifty soldiers, forty-two pieces of cannon, and thirty-two of the +corps of artillery. It is equally extensive, safe, and commodious. The +bason which forms this beautiful harbor is surrounded by lofty +mountains, which are so dry, that they are even destitute of water. +Four hundred families of Chinese, Mulattoes, and Negroes, which compose +three companies of militia, are the only persons accustomed to breathe +the air of this place, which is burning, heavy, and unwholesome. The +number of inhabitants in this feeble and miserable colony is +considerably increased upon the arrival of the galleons, by the +merchants from all the provinces of Mexico, who come to exchange their +silver and their cochineal, for the spices, muslins, china, printed +linens, silks, perfumes, and gold works of Asia. At this market, the +fraud impudently begun in the Old World, is as impudently completed in +the New. The statutes have limited the sale to 2,700,000 livres, and it +exceeds 10,800,000 livres. All the money produced by these exchanges +should give <i>ten per cent.</i> to the government: but they are +deprived of three-fourths of the revenue which they ought to collect +from their customs, by false entries.” This passage is +appropriated bodily—with a few changes, and an important +omission—in Malo de Luque’s <i lang="es">Establecimientos +ultramarinos</i> (Madrid, 1790), v, p. 220; and no credit is given by +him to Raynal.</p> +<p class="footnote">On the map of Acapulco in Bellin’s <i lang= +"fr">Atlas maritime</i> (Paris, 1764), t. ii, p. 86, appears the +following naïve item in the legend at the side: “Two trees, +to which the galleon from Manila attaches a cable;” these trees +are located directly in front of the tiny “city,” and +between two redoubts.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e615" href="#xd20e615src" name="xd20e615">8</a></span> +<i>Talinga</i> is defined by Noceda and Sanlucar (<i lang="es">Vocab. +lengua Tagala</i>, third ed., Manila, 1860) as <i lang="es">manta de +Ilocos</i> (“Ilocos blanket”). It is apparently the same as +<i>terlinga</i>, used by Mallat and Malo de Luque; and <i>tarlinga</i>, +later in this document.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e634" href="#xd20e634src" name="xd20e634">9</a></span> +Encarnación (<i lang="es">Dicc. Bisaya-Español</i>, +Manila, 1885) says, after defining the word as here: “The word +<i>lompot</i> eminently signifies ‘piece;’ and the pieces +in which the native women weave all their fabrics are regularly eight +varas long and one wide.”</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e699" href="#xd20e699src" name="xd20e699">10</a></span> “An +indiscreet or ill-directed zeal distracted from labors and persistent +effort those colonists, who themselves were inclined to inactivity. +Their exceedingly lucrative commerce and intercourse with America +accustomed them to regard as intolerable and even disgraceful the most +honorable occupations. If through any misfortune the rich Acapulco +galleon could not be despatched, or was wrecked, the greater part of +the inhabitants lapsed into fearful misery. Many became beggars, +thieves, or assassins; it was customary for them to enlist as soldiers; +and the courts were unable to check or correct the many crimes +committed.” (Malo de Luque, <i lang="es">Establecimientos +ultramarinos</i>, v, pp. 211–212.) Cf. this with Raynal’s +<i>Settlements and Trade in Indies</i>, iii, p. 78, from which Malo de +Luque has again borrowed without giving Raynal credit (see note 7, +<i>ante</i>).</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e713" href="#xd20e713src" name="xd20e713">11</a></span> Silkworms +and the cultivation of the mulberry tree, for both of which the country +is naturally adapted, were introduced into Mexico by Cortés, and +for a time the production and manufacture of silk there promised to +become a source of wealth to the country; but it was practically ruined +by the restrictive and unfriendly policy of the Spanish government and +the competition of the Chinese silks sent to Nueva España from +Manila. Mexico has several native species of silkworms, and trees on +which they feed—not only of mulberry, but of other genera; and +their product was used by the natives before the conquest, especially +in Mizteca in Oajaca. For accounts of this product and industry, see +Acosta’s <i>Hist. Indies</i> (Hakluyt Society’s +publications, London, 1880), i, p. 269; Humboldt’s <i>New +Spain</i> (Black’s translation), iii, pp. 57–60, 465; and +Bancroft’s <i>Hist. Mexico</i>, ii, p. 292; v, pp. 612, 613; vi, +pp. 524, 576.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e749" href="#xd20e749src" name="xd20e749">12</a></span> On fol. 24 +verso of the <i lang="es">Extracto</i>, the surname Barahona is added +to this man’s name as here given.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e759" href="#xd20e759src" name="xd20e759">13</a></span> Under the +rule of Felipe III and Felipe IV, the economic and financial affairs of +Spain fell into a ruinous condition. The indolence and incompetency of +those monarchs, the influence exercised over them by unscrupulous +favorites, the rapid increase of absolutism and bureaucracy, the undue +privileges accorded to the nobility and clergy, costly and useless +wars, the extravagance and corruption which prevailed in the court and +in the administration of the entire kingdom and the expulsion of the +Moriscos—all these causes quickly brought on an enormous national +debt, the impoverishment of the common people, depopulation of large +districts, almost the ruin of manufacture and the like industries, the +oppression of the poor, the trampling down of the national liberties, +the decline of Spain’s naval and military power, and many other +evils. The treasures of the Indias did not suffice to maintain the +nation, and even caused some of its woes; and the reckless +mismanagement of its revenues caused enormous deficits, which its +rulers attempted to meet by imposing more and heavier taxes, duties, +and contributions upon a people already staggering under their grievous +burdens. The impositions named in the text are but a few of those +levied at that time; and the colonies were compelled to bear their +share of the burden carried by the mother-country. See the excellent +survey of this period in Spanish history, and of conditions political, +administrative, social, and economic, with bibliography of the subject, +in Lavisse and Rambaud’s <i lang="fr">Histoire +générale</i> (Paris, 1893–1901), v, pp. +649–682.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e845" href="#xd20e845src" name="xd20e845">14</a></span> Marginal +note: “It stands thus in the original”—referring to a +doublet of three and a half (printed) lines, which the <i lang= +"es">Extracto</i> has reproduced from the text which it followed, +presumably a manuscript copy of the decree.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e897" href="#xd20e897src" name="xd20e897">15</a></span> A +variation in Palafox’s title, apparently due to some clerical +oversight. It is not, however, incorrect, since Tlascala was the +earlier seat of that bishopric, and gave name to it—the +bishop’s residence being afterward removed to the new city of +Puebla, five leguas distant from Tlascala.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e910" href="#xd20e910src" name="xd20e910">16</a></span> Apparently +referring to the paper recording the composition of 1635; and the +wording of this sentence in the decree would imply that the 600,000 +pesos of that composition were at first levied in three annual +installments, but afterward collected in advance.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e913" href="#xd20e913src" name="xd20e913">17</a></span> Thus in +the <i lang="es">Extracto</i>; but the statement appears to be a +<i lang="la">non sequitur</i>, and suggests the probability of some +words being omitted.</p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e940" class="div0 part"> +<h2 id="xd20e941" lang="es" class="main">HISTORIA DE LA PROVINCIA +DEL<br> +SANCTO ROSARIO DE LA ORDEN<br> +DE PREDICADORES</h2> +<p class="first">By Diego Aduarte, O.P.; Manila, 1640.</p> +<p><span class="sc">Source</span>: Translated from a copy of the above +work in the possession of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago. This volume +comprises pp. 1–167.</p> +<p><span class="sc">Translation</span>: This is made by Henry B. +Lathrop, of the University of Wisconsin; it is partly in synopsis. This +work will continue in VOLS. <span class="sc">XXXI</span> and +<span class="sc">XXXII</span>; this volume comprises chaps. +i–xxxvii of book i. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb112" href= +"#pb112" name="pb112">112</a>]</span></p> +<p>[<i>Translation of title-page</i>: The History of the Province of +the Holy Rosary, of the Order of Preachers, in Philippinas, Japon, and +China. By the Right Reverend Don Fray Diego Aduarte, Bishop of Nueva +Segovia, with additions by the Very Reverend Father Fray Domingo +Gonçalez, Commissary of the Holy Office, and Regent of the +College of Sancto Thomas in the same province. With license, at Manila, +in the College of Sancto Thomas, by Luis Beltran, printer. In the year +1640.]</p> +<div class="figure xd20e971width" id="p113"><img src="images/p113.jpg" +alt= +"Title-page of Historia de la provincia del Sancto Rosario ... en Philippinas, by Diego Aduarte, O.P. (Manila, 1640)" +width="439" height="720"></div> +<p><span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb115" href="#pb115" name= +"pb115">115</a>]</span></p> +<div id="doc1640" class="div1 preface"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e977" class="main">History of the Dominican Province of the +Holy Rosary</h2> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">By Fray Diego Aduarte, O.P.</p> +<p>[Aduarte’s work<a class="noteref" id="xd20e983src" href= +"#xd20e983" name="xd20e983src">1</a> is here presented, partly in full +translation, partly in synopsis—the latter portions being, as +usual, printed within brackets.]</p> +</div> +<div class="footnotes"> +<hr class="fnsep"> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e983" href="#xd20e983src" name="xd20e983">1</a></span> The various +approbations at the beginning of the book are not here translated, as +not being sufficiently important to justify such use of our space. The +first of these is furnished by Governor Hurtado de Corcuera, and is +dated at Manila, March 21, 1639—in which he states that Fray +Gonçalez has added matter which brings down Aduarte’s +history to 1637, thus covering a period of fifty years from the +foundation of that Dominican province. The request for permission to +print the book is made by Fray Carlos Clemente Gant, prior-provincial +of that order; and it is granted (for six years) by the governor, after +favorable report on the book has been made by Fray Theofilo Mascaros, +an Augustinian—this report, by the way, being dated at the +Augustinian convent of Sancta Ana de Agonoy, August 29, 1638. +Archbishop Guerrero also approves this publication (July 7, 1638); and, +four days earlier, the Franciscan, Fray Juan Piña de San +Antonio, at Sampaloc, does the same.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e986" class="div1 book"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e987" class="main">Book I</h2> +<div id="xd20e989" class="div2 chapter"><span class="pagenum">[<a href= +"#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e990" class="label">Chapter I</h3> +<h3 class="main">How the establishment of the Dominican order in the +Philipinas Islands was undertaken</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Though the Dominican order did not accompany the +discovery of these islands, it was not late in entering them; for it +found many entire provinces still in the night of heathenism, because +the preachers, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb116" href="#pb116" name= +"pb116">116</a>]</span>though good ones, had been few, and because the +inhabitants differed so in their language and were spread over so vast +an extent of territory. The reports which were sent back of the +intelligence of the people, the fertility of the soil, and the amount +of the population moved some religious to come to these regions, in +grief that so many souls should be lost for lack of some one to rescue +them from their errors. The question of establishing the Dominican +order was discussed among the grave and holy fathers of the Province of +Mexico; and to them it seemed unbecoming to our profession that no +religious of our order should be engaged in this new conversion. The +first man to put these pious desires into effect was that noble man of +God, Fray Domingo Betanços, who refused the bishopric of +Guatimala, preferring to be a preacher of the gospel in these islands. +By his efforts he persuaded the viceroy, Don Antonio de Mendoça, +to give command that he should have a vessel and sailors to take him to +Philippinas, for which he had permission of his bishop. But the time +determined upon by our Lord for this had not yet come, and accordingly +it was not carried out. However, he did not give up his desire; and +began again in 1580 to discuss the journey. In order that the +expedition might be better supported, he talked over with some fathers +the plan of sending some one to España and Roma to obtain the +necessary documents. Fray Juan Chrisóstomo was chosen as leader +of the expedition, and was sent to España and Roma to obtain the +usual licenses for the foundation of a new province of this order in +Philippinas, Japon, and China. Fray Juan set out in 1581 with letters +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb117" href="#pb117" name= +"pb117">117</a>]</span>from various ecclesiastics, among them the first +bishop of the Philippinas, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, a religious of +the same order, who happened to be in Nueva España at the time, +on the way to his new bishopric. The bishop was greatly pleased with +this determination, as he hoped to find through it reparation for his +own unfortunate voyage, in which he had brought religious from +España for the same purpose, but had lost so many from death or +sickness that he had remaining only father Fray Christoval de +Salvatierra. The mission of Fray Juan Chrisostomo was +successful.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1003src" href="#xd20e1003" name= +"xd20e1003src">1</a> He obtained from the general of the order, the +Most Reverend Fray Pablo Constable de Ferrara, a charter giving him +authority to establish a congregation of thirty brethren of the order +for the Philippinas Islands and the kingdom of China, and directing him +to follow the usages of the province of Santiago of Mexico. The +privileges of the province of Mexico were granted to the new province. +The date of this charter is the fourteenth of July, 1582. The general +also gave him a circular letter to the members of the order, confirming +his powers.] <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb118" href="#pb118" name= +"pb118">118</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1010" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1011" class="label">Chapter II</h3> +<h3 class="main">Negotiations of Fray Juan Chrisostomo at Roma</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[At Roma Fray Juan Chrisostomo obtained a brief from +Pope Gregory XIII, granting to the Dominican province of Philippinas +and China powers of absolution from sins, excommunications, and other +sentences, censures and pains, even in cases reserved for the Apostolic +See, <i lang="la">in foro conscientia</i>. This brief bears date of +September 15, 1582. The pope also gave Fray Juan Chrisostomo many +precious relics for the order, granting many indulgences to those who +visited them.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1020" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1021" class="label">Chapter III</h3> +<h3 class="main">The experience of Fray Juan Chrisostomo in +España until the establishment of the new province was +completed.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Though father Fray Juan had supposed, because of the +ease with which he carried out his business at Roma, that he was likely +to obtain even greater favor in España, he found the conditions +entirely contrary. During his absence in Rome, the bishop of +Philippinas had sent to España Father Alonso Sanchez as his +commissioner. The bishop met with great difficulties in Philippinas, +because of the long period which had passed during which there had been +no bishop there. He had sent Father Alonso to obtain support from +España, giving him especial directions to further the +establishment of the order, as he expected to receive great assistance +from it. But Father Alonso acted in a contrary manner, maintaining both +in Mexico and in España that there was no <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb119" href="#pb119" name= +"pb119">119</a>]</span>further need of clergy in the islands, and +especially no need of the establishment of a new order there. Being +accredited with letters from the ecclesiastical dignitaries, and +speaking as an eyewitness, he persuaded the Spaniards of whatever he +pleased; he had special influence with the Council of the Indias and +with the king’s confessor.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1029src" +href="#xd20e1029" name="xd20e1029src">2</a> Father Juan was accordingly +obliged to retire to his convent of San Pablo at Sevilla, entrusting +this work to the Lord. So completely did he abandon the enterprise that +he made use of some of the relics which had been given him by the pope +for the establishment of the new province, to the advantage of his old +convent. At last, by an inspiration of God, Father Juan was again moved +to set about the establishment of this province. Among the religious +who offered themselves for the work was father Fray Juan de +Castro,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1038src" href="#xd20e1038" name= +"xd20e1038src">3</a> who, after filling important administrative +offices in the order, had retired to his convent of San Pablo at +Burgos. Though an old man, he was fired with religious zeal for the +work on which Father Juan had entered. From the convent of San Pablo at +Valladolid there volunteered two lecturers in theology, father Fray +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb120" href="#pb120" name= +"pb120">120</a>]</span>Miguel de Venavides (afterward bishop of Nueva +Segovia and archbishop of Manila), and father Fray Antonio Arcediano; +Fray Juan de Ormaça, lecturer in arts, afterward provincial; +Fray Juan Maldonado, likewise lecturer in arts, and afterward a holy +martyr; and Fray Pedro de Soto, Fray Miguel Berreaça and Fray +Juan de Ojeda, who all were priests.<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1043src" href="#xd20e1043" name="xd20e1043src">4</a> Fray Domingo +Nieva, deacon, who also volunteered, was afterward of great importance, +because of the great ease and skill with which he learned languages, +whether Indian or Chinese. From the college of San Gregorio in the same +city, came to join them father Fray Andres Almaguer. From the convent +of San Estevan at Salamanca there offered themselves for the expedition +father Fray Alonso Ximenez (afterward provincial), father Fray +Bartolome Lopez, and father Fray Juan de Hurutria [Urrutia, in <i lang= +"es">Reseña</i>]. From San Vicente <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb121" href="#pb121" name="pb121">121</a>]</span>at Plasencia came +father Fray Francisco de Toro; from the royal convent of Sancto Thomas +at Avila, father Fray Juan Cobo,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1061src" +href="#xd20e1061" name="xd20e1061src">5</a> a master in the college +there; from the college of Sancto Thomas de Alcala, father Fray +Bernardo Navarro—who was twice provincial, and for many years +commissary of the holy Inquisition—father Fray Diego de Soria +(afterward bishop of Nueva Segovia), and the lay brother Fray Pedro +Rodriguez. From the convent of Nuestra Señora de la Peña +de Francia<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1064src" href="#xd20e1064" name= +"xd20e1064src">6</a> came father Fray Alonso Delgado, who was +sub-prior, and father Fray Pedro Bolaños,<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1070src" href="#xd20e1070" name="xd20e1070src">7</a> master of +novices. From the convent of San Pablo de Sevilla volunteered father +Fray <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb122" href="#pb122" name= +"pb122">122</a>]</span>Juan de la Cruz,<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1079src" href="#xd20e1079" name="xd20e1079src">8</a> and the +fathers Fray Francisco de la Cruz and Fray Pedro Flores. Father Juan +succeeded in obtaining a letter from the king to the governor of the +Philippinas Islands, dated September 20, 1585, endorsing his +enterprise.</p> +<p>The religious set out from Castilla in May, 1586. Father Fray Juan +Chrisostomo, being too humble in spirit to undertake the leadership of +the company, resigned his position in favor of father Fray Juan de +Castro.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1087" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1088" class="label">Chapter IV</h3> +<h3 class="main">The experience of these first fathers up to the time +of embarcation</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The fathers met with great difficulty in preparing +for the embarcation. After making arrangements for their passage, they +found the vessel so ill-suited for their purpose, that they were +obliged to annul the contract. They were left behind by the fleet with +which they were to sail, and endeavored to follow it with a small +vessel; but put back and finally obtained passage in a ship of fair +size. As this vessel was sailing alone, it was exposed to danger from +the Moors and the English. While the fathers were hesitating, the +adelantado of Castilla offered them a munificent support if they would +remain and give their attention to the spiritual good of his vassals. +But overcoming all these alarms and enticements, which were wiles of +the devil, the fathers courageously set sail.] <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb123" href="#pb123" name="pb123">123</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1095" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1096" class="label">Chapter V</h3> +<h3 class="main">The voyage of the fathers</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[On Friday, July 17, 1586, the day of St. Alexis, they +began the voyage. Since the vessel already had its complement of +passengers, and a full cargo, there was no place for the religious or +for their goods. To the old and the infirm the captain granted the +cabin in the poop; the others slept where they could. They spent their +time in the occupations which they would have followed in the convent. +Reaching the Canarias they found that the fleet had already gone ahead. +The captain set sail again, without giving them opportunity to say more +than one mass. A fire, which threatened the safety of the ship, was put +out by the holy and courageous Fray Juan Cobo and a Spaniard. Seeing +four vessels which did not seem to belong to the fleets, the people +aboard prepared for battle; but they discovered that these were +friends. They suffered greatly for want of water, but finally readied +port on St. Michael’s day in September; from the port they went +on to Vera Cruz, and thence to Mexico. Their hard experience and the +badness of the climate had made a number of them ill. The first to die +was father Fray Miguel Berreaza, a religious of most holy life, a +Basque by nation; he died of a malignant fever. He was soon followed by +father Fray Francisco Navarro, who also died of fever. There also died +father Fray Pedro Flores, in the flower of his age. Many others were +afflicted with illness, but all were kindly received and treated by the +religious at Mexico. The Indians likewise received the religious with +feasts, bouquets, and dances—greatly delighting the newcomers +when they saw <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb124" href="#pb124" name= +"pb124">124</a>]</span>these races so marvelously converted from +barbarism and cruelty to peace, kindness, and devotion. The Indians of +Cuitlabac received Father Juan Chrisostomo with special tokens of love, +as their father and former instructor.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1104" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1105" class="label">Chapter VI</h3> +<h3 class="main">New difficulties met by the expedition, and the +result</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The common enemy of souls strove with all his might +to keep the religious in Mexico. He represented that Mexico was in need +of religious, and that the voyage from Mexico to the Philippinas is +longer than that from España to Mexico. He employed a religious +person who had returned from the Philippinas<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1111src" href="#xd20e1111" name="xd20e1111src">9</a> to assure +them that they would not be admitted to the kingdom of China; while, as +for the Philippinas, he declared that the country was small, thinly +populated, and sufficiently provided with religious. The +viceroy<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1114src" href="#xd20e1114" name= +"xd20e1114src">10</a> strove to retain them. Some remained; but the +most valiant and virtuous, like the army of Gideon against the +Midianites, pushed on. The names of the eighteen who founded the +province are: father Fray Juan de Castro, vicar-general; father Fray +Alonso Ximenez, Fray Miguel de Benavides, Fray Pedro Bolaños, +Fray Bernardo Navarro, Fray Diego de Soria, Fray Juan de Castro (who +had the same name as the vicar-general, and was his nephew),<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e1120src" href="#xd20e1120" name= +"xd20e1120src">11</a> Fray Marcos de San Antonio, Fray Juan +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb125" href="#pb125" name= +"pb125">125</a>]</span>Maldonado, Fray Juan de Ormaça, Fray +Pedro de Soto, Fray Juan de la Cruz, Fray Gregorio de Ochoa, Fray +Domingo de Nieva (deacon), and Fray Pedro Rodriguez, a lay brother. +Fifteen of these took their way to Manila; for father Fray Juan +Chrisostomo was unable to go because of illness, and father Fray Juan +Cobo left the company, on business of importance which could not be +finished before the embarcation. By way of Macan there went to China +father Fray Antonio de Arcediano, father Fray Alonso Delgado, and +father Fray Bartholome Lopez, as members of the same province and +subjects of the father vicar-general Fray Juan de Castro. “Though +there went eighteen, there should have gone a thousand; from which may +appear how far from the truth in his information was he who disturbed +this holy company with what he said in Mexico. His intention was good, +but in fact he greatly aided the Devil, and kept from these islands +many and very good subjects. I trust that the Lord has already pardoned +him.”] <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb126" href="#pb126" name= +"pb126">126</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1135" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1136" class="label">Chapter VII</h3> +<h3 class="main">Of the ordinances made by the vicar-general for the +foundation of the new province</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The vicar-general, with the advice of the eldest, +most learned, and most devout of the religious, made ordinances for the +foundation of the new province. He followed the customs of the +provinces of Mexico and Guatemala. The name given to the province was +that of “the Most Holy Rosary of Mary the Mother of God, ever +virgin.” In the preamble, the father vicar-general declares that +they who were to guide others in the way of perfection should first +travel it themselves, doing virtuous works that they might teach +others. He fortified his assertion by quoting Scripture and several +fathers.</p> +<p>In the first place, the rules of the order are to be followed not +only in essential but in accidental matters, the relaxation of rigor in +the latter having caused some to say that the true religious +life<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1144src" href="#xd20e1144" name= +"xd20e1144src">12</a> was at an end. Hence the members of the province +were <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb127" href="#pb127" name= +"pb127">127</a>]</span>to follow the constitutions with literal +exactness—fasting, dressing in woolen garments, eating fish, +being humbly clad, maintaining silence, and going on foot. This general +statement includes everything, but some things are specially insisted +upon.</p> +<p>Uniformity is to be maintained in everything—in dress, +religious ceremonies, and the celebration of mass; in churches, +opinions, and doctrines. The hours are to be kept, however small the +number of religious may be, prayers being said at midnight and at every +other time enjoined. For every deceased religious all the priests shall +say each six masses, applied <i>in olidum</i>; and those who are not +priests shall say the psalms and double rosaries.</p> +<p>In our conversation we shall avoid secular matters as much as +possible, and speak of the things of God. We shall read the fathers, +ecclesiastical histories, and comments on the Scripture, the superior +putting questions and a religious answering. In entering a diocese we +shall call upon the bishop, receive his blessing, and follow his +counsel as to our preaching. Our obedience is to be perfect. Secular +visits are not to be made except for charity, and those under direction +of the superior. If any go to ask alms, it must be by appointment of +the superiors. Poverty is to be maintained. Temporal responsibilities +are to rest solely on the superiors. Convents are to be modest. Books +and other things acquired by the friars are to belong to the +congregation. Individual religious houses are to have no separate +property; but all things in them or possessed by them are to be subject +to the disposition of the provincial, except in so far as license to +hold separate property is obtained from the general of the order. In +such case a religious house shall have no share in the property of the +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb128" href="#pb128" name= +"pb128">128</a>]</span>province as a whole. No religious shall have +anything laid up or shall receive anything, except in the name of the +community; nor shall any be granted an exclusive right to use +books.</p> +<p>Two hours a day are appointed for mental prayer and divine +contemplation, which must never be omitted, either in convent or on +journeys; and every day except Sundays, feast-days, or solemn octaves, +every religious shall take a discipline (<i>i.e.</i>, scourge himself) +with his own hands. Though mattresses are allowed by the constitutions +this privilege is renounced, and we are to content ourselves with a +board or a poor platform and a bed of skins, except in case of sickness +or for guests. On every day when there is no office of our Lady, the +psalms and antiphons corresponding to the letters of her most holy name +are to be recited.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1196src" href= +"#xd20e1196" name="xd20e1196src">13</a></p> +<p>These ordinances are dated from the convent of Sancto Domingo at +Mexico, December 17, 1586. Twenty religious vowed to keep them, and to +go on to the newly-founded province.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1212" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1213" class="label">Chapter VIII</h3> +<h3 class="main">The voyage of the fathers from Mexico to the +Philippines</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The three brethren destined for China set sail from +the port of Acapulco for Macan, in a vessel <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb129" href="#pb129" name= +"pb129">129</a>]</span>called the “San Martin.” The other +fifteen religious began their voyage on the Sunday called Quasimodo, +the Sunday after Easter, April 6, in the year 1587. It was very late in +the year, so that there was danger of storms; for the time of the +vendabals had come—stormy and contrary winds, which are feared +greatly by the best pilots. They had the misfortune to lose their +ship-stores by fire, and were obliged to live on beans and chick-peas +(<i lang="es">garbanzos</i>) for all the rest of the voyage, which +lasted three months and a half. But a much more severe affliction was +the narrowness of their quarters in the ship; for two factions broke +out among the crew, one party fortifying itself in the forecastle, the +other in the poop; and they were about to give battle to each other, as +if the one party had been Moors and the other Christians. Fortunately, +the fathers succeeded in reconciling them. The carelessness of the +navigators almost caused the ship to be lost on one occasion; on +another, the vessel was almost lost on some islands inhabited by +cannibals. On the eve of St. Magdalen’s day they reached port; +and they took this saint to be patron of that province.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1224" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1225" class="label">Chapter IX</h3> +<h3 class="main">The voyage and experience of the brethren who went to +Macau</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[As it was the principal intention, in establishing +this new province, to promulgate the holy gospel in the great kingdom +of China, the fathers who were sent thither were distinguished for +sanctity and learning. Of the voyage we know only that the vessel was +wrecked on the coast of China, and that they escaped to land as if by +miracle. They were not treated with the severity usually shown to +foreigners who come to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb130" href= +"#pb130" name="pb130">130</a>]</span>or are lost on the coast of China; +but were kindly received by one of the chief men, who had observed +their devotion. They did not obtain permission to carry on the work of +evangelization in China, but went on to Macan and were thence carried +to India. Father Antonio Arcediano taught theology, and was highly +regarded in Goa. At different times he sent his two companions to +España and to Roma to plead the cause of Macan, and to do what +they could to establish the preaching of the gospel in China. At the +end of six years, seeing no hope of what he desired, he returned to +España, and there became a teacher of theology in the University +of Salamanca. He afterwards went to Avila, and died there. The order +did not succeed at this time in entering China by way of Macan; but +finally, the desired entry to China was obtained by way of +Hermosa.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1236" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1237" class="label">Chapter X</h3> +<h3 class="main">Of the entry of the religious into the city of Manila, +and of their occupations there until they went on their various +missions.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The previous chapter has caused some digression; but +it was necessary, in order to give an account of the voyage, and of the +career of these important religious. We now return to those on the +other ship, which we left at the port of Cavite—whence the news +was immediately carried to Manila, which is two leguas from that port. +The bishop of this city, Don Fray Domingo Salazar, was, as has already +been said, a religious of this order. He was greatly delighted when he +learned that religious of his own order had come to found a province, +which was the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb131" href="#pb131" name= +"pb131">131</a>]</span>thing that he most desired in this life. He sent +immediately to a nephew of his to ask him to welcome them and to bring +them to the city, which they entered on the day of the apostle St. +James. This was a happy omen for those who came with so great a desire +to imitate the great zeal of this holy apostle, by which he was so +distinguished among the other apostles that the enemies of the gospel +opposed him more than the others, and that he was the first among the +apostles to lose his life. When they entered the city there came out to +meet them Doctor Sanctiago de Vera, governor and captain-general of +these islands, together with the most noble and illustrious of the +city, showing in the joy of their faces and their loving words the +delight that they felt at the arrival of the brethren—of whose +sanctity they had already been informed and felt assured by the modesty +of their appearance, faithful witness to the heart. Accompanied by +these friends, they went to the chief church, where the bishop was +waiting for them; and he gave them his benediction, full of tears of +joy. Here they offered to the Lord the thanks they owed to Him for +having brought them to the destination which they had so long desired; +and for the great honor which, as to His servants and for His sake, had +been shown them. Immediately after, the holy bishop took them to his +house, and, making them welcome to everything in it, entertained them +as well as he could; for he desired for occasions such as this and for +giving to the poor, that his episcopate should be rich. Since this day +was wholly given up to visits, it was not very pleasant for him; but +when he was alone with his brethren he lifted up his voice with tears, +like another Joseph, and said to them: “Is it <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb132" href="#pb132" name= +"pb132">132</a>]</span>possible that I have seen the order of my father +St. Dominic established in this country? Is it possible that my eyes +have seen the thing which I so much desired?” After he had said +these words, he remained for a long time unable to speak, his words +being followed by an abundance of tears, which he shed from tenderness +and the emotion of his soul. Everything else that followed was +conformable to this, both in his conversation and his acts, which were +those of an affectionate father. He gave them all their sustenance in +his house, without growing weary of such guests. They, however, were +not seeking comfort such as the good bishop provided them, but labors +for themselves and souls for God; and after resting a few days they +begged the bishop to put them in the way of attaining what they had +come to find, as his bishopric was so rich in it. The festival of our +father St. Dominic was at hand; and they resolved to celebrate it +before separating, asking the blessing of the Great Father on that +important act. Having no convent, they celebrated the festival in +church, with the utmost solemnity and devotion; and in the evening they +had some theological discussions, father Fray Pedro de Soto maintaining +several positions, in which he displayed his admirable ability and +great learning. Father Fray Miguel de Venavides presided, a man who +surpassed those who in that period were of mark in virtue and +scholarship, by the shoulders and more, like Saul in bodily presence +among his subjects. The purpose of the discussions was to show that +preaching the gospel (which was to be their occupation), even to the +simple race of Indians, does not interfere with scholarship, but +requires it, and much study; the contrary is a manifest <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb133" href="#pb133" name= +"pb133">133</a>]</span>error, for the smaller the capacity of the +Indian, the greater should be the capacity of the minister. He is +called on to make the Indian capable of the loftiest mysteries taught +by the faith; and we see by daily experience among Indians cases and +matters which cannot be solved except by a man of great knowledge, +learning, and ability. Since all cannot be so highly endowed, it is +essential to have some ministers of superior attainments to whom the +others may resort with their difficulties, and whose responses they may +safely follow. The good bishop took particular pleasure in being +present at and encouraging the discussions, and in perceiving that +those who sustained theses and the others (who likewise exhibited their +abilities) might aid him in weighty matters in the difficult duties of +his office. This was afterward proved to be true in this province and +in España, where he who presided accompanied the bishop and was +of great assistance to him, as we shall see. After the festival was +over, it was determined that father Fray Christoval de Salvatierra, who +was the bishop’s companion—and who was of the same pattern +in virtue, prudence, and zeal for the common good and especially for +the good of souls (as will hereafter be recounted)—should take +some of these fathers to some villages of Indians who had no one to +instruct them, and whom he therefore had taken under his own charge. He +went to visit and teach them when he had leisure from his heavy labors +as vicar-general. The labor of his office, being in a new country, full +of entanglements with regard to the conquistadors and new encomiendas +and the collection of tributes, would have been intolerable for others; +yet he took his vacation by working at other <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb134" href="#pb134" name= +"pb134">134</a>]</span>kinds of labor, teaching new Indians, working +with them, and introducing among them Christian policy and civilization +so far as they were capable of receiving them. This avocation of his +would have sufficed most men for their full duty, but he did it in +addition to his regular work as vicar-general. The villages were at +such a distance from Manila that it took more than a day to go there by +sea, and much more by the rivers.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1251src" +href="#xd20e1251" name="xd20e1251src">14</a> In order to teach the new +fathers the manner of working with the Indians, and to begin to +acquaint them with the language of the natives, which he knew very +well, he went with them to the villages commonly known as Bataan. Those +who had the fortune to go with father Fray Christoval were very well +pleased, inasmuch as they were beginning to obtain that which they had +followed with such desire from España. The rest of them, +desiring greater convenience for living according to the custom of +friars than could be afforded them in the house of the bishop (although +he was a holy man), went to the convent of St. Francis, where they were +received and entertained as might have been expected of fathers so +religious and so zealous in following the rules of their great father +and ours, which we accepted exactly as if we were of the same habit. +Nothing less could have been expected, since those fathers then had as +custodian the holy Fray Pedro Baptista, afterwards the most glorious +martyr <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb135" href="#pb135" name= +"pb135">135</a>]</span>in Iapon, and as guardian father Fray Vicente +Valero—another Nathaniel in guilelessness of soul, joined with a +most solid virtue and devotion to his vows, which caused him to be +esteemed and venerated among lay and religious. Some days afterward the +Indians of Pangasinan were entrusted to our religious. They lived forty +leguas distant, and, being all heathen, had need of someone to labor +among them. The order likewise took charge of the Indians of Bataan, to +whom, as has been said, the father provisor ministered because he had +no one to send; as also of the Chinese or Sangleys, who up to that time +had had no ministry. Many thousands of them had come and were still +coming every year from their own country, on account of their trade and +commerce in this colony, which is very great. Many of them were +traders, and many were mechanics. No one desired to undertake the +ministry to them, because of the great labor and the little fruit; but +since the new laborers had come fresh, and were eager for work, this +claim of itself was sufficient for them to regard it as a great favor +to be permitted to occupy themselves where the toil was greatest. The +father vicar-general sent for the absent brethren, and gathered all +together in the convent of St. Francis; and there offered a long prayer +for them, asking for the grace of the Holy Spirit. He then made them a +spiritual and devout address. After it was concluded, he who in lesser +things had never been accustomed to proceed without consultation, now, +without further consultation than that which he had had with God, +assigned and distributed them after the following manner. To the +district of Bataan he sent as vicar father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas +(or de Ormaça), <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb136" href= +"#pb136" name="pb136">136</a>]</span>with three associates: father Fray +Alonso Ximenez and Fray Pedro Bolaños, and Fray Domingo de +Nieva. To the province of Pangasinan he assigned, as vicar, father Fray +Bernardo Navarro (or de Sancta Cathalina), with five associates: +fathers Fray Gregorio de Ochoa, Fray Juan de Castro (nephew of the +vicar-general), Fray Pedro de Soto, Fray Marcos de San Antonio, and +father Fray Juan de la Cruz. The father vicar-general remained with the +others in the convent which was to be established in Manila, and was +intended for the conversion of the Chinese. It was only necessary for +him to give the directions and to arrange all things, every man doing +that which fell to his lot. The reason was not only their great virtue +of obedience, but the fact that the holy old man had held this chapter +in a manner so spirited and so extraordinary as to convince them that +in his address he had said to them that which it was their duty to do, +and that it was God who had thus given them their commands. The father +vicar-general immediately began to give his attention to the convent +which was to be established in Manila; but when he looked for a +situation he did not find a suitable one. That part of the city that +was submerged at high tide did not seem desirable; but that which was +not submerged was so taken up by the cathedral and the other convents +that the matter was a very difficult one. Being such, the good bishop +laid it before the Lord in his prayers; and having earnestly besought +His help, he arose from prayer with great happiness, and went, though +it was late at night, to his sub-chaplain and steward, Francisco +Zerbantes, telling him that he had the site for the friars, and +directing him to see if he could obtain <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb137" href="#pb137" name="pb137">137</a>]</span>three hundred pesos, +which the owner asked for the place; for the bishop had not even one +peso with him. The steward—whose accounts were always indicating +a deficit, because every third of their yearly income<a class="noteref" +id="xd20e1261src" href="#xd20e1261" name="xd20e1261src">15</a> scarcely +fell due before the poor took it away from the bishop—frankly +responded that he did not dare attempt to get that sum and did not see +how he could, because even for their ordinary subsistence the means +were frequently insufficient, so that he was embarrassed. The bishop +was not disconcerted by this, but (though it is not known how or where) +he quickly procured the three hundred pesos; and he told the steward to +give the money to a Spaniard called Gaspar de Isla, who was diking a +small place which was all flooded, and much more the land about it. For +this reason, though many had looked at it, no one had regarded it as +good for a convent. But the bishop, with great insistence, directed the +steward to take the next morning a stole, some holy water, and two +sticks to make a cross; and he embarked in a banca, or little canoe, +and went to the place (for it was overflowed to that extent), and +blessed it. He took possession on August 16, 1587, and set up a cross +in token that the convent should be built there, as it was; and the +site has turned out to be very healthful, with very pleasant views. It +has been surrounded by very good houses, and has had other advantages. +The bishop gave for the building two thousand pesos—a thing +apparently impossible, because of his poverty, but worthy of his great +soul, and of the great affection which he felt toward the friars. They +immediately began to build <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb138" href= +"#pb138" name="pb138">138</a>]</span>a house there and a poor little +wooden church. They finished soon, and the religious began to occupy it +on the first day of the following year, 1588, to the great joy of +themselves and of the whole city. The first superior of the convent, +with the title of vicar, was father Fray Diego de Soria, a great +preacher, and a very devout man, so that he immediately made many +persons greatly devoted to him. The new convent began to be very much +frequented, and to be so well assisted by alms that for many years +there was no occasion to cook food; because every day the amount of +cooked food which was provided was too great rather than too small. +There were many who came to its assistance with alms, some one day, +some another; but Captain Francisco Rodriguez sent every day, so that +the religious were as sure of this supply of food as if they cooked it +at home. The Lord paid His accounts, as He is accustomed to, promptly. +The captain had lived for ten years in marriage without any children, +for whom both husband and wife were most desirous, and they had some in +payment for these alms; for there is nothing that the Lord denies to +those who have mercy on the poor. As the number of the religious +increased, it became necessary to do the cooking in the convent; but +the devotion of the city and the contribution of alms has always +continued and still continues. Thus the convent has been and is +maintained solely by them, having been unwilling always to accept an +endowment, though many have been offered to it. Thus without endowment +or possessions they get what they need, with greater certainty than if +they had these. For, however certain such things may be imagined to be, +they may fail, as many others have failed; but the word of <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb139" href="#pb139" name="pb139">139</a>]</span>God, +in whom the fathers trust, cannot fail. This has been so clearly +observed that when our lord the king commanded that this convent, like +the others in the city, should receive as a contribution to its support +four hundred pesos a year and four hundred fanegas of rice (which takes +the place of wheat in this country), they for a long time declined to +collect it, since it seemed to them that it was in the nature of an +endowment, as being something sure and certain; yet afterward, when +they saw that it was pure charity, and that he who gave it could take +it away when he chose, they accepted it—on condition, however, +that if the ministers of the king take it from us, even unjustly, we +shall not ask for it as a right. At this time this has been done, the +allowance having been taken away; but the Lord in return has given much +more than that. In these first years Doña Ana de Vera, wife of +the master-of-camp Pedro de Chaves, and Doña Marina de Cespedes +were great benefactors of the religious; and to them the convent, in +gratitude, has given chapels in the church for their interment. In +general, both poor and rich have given alms to the convent out of +good-will; and the religious have paid them all very fully, not only by +commending them to the Lord in all their masses and prayers, but by +earnestly laboring for the good of their souls with sermons, advice, +and exhortation, as well as other spiritual exercises. This was soon +evident in the reformation that began to be seen in their habits, and +in the improvement in their life. Accordingly, one of the citizens +wrote to Captain Chacon (who was at that time governor of the province +of Nueva Segovia) telling him as news that the Dominican friars had +come to Manila; and that the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb140" href= +"#pb140" name="pb140">140</a>]</span>city was turned into a monastery +in the reformation of the lives and morals of the inhabitants, and, in +particular, in the abstraction of the women from worldly concerns. This +was indeed the case; one reason was, that the example given by the +religious was of great influence, and, though they were few in number, +they effected as much as if they were many. They acted in harmony, and +devoted themselves to the divine offices as systematically as in great +and well-ordered convents. They were all men of education (some of very +superior education), all virtuous men, all given to prayer, all very +penitent, very harmonious, very zealous for the salvation of souls, +very poor, and disengaged from the things of this world. Therefore, all +esteemed them and desired them as guides of their souls; and they +performed this office with so much care and diligence that the +reformation of the aforesaid city resulted. For those who confessed to +them were either obliged to reform, or were dismissed by them; for in +the conduct of the penitents they refused to consent to deceit, in the +collection of tributes they would not allow extortion, in women they +would not suffer frivolity or impropriety of manners. As learned men, +they revealed the evils in such acts, and could make these understood +by their penitents; and as men without any personal motive they held +themselves ready to dismiss those who with vain and plausible reasons, +with the pretext of evil customs, or with other like cloaks strove to +cover their acts of injustice, and to justify the wrongs which they +committed through evil desires. Hence those persons who confessed in +the Dominican convent came to be known and esteemed, as they still are; +and there came to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb141" href="#pb141" +name="pb141">141</a>]</span>exist in the city more light in regard to +things to which previously no attention had been given, and more care +was taken of conduct. This was the reason why they said that the city +had become a monastery; and in truth, in many cases the conduct of +those who confessed there deserved that name—for example, that of +Doña Ana de Vera, Doña Marina de Cespedes, Catalina de +Villegas, and many other women very well known and esteemed in the city +on account of their virtue. In this they all owed no little to the aid +of their holy confessors, who with great care, much teaching, and their +own examples, did the work of God, and succeeded in attracting many +people to the knowledge of Him and to His service. Many, in health, did +not follow their counsels, regarding them as too severe, and sought for +confessors who feared to lose their penitents, and who, by making their +theology liberal, unburdened the consciences of those who confessed to +them. Yet even these persons in the hour of death, when their desires +had lost some of their force, called for the Dominicans and gave to +them the charge of their souls, fearing to lose them by following the +road which they had taken in health. And this freedom and courage has +always been maintained in this convent; and they have used it without +respect of persons—with rich and poor, with governors and other +officials. Hence it is necessary for them to live in such a manner that +no reproach can be cast upon them, and to be content with but little +for their sustenance, since that little cannot fail them. Withal they +have no regard to pleasing men, for to Saint Paul it seemed that with +that desire it was impossible to unite the service of God—mankind +being in general <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb142" href="#pb142" +name="pb142">142</a>]</span>greater lovers of themselves than of God, +and hence he who is very desirous to please men being necessarily at +enmity with God. Therefore, these religious were very careful in this +respect, and strove so to conduct themselves toward men that the +supreme place should always be held by God; and on this account they +had the reputation of rigor—though they were not rigorous, except +to those who through their own desires or selfishness tried to cast +aside their duties to God.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1279" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1280" class="label">Chapter XI</h3> +<h3 class="main">Some marvels wrought by the Lord in the convent of +Manila, and the rebuilding of the same</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Though the first church and convent were but small +and poor buildings, made of wood, they were very precious in the sight +of the Lord, who manifested therein many miracles. The candles in the +chapel of our Lady burned without wasting. The site being clayey and +not firm, and the church poor and built in haste, it was not two years +before the larger chapel fell to the ground, warning of the fall having +been given to one of the novices in a dream. In response to his +prayers, the Lord granted that the church should fall without harming +any person, injuring the sanctuary, or damaging the image of our Lady +of the Rosary. This image was thereafter regarded with such reverence +that, when a new image with a marble face was set up above the altar, +the people demanded their old image again. Although the convent was +poor, and had no income or funds for the rebuilding of the church and +the other edifices, they went on with confidence in the Lord to erect +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb143" href="#pb143" name= +"pb143">143</a>]</span>a convent and a church of stone. By the favor of +God, they received a number of bequests and other gifts, which enabled +them to build a handsome stone church, large and strong, two large +dormitories, a sacristy, a chapter-house, a refectory, a porter’s +lodge, and such other offices as a convent has need of. The enterprise +went on so rapidly that, though the wooden church had fallen toward the +end of the year 1589, the new one was finished on the ninth of April, +1592, by the generous alms of the faithful, and the diligence of father +Fray Alonso Ximenez. It seemed that the work was to stand for many +years, but it was not to be. In the year 1603, toward the end of April, +exactly thirteen years after the building of the church<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e1288src" href="#xd20e1288" name= +"xd20e1288src">16</a> fire broke out in the town, at a great distance +from the convent; and in a short time it consumed a third part of the +city, including our convent, the hospital of the Spaniards, and that of +the Indians. They succeeded in rescuing only the most holy sacrament +and a beautiful statue of our Lady of the Rosary. There were lost +seventy-two buildings, fourteen Spaniards, and many more Indians and +negroes, of whom the number is not known. The property destroyed +amounted to a million. The fire respected many precious and sacred +things, and had for our convent the effect of requiring us to rebuild. +It was determined that the church should be a vaulted building, which +required stronger foundations for the whole church. It was also decided +to raise and strengthen the large chapel, and to build a cloister and a +super-cloister, and these buildings are in good condition still. The +work was paid for by the alms <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb144" +href="#pb144" name="pb144">144</a>]</span>of the faithful, as they were +received from time to time. There was never either any lack or any +superfluity.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1293" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1294" class="label">Chapter XII</h3> +<h3 class="main">A revered image of our Lady of the Rosary possessed by +this convent, and the marvels which the Lord has wrought and still +works by it.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[This image was given to the convent by Don Luis Perez +das Mariñas, formerly the governor of these islands. It was made +by a Chinaman, under the direction of Captain Hernando de los Rios +Coronel, who afterward became a very devout priest. The Chinaman was +afterward converted by the miracles performed by this holy image. She +sits on a very beautiful throne, and has a large, rich, and well-gilded +retable, given by Antonio Xuarez de Puga, who was many years her +steward. The chapel has been enriched and adorned by many gifts. +Miracles wrought by this image are very numerous, the most notable of +them being one which happened in 1613. The clothes of the mother and +child showed signs of travel, for which it was impossible to account. +At this time an expedition had been sent out to reënforce +Terrenate, consisting of two galleys and five other vessels, under the +leadership of Don Fernando de Ayala. The five smaller vessels and one +of the galleys were driven on shore at a point called Calabite, on the +coast of Mindoro. The Indians who had been forced to row instantly fled +to the mountains, taking refuge among some high rocks. The Spaniards +ran in pursuit of them, but the Indians taking advantage of the +superiority of the situation hurled stones at the Spaniards, killing +them miserably. One of the Spaniards, <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb145" href="#pb145" name="pb145">145</a>]</span>Francisco Lopez, +though desperately wounded, was kept alive for thirteen days, in +response to his prayers to the Virgin, until he had an opportunity of +making his confession. The coincidence of time makes it probable that +the journey of the holy image was taken in response to these +prayers.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1302" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1303" class="label">Chapter XIII</h3> +<h3 class="main">Other miracles wrought by this holy image</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The accounts of this extraordinary miracle moved the +whole city and aroused its devotion. The sick crowded to the chapel for +healing, and so many miracles were wrought that it seemed ungrateful +not to make a record and a verification of them. Pains of all kinds, +fevers, difficult births, were cured; in one case a child which was +almost drowned, and had turned black in the face, was brought back to +life. The records of individual cases are given in detail, with the +dates, the names of the afflicted persons, and the names of the +witnesses.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1309" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1310" class="label">Chapter XIV</h3> +<h3 class="main">Other marvels wrought by the same image</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Several rescues from drowning are recorded, and +further cures.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1316" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1317" class="label">Chapter XV</h3> +<h3 class="main">Further marvels wrought by the same holy image</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[In 1617 some vessels made by the governor Don Juan de +Silva, for service against the Dutch heretics, were being taken to a +shipyard for overhauling. By a sudden storm they were all wrecked, so +that the best <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb146" href="#pb146" name= +"pb146">146</a>]</span>ships that these islands ever had, or will have, +were lost. In the flagship, called the “San Salvador” (a +very large, swift ship), was a sailor named Barnabe de +Castañeda, who committed himself to the Virgin and was rescued. +This chapter gives the accounts of four other extraordinary rescues +from drowning.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1325" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1326" class="label">Chapter XVI</h3> +<h3 class="main">The manner in which the religious lived when they +entered their ministry to the Indians</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">Before the religious separated to go on the missions +to the Indians to which they were severally appointed, there were given +to them those general ordinances which had been so well established for +this work, with much thought, prayer, and consideration in Mexico, and +which will be found stated in chapter vii of this history. All are +based upon the instruction of the apostle to his disciple Timothy: +<i lang="la">Attende tibi, et doctrinae</i>, whence he directly infers, +<i lang="la">hoc faciens, et te ipsum salvum facies, et eos qui te +audiunt</i>.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1338src" href="#xd20e1338" +name="xd20e1338src">17</a> Thus the whole foundation of the ministry +rests upon every man’s first taking heed to himself, and doing +what he ought to do; while he who has to do good to many, drawing them +forth from the condition of idolatrous heathen and great enemies of God +to making them His servants and the keepers of His law, will never be +able to do so unless he is himself very careful to keep that law. Those +religious can never do this who do not very carefully observe their own +laws; therefore, the first ordinance established in the province was +that our constitutions <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb147" href= +"#pb147" name="pb147">147</a>]</span>should be literally observed, just +as they were written, without perverse interpretations, usages to the +contrary, or irregular dispensations—a most holy ordinance, and +one which is sufficient to make men saints. Though in it all the rest +are, as it were, included, still, for greater clearness, they made the +statement that this included a prohibition to ride, and directed that +the fathers should go on foot. This appeared, to some of little spirit, +impossible in this country because of the great heat. They declared +that if our father [St. Dominic] had come to these regions he would not +have commanded his friars to do thus; but they deceived themselves; for +the founders of the province of Mexico were much inferior to our +father, but they kept this rule, and found it possible and easy. It is +also declared that we should not accept money, or take any for our +journeys—a stroke which cuts off at the root a thousand cares +that the contrary practice brings with it, and which, when observed, +brings the greatest freedom from care; for thus it becomes possible for +me to live without anxiety for anything, being certain that the head of +the convent is obliged to give me all that I need in health, and more +in sickness, as to one who has the greater necessity. The rule was +given that we should use no linen in either health or sickness, even +though the latter were to death, as the constitution ordains and as +appears from our histories; for all who have investigated this point +sincerely have followed this rule, as did the holy Pius the Fifth, St. +Luis Beltran, and many more. Meat was not to be eaten without +permission, and in that case of necessity that is determined by the +constitutions, which is a very great one. The friars were always +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb148" href="#pb148" name= +"pb148">148</a>]</span>to meditate upon God, within and without the +convent; and to wear habits poor and mean, and of the form provided by +our constitutions. They were to follow the same opinions, and the same +custom of administering the sacraments, and the ceremonies of the mass, +and the same mode of intoning. They were all to go to matins at +midnight, as to the other hours, however few the religious might be, +even where was no more than one in the convent; since for even this one +it is no less necessary to glorify God, and the service is no more +laborious to Him. Thus St. Paul and his disciple Silas, though in +chains and in prison, at midnight extolled the Lord; and the royal +prophet did the same, though he was alone. Secular visits were entirely +forbidden, except such as were required by charity; and these, it was +ordained, should be made only as the superior directed, and in no other +case. As for poverty, it was ordered that no one should have for any +purpose any thing except his breviary and one other book of devotion, +and his memorandum-book; all were to be content with the books which +are possessed in common in all convents—of which they might make +use, with permission, and under the obligation to return them. In cells +only one image was permitted, and that a poor one, without other +instruments of devotion. The superiors were in this, as in all other +things, to be equal with those under them; there was to be no more in +the cell of the provincial than in that of any brother. This equality, +and the leading of the way by the superiors, makes the road easy for +the others. Such poverty as this was not only to be established and +maintained with regard to individuals, but everything <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb149" href="#pb149" name="pb149">149</a>]</span>that +the separate convents possessed was the common property of the +province; and the provincial might take it from one convent which had +little need of it, and give it to another that needed it +more—whether it were money, or books, or ornaments, or anything +else that the latter required. The license of the general of the order +was required for authority to receive anything that should not belong +to the whole province after the aforesaid manner; and the licenses of +subordinates and superiors for that purpose were forbidden. It was +necessary to follow this course, for every day new missions were to be +sent out, now to Japon, now to China, now to minister in the service of +the Indians; it would not be possible to undertake them without taking +from the convents what they had to give, so that the fathers might not +enter on a mission under the necessity of begging for their sustenance +from the heathen to whom they were just beginning to preach, which +would have been hard indeed for them. Above all this—even, as it +were the foundation of the whole—two hours were appointed for +daily mental prayer, one after matins and the other by day, ordinarily +between one and two, before vespers. This was a truly holy counsel; for +as a man of himself has but little strength, he could not accomplish so +much as has been recounted if he were not constantly asking for the +favor of the Lord, which is the office of prayer. For the food of the +soul, the castigation of the body serves well, of which, indeed, there +is more need than of food; therefore it was ordered that every day, +after the matin prayer, they should all together take a discipline, +lasting the time of a <i>Miserere</i> and <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb150" href="#pb150" name="pb150">150</a>]</span>other short prayers +said after it. This is to be done on all the days that are not +double,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1355src" href="#xd20e1355" name= +"xd20e1355src">18</a> excepting the solemn octaves. On those days on +which there is no lesser office of our Lady, they were to recite the +devotion of her holy name, offering this little service to her who +constantly favors us with special benefits. The mattresses on the beds, +permitted by the constitution as a matter of grace, they +renounced—contenting themselves with sleeping on a board, with a +mat, large or small, and two blankets. Everything which had been +ordained in Mexico was accepted and confirmed by all; and they repeated +it now, as they were about to separate, that they might have it as a +general rule to which they were obliged to conform, and by which they +were to regulate their lives. If they accepted the rules in Mexico with +a good will, they now ratified them in the islands with a better; and +every day it was more and more plain to see of how great importance +they were for our advantage, and for the advantage of those who heard +the gospel from our mouths. This, then (which was their last +arrangement before departing), and the promptitude with which they +offered to obey all that <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb151" href= +"#pb151" name="pb151">151</a>]</span>has been here mentioned, was as +much as if the Lord had poured out upon them His benediction; and +therewith had given them the light of knowledge, and fervor, and +strength of will, for the ministry upon which they were to enter. In it +they acted not like new ministers, but as if they had had many years of +experience, that being verified in them which the wise man has said: +“Easy is it in the sight of the Lord”—that is to say, +with a single glance—“suddenly to make honorable and to +enrich the poor”—that is to say, the humble. And this is +especially true when his humility is accompanied by obedience, +detestation of himself, and love of God, zeal for His honor, and desire +to save souls for Him. All this shines forth in those who with so great +zeal accepted such ordinances, and proposed to live according to them; +and it is continued in those who have followed them. Therefore, in all +provincial chapters they have always been confirmed and laid down with +much rigor; and they have been confirmed by many generals of the order, +and the original confirmations remain in the archives of the convent of +Manila. The principal care of the provincials in their journeys of +inspection—which they make every year, personally, going to each +and every one of the convents of this province—is to assure +themselves how these general ordinances are obeyed; for if they are +obeyed there is nothing more to ask, and where they are not obeyed no +confidence can be placed. They are, as it were, a wall around the +garden of our soul; so long as they are unbroken, though our adversary +is always going about, as says St. Peter, moving around us again and +again, and seeking to do us evil, he cannot succeed; but if we make a +breach in the wall <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb152" href="#pb152" +name="pb152">152</a>]</span>it is easy for him to enter and destroy us. +It is certainly true that this has often been verified with regard to +our constitutions, taken by themselves, without additions; for without +doubt they are a marvelous wall for the virtue of the soul, and when +they are observed the soul is safe. Yet there can be no doubt that the +observance of the constitutions is much assisted and fortified by the +two hours of prayer added in these ordinances. The daily discipline +contributes to the same effect, as does also the restriction to a +greater poverty, and the rule requiring corporal mortification and a +more strictly retired life. All these things are added, over and above +the ordinary rules of the Society and its regular constitutions. In the +Indias—which, as experience shows, are in all states of life most +exposed to laxity of morals and to luxury—such rules are not only +desirable, but necessary. In this country it is necessary to give +greater care to strengthening the wall of the soul, since perhaps that +which in Europe would be sufficient to maintain the religious in the +perfect observance of their constitutions is insufficient in the +Indias, where causes and occasions for the decay of this wall are well +known to be greater. Hence it was a safe and holy counsel to add in +these regions to the wall of our constitutions the aforesaid buttresses +of prayer and mortification; for if in all countries that is true which +the wise man said—“He who observes the law multiplies +prayer”—much more necessary will that be where the +observance of the law meets with greater difficulties and more +obstacles.</p> +<p>These added observances had also another very important effect: +being, as they are, easy and very light for devout religious, and for +those who are <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb153" href="#pb153" name= +"pb153">153</a>]</span>careful to fulfil their obligations, they are +intolerable and annoying for those who are not very devout and who have +little care for the business that is of so much importance. Hence the +obstacle which they feel first, and that which gives them the greatest +annoyance, is the obligation to spend two hours in prayer daily. This +is, as it were, the touchstone by which are discriminated those +religious whose metal is sufficiently pure for them to live in a +reformed province with benefit to themselves and to the Indians. In the +case of those who alone are suited to this province, it fastens and +keeps them in it; the others it shuts out, and makes them strive with +all their hearts—sometimes unlawfully—to return to +España, where they may live in the convents with greater +security and pleasure. If there is need of any test for a religious to +determine whether or <span class="corr" id="xd20e1380" title= +"Source: no">not</span> he is suited to the province, it is best for it +to be in a matter of supererogation, as are these added rules; and +before one tries himself in matters of obligation he would better give +himself this safeguard, and, without failing in that which is +obligatory, test himself by his own comfort and necessity. The reason +is that it is impossible to keep up a province, or even a convent, in a +state of strict observance with discontented religious. Hence in our +order, as in others, in convents of especial severity much attention is +paid to having all the members volunteer; and if one grows weary and +asks some reasonable license, let it be given; for a single +discontented religious does more harm than good. When all are +volunteers, all serve the Lord as He desires, with delight and joy; one +stimulates another, and urges him on to surpass him in virtue and in +profitable exercises. Under these circumstances, all <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb154" href="#pb154" name="pb154">154</a>]</span>are +kept firmly attached to the convent; while a single discontented member +is sufficient to cause the discontent of many; for this is a very +contagious sickness, as this province has proved by a large experience. +Yet it is true that there are some good and devout religious who, as +men, grow restless on some occasions; and to these should not be +granted immediately the license for which they ask, until an effort has +been made to quiet and console them, and to take from them so far as +possible the cause of their discomfort, so that they may carry forward +that which they have laudably begun.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1385" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1386" class="label">Chapter XVII</h3> +<h3 class="main">Of the great advantage derived by this province from +the observance of the aforesaid rules</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[These holy ordinances have without doubt been +inspired by God; and the religious followed them with such exactitude +that it was impossible for them not to obtain marvelous results and +extraordinary successes, as in the work of God unimpeded by the +imperfect obedience of His servants. The one great advantage was the +profit of their own souls; the other was the salvation of an +innumerable multitude of heathen, brought into the church by those who +observed these ordinances. As for the first point, the sanctity of +these great servants of the Lord has spread its fragrance throughout +all the world. In proof hereof, many letters have been collected, +written by the religious of this province to that of España, in +which they recount with high praise what they have seen in it. It +should be noticed that, as these countries are very far from +España, the narratives received <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb155" href="#pb155" name="pb155">155</a>]</span>differ widely; for +here more than elsewhere is verified the Castilian proverb, that every +man gives his account of the day as he has acted in it. Those who have +been aided by the Lord, and who have embraced the ministry among the +Indians, and the holy ordinances of this province, out of the desire to +serve Him, praise it highly, being compelled to do so by the truth, and +by the finger of God which they have seen in it. Those who from sloth +or from self-love have not been able or have not been willing to +persevere in this mission, and have returned to España, wish to +gild over this return, and tell everything about the province that +their little affection for it suggests to their minds. As the latter +are present and the former are not, the words of the latter have the +greater force. It is a great proof of the virtue of the province that +its good name is not blackened. Frequently when good religious set out +hither, they are asked to send back a plain statement of the truth of +affairs in the province. From these letters, religious of great ability +have collected a number of extracts containing statements sent back to +España with regard to the virtue and religion here to be found. +The testimony of these letters from many thoroughly qualified +witnesses, who write at the desire of their friends in España, +and who have come purposely to investigate the condition of this +province, is certainly sufficient evidence without calling in any +other. They all testify, without having known the one what the other +had written, to the high state of virtue in this province. Upon this +testimony we might rely with much security; but since we have evidence +from others of greater rank and of higher standing, and who are not +members of the province, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb156" href= +"#pb156" name="pb156">156</a>]</span>we may take it, not as more true, +but as meriting greater credit. The testimony of the bishop of China, +Don Fray Juan Pinto, or de la Piedad, who came to this city of Manila +on his way to España and who spent many months here, is to the +following effect: “Words cannot exaggerate the devotion, the +noble poverty, and profound humility of these grave and holy fathers, +who live together in the greatest harmony and brotherly affection. +Their life is not merely a miracle, but many miracles. Having no +income, they receive more than enough; for all of them in common, and +each one in particular, need nothing. The older and graver they are, +the more humble; and the weakest in corporal powers zealously follows +the rigor of his religious order. They always eat fish, without any +sort of dainties; their chanting and their prayers are continual; their +charity toward the poor, the roughness of their habit, and their +humility are like those of the most perfect in the primitive days of +religion. They are zealous for the salvation of souls, and spend their +time in learning not only the many languages of the Philippinas, but +likewise those of the Chinese. They win more souls to God than any of +the other orders. I die with sorrow when I think I must go on to Macan. +There is only one way in which I can be comforted, and for that I rely +upon your Reverence”—he is writing to the general of the +order—“I trust that your Reverence will restore to these +Spanish fathers the convent established in Macan by their predecessors, +and that it will be subject to this province of Manila, in order that +it may share in its reformed constitution and may reach its perfection. +There are fathers here who understand the Chinese language thoroughly, +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb157" href="#pb157" name= +"pb157">157</a>]</span>and who have made many converts among the +Chinese in that province.” Later in the letter he says: “I +beg of your Reverence that you will hear the prayer of this your poor +son. Let a new convent be established for these holy religious, if the +country will support them; and no scandal will follow from having two +convents of one order in the province.” This letter is dated at +Manila, June 25, 1610.</p> +<p>This great prelate went to España, reaching the court in the +year 1617. The report that he gave was such that in virtue thereof, and +because of other reasons stated in the general chapter held by our +order at Paris, 1611 [<i>sic</i>] the following ordinance was passed, +among those which pertained to this province: “It is with great +joy that we learn, by certain report, that the Philippine province of +the Holy Rosary has been most successful in the conversion of the +tribes of that region. It goes on daily advancing; in it the observance +of the rule flourishes in the highest degree. Though the number of the +brethren is small, and they are widely scattered among those tribes, +yet they have recently stretched out their branches to the kingdom of +Japon. The harvest reaped there can be learned from the fact that some +of the Japanese who were taught by them, though but recently converted +to the holy faith, have advanced to such a pitch of devotion that they +gave up their lives for their belief, as we learn from a trustworthy +printed report. Not contented even yet, they gird up their loins to +send on some of their number to the very populous kingdom of China, +whither they are called by the most illustrious Don Fray Juan de +Piedad, bishop of Macan a Portuguese member of our order.” +Immediately <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb158" href="#pb158" name= +"pb158">158</a>]</span>afterward follows the case of our convent in +Macan, and the direction to restore it to this province—although, +on account of the opposition of the Portuguese, the order has not been +carried into execution.</p> +<p>A third piece of testimony is a letter written to the king our +sovereign by the cabildo of the city of Manila. This letter thanks the +king for sending so many religious of all orders to the Philippinas, +but in particular for those in the Dominican order, as being men +already formed by their studies, and therefore prepared to be of +immediate use as soon as they have learned the language. The letter +represents that, as they live without income and entirely upon alms, +whatever his Majesty should see fit to give them would be very +acceptable to the Lord. This letter bears date July 7, 1607.</p> +<p>A report from Manila to the royal Council of the Indias is also +cited. In it the testimony of the most distinguished ecclesiastics of +the cabildo is given, of their head the archbishop, at that time +Vazquez de Marcado, and of the majority of the secular clergy, and they +all bear witness to the virtue and devotion of the members of the +province. In 1636 the accusation was brought that all the orders +carried on trade with Japan; but this province brought evidence to the +contrary, so far as it was concerned. The testimony of one witness may +be cited here, the chief captain, who had in that year come from Macan. +This was Captain Francisco de Abreo, of the Order of Santiago. He +testified on oath that he had known the religious of the province of +the Rosary for sixteen years; and that he had been acquainted with them +in the realm of Japon, in Camboxa, and in other places where these holy +religious had settled with no other object or purpose than the service +of <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb159" href="#pb159" name= +"pb159">159</a>]</span>God and of his Majesty our lord the king. He +went on to declare that they were occupied with nothing else than the +conversion of souls—as is evident of itself, from the fact that +the religious of these provinces have kept and still keep, with the +greatest devotion, their vow of poverty and the other vows which they +have professed. It is evident to all that they depend for their living +upon the alms given by his Majesty, and by other faithful in this city. +Another evidence of this fact is that they share with those who are +settled in the kingdom of Japon, whither they have gone to suffer +martyrdom and convert souls to God. The religious of the Philippinas +send to them what they can, that in the midst of all the suffering +which those fathers endure in the said kingdoms they may not lack +sustenance, small though it be—as indeed it must be small, +considering the amount which is sent them. It never surpasses four +hundred or five hundred pesos; and the manner of sending it is well +known to this witness. It was to ask the captains, or some other +persons who went in the ships belonging to the city of Macan, to carry +to the fathers in Japan their support every year, since many of these +persons, as soon as they went from here, made the voyage to the kingdom +of Iapon. The testimony ends with the most emphatic affirmation of the +exemplary life of the members of the order, and of their high +reputation.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1411" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1412" class="label">Chapter XVIII</h3> +<h3 class="main">The same subject is continued with testimony taken +from regions and persons at a greater distance</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The greater the virtue, the more widely it spreads +its fragrance; and so it was with the founders of this province. +“Father Fray Thomas de Jesus speaks <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb160" href="#pb160" name="pb160">160</a>]</span>thus of them in his +book <i lang="la">Stimulus Missionum</i>, part iv, chap, vii: ‘At +this day among the brethren of St. Dominic—who are making their +way throughout the whole world, and especially throughout the +Philippine Islands, to preach the gospel to the heathen—we have +found that in no other place does the observance of the rule of the +order flourish as it does in those islands; for the vesture that they +wear is rougher, their food is more sparing, and their devotion to +prayer is greater, and they voluntarily exercise themselves in all the +practices of a life of greater severity and perfection.’ In the +same way speaks of this province the master Fray Domingo Gravina in the +book entitled, <i lang="la">Vox Turturis</i>, part ii, chap. xxiii, +<i lang="la">ad fin.</i>, where he says: ‘The province of the +Rosary, which includes the Philippine Islands and the empires of Japan +and of the Chinas and other kingdoms, is most celebrated for its +sanctity. So accurately does it observe the constitutions of the order +that the primitive fervor of the order seems to glow in it, as it did +in the days of our father St. Dominic. And hence it results that not +only by their word but by their example, the people of Pangasinan, +Gayan, and other places in the islands of Luzon have been aroused, and +have enlisted under the banner of Christ; while in the extensive empire +of Japan, the kingdoms of Satzuma, Figen, and Fingo have been, through +their preaching and their works, glorified with the water of holy +baptism.’ Thus far Gravina.” The most complete and accurate +statement of our entire purpose has been made by the father master Fray +Baltasar Nabarrete. He writes to this province a letter of eulogy and +religious congratulation. He rejoices that the Dominican order, +transplanted to a sterile and mountainous <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb161" href="#pb161" name="pb161">161</a>]</span>country, begins to +bear most glorious fruit of celestial life. He celebrates the spirit +and fervor of the few brethren who undertook this honorable enterprise +at the beginning, and who put in the field an army in which every +soldier was fit to be a captain. He congratulates them that the heathen +Indian should have recognized their divine power; he bears witness to +the impression produced by the letters sent back home. He praises the +frequency of their prayers. He compares their delight in their +spiritual children to that which God may have in His own son. He +glorifies their devotion in going forth to a life of affliction in +distant countries; and declares that their love of God should shine +forth, however efforts might be made to hide it; and that, in the power +of their devotion, they will be able to do all things. He glorifies the +martyrdoms that they have suffered, assuring them that for every martyr +there will be a hundred more. He feels that dark clouds are arising +over the order in Europe; and expresses the hope that the virtue of the +Dominican order shall not leave its home to go to China and the +Philippinas. He prays that they may go on as they have begun; and that +they will offer their petitions to the Lord that he may have a good +departure from this life. The letter is written from S. Pablo de +Valladolid, April 25, 1625.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1431" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1432" class="label">Chapter XIX</h3> +<h3 class="main">The foundation of the vicariate of Bataan, and the +early history thereof</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">Being now armed with the general ordinances and +animated by the fervent address of the vicar-general, whom they +regarded as inspired by the Lord, those <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb162" href="#pb162" name="pb162">162</a>]</span>who had received +assignment went directly to the duties to which he assigned them. Since +that of Bataan was the first in the neighborhood of Manila which was +founded, not fifteen days passed after the arrival of the brethren in +those regions before some of them were there, to whet the steel of +their ardor on some of those rough stones. Within two months after +their arrival they were regularly settled, and in charge of it, and +were given exclusive right to it by September 15, 1587. It was a post +of much labor; and on this account, and because there were many others +where with less effort greater results could be obtained and more souls +converted, it had been abandoned by the clergy who had previously had +it. Secular clergy, and members of the orders of St. Francis and of St. +Augustine, all had tried it, but none had persevered. It was no marvel +that they left it, because the few Indians who dwelt there, about seven +hundred inhabitants in all, were scattered in thirty villages situated +at the foot of some mountains toward the sea—in a land subject to +overflow, with many creeks or little rivers, to cross which the Indians +did not take the trouble to build bridges. There was no open road from +one village to another, and it was necessary for all of them to keep in +continual movement, in order to baptize, to confess, and to administer +the other sacraments to all. More ordinarily, however, they were called +on to go to the sick, to whom the ministers, when they were called, +could not excuse themselves. Since to attend to so many villages a +single man would not have had enough strength, while on account of the +lack of ministers not many could occupy themselves with so small an +Indian population, the labor came to be intolerable; <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb163" href="#pb163" name="pb163">163</a>]</span>and +when this region was compared with others in as great a need of +service, but requiring less labor, and giving a greater spiritual +harvest, within a few months those missionaries left this desert place, +and went away where they could reap a greater harvest with less effort. +This is the reason why the Indians in this district never had a settled +ministry before our religious entered it. Accordingly the ministers who +went there, being merely transient, had not been able to give it the +care and devotion required for new conversions; because the newly +baptized, being so new in the faith, are likely to fall away, and to +return to the vomit of the idolatrous devices which they had laid aside +for their baptism—if indeed they had laid these aside. For in the +case of one baptized so casually, the idolatries and superstitions in +which one has been educated all his life, are not laid aside but are +only concealed, unless he have help from without. This is still more +the case among those who live all their lives in the midst of heathen +and who know that the priest who baptizes them today will have to go +away tomorrow, as has happened to these poor Indians. There was even +one priest who was so slothful in this duty that without teaching them +what they were to believe, he baptized them by force, making them bring +all the boys and girls together, though they had already reached +adolescence, and gave them in writing the Christian names which they +were to have. With no further preparation than this, he baptized on the +second day those whom he had not scared away. These were not a few; for +since the baptism was not voluntary, but by force, they ran away, +because no great care was taken to keep them. To keep themselves from +being annoyed in this way <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb164" href= +"#pb164" name="pb164">164</a>]</span>again, they kept their names and +said they were Christians, so that in this way they might avoid baptism +and those who baptized them. They had the idea that baptism was a curse +poured out upon them; and they scarcely got out of the hands of the +baptizer before they bathed, and carefully washed off the chrism and +the holy oils, in which they believed the curses of baptism consisted. +Both classes returned to their idolatries, their superstitions, and +their sins, as if they had never been baptized; and the priest went +away well satisfied, leaving written on a piece of wood the names of +those whom he had baptized, and supposing that he had done a great +service to the Lord. Then he went on to perform as many other baptisms, +or sacrileges, in another village. In a district so remote and so new, +all this could easily and did happen. It was this that afterward gave +the religious the greatest trouble and the most anxiety. On the one +hand, in the first years there were many who, without being baptized, +acted as if they were Christians, confessing, communicating, and +receiving the other sacraments as if they were so indeed; on the other +hand, many of those who were baptized concealed their baptisms, and +acted in all things like heathens; and, since the religious did not +understand the language, it was very easy to deceive them until in time +they had learned it. Then by preaching and talking with the Indians, +they came little by little to learn of these things; and though it took +a great deal of effort, with the aid of the Lord, they finally brought +everything to the right order. When they discovered the root of these +maladies, they immediately applied to them the proper +remedy—declaring in their frequent sermons and their private +conversations <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb165" href="#pb165" name= +"pb165">165</a>]</span>the evil condition in which those were who, +without being Christians, acted as such; and likewise those, on the +contrary, who really were Christians and concealed the fact, living as +if they were not. They offered to both of these classes to unburden +their consciences without any penalty, and without affronting or +disgracing them in any way; because they promised to come to the cure +of their souls with perfect secrecy, without causing them to lose their +good reputation in any respect on this account. It was this last that +the natives feared, and that made them keep secret and concealed. In +this way our fathers helped many; for it was necessary to baptize those +who for many years had been receiving the holy sacraments without being +Christians, except in the superficial view of the common people; while +those who, though they were Christians, concealed the fact, likewise +profited by this kindness and gentle management of their ministers, and +found their remedy. As for the others whose Christianity had really had +a beginning, but without any preparation or catechism, they were +greatly improved. By all this it is easy to see how great an amount of +labor would be necessary to convert a tribe so rude and so scattered, +who lived in so rough a country, and who positively loathed the faith, +regarding baptism as a deadly curse. And all this labor of the +ministers was carried on entirely without worldly comfort, or any sort +of temporal support. But none of these things discouraged them, or made +them take a backward step, not even the labor required of old and +gray-haired religious in having to learn the Indian language—and +how difficult that is of itself, he only knows who has tried it. But as +they had come eager <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb166" href="#pb166" +name="pb166">166</a>]</span>to suffer for God, they licked their +fingers over the hardships [<i lang="es">comianse las manos tras los +trabaxos</i>]. And, as the native language is absolutely necessary to +preach the gospel, they set about learning it with great spirit, though +the two eldest fathers went but a little way with it, because they had +already got beyond the time of learning; while the father vicar, Fray +Juan de Sancto Thomas, got on very slowly with it, because he was much +of the time sick. Only father Fray Domingo de Nieva (who was then a +deacon) learned it rapidly and well, and soon began to preach to the +Indians in it—to the great delight of himself and of the fathers, +and to the notable satisfaction of the Indians, who in this way began +to feel a great affection for all the religious. To be sure, the deacon +alone preached; but the rest of them accompanied him, and by their +example and good works constrained the Indians to love them. The good +deacon did not give over doing his duty by day or by night, now in one +village, now in another; and the holy old men accompanied him, +regarding themselves as very blessed in doing so. They felt that, after +all, they were thus rendering assistance in the salvation of souls, +which was what they desired. To the sick who were to be +baptized—who were then the majority, as they were practically all +heathen—the deacon did his office as a minister; those who had to +confess, he served as an interpreter. Sometimes they went from one +village to another by sea, in tiny boats; but for much of the time it +was necessary to go by land, through an overflowed and muddy country, +so that they thought it best to walk barefooted and barelegged. After +they arrived where they were going, they prepared themselves to hear +confession or to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb167" href="#pb167" +name="pb167">167</a>]</span>baptize, all wet and muddy as they were, as +indeed necessity compelled them to do. They had no other food than a +little rice, boiled with nothing but water, and sometimes a little bit +of fish to eat, if the Indians happened to have any. They had the floor +of an Indian hut for bed, and for covers their wet apparel, and nothing +else. They lived and labored thus, in order to make these Indians +understand that for all their efforts they expected no other return +than a harvest of souls for God; and when the Indians saw them so +disinterested, and perceived that when they called upon the fathers on +any account, whether by day or by night, whether in rain or in thunder, +their request never was considered nor seemed to the fathers +unreasonable, so that they should put off coming to them, many began to +desire baptism, and others were eager to confess, in health or in +sickness. Thus, though the labor increased, it seemed lighter and even +pleasanter; and after they had tasted this refreshment they were not +unready to reach out further than their strength would permit. Hence +they all fell sick, one of them to death. This was father Fray Pedro +Bolaños, a man more than sixty years of age—who, at a time +when others are accustomed to take their ease, undertook these +excessive labors with more courage than strength. His efforts were such +as would have been very arduous even if they had only occasionally been +made; but as the work of every day they were mortal, as they turned out +for father Fray Pedro. This father was living in the very devout and +strict convent of Nuestra Señora de la Peña de Francia, +when he heard with great interest the mere rumor that religious were +being collected to establish a new province in the Philippinas and +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb168" href="#pb168" name= +"pb168">168</a>]</span>China, which was to be placed by the founders on +a footing of most strict observance, as being undertaken by persons who +were proposing to convert whole nations of heathen. This came to father +Fray Pedro as a voice from heaven; and he consulted with the Virgin, to +whom he was devoted, and became more settled in the purpose of +undertaking this pious enterprise himself. But because he did not wish +to be deceived he talked the matter over with the wisest and most +devout of the fathers of that house. They dissuaded him from the +undertaking because of his great age, and because he would be obliged +to undertake two long sea-voyages on his way to the +islands—efforts greater than at his age, after he had spent his +energies for the sake of his order, he would be able to make. They went +on to say that even after he had completed the sea-voyage he would +suffer so from the infirmities of his years that when he reached the +Philippinas he would not be able to learn the language of the natives, +or to be anything but a hindrance. These arguments would have made him +lay aside his purpose, if devotion to that holy image had not at that +time brought to that country father Fray Antonio de Arcediano, one of +the most useful of those who had enlisted on this enterprise, who did +not wish to undertake it without having first received the blessing of +this Lady. On account of the learning and well-known virtue and +prudence of father Fray Antonio, father Fray Pedro consulted with him, +telling him the state of affairs with reference to his being called to +this mission, and the arguments which caused him to refrain, or by +which the other fathers kept him back. Father Fray Antonio listened to +the arguments and considered them, and answered as <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb169" href="#pb169" name= +"pb169">169</a>]</span>follows: “If we were going to a province +already established and formed, these would be good arguments, but +since it is still to be founded, they are not. It is certain that it +will be ill-established if it be entirely composed of youths, however +able and religious.” He accordingly judged that it would be very +necessary to have among the pioneers of the order there some +gray-haired men, men well experienced in the practice of virtue; since +for the foundation of the province which was, as they asserted, to have +the rigor of the first fathers of our order, it was clear that old +religious, careful observers of the rules, men of tried virtue, were of +greater value than youths of good principles. Hence he regarded his +going as settled, and took great pleasure that it was so. Hereupon the +good old man determined to go, and did so; and both on the voyages and +in the islands he served his companions as a great example of religious +devotion, sedateness, and patience. He was always firm under the +difficulties to which we have referred, and on the first mission to the +heathen he was one of those sent to Bataan. Here his kindness and +gentleness were such as to gain the good-will of the Indians. To +attract the older ones, he began with the children, established a +school of reading and writing, and taught both to the little ones. +Those who were a little older he taught to sing, that, performing the +office of angels, they might praise the Lord in the church. He was so +desirous of the salvation of souls that when the deacon went to +catechize, or to baptize the sick, he went also and accompanied +him—choosing this labor for himself to relieve his companions of +it, for he regarded them as more useful than he, because they learned +the language better. His age <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb170" href= +"#pb170" name="pb170">170</a>]</span>was so great and the labor so +heavy that walking through the water produced an affection of the +bowels. The severity of the disease was such that, unable longer to +withstand it, he was day and night in continual pain. They took him to +Manila to the Franciscan convent (ours being not yet built), where they +took care of him with great devotion and attention. He recovered, and +returned to his laborious duties, but the same infirmity attacked him +with such violence that he died in the same convent, whither they had +taken him the second time; and here he was interred, leaving his +companions very sad on account of his absence. Yet they were very +confident that he who had carried for the Lord so heavy a cross up to +death, would likewise follow Him in His glory, which according to His +word is granted therewith. He was prepared with the holy sacraments, +and confessed very minutely and with great frequency; and singing he +invited death, praying God to take him away in peace, now that he had +beheld this holy province established as a light for so many tribes, +whom he had seen already coming to the church and being baptized. He +bade farewell to the Franciscan fathers, thanking them for their great +kindness and the hospitality which they had shown him; he encouraged +his companions to proceed with that which they had begun assuring them +that, however great the difficulty and labor, even to those in health, +there was still greater consolation, and confirmation of the hope of +reward, in the perils of sickness and death in which he was; and +declaring to them that the confidence in which he departed was a most +sufficient reward for having left, in his last years, his quiet and his +cell for this and for other greater sufferings. <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb171" href="#pb171" name="pb171">171</a>]</span></p> +<p>After the death of this father the labor to be done fell more +heavily upon his companions, because it had to be divided among a +smaller number. It might be said that almost the whole burden fell upon +the deacon, who was, as it were, the whole of this ministry. From this +it may easily be inferred that though young friars are of less dignity +in such missions, they are more useful for them—that is, in cases +where the sufficiency of virtue and learning makes up for the lack of +age. This is what happened not only on this occasion, but on many +others, as this province has learned by experience. For the labors of +new conversions are very great, so great indeed as to surpass the power +of youth; so that few or no such conversions have been made without +costing the death of some religious. When the father vicar observed +this, and found himself, though he had poor health, provided with some +command of the language, he began to relieve his +companions—unraveling the entanglements (which are many among the +heathen Indians) in matters of matrimony, usury, and the oppression +which the chief men employ toward their inferiors, making them slaves +without reason or justice. He gave to this matter very great care and +no less labor, being present at the investigation of such things by day +and by night, and thus greatly reducing the amount of labor of his +companions, because when they met with a case of this kind, they +referred it to him as a matter of his jurisdiction. In the confessions +they had greater labor during this first year; because in the whole +year the priests were not able to make themselves masters of the Indian +language so as to be able to hear confession independently, and to +understand the Indians as they ought. To be sure, the deacon, if he had +been <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb172" href="#pb172" name= +"pb172">172</a>]</span>a priest, would have been very well able to +confess them; and the vicar-general had authority to dispense with the +required age in a case of such necessity, so that he might be ordained +priest. His great virtue and indefatigable industry deserved this +favor; but the vicar-general could never bring himself to the point of +granting it, because he did not wish the province which was to be +founded with such strictness to begin by having a dispensation in so +grave a matter. Accordingly the deacon was obliged to wait until he had +attained the required age, which was in September of the following +year, 1588, and then he was ordained priest. By this means, and by the +help of another priest called Fray Juan de la Cruz, who came to join +their company—and who, being young, succeeded very well with the +language—this district improved greatly. They both began to hear +confessions, and immediately there were manifested by experience the +great efficacy and the excellent results of this sacrament—a +remedy for souls that are sick, and even for those that are dead. In +all regions where it is systematically followed the most valuable +results are obtained; but its effects are principally seen among +Indians, who are simple and have no duplicity. To such its secrecy is +very edifying, and it strongly affects their souls. This it is, +particularly, that directs and teaches them; hence at the beginning of +the Christian training of this tribe the general amendment was sensibly +perceived. It was possible to read on their very faces the great +efficacy of this most beneficial medicine for their souls. Only in the +case of the vice of drunkenness was it impossible to find a remedy that +would suffice for the great excesses produced by it; for although all +the Indians <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb173" href="#pb173" name= +"pb173">173</a>]</span>are very faulty in this particular, those of +this region surpassed those of the rest of the country, and were famous +for this vice among their neighbors. It seemed impossible to remedy the +fault, because it was the hereditary vice of their fathers and their +grand-fathers before them; and they had, as it were, grown into it by +continual use. Still God revealed to the father vicar a remedy for +this, so gentle that without blood or violence it brought them to +reason, and so efficaciously that in a short time it achieved what was +intended. This was to give orders, under light penalties, that any man +who became intoxicated was not to be received in any house, and was not +to be visited in his own house; that no one was to communicate to him +or talk to him, or have any dealings with him.</p> +<p>He caused to be proclaimed in church those who were most guilty of +this vice, commanding all others to avoid them, as has been said, +regarding them as enemies of God and despisers of His doctrine, and of +the teaching of the fathers; and this way of depriving them of +intercourse with the rest was sufficient to make them ashamed of +themselves. The result was that they renounced their custom and evil +habit, and strove so to make themselves fit for the sacrament that, in +order to avoid drunkenness, they gave up wine as an ordinary beverage. +If they drank it occasionally, either because of need or desire, they +drank by rule and measure. So far did they depart from their old excess +that they not only blotted out their former evil reputation, but +obtained for themselves a good one—which up to today they +maintain, to the great joy of their ministers. The same thing is true +of the other vices that they had, not only when they were heathen, but +even after they were <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb174" href="#pb174" +name="pb174">174</a>]</span>baptized, on account of the bad system of +which we have given an account. For lack of teaching they had remained +in their idolatries as before, without giving up usury, oppression, +false swearing, and the feuds in which they had been brought up to have +perpetual enmities. But soon after these religious learned their +language, and began to give them instruction, the change which was to +be seen in them was extraordinary; for the root of all these vices was +plucked up, and that so completely that they themselves aided in their +own reformation—for they gave the ministers information in regard +to sins and idolatries by showing them who they were that committed +them, and where they were committed. Thus it was easy to find some +little idols that they kept hidden, which were handed over to the +Christian boys to drag about through the whole village, and at last +were burned. By this means and by the punishment of a few old women who +acted as priestesses, and who were called catalonans, the idolatry of +the whole region was brought to an end. In the matters of restitution +of usury, and maltreatment of slaves, and other oppressions, there was +some difficulty; for, as the evil had been converted into the flesh and +blood of the wrongful holders of the property, it was the same as to +strip off their flesh and drain their blood to talk about their +returning that which they unjustly held. Still so great was the power +that the teaching of the religious had over them, and so deep root had +it taken in their hearts, that they broke through everything, and by +the aid of the Lord brought themselves to the point. Thus at the +beginning of their Christian life they did something which would hardly +have been done by those grown old in <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb175" href="#pb175" name="pb175">175</a>]</span>Christianity, who had +sucked it in with their mother’s milk. They gave liberty to many +slaves deprived thereof unjustly, they restored the usury they had +taken, and everything that they unjustly held. And this they did with +so good a grace that it was enough for the father to propose it, after +having verified the case. There was one man who gave up everything that +he had, because he found that it was all unjustly held; and who did +this without anything more having been done to influence him than the +mere speaking of the word. Such a marvel as this God alone can work, +who knows how to give so great an efficacy to such gentle means as have +been described. Though in some cases no owners were known, to whom +restitution could be made, they did not fail to make restitution on +that account; but, collecting all the debts of this kind, they made a +common deposit of them for common needs, and for the poor. There were +many who could not be found to receive the satisfaction made in this +way, and the application of the amount was made to the common +necessity, as has been said. The great force that brought about this +result was the obvious disinterestedness of the religious, who did not +desire to apply anything to the benefit of the churches, on the ground +that they were of common importance, but regarded these as being their +special charge, so that in this way they might assure the Indians that +in all this there was no other purpose than their own good, and might +avoid every occasion for their imagining the contrary. That district +reached this happy point in less than one year from the time when these +ministers took charge of it, though it had been in the wretched state +which we have described for the lack of some one systematically +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb176" href="#pb176" name= +"pb176">176</a>]</span>and regularly to care for the souls of the +inhabitants. These people, who were always bringing suits and forming +factions, have from that time lived so peaceably that they undertake +few or no lawsuits. They prefer coming to an agreement before their +minister (who takes no fees or bribes from them), to appearing before +the courts, where they consume their property, and usually spend more +than the case is worth. This is so true that when the alcalde-mayor +came there to make his visit, he and his company were fain to hasten +away from that district, for where there are no fees <span class="corr" +id="xd20e1475" title="Source: there there">there</span> are no profits; +and they arranged to go on to a place where their profits would be +certain, because the population were not so peaceable as in this +region.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1478" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1479" class="label">Chapter XX</h3> +<h3 class="main">The same continued, and some miracles that afterwards +followed</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The mighty work described, being beyond human power, +must have been of God; and, to make this clear, God showed His power in +this region. At one time the father vicar was going to hear confessions +in one of those villages, and was met by a leading Indian already +converted, by name Don Pablo Taclanmanoc, who asked where he was going. +When he said: “To hear the confessions of the people in this +village,” the Indian replied, “Well then, Father, you have +inquired about their debts, so that they may be able to confess?” +“I cannot know them,” answered the father, “if they +do not tell me them; and for that reason I have taken care to instruct +them in my sermons that those who owe debts must pay <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb177" href="#pb177" name= +"pb177">177</a>]</span>them.” “More than that is +necessary,” said Don Pablo; “give me the charge of +investigating the debts in this village, so that they may make a good +confession.” The religious thanked him and put off the +confessions that he might see what would come of this undertaking. Don +Pablo made his investigation with much care. He made inquiry throughout +the village, and he ascertained that there were much usury and many +other unjust and wrongful acts which had been committed in it. He took +this all, written down in a memorandum-book, to the minister, who +governed himself by it and made his inquiries in the confessions as it +suggested. The confessions were very accurate, and in this way many +wrongs were undone without any further pressure or force than this. +When he saw how useful and necessary this undertaking had been, he had +it done in all the villages, making use of the idea of the Indian Don +Pablo—whom the Lord had given to these missionaries in this +region as a teacher; and by whose instruction they might dig out many +evil roots, which had grown strong with age, and were certain to be a +great hindrance to the growth of the good seed of the gospel. This +result these ministers at that time could not attain, because they were +then new; nor would they have been able to attain them later, if the +Indians had been silent with regard to them, and had followed the bad +habit of confessing the rest while being silent on this point, which to +them is the hardest thing in our law. But as they were at that time at +the very beginning, and as this course was followed with all, and as it +agreed with the truth and with all the evidence obtained by Don Pablo, +they all accepted it very well. The results were most beneficial to +this <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb178" href="#pb178" name= +"pb178">178</a>]</span>district. The Indians of it came to have such a +reputation for devotion, for frequenting the holy sacraments, for +obedience to their ministers, and for peace and brotherly love among +themselves—being free from the vanities and excesses to which +these Indians are naturally inclined—that when the ecclesiastical +judges desired to bring to order any persons in other regions, they +used to send them to Bataan, because of the good example set there. The +Lord cared for these Indians with a very loving providence, as He +showed by the special works that He wrought to rescue them from their +course of perdition. Though we must be silent in regard to the greater +number, we cannot pass over some. An old Indian woman who was preparing +for baptism was one day absent from the class, and the father under +whose care she was, sent a boy to call her. He came back saying she was +dying; and the father, running with all his might to her side, found +her still breathing. He was just in time to baptize her. The +preservation of her life just up to that moment astonished all, and +especially the bishop Don Fray Domingo de Salaçar. Several +instances are recorded, in which persons were barely kept alive up to +the time of their baptism. Several cases are also preserved in which +insane persons were allowed a lucid interval in which to receive the +holy sacrament of baptism. On the other hand, the devil played some +tricks upon the fathers. One of the most important was to deceive them +as to the character of some Indian women accused of witchcraft. They +were so ingenious in concealing their wickedness that the fathers +refused to listen to charges against them. Their daring reached so high +a point that, at the command of one <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb179" href="#pb179" name="pb179">179</a>]</span>of them, the devil +appeared before one of the chiefs of the village, by voice but not by +sight, bidding him go thence. This was told the father. The devil +answered, and said to the father: “Thou shalt believe only what +thou seest.” At last the Lord was pleased to reveal the deceit, +by the means of a sick woman in a hospital, who declares that one of +these witches had punished her with this illness because of her +refusing to give the witch the small fruit that she had asked for. An +investigation followed, and it was discovered that they were most +subtle witches; that they had wrought great evils, and had two +accomplices in their work. They were punished with banishment, and +therewith this country was freed of this evil remnant of its heathen +condition; and, though there have been more of this sort since then, +their punishment has required some less severe penalty. There have been +a number of notable miracles by which the Lord gave authority to His +gospel and His ministers among these Indians—though, on account +of the care which the former have taken to conceal them, the +particulars are not known. Still there is one miracle that is almost +universal in all these regions; this is, that when the devil torments +some Indian, under the influence of witches with whom he has made an +agreement to torment those whom they desire to harm, he loses his power +before the command of the religious. The Indians fear the witchcraft so +that they do not dare deny the witches anything they ask; and thus they +become masters of the property, the food, and the persons of all the +Indians. The devil is driven out by the very presence of the religious, +while in their absence he is kept away by merely having the sick +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb180" href="#pb180" name= +"pb180">180</a>]</span>hold a scapular. All this is accomplished +without exorcisms, except the command in the name of the Lord that they +shall cease their tormenting. In many cases miracles of healing have +been wrought by baptism, or by confession.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1493" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1494" class="label">Chapter XXI</h3> +<h3 class="main">The entry of the religious into Pangasinan</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">When the order of our father St. Dominic reached these +islands the Indians of Pangasinan were given over to idolatry, and so +detested the gospel that, though the ministry of some religious was +brought to the Indians on both sides of them (who are those of the +provinces of Panpanga and of Ylocos), these Indians always refused to +admit them; and they treated those fathers so badly that, though there +were some clergy and some Franciscan religious who desired and +endeavored to convert them, these had no success with them on account +of their determined resistance. On the contrary, the Indians were +wretchedly victorious, obliging the ministers, by their perversity, to +go away and leave them in the darkness which they so loved and +delighted in. There was only one place—the principal village, +called Lingayen, where the alcalde-mayor resided—in which some of +the religious of our father St. Augustine had been able to persevere. +They were protected and defended by the law, and by the Spaniards who +lived there, who by their presence were able to compel the Indians to +treat the fathers properly—not as they had been in the other +villages, where they were not only treated discourteously, but came +near to being killed. This treatment resulted <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb181" href="#pb181" name="pb181">181</a>]</span>in +bringing the fathers to the conclusion that it was best to leave them, +which was what the Indians desired, and even what the devil whom they +served had commanded them, on occasions when he had spoken with them. +One of these occasions occurred while some Indians were on their way +from the villages below to the mountains of the Ygolotes, on their +ordinary business. As they were going through a thicket [<i lang= +"es">arcabuco</i>] full of bushes and briars, they heard a very loud +and dreadful voice lamenting and complaining pitifully. The Indians +retreated with great alarm at hearing this voice in so rough and so +lonely a place; but, as they were many, they ventured to follow it to +see who had uttered it, and in this way they came near to the place +where it had sounded. Though they kept on going up the mountain, they +saw nobody, and came no nearer to the voice they heard. Their alarm +greatly increased, and one of them, exerting his breath and voice as +much as he could, asked: “Who art thou that thus lamentest and +utterest such groans?” and they heard this answer: “I am +Apolaqui”—who among them takes the place of Mars among the +heathen Romans—who might be called their god of war, and to whom +they also pray when they go on a voyage, or on any journey for +business. And when they heard it was their revered and highly beloved +Apolaqui that was complaining, their alarm increased so greatly that +they were almost out of their senses, until one of the most courageous +of them said: “Apolaqui, our anito,” for thus they are +accustomed to call those whom they reverence as God, “for whom we +celebrate feasts, what cause have we given thee now that thou shouldest +complain thus? Wherefore hast thou <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb182" +href="#pb182" name="pb182">182</a>]</span>thundered upon these +mountains, putting us in such fear, though we have done nothing to +offend thee?” Apolaqui answered: “I am weeping to see +fulfilled that which for years I have dreaded: that ye should receive +among you strangers with white teeth, wearing cowls, and that they +should place in your houses some sticks of wood laid across each other +to torment me,” for thus he spoke of the crosses. “And now +I am going from among you, seeking to find some one to follow me, since +ye have abandoned me for strangers, though I am your ancient +lord.” To this day the Indians give to the place where the demon +spoke, this name (which in their language means “at the +cross”), Pinabuenlagan. Is it strange that he who would do such +things when he merely knew that the preachers of truth were near him, +and who would thus alarm the Indians who followed him, should cause +them to treat the ministers of the gospel as badly as they always did? +It was to these Indians then, so ill disposed to receiving the faith, +that father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catalina was sent with five +associates, all priests, who arrived there in the month of September, +1587. A Spanish encomendero of that country, called Ximenez del Pino, +gave them a little bit of a house, for it was not to be hoped of the +Indians that they would offer any hospitality to the friars; on the +contrary, they hated them above all things. There was one man that +offered them, if they would go away, a chinanta of gold, which is the +weight of half an arroba—so far were they from offering +hospitality to our fathers and doing them any kindness. The religious +knew all this, and went on with patience, which was very necessary; for +so determined were the Indians to receive them badly <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb183" href="#pb183" name="pb183">183</a>]</span>that +the friars were, so to speak, in a desert, so far as anything that +human society could do for them was concerned. They suffered greatly +from hunger and from hardships. The Indians refused to provide them +with the necessities of life, for payment or for anything else. Many +times the religious had to carry on their backs their wood and water, +and even their poor little beds, when they went from one village to +another; for in this way the Indians strove to force them to go away, +as the religious had been in the habit of doing. But the virtues of +these fathers overcame everything. The hardships that they had to +suffer, however severe, did not attain the height of the sufferings +which they desired to bear for the Lord; nor did the difficulties which +they met, which were not few, discourage them; nor could the little +hope that the Indians gave of being converted take away the hope that +the Lord gave; for He was certain to pity these tribes, for whom He had +shed His blood. That which happened was very strange, and it should not +therefore be reported without evidence worthy of it, which is that of +the first bishop of these tribes, Don Fray Miguel de Venavides—a +religious of very superior virtue, as we shall tell in due time, who +made a report from his bishopric to Clement VIII, at that time head of +the church. This report, because of the person who wrote it, because it +was written to the sovereign pontiff, and because it was written in +fulfilment of the oath which he had taken, as bishop of this holy see, +to obey and to report the condition of his church and bishopric to his +Holiness, must be free from all suspicion. I know not in what way, but +somehow it was printed; and there are many copies in our convent in +Valencia. The <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb184" href="#pb184" name= +"pb184">184</a>]</span>report is as follows. “It is about eleven +years since the Dominican fathers entered the province of Pangasinan. +That which has happened in the conversion of the province, which at the +present time is composed of Christians—there being, of course, a +heathen here and there—is such that we must give thanks to God +for it. The miracles by which these tribes have been converted have +been the lives of the ministers, though there have not been lacking +other miracles, for the Lord has now and then shown the power of His +hand. There were at first six religious of this order; and when the +Indians saw them, they immediately asked the fathers when they were +going away. The natives saw no opportunity to drive them away from +their country; and so much did they detest them that there was no means +by which they could be induced to give the fathers anything to eat, +even for money. Thus for the space of three years they suffered many +hardships; but their rebelliousness could not outstrip the patience of +the fathers. Besides all this, five of the fathers fell sick at once, +and were in that condition for five months; but at the end of that +time, God was pleased to give them their health without physician, or +medicine, or comforts. Such was the treatment accorded them by the +Indians, to say nothing of the fact that no one was converted to our +holy faith. The bishop of these islands, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar, +noticing this fact, begged the religious to leave the Indians and +depart from their country. This he did at the request of many Spanish +captains. It was true that these Indians were of all the tribes in the +country the worst, the fiercest, and the most cruel—an +unconquered tribe who celebrated their feasts by cutting off one +another’s <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb185" href="#pb185" +name="pb185">185</a>]</span>heads. But the superior who was then at the +head of the province was unwilling to take this step; on the contrary, +he said, ‘These bad Indians are the ones whom I wish my friars to +convert.’ After three years, during which they only baptized a +few boys (for the natives were unwilling to give the girls), the +Indians began to believe in the religious; and the beginning that the +Lord chose for this was the following. When the Indians perceived the +way in which the friars lived, the fasts and penances which they +performed, their patience amid hardships, and the fact that the fathers +not only did them no harm, but came to their aid in their necessities, +they began to be mollified, and to believe what the friars said. The +story is told that an Indian chief went one night to a religious and +said to him: ‘Father, you must know that I have been watching you +for two years, and have carefully noted everything that you do; and I +see that you all have one way of living. If one of you does not eat, no +more do the others; if one of you rises at midnight to pray, so do the +rest; if one of you avoids women, all the rest of you do so too. You +all of you follow one rule and one road; you strive to obtain neither +gold nor silver; you are ill-treated and yet patient; you do all things +for our good. Hence I have resolved to believe you, since I am +persuaded people who act like you will not deceive.’ So high did +the good opinion of these Dominican religious rise among those people +(God having ordained it thus in His goodness and providence), that the +Indians actually regarded those of this habit as sinless; so much so +that if the devil sometimes suggested to an Indian woman an improper +dream with reference to a friar, when the woman afterwards came to +confess <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb186" href="#pb186" name= +"pb186">186</a>]</span>she did not say: ‘I accuse myself of +having dreamed this about a friar,’ but, ‘about a devil in +the shape of a friar.’ When the leading men of the tribe began to +consider becoming Christians—their headmen being already so, as +well as some others—they came to the religious, and persuaded +them that, in order that all of them might be converted together, they +should first of all give up in a single day everything which they held +in commission for the devil; these things were the instruments which +they used for their sacrifices. The fathers accordingly did as they +wished, and, with the assistance of these same governors of the country +there were given up an infinite number of pieces of earthen ware and a +great deal of very old wine—for this is regarded as the thing +consecrated to the devil; and no one dares touch or go near it except +at the time of the sacrifice, and then only the minister who performs +it. They are accustomed to keep this wine at the head of the bed in a +little earthen jar, like holy water. When they had given all this up +(which they did with very good will), they all proposed immediately to +become Christians, and to know and learn the things of our holy +Catholic religion. After they had learned them and been instructed in +them, they were directed to fast for forty days, or one month; and +general baptisms took place on the eve of the feasts of the +Resurrection and Pentecost. [Long before this a marvel had happened in +which an Indian had been cured of a frightful rupture after his +baptism. This made the Indians regard the baptism as something +medicinal, and they wished to be baptized whenever they were sick, in +order to be cured; but the fathers undeceived them. They made the same +mistake about the sign <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb187" href= +"#pb187" name="pb187">187</a>]</span>of the cross, and in regard to the +cross itself. Visions were seen. At one time, when some of the brethren +were desirous of leaving this region and of going to China to preach +the gospel, one of them laid the matter before the Lord in prayer. He +dreamed that night that he saw the good man of a household, clad in a +long robe, and sending men out to reap his harvest. When they came to +one sterile place where there was only a spike of grain here and there, +they did not wish to reap it, but to go to another field where the +harvest was rich; but the good man said to them: ‘Will you not +reap here? then you shall reap neither here nor there.’ Finally, +God was pleased that by the patience and sufferings of these ministers +this tribe should be converted and baptized. They are now very good +Christians, insomuch that some of them can conduct prayer like +religious who most closely follow the rules of their order. They are +people of very good intelligence, and often put very clever questions +and propose intelligent doubts. At one time when a religious was +preaching of the mercy of God in dying for men, an Indian woman rose in +the midst of his sermon, and said: ‘Wait, Father. How can you say +that Christ died? You have said that Christ was God; but God cannot +die.’ At another time, a sick Indian put the question whether God +did not concur in all things that happened in the earth and was not +thus responsible for the evil of it. They even go beyond things +required, in order to do works of supererogation, many of them rising +at midnight to pray when the matin bell rings; they follow the fasts of +the Dominican order; when they rise, the first thing they do at dawn is +to make an offering of themselves and all that they have to +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb188" href="#pb188" name= +"pb188">188</a>]</span>our Lord; whenever they begin an undertaking, +they first offer it to God, with their minds, their hearts, and their +hands in the work. Though poor, they give alms frequently. Some of +them, whenever they eat, put aside a portion as ‘Christ’s +food,’ and send it to some sick person. Some of them fast during +the whole Advent, in preparation for the feast of the Nativity. It is +said of one Indian woman that St. Mary and St. Joseph visited and ate +with her one Advent. All the Spaniards and religious of other orders +are amazed at this conversion, and especially at seeing them give up +vices so enticing as drunkenness, which used to be very common among +them—up to the point of making them unable to keep their +feet—but which they have now given up so completely that some do +not even taste wine. They greatly delight in the devotion of the +rosary. The very friars who are their ministers are amazed to see such +a conversion in a tribe so barbarous, so cruel, and so completely given +over to vice. Their minds are set upon preparing themselves for death, +so that they regard all besides—houses, property, and children, +and all temporal things—as merely accessory. Those who can afford +it have masses said for their souls while they are still alive, as if +they were already dead; and give much alms to this end. Those who have +not the means for this, fast and mortify themselves. In this province +the ministers have begun to give the most holy sacrament of the +communion to the natives, as being adult in the faith. They prepare +themselves for the communion with great devotion. As there are no +masses except on the great feasts, some prepare themselves as if they +were to communicate every month, being contented with spiritual +communion. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb189" href="#pb189" name= +"pb189">189</a>]</span>The hand of the Lord hath wrought this; for the +ministers had this success, with a race speaking a foreign language, +one which the missionaries did not know as thoroughly as their own, +while when these same men preached to those of our own nation and +language, their words have had no such effect. The fault is in the +hearers, who are unwilling to profit by the good which God has sent +them.” Here the report of Venavides ends. Other reports have been +sent to España of the perfect devotion of these people. One of +these tells how the Indians crowd the churches at the time of +confession, fast, and communicate regularly; how many of the married +ones live a great part of the time not as man and wife but as brother +and sister—in particular, during Lent, and for some days before +communicating; how there would be no end to the good that might be said +about these people; and how some of them are of very good intelligence, +and ingenious in asking questions which make the ministers reflect. +This report is by father Fray Juan de Sancto Domingo, afterward a holy +martyr in Japon.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1522src" href="#xd20e1522" +name="xd20e1522src">19</a> It is dated at Magaldan, a village of +Pangasinan, November 8, 1618. Father Fray Bernardo de Santa Catalina or +Navarro, the apostle to this tribe, one of whose reports bears date of +Manila, the twenty-fourth of [<i>sic</i>] one thousand six hundred and +twelve, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb190" href="#pb190" name= +"pb190">190</a>]</span>says that the great care manifested by our +religious in following the rules of the order has given them power to +overcome these unconquerable tribes. He reports that the number of +persons baptized in the province of Pangasinan has grown from a few +new-born boys to ten thousand, and that the number of those in this +region who are prepared for heaven is constantly increasing.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1535" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1536" class="label">Chapter XXII</h3> +<h3 class="main">Of the persecution of the religious by the Indians, at +the beginning; and of their later heartfelt conversion.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The principal reason that these Indians had for +persecuting these first fathers who came to their villages was that, as +soon as they came thither, they built a convent in a few days, and a +very tiny church, in front of which they set up a large wooden cross; +and that thereupon their greatest idol, who was called Ana Gaoley, +ceased to give the responses and oracles which it had been wont to give +them, in the shrines or temples which they had made, which were called +<i>anitoan</i>. The priestesses had been accustomed to invoke these +oracles, for the ministry of idols among them was given over to women. +These women, called <i>managanito</i>, were dressed in certain +vestments dedicated to this sole use, and employed certain vessels +esteemed among them, containing oils, unguents, odors, and perfumes. +With all this they placed themselves in a retreat where they used to +conjure the devil; and there the devil spoke to them, giving them +answers with regard to their wars, their sicknesses, and their +undertakings. Whatever thing the devil <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb191" href="#pb191" name="pb191">191</a>]</span>asked by the mouths +of these women, however costly it might be, the Indians brought +immediately; and if through them he commanded the Indians to kill any +one, they instantly put the command into execution without a word. But +from the moment of the building of the church the oracle was silent. +The Indians felt this very much, and made many sacrifices to placate +him, supposing he had grown silent from anger; but they could not +succeed in drawing a single word from him. He revealed himself on a +mountain at some distance from the village, where there were some +Indians cutting wood for their houses, and said to them that they +should not wear themselves out by asking anything more from him, +because two things had banished him from his village. One of them was +that straight stick set up in the village, with another across it, like +a body with two arms. The other was those men with hair on their heads +who were among them in his village; for so long as they were there he +could not go back to it. [This ought to have been enough to convert +them, like the priest of the idol whom St. Gregory Thaumaturgus put to +silence by his presence; but these people had not intelligence enough +for that, and grew very indignant against the religious, especially +after the father of lies told them that the friars meant to kill their +children. Their wrath against the innocent religious grew so great +that, if they had not feared the Spaniards, they would have killed +them. The enemy of God found means still more to inflame the wrath of +the Indians against the friars.] One of the Indian women of the highest +rank being found pregnant when she was about to be married, her parents +intended to execute upon her their ancient law, which <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb192" href="#pb192" name="pb192">192</a>]</span>was +to bury her alive, together with the malefactor. They seized her, and +tortured her to make her reveal who he was. She, at the instigation of +the devil, declared that it was father Fray Bernardo de Sancta +Catalina, the superior of all those religious, and the one against whom +the devil and the Indians felt most bitter, because he was the +principal minister of the gospel. Thereupon, without further +investigation, she was immediately believed: and they came upon him +like bloodthirsty wolves, with the purpose of carrying out that +penalty. He was not disturbed or alarmed, but made them go with him to +the Indian woman, and asked her some questions; and when the time was +ascertained at which she had conceived, it was plain that the father +had not been at that time, or for many days before or after, in that +village. Thus they believed him firmly, while they and he who had +stirred them up were ashamed and confused. Still the woman’s +artifice was of use to her; for the father repaid her for the false +witness she had given, by delivering her from the death which they were +going to inflict upon her—searching for devices to bring this +about, just as the devil had searched for them to do evil; for kindness +is no less subtle than malice. Later will be seen what was the life and +death of this holy religious, whom the devil strove to discredit by +other means, but without success. [The devil was finally banished from +these villages, in which he had kept all the Indians in wretched +slavery; for if he gave them some liberty to vice he demanded from them +a much greater return.] In addition to the sacrifices that he required +of them—which as has been said were costly, and which sometimes +extended even to the death of men, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb193" +href="#pb193" name="pb193">193</a>]</span>he required them to do most +painful things in their times of bereavement. For the first three days +they did not have a mouthful to eat; for three more days they had only +a little fruit; after this, for a long time, they had only boiled herbs +or roots, without wine to drink, and with nothing savory to eat. During +all this time they wore around the neck a little gold chain, which was +a mark of mourning; and this they were not allowed to put off during +all this period, unless they killed some one. As soon as they committed +a homicide, there was an end of the mourning and the fast; and they +made up by eating and drinking without limit or measure. Every little +thing that happened to them caused them a thousand superstitions, +painful, and sometimes expensive.</p> +<p>The worst of all was the wars that they were constantly waging among +themselves, and the great oppressions inflicted upon the people of the +lower class by those who are above them in rank. These took away their +possessions from them and made them slaves at their mere whims, under +the law that “might makes right.” One of these bravo chiefs +(a very tyrannical one, and therefore the more esteemed, feared, and +respected by the rest), by name Cabanday, would never hear of being +converted to Christianity—the more so because he would have been +required to restore everything which he had taken by injustice, usury, +extortion, and wrong; for thus he had gained all he had, and he was +very rich. [God one day heard the prayers of the friars for him; and at +night he told the Indian who was his closest friend that he felt so +strong an impulse to turn to God that he could not resist it. He +ordered his slaves to take the chest in which he kept all his +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb194" href="#pb194" name= +"pb194">194</a>]</span>gold and riches, to carry it to the church, and +to open it immediately. They broke it open. The fathers went down from +the choir where they were, being mistrustful of some ill. They found +him with his chest; he opened it; placed at the feet of father Fray +Bernardo all that was in it, and afterwards threw himself at these +too—praying, with much feeling and with many tears, to be +baptized, and telling them that there was the whole of his fortune and +the fortune of his children; let them do with it what they would, +though they should send him away poorer than the lowest of his vassals, +if only they would do what he asked. The religious gave a thousand +thanks to God, comforted him, promised him baptism, and began to +prepare him for it. Being very old, he could not learn the prayers by +heart; but he was very intelligent, and very well understood the +mysteries of the faith they taught him. They accordingly baptized him, +to his own great joy and to the comfort of the fathers. They called him +in baptism Don Pablo. Though he could not learn the prayers by memory, +he was not deprived of them; for when he recited the rosary, in place +of the <i>pater-noster</i> he said in his own language: “Oh, Lord +my God, have pity upon me, a sinner,” and in place of the Ave +Maria he said the same to our Lady. And, when he came to confess, in +place of the general confession he said: “Father, I come to your +feet to reveal my sins, and to obtain pardon therefor from God our +Lord.” He made his confession with much clearness and +contriteness, educated his children in the fear of God, strove to have +all the people of his country baptized, and lived an exemplary life. He +lived eighteen years a Christian. His death took <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb195" href="#pb195" name= +"pb195">195</a>]</span>place under the following circumstances. While +father Fray Bernardo was confessing the Indians, one Lent, in the +church of Binalatongan, Don Pablo came on foot and said: “Father, +confess me, for I am going to die today.” He asked the father to +come and say mass, and to give him the viaticum. On the same day he +died.</p> +<p>No less remarkable was the conversion of another great chief of the +village of Magaldan, called Casipit, who had been on the point of +killing a Franciscan, so opposed was he to the faith. This Indian had +already thrown him on the ground to kill him with a cruel dagger which +they use, when the others hindered him. When now our order came to his +country, he took it so ill that he went to Manila to arrange to have +the friars withdrawn from his village; and to carry out the negotiation +he offered his encomendero half his property, which was considerable. +His wife, named Lalo, was first converted by the preaching of father +Fray Pedro de Soto. She was baptized Doña Gracia. By her efforts +the husband was converted and baptized, with the whole of his family +and his large retinue. He used to gather the people of his village near +the church, and to address them, urging them to works of mercy with +plain and sensible words; but with such fervor and devotion that he +made them all weep, even the religious who had concealed himself to +overhear. He led a very religious life, directing his household in +habits of devotion. So also did his wife; and the good people directed +their slaves to pay as much attention to their religious duties as to +the work they did for them. On one occasion, when one of his slaves +died, and it was impossible to bury him in the <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb196" href="#pb196" name= +"pb196">196</a>]</span>churchyard, because of the floods, the old man +determined to carry the slave to another village, which on account of +its higher situation had not been flooded, and to bury him in the +church there. The river was full of trees and logs which might overturn +his boat, the current was very strong, and there were many whirlpools +in it. There was also danger from the caymans, which at that period of +the year are most dangerous, and most frequently attack small boats. +Don Pedro was not ignorant of the risks for an old man like him, for he +was more than a hundred years old, though he had lost none of his +strength. In spite of the petitions of all of his family he made the +effort, carrying the slave to the village of San Jacintho. The old man, +when he got there, was all wet, and was chilled with the cold of the +rain that had fallen and of the winds that had blown on him. He buried +the slave and went home, happy in having fulfilled his duty so nobly. +When one of his slaves died by accident, without having been able to +confess, the good Don Pedro took it to heart as if it had been his own +sin. From this instance may be seen how devoted Christians those +Indians became whose conversion had been so difficult.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1567" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1568" class="label">Chapter XXIII</h3> +<h3 class="main">Some miracles wrought by God in Pangasinan at the +beginning of the preaching in this province</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Though the Lord did not work so many miracles in this +province as in the primitive church, since that was the foundation of +all the churches since, He still gave authority to the preaching of His +gospel in these regions by many marvelous works. Father <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb197" href="#pb197" name="pb197">197</a>]</span>Fray +Alonso Montero,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1576src" href="#xd20e1576" +name="xd20e1576src">20</a> a son of the province of Mexico, and a +native of Castilla la Vieja, tells us that, in two years during which +he was in this province, no day passed without a miracle. After a year, +during which no conversions had been made among the Indians, because of +their hardness of heart, it seemed to father Fray Bernardo that it was +time to break the silence which they had kept up to that time. By the +favor of an Indian chief who had been converted in Manila, Don Juan de +Vera by name, and of his brother, who was headman of that village, they +visited all the houses, asking the people to let them have the children +to baptize them. In one house they had a child and hid it. When father +Fray Bernardo asked for it, they told him they had no child. In +affliction he turned to his companion, father Fray Luis Gandullo, and +said: “There was a child here, and they will not let me have him. +Ask for him, your Reverence, perhaps they will give him to you.” +After they had refused him, too, the child put up its head, and when +father Fray Luis opened his arms and said to him in the Castilian +language, “Come to me, child of my heart, that knowest not the +good that thou losest in being hidden from holy baptism; come to us. I +promise thee to take care of thee, and to do thee good,” the +child, as if it had understood Castilian (of which it did not know a +word), and as if it had had the sense to know what was for its +advantage, left its mother and its kinsfolk to go to the religious, +keeping its eyes fixed upon him <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb198" +href="#pb198" name="pb198">198</a>]</span>as if thanking him for the +good counsel they had been giving it. It went with the religious and +was baptized, and turned out to be a very perfect Christian, as having +been made one by miracle. An old man annoyed them by speaking against +them in his own language, and following them about everywhere. When +father Fray Luis took him by the arm and kindly remonstrated with him, +the Indian, who did not understand the language, began to scream and +said, “Let go, Father; I do not wish to become a +Christian.” They kept this up for some time till the father let +him go. Some days afterward, the two fathers saw him again; and father +Fray Luis, who had prayed much for him in the interval, pointed him out +to father Fray Bernardo, and said: “Let us ask him now if he +wishes to be a Christian.” He accepted, and was baptized. A girl +was born blind, and her parents were so afflicted that, as cruel +barbarians, they planned to kill her. The religious knew of this, and +prayed to God that He would be pleased to provide relief. Father Fray +Marcos de Sant Antonio undertook the business of gaining this soul. He +spoke to the parents of the child; but they were unwilling to give the +child, and offered to sell her. They came to an agreement for eight +reals; and the religious took the child and baptized her. At her +baptism, the Lord was pleased to give her not only the light of His +grace, but also that of corporal sight; and her eyes became +miraculously clear and beautiful. With this the eyes of the parents +were also opened, and they began to give their children for baptism, +especially as this was not the only miracle wrought among the baptized +children. That they might not suppose that the virtue of this most +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb199" href="#pb199" name= +"pb199">199</a>]</span>necessary sacrament had an effect upon children +only, an Indian who was wounded in the abdomen, so that his entrails +protruded in great quantity and he seemed to be near death, was +implored by the religious to be baptized. He, however, refused, and was +not even influenced when they once said that this holy sacrament had +sometimes cured bodies as well as souls. The religious came and did +what they could to keep away the ants which came to feed upon his +entrails. He already had the smell of death upon him; and, when he felt +that death was near, he begged for baptism. When he was baptized, his +entrails drew in again, the wound was closed, and he was as sound as if +such a thing had never happened. A number of similar miracles of +healing were wrought. The Indians were surprised to see the religious +come among them unarmed and alone, while the other Spaniards always +came in numbers and with firearms—even then not regarding +themselves as safe, but proceeding with much caution. The religious, +however, went about carelessly. When the Indians consulted the devil, +according to their custom before doing away with any one, he responded +to them that the religious did not go unprotected; that they were +accompanied by an armed angel, with a cross on his brow, and another on +his shield. The Indians had never seen such a thing, and could not have +made up a fiction because they had never seen a painting or heard +mention of any such matter. Thus they learned that the devil was not so +strong as they had supposed, since he was obliged to admit that there +was one stronger than he. Another heathen Indian, who had permitted his +child to be baptized, was rewarded by a vision, by which he was +converted. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb200" href="#pb200" name= +"pb200">200</a>]</span>He put away all his wives but the first, though +he loved another and better one. He built in his village, called Gabon, +a monastery and a church for the religious, more capacious than those +they had. Devils were driven away by the holy sacrament of baptism, and +children were restored to life. When the heathen jeered at some +Christians for going to church on Sunday and neglecting their fields, +God was pleased to send a plague of locusts, which spared the fields of +the Christians. Many more miracles might be put down here, of which we +have reports from religious of great virtue; and there is a still +greater number which they have passed over and failed to mention.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1588" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1589" class="label">Chapter XXIV</h3> +<h3 class="main">The coming to this province of father Fray Juan Cobo +and other religious</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">Though father Fray Juan Cobo and other fathers did not +come on the first voyage, for the reasons given, they were always +thinking of and longing for this province. So when father Fray Juan +Chrisostomo felt a little better, though he was not well, they began to +think immediately of resuming the journey which his severe infirmity +had necessarily interrupted. Father Fray Juan Cobo had the same idea; +and, even if he had not done so, affairs went on in such a way that he +would have been obliged to give up all the business that kept him in +Nueva España and go to the Philippinas. His well-known learning, +his great virtue, and his zeal for the honor of the Lord, together with +his great prudence and lofty courage, and all the other qualities +requisite in a consummate preacher, were well known, and the order +required him to preach in Mexico. He declaimed <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb201" href="#pb201" name= +"pb201">201</a>]</span>against the great scandals which were occurring +at that time, so that the viceroy (who was the most guilty person) +ordered his banishment to the Philippinas, where the authorities of +Nueva España generally send the criminals whom they wish to +punish. Father Fray Juan accepted his banishment with great joy, partly +because of the desire he had to make the journey, partly because of the +gratification that he felt in coming hither as an exile for doing his +duty as a preacher, as God had commanded. This is a most delicious, +though a hidden manna, the sweetness of which those only know who find +themselves in such condition as this; for it is suffering for God, who +is a most generous rewarder of services performed for Him—much +more of sufferings undertaken for His honor. On the same +ground—namely, having preached on this occasion against the doer +of those scandalous deeds—the viceroy sent into banishment father +Fray Luis Gandullo, a person of very superior virtue, of whom it will +be necessary later to give a very full account. When he heard the +sentence of banishment, he fell on his knees and gave many thanks to +the Lord for the kindness that He had shown him, in honoring him by +permitting him to suffer banishment for love of Him. The two banished +religious joined each other, and took no little pleasure in each +other’s company. They had much reason therefor, for they were +both setting out for the same end; and God led them by the same means. +Father Fray Juan Chrisostomo was joined by several: father Fray Juan +Garcia,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1597src" href="#xd20e1597" name= +"xd20e1597src">21</a> a distinguished <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb202" href="#pb202" name="pb202">202</a>]</span>religious and +minister to the Indians in Nueva España, who was afterwards of +the very greatest importance in this province; father Fray Thomas +Castellar, a very religious friar; a brother, better known in this +country by the name of “the Holy Friar” than by his own +name, which was Fray Pedro Martinez; and the brother Fray Juan +Deça, who had come to take care of father Fray Juan Chrisostomo +in his illness.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1605src" href="#xd20e1605" +name="xd20e1605src">22</a> These all had gathered together because of +the fame of the province, which was spreading abroad—that it was +beginning with so great a reformation within itself, and with zeal for +the conversion of so many tribes. These were seven religious in all; +and, as they were on the point of departing, father Fray Juan Cobo +wished to bid farewell to one of his friends, a cleric of much virtue +called Juan Fernandez de Leon, who lived in a very exemplary manner in +Guastepec. When they reached there they found the house where he lived +tightly closed. They shouted to him many times, but the good clergyman +who was within made no answer, so carefully did he protect his +retirement. It was necessary to get a ladder and climb in by a window. +The <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb203" href="#pb203" name= +"pb203">203</a>]</span>virtuous cleric rejoiced much to see father Fray +Juan, and, when he knew where they were all on the point of going, the +enterprise pleased him also so well that he immediately determined to +go with the religious to the Philippinas. He carried out his plan, set +a very noble example in life, and after his death was and is venerated +as a saint, our Lord proving his sainthood with miracles. A layman of +much virtue called Juan de Soria, when he saw people of such virtue +making this journey, made the same journey in their company, being +desirous of assuming the habit in that province, as he did when he +reached the islands. With these two good associates the company +increased greatly in virtue, though it was not very great in numbers. +They resolved to make their voyage immediately; and reaching Tisla +[<i>i.e.</i>, Tixtla], which is near the port of Acapulco, they were +informed that there was being prepared for the Philippinas a vessel, +small, old, and in ill condition, and so loaded with people, soldiers, +and sailors—since they had doubled the number of those needed for +the navigation of the vessel because sailors were required in +Manila—that it was impossible for them to embark. The news +grieved them greatly, and to be assured of the truth of it they sent to +the port father Fray Juan Garcia and brother Fray Juan Deza, who found +all true that had been said of the vessel, and more. It was so heavily +laden that it was in the water above the scupper-holes, without having +taken on board the people who were to go as passengers, who were of no +small number. The religious went back with this report, and repeated +what they had been told in the port—namely, that it was +impossible to put on board more, at most, than one or two <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb204" href="#pb204" name= +"pb204">204</a>]</span>priests, whom they might have with them in case +of danger, in order to confess to them; and that if there had to be +only two, they would better be the banished ones. They were all deeply +grieved—those who remained, because they had to give up their +holy enterprise; and those who were to undertake it, because they were +to be separated from such a company. As they were so near the port, +they thought that they would all go down and bid farewell to those who +were about to sail. Father Fray Juan Chrisostomo alone, being so +infirm, remained in Tisla. When they reached the port, they saw that +according to human reason no more could be put aboard than what they +had been told; but as they were taught to direct themselves by other +and higher motives, they were not discomfited, but were very instant +with the Lord in prayer, the priests all saying mass and begging His +aid. Then with new confidence they went to talk with those who had +charge of the despatch of the vessel, to persuade them to give the +religious a place in it. While they were busy with this, they saw the +vessel putting out to sea and beginning its voyage—being in +greater haste, perhaps, in order that these new passengers might not be +admitted in addition to the great (and indeed excessive) number who +were already going. When they saw that they were being left behind, +they found a very small boat; and without further stores or other +equipment they got on board. Once there, they pleaded so well—and +what is more, the Lord so greatly aided them and gave them so great +favor with the persons on board—that they admitted the six: Fray +Juan Cobo, Fray Luis Gandullo, Fray Juan Garcia, Fray Juan Deca, four +religious; and Father Juan Fernandez de Leon, and <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb205" href="#pb205" name="pb205">205</a>]</span>Juan +de Soria. Instantly, without waiting longer, they set sail with a fair +wind, on Shrove Tuesday, 1588. They were without stores or clothes or +provisions, being dependent solely upon the providence of the Lord and +upon the alms which they might receive from the people on the ship; +these were small, in any case, on such a voyage—and the more so +upon this one, for they had set out from a port where the population +was so small that they could not provide themselves so well with +ship-stores as they could at other places. The vessel had hardly put to +sea before it was found to be leaking and to be making much water. The +pilot, who was very skilful and very courageous, went straight to the +fathers, and bade them commend the ship to God; for, if the prayers of +good men did not save it, it would be certain to founder in the first +little storm, and they would be drowned. They undertook to do as he +asked, and it was well that they did so. One night a great storm arose, +with a great massing of clouds and with furious winds; and though the +wind was not favorable, the pilot ordered sails to be set on the +poop—letting the ship drive before the wind, because the vessel +would not sail close-hauled. The storm was such that, though the pilot +strove to hide his anxiety, and gave his commands in a very low tone, +so as not to excite the passengers and bring them on deck to see their +own death and to hinder the sailors; yet, in spite of all this care, +the religious perceived his fear. Being in alarm at the fury of the +winds and the roaring of the sea, and perceiving the danger, they gave +themselves to prayer; and with outward silence they uttered the voices +of their souls to the Lord, begging His pity. At midnight they heard +the pilot say, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb206" href="#pb206" name= +"pb206">206</a>]</span>though in a low voice, that he wished axes to be +brought, which is a preliminary to cutting away the masts. Thereupon, +father Fray Luis Gandullo left the rest praying, and climbed up into +the waist of the ship. He looked upon the sea in silence; its fury +terrified him; he lifted his eyes to the heavens, and saw them all +cloaked with the deepest blackness. Therewithal, the sea was white with +the waves which roared and dashed against one another, sending up +spray; it seemed to him that all of the Spaniards must soon be buried +in them, so mighty were they, and the vessel so weak. At this point +there overcame him a strange consciousness of his sins, which gave him +no opportunity to think of those of others, and assured him that his +own transgressions only were the cause of this frightful storm.</p> +<p>[He went back to his post and fell on his knees before a Christ that +was there, prayed to the Lord until he felt assured that He heard him, +and turned to the Virgin of the Rosary. She appeared to him in a vision +and promised her aid. When the pilot came in, calling out, +“Fathers! cast some relics into the sea, for the love of God! +Recite some litanies, that the Lord may have compassion upon us! I +promise them a lighted lantern,” Father Luis replied that they +should all be safe. They cast into the sea a relic of Saint Mary +Magdalen and an Agnus Dei, and began their litany. The stars began to +appear and soon the storm had passed. The report of the vision and the +miracle turned the hearts of the seamen and the passengers, for a time, +to the good of their souls; but after Easter, as is usual among worldly +people, they fell back into their lax way of living, and particularly +into gambling, with all the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb207" href= +"#pb207" name="pb207">207</a>]</span>evils that ordinarily accompany +it. One frightful sacrilege was committed by a gambler, who mutilated +an image of Christ and of the Virgin, to punish them for his losses; +but who repented under the ministration of father Fray Luis. At last +they all reached Manila safely.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1634" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1635" class="label">Chapter XXV</h3> +<h3 class="main">The election of the first provincial, and the first +provincial chapter</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Though the religious had come in the previous year, +and though the second Sunday after Easter of the year 1588 had gone by +(which is the usual day on which provincial chapters are held), the +fathers, being so few, had waited for the arrival of those who came +from Mexico. Accordingly, the chapter was convoked by the father +vicar-general on the twelfth of June, and there were chosen as +definitors father Fray Diego de Soria, vicar of the convent at Manila, +where the chapter was held; Fray Juan Cobo; Fray Juan de San Thomas, +vicar of Bataan; and Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catalina, vicar of +Pangasinan. They and the rest elected, as the first provincial of the +new province, father Fray Juan de Castro. The first act passed in this +chapter was to accept the general ordinances made for the foundation of +this province when the founders were in Mexico. The chapter provided +that special care was to be taken that no ministerial duties were to be +accepted as curacies, but merely as charity—with liberty of +removal, due notice being given to the bishops. It also determined that +these ordinances should be read and declared to the religious who were +to be brought <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb208" href="#pb208" name= +"pb208">208</a>]</span>over from España, so that if they +approved of them they might come, while if they did not venture to +undertake them they might remain; and no one might complain that he had +been deceived, if he should find himself obliged to keep them. In this +chapter the province was given the glorious name of our Lady of the +Rosary, to whom all the religious desired especially to belong; they +also chose as special advocate and patroness her who was the +apostle<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1643src" href="#xd20e1643" name= +"xd20e1643src">23</a> to the apostles, Saint Mary Magdalen, on whose +day they had reached port in these islands, and by whose aid (which +they had a thousand times experienced in the order) they hoped for the +most complete and glorious success in that which they were undertaking. +The religious were warned to treat the Indians with great charity and a +spirit of kindness, as beloved sons, showing them the love that we feel +for them not only by words but by deeds, and striving to attract them +by love. If punishment should at any time be necessary, it was not to +be by our hands, that it might not happen to us, as Saint Gregory said, +that corrections should be converted to arms of wrath. To the convent +of Manila they gave the title of priory, and appointed as the first +prior father Fray Diego de Soria. They accepted the vicariate of our +Lady of the Rosary of Macan, and named as vicar thereof father Fray +Antonio de Arcediano. They likewise accepted the vicariate of our +father Saint Dominic of Binalatongan, appointing as vicar thereof +father <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb209" href="#pb209" name= +"pb209">209</a>]</span>Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catalina; likewise the +vicariate of our father Saint Dominic of Bataan, the vicar whereof was +father Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas; likewise the vicariate of Gabon, the +vicar whereof was father Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr. They appointed +as preacher-general father Fray Miguel de Venavides; and as +lecturer<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1657src" href="#xd20e1657" name= +"xd20e1657src">24</a> of the convent the same person, on account of his +great ability and talent. This father and father Fray Juan Cobo were +very successful in learning the Chinese language, and assumed +responsibility for the mission to the Chinese, to which, on account of +its great difficulty, no one before these fathers had devoted himself. +Father Fray Juan Cobo preached the first sermon to the Chinese. +Finally, at this chapter the father provincial and the definitors sent +a full report to the most reverend general of the order—who +responded, confirming the new province, and most nobly congratulating +the founders thereof. The translation of this letter into Spanish is +given at length. The substance of it is as follows: “Very +Reverend Fathers: Your letters from the Philippinas Islands, dated June +22, 1588, have been received and read with great pleasure in the +general chapter of the order, held in this year, 1592, at the convent +of San Juan and San Pablo in Venecia. We rejoice that your fervor and +zeal for the propagation of the Catholic faith are about to restore the +order from the ruin which we here see and experience every day, because +of the great pest of the heresies. Ye go down in ships to the sea, and +see the great wonders of God. Ye are like the mystic <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb210" href="#pb210" name= +"pb210">210</a>]</span>animals whose wings are joined between +themselves, which make others fly aloft while they walk upon the +ground. We approve your erection of a province in the Philippinas +Islands, confirming it in the graces and privileges enjoyed by the +other provinces of the same order; we also confirm as provincial of the +said province the very reverend father Fray Juan de Castro. All this +would have been inserted in the acts of the general chapter, except for +the carelessness of the printer.” The letter is dated Milan, +November 3, 1592, and is signed by Fray Hipolyto Maria Vicaria, +master-general of the Order of Preachers; and master Fray Pablo +Castrucio, provincial of the Holy Land.</p> +<p>Soon after the election of the first provincial, father Fray +Gregorio de Ochoa died. He lived a holy, scrupulous, and devout life. +He was one of those assigned to the conversion of the province of +Pangasinan, where the exposure and hardship and the lack of necessities +brought sickness upon all of the brethren except father Fray Bernardo +de Sancta Catalina. Father Fray Gregorio suffered more than any of the +rest. They had no physician, medicines, or comforts. They wished to +make a broth with which to take the <i>quilites</i><a class="noteref" +id="xd20e1669src" href="#xd20e1669" name="xd20e1669src">25</a> they +used as purgatives, but the Indians, desiring to drive them away, +refused them the game that they needed to make the broth; and father +Fray Gregorio grew so ill that he had to be sent back to Manila to be +cured. Here he grew somewhat better, and undertook for the order the +work of instruction in grammar; but was taken ill again, and died.] +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb211" href="#pb211" name= +"pb211">211</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1684" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1685" class="label">Chapter XXVI</h3> +<h3 class="main">The foundation of another church in Pangasinan, and +the first visitation of the father provincial</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[After the chapter, father Fray Bernardo de Santa +Catalina and the new vicar of Gabon set out for Pangasinan, taking with +them as their associates father Fray Luis Gandullo and brother Fray +Juan de Soria, a novice in the order. These recruits were greatly +needed, and lightened the work of those who were there. In Pangasinan, +being unable to attract to baptism those who were of full age, they +gave their energies to obtaining children—generally failing but +succeeding sometimes. At the feast of our Lady of August<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e1691src" href="#xd20e1691" name= +"xd20e1691src">26</a> they baptized sixty, all they could get together. +The Indians who promised their children often failed to let the +religious have them, thus getting rid of the importunity of the +fathers; or they would be perverted by heathen Indians, who abhor +baptism. The fathers prayed to the Lord that they might not lose any of +their number; He heard them, and a sufficient number of children were +voluntarily offered to make up the total of sixty. The people came +together to see what the religious would do to the children; and father +Fray Pedro de Soto preached to them upon the workings of this holy +sacrament, and miracles were afterward wrought in support of his +words.</p> +<p>The Lord softened these hard hearts, and in Binalatongan and some +other villages, where none of the adults were converted, they did not +look upon the religious with such hatred as at first. Only those +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb212" href="#pb212" name= +"pb212">212</a>]</span>of Gabon were as obstinate as ever, and were +unwilling to admit to the village the new vicar, Fray San Pedro Martyr, +and his companion. They could get for their habitation only one small +hut, where they could hardly put up an altar and build a fire. +Accordingly they decided to go to a hamlet near there, called Calasiao, +where the Spaniard to whom the Indians gave tribute bought a hut for +them, for four reals. When they had added a shed, it did not make so +bad a lodging as the other, and they could inhabit it with less peril +to their lives; for in Gabon the Indians had planned to kill them. When +the fathers heard this news, it was midnight. The people in the town +were drinking, and, as the friars were told, were planning their death. +The news was totally unexpected to the friars, and they could not have +made their escape because they did not know the country. They waited +that night, offering themselves to the Lord, for whom their lives would +have been well expended in preaching His gospel. The next day they went +to Calasiao. The Indians are extremely jealous, and though they were +pleased that the religious had left their village, they were vexed that +the fathers had gone to Calasiao—a village smaller than their +own, where they thought they would have to carry for burial those who +died in the Christian faith; so they held a council, and determined +that no one, whether in health or sickness, should be baptized, and +that no sick person should dare to have a father come to see him. If +the fathers had known of this decision and its cause, they would have +remedied it by going back to live or die at Gabon. So they remained in +this other little village, though they went daily to Gabon and the +other villages near <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb213" href="#pb213" +name="pb213">213</a>]</span>there, to render aid in the necessities of +the Indians, and especially to visit the sick. On one of these visits +father Fray Luis Gandullo and Father Marcos de San Antonio saw a man +who was very sick. When they urged him to be baptized, he responded +with abuse and insult. The fathers asked the people in the house with +what illness he was afflicted, and they said that he was troubled with +a very great swelling, and would not let them treat it. The fathers +then examined him carefully, and found a dreadful abscess extending +from the thigh across the abdomen; they opened it by force, and let out +a great quantity of matter. Those in the house, when they saw this +rotten and offensive matter, fled away from the religious, while the +man himself abused them. They answered him humbly, telling him that +they had given him his life. “Even though I should die,” he +said, “never come back again.” The man recovered, and in +course of time was converted. This and other works of charity, and in +especial the cure of a woman afflicted with a disgusting leprosy, who +had been abandoned by her relatives, won for the fathers the love of +these Indians. At last even the chief of those who had planned to kill +the religious gave his child to be baptized, and finally offered +himself for baptism. Baptisms in the church were begun in the month of +October, 1588. When the perversity of this region was overcome, many +other churches were built in the neighboring villages, the mildness of +the sheep sent forth by the Lord prevailing, as it always has +prevailed, against the bloodthirsty wolves of heathendom. About the +same time the new provincial—if he can be called new who had +already held the position of provincial twice before—undertook +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb214" href="#pb214" name= +"pb214">214</a>]</span>a visitation of his new province. This was the +second year since he had come, and the province had greatly increased; +while at the same time his sons and brothers were suffering great +hardships, in living among a race without God or law or justice. To +participate in their discomforts, and to aid them in their +difficulties, he set out to visit them. At Bataan he found all things +in as good order as if the new converts had sucked in Christianity with +their mothers’ milk. The Lord began to show these Indians great +mercy, both spiritual and temporal. He gave them a succession of +fertile years, which, being farmers, they estimate more highly than +anything else. They also saw the land visited by a great plague of +locusts, which attacked the fields of the heathen but left those of the +Christians untouched. From this time on there were also fewer +sicknesses and deaths than when they were heathens. To this improvement +in health the diligence of the missionaries contributed, who ordered +houses to be built in all the villages to serve as hospitals. Here they +caused the sick poor to be carried, devoting themselves with diligence +to the care of their bodies and souls, and taking the food out of their +own mouths to give it to them. By this devotion and piety they +prevented many deaths, and many most horrible deaths; for, since this +is an agricultural tribe, the sick suffer much, and often even die +without the sacrament, because their kinsmen are obliged to go out to +their fields and leave no one to care for the sick person. So they had +in these hospitals and still have, all that was needed, for the +hospitals are still in existence; and the sick are cared for in them, +bodily and spiritually, better than in their own houses. The value of +these hospitals was experienced during an epidemic, <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb215" href="#pb215" name="pb215">215</a>]</span>in +which few of those who were in the hospitals died, while in the +neighboring villages where they had no hospitals there were numberless +burials.</p> +<p>When the holy provincial reached Pangasinan, he saw his religious +persecuted by the Indians, upon whom they were heaping +benefits—not only to their souls but to their bodies, which were +the only things the savages understood and esteemed. He saw them +without the necessaries of life, lacking even food in sickness as well +as in health; he saw their dwellings so small that four reals was too +much to pay for them. Yet with all this he saw them happy and active, +traveling from one village to another as if there was nothing that they +lacked. Still there was nothing to be wondered at in all this, for +God’s mercy to them was so clear that not only they but the +heathen Indians were obliged to recognize it. Thus, against their +wills, their hearts were softened by the good that the fathers did to +them. The good old man saw with tears of delight the many miracles +which the Lord had wrought to give authority to His preachers and His +gospel among these tribes; the flight of the devil from those villages +where before he had quietly reigned, the baptisms which began to be +performed, the devotion of the newly baptized. He saw the many new +churches built in the villages, poor as buildings, but rich in the +fruits for God to be gathered from them.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1706" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1707" class="label">Chapter XXVII</h3> +<h3 class="main">The province takes charge of the missions of the +Chinese, and the results which follow</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">Although the zeal for the good of souls with which the +religious came to these regions was universal in its scope, and +included all those races who were <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb216" +href="#pb216" name="pb216">216</a>]</span>ignorant of their God and +served the devil, they were always most especially influenced by +everything that concerned the conversion of the great kingdom of China. +This is incomparably greater in population and higher in the character +of its people, who have greater intelligence and more civilization. It +is therefore the greater grief to see them so blind in what most +concerns them, and so devoted to their blindness that of nothing do +they take such heed as to close the doors of their souls against the +light; for they believe that there is no truth of which they are +ignorant, and no race that is further advanced than they. Perhaps this +pride and presumption is the cause why the Lord has left them so long +in their errors, a suitable punishment for those who, puffed up by the +benefits of nature, despise those of grace—imitating in this the +Father of Pride, who in this way lost all his good and made himself +incapable of regaining it. But since this race, being men, are capable +of recognizing their error, there is always hope that by the aid of the +Lord they will bethink themselves. The desire of converting them was +the greatest and most important motive that the founders of this +province had for coming to it; and when they arrived they set about +with all their hearts learning the language, without being too much +afraid of it. Up to that time, though many had desired to learn it, no +one had yet been able to conquer its great difficulty; thus it had been +impossible to minister to the Chinese or to teach them in their own +language. The Lord favored the friars’ designs, seeing that, +although these designs were in so uncommon a matter, they did not +spring from presumption but from fervent wishes for the good of those +souls, and from <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb217" href="#pb217" +name="pb217">217</a>]</span>perfect confidence that, since the Lord +required these people to be baptized, He would provide the language in +which they might be ministered to. It was in this faith, without +hesitating at any labor, that on the first Epiphany, which was in 1588, +father Fray Miguel de Venavides was able to baptize solemnly three +Chinese, though he had already baptized many others who asked for +baptism at the point of death. This was within six months of the time +when the religious set foot on this land. The bishop was greatly +delighted, because he had greatly desired and striven for this end, +without being able to attain it before, and now saw his desires +accomplished. Still, he did not even then assign to them the ministry +to the Chinese without having first invited to undertake it each one of +the three religious orders that were in the country when our order +came; and without having received the response from all of them that +they were unable to supply religious to learn that language, and to +minister to this race in it. He then, with all this justification, gave +to them the said ministry, and granted them a license to build a new +church for those who were already Christians, or who should later +become such. They received the same license from the governor, +Sanctiago de Vera; and in fulfilment of this mandate they took +possession of this ministry, and built a new church near the village of +Tondo, in another new village called Baybay. The church was dedicated +to our Lady of the Purification, and there were assigned to it the +excellent colleagues Fray Miguel de Venavides and Fray Juan Cobo, who +struggled manfully with the new language, and conquered its +difficulties marvelously, although these were so great. They preached +and <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb218" href="#pb218" name= +"pb218">218</a>]</span>taught in it, not only in the church to the +Christians, but also to the rest of them, the heathen, in their +<i>Parian</i>—as a large town is called, formed by those who come +every year from China to this city of Manila on business. They were +greatly pleased and delighted by the marvelous conversion of some +Chinese. These conversions were effected not only in the case of those +who came with frequency and devotion to hear the sermons and addresses +made for this purpose, but even in one case when a man merely heard +them repeated by others. The convert spoken of lived in the Parian, +where all were heathen; and he understood nothing of what they had +heard but that there were religious who taught the law of God in the +Chinese language. This man lay sick, and was seized with a great desire +to speak with these fathers, wishing to accept the law that they +preached. The religious went to see him; and, when he came in, the sick +man exhibited such fervent desire to become a Christian that the +religious in wonder asked him the reason. [He replied that he had seen +in a vision a most beautiful lady, who had told him that he must become +a Christian in order to see the glory of heaven. When the father +questioned him, he already showed considerable knowledge of the +mysteries of the faith. He was baptized immediately, and died soon +after. A number of similar cases followed, some Chinese being converted +by happy visions, some by dreadful ones.]</p> +<p>Soon after the building of the church already mentioned in the +village of Baybay, the religious thought they ought to go nearer the +principal town of the Chinese, called the Parian, where there are +ordinarily from eight to ten thousand Chinese, and <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb219" href="#pb219" name= +"pb219">219</a>]</span>often more than fifteen thousand. Accordingly, +half-way between this large town and the city of Manila they built a +tiny hut of nipa, which here fills the place taken by straw in +Castilla; and from this they went, by day or by night, to take +advantage of the opportunities offered for preaching to those who were +in good health, and teaching and baptizing those who were sick. Many of +the sick were in the greatest poverty, and lacked the necessaries of +life; for the Chinese in Manila show each other very little charity, +being heathens, and, like all the rest of their nation, extremely +avaricious—a quality not very consistent with caring for the sick +poor. Thus the religious were obliged to show compassion upon the sick, +and to put the poorest ones in their little hut and in their own beds, +for they had no others; and, because they could not get bed-clothing, +the cloaks of the poor friars served as blankets for the sick. The +friars reckoned it a profitable exchange, a most profitable exchange, +to give their cloaks of serge or sackcloth for that of charity, which +affords a much better and much more honorable covering. Chinese and +Spaniards both greatly admired this deed, the more so when they saw +religious of such endowments as fathers Fray Miguel de Venavides and +Fray Juan Cobo not only putting these poor heathen and strangers in +their own beds and cloaks, but serving them in all the low and humble +offices required for the sick, applying themselves to all things in +their own proper persons—washing their feet and bathing them and +caring for them, although their maladies were very disgusting, as they +usually are with this race. Thus these people began to feel a very +great affection not only for these fathers, but for all of <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb220" href="#pb220" name= +"pb220">220</a>]</span>their habit, seeing in them so rare and +disinterested a virtue. The food for the sick was taken from that sent +to the fathers from the convent of Manila, for in this little hut there +was nothing to eat, and no kitchen in which to prepare it. The result +was that they had all the more for the poor, for those who lived in the +convent of Manila were unwilling to lose the merit of so good a work, +and therefore gave up a good part of what they had to eat and sent it +to the poor. Since these poor were at first few in number, it was +possible to serve them carefully; and when their numbers afterward +increased, there likewise increased the piety of many Spaniards and +Chinese Christians, who aided with alms to enlarge the lodgings, to buy +food and medicines, and to get the other things needed by the sick, so +that there was never any lack of these, and it was never necessary to +send away anyone that came. On the contrary, the religious went out and +looked for people, and at times forced them to come and receive the +good that they did to them. Some heathen wished to give contributions +to this good work done for their people; but the fathers at that time +thought it well not to accept these offers, so that they might make it +still more clear that they were giving their services purely for +charity. The governor of Manila saw the good results attained by the +hospital, and the great need in which it was; and in the name of his +Majesty he made it a present of a hundred blankets from the country +known as Ylocos, which are large and are made of cotton cloth. These +were for the sick to be covered with, and this gift was a very useful +one. This was a work which the Lord would not fail to aid, as He has so +many times commended to us compassionate <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb221" href="#pb221" name="pb221">221</a>]</span>treatment of the +poor; and as the religious in this case attended to all the needs, +spiritual and temporal, of those whom they had in their care. Hence the +number of the poor whom they cared for was constantly multiplied, as +were the alms which gave the fathers the ability to care for them. Very +soon the religious who accepted no income or possessions for their own, +and who gave all their attention to seeking for these for the +poor—had the courage to build a regular hospital of stone. In +fact they drew the foundations around the little hut of nipa that they +had between the Parian and the city of Manila, and built a large room +accommodating twenty beds. But the inhabitants would not permit them to +complete it, for they thought that it would be an injury to the city to +have a stone building so near, as, in case of an earthquake (such as +happened some years afterward), it might do damage. On this account the +friars crossed to the other side of the river which washes the walls of +the city, and built a temporary building entirely of wood, but large, +with a capacity for eighty beds, which were ordinarily occupied. At the +present time it is built with pillars of stone, and accommodates more +than one hundred and fifty beds in three large wards. There are many +who die in the hospital, and practically all are baptized when they are +at the point of death; so there are very few who die in their unbelief, +for they are influenced by the great charity with which they are cared +for there. They receive all that they require, and even all the food +allowed by the physician. Thus their wills are made gentle, and there +is fixed in them that pious affection needed by the faith, so that they +will make no perverse resistance. Since great care is taken to +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb222" href="#pb222" name= +"pb222">222</a>]</span>teach them the Catholic truths, they understand +these very well; for they have good minds; and they not only embrace +them with great willingness when they are at the point of death and +have lost their other purposes and desires, which previously kept them +from being baptized, but usually when they leave the hospital, cured of +their infirmities, they also leave their errors. Then, after they have +been well educated in the faith, they are made Christians. Thus on both +accounts this hospital is one of the most illustrious in the world; for +if others are illustrious on account of their splendid buildings, their +great incomes, the excellent diet they provide, and the neatness with +which the sick are cared for, this one, though it has of all these +things even more than enough, exceeds all the rest in the fact that +practically all those who enter it are heathen, and practically all are +baptized. Since this occurs at the point of death, they generally pass +from the bed to heaven without being obliged to pass through +purgatory—the proper effect of baptism being that it not only +pardons all faults, but releases from all penalties. When this hospital +was moved from a situation close to Manila, as has been said, to the +place which it now occupies, it was named for St. Peter the +martyr—whom the religious took as their patron, inasmuch as he +was so in matters of faith, for the propagation of which everything +carried on in that hospital was and is done. Hence some of them desired +to have the first name retained in the newly-built hospital, while +others had other ideas. Finally they settled the matter by lot, begging +the Lord to give this spiritual patronage to that saint to whom He +should please to assign it. For this they put in <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb223" href="#pb223" name="pb223">223</a>]</span>many +lots, among the rest that of the archangel St. Gabriel, which was the +first to come out. Some were not satisfied, and for a second time the +names of the saints were gathered and whirled round; when one was drawn +out for the second time it was the same St. Gabriel. Then, when they +tried drawing lots again, as they had done twice before, for a third +time the same saint came out, and all were persuaded that the Lord was +pleased to have the patronage belong to this holy archangel. So the +hospital was named for St. Gabriel and became his house, so that he +might arrange with God for the spiritual healing of those who were +cared for there—since to him, as one so zealous for salvation, +the same Lord had made him His ambassador to the Virgin, to confer with +her on the means necessary to the universal salvation of the world. As +the hospital increased in size, the number of those cared for likewise +increased, its reputation spread, and it was a continual preacher of +the truth of our holy faith. For the superior intelligence of the +Chinese forced them to the conviction that the virtue of these +religious was real, because without any worldly motives they took care +with such devotion of the sick of another nation, another faith, and +another law, without being under any obligation to them and without +expecting from them any pay or reward. If they were truly virtuous, +their law must be good; and they would not be able to attempt to +deceive the Chinese in a matter of so much importance as their +salvation. Accordingly they listened with profit and many were +converted, believing that one who lives a good life would tell the +truth in his preaching. Not only those who were converted, but all the +rest, made <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb224" href="#pb224" name= +"pb224">224</a>]</span>these matters the subject of familiar +conversation; then, when they went back to their own country, they told +about them to those who were there; and by this hospital the order was +made famous in China. To this end it was a great assistance that when +the sick man first came in, and his sickness gave an opportunity for +it, they did not immediately discuss spiritual matters with him, until +by experience he saw the truth of what the religious ordinarily said to +him, and had learned with what solicitude and care they attended to his +health and his diet. Upon this good foundation, and the confidence +which they had created among them by such works, they built up, little +by little, the preaching of the faith, and the consistency of its +mysteries, confuting the errors of his infidelity. Now when all this +rests upon a basis of so much beneficence which is not his due, but +which he has received out of kindness alone, he is very willing to +accept it; and he earnestly begs for baptism, receiving that sacrament +with great joy. Sometimes, when some with great obstinacy have resisted +the light, the Lord has amazed their ears, and has forced them to be +eager for baptism, as happened to one who had a severe disease of the +head. He was very perverse, and one day—the day of St. Nicholas +the bishop—when he had been asleep for some time and had not +spoken, he aroused a little, calling upon them to baptize him, because +he wished to become a Christian. When the religious wondered at this, +as did all the rest who had seen him a short time before in so contrary +a mood, they asked him the reason for the change. He answered that he +had seen a venerable old man, whom he described as the saint to whom +that day is sacred is represented; the vision <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb225" href="#pb225" name="pb225">225</a>]</span>had +commanded him to be baptized. In another case, one of two sick men was +baptized; and the other saw a vision of that man rescued from demons as +a result of the baptism. In still another case two impenitent sick +persons refused to be baptized. One of them died, and the other saw him +in a vision tortured by frightful demons, and prayed to be baptized.] +The result is, that few who enter the hospital are not baptized, while +all tell of the good done in it for the people of their nation. Years +ago, a Chinese heathen came from his own country, and the first thing +that he did when he reached this country was to ask for this hospital, +of which he had heard so much good in his own land. When they showed it +to him, he went straight to it, and told the fathers that in China he +had heard how the fathers in this hospital cared for and fed those who +were not their kinsmen or their acquaintances; and that the glory of so +noble a thing and so pious a work had caused him to come to keep them +company and aid them. The religious received him lovingly, and, finding +that he had unusual intelligence, they taught him not only what was +required for baptism, which he received, but enough for him to teach +those of his own nation all they required for baptism. This he did +marvelously, and greatly diminished the labor which fell on the +religious. He was named Bartholome Tamban; and he lived with the +religious many years, being as one of them in prayer, discipline, and +their other penances. He frequented often, and with much purity, the +holy sacraments of penance and the eucharist. When he had served in the +hospital for eighteen years, he married; and he lived a very exemplary +life in the state of marriage, heard mass <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb226" href="#pb226" name="pb226">226</a>]</span>every day with great +devotion, and, after coming to the first mass did not leave the church +until he had heard all that was said, in the church at his village of +Minondoc. In the year 1612 he died, leaving behind him the name not +only of a good Christian, but of a very devoted servant of God. The +hospital was afterward built with large stone pillars, but, as the +number of the sick constantly increased, and as there was not room +enough for them in that house, they erected another building, very +large and handsome, which was finished in 1625; and both are still +used. Since at some times they cannot accommodate the sick because of +their number, another one is now being built, still larger and finer. +The Lord always supplies it with great abundance, as a house that +continually furnishes Him people for heaven—those who, if they +had died out of the hospital, would necessarily have died in their +unbelief, and would have gone to people hell.</p> +<div class="figure xd20e1742width" id="p227"><img src="images/p227.jpg" +alt="Governor Luis Perez Dasmariñas" width="494" height="705"> +<p class="figureHead">Governor Luis Perez Dasmariñas</p> +<p class="first">[<i>From painting exhibited at St. Louis, 1904, in the +Philippine exhibit of the Louisiana Purchase Exposition</i>]</p> +</div> +<p>As a result of the continued preaching to the Chinese, the number of +them converted and baptized increased from year to year. Since after +this they were not permitted to return to their own country, they +married and settled down in this one, so that the population of +Christians in Baybay belonging to this nation was greatly increased. It +accordingly became necessary to buy another large site, in order to +extend this village—which, though it is immediately contiguous to +the other, has a separate name, and is somewhat divided from it by a +river which passes between them. This village is called Minondoc. This +site was bought to be given to the new Christians, as in fact it was +given, by Don Luis <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb229" href="#pb229" +name="pb229">229</a>]</span>Perez das Mariñas,<a class="noteref" +id="xd20e1755src" href="#xd20e1755" name="xd20e1755src">27</a> knight +of the Habit of Alcantara, and former governor of these islands, a man +of superior virtue, who lived in this same village among the Chinese, +setting them an admirable example as a man who had the name and did the +works of sainthood. In this location of Minondoc it was necessary to +build another church, much larger than the one they had at Baybay +(which was very small, and did not accommodate all the congregation). +From time to time it has been increased in size and is now a most +beautiful church, very capacious, very well lighted, very pleasant, +very strong, and very attractive. It is built wholly of stone, being +thirty-eight brazas in length, and more than eight in width, and eight +and one-half high. It has fifty large windows, which add much to its +beauty. Its size is now so great that it is the largest church in the +village; and since it will not accommodate all the congregation at one +time, they go to it twice on every Sunday and feast-day. Sermons are +delivered at each of the masses, in two languages—one in Chinese, +and the other in the language of the natives of this country, for the +wives <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb230" href="#pb230" name= +"pb230">230</a>]</span>of the Chinamen and other Indians who live in +this town. There are then four sermons delivered every Sunday, two in +Chinese, and two in the language of these Indians; although, that they +may not be too heavy a burden, each address lasts not more than half an +hour. The Chinese have always given this church of theirs the name of +St. Gabriel, after that of their hospital, in admiration of the miracle +of his lot having been drawn out three times in succession as patron of +the hospital, as has been said. They desire not to fail to deserve the +favor of this most holy archangel, whom the Lord has given them with +His own hand as their especial advocate; and they therefore celebrate +in his honor every year very joyful and devout feasts. Throughout the +year the divine offices are performed in this church with great +solemnity and grandeur, many of these Chinese affording their +assistance, with very large contributions toward everything necessary +for the adornment of the church and the divine services. There have +been in this town many Chinese of very exemplary lives. Juan de Vera +was not only a very devout man, and one much given to prayer, but a man +who caused all those of his household to be the same. He always heard +mass, and was very regular in his attendance at church. He adorned the +church most handsomely with hangings and paintings, because he +understood this art. He also, thinking only of the great results to be +attained by means of holy and devout books, gave himself to the great +labor necessary to establish printing in this country, where there was +no journeyman who could show him the way, or give him an account of the +manner of printing in Europe, which is very different from the manner +of printing followed <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb231" href="#pb231" +name="pb231">231</a>]</span>in his country of China. The Lord aided his +pious intention, and he himself gave to this undertaking not only +continued and excessive labor, but all the forces of his mind, which +were great. In spite of the difficulties, he attained that which he +desired, and was the first printer in these islands;<a class="noteref" +id="xd20e1762src" href="#xd20e1762" name="xd20e1762src">28</a> and this +not from avarice—for he gained much more in his business as a +merchant, and readily gave up his profit—but merely to do this +service to the Lord and this good to the souls of the natives. For they +could not profit by holy books printed in other countries, because of +their ignorance of the foreign language; nor could they have books in +their own language, because there was no printing in this country, no +one who made a business of it, and not even anyone who understood it. +Hence this labor was very meritorious before the Lord and of great +profit to these peoples. As a reward the Lord gave him a most happy +death, with such joy and devotion that he began to sing praises to the +Lord in a very loud voice—at one time in his Chinese language, at +another in that of the Indians, at another in Spanish; for he knew them +all well. There were about his bed many religious, who loved him much +for his devoutness. One of them said, in a low voice, to him who was +next to him, “It seems that the severity of his disease has +affected his mind;” and as if this had been said aloud the sick +man heard it, and answered, “Has he not lost his reason, fathers, +who on any such occasion as this should think it well to do anything +but what I am doing—sing praises to the Lord and give Him many +thanks for having made me a Christian?” He <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb232" href="#pb232" name= +"pb232">232</a>]</span>longed for a thousand languages that he might +praise Him in all; and in this devotion and fervor of spirit he died, +leaving the religious not only greatly comforted but very envious of +such a death. Juan de Vera had a brother somewhat younger than he; and +when Juan saw that he was about to die he called him and said to him: +“Brother, there is one thing which I wish to ask you to do for +me, that I may die in comfort; and that is, that you will carry on this +business of printing, so that the great service done by it to God may +not come to an end. I know well that you are certain in this way to +lose much gain; but it is of much greater importance to you to obtain a +spiritual profit by printing devout books for the Indians. You may well +afford to lose this temporal gain in return for that eternal +one.” The brother promised, and much more than fulfilled his +word; for, greatly influenced by the aforesaid holy death, the brother +greatly improved his own manner of life, and began a career of especial +devotion, which lasted until his death. He was made steward of our +Lady, and served her with great diligence. From his own fortune he +provided many rich adornments, giving to the church a large cross and +silver candlesticks for the procession, besides a silver lamp for the +most holy sacrament. He also contributed largely to the building of the +church. He gave all these things to our Lady, in return for what he +gained in his business; and he agreed with this Lady to give her a +certain portion of his profits, obliging himself to this with a special +vow. In return for this devotion, his merits and his gains increased, +and he felt himself daily more and more under obligation; and he more +and more devoutly fulfilled his office, in which he <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb233" href="#pb233" name= +"pb233">233</a>]</span>died, leaving behind him a very good name, as +such a life deserved. A still greater advance in spirituality was made +by Antonio Lopez, a Chinese of superior ability and judgment, very +devout and charitable, and a liberal benefactor of his church. To the +building of the church he gave many thousand pesos in life, and after +his death left a perpetual endowment of considerable amount for its +ornaments, repairs, and other needs. Because of his probity, rectitude, +and disinterestedness—a rare virtue among the Chinese, who are +naturally avaricious, and one which is never found by itself, but is +always accompanied by all the rest in a high degree, since it is the +most difficult for them—because of these good qualities, he was +frequently obliged to hold the office of governor of his people. This +gave them great delight, because they knew he was just and pious. +Though this office is usually sought for, and even ordinarily bought +for many thousand pesos, he did not desire it, even free of cost; and +it was necessary to force it upon him. When finally he accepted it, +being unable to resist longer, he desired to avoid all temptations to +avarice; and therefore, from the very beginning, he made an offering to +the church of all the profits obtained from the office. He left for +himself only the labor, so that good-will to the party affected by his +decisions might not make him swerve a single point from justice. When +he died he left a will very Christian and very prudent, providing for +many masses immediately and a perpetual chaplaincy, bestowing much +alms, giving three slaves to his church, and doing many other things +worthy of his Christian spirit and his advanced intelligence. There +have been in this town many other persons of <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb234" href="#pb234" name="pb234">234</a>]</span>very +great virtue, particularly women. A reference to their devotion at this +point will cause a similar spirit in the readers; but, being a matter +not directly connected with this history, we are obliged to omit it, +that we may pass on to matters more germane to our subject. It will be +sufficient to refer to one special case which happened to one woman, a +Japanese by nation, married to a Chinaman. [Poor in the things of this +world, they were rich in those of heaven. Each of them had the +characteristics opposite to those of their race; she was without the +duplicity and choleric spirit of the Japanese, and he was destitute of +the avarice and loquacity of the Chinese. She in particular amazed and +humiliated her confessor. Her virtue was such that she was rewarded by +a vision of our Lady, who comforted her with the promise that her +confessor, father Fray Thomas Mayor,<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1772src" href="#xd20e1772" name="xd20e1772src">29</a> who had +expected to return to his native province of Aragon, would not leave +his post in the islands.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1775" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1776" class="label">Chapter XXVIII</h3> +<h3 class="main">The coming of some religious, and the second +visitation of father Fray Juan de Castro</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">As has been seen, the conversions that had been begun +proceeded with great prosperity, affording even at the very beginning +marvelous fruits. The Lord at the very outset favored them, as being +matters <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb235" href="#pb235" name= +"pb235">235</a>]</span>peculiarly under His own care, with supernatural +marvels—manifest proofs of the truths preached in them, proofs +which the heathen could not resist; and hence more and more of them +embraced the faith and abandoned their errors with the greatest marks +of devotion. This they did with such rapidity that the few missionaries +there were could not serve so many converts, scattered in so many +villages. Therefore the Lord had compassion upon them, and in the year +1589 sent them reënforcements of religious, few but excellent. As +their superior came father Fray Juan Chrisostomo, the man who had +labored most in the establishment of this province, and who therefore +greatly loved it. But the Lord had kept him in desire for it, that he +might obtain the greater merit; and therefore in his first year he was +not able to come, having been so infirm and weak that he could not even +use his arms and hands to carry the food to his mouth, and had to +depend upon others. In the second year, although he had not completely +recovered, he set out on the road and almost reached the port, desiring +to take ship; but was unable to do so, for lack of a vessel. These were +reasons enough why a man who had been of old a missionary in Nueva +España, who had great command of the language, and who was much +beloved by religious and Indians, as father Fray Juan Chrisostomo was, +should remain among them. Still, this result did not follow in his +case, because of the great desire that he felt to do a greater service +under greater difficulties in this new province, where with the utmost +fervor the missionaries devoted themselves to their labor for the +benefit of souls, drawing them from the darkness of their unbelief. +Therefore in <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb236" href="#pb236" name= +"pb236">236</a>]</span>this year he sought for an opportunity and for +some associates, and embarked for this province—although, on +account of his many and severe infirmities and his great age, and on +account of the fact that his life had been spent with great praise in +the ministry to the Mexican Indians, he might justly have taken his +ease in a country where it would have been so natural to do it as +Mexico. He was joined by father Fray Francisco de la Mina,<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e1786src" href="#xd20e1786" name= +"xd20e1786src">30</a> who had been a missionary in Nueva España +for forty years, setting a noble example, and exhibiting the most +finished virtue; by Fray Thomas Castellar, likewise a very devoted +religious, who had been a missionary there and had labored notably in +that office and in other laudable exercises, for which he received +great commendation in that province; and by Fray Alonso Montero, who, +though younger, had likewise been a missionary to those Indians. These +two fathers were sent directly to the province of Pangasinan, where +they learned the language well, and labored much and with notable +results. Father Fray Francisco de la Mina went to the district of +Bataan. He was so old that he could not learn the language of these +Indians very well; but the good example of his life, his great virtue, +and his strictness of life, qualities which were eminent in this +gray-haired and venerable man, were of great profit to the natives, and +gave opportunity for permitting father Fray Juan Garcia to leave this +mission and go to that of Pangasinan. This was the vocation indicated +for <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb237" href="#pb237" name= +"pb237">237</a>]</span>him by the Lord; and hence, by His aid, he was +most useful in this tribe, and one of those who labored most and best +in it. He was greatly beloved by the Indians, among whom his memory +still remains; and they speak of him with great affection, which he +deserved by his exemplary life and by the great devotion with which he +labored for them, as will be told when his happy death is related. +Father Fray Juan Chrisostomo was occupied in the conversion of the +Chinese, not only because that was what was most desired by the +religious, but also because his many infirmities would not permit him +to go very far from the physician, and there was none in the other +districts. When the father provincial had divided the new workers, as +has been said, he himself would not be idle; and accordingly he set +about a second visitation of his province, desiring to see that of +which reports were sent to him—the favor shown by the Lord to +these new conversions, in softening the hard hearts of the heathen, and +in firmly rooting the faith and virtuous habits in those already +converted. He received consolation enough in seeing the great things +wrought by the Lord in the conversion of the Chinese—the church +and the teaching that they had in Baibai, and the continual conversions +in the Parian, as a result of the sermons assiduously delivered to +them. But what most of all delighted his spirit was what he saw daily +in the hospital of the Chinese, where he dwelt with great comfort to +his soul. It delighted him greatly to hear these sick persons—who +had previously not known to whom to turn in their troubles, except to +their idols and devils, but who now despised these, and called in their +sorrows and wretchedness upon God—invoking the most comforting +name of <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb238" href="#pb238" name= +"pb238">238</a>]</span>Jesus and of His most holy mother Mary, our +Lady. To her all these peoples feel such loving devotion that some of +them more quickly remember this our Lady and call upon her in their +necessities than God Himself—in which our Lord delights, for the +honor of His most holy mother. It took from the holy old man a thousand +gray hairs to see the many persons who, recovering from their sickness, +asked for baptism—and much more to see those who died baptized. +He was not displeased but delighted when he heard them ask for food and +dainties, which he provided for them with great charity and kindness, +giving them whatever they asked so long as it was not dangerous to +their health. He regarded his provincialship as a happy one when he +went among those who were serving the sick, not as their needy +neighbors, but as taking the place of Christ, our good, who regards as +a kindness to His own person everything that is done in His name to +those who are so poor. Hence the good provincial went on, in happiness +and devotion, serving the sick as if he were their nurse; he provided +them with good beds, shared with them his robe, and as well as he +could, though he did not know their language, encouraged them to +patience. Lifting his eyes to heaven, he thanked the Redeemer of the +world that He had so changed the hearts of this race, who in their +heathen state seemed to have no heart or understanding for anything +except the gaining of money, in which they seemed to place all their +happiness and all their desires. Afterward, when he saw some miraculous +conversions here, which have already been partly described, it was a +wonderful thing to see the devout superior breaking out in lively and +fervent wishes that he might see <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb239" +href="#pb239" name="pb239">239</a>]</span>similar mercies of the Lord +enjoyed by the great kingdom of China; and that the doctrine of the +Catholic church, carried thither by apostolic men, might succeed in +conquering in that same country those able minds by the force of its +truth, and by the constant aid which truth has always received from the +divine Goodness. He was sure that among the people of that kingdom, as +they are more polite, having a superior political organization, and are +more highly cultivated by learning, the faith would accomplish very +extraordinary results. To this belief he was the more inclined because +it had already wrought so much among those poor Chinese who came to the +Philippinas Islands; for they are ordinarily of the lower class of +their kingdom, and as such come to serve and labor for foreigners. On +this account there followed in his mind a great desire to send to China +religious from the number of those who understood the language, and +even to accompany them, though he could not see the way to carry out +his plan. He could not venture to take them thither, because of his +fear of the great hardships that those would have to endure who +ventured upon this undertaking. So he felt the desire only, with no +further results than to commend it constantly to the Lord, to whom +there is nothing impossible or difficult. He visited the district of +Bataan and found it greatly improved as a result of the useful +spiritual exercise introduced by the fathers. They had set up crosses +at the intersections of the roads, and here the people of the +neighborhood gathered every evening as they came in from their fields, +which they have very near their villages. Here they recited all of the +doctrine [that they had received], in order that <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb240" href="#pb240" name="pb240">240</a>]</span>they +might be more thoroughly acquainted with it; and from day to day they +became more tractable and devout, as being more fully instructed in the +faith. It was for the father provincial a most delicious morsel to hear +them recite not only all the prayers, but afterward all the questions +which are ordinarily put in regard to the teaching of +Christianity—some asking the questions and others answering them; +and even offering difficulties to each other, about which they asked +questions, and to which many old Christians would not know what to say. +What pleased him more than anything else was the happy beginning of +confessions that had been made. By these confessions, given with +clearness and truth, the missionaries came to the knowledge of the +great errors which had been committed by those who had previously been +concerned with this mission. By this time, as a result of the great +amount of teaching which had been given to this district, the Indians +came to bethink themselves, and gave information to their confessors; +and thus many things which needed remedying were set right, in cases +which were of no less importance than salvation itself. The provincial +was with great reason pleased; for all the faults which are committed, +not only against the commandment of God and of His church, but against +the other sacraments, are corrected and blotted out, if only this one +is properly received, for our Lord has placed reparation for all of +them in this sacrament of penance. But if confession is not such as it +ought to be, there is no remedy; and hence everything is irredeemably +lost. This truth, which holds for the whole church of God, has greater +force among Indians, in whose way the devil strives to place a +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb241" href="#pb241" name= +"pb241">241</a>]</span>thousand difficulties, and fears of this +sacrament. Since they do not know as much or have as much capacity as +old Christians, they are more easily deceived, and it is not so easy to +deliver them from such temptations. Only continual instruction by the +ministers can help them to escape from these snares, as the Christians +of this region escaped. With great clearness and distinctness they +stated what troubled their consciences, and many evils were remedied, +to the great comfort both of the penitents and of their confessors, who +gave an account of this matter to their superior, and he rendered many +thanks to the Lord for it. Continuing his visitation, the provincial +went on to Pangasinan, where he saw and heard even greater +things—since, as the obstinacy of this tribe had been greater, it +was proper that God should work in it greater marvels. These had been +such as to overcome nearly all their perversity, and much has been said +with regard to them already. Much more is omitted; but they all wrought +upon these untamed Indians marvelous effects. Not that they subjected +themselves wholly to the easy yoke of the faith; rather, the Christians +there were very few, but they were very good ones; and all the rest +were almost convinced, by the things which they saw and heard, in favor +of the gospel and its ministers. Even though they did not wholly accept +the missionaries, they were not so much opposed to them as they had +been in the two previous years. They were influenced by the many +evident miracles wrought daily for their benefit and that of their +children—so many indeed that one of the ministers, in some +remarks which he made upon the events which occurred there in these +first years, affirms that during the time that he spent <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb242" href="#pb242" name="pb242">242</a>]</span>in +this province not one day passed in which the Lord did not work some +miracles or new marvels. Sometimes these took the form of the healing +of incurable diseases—a cure at times so sudden and unexpected +that the Indians could not deny or fail to perceive it. The result was +that more and more asked to be baptized, and received baptism with much +faith and devotion. A good evidence of the truth of their conversion +was the coming of these same new Christians to the fathers, saying: +“You teach us that the vessel which is full of one liquid cannot +contain another if the first is not poured out—so that if a man +persists in pouring another upon that which is within, it will all go +outside and be lost. This is true; we cannot deny this truth, of which +we have daily experience. It follows from this that though you pour +upon us baptism and the good teaching which you give us, it all comes +to nothing so long as we are still full of the appliances and the +vessels with which we offer sacrifices to our idols; because these +things keep in our memory that which we used to do with them, so that +as they are the customs in which we were born and bred, they do us much +harm. Command, fathers, that all shall show where these things are; +take them from the possession of those who have them, so that with all +our hearts we may be Christians.” The fathers listened with great +pleasure to the things said—things which had been said so many +ages before by the prophet Samuel, in the spirit of God, to his own +city. But considering that those who kept these objects hidden, and +esteemed them highly, would not display them immediately, even though +they were commanded to do so, they said to these chiefs: “The +example of your <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb243" href="#pb243" +name="pb243">243</a>]</span>leaders is that which overcomes all the +difficulties there may be in the rest of the village. Do you begin, and +the common people will follow you. Even if your example is not +sufficient, that which you do will be a service pleasing to God; and +you will render a benefit to the souls of your neighbors, if you will +declare to us who they are that make use of these things or hide them. +If you do not do this, your zeal and Christian resolution which you +have shown to us will be useless; and the doctrine of the Lord will not +be advanced among your kinsmen, much to your blame.” These +arguments had so much weight that these chiefs were immediately the +very first to cause to be brought thither the vessels of <i>quila</i> +(this is a wine which they make of sugar-cane, and when it has aged for +some years it has the color of our amber wine). This they esteem very +highly and keep with great care, using it at their feasts in honor of +their idols. They also brought a great amount of fine earthenware, +which they employ only in their superstitions; with a great heap of +various kinds of apparatus, as it were, consecrated and employed for +their idolatries. After the consecration of these articles, they were +used only by the ministers of their idols, who among them were old +women—as it were, priestesses. All this they poured out, or +broke, by the common consent of the village. This was on Shrove +Tuesday, in Pangasinan. And thus they cast from them the remnants of +their idolatry, to the great confusion of the devils, to whom all this +had been dedicated. This example was followed in other villages, but +not in all; for up to that time they were still almost all not yet +baptized, and, as heathen, they could not bring themselves to +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb244" href="#pb244" name= +"pb244">244</a>]</span>give up their superstitions. It was therefore +necessary that father Fray Pedro de Soto should spend great diligence +on such things in the district of Magaldan, where he was settled; for +the people there were more given to superstition than were those in the +rest of the island. He instructed the persons who enjoyed the greatest +influence what zeal they ought to have for the honor of the Lord; and +to move them more, as they were only taking on for the first time the +office of agents of virtue, he offered payment to anyone who would give +him information with regard to these things, assuring the informers +that the matter would never be revealed by him. As a result of this +assurance and of the payment of the money, and, above all, the Lord +lending His aid to this holy purpose, but few idolatries were +concealed. To all those of which he knew the father strove to bring a +healing remedy, without hesitating before any labor or danger for this +end in venturing among this race which was so barbarous, untamed, and +idolatrous, and which so hated the gospel. In this region there was one +Indian chief named Lomboy. This man had fled from his villages three +years, for fear of the alcalde-mayor, as the officer intended to punish +him for having taken the life of his own sister, whom he had detected +in sin, and for failing to consult his tribesfolk or kinsmen in the +matter. This Lomboy used often to visit the churches and convents of +the religious; and, simulating carelessness, looked on with great +curiosity to see how they lived. He beheld their great innocence, their +penitence, their continual prayer, their frequent scourging; he saw +that they ate but little, labored much, went afoot from one village to +another to give aid to all, without fear of <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb245" href="#pb245" name="pb245">245</a>]</span>the +great heats and the no less dreadful storms of rain which follow each +other in this country, according to the seasons; above all, he was +impressed by the great uniformity displayed by the life of the fathers +in all these holy exercises. He saw them so poor and so completely +without covetousness that they not only did not strive for temporal +gain, but shared freely the little which they had with the poor. He saw +them so patient that they paid with good works for the bad deeds and +the worse words which the heathen Indian did and said to them. He saw +them so chaste that they did not seem to be made of flesh and blood, +and seemed to be sinless in this respect. When this Indian saw and +thought of all these things he said: “You know me, fathers, and +you see that I am exiled for my sins. I too have noted the manner in +which you live in your convents, and the way in which you treat each +other. So good are your ways in all things that I cannot help seeing +that the law which you preach is a good one; and therefore I have +determined to bring my evil life to an end and to seek for God. +Therefore I beg of you the training that is needed by my faults and my +wretched conditions of my life, and I put my will wholly in +yours.” The religious encouraged him to go on as he had begun, +taught him, and baptized him; and his conversion was of great value, +since it resulted in the baptism of many who heard him tell all these +things as a witness at first hand from within the convent, from whom +nothing could be concealed if anything to the contrary had existed. It +kept the good provincial from many gray hairs to hear and see all these +things; and he gave thanks to the Lord for the fortitude and +perseverance which His grace had inspired within him in <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb246" href="#pb246" name= +"pb246">246</a>]</span>previous years, when not only the well-affected +Spaniards and the religious of other orders, but even the bishop +himself, had advised him to withdraw the religious from that province, +where there was nothing but immeasurable labor to be done, to the great +danger of their lives, while the Indians gave no hope that they would +be converted. Rather, they strove with all their might to dismiss the +religious from their country, offering a great quantity of gold for +that purpose, so great was their obstinacy and their opposition to the +gospel. To this the good superior had answered: “Then it is these +bad Indians whom I wish my friars to strive to convert.” Indeed, +he had even commanded them to persevere in that which they had begun, +urging them on to the labor and the suffering with most efficacious +arguments, full of spirit and truth. Therefore, though this conversion +was a matter of great delight to all, it was so particularly to the +father provincial, for it was he who had had the greatest part in +it.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1814" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1815" class="label">Chapter XXIX</h3> +<h3 class="main">The journey of the father provincial, Fray Juan de +Castro, and of father Fray Miguel de Venavides to the kingdom of +China.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[The unexpected success of the mission to the province +of Pangasinan encouraged the father provincial to undertake the mission +to China which had been the principal object of their departure from +España. He was the more desirous to carry out his purpose of +undertaking the conversion of this kingdom, because of the superior +intelligence of the people, and the readiness to accept the faith which +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb247" href="#pb247" name= +"pb247">247</a>]</span>had been shown by the Chinese in Manila. His +determination was confirmed by visions seen by father Fray Luis +Gandullo. In April, 1590, the provincial laid his plans before the +religious of the province and with their consent undertook his journey. +He appointed father Fray Diego de Soria as procurator of the province, +to represent it in España and at Roma. He designated as superior +of the province, with all his own authority in his absence, father Fray +Juan Cobo. To take the place of this father in the mission to the +Chinese in Manila he designated father Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr. +After making these arrangements, he selected as his own companion +father Fray Miguel de Venavides; and, with the approval of the bishop +and the governor of the islands, he began to make arrangements for his +voyage. This was very difficult to do, because of the strict and severe +laws of the Chinese empire against admitting foreigners. Finally, +however, two courageous Chinese, Don Thomas Seiguan, a ship-captain who +had been converted at Manila, and another Chinese known as Don +Francisco, agreed to run the risk of taking the fathers to China. At +the very outset, the miraculous nature of the voyage was shown by the +fact that the devil whom the sailors consulted with regard to the +success of the voyage would not give his ordinary responses, being +frightened away by the presence of the servants of the true God. As +soon as they reached the coast of China, the two religious were +arrested by officers who searched the ship, manacled, and taken to the +city of Hayteng, the chief port of China. The venerable age of Fray +Miguel de Venavides, and his ability to speak the Chinese language, +caused him to be treated with <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb248" +href="#pb248" name="pb248">248</a>]</span>kindness and respect; but the +provincial received much abuse and violence. After being in prison for +a time in a temple of the goddess of the sea, whom they called Neoma, +they were taken before the tribunal. The judge was a man of great +dignity and gravity, and around him stood twelve grave personages in +ample robes with flowing sleeves, their rank being distinguished by a +certain difference in their hats. Father Fray Miguel answered the +question why they had come to that country with great boldness and +frankness, declaring that they had come to teach and to preach the true +religion of the Christians in that kingdom, and that in it only and in +no other was salvation to be found. When they said “teach,” +the judge without waiting for another word replied, <i>Bo ly</i>, which +in their language means, “You are wrong;” and without +further delay they were remanded to prison. The temple being flooded, +they were removed to a hut near the wall of the city, where they +suffered from want and were exposed to rain and wind. The provincial +was taken ill, and twice almost died. The Lord, however, moved the +heart of a rich and noble captain, who had been twice at Manila, to +give them a refuge in his house. Here they set up an altar where they +celebrated mass, the sacramental wine being miraculously preserved. The +two Chinamen who had brought them over were severely punished. Don +Thomas was about to be flogged, but at the intercession of the +religious, who begged that they might receive the punishment in his +place, he was spared this part of his chastisement, being condemned for +life to serve in the army—which is regarded in China as a great +dishonor, and brings with it much hardship. False <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb249" href="#pb249" name= +"pb249">249</a>]</span>charges were brought against the religious, that +they had come as Spanish spies; and these charges were supported by +false testimony and by forged papers. Father Miguel, by the help of +God, was enabled to write his petitions in the court language of that +country, to the great surprise of the officials. Finally the judges set +the religious free, commanding them to depart from the realm, as +foreigners. This they were obliged to do after some days, feeling that +their presence there would do no good. The father provincial was +greatly impressed by the dignity, composure, sound judgment, and +superior intelligence of the Chinese magistrate. As he had seen the +leading personages of both Españas, and had been acquainted with +the court of the prudent King Felipe, he was qualified to form an +opinion of the merits of this judge.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1830" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1831" class="label">Chapter XXX</h3> +<h3 class="main">Events in the province during the absence of the +provincial in China</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Great was the loneliness felt by the province during +the absence of the provincial, because of his holy life and the love +they felt for him. Father Fray Juan Cobo, though not wholly equal to +the provincial, was a man of great ability and great devotion. His +first act was to strengthen the ministry to the Chinese, by appointing +to it father Fray Domingo de Nieva, an able and virtuous religious, and +a perfect master of both the Chinese and the Indian languages. He +labored and wrote much in both of them, to the great advantage of the +ministers who succeeded him and of his own disciples. He suffered all +his life long <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb250" href="#pb250" name= +"pb250">250</a>]</span>with a severe headache, which began to afflict +him in youth and never left him till his death. Father Fray Juan Cobo +also appointed to the hospital of the Chinese brother Fray Pedro +Rodriguez, a lay religious of much charity, who found his delight and +his spiritual profit in serving the sick. Though he was not the founder +of the hospital, he was the cause of its great increase. He restored +and rebuilt it two or three times, as was necessary, because it had +been built at first very poorly, and hence was very frail and not +durable. At this time a fire broke out in the village of Baybay. A +wooden cross fastened in the gable of a house was miraculously +preserved from burning. The power of God was exhibited in marvelous +incidents connected with the baptism of several children.]</p> +<p>Father Fray Juan Cobo went on a visitation of the province, and +found the religious in the district of Bataan suffering no little +discomfort, because they could not visit the Indians who were in it +without great hardship and risk to their health. The reason was that +the Indians lived in hamlets so distant one from another that it was +often necessary to travel six leguas when they were called to confess a +sick person. As the number of Christians kept increasing, they were +called more and more often. The roads were very bad and marshy, which +increased the difficulty and made it more certain that the ministers +would suffer from disease. He planned to arrange them in such a manner +that the ministers could visit them better and with less hardship; and +gathered several little villages into others somewhat larger, placing +in the midst of all the two chief villages, Aboucay and Samal, which +were the places where the ministers <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb251" href="#pb251" name="pb251">251</a>]</span>resided, and from +which they went out to serve the neighboring places. There was some +difficulty in carrying out the plan, but God our Lord showed that He +was pleased with it, not only by making easy for them that which they +asked from Him so much to their own good, but by giving them several +very fertile years, those that had preceded having been so barren that +they scarcely yielded enough for the tribute. The crops were now very +abundant, giving the Indians enough to eat and something to sell; and +they began to lift up their heads, having hitherto lived in great +poverty. The health of the district was also greatly improved, and many +more of their sick were cured than before the religious came. Both of +these results came from the better years which the Lord had given them, +because as a result of these they had better sustenance and fewer +sicknesses. To this happy result the hospitals also contributed, which +had been established by the religious, as did also the care which the +religious took that the sick should not lack anything needed for their +care and sustenance—of which there had previously been a very +great want, so that fewer had recovered. As they experienced these +benefits which had come to them with the religious, they came to love +the latter very much; and with their love for them they came afterwards +easily to a change of heart, which at first they had greatly opposed. +The religious were a great help to them, not only in spiritual matters +(which was the principal thing), but also in everything else, providing +seed every year for those who had none, and greatly increasing the +arable land above what they had had previously. The result was, that +not only did those Indians who were there <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb252" href="#pb252" name="pb252">252</a>]</span>live better, but many +came to them from other districts, drawn by the report of their +prosperity. Accordingly, though in the country at large the Indian +districts exhibited a decreased population, the population here has +constantly increased, and so steadily that there are today twice as +many Indians there as there were when the religious came to it. When +these villages in Bataan were provided for, the father vicar of the +province went to Pangasinan, where he found those Indians somewhat more +nearly tamed than they had been, though there were still many of them +in their ancient hardness of heart. He was greatly delighted at seeing +how much the religious had achieved, and at perceiving their great +labors. He was still more delighted at seeing the many miracles wrought +by our Lord by the means of father Fray Luis Gandullo and by other +religious, in order to give credit to His gospel. Thus the Indians had +formed a high idea of the law of God, the heathen were being converted, +and the Christians were being perfected in the faith which they had +received a short time before. Of all this matter a fuller account will +be given in the lives of these religious. They were certainly very holy +men, as was demanded by the hardness of heart of this tribe, whose +hearts had to be softened and who had to be brought into the bosom of +the church much more by the example of a good life than by sermons and +words.</p> +<p>[At this time died at Manila father Fray Juan Chrisostomo, the +founder of the province, who had sacrificed his health to the +establishment of it. He had twice labored in this foundation, twice at +Roma obtained for it the sanction of the sovereign pontiffs and +generals of the order, and in Spain had twice <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb253" href="#pb253" name= +"pb253">253</a>]</span>obtained the royal approval. For a third time he +saw his work practically brought to an end in Mexico, to his great +sorrow. He had then been obliged to suffer the unhappiness of remaining +in Mexico without being able to visit the province which he had +established, until at the end of two years the Lord rewarded him by +permitting him to spend his last days in the province which he had done +so much to establish, and which he so much loved. He was a remarkable +preacher, having a fine voice, a good command of language, and natural +energy; and there was much substance in what he said. He made such an +impression in Spain that the king appointed him to be one of four +bishops who were to be consecrated if China should open its doors to +the preaching of the gospel. He lived a life of great asceticism, in +spite of his bodily infirmities. He took upon himself the painful and +laborious work of the office of vicar, giving the honorable duty to +father Fray Juan de Castro. In order to keep up his health for his +work, he continued to apply remedies against his old sickness, until +part of one side became as black as a coal. His death was holy and +devout.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1849" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1850" class="label">Chapter XXXI</h3> +<h3 class="main">The journey of the bishop of these islands to +España in company with father Fray Miguel de Venavides, and the +death of two religious.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">In the month of June in this same year, 1590, there +came to these islands as governor Gomez Perez das Mariñas, +knight of the Habit of Sanctiago, an able governor, indefatigable in +labor, who did many useful things for the benefit of the city of +Manila, one <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb254" href="#pb254" name= +"pb254">254</a>]</span>of them being to surround it with a wall of +stone. Some years afterward, in an uprising of the Chinese, this was +the only defense of the Spaniards. He was extraordinarily diligent, +very zealous for the common weal, a great soldier, and very chaste; yet +in spite of these and other good qualities, he failed of success +because he was beyond measure choleric. Of this imperfection the devil +took advantage to sow discord between him and the bishop, Don Fray +Domingo de Salaçar—who, as a holy man, though he would +suffer wrath and evil treatment affecting him personally, was not able +to endure in the same way those which were opposed to his official +undertakings and his official dignity. Accordingly, as he endeavored to +protect these or defend his subordinates, the encounters between him +and the governor were very unpleasant, and grave scandals followed. Our +religious under these circumstances found themselves in a position of +great difficulty, because the evils from one side were intolerable, +while from the other even greater evils threatened them if they broke +with the governor in order to stand by the holiness and justice of the +bishop. So they were for some time in suspense, and did what they could +to settle affairs without a rupture; but, being unable to succeed in +this way, they determined to follow the opinion of St. Gregory, and +rather to suffer the hardships and scandals that might result, than to +leave truth and justice without a defense on an occasion when there was +so great need of aid. Compelled by this necessity, they began, without +exceeding the limits of modesty and courtesy even in the opinion of +this same governor, to preach upon this subject. The governor resented +this much, and when he was <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb255" href= +"#pb255" name="pb255">255</a>]</span>angry affirmed that he had been +insulted; but when his wrath had given way to good sense, his +intelligence could not but be convinced. He then spoke very well of our +friars; constantly gave them alms; and above all, in his will (made in +health, when he was about to set out on a journey), he directed that he +should be buried in our convent. This was a thing that amazed the whole +country and gave our religious no little credit; for, though he had +regarded them as opposed to him, he recognized that they had been +influenced by reason, and had been compelled by truth and justice to do +what they did. Thus he regarded it as very proper to entrust to them in +his death soul and body, though when he was vexed, and wrath left no +room in his soul for good counsel, he gave them enough cause for +merits. But the Lord was not pleased that he should receive +ecclesiastical burial; for, in the very royal galley in which he went +on this journey, the Chinese whom he had taken against their will, +instead of volunteers, and forced to row, rose against him and killed +him and the others who accompanied him—God permitting this, to +punish him for his irreverence in losing respect for a bishop who was +known to be a holy man and who was his [spiritual] shepherd. The +bishop, before this happened, had gone to Spain, being unable to bring +the governor to do justice. He had felt himself forced to this by the +evils in that community, which he could not remedy there, and by the +hardships suffered by his church. He was even influenced to some extent +by the desire to avoid scandals by absenting himself. When he began to +plan for going, he wished to take along as his associate father Fray +Diego de Soria, who, as has been said, was appointed <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb256" href="#pb256" name="pb256">256</a>]</span>by +the father provincial, Fray Juan de Castro, to go to España when +he went to China. On account of this, the bishop, who loved him and +esteemed him highly, wished to take him in his company, while the order +could not refuse, and indeed would gain much thereby. But the governor +would not permit it, fearing the harm that might be done to him in +España; for because of the clearness and vigor with which the +father had boldly corrected and blamed him to his face, he felt very +sure, and with reason, that he would do the same in the court—the +more so from having gone in company with the bishop, as they would be +certain to discuss and plan this very thing on the voyage. On this +account he preferred to listen to the father’s corrections made +in his own presence which, as he saw, proceeded from good-will and were +regulated by discretion and prudence—rather than give him an +opportunity to spread abroad in España an account of the +improper manner in which he treated the bishop. For this cause father +Fray Miguel de Venavides was obliged to take his place as companion of +the bishop, and as procurator of the province in España. In this +way, without the knowledge of men, the plan of divine Providence, which +in all things chooses the better part, was being carried out. It was of +advantage to the province, in that father Fray Diego de Soria was given +to it; for he was extremely useful in Pangasinan and was afterward +necessary at Nueva Segovia, in which places father Fray Miguel could +not have rendered any assistance. On the other hand, the going of +father Fray Miguel de Venavides to España was of the very +greatest importance, because he was able to speak as an eye-witness in +regard to Chinese <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb257" href="#pb257" +name="pb257">257</a>]</span>affairs, which in España they +desired much to learn about with certainty from some person of +credit—as was father Fray Miguel, who did not speak from hearsay +but from sight. The acquaintance of the grave fathers of Spain with +father Fray Miguel, and their esteem for him, gave them much more +confidence in his report of the remarkable things which had happened in +the province, than if they had heard them from someone of less +standing. In that case they might have doubted; but, when he gave this +report, they could have no doubt at all. In fact, occasions presented +themselves in which all the scholarship and ability of Fray Miguel were +required, as will later be shown. For all these reasons his departure +to España was of great importance at that time. The Lord giving +them a good journey, they reached there in health; and what happened to +them will be told later.</p> +<p>A shorter but more dangerous journey was taken at this time by two +religious of Pangasinan; but so clearly did they perceive their danger +that their fear was changed to comfort—which was likewise felt by +all who saw them depart, since all regarded it as certain that they +were entering upon the road to heaven in striving for the salvation of +that people; for there were still many who were hard-hearted and +rebellious to the gospel. One of these friars was Fray Pedro Martinez, +a lay religious, a man of God, of plain and simple character. He had +been brought by father Fray Juan Cobo from Nueva España in +eighty eight, his holiness and virtue being well recognized by those +who had had to do with him in that country. [Fray Pedro was a native of +Segovia in Old Castilla, the child of poor but very devout parents. +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb258" href="#pb258" name= +"pb258">258</a>]</span>He grew up in gravity and devotion, being +blessed by the particular favor of the Holy Virgin, to whom he showed +great devotion. She appeared to him in a vision, directing him to enter +her order, which she declared to be that of St. Dominic. His life +brought him the name of “the Holy Friar.” Fray Pedro first +had the office of porter in the convent at Manila. Seeming not to be +fitted for it, he was made sacristan, but soon showed that he was less +fitted for this post, and resumed his former one. He was sent by the +provincial to Pangasinan, and was soon seized by a severe fever, of +which he died. In the utmost severity of his sickness he followed the +constitutions of the order with the greatest closeness. On the day of +his death he received extreme unction in the morning. They then placed +in his hands a blessed candle, which they could not draw from his hands +until the hour of the Ave Marias, when he died.</p> +<p>At the same time the Lord took to himself father Fray Marcos de San +Antonino, whom the provincial, finding him very ill with asthma, had +ordered to return from his post at Pangasinan to Manila, to be cared +for. In spite of his sufferings from this disease father Fray Marcos +had continued his labors, not only without complaints, but with +cheerfulness, walking about among these little villages and fields in +order to learn the language, seeking everywhere for someone to whom he +might do good, sometimes carrying the poor bed on which he had to +sleep. So devoted was he to his labor that the superior had to compel +him to consider his health. At Manila they placed him in the hospital +of the Sangleys, that he might have meat to eat, as his illness +required, for <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb259" href="#pb259" name= +"pb259">259</a>]</span>no meat is eaten in the convent. His asthma +greatly increased, and he was attacked by a burning fever which made +him so weak that he could not turn himself in bed. He died a devout +death.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1872" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1873" class="label">Chapter XXXII</h3> +<h3 class="main">The election of father Fray Alonso Ximenez as +provincial</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">On the ninth of April, 1592, the Sunday <i lang= +"la">Deus qui errantibus</i>—which is the third after Easter, and +the customary day for holding provincial chapters—the electors +assembled in the convent of Manila to elect a provincial; and they +unanimously elected as second provincial of this province father Fray +Alonso Ximenez, who was at that time prior. He was a very devout friar, +an aged man and venerable, whose fervor of spirit caused him to work +like a youth at a time when his great age and the many hardships which +he had endured justly required rest. There were chosen as definitors +fathers Fray Francisco de la Mina, Fray Juan de Castro (nephew of him +who had just filled the office of provincial), Fray Thomas Castellar, +and Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr. The vicariate of Binalatongan was +entrusted to father Fray Luis Gandullo, that of Calasiao to father Fray +Pedro de Soto, and that of Bataan to father Fray Juan de San Pedro +Martyr. As prior of the convent of Manila was elected father Fray +Francisco de la Mina, being compelled to undertake it by his obedience, +after he had accommodated himself to the ministry of Bataan, and had +learned the language with great effort. He had begun to learn it when +he was almost seventy years of age, and had been <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb260" href="#pb260" name= +"pb260">260</a>]</span>greatly pleased with these Indians because he +had found in them greater ability than in those of Nueva España, +to whom he had been a missionary for forty years. Although this long +term of service would have justified him in resting when he was +relieved from labor, he was so far from this that he spent nearly the +whole day with his Indians in Bataan, hearing them confess, teaching +them, and showing them the way to salvation, because of the great love +which he felt for them. So he much regretted leaving them, to take the +position of prior at Manila—although they needed in the convent a +man of his endowments, and the duties in the convent were less +laborious than those of the ministry that he then had. But this was the +very thing that grieved him, because he had not come to that province +to rest but to labor—insomuch that he feared those who were +taking away his labors were depriving him of his merit. But the order +of his superior made everything plain, and assured him that he would +not lose but gain merit in this way, since his good-will was worth as +much with God as many labors; and, besides this, he would gain in +addition that merit which the position of prior could give him, which, +for those who are such priors as this father was, is not a small but a +great increase.</p> +<p>Excellent ordinances were enacted in this chapter. The first was, +that those confessors who had not been examined in the province should +be examined before they received confessions. For this examiners were +appointed—not because the few who were in the province were not +of known competency and had not been examined in other provinces +before, but to establish a matter of such importance firmly at the +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb261" href="#pb261" name= +"pb261">261</a>]</span>very beginning; and to have the medicine +anticipate and prevent the disease, as the Holy Spirit counseled, and +as was very wise. They established in the convent lectures in theology, +and appointed as lecturer father Fray Juan Cobo. Anyone who will +consider how few the religious were, and how much they had to do, one +performing the work of many, will see the esteem which these fathers +felt for the exercises of sacred theology (which are so appropriate to +our order), and will think very highly of this care. It was ordained +that the preachers to the Indians should follow in their sermons the +form of the Roman catechism, teaching them the virtue and necessity of +the holy sacraments, and the reverence and devotion with which they +must be treated. Since by the mercy of God the Indians have given signs +of approaching them in the spirit necessary to receive them, and since +they were every day increasing in works of charity and mercy, and +exhibiting their faith, it was ordained that they should be instructed +thoroughly in regard to this matter; and that those sufficiently +instructed should be admitted to the most holy sacrament of the altar, +and in time to extreme unction. They repeatedly impressed upon their +own memory the ordinance passed in the first chapter, namely, that they +should treat the Indians with great love and charity, not only in +words, but in works—aiding them in their necessities with alms, +as much as might be possible for them, and in all things treating them +with the spirit of mildness. This ordinance further provided that if at +any time there should be necessity for punishment [of the Indians], it +should be performed by the hands of others, in order that from our +hands they might receive nothing but benefit and might <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb262" href="#pb262" name="pb262">262</a>]</span>thus +become devoted to the law which we preached. The chapter was held with +great solemnity and joy, as the church was then used for the first +time. It was now very beautiful, and was built wholly of stone. To +crown the feast they held some theological discussions, certain moral +difficulties being therein vindicated and explained. These difficulties +had to do with that which at that time was of the greatest importance; +in particular they discussed questions of great weight with regard to +the collection of the tributes,<a class="noteref" id="xd20e1890src" +href="#xd20e1890" name="xd20e1890src">31</a> and the justice with which +encomiendas and other places of profit ought to be distributed; and +with regard to slavery in this country, since, because it does not +follow the laws of España, but conforms to the customs of the +Indians, it presents peculiar difficulties. But the point which they +discussed most, and with the greatest profit, was the obligation of the +ministers to the Indians to remain among them and preach the gospel to +them, and to keep them in the law which those who were already +Christians had received. It was shown with great clearness that, in the +condition in which affairs were, the priests who were in these islands +could not leave them without being guilty of mortal sin against the +charity which we owe to these Indians our neighbors—who are +placed in the most extreme need of ministers to teach them, and to +administer the sacraments to them, without which it is impossible for +them to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb263" href="#pb263" name= +"pb263">263</a>]</span>be saved. Since the Indians who were in this +state of necessity were so many, and the priests so few that, even +though their number were many times increased, there would not be +enough, it was inferred with clearness that those who went away were +guilty of most grievous sin. It was concluded that they were obliged to +give an account to the Lord of the souls which should be lost on +account of their absence, the number of whom must of necessity be very +great. This teaching was of great importance and usefulness in calming +some priests and religious whom the love of their own country was +drawing back to España; and thus there resulted much consolation +and improvement to the Indians. [At this time there occurred an +incident which very greatly impressed the Chinese Christians, and +caused them to respect the directions of their confessors. The incident +might be called a punishment, but it was the punishment of a kindly +father, as the punishments of the Lord often are; and it resulted in +the entire salvation of a soul. In 1590 a Chinese Christian bookseller +called Pablo Hechiu desired to return in the vessels which left Manila +for China. He did not dare tell any of the fathers, because he knew +that they would interfere with his departure; but he was unable to keep +the matter secret from father Fray Juan Cobo. The father did what he +could to keep him from going away, because of the danger which he ran +of relapsing into idolatry; but the Chinese succeeded in eluding him, +and departed for China. The vessel in which he took passage was cast +upon the mountainous coast of Bolinao.<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1904src" href="#xd20e1904" name="xd20e1904src">32</a> Though the +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb264" href="#pb264" name= +"pb264">264</a>]</span>people on board escaped to land, they lost their +lives, because the Indians of this country, the Zambales or +mountaineers, are ferocious, and find their greatest delight in slaying +men and cutting off their heads, for no other reason than their own +wicked disposition. They are trained up in this from childhood. When +they saw the wretched Chinese cast on shore, they fell upon them, +robbed them of everything they had saved from the wreck, and killed as +many as they could; these were nearly all—some few escaping, and +hiding themselves in the most thickly overgrown parts of the mountain. +Among those who thus escaped was Pablo Hechiu. He remained there hidden +for a fortnight, without daring to come out from the place where he had +concealed himself; and, having no food, he died, leaving on two crosses +made of bamboo a written account of what had happened to him. This came +to light in the following way. The governor of Manila sent a strong +expedition against these Zambales, which sought for them all through +those mountains. Some of the scouts came upon Pablo Hechiu, his body, +entire and dried, leaning against the foot of a tree. The preservation +of the body was an extraordinary thing; and still more extraordinary +was it that Christians should go through a region which had probably +never been trodden by the feet of Catholics since the world was +created, because the country was mountainous and visited by the +Zambales alone, and the place was hidden even from them by the +thickness of the undergrowth.</p> +<p>At this time died the venerable father Fray Juan de Castro, first +vicar-general and provincial of this province. It was he who had +established and kept <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb265" href="#pb265" +name="pb265">265</a>]</span>it in the happy state in which it was. He +was born in Burgos, of noble race; and his father, being left a +widower, had entered our convent of San Pablo at Burgos. He had left +his son in the world, but was followed by him into the religious life +when the son reached maturity. The son was scholarly and well read in +the saints. Against his father’s wishes he went to the province +of Guatimala, where he became twice provincial. The prudent king Felipe +II appointed him to the bishopric of Vera Paz [<i>sc.</i>, Cruz], and +sent him the royal letter of presentation to the said bishopric. The +father not only desired to be excused from accepting, but concealed the +matter until he desired to go to China. When the fathers endeavored to +obstruct his purpose he threatened, if they would not let him make this +journey, to make the other to his bishopric, which was further away and +from which he would never come back. This was only a threat, because he +had taken a vow not to accept the bishopric, and was resolved to keep +it. He was a kindly man, and very easy of access. He was given to the +use of old proverbs. He had great skill in extricating himself quickly +from useless business. He was much given to the reading of the [lives +of the] saints, which in dead letters contain living thoughts. When he +said mass he used to water the altar with his tears, though he strove +greatly to control himself. His addresses to the order had such fervor, +devotion, tenderness, and gentleness that those who heard them regarded +them as words from heaven, and went forth from them with new spirit. +This was especially true of his address at the first chapter, when he +assigned the fathers to their duties. It then seemed as if it was not +he that spoke, but the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb266" href= +"#pb266" name="pb266">266</a>]</span>Holy Spirit. There is much that +goes to show that this is true. Father Juan himself was accustomed to +say that he was certain that he had made no mistake in this +assignment—something which those who know him and who know his +humility would attribute to nothing else than divine revelation. Those +who were in this chapter accepted, without a single word, the duties +assigned to each one, although these were such things as might cause +trembling in the souls of giants in virtue, being no less than driving +the devil out of his own house and his ancient abiding-place. At times +the father seems to have shown the spirit of prophecy. In one case he +declared that there were those before him who, as he knew, had never +lost their baptismal innocence. This is proof of itself that he spoke +not without some inspiration from without his own mind. Second, he +declared that all those who were before him should go through life +without falling into mortal sin. Those who listened to him understood +that he was speaking of the sin of the flesh, which is that from which +those are least safe who accept the ministry of souls, [even] with +humility and in the fear of God. This is especially true before they +learn by experience how much God helps those who fulfil this office in +loving obedience to Him. On several other occasions father Fray Juan +showed that he had the spirit of prophecy. He told Fray Juan de Soria +that he would leave the order, but not to his own blame, rather to the +glory of God and the happiness of the provincial, as was fulfilled. By +anointing a brother who suffered from scrofula, he cured him; but when +he was about to anoint Fray Domingo de Nieva, who suffered from +headache, he stopped and withdrew the holy oil, saying <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb267" href="#pb267" name="pb267">267</a>]</span>that +it was not God’s will. Father Fray Juan had special grace and +power to arouse devotion in those with whom he talked, in confession or +in private conversation. The infirmities with which he was afflicted as +a result of the exposure and the hardships which he suffered in China +never entirely left him. He held the chapter which elected as his +successor father Fray Alonso Ximenez, and immediately afterward went to +the hospital of the Chinese, asking to be cared for as a poor +man—preferring to die there rather than in the convent, not only +because he might die there with greater humility and poverty, but +because he would be less disturbed by visits, and would have more +opportunity to be alone with God. In his last days he was afflicted +with fears of the judgment of God. To his last moment he observed the +rigorous rules of the order. When at last he died, he left the +religious edified and consoled by his example, but most sad to lose +him, for merely to see him had comforted them.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1922" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1923" class="label">Chapter XXXIII</h3> +<h3 class="main">Father Fray Juan Cobo, his virtues and death</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Father Fray Juan Cobo was born in Consuegra, in the +kingdom of Toledo, and took the habit of the order and made his +profession in the convent of the town of Ocaña. After studying +in that of Avila, he entered the college of Sancto Thomas at Alcala. He +distinguished himself in his studies, and, after he had read the arts, +he became master in the royal convent of Sancto Thomas at Avila. His +remarkable abilities were early recognized, and exhibited themselves +wherever he went. Taking upon himself the lowliest <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb268" href="#pb268" name= +"pb268">268</a>]</span>duties, he desired to be steward on the +ship—a most disagreeable position, because of the intolerable +heat in the lower part of the ship, and because the provisions +frequently spoil as a result of that heat. He was a tall, handsome man, +of red and white complexion, and very active. His conversation was +agreeable, and his mind keen and quick. He was well acquainted not only +with the liberal arts, but with many mechanical occupations. His +knowledge of the Chinese language has already been mentioned. He was +the first man to preach publicly to the Chinese, and his sermon +attracted the governor and nearly all the good people of the city; they +were greatly astonished, as were also the Chinese, who would never have +believed that any one of another nation could advance so far in the +command of their language. It was to this father that principally was +due the establishment of the hospital for the Chinese, where so many +souls were saved, and in which the Lord often worked miracles by +multiplying the rice which Father Juan kept as food for the sick +persons. He knew three thousand Chinese characters, each different from +all the rest, for the Chinese have no alphabetical letters. He +translated a number of Chinese books; for, like those of Seneca, they +contain many profound sayings, though they are the work of heathens. He +taught astrology to some of the Chinese, whom he found capable of +learning; and also taught them trades that are necessary among the +Spaniards but are not employed among the Chinese—such as painting +images, binding books, cutting and sewing clothes, and such +things—doing all things to win all men to God. At this time there +came to Manila a letter from the emperor of Japon, <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb269" href="#pb269" name= +"pb269">269</a>]</span>Taicosama, in which he asked the governor of +Manila and the Spaniards of these islands to send him tribute every +year and an acknowledgment of vassalage, that he might not come and +destroy them with a mighty fleet, which he had already prepared for +this purpose. This caused much alarm in the city, because the emperor +of Japon was very powerful, and of warlike disposition; and as a result +of his victories he had become very proud and vain. The city of Manila +had no defenses, no walls, no protections against so strong an enemy; +and the Spaniards in it, being very few in number, were called on to +die rather than accept that which he asked of them so much to their +dishonor. It seemed to all necessary to send a special embassy to Japan +with an answer. Father Fray Juan Cobo was chosen by the governor as the +most suitable person to represent España who could be found in +the island, both because of his natural gifts and because of his +acquirements. He acquitted himself marvelously well in this occupation, +greatly amazing and pleasing the emperor of Japon. The emperor went so +far as to permit the churches of the Society of Jesus to be rebuilt, +and to allow the fathers publicly to prosecute the conversion of the +Japanese. The emperor requested father Fray Juan to remain in his +kingdom; but he declined, as having no order to do so. At his return, +they set sail in a tempestuous season, which cost them very dear, +because the vessel in which father Fray Juan was carried was cast on +shore in a country of barbarous Indians, namely, that which is known as +the island of Hermosa. Escaping to the shore to avoid the furious sea, +they fell into the hands of those ferocious people, who killed them +all, to a man. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb270" href="#pb270" name= +"pb270">270</a>]</span>After the death of father Fray Juan, father Fray +Pedro de Soto had a vision of the father, who was in purgatory, being +purified for the sin of having hastened his departure too greatly. +Afterward, father Fray Luis Gandullo had a vision of him in +paradise.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1935" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1936" class="label">Chapter XXXIV</h3> +<h3 class="main">The death of father Fray Francisco de la Mina, and the +council which was held in place of the intermediate provincial +chapter.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Father Fray Francisco de la Mina was a native of +Andalucia, where he assumed the habit of the order. He afterward went +to Mexico, preaching there both in Spanish and in the Indian language. +He was one of those who formed the plan of sending from that province +some religious to ask for the approval of the most reverend general of +the order for the foundation of the new province in the Philipinas. He +served in the mission to the Indians of Bataan, learning their +language; and was afterward appointed prior of Manila, the second post +in the province. He lost his health after his return to Manila, and +soon died.</p> +<p>In the month of December, 1594, the father provincial Fray Alonso +Ximenez assembled a council of the religious in the neighborhood of +Manila, to serve in place of an intermediate provincial chapter. The +rules which they adopted were of much importance. It was determined +that on visitations the hours should be kept as in convents. It was +also ordained that the convents should be visited in order, as might +best be done. It was also provided that no business should be done with +Indians or Spaniards, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb271" href= +"#pb271" name="pb271">271</a>]</span>except in case of the necessity of +sick persons, before prime or after the Ave Maria, or for one hour +after meals. Also that no religious should have any peculiar mark on +the table, or on his cup or on his spoon, or should carry either with +him, that there might be absolute uniformity. This order was made +because the father provincial Fray Alonso Ximenez used a marked spoon, +not because it was any better than the others, but that he might +neither receive nor give others anything to cause disgust; and, though +it was so trifling a thing, they would not permit it to the provincial, +but discussed the matter, and placed their resolution in their public +formal acts—so precise were they and so closely did they follow +the rule that the superior shall have nothing more than the rest, and +that all things shall be uniform.</p> +<p>While the religious were in council, the governor, Don Luis Perez +das Mariñas, appeared before them, and called their attention to +the great need, for the Spaniards in the city and the province of Nueva +Segovia, of a priest to confess them; and to the still greater need of +someone to teach and preach the holy gospel to the native Indians in +that province—who, though they had now been many years subjects +of his Majesty, and had paid tribute to his encomenderos, had never had +anyone to preach the faith to them, and were as blind and as heathen as +if they had never accepted as king a Catholic prince. The petition of +the governor made such an impression that, in spite of the small number +and the heavy duties of the religious, they assigned two to this +mission. The need was indeed very great, for the Spaniards who lived +there had been more than six months in constant danger of death, +without having any priest. The <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb272" +href="#pb272" name="pb272">272</a>]</span>Indians were enemies of the +Spaniards, very valiant, and very numerous considering the small number +and the discord of the Spaniards who were in that province. As +superior, father Fray Diego de Soria (who afterward became bishop of +that region) was appointed, the ecclesiastical chapter giving him full +power in spiritual matters, and the governor in temporal matters. His +associate was father Fray Thomas Castellar. They found that they needed +all the authority which they had received, to bring to some order the +great laxity which prevailed among the Spaniards. It was this, and +their great perversity and pertinacity in dissensions, which had caused +the priests whom they had had to leave them. After those priests went +away, their hatreds and their sins increased even more. The importance +of this province, which includes the major part of the territory in +charge of this order in the Philipinas, makes it desirable to give some +very brief notice of it.] It is a hundred and fifty leguas from Manila, +and constitutes a part of the island of Luçon. The climate is +one of the best in the islands, being refreshing, mild, and not so +excessively hot as that of most of the other provinces which are +comprised in this island. It is for this reason that it was called +Nueva Segovia, after Segovia in España, which is a cool region. +It is in nineteen degrees of latitude and is only sixty leguas, or a +little over, from China. It accordingly resembles China somewhat in its +good qualities—the abundance of fish in its rivers, of rice and +other produce of the soil, of animals of the chase, and of wild boars +and buffaloes in the mountains; while of Spanish plants which have been +introduced here the crops obtained have been very large. In the colder +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb273" href="#pb273" name= +"pb273">273</a>]</span>regions pines and live-oaks grow naturally. The +occasion which obliged the Spaniards to conquer it was an attack made +upon it in 1581 by a Japanese fleet, the Japanese desiring to have +control of this region because of the abundance of products which it +yields that are lacking in Japon. The Spaniards who were in Manila were +informed of this project, and they did not think it best that the +Japanese should come so near to them, when they were so few and the +Japanese were so many and so audacious; they accordingly determined to +go and prevent them from entering this country. With this purpose they +armed a galley and other small vessels, the expedition including only +forty Spaniards. Their leader and chief was Captain Carrion, and their +chaplain father Fray Christoval de Salvatierra of our order, who was +the associate of the bishop, Don Fray Domingo de Salazar; he was a man +of great prudence, much courage, and very superior virtue, as will be +declared later. They set out from Manila on the voyage to that +province; and in the bight of the cape called Cabo del Bojeador (which +is close to Nueva Segovia) they found a Japanese vessel, which was +prowling along the coast and pillaging it. The galley made an attack +upon the Japanese ship, and with the mid-ship gun brought down its +mainmast; and immediately the Spaniards, with more boldness than was +expedient, bore down upon the enemy, and thrust their iron beak through +his side. But they were not slow in finding out their mistake, much to +their own cost; for the Japanese leaped aboard, doing much execution +with their cutlasses (some of which are shaped like our cutlasses and +others like broadswords), and they attacked our vessel so furiously +that <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb274" href="#pb274" name= +"pb274">274</a>]</span>they got control of the deck, back to the +mainmast. The Spaniards found themselves obliged to retreat to the +poop, and cut the halyard of the mainsail. The sail fell down, with the +yard, and served them as an intrenchment so that they could fire their +arquebuses, doing great execution and driving off the enemy. The +Spaniards continued their voyage, and entered the river of Nueva +Segovia [<i>i.e.</i>, Rio Grande de Cagayan], which may compete in size +and in the excellence of its water with the finest rivers of Spain. +Here they found the enemy’s fleet concealed. In order to attack +it they went up the river and intrenched themselves on land, working +hard all night and making their breastworks of turf and fascines +between stakes. They took out of the galley a paterero and two +culverins, placing them under cover, and aiming them toward the +land-side, as there would be the place where the Japanese, if they +came, would attack them. Thus prepared, they all waited on their arms, +having their weapons at hand even when they were obliged to rest +awhile. Since they had learned by experience that Japanese who are +wounded by pikes grasp hold of the pikes in order to kill those who +have wounded them, the captain had the pikes greased on the upper half, +in order that our men might be able to draw them from the bodies and +the hands of the Japanese, if the latter should pull by the pikes; and +this device was of great use in the conflict which ensued.<a class= +"noteref" id="xd20e1957src" href="#xd20e1957" name= +"xd20e1957src">33</a> The Japanese were not idle, <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb275" href="#pb275" name="pb275">275</a>]</span>for +they landed two hours before day, coming well armed and in good order, +and protected by the darkness of the night. They advanced upon our +soldiers very silently, intending to take them by surprise; however, +they did not succeed, but were discovered by the sentinels. Our men put +themselves in good order, to wait for them while they advanced. +Although they perceived that the Spaniards had detected them, they made +a very spirited and courageous assault, but were beaten back with even +greater courage once, twice, and three times. After a short rest, they +attacked again with wonderful spirit, though the arquebuses and muskets +brought many to the ground. Finally, the whole force of Japanese +attacked our fort on the side where the cannon were, without knowing +what awaited them there. The cannon were filled to the muzzle with +ammunition, and were fired so seasonably that they did great execution +among the Japanese. Those who were left alive, seeing what had +happened, retreated, leaving their camp full of dead and mangled men. +Their captain had lost so many men, who were left lying on the shore, +that he set sail; and they were so thoroughly punished that they never +again thought of coming to conquer this country. In this way the +Spaniards found themselves in this region, but against the will of its +inhabitants, who as little wished to see them there as to see the +Japanese. This was immediately manifested by their retreating into the +interior, leaving the Spaniards alone with nothing to eat, so that the +latter consumed all the provisions that they had brought with them. The +natives even made some assaults upon them, attacking them when it +seemed that they could do so with safety. The Spaniards <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb276" href="#pb276" name= +"pb276">276</a>]</span>accordingly suffered much hardship, want, and +hunger, because supplies from Manila came very insufficiently and +slowly, while they had in that country nothing but cruel war. At the +same time, they were much aided in their purpose to remain in it by the +many factions and wars among the Indians, who could not live in peace +and were constantly slaying one another, following no law but +“Let the conqueror live.”<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1968src" href="#xd20e1968" name="xd20e1968src">34</a> On this +large river a valorous Indian by the name of Guiab had raised himself +above the others. He was at the head of only three hundred followers +(since he did not wish to lead any more); he was in a fair way to make +himself lord of the province, and would soon have been such if the +Spaniards had not come. This Indian was so determined that he had no +hesitation in attacking anything with the few courageous Indians who +followed him. He was so choleric that, whenever he wished to make any +address to them, he could not speak to them at first, out of sheer +fury—until, little by little, he cooled down and went on with his +speech. He ruled his people like a great captain, rewarding them with +largesse, which was at other people’s cost and was obtained from +the great wealth which he procured by robbery; and he punished them +with rigor for any sort of liberty taken with him, or disrespect shown +to him, or for disobedience to his orders. They carried to him the news +of the Spaniards, and told him that they were very courageous men who +had come there from far countries; that they had beards and handsome +faces, and that they did not wear the hair of their head long, as the +Indians were accustomed <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb277" href= +"#pb277" name="pb277">277</a>]</span>to; they reported that the +strangers went dressed in iron, and that they carried sticks with which +they slew from a distance anyone whom they pleased, without its being +visible by what means they did so (referring to the arquebuses). Guiab +was greatly delighted with these reports, and, as a valiant man, he +immediately felt an affection for these others who were so valiant. He +strove to procure their friendship by sending them a great present of +rice, chickens, large fat hogs, and other products of the land, all of +them coming very opportunely because the Spaniards were in such a state +of need. Doubtless, if the Spaniards had joined with him, they would +have subjected the province without more war. But as Guiab had +oppressed many of the people in the land and frightened all, they went +to the Spaniards, begging them not to ally themselves with Guiab, and +did nothing but speak evil of him. On this account the Spaniards, +purposing to gain the good will of so many, caught Guiab and hanged him +on a tree. The event was altogether opposite to what they had expected; +for all the Indians retreated from the Spaniards and began to make open +war upon them, often challenging them to lay aside their arquebuses and +to come out into the field, man to man, with all the other weapons they +pleased, so courageous are these people. Though the Spaniards lost this +opportunity, they soon had another. In the maritime part of that region +there were two of the ablest chiefs in the province—brothers, but +at variance with each other—who were constantly making war +against each other with the greatest cruelty. Tuliao, one of them, at +last got the other in his hands, put him in a cage, and kept him there +for a long time. The brother in <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb278" +href="#pb278" name="pb278">278</a>]</span>prison begged the other to +kill him, because death would be better and more easily borne than the +painful and disgraceful imprisonment in which he was. The other +answered that he did not do that, because he was his brother. +“Then let me go,” answered the prisoner, “since you +wish me well because I am your brother.” The other one refused to +do this, because he knew perfectly that he would be obliged to make war +again, as in fact happened; and they were at war as long as they lived, +until our troops reached that region. Then one of them, finding himself +very hard pressed by the other, went to beg the favor of the Spaniards; +and the Spaniards put an end to their strife by taking from them the +lands about which they had been quarreling. This was a great benefit to +that province, not only because the light of the true and divine faith +was brought to it, but because they were so continually engaged in +civil war that, if the Spaniards had delayed their coming, they would +have been likely to destroy each other. The life which they led did not +deserve the name of life, because of the daily alarms to which they +were exposed. Brother was unable to trust brother, and no man left his +house unarmed, or without great danger. He who had the greatest power +made as many slaves as possible, on any ground, no matter how +slight—even for taking a single stalk of sugar-cane, when the +poor people were dying of hunger because they could not cultivate their +fields on account of the wars. Many of them went, of their own will, to +eat in the houses of the chiefs, in order to save their lives, and in +this way became their slaves. From all these evils the faith which was +brought by the Spaniards freed them. The latter, by the aid of +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb279" href="#pb279" name= +"pb279">279</a>]</span>some of the Indians against the others, +conquered many of their villages though at the cost of many deaths; and +established the city which they called Nueva Segovia, a name which was +also given to the whole province. The priest who accompanied the +Spaniards in these first events was, as has been said, father Fray +Christobal de Salvatierra, of the order of our father St. Dominic. He +was the first priest whom these Indians had seen; and although, on +account of his ignorance of the language, he did not occupy himself +with their conversion, he did not fail to do much for them by +accompanying the soldiers, in order that they might not do as many +wrongs to the Indians as they would otherwise have committed—for +entirely to prevent outrages was impossible. He soon returned to +Manila, where his personal presence was necessary. There went to that +province religious of our father St. Augustine, who lived in the new +town with the Spaniards, but who undertook no ministry to the Indians. +They even felt that a mission to them was impossible because of the +excitement of the Indians resulting from the many homicides committed +among them by the Spaniards, as the latter have done in the other parts +of the Indias. Besides this, these Indians were so warlike that not +even a religious went out of the town except in a company of soldiers +and with arms; nor did the encomenderos go to collect their tributes +without an escort of many soldiers, coming back immediately with +anything that the Indians were pleased to give them, for they feared +the danger incurred by remaining. The conduct of the soldiers and of +the colonists who lived there at that time was so little Christian, and +the exhortations of the religious had so little <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb280" href="#pb280" name= +"pb280">280</a>]</span>effect upon them, that the friars regarded it as +wise to leave them in their dissensions, since they did not wish for +the peace to which the religious persuaded them. Accordingly, one +night, without being perceived, the fathers left them and went away. +For a long time they lived without a priest, without sacraments, or +Christian teaching, so careless of God and of their souls that they let +the cattle feast in the church; and a picture of our Lady which had +been left in it was covered with spider-webs, there being no one to +keep it in order, so forgetful were they of their souls. Such was the +needy condition of that province when the noble and devout governor Don +Luis Perez das Mariñas came to the council above mentioned, and +asked them to send religious, who might at least administer the +sacraments to the Spaniards. On account of the great need, the two +religious mentioned went to the province, receiving orders that, if no +religious came from España in the ships for which they were +waiting, they should return. The number of the religious was, indeed, +so small that they could not even attend to what they had in their +charge, much less assume the additional charge of that province, which +was so far from the missions which the order had in those regions. The +religious did their duty with great care and diligence; and that Lent +they made great efforts with sermons and addresses, planning and +delivering them with the object of inducing the inhabitants to settle +their differences and confess themselves during Lent. To this end +public documents were drawn up before a notary, with the purpose of +adjusting debts and settling dangerous controversies. All this was a +necessary and most holy work; and when it was concluded <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb281" href="#pb281" name="pb281">281</a>]</span>and +they had left the consciences of the Spaniards at rest, the time had +come when the vessels from Mexico might have arrived. Since they had no +news that religious were coming, these two friars, in fulfilment of the +order given them, set out for Manila again, at the time when six +others, who had newly come from España, reached the province. +All eight met in the town of Pata, which is at the entrance to that +province. Here those who were going away received with joy those who +came; and together they gave many thanks to the Lord. They then began +upon the conversion of the province, as will be told. We shall begin +with what happened to these religious on their journey from Spain, and +with the deaths of some who died on the way, with great manifestations +of the highest virtue.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e1985" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e1986" class="label">Chapter XXXV</h3> +<h3 class="main">The second expedition of religious from Castilla to +the Philippinas, and the deaths of some on the voyage.</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">[Father Fray Alonso Delgado had been sent to Roma by +father Fray Antonio de Arcediano, but had failed in his endeavors there +on account of the opposition made by a religious of another order. He +had then returned to Spain, and appeared to be giving himself up wholly +to the care of his own soul; but in his inmost heart he had never +forgotten the conversion of the Philippinas and of China. The Lord also +had not forgotten it, so that, though the mission of father Fray Alonso +seemed to be dead, it was really alive. Animated by the presence of Don +Fray Domingo de Salaçar, bishop of the Philippinas, and +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb282" href="#pb282" name= +"pb282">282</a>]</span>of father Fray Miguel de Venavides, who had come +to Madrid, he immediately set about taking religious to this province +by way of Nueva España. They both urged him on and praised him, +knowing the need of religious in this region. The most reverend general +of the order, Fray Hipolito Maria Vecaria, gave father Fray Alonso +letters-patent permitting him to take religious of virtue and learning +from the provinces of España to the Philippinas, and appointing +father Fray Alonso his vicar-general for this purpose. The need of +immediate assistance caused him to hasten his preparation, and with as +many religious as he could get together in a short time, fifteen in +all, he set sail in July, 1694 [<i>sic</i>; <i>sc.</i> 1594], on the +feast of our Lady of the Rosary. They reached the port of Nueva +España in safety, but as soon as they set foot on land they were +afflicted by disease; and so many died that it seemed as if death had +spread a drag-net for them. In Puebla de los Angeles, there were four +religious lying sick, and placed one next to the other, in as many +cells in the infirmary. Death began with the one that was in the first +cell and carried him off, and next to him put an end to the life of the +one in the second cell, and when he was buried, attacked the third. +While the religious were performing the last rites of the church for +the third, the noise which they made reached the fourth cell, which was +the next one, where father Fray Diego Aduarte was lying. He had been +the first one to be taken ill, and that he might not be annoyed they +carried him to another cell. It seemed that death in his progress, +failing to find anyone in the fourth cell, desisted from searching +further, so that Father Diego was left to do a marvelous work, +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb283" href="#pb283" name= +"pb283">283</a>]</span>as will be recorded in time at the end of this +his history. One of those who died in the convent was Fray Pedro +Batrez, son of the convent of Sancto Domingo at Piedrahita, and an +adopted son of that of Sant Esteban at Salamanca, where he was chief +sacristan when he set out for these regions.</p> +<p>Two brothers also died on the same day and at the same hour. The +elder was a priest named Fray Antonino de Sancta Maria, who had come to +this province from the college of Sancto Thomas at Sevilla, of which he +had been made a member on account of his profound knowledge of +theology. The younger was a deacon and lived in the convent of Xerez de +la Frontera, where, on account of his skill in singing, he had been +made cantor. They distinguished themselves much on the voyage by +prayer, silence, and abstinence. On Fridays and Saturdays they ate a +little fish, which was provided for all. On the other days—since, +on account of the length of the voyage, it was not possible to have +fish every day—they satisfied themselves with biscuit, some +raisins, and a little broth, without touching anything made of flesh. +They would not let anything else be prepared for them, that they might +not fare unlike the rest and that they might not cause any trouble to +others. The younger died in the convent at Puebla de los Angeles; the +elder expired at the same hour in the convent at Mexico. After his +death it was found that he wore a rough shirt of metal; and that, +because he never left it off even in sickness it was as if it had grown +to his flesh. These two brethren had died most joyful deaths. No less +so was the death of a lay religious called Fray Gonçalo de San +Pedro, a son of the convent of San Pablo at Sevilla. His life +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb284" href="#pb284" name= +"pb284">284</a>]</span>had been a very holy one; and, at his general +confession made before his death, the purity of his life was so clearly +shown that the father who received the confession declared that Fray +Gonçalo had never lost his baptismal innocence by committing +mortal sin.</p> +<p>Death also carried away the superior who led these religious from +Spain, father Fray Alonso Delgado. After he had lost so many of the +subordinates whom he led, there was but little reason for his wishing +to remain behind them. By his death the whole company was practically +broken up, many of them having died and others being scattered among +the convents of Nueva España. The rift was mended by the +selection as superior of father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, who +displayed such diligence that, with the aid of the Lord, he succeeded +in filling up the number of fifteen religious who had set out from +España. They then set out from Mexico; and so great was their +desire of serving the Lord after the manner followed by the religious +of the province to which they were going (which, as has been said, is +stricter than in the other provinces of the order), that when they +reached the port of Acapulco they took the character of Philippine +friars—gave up mattresses, and began to sleep on boards; rose at +midnight to say matins, going from the convent where they were guests, +to the church to say them; kept the hour of prayer immediately after; +and performed the discipline observed in the islands. They embarked +March 23, 1595. On board ship they followed the customs of the order as +closely as possible under the circumstances. They reached the port of +Manila June 12. By their coming the province felt enabled to undertake +the conversion of the province of Nueva Segovia. <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb285" href="#pb285" name="pb285">285</a>]</span>This +province alone is larger, and has more villages and a larger population +than the order had previously taken under its charge in Manila and +Pangasinan. Six of the religious, as has been said, were sent to Nueva +Segovia, and with the others the missions to Bataan and Pangasinan were +reënforced, where death had made inroads upon the number of +missionaries. When these six reached Nueva Segovia, father Fray Diego +de Soria and his associate were greatly delighted, having desired to +enter upon the conversion of this province, but having been unable to +do so because of their ignorance of the language and the fact that +there were but two of them. They had hesitated the more because of the +order which they had received to return to Manila if no religious came +out from España, feeling that it would be unwise to begin a +conversion which could not be followed up by regular instruction.]</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e2010" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e2011" class="label">Chapter XXXVI</h3> +<h3 class="main">The condition in which the religious found the Indians +in the province</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">This land was not only ruined by the continual wars +which the villages all waged with one another, but still more by the +settled peace which they all had made with the devil. They obeyed to +the full his diabolical will, though it was such that there never was a +tyrant who treated those whom he had conquered, and who were subject to +him, as the devil treated these wretched Indians. He had led their +minds into such a state of confusion that they could not refuse +anything which he commanded them—though his demands were so great +and so grievous <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb286" href="#pb286" +name="pb286">286</a>]</span>that they could not put their hands on +anything from which he did not take tribute, and with which he had not +commanded that they should do him honor by means of some superstition, +threatening them with death if they failed therein. They were +accustomed to call whomsoever they adored <i>anito</i>; and they said +that they had a good anito, to whom they attributed all the good +fortune that happened to them, and a had anito, who caused all their +hardships, poverty, temporal evils, maladies, and deaths. They served +the latter that he might not do them harm, and the former that he might +do them good. They employed more priestesses, or <i>aniteras</i>, than +priests, though they had some of the latter—a wretched class of +people, and with reason despised on account of their foul manner of +life. The devil entered these aniteras or sorceresses, and through +them, and by their agency, he gave his answers. By these priestesses +the Indians performed their superstitious rites and sacrifices, when +they wished to placate their anitos or obtain anything from them. If +anyone fell sick, the aniteras immediately came, and with oils and a +thousand performances they persuaded him that, if he would believe in +what they did, they would cure him. Then in his sight they performed +and displayed a thousand fantastic things; and the devil so earnestly +strove to give them credit that at times he made the people believe +that the soul had left the body, and that the anitera had restored it +by the power of her prayers and her medicines. Whenever the sick man +recovered, they attributed the recovery to their own efforts; while, if +he died, they were plentifully supplied with excuses and reasons to +avoid the blame and to throw the responsibility upon someone else. +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb287" href="#pb287" name= +"pb287">287</a>]</span>This is an old trick of the devil, with which he +betrayed the heathens of antiquity, and likewise betrays this deluded +and foolish people. Before sowing their fields they used to celebrate +three solemn feast-days, during which all the men gave themselves up to +dancing, eating, and drinking until they were unable to stand; and +after this came that which commonly follows—namely, giving loose +rein to the flesh. The women did not drink, for this was very contrary +to their customs as they are very laborious; but they made up for it as +well as they could, and in the dances and all the rest they did as well +as the men. If the Indians left their houses, and happened to meet +anyone who sneezed, they went back home again even though they had gone +a day’s journey, as if the sneeze had been something in the road. +Sometimes they went on, and returned without delay from their +destination. If the same thing happened when they began to work, they +immediately desisted from their labor. If on any similar occasion they +heard the singing of a certain bird which they regarded as a bad omen, +they did not go on at all with what they had undertaken, even though +they had traveled for many days, and even in the case of an entire army +in war. They acted in the same manner if the bird came or flew toward +their left hand, or if it turned its bill in such or such a direction. +It was the same way with other signs which they regarded as evil omens. +On the contrary, they were very much encouraged and very joyful when +the augury was a good one; and although a thousand times the event was +opposite to what the augury, as it seemed, had threatened or promised, +they never lacked an excuse for remaining in their error, and +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb288" href="#pb288" name= +"pb288">288</a>]</span>for continuing forever in this harmful +ignorance. When they began a voyage by sea or by the rivers, they threw +into the water a certain quantity of their food out of reverence for +the devil, in order to placate him so that he might give them success. +If they built a house, they had to perform their rites before entering +it; and if the bird of augury entered it they either tore it down, or +performed a thousand sacrifices and superstitious rites in order to fit +it for habitation. When they bought anything, they did the same before +they would put it in the house; and whenever they went out on any +little business, those who went and those who stayed at home did +nothing but perform superstitious acts that they might have good luck +in it. It was the same with everything they did or thought of doing, in +life and in death, in sickness and in health; and for this purpose they +had their houses full of devices and apparatus. As the devil never +turns back from the evil thought and purpose of being as God, which he +had in the beginning, he taught them a thousand superstitious rites to +adore and revere him, very like those which the church uses in honor of +our true God. Hence they had regular feast-days, and days assigned for +their worship, and three-day feasts, like our great ecclesiastical +feasts.<a class="noteref" id="xd20e2030src" href="#xd20e2030" name= +"xd20e2030src">35</a> They carried on their wrists blessed beads, which +the sorceresses gave them with threats of death if they took them off. +They had their sort of holy water; and in one village named Masi, which +was much given to all sorts of superstition, they had a certain water +with which they washed the arms, the legs and the foreheads of all the +children, especially <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb289" href="#pb289" +name="pb289">289</a>]</span>the children of the chiefs. As a result of +this, they promised them a long and fortunate life. They had +receptacles like charity-boxes, in which they put what they offered the +anito. These boxes were set out in dark places, hidden in ravines, or +in thickets, or in cane-brakes. Even when they were in plain and open +places, and even (as sometimes happened) when things of great value +were placed in them, no one dared to take anything out of them, even +gold, or stones regarded by them as precious. They also had some places +of devotion where the sick went to pray for health, and ate food. When +they went home again they were obliged to cast into these places the +jars and other utensils with which they prepared their food, as being +consecrated to their anito by being used at this meal, which was a kind +of sacrifice. There were different places for different infirmities, +while for the chiefs only there were separate places. They had so much +reverence for these things that even when they had become Christians +they did not dare to go and destroy the things in these places which +had been dedicated to the devil. The religious themselves had to go +there, and with their own hands break and demolish all these things, +and burn them before the eyes of the Indians, and cast the ashes into +the river. They kept back nothing, not even precious things which might +have been applied to holy works; for in this way only was it possible +to undeceive the Indians, and to avoid the impression of avarice. There +were dedicated to the devil certain trees, flowers, and mountains, +which no one dared to touch except in the service and honor of their +owner, the devil. In a word, they had not the right to put their hands +on anything without turning to him and consulting <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb290" href="#pb290" name="pb290">290</a>]</span>him +as their God. He often spoke to them in their own language, in such a +way that they heard and knew that he was present, although they did not +see him. Even at this day they tell what he said to them. One of these +aniteras, who afterward became a very good Christian, told how the +devil played a thousand tricks upon her. At one time she begged him +earnestly to give her gold, a thing which at other times she had often +asked of him. He promised it to her; and when she awoke in the night +she found her wrists covered with gold bracelets, and many strings of +stones highly valued among the Indians. She fell asleep again; and when +she awoke the second time she did not find even one ornament, for +everything had disappeared like fairy wealth. The sorrow in which the +trick had left her was greater than the satisfaction which she felt +when she believed that she was rich. In this manner he treated them +like children, promising them riches by these deceits, and assuring +them of other things of the same sort. He told them besides that he +knew their ancestors must come back to life again; for they believed +that their deceased fathers and ancestors must return to life in this +world. In this way he deceived them; and even when the religious came +the natives represented to them that they would incur ignominy if their +ancestors, when they came back to this world, should find them +professing a different religion and law from that which they themselves +had followed. They sometimes asked the devil that he would permit them +to see him; but he answered that his body was so subtile that they +could not see it. At one time, when some Indians begged him very +earnestly that he would come down on top of the house where they +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb291" href="#pb291" name= +"pb291">291</a>]</span>dwelt and talk with them, he immediately came +among them; for they had there a stone, highly esteemed among them, +which they called <i>maxin</i>. He remained for some time moving about +on the ground, and from that stone spoke with a very small and fine +voice. Finally stone and devil disappeared, leaving them greatly +pleased, and more deceived than before. When Don Luis Perez das +Mariñas was at Tuy, in Nueva Segovia, before the religious were +there, he spent <i>one</i> night near the sea on the shore, by the +mouth of a river which passes the village of Pata, at the foot of a +little hill which was dedicated to the devil, and where they offered +sacrifices and celebrated festivals in his honor. On this account no +one dared to cut a stick or anything else on it, except for the service +of the devil; because the sea would instantly grow wrathful, the winds +would arise, and their houses would be thrown down. When the soldiers +reached there, the alcalde-mayor of that province (who was Captain +Mercado) directed the Indians to cut some stakes, reeds, and branches +to build huts for the soldiers. The Indians refused, and offered to +bring it all from other places, even though that would require more +labor of them. But the Spaniards would not wait so long, and compelled +them by force to cut what they needed from this little hill. That very +night a frightful wind arose, stirred up the sea, drove the waves up on +the shore, and carried them to the camp—which, as it seemed, was +very safe from such an accident. The soldiers and Don Luis himself were +obliged to flee from the danger, losing many things (some of them of +great value), which were carried away by the sea, or by the devil in +return for what they had cut from that <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb292" href="#pb292" name="pb292">292</a>]</span>hill of his. Even +after the religious had come there, when they needed some wild palms +which were on that little hill, there was not an Indian that dared cut +these, because they were still heathen. The religious sent two +Christian boys whom they had brought from Pangasinan, and some others +who were being instructed in preparation for baptism. In course of time +they cut everything off the hill, without the devil’s daring to +do as he had been accustomed. The Indians were all struck with wonder, +not only those in this village, but those in all the others. But what +was the marvel? For when the religious came to establish themselves in +this village the devil complained to its natives, saying that he was +going away and that they should never see him again—because, as +he said, from that day forth there was someone else who would deal with +them. However, he did not tell them who it was. “One thing +only,” he said, “I tell you; take care not to believe what +you hear from these men in long clothes who have come here, for I am +certain that the dead will rise again.” He said this to them with +regard to their ancestors, as he wished them to believe that the dead +would be much grieved if they were to come back to life and find their +descendants far from that which they had followed during their own +lives. The devil had inculcated in them a belief that, when a man died, +his soul was obliged to pass a river or lake where there was a boat +rowed by an old boatman; and to pay his passage they fastened some +money on the arm of the dead man. They believed that no woman could +pass whose hands were not tattooed with black in accordance with their +custom. They were in the habit also of burying with the dead +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb293" href="#pb293" name= +"pb293">293</a>]</span>food for the journey, oil with which he might +anoint himself, a robe for his clothing, and some gold for the +contingencies which might arise. If the dead man was a chief, they used +to bury with him one or two slaves to serve him there in some very +flowery and pleasant fields, where the devil had taught them that they +were to live a delightful life, eating, drinking, and enjoying +themselves until they should return a second time to this world. There +are still living many Indians who tell about all these things, and +there are even heathen who believe them, because they have had no +religious to whom they might go for teaching. They also tell of some +very mischievous tricks which the devil has played upon them. It +happened sometimes that when a man was alone in the field he came upon +some creatures resembling little women. They would deceive him, and +either by alluring words or by force would place him within a thicket, +and there toss him in the air as if he had been a ball; they then left +him there, half-dead. If he ventured to go away from there and make his +way to the village he remained for many days beside himself, as it +were, and half stupid; if he did not, he died there miserably. At one +time an Indian chief went to sea, with many people in his vessel. They +were drowned, and perished in the sea without leaving anyone to carry +the news. As they did not return, their relatives consulted the devil +to know where they were; and he answered them that they were suffering +no pain because they had reached port in a very rich and fertile +country known as Mexico, where they were very happy. The others +believed him, although they did not know that there was any such land +until afterward, when they heard <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb294" +href="#pb294" name="pb294">294</a>]</span>the religious speak of +Mexico. They then asked many questions as to their judgment with +reference to this chief and those who accompanied him. The fathers +undeceived them, and corrected the falsehood which the devil had told +them—as if their tiny boats could have passed over so great and +so terrible an ocean, or carried sufficient provisions for such a +length of time as is necessary to go from there to Mexico! In addition, +the devil showed in his dealings with them how tyrannical and cruel he +is, and how addicted to the destruction of men, by causing them to kill +some in his service. This was not only made evident by their law +requiring the burial of the living with the dead, as has been narrated, +but also by other laws. For instance, when the son, the wife, or the +brother of any chief died, he mourned; and during this mourning he +fasted, not even eating rice, which is the ordinary bread of that +country, or drinking wine—a deprivation which, for a race so fond +of wine as this is, must have been a great hardship. During all this +time he did not touch flesh or fish, but ate only roots and products of +the soil, and drank water. This mourning lasted sometimes for years, +sometimes less, in proportion to the love and esteem which was felt for +the deceased. When it seemed to the people of the village that the time +of mourning had lasted long enough, and that it would be well for their +chieftain and head to treat himself more kindly—perhaps because +during this time they drank less themselves, to show their sympathy +with their lord—they discussed it among themselves and afterward +with him. If he agreed with them, they all contributed to buy a slave, +whom they handed over to him; and before them all the chief cut off +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb295" href="#pb295" name= +"pb295">295</a>]</span>the slave’s head. With this the mourning +came to an end, and he immediately began to drink with them like a man +dying from abstinence. There was an Indian who, when the religious came +to this country, confessed that he had killed twelve slaves in this +manner on various occasions when he had been in mourning. This, +however, was not the most honorable manner of bringing the mourning to +an end; for those who could slay any one belonging to their enemies did +so, even though it was a woman, a child, or an old person whom they +killed. This was the best way of concluding the mourning, and was +accordingly followed most by those who were in mourning. They also had +another cruel custom like this, which they followed in their wars, +which one village waged with another on the slightest occasion. If at +any time they came to an agreement instead of a quarrel, it had to be +done not without shedding human blood; and the side which in their +opinion was in the wrong, or was the weaker party, bought a slave and +delivered him to the other side. Then all these others killed him, not +one failing to give him a wound even if he was already dead. They cut +him in pieces; and with this they rested satisfied, as if this +vengeance had been taken against all their opponents. Since their wars +and outbreaks were so frequent, deaths which occurred in this manner +must have been very many, although the number of those whom they slew +in the wars was much greater. In general they took their enemies by +surprise, and killed them all, not excepting women and children and old +men. Such was their cruelty and their madness in this region that to +slay any one of these was a great honor among them; and it sufficed to +give the <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb296" href="#pb296" name= +"pb296">296</a>]</span>slayer the name of a valiant man, and to grant +him the privilege of using certain marks of honor reserved for the +valiant. These no one could assume who had not slain a human being, no +matter whom. They had received the command to do thus from the devil, +under penalty of death to whoever should assume these marks of honor +without having slain another. In this way he incited them to that which +he most desired, which is to shed human blood, to slay the body, and to +carry off the soul to hell. In fine, their vices were such as may be +inferred from what has been said. They were a people abandoned by the +hand of God and governed by the devil in accordance with his +laws—without judgment, or reason, or sense, because their minds +had been wholly taken away by him who had governed them. In particular +they were extremely vengeful, proud, envious, extraordinarily +avaricious, and given to shameless and unbridled lewdness. Above all, +they were drunkards from the greatest to the least, and each of their +drunken feasts surpassed all the others. From this vice all the other +vices followed in a troop, as if they were leagued with it; and this +drunkenness was continuous, and excessive. They were a heathen race, +with no supernatural light, though it was at hand; and their natural +light was so darkened and falsified by the devil that they regarded +that person as happiest who could indulge the most in these vices. All +of them took pleasure therein, and were grieved when, as happened at +times, they could not commit them; they envied him who had gone +furthest in them, for they regarded him as the most powerful—as +indeed it was generally true that the man who had the greatest power +was <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb297" href="#pb297" name= +"pb297">297</a>]</span>the most vicious. As for their marriages, they +came to an end as soon as the husband was vexed with his wife, or the +wife with her husband. This was all that was needed on either side, to +cause them to separate and to make a new marriage, unless they had +children; for they loved their children so much that this tie was +sufficient to keep them from separating, and to make them bear with +each other. The reason that influenced them was their desire not to be +parted from their children, or to grieve them. As wives, the men were +allowed to have those to whom they could give a dowry, for it is the +husband that gives the dowry. But if the first wife belonged to a +chief’s family she would not consent to have her husband marry +anyone of a rank below her own; and if the first wife was not of this +rank the husband could not find any woman of high birth who would +afterward marry him—except in some very unusual case, as when he +was very powerful or very valiant. To their equals in rank the husbands +gave large dowries, which were practically in the power of the fathers +and kinsfolk of the woman. On the other hand, if they married women +below them in rank, they did not endow them. Further, if, as has been +said, equals separated from each other as a result of any quarrel or +dislike, and afterward the man wished the woman to return to his house, +they asked a new dowry from him, just as if it were a new marriage. +Hence, if once they separated they were seldom reunited. So common was +a separation that there was almost no man or woman who had not been +divorced from a legitimate wife or husband. This was a thing which +caused much trouble when they were to be baptized, since they were +living in improper <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb298" href="#pb298" +name="pb298">298</a>]</span>relations of marriage, because of having +dismissed, men their first wives and women their first husbands, and +having married others while the first were still alive.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div id="xd20e2064" class="div2 chapter"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h3 id="xd20e2065" class="label">Chapter XXXVII</h3> +<h3 class="main">The beginning of the conversion of these Indians of +Nueva Segovia</h3> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">These Indians were in this wretched state when the six +new religious came to this province. They were received by father Fray +Diego de Soria and his associate with great joy; and the two fathers +gave many thanks to the Lord for remembering these souls and sending +preachers to them. Father Fray Diego immediately said that he had very +much at heart the gathering into the church of these tribes, whom up to +that time he had not tried to convert, on account of the order to +return if no religious came from España that year. He had felt +that it would be a bad plan to baptize any while he was in this doubt, +because of the danger of leaving the newly baptized without any teacher +in the midst of so many heathen; for it was morally certain that they +would go back to their diabolical worship if they were left alone. They +would have been compelled to do so, not only by force, which the +heathen about them would have been sure to apply in a matter of this +kind; but by their own weakness, being new-born in the faith, and their +scant possession not only of spiritual but even of natural energy, +having been depraved by so many and so evil customs, in which they had +been born and had spent all their lives. But now that there were +religious to sustain, strengthen, and <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb299" href="#pb299" name="pb299">299</a>]</span>maintain in the faith +those who might be converted, father Fray Diego was greatly encouraged, +and immediately began to lay out the plan to be followed in this +spiritual conquest. The first thing determined upon for this purpose +was that all should commend themselves with all their hearts to the +Lord, to whom all this work belonged. Hence, the religious who had +arrived on the first of August, 1595, were gathered in the convent of +the city up to the middle of September, spending all this time by day +and night in constant prayer, begging the Lord to direct all their +actions as should be most suitable for a work so peculiarly His own as +was the conversion of these Indians. To this end they prayed Him first +of all that He would convert them themselves, by giving them purity of +life, and a knowledge of this language which they had never heard, and +which they had no masters to teach them; and finally that he would give +them patience, courage, and virtue to live and dwell in the midst of +this barbarous and bloodthirsty race, with no other defense than the +divine aid. So barbarous and bloodthirsty were they that, as has been +said, the Spaniards dared not go out of their city unless they were +well armed and went in numbers; while the friars were obliged to go, as +indeed they did go, into the Indian villages unarmed and alone, except +for the divine companionship. The devil, the captain of the +enemy’s troops, was not heedless, when he saw that war had been +declared against him; and the Spanish sentinels that made their rounds +about the city at night saw a mastiff of extraordinary size going round +and round the church and the convent. Since there was no such mastiff +in the house of any of the Spaniards, much <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb300" href="#pb300" name="pb300">300</a>]</span>less +among the Indians, and as they saw no such animal either before or +afterwards, they could not doubt who it was. It was a very particular +favor of the Lord to show the devil in visible form, that the religious +might strengthen their prayers and turn with greater urgency to Him who +surely favored them, for they now had in view their enemy, who desired +to swallow them whole. They also perceived that he was very active +among his Indians; for the religious frequently heard them (sometimes +by day but ordinarily by night) in the villages about the city, named +Daludu and Tocolana, and in the houses in the fields in that vicinity, +making a great noise with their voices and their +<i>gasas</i>—which are their bells, though they are not formed +like our bells. Father Fray Diego de Soria said to the other religious, +with a tone of certainty: “Fathers, this noise that we hear is +the Indians making sacrifices to the demons; for, induced by their +diabolical industry, they are now offering special services to the +devil, and are striving to appease him by feasts, that he may keep and +preserve them in their ancient rites and customs. Pray then, reverend +fathers, to the Lord for His grace, that He may expel from the land the +Prince of Darkness, who holds it under his tyranny. Prepare yourselves, +for we are soon to come into conflict with him. Within a few days you +will be scattered among the villages of these heathen, and will be +exposed to great dangers. You will find that you will have to do with +him, for he it is who is the strong army guarding this his +dwelling-place. Therefore he will strive to defend it, and to attack +those who seek him, and who are endeavoring to drive him forth from it. +But be of good courage, <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb301" href= +"#pb301" name="pb301">301</a>]</span>for we have on our side Him who +conquered the devil, and who every day causes His followers to conquer +him.” This was not spoken to deaf persons, but to those who knew +very well the truth of what was said. Though they felt confident that +they would conquer with the divine aid, they made themselves ready, +with prayer and fasting and suffering, for the dangers and hardships +without which there is never conflict, and much less victory. While +this was taking place in the city, father Fray Diego strove to have +churches erected in Pata, Abulug, and Camalaniugan<a class="noteref" +id="xd20e2080src" href="#xd20e2080" name="xd20e2080src">36</a>—as +was easily done, because the churches were very small and poor. Then +father Fray Diego held a council of the religious and said to them: +“It would be well to cast lots, to see to which of each of these +four villages your Reverences are to go.” They answered: +“There is no reason for depending on uncertain lots, for he is +always sure of a happy lot who is under the rule of obedience. Dispose +of us, your Reverence, as seems best to you; for without any reply we +will each of us go very contentedly wherever the direction of our +superior bids us go.” Father Fray Diego was pleased to hear so +wise a response, and one so proper from vowed religious; and named +father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho<a class="noteref" id="xd20e2084src" +href="#xd20e2084" name="xd20e2084src">37</a> <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb302" href="#pb302" name="pb302">302</a>]</span>and +father Fray Gaspar Zarfate to the church of St. Mary Magdalene in Pata; +and father Fray Ambrosio de la Madre de Dios to Abulug, with brother +Fray Domingo de San Blas as his companion, directing them to build or +to finish the church in honor of St. Thomas Aquinas, doctor of the +church. Father Fray Antonio de Soria, with another brother, went to +Camalaniugan. In the city remained father Fray Diego de Soria and +father Fray Thomas Castellar, who had picked up a little of the +language. In addition to this, father Fray Diego went out to visit all +the villages, to the great spiritual and temporal profit of the +Indians.</p> +<p>The first church of the Indians erected in this province was in the +village of Pata. There was a chief in it, named Yringan, who was +devoted to the Spaniards and who attached himself to the religious, +being on very intimate terms with them. He was accordingly very glad to +receive them in his village, which they reached on the day of the Holy +Cross in September. They were overjoyed to find a cross set up in it, +three braças and a half in height. When they asked the Indians +how they got it, they answered that before the religious came to this +province a contagious disease attacked the Indians, of which many died. +It happened that at that time there was <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb303" href="#pb303" name="pb303">303</a>]</span>in this village a +Spaniard, Juan Fernandez de Najara, a peaceful man, much beloved by the +Indians. Many of them went to him to ask for a remedy for their sick. +He, pitying their need, answered them, “Friends, I cannot cure +you. It is God who can cure these ills. Let us trust in Him and in His +only Son, who was made man and died on a cross. Let us believe that by +His sign he will heal you. For this is a thing that we Christians +reverence and esteem highly; and it may be that for this devotion God +will pity you. Bring two pieces of wood and let us make it.” He +made the cross and the Indians put it up. Najara and his companions +fell on their knees and celebrated the setting up of the cross by +shooting off their arquebuses with the utmost devotion and reverence. +The Indians, imitating them, reverenced it in their own manner. The +result was miraculous, for this contagious disease immediately began so +plainly to abate that the Indians could not fail to see this result, +barbarians though they were. One of them, the one who received the +fathers, made a small cross and fastened it to his bed, that it might +protect him from this sickness, and in this way he attained his desire. +When the religious entered this and the other villages of the Indians, +they had absolutely no knowledge of the language; and there was in all +the villages not a single person who desired to receive the faith, +since it had never been preached to them. They had never heard a thing +of it in all their lives; on the contrary, the devil had kept them +prejudiced against it—by the threats which he uttered, and by +telling them that their ancestors would return, and would be greatly +grieved to find them under a different law from that which they had +followed. <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb304" href="#pb304" name= +"pb304">304</a>]</span>Moreover, the works which they saw done by the +Christian Spaniards whom they knew there were not such as to cause them +to be converted, or to make them esteem the Christian way of living. At +that time they knew no religious, though they had heard of them, but +very confusedly and uncertainly, by reports brought from Pangasinan. +Accordingly they felt distrustful of religious, and believed that they +followed the customs of the soldiers, because they belonged to the +nation of the latter. At first, therefore, they put no confidence in +them and could not understand what their purposes were in coming to +live in the Indian villages. They feared that the religious would be +like the other Christians whom they had seen, who came to try to get +away from them their gold and everything that they prized. Being +suspicious of this, some of the villages refused to admit them, for +instance, that of Masi. But in the village of Pata they were kindly +received, and built their poor church and tiny dwelling-place, made of +nothing but cane and nipa or straw, and of very slender stakes. Even +for this they had to pay the Indians much more than the materials were +worth, as also for the labor of those who built it. However, the +fathers thought nothing of the expense, but it seemed to them very +good; and to this very day they praise that house, and regard it as +very well built. As the religious did not understand the language, and +did not even have any translators or interpreters [<i lang= +"es">naguatatos</i>] by whom they might communicate with the Indians, +and explain the law of God which they came to preach to them, they +labored much with very small results. The Indians, who were greatly +displeased to see them in their villages, <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb305" href="#pb305" name="pb305">305</a>]</span>gave them nothing to +eat; and the need and hunger which they suffered were very great. +Although they suffered joyfully for love of God, still these things had +their natural effect on their bodies; and father Fray Miguel de San +Jacintho was afflicted by a severe pain in the stomach, and his +companion by giddiness of the head. Both of these maladies were due to +their lack of food, for as soon as they had anything to eat they +recovered. But it was not often that they had sufficient food, +sustaining themselves generally with nothing but herbs, and those +purgative ones, which rather diminished their strength than afforded +them sustenance. At meal-time one of them read a chapter from holy +Scripture, and when this was finished they began upon their short meal. +The one who completed his meal first read another chapter of the +scripture, and then they gave thanks to God, having satisfied their +souls rather than their stomachs. [On one St. Dominic’s day the +religious found themselves with nothing to eat but rice boiled in water +(which takes the place of bread in this country); and just at meal-time +an Indian came in and gave them a very good fish of the kind called +<i>bobo</i>. This is the best kind of fish known in this country, and +this was the best fish of the sort that the fathers had ever eaten. It +was caught in a river where it had never before been seen, and at a +time of year when this fish is not generally found, even in the rivers +which it enters to spawn. The fathers accordingly accepted this as a +miracle, granted them that they might duly celebrate the day of the +founder of their order. Soon after, the fathers found the man who had +given them the fish, given over for dead, but still living. By their +care he was cured, and <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb306" href= +"#pb306" name="pb306">306</a>]</span>afterwards was baptized. The +fathers to whom this happened were father Fray Ambrosio de la Madre de +Dios and Fray Domingo de San Blas. This was in August, and, as the +fathers had entered upon their work in September in the preceding year, +their sufferings had lasted almost a year. At this time it happened +that an Augustinian friar came to the village of Pata, and, beholding +the sufferings of these religious, was greatly shocked, and rebuked the +Indian chiefs for the treatment that they had offered to the friars. +The religious had been unwilling to ask the Indians even for a little +fish, although there were a great many in the river that flowed by the +village. The words of the Augustinian had some effect, and the Indians +brought them some fish, though not very much. The custom of father Fray +Luis de Granada was to read a little after grace had been said, and +then to discuss the reading and to talk over what they had learned of +the language of the Indians. They then took a brief rest and afterwards +conferred upon some point in theology, finally returning to the +language, for they thought more of discovering a new word than of +finding a rich pearl. In course of time the Lord was pleased to reward +their diligence by giving them the use of the language, so that they +could understand the Indians and instruct them in the law of God. They +translated the Christian doctrine into their language, and had the +children recite it. They succeeded in obtaining many of the children +for baptism. The devil’s oracles ceased in this village of Pata, +where they had been delivered to a sorceress named Fulangan.] At this +time there was in the village near this one, called Cabacungan, a +famous Indian anitera, or priestess, with whom the <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb307" href="#pb307" name= +"pb307">307</a>]</span>devil frequently spoke, and by whose mouth in +those days he uttered most dreadful things. By her means the enemy +caused a great repugnance to the faith among the people there. The +religious endeavored to frighten her, and several times threatened her +that if she did not cease they would have her punished in the Spanish +city, or would send her to Manila; but she, egged on by him who +inspired her, pretended that she did not understand, and continued in +her wickedness. The religious, as a last resort, thought it best to +send an Indian chief who had become a good Christian to talk with her. +His name was Don Francisco Yringan. They hoped that he would be able to +bring her over, or at least to prevent her from perverting the people. +If they failed in this, they determined to bring her to justice. +Yringan did not dare to carry this message to this she-devil without +stronger weapons than hers, and asked the fathers for a cross. The +religious, who had nothing better at hand, painted one on a cloth that +Yringan had tied on his head, and used nothing but pen and ink. This +was so easy that he made or painted not one only, but several. This one +thing terrified the devil so greatly that, without daring to stand +before the Indian armed with crosses, he caught up his priestess, and +she disappeared. Neither he nor she ever appeared again, nor was it +ever known where he took her or what he did with her. As a result of +this miracle and many others with which the Lord gave credit to His +gospel, the Indians began to feel respect for the law that the +religious preached to them. The latter were much encouraged when they +saw that the Lord favored them; and father Fray Diego de Soria +determined to undertake a very difficult and dangerous <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb308" href="#pb308" name= +"pb308">308</a>]</span>enterprise, which, if successful, would greatly +aid in this conversion. It happened that the lord of this village of +Pata, of Masi, and of others, named Siriban, a very noble and valiant +Indian, had at this time withdrawn to the mountains, fleeing from the +alcalde-mayor, before whom some of his rivals had brought against him +charges that he had many wives. In fact, he had no more than +two—one of them his equal in rank; and the other of lower rank +but more beloved, because he had a daughter by her whom he tenderly +loved, as the child deserved. The alcalde-mayor had these two women +arrested; and he ordered them to be flogged, though one of them was +pregnant. Partly from resentment for this, and partly for fear that the +alcalde-mayor would capture him (as he meant to), Siriban withdrew to +the mountains, attended by a heavily-armed guard. His purpose was not +to make war against the Spaniards, for he never undertook anything of +that kind, but merely to defend himself if they tried to capture him, +as his enemies desired. However, he always kept his person safe, being +an Indian of great courage and much ingenuity; a man of noble birth, +good motives, and a kind disposition. He was accordingly much beloved +by his subjects, who accompanied and guarded him with great fidelity. +All this had happened before the religious came to the province, for if +father Fray Diego had been in it the alcalde-mayor would not have done +what he did. Father Fray Diego saw that if he could convert this Indian +many more would be sure to follow him to the church, and determined to +attempt his conversion. For this purpose he prepared himself with many +prayers and masses, and the tears of himself and the other religious, +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb309" href="#pb309" name= +"pb309">309</a>]</span>in return for which the Lord caused the Indians +to appoint a place where father Fray Diego might come and speak with +him. Father Fray Diego gave him the assurance that no other Spaniard +would come there, and that there would be no Indians in ambush and no +trickery. They conversed with each other, and father Fray Diego was +able to give Siriban such assurances that he came down with his +following to the village of Pata, put himself like a lamb in the hands +of father Fray Diego, and began like a child to learn the Christian +prayers and doctrine, desiring to receive the law which the religious +taught. He was occupied in this up to the end of Lent; and at Easter +was baptized in the city of the Spaniards with seven other chiefs. +These were the first adult Christians of this province of Nueva +Segovia. Don Diego, as Siriban was named, had as his godfathers the +alcalde-mayor and some other leading Spaniards. This was a day of great +joy for the villages; and Don Diego Siriban and his associates became +very friendly to the Spaniards. Don Diego was very grateful and was a +great aid to Christianity; he attracted many to the faith, not only by +his example, but by his words. Many adults now began to be baptized; +but the greatest and most certain harvest was that of the children, +because the Lord at this time sent a great plague of epidemic smallpox +throughout the province. It was so malignant that it did not leave a +child alive; and that the children might have eternal life the Lord +enabled the religious to baptize them throughout the time of the +epidemic. The result was a great harvest of souls for heaven, sent from +a land which always before had supplied a harvest for hell. The new +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb310" href="#pb310" name= +"pb310">310</a>]</span>preachers of the gospel kept constantly +baptizing children; and, as this activity was so sure and certain in +its results, they took great delight in it. They already forgot and +despised all the hardships which they had suffered in their long +voyages, their dangerous infirmities, and their exhausting journeys, +being pleased with the taste of fruits which were so plentiful, which +came so early, and which were so agreeable to God. God also showed +himself to be pleased with the good services of the religious, in +receiving from their hands such abundance and such gracious +first-fruits. The religious also promised themselves marvelous results +from their labor, which had commenced so wonderfully. Not only here, +but in all the churches which have been established, the ministers of +this province have observed that the first bodies which have been +interred in them have been those of baptized infants, in order that +possession of them may be taken first by the bodies of those who, as we +certainly know, have gone to glorify and to people heaven. [The Lord +also showed himself very kind to the adults at times. On one occasion, +in response to the prayers of an Indian Christian He protected his +fields from a plague of locusts, which devastated the fields of all his +Indian neighbors.]</p> +<p>After the church of Pata had been founded, it was planned to erect +another as large in Abulug, a more populous town, the people of which +were very proud and esteemed themselves highly. The Indians came to +help in building it, not because of the payment they received—for +as they very soon showed, they would have given much more to keep the +religious out of their village, for the devil kept prejudiced against +the fathers—but because they were afraid of <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb311" href="#pb311" name="pb311">311</a>]</span>the +alcalde-mayor, who ordered them to do this. Even while they were at +work on it, they held a council in which they agreed to do what they +could to interfere with it and to drive away the religious. The chiefs +made up a plan that some of them should go to the city of Manila, and +there bring it about that the religious should be compelled to leave +their village, and to give them over to their barbarous and heathen +manner of living. The charge of this matter was put in the hands of two +chiefs, who were uncle and nephew, one being named Cafugao and the +other Tuliau. They got ready a vessel, and gave their ambassadors a +great quantity of gold to carry out their object; and the latter +actually set sail, in order to bring this about. The storms and dangers +of the sea which they suffered on this voyage were many; because the +sea of these coasts is very violent and stormy. However, making their +way against the wind, they reached Bigan, the principal town of the +province of Ylocos. Here they talked with the chiefs there, telling +their intentions and designs, and the purpose which took them to +Manila. The people of Ylocos told them that they were making a mistake, +and that, now they had Spaniards in their land, to oppose having +priests there was to strive in vain. But Cafugao, who held the highest +rank among them all, was so obstinate that he urged his nephew Tuliau +to prosecute their journey to Manila, because they could reach it by +six days’ sailing. They set sail, and though the weather was good +and the sea was quiet, they could not manage to get a step in advance, +and accomplished nothing but to advance and then come back again. In +this way they spent many days even in reaching a port called Purau, +which was little <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb312" href="#pb312" +name="pb312">312</a>]</span>more than a day’s voyage distant. +This was the more marvelous because they plainly saw other vessels +making their way to the same place to which they wished to go. All the +rest passed them by, while they only remained in that place without +being able to advance as the others did. They did not know to what they +might attribute this, when they saw that for all the others that were +making the same voyage the wind was fair, while for them it was +contrary. At last, forced by necessity, they were obliged to return to +Bigan, where the chiefs of the town again tried to persuade them to +receive the religious. To influence them the more, they said: +“Look, and see that the religious whom you have are not going to +do you any harm. On the contrary, they will do you much good by helping +to protect you from the Spaniards. The people of Pangasinan, our +neighbors, are very well pleased with them; for they eat no chickens, +but only a little fish, and if that is not given to them they get along +with herbs. They do not travel on the backs of men, or of Indians, but +on their own feet. If there is no one to carry their bed for them, they +carry it on their own shoulders. They do not seek for gold, they do not +ask for silver; on the contrary, they give of what they have to their +Indians, they maintain the poor, and they cure the sick.” +Influenced by these words, and disgusted and wearied by the unfavorable +weather which they experienced, they determined to return to their +village, after having spent four months on a journey which was usually +performed in a week, and after having been many times in danger of +being wrecked and drowned. By this may be seen the rebelliousness of +their hearts, and the mercy of the Lord, who carried <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb313" href="#pb313" name="pb313">313</a>]</span>them +from one place to the other, and, placing before their eyes the death +that they deserved, hindered the evil purpose upon which they had +entered, and drew them to His holy law. They did not understand it +then, but came to see it afterward; and to this day they tell the story +with great wonder, as of a manifestly miraculous and marvelous event. +When they reached their own village, they had become changed and +gentle, beyond all the hope that the fathers had of them. They began +with all their hearts to learn how to pray, to hear the catechism, and +to frequent the church; and, urging the others to do the same, they +accepted baptism. They and the rest in that house became very good +Christians, and were the support of Christianity in that region. They +gave alms freely, and were devoted to the divine worship. God has given +them His blessing; and that household is the best ordered and most +highly esteemed among all the Indians in that province. In the +meantime, the chiefs of this village and their neighbors were waiting +for news from Manila that the negotiations of those who had sailed +there had succeeded in causing the dismissal of the religious. While +waiting, they tricked and deceived them by sending half a dozen boys to +listen to the prayers, having agreed among themselves that none of the +grown people should enter the church or the fathers’ +dwelling-place, or should have any dealings with them, or go to see +them. This plan displeased the boys, and one of them, a son of the most +prominent chief, said: “So the grown people are pleased and +satisfied to send me to endure this praying, and to stay in the church; +but they ought not to do so.” Thus every day he quarreled with +them, and they with him. He <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb314" href= +"#pb314" name="pb314">314</a>]</span>began to cry and whimper, and +threatened them that he would run away if they made him go to church. +This was the state of perversity in which they then were; but when the +voyagers came and told them what had happened, their minds were all +changed, and they began to think well of the law which was preached to +them. Thus they set about becoming Christians, and good Christians, +being much aided by the virtue of the religious—which was so +great that, though they were heathen and barbarous, they recognized and +respected it. It happened at this time that there came to this village +on business some Indians who had already been converted to +Christianity, natives of the province of Ylocos, which, as has been +said, is next to that of Nueva Segovia. One of them fell sick, and was +left without shelter or food. No one took pity upon him, because those +in the village were all still heathen and pitiless, as was he whom they +adored as God. Father Fray Ambrosio de la Madre de Dios went to the +sick man, and, pitying him, took him to the convent, entrusting him to +brother Fray Domingo de San Blas, his associate, a very devout friar. +He directed him to provide the sick man with what he needed as well as +he could, though this was but poorly. The brother did this with great +delight, for his whole mind was set upon serving God and his neighbor. +At last the sick man was about to die; and the fathers summoned the +chief of the village—who was a heathen, like all the rest of +them—that he might see how they attended upon the dying person, +and might thus be edified and come to feel kindly toward the faith. +[While the chief was there the father cast holy water upon the dying +man, whom he took for dead. The sick man revived, and the result of +this occurrence was to <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb315" href= +"#pb315" name="pb315">315</a>]</span>make the hearts of the chief and +of the other inhabitants of the village very well disposed to the +fathers and to their teaching, because they saw them act so +disinterestedly and so charitably toward a stranger, from whom they +could expect no reward. The recovery of the sick person when the holy +water was sprinkled upon him caused the Indians to believe in the +virtue of this water, and hence to be willing to be baptized. An Indian +woman who seemed to be mortally wounded also recovered after being +baptized; and the Indians believed that this healing was much aided by +the great virtue of the missionary, father Fray Ambrosio de la Madre de +Dios.</p> +<p>The first church was built as poorly as might have been expected of +religious who came into the country as Christ our Lord in His gospel +directed His apostles to go, without money, or bag, or treasure. In the +course of time, when necessity required the building of larger +churches, because the town was large and the population had almost all +become Christian, they were all of wood and unfortunately burned. The +religious afterward undertook to build one of brick or stone; and for +this purpose they built a kiln in which to burn lime. When it was +already full of stone and of the wood necessary to make a fire, there +was a religious standing at the top of the arch over it, and there were +some men and women at work on the side. The arch suddenly fell in, and +all the stone was carried inward. One woman was buried in the stone, to +twice her own height. The religious offered prayers for her to the +Virgin; and when they uncovered her, which they did as quickly as +possible, she came out, of her own accord, quite uninjured.]</p> +<p>When the first church in this village had been <span class= +"pagenum">[<a id="pb316" href="#pb316" name= +"pb316">316</a>]</span>finished, the religious, seeing the manifest +favor of the Lord in everything that had happened, undertook to build +another in Camalaniugan, a village about a legua from the city. The +Indians there are among the most intelligent in those provinces. They +were very friendly with the Spaniards, and gave them great help in +pacifying the whole country, by their great fidelity and continued +assistance in the wars which took place. No falsehood or double-dealing +was ever discovered in them; and they have always preserved this +affection for the Spaniards, serving them much—as they were able +to do, because of their proximity to the city. The chief and lord of +this village was so rich that, if we are to believe his vassals, or +even some of the old soldiers who were there at that time, he weighed +the gold that he had with a steelyard, as iron is commonly weighed. +Afterward, however, he suffered from the vicissitudes of fortune, and +lost the greater part of his property. To this village father Fray +Antonio de Soria went, with a brother of the order, to establish and +erect a church. Though they were received without opposition, the +Indians showed so little pleasure at having them in their village that +no one visited them or spoke to them, except to ask when they were +going to depart. Their answer was, that they would go as soon as the +river ran dry. Now this river is so large that, because of its +resemblance, the Spaniards called it Tajo [<i>i.e.</i>, +“Tagus”]. At this answer the Indians gave up putting that +question, but they did not give up their wonder at seeing the religious +among them, making a thousand guesses about the plans and purposes that +the religious might have in maintaining a house and dwelling in their +<span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb317" href="#pb317" name= +"pb317">317</a>]</span>village. The women, though out of curiosity they +tried to look at the religious, did so by stealth, glancing over their +shoulders. If a religious happened to turn his head, they ran away like +so many fallow-deer. If one suddenly came upon them when they were +carrying water (which they drew from the river), they put it on the +ground in order that they might better run away from him and from being +seen by him. This was the way in which the religious were generally +received in that and the other villages. However, as the story of the +way in which they lived at Pata and Abulug had reached there, the +Indians did not find the missionaries quite so strange, or treat them +quite so badly, as they did at those places. What they wondered at most +was their habits, which for such a hot country were very heavy, and +which were very different from anything that they had seen on +Spaniards, or on religious who had up to that time been in the city. A +church was afterward built there—like the rest, poor and small, +and with a roof of thatch. But it was built with great devotion on the +part of the religious, and with great acceptance to our Lord, for whose +glory it was built. Immediately afterward, they likewise built a church +in Buguey, which was near that village and was closely allied to it. +The church of Camalaniugan had the name of St. Hyacinth, and was +dedicated to him. That of Buguei was dedicated to St. Vincent Ferrer; +but afterward the name was changed, and it is now named for St. Anne. +These churches were for the time annexed to the convent in the city, as +its benefices, and as dependent upon it. The religious found much to +occupy them while they were dwelling in those villages, as they were +the first who <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb318" href="#pb318" name= +"pb318">318</a>]</span>preached there the law of the gospel; and as +they had deeply at heart the purpose of overthrowing and casting to the +ground the deceits which the Father of Lies had inculcated upon these +tribes, and the diabolical customs in which they had been brought up. +These evil ways of living had been sucked in by them with their +mothers’ milk, and, having been continued by them all their +lives, they had become second nature. As the Indians had inherited them +from their ancestors, they observed them with the greatest accuracy, +and took the greater pleasure in them because they were so closely +conformed to their wicked inclinations and their evil training. +Therefore to draw them forth from this condition, which was so contrary +even to the law of nature, was a most difficult matter, and one in +which success was not to be expected from natural forces. Hence the +religious strove with all their hearts to obtain divine strength by +means of prayer, fasting, and tears. By the aid of the Lord, which is +never denied to those who thus seek for it, they went on and conquered +all these difficulties; and in a short time they saw and tasted, to the +great comfort of their souls, wonderful fruits from their labors. These +had been accomplished by the help of God, to whose omnipotence there is +nothing difficult. The Indians—who, because they did not know the +religious, received them at first with so much disgust—soon came +to see in what an error they had been, and how unfounded their fears +were; for with the religious God sent to them light, teaching, true +belief, healing for their souls, comfort in their sorrow, a wise rule +of conduct, order and system in their manner of living, protection +against those who wronged them, and, in <span class="pagenum">[<a id= +"pb319" href="#pb319" name="pb319">319</a>]</span>a word, true fathers, +not only in spiritual, but also in temporal matters. Hence within a few +years, when the voluntary offer of their allegiance was asked for from +them on the part of his Majesty King Felipe II,<a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e2158src" href="#xd20e2158" name="xd20e2158src">38</a> to satisfy +a scruple which he had felt with regard to the conquest of that +province, one of the leading chiefs of the province, Don Diego Siriban, +responded for himself and for his subjects that he gave his allegiance +to the king our lord with a very good will, because of the great +blessing which he had given them by sending religious to them. He went +on to say “If we had known earlier the good that was coming to us +with them, we would have gone to their countries to seek for it, even +if we had been sure that half of us were certain to perish in the +quest.” The same thing was said by the whole village. Another +village declared that they very readily offered their allegiance to his +Majesty for having sent them Spaniards to deliver them from the tyranny +of their chiefs, and religious to deliver them from the tyranny of some +Spaniards. In general, the love that they feel for the religious is +very great. Those who can have them in their villages are greatly +pleased; while those who cannot be supplied, on account of the +insufficient number, long for them. An evidence of this may be seen in +the case of a great Indian chief named Bacani. Some years ago this man, +who had no religious in his district, went to see the father +provincial, and, falling on his knees, begged him with tears that he +might receive some fathers. He offered in his own name, and in that of +the other <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb320" href="#pb320" name= +"pb320">320</a>]</span>chiefs of his tribe, to gather in one village +more than a thousand inhabitants, and for this purpose to leave his own +villages and estates. The reason for this was that the villages were so +small and scattered that it was difficult to give instruction among +them; and hence the offer was made that many of them would assemble +together in a new village, in some cases one or two days’ travel +distant from where they had been living. The inhabitants of another +region, called Malagueg, who had no ministers, and to whom none could +be given, built a house for them and bought a boat in which they might +travel—for people generally travel by the rivers—planning +thus to make it easier for religious to be given them, as soon as there +should be any. In the interim they did not cease to ask for them very +humbly, and left no stone unturned to bring it about that the religious +might be sent. They did all sorts of things to get ministers to live +among them, offering to abandon their vices, and manifesting the +greatest desire to become Christians (as at this time, by the grace of +God, they are). The same desire was displayed by the Indians of the +estuary of Yogan; but the father provincial did not dare to give them +religious. A marvel followed, for while they were very urgently +pleading for missionaries, two of the religious fell sick, and were so +near to death that they were already despaired of. At that time a +religious came in, who was much moved to pity when he saw the heathen +asking for preachers with so much urgency. He told the father +provincial, Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, that he ought to make a vow to +send missionaries to the people of Yogan if the Lord healed the sick +men; for, if the Lord did heal them, it was the same as to give him +anew two <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb321" href="#pb321" name= +"pb321">321</a>]</span>missionaries, the number necessary for these +Indians, for they were already mourning the religious as dead. The +provincial made no vow, but promised to do so; and the Lord straightway +fulfilled that condition by healing those whose life was despaired of, +and the provincial sent religious to Yogan. Many other Indians of that +same country have felt this same desire, wishing to enjoy the presence +of the religious, because of the high regard that they feel for them +and the great advantage which they receive from their presence. And the +hearts of the religious have been not a little grieved at seeing the +heathen coming to ask for preachers (which is the same as for them to +come to preach to us), and themselves unable to help them. Since there +are not religious enough for so many villages and districts, the +religious have done all they could, and at times have done more than +they could; so that, as a result of their excessive labor, they have +lost their lives. Even so, there are many to whose succor it has not +been possible to go; and they have failed to become Christians for lack +of missionaries to teach them, baptize them, and keep them in the +divine law.</p> +<p>(<i>To be continued.</i>) <span class="pagenum">[<a id="pb323" href= +"#pb323" name="pb323">323</a>]</span></p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="footnotes"> +<hr class="fnsep"> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1003" href="#xd20e1003src" name="xd20e1003">1</a></span> See +account (mainly derived from Aduarte) of the foundation of the +Dominican province of Filipinas, in <i lang="es">Reseña +biográfica</i>, i, pp. 1–29. Fray Juan Crisóstomo +was one of the Dominican friars in Mexico, and was sent to Spain and +Rome in 1581 to make arrangements for the opening of the new Filipinas +mission; no information is available regarding previous events in his +life. Having assembled the members of his mission at Sevilla, he set +out with them for Nueva España (July 17, 1586); but the +hardships of the voyage made him so ill that he was obliged to remain a +long time in Mexico, not being able to reach Manila until 1589. There +he was so affected by age and broken health that he could do little; +and finally disease carried him away, and he died probably late in 1590 +or early in 1591.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1029" href="#xd20e1029src" name="xd20e1029">2</a></span> The +mission of the Jesuit Sanchéz to Spain, and its results, are +described in <span class="sc">VOLS. VI</span> and <span class= +"sc">VII</span> of this series.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1038" href="#xd20e1038src" name="xd20e1038">3</a></span> Juan de +Castro, a native of Burgos, entered the Dominican order at that place, +and soon after his ordination went to Nueva España, where he +spent most of his life in Guatemala. Being sent to Madrid on business +of his order, he encountered there Fray Juan Crisóstomo +(1585–86), through whom he became so interested in the projected +mission to Filipinas that for its sake he declined proffered honors and +dignities. He conducted to Manila the mission of 1587, and was elected +provincial at the first chapter-meeting (June 10, 1588). In May, 1590, +Castro and Benavides went to China to preach the gospel, returning to +Manila in March, 1591. The suffering and hardship which they endured in +China broke down the health of Castro, who was already an old man; and +he died in 1592.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1043" href="#xd20e1043src" name="xd20e1043">4</a></span> Juan +Ormaza de Santo Tomás was born at Medina del Campo, in +September, 1548. His studies were pursued at Salamanca; after +graduation he spent several years in teaching and was engaged in this +occupation at Valladolid when Crisóstomo went thither to secure +missionaries for Filipinas. Ormaza enlisted in this new field, and, +after arriving at Manila, he was assigned to the district of Bataan. +Here he “reduced to two villages, with some visitas annexed, the +thirty-one hamlets among which the Indians were dispersed; made bridges +over the rivers; hindered with palisades (which those people call +<i>tabones</i>) the inroads of the sea, which had ruined their +grain-fields; and adorned the churches with altars, sacred images, and +paintings.” During 1610–14 he was engaged in the missions +of Japan; the rest of his life, except 1619–21 and 1623–25, +when he ministered to the Chinese in the Parián and in Binondoc +respectively, was spent at the Manila convent—where he died on +September 7, 1638. (<i lang="es">Reseña biográfica</i>, +i, pp. 86–91.)</p> +<p class="footnote">Pedro de Soto was a native of Burgos, and pursued +his priestly studies at Valladolid; soon after his graduation he joined +the Filipinas mission. His first charge was in Pangasinan, where he +labored zealously, amid great opposition and hostility from the +natives. A serious illness at last compelled him to return (1599) to +Manila, where he died.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1061" href="#xd20e1061src" name="xd20e1061">5</a></span> Juan +Cobo, a native of Castilla, joined the Dominican order at Ocaña, +and was a student at Avila and Alcalá de Henares. He came to +Nueva España with the mission of 1587; during his stay there +(prolonged another year, on account of certain business of the order) +he rebuked the viceroy of Mexico so boldly that the latter ordered Cobo +to be exiled to the Philippines. Arriving at the islands in May, 1588, +he began his labors among the Chinese of the Manila Parián, and +later went among those of Tondo. In 1592, Cobo was sent by +Dasmariñas as ambassador to Japan; having fulfilled his +commission he set out on the return to Manila, and is supposed to have +perished by shipwreck, as nothing more was ever known of him or his +ship.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1064" href="#xd20e1064src" name="xd20e1064">6</a></span> +“Peña de Francia is a lofty mountain in the province and +diocese of Salamanca, twelve leguas from this city and seven from +Ciudad-Rodrigo. On its rugged summit is the celebrated +convent-sanctuary of this name, where the community resided from Easter +until November 2, at which time they went down to another house, on the +slope of the same mountain, only two or three brethren remaining above +for the care of the sanctuary.” (<i lang="es">Reseña +biográfica</i>, i, p. 95, note 1.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1070" href="#xd20e1070src" name="xd20e1070">7</a></span> Pedro +Bolaños was master of novices in the convent of Peña de +Francia when he decided to enter the Filipinas mission, and was then +sixty years of age. He labored among the natives of Bataan for a little +while; but the responsibilities of this work, the hardships of +missionary life, and his advanced years, were too much for him, and he +died before he had spent a year in Filipinas. (<i lang= +"es">Reseña biográfica</i>, i, pp. 95–97.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1079" href="#xd20e1079src" name="xd20e1079">8</a></span> Juan de +la Cruz, labored first among the natives of Pangasinan, and was +afterward sent among those of Bataan, where he became very proficient +in the Tagál language. He was provisor of the archdiocese under +Benavides, until the latter’s death; then he returned to Bataan, +where he died, probably near the end of 1605. (<i lang= +"es">Reseña biográfica</i>, i, pp. 100, 101.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1111" href="#xd20e1111src" name="xd20e1111">9</a></span> +Apparently meaning the Jesuit Alonso Sanchéz, who was then in +Nueva España, on his way to Spain.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1114" href="#xd20e1114src" name="xd20e1114">10</a></span> At that +time, the marqués de Villamanrique (<span class="sc">VOL. +VI</span>, p. 282).</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1120" href="#xd20e1120src" name="xd20e1120">11</a></span> The +younger Juan de Castro was a priest in the Dominican convent at +Barcelona when the Filipinas mission enterprise was begun. Arrived in +the islands, he was sent to Pangasinan; and, at the end of 1593, +accompanied Fray Luis Gandullo on an embassy to China. On their return, +they were shipwrecked off the coast of Pangasinan; and the exposure and +suffering incident to this misfortune brought on a serious illness, +from which Castro died early in 1594.</p> +<p class="footnote">Marcos Soria de San Antonio was also assigned to +the Pangasinan field, where his life was at first in danger from the +fierce heathen; but afterward he won their affection by his gentleness +and kindness to them. The sufferings and hardships of missionary life +broke down his health, and he was compelled to seek medical care in +Manila; but it was too late, and he died there in 1591.</p> +<p class="footnote">Gregorio Ochoa de San Vicente, then a Dominican +friar in Valladolid, joined the Filipinas mission; and, like his +associates in Pangasinan, was broken down by hardships—but even +earlier than they, since his death occurred on November 25, 1588.</p> +<p class="footnote">The lay brother Pedro Rodriguez spent twenty years +in the hospital maintained by the Dominicans for the Chinese, which was +later removed to Binondo. He died in that place, in 1609.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1144" href="#xd20e1144src" name="xd20e1144">12</a></span> +Religious life (<i lang="es">religion</i>): <i>Religion</i>, as used by +Aduarte, means solely the rule of life followed by a religious order, +the order itself, or the ideal of the order; and derivative words have +corresponding significations. For instance: “at the expense of +the order (<i lang="es">la religion</i>),” book ii, p. 77; +“to the no small credit of our religious community (<i lang= +"es">nuestra religion</i>), with the members of which (<i lang= +"es">cuyos religiosos</i>) they generally have most to do,” book +ii, p. 83; “the act which he was performing because of his duty +as a religious (<i lang="es">acto religioso</i>),” book ii, p. +104; “sufficient to give glory to an entire religious order +(<i lang="es">una religion entera</i>);” “all the religious +orders (<i lang="es">las religiones</i>) in the Indias.” As an +adjective, a “very religious” friar (<i lang= +"es">religiosissimo padre</i>, book ii, p. 376) means one who +remarkably approaches the ideal of the order. In this sense <i lang= +"es">religioso</i> has generally been rendered by “devoted” +in this translation. The noun “religious,” in the sense of +“a member of an order,” and the adjective in such phrases +as “a religious house,” “the religious life,” +are still not rare in English.—<span class="sc">Henry B. +Lathrop.</span></p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1196" href="#xd20e1196src" name="xd20e1196">13</a></span> The +full text of these ordinances may be found in <i lang= +"es">Reseña <span class="corr" id="xd20e1200" title= +"Source: biográphica">biográfica</span></i>, i, pp. +18–30; it is in Latin, accompanied by a Spanish translation, +which differs considerably from Aduarte’s, following the Latin +more closely than his. The devotion to the Virgin Mary which is here +mentioned (also known as the <i lang="es">coronilla</i>, or +“little crown”) is given <i lang="la">ut supra</i>, p. 29. +The initial letters of the first words in the psalms selected for this +purpose form the name “Maria,” as do those of the +corresponding antiphons—thus producing a double acrostic on her +name. Gregory XIII granted an indulgence of one hundred days for those +reciting this devotion.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1251" href="#xd20e1251src" name="xd20e1251">14</a></span> The +present province of Bataán is on the western shore of Manila +Bay, being the peninsula formed between that bay and the sea. But the +description in the text, together with other mention of Bataán +(or Batán) in old documents, makes it evident that the name was +applied in Aduarte’s time to at least the western part of the +delta at the mouth of the Rio Grande de Pampanga, in the southwest part +of the present Pampanga province.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1261" href="#xd20e1261src" name="xd20e1261">15</a></span> +Salaries were paid from the royal treasury in installments thrice a +year, hence in thirds (<i lang="es">tercios</i>).</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1288" href="#xd20e1288src" name="xd20e1288">16</a></span> So in +the text, but evidently referring to the beginning only of constructing +the new church.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1338" href="#xd20e1338src" name="xd20e1338">17</a></span> +<i>i.e.</i>, “Take heed to thyself and to doctrine;” and, +“in doing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear +thee”—both quoted from 1 Timothy, iv, v. 16.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1355" href="#xd20e1355src" name="xd20e1355">18</a></span> +<i lang="es">Dias que no son dobles</i>: in church terminology, feast +days whereof the canonical offices are observed according to <i>double +rite</i>—or duplex feasts, as sometimes styled in English +liturgical works. In church calendars, the rite to be followed every +day of the year is determined (according to fixed rules) with a view to +its greater or less solemnity. The various designations thus employed +are: simple, or simplex; semi-double, or semi-duplex; double, or +duplex, and these may be minor or major; major double of the second +class; and major double of the first class. Of this last sort are the +most solemn feasts, as Christmas, Easter, Pentecost; while a feast day +of simple rite is of the lowest class.—<span class="sc">Rev. T. +C. Middleton, O.S.A.</span></p> +<p class="footnote">Cf. Addis and Arnold’s <i>Catholic +Dictionary</i>, art. “Feasts” and “Feria,” +where full details, and the origin and application of the terms, are +given.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1522" href="#xd20e1522src" name="xd20e1522">19</a></span> Juan de +Santo Domingo assumed the Dominican habit in the convent at Salamanca, +and later came to the Philippines. He spent two years (1610–12) +in the missions of Bataán and Pangasinan, and six years in +Manila and Binondo; and in 1618 undertook, but unsuccessfully, to start +a mission in Korea. He then remained a little while in Japan, where he +was arrested (December 13, 1618) and imprisoned. Condemned to suffer +death by torture, he was carried away by a sickness instead (March 19, +1619). He was beatified on July 7, 1867. (<i lang="es">Reseña +biográfica</i>, i, pp. 207, 208.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1576" href="#xd20e1576src" name="xd20e1576">20</a></span> Little +is known of Alonso Montero, save that he belonged to the province of +Mexico, where he spent several years, and afterward labored two years +in the Pangasinan mission. His name does not appear in the records +after 1592. (<i lang="es">Reseña biográfica</i>, p. +146.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1597" href="#xd20e1597src" name="xd20e1597">21</a></span> Juan +García was for some time a minister to the Indians in Nueva +España; he came to the islands in 1588, and labored in the +missions of Bataán and Pangasinan. He died about 1603. (<i lang= +"es">Reseña biográfica</i>, i, p. 138.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1605" href="#xd20e1605src" name="xd20e1605">22</a></span> Tomas +Castellar, from the Dominican convent at Barcelona, went to Mexico, +where he filled various high positions in his order. He came to Manila +in 1589, where he remained three years; in 1592 he was sent to +Pangasinan, and, two years later, aided in founding the Cagayan +mission. Returning to his former field, he labored with those natives +until his death (1607).</p> +<p class="footnote">Pedro Martinez came to the islands in 1588, and was +placed in various posts in the Manila convent, for which he proved to +be unfit from his habit of being absorbed in contemplation. He was then +sent to Pangasinan, where he died (1592) from the effects of the +climate.</p> +<p class="footnote">Juan Bautista Deza remained some time in +Pangasinan; then, as he had some knowledge of surgery, accompanied an +expedition to Camboja. Nothing is known of him after 1600.</p> +<p class="footnote">(See <i lang="es">Reseña +biográfica</i>, i, pp. 138, 145.)</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1643" href="#xd20e1643src" name="xd20e1643">23</a></span> +Spanish, <i lang="es">apostola de los apostoles</i>. One of the +word-plays of which the old religious writers were so fond. No literal +translation conveys the meaning here implied; but <i lang= +"es">apostola</i> is used (as also in English) with the primitive +meaning of “apostle,” as one who first introduces the +gospel—in this particular instance, one who first announces the +good tidings, <i>i.e.</i>, of Christ’s resurrection.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1657" href="#xd20e1657src" name="xd20e1657">24</a></span> +Spanish, <i>lector</i>, literally, “reader;” applied to one +who gave lectures in theology, especially moral theology.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1669" href="#xd20e1669src" name="xd20e1669">25</a></span> +<i>Amaranthus</i>; see Delgado’s <i>Hist. Filipinas</i>, pp. 724, +725; and Blanco’s <i>Flora</i>, p. 491. Cf. <span class="sc">VOL. +XV</span>, p. 111.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1691" href="#xd20e1691src" name="xd20e1691">26</a></span> +Probably referring to the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, which +fell on August 15.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1755" href="#xd20e1755src" name="xd20e1755">27</a></span> See +portrait of Dasmariñas here presented; it is a photographic +facsimile of an old painting (possibly a later copy of an authentic +original) which was displayed in the Manila house in the Philippine +exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis, 1904). The +inscription on the scroll held by the page reads thus, in English: +“Don Luis Perez Dasmariñas, knight of the Order of +Alcántara, governor and captain-general of these Filipinas +Islands for the king our lord, and founder and owner of this village of +Binondo. He obtained this land by purchase, March 28, 1594, from Don +Antonio Velada, husband of Doña Sebastiana del Valle, for the +sum of $200. This sale was authorized by the certificate of Gabriel +Quintanilla, a notary-public, one of the number allotted to this very +illustrious and loyal city; and the grant of feudal rights over the +Sangleys and mestizos of this said village, on May 29, 1594.”</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1762" href="#xd20e1762src" name="xd20e1762">28</a></span> See +account of the first printing in the islands (1593), in vol. ix, p. 68; +and that of printing in China, in vol. iii, p. 206.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1772" href="#xd20e1772src" name="xd20e1772">29</a></span> +Tomás Mayor came to Manila with the Dominican mission of 1602, +and spent several years in their residence of San Gabriel among the +Chinese; he composed a useful catechism in that language. In 1612 he +went to Macao, at the summons of the bishop there; but finding it +impossible then to found a Dominican house at Macao, he departed thence +for Europe—dying, however, in that same year, before reaching his +destination.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1786" href="#xd20e1786src" name="xd20e1786">30</a></span> +Francisco de la Mina, an Andalusian, was a missionary among the Mexican +Indians during forty years. Coming to Manila in 1589, he labored in +Bataán for a time; and was afterward made prior of the Dominican +convent in Manila, where he died in 1592.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1890" href="#xd20e1890src" name="xd20e1890">31</a></span> A topic +then of special interest to the Dominicans, since Bishop Salazar (who +belonged to their order) had but recently been involved in a hot +controversy with Dasmariñas over the collection of tributes from +the Indians (see correspondence between them at end of <span class= +"sc">VOL. VII</span> and beginning of <span class="sc">VOL. +VIII</span>). All the missionaries in the islands had opposed slavery, +whether among the Indians or the Spaniards; and the latter had adopted +this practice to such an extent that Gregory XIV commanded them in 1591 +to cease it entirely (<span class="sc">VOL. VIII</span>, pp +70–72).</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1904" href="#xd20e1904src" name="xd20e1904">32</a></span> A cape +(now known as Piedra Point) at northwest extremity of Zambales +peninsula, Luzón; name also applied to the narrow channel +between that cape and Purra Island.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1957" href="#xd20e1957src" name="xd20e1957">33</a></span> Cf. +with this the description in Sir Thomas Malory’s <i lang= +"fr">Morte d’Arthur</i> (book xxi, chap. iv) of the last and +fatal combat between King Arthur and Sir Mordred: “And when Sir +Mordred felt that he had his death-wound, he thrust himself unto the +bur of King Arthur’s spear,” and with this final effort +dealt a mortal blow on the king’s head.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e1968" href="#xd20e1968src" name="xd20e1968">34</a></span> +Spanish, <i lang="es">viva quien vence</i>; equivalent to the English +saying, “Might makes right.”</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e2030" href="#xd20e2030src" name="xd20e2030">35</a></span> +Spanish, <i>pascuas</i>. Certain great church festivals last three days +or more in Spain.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e2080" href="#xd20e2080src" name="xd20e2080">36</a></span> All +these are towns on or near the northern coast of Cagayán.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e2084" href="#xd20e2084src" name="xd20e2084">37</a></span> Miguel +Martin de San Jacinto made his profession at Salamanca, in 1586. He +seems to have spent his life after coming to the islands (1595) in the +Cagayán missions, in which he was a prominent worker. He died +there, at Abulug, April 26, 1625.</p> +<p class="footnote">Gaspar Zarfate was a native of Mexico. He spent +some time in Cagayán, and afterward in Manila, where he filled +various important offices in his order. He died at Manila, March 9, +1621; and was the first who systematized the grammar of the Ibanag +dialect.</p> +<p class="footnote">Ambrosio Martinez de la Madre de Dios, a native of +Guatemala, made his profession at Mexico in 1589. Reaching the +Philippines in 1595, he spent the rest of his days in the +Cagayán missions, where he died in April, 1626.</p> +<p class="footnote">Domingo de San Blás came to the islands from +the Dominican convent at Sevilla, and spent several years in the +Cagayán missions; he died at Manila, in 1601.</p> +<p class="footnote">Antonio de Soria came from the convent at Puebla de +los Angeles, Mexico. He labored so earnestly in the Cagayán +missions that he soon wore out his strength; and died at Lal-ló +about the beginning of 1599.</p> +<p class="footnote">See <i lang="es">Reseña +biográfica</i>, i, pp. 181–184.</p> +<p class="footnote"><span class="label"><a class="noteref" id= +"xd20e2158" href="#xd20e2158src" name="xd20e2158">38</a></span> The +instructions given in this matter to the Spanish officials and +missionaries, and the manner in which they carried out these, may be +found in <span class="sc">VOL. X</span>, pp. 277–288.</p> +</div> +</div> +</div> +</div> +<div class="back"> +<div id="bibliography" class="div1 bibliography"><span class= +"pagenum">[<a href="#toc">Contents</a>]</span> +<div class="divHead"> +<h2 id="xd20e2176" class="main">Bibliographical Data</h2> +</div> +<div class="divBody"> +<p class="first">The first document is obtained from Antonio Alvarez de +Abreu’s <i lang="es">Extracto historial</i> (Madrid, 1736), fol. +1–28; from a copy of that work in the possession of Edward E. +Ayer, Chicago.</p> +<p>The second document is part of Diego Aduarte’s <i lang= +"es">Historia de la provincia del Sancto Rosario</i> (Manila, 1640), +pp. 1–167; from a copy of that work in the possession of Edward +E. Ayer. It will be continued in the next two volumes of this +series.</p> +</div> +</div> +<div class="div1"> +<h2 class="main">Table of Contents</h2> +<ul> +<li><a href="#toc">Contents of Volume XXX</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e158">5</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#loi">Illustrations</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e191">7</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#preface">Preface</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e231">9</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e297">Commerce between the Philippines and Nueva +España</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e298">19</a></span> +<ul> +<li><a href="#doc1736">Commerce between the Philippines and Nueva +España</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e322">23</a></span> +<ul> +<li><a href="#xd20e354">Of what has been ordained by royal decrees, now +compiled, in regard to the commerce of Philipinas.</a></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e368">Of the debates on this commerce which occurred +in the royal Council of the Indias up to the year 1640, and the +commissions which on that account were entrusted to Señor Don +Juan de Palafox, who, being an official of the [India] House, went as +bishop of Puebla de los Angeles.</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e369">24</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e383">Justification of the maintenance of the +Philipinas Islands and their commerce</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e384">25</a></span> +<ul> +<li><a href="#xd20e403">Point first</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e404">27</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e572">Point second</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e573">57</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e605">Point third</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e606">64</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e668">Point fourth</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e669">67</a></span></li> +</ul> +</li> +<li><a href="#xd20e779">Informatory decree regarding the question to +what extent and on what plan shall the commerce of the islands with +Nueva España hereafter proceed.</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e780">81</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e833">Informatory decree upon the augmentation of the +amount permitted to the Philipinas Islands, in both silver and +merchandise; and that the products of the islands shall not be included +in the permission for 250,000 pesos.</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e834">93</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e866">Informatory decree, in regard to opening the +commerce between the kingdoms of Perù and Nueva +España.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e867">97</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e892">Decree in which his Majesty commands that a +hearing be given in a court of justice to the citizens of the city of +Manila, regarding their claim that they be not included in the +condemnations and compositions of the 900,000 pesos; and [it is +declared] that it is his Majesty’s intention that they should not +pay what they do not owe.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e893">102</a></span></li> +</ul> +</li> +</ul> +</li> +<li><a href="#xd20e940">HISTORIA DE LA PROVINCIA DEL SANCTO ROSARIO DE +LA ORDEN DE PREDICADORES</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e941">111</a></span> +<ul> +<li><a href="#doc1640">History of the Dominican Province of the Holy +Rosary</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e977">115</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e986">Book I</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e987">115</a></span> +<ul> +<li><a href="#xd20e989">How the establishment of the Dominican order in +the Philipinas Islands was undertaken</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e990">115</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1010">Negotiations of Fray Juan Chrisostomo at +Roma</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1011">118</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1020">The experience of Fray Juan Chrisostomo in +España until the establishment of the new province was +completed.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1021">118</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1087">The experience of these first fathers up to +the time of embarcation</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1088">122</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1095">The voyage of the +fathers</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1096">123</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1104">New difficulties met by the expedition, and +the result</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1105">124</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1135">Of the ordinances made by the vicar-general +for the foundation of the new province</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e1136">126</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1212">The voyage of the fathers from Mexico to the +Philippines</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1213">128</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1224">The voyage and experience of the brethren who +went to Macau</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1225">129</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1236">Of the entry of the religious into the city of +Manila, and of their occupations there until they went on their various +missions.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1237">130</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1279">Some marvels wrought by the Lord in the +convent of Manila, and the rebuilding of the +same</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1280">142</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1293">A revered image of our Lady of the Rosary +possessed by this convent, and the marvels which the Lord has wrought +and still works by it.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1294">144</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1302">Other miracles wrought by this holy +image</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1303">145</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1309">Other marvels wrought by the same +image</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1310">145</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1316">Further marvels wrought by the same holy +image</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1317">145</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1325">The manner in which the religious lived when +they entered their ministry to the Indians</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e1326">146</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1385">Of the great advantage derived by this +province from the observance of the aforesaid +rules</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1386">154</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1411">The same subject is continued with testimony +taken from regions and persons at a greater +distance</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1412">159</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1431">The foundation of the vicariate of Bataan, and +the early history thereof</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1432">161</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1478">The same continued, and some miracles that +afterwards followed</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1479">176</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1493">The entry of the religious into +Pangasinan</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1494">180</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1535">Of the persecution of the religious by the +Indians, at the beginning; and of their later heartfelt +conversion.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1536">190</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1567">Some miracles wrought by God in Pangasinan at +the beginning of the preaching in this +province</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1568">196</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1588">The coming to this province of father Fray +Juan Cobo and other religious</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1589">200</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1634">The election of the first provincial, and the +first provincial chapter</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1635">207</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1684">The foundation of another church in +Pangasinan, and the first visitation of the father +provincial</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1685">211</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1706">The province takes charge of the missions of +the Chinese, and the results which follow</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e1707">215</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1775">The coming of some religious, and the second +visitation of father Fray Juan de Castro</a> +<span class="tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href= +"#xd20e1776">234</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1814">The journey of the father provincial, Fray +Juan de Castro, and of father Fray Miguel de Venavides to the kingdom +of China.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1815">246</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1830">Events in the province during the absence of +the provincial in China</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1831">249</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1849">The journey of the bishop of these islands to +España in company with father Fray Miguel de Venavides, and the +death of two religious.</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1850">253</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1872">The election of father Fray Alonso Ximenez as +provincial</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1873">259</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1922">Father Fray Juan Cobo, his virtues and +death</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1923">267</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1935">The death of father Fray Francisco de la Mina, +and the council which was held in place of the intermediate provincial +chapter.</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1936">270</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e1985">The second expedition of religious from +Castilla to the Philippinas, and the deaths of some on the +voyage.</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e1986">281</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e2010">The condition in which the religious found the +Indians in the province</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e2011">285</a></span></li> +<li><a href="#xd20e2064">The beginning of the conversion of these +Indians of Nueva Segovia</a> <span class= +"tocPagenum"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e2065">298</a></span></li> +</ul> +</li> +</ul> +</li> +<li><a href="#bibliography">Bibliographical +Data</a> <span class="tocPagenum"><a class= +"pageref" href="#xd20e2176">323</a></span></li> +</ul> +</div> +<div class="transcribernote"> +<h2 class="main">Colophon</h2> +<h3 class="main">Availability</h3> +<p class="first">This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no +cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. 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These +links may not work for you.</p> +<h3 class="main">Corrections</h3> +<p>The following corrections have been applied to the text:</p> +<table class="correctiontable" summary= +"Overview of corrections applied to the text."> +<tr> +<th>Page</th> +<th>Source</th> +<th>Correction</th> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e645">65</a></td> +<td class="width40 bottom">worth while</td> +<td class="width40 bottom">worthwhile</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e808">87</a></td> +<td class="width40 bottom">marquès</td> +<td class="width40 bottom">marqués</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e840">94</a></td> +<td class="width40 bottom">archipelagoes</td> +<td class="width40 bottom">archipelagos</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1200">128</a></td> +<td class="width40 bottom">biográphica</td> +<td class="width40 bottom">biográfica</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1380">153</a></td> +<td class="width40 bottom">no</td> +<td class="width40 bottom">not</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td class="width20"><a class="pageref" href="#xd20e1475">176</a></td> +<td class="width40 bottom">there there</td> +<td class="width40 bottom">there</td> +</tr> +</table> +</div> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, +Volume 30 of 55, by Antonio Alvarez de Abreu and Diego Aduarte + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PHILIPPINE ISLANDS, 1493-1898, VOL 30 *** + +***** This file should be named 39054-h.htm or 39054-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/9/0/5/39054/ + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ for Project +Gutenberg. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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