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diff --git a/42458-0.txt b/42458-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..68afb8d --- /dev/null +++ b/42458-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7950 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42458 *** + + The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 + + Explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and + their peoples, their history and records of the catholic missions, + as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the + political, economic, commercial and religious conditions of those + islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the + close of the nineteenth century, + + Volume XXXII, 1640 + + + + Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson + with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord + Bourne. + + + The Arthur H. Clark Company + Cleveland, Ohio + MCMV + + + + + + + +CONTENTS OF VOLUME XXXII + + + Preface 9 + + Historia de la Provincia del Sancto Rosario de la Orden + de Predicadores (concluded). + Diego Aduarte, O.P.; Manila, 1640 19 + + Bibliographical Data 299 + + + + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + + Indiæ orientalis nec non insularum adiacentum nova descriptio + (map of Indian archipelago), photographic facsimile of part + of map by Nicolaus Visscher [1660?], from copy in library of + Wisconsin State Historical Society 153 + + Map of the East Indies; photographic facsimile, from the + French edition of Mercator's Atlas minor of 1635; from + copy of original map in Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris 169 + + Autograph signature of Diego Aduarte, O. P.; photographic + facsimile from original MS. in Archivo general de Indias, + Sevilla 297 + + + + + + + +PREFACE + + +In the present volume is concluded the excellent Historia of the +Dominican writer Diego Aduarte, begun in Vol. XXX, and continued in +XXXI; the period of mission history here covered being 1608-37. Aduarte +died in 1636; but the events subsequent to 1634, with a sketch of +Aduarte's life, are added by the hand of his editor, Fray Domingo +Gonçalez. + +Continuing the life of Fray Luis Gandullo, who was prominent among +the founders of the Dominican province, Aduarte narrates the marvelous +conversions and even miracles wrought by him, and many of his visions +and other wonderful experiences. In 1612, the chapter again elects +Fray Miguel de San Jacinto as provincial. The persecutions in Japan +become more widespread and severe; various incidents therein are +related. Our writer sketches the life of Fray Diego de Soria, the +second bishop of Nueva Segovia; and of another early missionary in +that province, Francisco Minayo. + +Book ii of Aduarte's history recounts events from 1614 on, beginning +with Japan, where a new and more cruel persecution of the Christians +begins with that year; and orders are given by the shogun that all +priests and religious must be banished from Japan. When this order +is carried out, many of the missionaries remain in the country, +in hiding and disguised--traveling through the country to instruct +and console the Christians, suffering great hardships and dangers, +and finally, in most cases, dying as martyrs for their faith. In +the long biography of Fray Francisco de San Joseph Blancas, the most +interesting point is his linguistic achievements in the Tagal language, +and the introduction of printing in the Philippine Islands, which +Aduarte here ascribes entirely to Fray Francisco. This father also +learned the Chinese language, and assumed the charge of instructing +the negroes and slaves in Manila. + +In 1615, the Cagayán mission is much disturbed and injured by the +flight to the mountains of many Indians who had been gathered into +the mission reductions; this is caused by the machinations of the +aniteras, or priestesses of the old idols, who try to draw these +half-tamed Indians back to their old superstitions. In this year come +a large company of religious; and in 1616 the provincial elected is +Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catalina--who dies soon afterward, and of +whom Aduarte writes a long biographical account. He is succeeded +as provincial (April 15, 1617) by Fray Melchior de Mançano. The +persecutions in Japan steadily increase in severity, in 1615-16, +in which latter year Iyeyasu dies. In 1617 two missionaries--one +a Dominican, the other an Augustinian--deliberately go to Omura to +rebuke the daimiô for his cruelty to the Christians, and to preach +the gospel in public; they, with other captive religious, are put to +death. Their example in so bravely enduring martyrdom encourages and +strengthens the Japanese Christians, many of whom give their lives for +the faith, and compels the respect of the heathen. Other missionaries +are arrested, and suffer great privations while in prison. + +Aduarte recounts the progress of the work undertaken by the Dominicans +for the Chinese in Manila. For many years the missionaries live at +Binondoc, the village to which the Christian Chinese go to live when +they receive the new faith; but they conclude that it would be better +for all concerned to build a convent and church within the Parián. In +1617 they begin to erect these buildings, and priests of the order +take up their residence therein, in the midst of that great market +and its crowd of traders and artisans. Their labors are crowned with +notable and prompt success--not only in securing the baptism of the +sick and dying, but in the instruction of those who are in health, +who carry the gospel into their own country, wherein the missionaries +hope to effect a great conversion some day. The church first erected +is a poor and unsubstantial affair; but afterward a large and very +handsome church is built--in the Chinese fashion, of wood shaped and +fitted without any nails. When the Parián is burned in 1628, the church +is saved by placing an image of the Virgin in front of the approaching +flames. Later, the timbers begin to decay, and another building is +erected, with stone pillars; its walls are covered with paintings, +which serve greatly for the instruction of the heathen. During fifteen +years, the number of baptisms in this church amounts to 4,752. The +Dominicans win the great respect and affection of the Chinese, who +seldom die without having received baptism. + +This order extends its labors to some other countries. China is, of +course, the chief goal of its desires; but the Dominicans are unable +to effect an entrance therein. One of the friars, attempting to go +there (1618), is obliged by storms to land on Formosa; and to his +subsequent report of the advantages of this island is ascribed its +later acquisition by the Spaniards. Another mission sets out for +Korea, but is unable to go farther than Nangasaki, and is thus +frustrated. Twenty-four new missionaries arrive this year from +Spain. A new residence is established at Cavite, the priests in which +accomplish much good, among both Spaniards and natives. A new mission +is begun in the Babuyan Islands, north of Cagayán; it is very arduous +and full of privations, but the religious gladly labor therein, and +find the people excellent Christians, although they are most poor and +needy. The fathers often ask alms from the convents and the Christians +in Nueva Segovia, to help these poor disciples of the Lord. Some of the +religious who have remained in Japan are martyred in this year of 1618; +yet amid the fierce persecutions new converts are made, and the native +Christians show much loyalty and generosity to their spiritual fathers. + +In 1619 the intermediate chapter session meets at Nueva Segovia, +on which occasion the college of Santo Thomas at Manila is formally +added to the province; an historical sketch of this institution +is presented. In November of that year occurs an unusually severe +earthquake in Luzón, of which various features and incidents are +recorded. Among the buildings overthrown is the Dominican convent in +Manila, all its inmates, however, escaping in safety. In 1621 Fray +Miguel Ruiz is elected provincial. On November 6 of that year occurs a +revolt among the Gadanes in northern Luzón, of which a full account is +given. One of the Dominican missionaries, Fray Pedro de Santo Thomas, +courageously goes alone and unarmed, to the mountain stronghold of +the insurgents, to win them back; and some months later he returns +with three hundred families of these rebels, who settle peaceably +on the lower lands. Aduarte fills chapters xviii-xxvi with accounts +of martyrdoms of Dominicans in Japan, during 1621-23, and sketches +of their lives--matter which is presented to our readers in brief +synopsis, as but indirectly concerning the Philippines. + +The election of provincial in 1625 elevates to that dignity Fray +Bartholomé Martinez, who has long labored among the Chinese of +Manila. In this year occurs another revolt among some of the Cagayán +Indians; two religious are treacherously slain by them, and then they +flee to the mountains. In 1626, Fernando de Silva sends an expedition +to conquer Formosa, which is accompanied by Dominican missionaries, who +hope to find in Formosa a stepping-stone to an entrance for them into +China. A fortified post is established in the island by the Spaniards; +the Dominicans act as spiritual guides for the soldiers, and, after +learning the native language, are able to win the confidence of the +inhabitants and begin instructing them. Many of the missionaries +in the province die, but a reënforcement comes to them in this same +year. In 1627 is held the intermediate chapter-session. By that time +the revolted Mandayas have been pacified, and by the efforts of their +Dominican pastors induced to return to their villages and to the care +of the missionaries. In this year occur many martyrdoms in Japan, of +which accounts are given. In 1628, the four orders of friars in the +Philippines unite to send a reënforcement of missionaries to Japan, but +this attempt is frustrated by the wreck of their ship. Aduarte at this +time arrives at Manila with a large company of religious. A Spanish +expedition is sent to Camboja, and the Dominicans send missionaries +thither; but both enterprises result in failure. In Formosa they are +making some progress. + +The provincial elected in 1629 is Fray Francisco de Herrera. Soon +afterward dies Fray Bartolomé Martinez, of whom Aduarte writes +a long biography; he ends his life in the Formosa mission, which +he had established. The persecutions in Japan continue (1629-30), +hundreds being martyred for the faith, and rigorous search being made +everywhere for all Christians. It is with difficulty that any news of +events there can be sent from that country. At the end of 1630, some +Spaniards, accompanied by two Dominican friars, go on an embassy to the +Chinese city of Ucheo; on the way, the Chinese crew mutiny, and kill +most of the Spaniards. Four of these, including one of the friars, +escape to the Chinese coast; the father remains there, and labors +among the heathen. In December, 1633, the preaching of the gospel +is introduced into Itui, in Luzón; two Dominican friars go thither, +of whose mission, and of that region and its people, some account is +given, followed by a long biography of Fray Tomás Gutierrez, head of +the mission. The new provincial this year is Fray Domingo Gonçalez, +Aduarte's editor; at this session of the chapter an important change +is made, the abolition of the intermediate chapter. The missions +are extended farther than ever before, but new workers are greatly +needed. Many religious meet a martyr's death in Japan this year, +and the persecution steadily increases in severity; biographical +sketches of several martyrs are given, one of whom had achieved much +in Formosa. In that island arises a rebellion among the natives, +who murder (1633) one of the missionaries. + +Aduarte describes the mission to the Mandayas of northern Luzón, begun +in 1631; it has been very successful, and many of those fierce and +warlike people are now quite tamed and Christianized. The martyrdoms +(in 1634) of several missionaries and Christian women in Japan, with +sketches of their lives, are related. Two chapters are devoted to an +account of the Dominican missions in China, which contain many devout +Christians; at times, the missionaries are in danger of being slain +by mobs. The Dominican mission in Formosa has not accomplished many +conversions, and it has lost many devoted missionaries. + +At this point ends Aduarte's own work in this history; the remaining +chapters are added by his editor, Fray Domingo Gonçalez. He relates in +full the late effort made by Fray Diego Collado to divide the province +of Filipinas, and to appropriate its best posts and revenues for his +congregation of "Barbones." This attempt greatly disturbs Aduarte, +whose last days are saddened, and perhaps even shortened, thereby. But +not long after his death this cloud passes away, and the province +is restored to its former condition--a result mainly ascribed to +the intervention of the Virgin Mary; and Collado's new congregation +melts away. Gonçalez then presents a long and elaborate biography +of the illustrious Aduarte, which we abridge considerably, retaining +especially such information about that prelate, and such account of +the missions, as has not already appeared in his Historia. His virtues +are recounted at length, and the many benefits which he secured for +his order, for the poor and needy everywhere, and for the Indians. + +Fray Gonçalez completes Aduarte's history up to the year 1637, thus +comprising the first fifty years of the history of the Philippine +Dominican province. In that year, Fray Carlós Gant is elected +provincial; and in Japan the last Dominican friars remaining there +are martyred, of whose lives and deaths sketches are given. At the +end of the book is printed a letter from Felipe IV to the Dominican +provincial at Manila, ordering that the recent partition of the +province be annulled, and Collado sent back to Spain. + + + The Editors + + August, 1905. + + + + + + + + HISTORIA DE LA PROVINCIA DEL + SANCTO ROSARIO DE LA ORDEN + DE PREDICADORES + + + (Concluded) + + By Diego Aduarte, O.P.; Manila, 1640. + + + Source: Translated from a copy of the above work in the possession + of Edward E. Ayer, Chicago. + + Translation: This is made by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University + of Wisconsin. This volume includes chaps. lxxi-lxxviii of book i, + and all of book ii--partly in synopsis. + + + + + + + +HISTORY OF THE DOMINICAN PROVINCE OF THE HOLY ROSARY + +By Fray Diego Aduarte, O.P. + +(Concluded) + + +CHAPTER LXXI + +The arrival at Manila of father Fray Luis, his assignment to Pangasinan +and the events there + + +[Father Fray Luis was assigned to the province of Pangasinan and +went there in the company of the two other fathers who were sent +to the same place. Suffering from disease as a result of exposure, +he was miraculously cured. The Lord wrought miraculous conversions +by means of father Fray Luis, and supported him in his sufferings +and illness with visions. Being taken back to Manila for care, and +fearing that he might be sent to some other province, he prayed God +to renew his strength that he might return to Pangasinan. The Lord +heard his prayer and he was able to return to the duties which he +loved. The Lord blessed the mere word of father Fray Luis, sometimes +even more than the great labors of other religious; and he took as his +special charge those Indians who had been given up by others. At one +time when news came that smallpox was raging in one of the villages +named Bimmalay, and that many children were dying in it, father Fray +Luis instantly went there to baptize as many of the children as he +could. The fathers were not usually permitted to baptize the children, +except in cases where it was certain that they were not going to live, +and then they were permitted to do so only as a result of prayers +and importunities. At one time a soldier came to Binalatongan with +news that Don Luis Perez das Mariñas was dying in the province of +Ylocos. He sent word to father Fray Luis, but without asking him to +come, as the sisters of Lazarus wrote to the Lord. Father Fray Luis +went to his choir to intercede for his friend, and there remained +constantly in prayer and sacrifice until he received news that he +was better. From the very day when the soldier reached father Fray +Luis, the governor began to recover his health. On many occasions +sick children were healed by the prayers of father Fray Luis. He +was ready to risk his life for his duties. In many cases it seemed +as if God had kept children alive only until they received baptism +that they might be saved.] + +A case which illustrates this point happened to father Fray Luis +in Calasiao. He would never tell of this unless compelled by his +obedience. He was called upon to see a child who had been baptized, +and who was dying; and he went there with a boy named Andresillo, +and with others. When they came near the house where the child was, +they heard a great lamentation with which they were weeping over him; +and in another house very near they heard a great noise of people who +were drinking, as was then very common among the heathen. Among others +was their chief named Catongal, a man fierce by nature, and furious +when he had taken wine. On this occasion he came up with the others, +full of wine, and said to the father, "You kill many"--intimating +that he killed them with baptism, because few of those who received +it escaped. The father replied that the reason of this was, that the +Indians did not permit the children to be baptized until there was no +hope for their lives; and he said that the good that the religious did +to them would cause them to rejoice greatly if they knew it. Catongal +was not mollified by this; and the father tried to leave him to go on, +but it seemed best to have the child shrouded first that he might +take it and bury it--to prevent superstitious acts, such as were +customary. He saw it lying dead in the arms of an Indian woman; and, +looking upon it as such, he directed them to shroud it. But a voice +within him seemed to say that he should repeat a gospel. He went +to look at it again, found upon it all the marks of death, and said, +"Why should I say a gospel for it?" They shrouded it; but he was still +more urged on by that inner impulse to repeat the gospel, until at last +he did so. It was the gospel of St. John, In principio erat verbum. [1] +After he had repeated this he made the sign of the cross upon the brow +of the infant, saying, "O Lord, I ask no miracles of thee; but if it +is to thy glory, the credit of thy faith, and the conversion of these +heathen, I pray thee to work them." He added, Evangelica lectio sit +tibi salus et protectio, placing his hand upon the head of the child; +and, before he took away his hand, the Lord looked upon the child and +gave it life. All were astonished, and the father in confusion said, in +order to humiliate himself, that it could not have been dead; and the +chief was convinced that the fathers did not kill children. The child +sucked immediately, like a well and healthy child. It would have been +a miracle, even though it were not dead, for it so suddenly to have +recovered its health. Father Fray Luis passed the rest of that day in +great embarrassment, being anxious lest some part of what had happened +should be attributed to him, as the instrument of it. On the following +day he went to ask how the child was, and found it well and strong. He +asked the Indians who were there what they thought of the event, +and, before they replied, the Lord gave him an answer from within: +"This is excessive curiosity." He blamed himself severely, and was +so ashamed that he went away immediately, and never more looked upon +the child or spoke of the matter; and on the occasions which offered +themselves for any father to make any reference to it (because it had +been public), he changed the subject of conversation, without appearing +to understand. [In the villages of Gabon and Magaldan, father Fray +Luis succeeded in overcoming the hardness of heart of the heathen.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXII + +Some special favors received by father Fray Luis from the Lord, +and some temptations which he suffered from the enemy. + + +[However glorious the success of father Fray Luis in this country, +he was desirous of going to Great China, the conversion of which the +religious of this region had most at heart. He was taught in a vision +that the conversion of China was soon to be attempted and saw also a +vision of a man such as the missionaries to China ought to be. He was +constant in prayer and had frequent visions which guided him in his +religious life. The Lord granted him the blessing of great purity. At +one time, having been careless in prayer, he was visited by the Lord +with a punishment of strange trembling which went from the feet to the +top of his head, and seemed as if it would shatter his bones. When the +fathers of this province decided to send two to make an exploration of +the great kingdom of China, father Fray Miguel de Benavides asked for +the prayers of father Fray Luis--and, in particular, that the idols +might fall to the earth before the presence of God. Father Fray Luis +offered his prayers, and received from God the reply that he asked +much. But he answered, "Thou canst do it, O Lord." + +It is not only favors which the Lord grants His servants; hence +father Fray Luis suffered many temptations of the devil, which were +permitted by the Lord that the virtues of the father might take +firmer roots. At one time the devil appeared to him in the form of +Christ; but father Fray Luis, not being moved by the affection which +he commonly felt for holy visions, said to him, "Thou art not that +which thou seemest." When father Fray Luis made the sign of the cross, +the devil took the form of a great cat, fierce, black, and terrible, +which by sending fire from its eyes and mouth exhibited its rage +and torment. "That is your real form, I think," said the father, and +without paying any further attention to him, he went on with his holy +exercises. The devil strove to interfere with him in his prayer, but +he was able to drive him away. He was at times tempted to be guilty +of improprieties in saying mass, such as looking into the chalice, +but the angels protected him. The devils at times strove to make him +flee from the church where he was performing his discipline. + +Father Fray Luis suffered as much from the temptations of others as +from his own. He comforted Brother Juan de Soria of Manila, who, +under the direction of God, laid aside the habit of the order. On +another occasion, he assisted a novice who was moved by affection for a +woman. He had a vision of Christ crucified, with drops of blood falling +from his head upon his breast, but not upon the ground; this signified +that the novice should leave the order, but not to his destruction.. He +did so, and was married; but in a few days he was left alone, his wife +going to the aid of her poor and widowed mother. This the Lord seemed +to have ordained. On another occasion, father Fray Luis succeeded +in converting a Spanish sinner of the most obstinate sort, who had +been exiled from Nueva España to the Philippinas for his scandalous +life. The wretch confessed, and received communion, girt himself with +a haircloth garment, and, during the rest of his life (during which +he was confined in prison), he fasted often on bread and water.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXIII + +The fervor of spirit of father Fray Luis, and his expedition to China + + +[Although grace perfects nature, it may work so vehemently that it +weakens it and takes from it health and even life. This happened +in the case of father Fray Luis, who, although he was of robust +constitution, sometimes lost his health and was in great danger of +death as the result of the vehemence of his spirit in receiving the +favors of God. He prayed to the Lord to moderate this vehemence of +spirit, and begged that he would take it from him. Father Fray Juan de +Soria prayed the Lord to take from father Fray Luis this intensity, +and to give it to Don Luis Perez das Mariñas. From that day forward +the father lived with the greatest calmness, while the knight became +so fervent of spirit that he seemed like a living fire; and finally he +said to father Fray Luis that he should die of the love of God. Father +Fray Luis, after having received this peace and calm, became eager +to go to the conversion of China. Father Fray Juan had a vision of +Christ our Lord, seated upon a very spirited horse, which was biting +the bit and leaping about. The saddle, the girths, the reins, and all +the other accoutrements all seemed so weak that saddle and horseman +were sure to fall to the ground; but he held his seat firmly, and +made charges in one direction and another, brandishing a lance with +great dexterity. The horseman said to the father, "Who, think you, +can control this horse?" He answered, "Thou only knowest, Lord." "It +is I alone," said the Lord, giving him an inward understanding that +this horse represented China, and the weak accoutrements signified +the scarcity of ministers for its conversion. He added aloud, +"Go straightway and tell Fray Luis what thou hast seen, which is a +corroboration of what has at other times been said to him." Visions +were manifested to others, which ratified the visions which had already +shown Fray Luis that he was to go to China. Before the departure of the +governor Gomez Perez, Cathalina Diaz--a Spanish woman of holy life, +to whom God vouchsafed to see the future in visions, at times--had +a vision of the governor with his head cut open and bathed in his +blood, the death of the governor by treachery being prophesied in +this way. Although the difficulties of going to China seemed as a +result of this act of treachery to be greatly increased, in reality +the Lord made it the means by which father Fray Luis was sent there; +for he received a commission as ambassador, in company with father +Fray Juan de Castro. The ambassadors, reaching the province of Canton +instead of that of Chincheo, for which they were bound, were arrested +as pirates. Father Fray Luis thus had the opportunity to convert an +apostate Christian among the Chinese. He also found many slaves from +Macan who had apostatized in that country; and to them he preached +with much spirit, but little fruit. The voyage was one on which they +suffered greatly, particularly father Fray Luis, who traveled with +nothing but the habit in which he was clothed; and they were exposed +to the rain and to the cold, which was excessive. The viceroy of +Canton was very wrathful with them because they did not show him the +courtesy customary in that country, threatened them, and commanded them +to leave the province within fifteen days, taking with them not more +than twenty-five picos of rice. On his way back to the port he found +a number of apostates, but was unable to bring them back to the faith. + +There is a law of the king of China that any poor foreigner shall +be supported at the public expense so long as he is in the kingdom; +but that, if he desires to depart, he shall pay the mandarin the +cost of his clothing, and something more. The allowance was twelve +maravedis a day. This is sufficient for three meals, since things +are cheap in that country. It is plain from this that there is +no law in China against admitting foreigners. On the contrary, +there is a law to attract them and to keep them. Knowing this, the +slaves of the Portuguese in Macan flee to China, where they have +their liberty and are well received. Father Fray Luis made one or +two conversions. Neither in Chincheo nor in Canton did they find +a trace of the galley which they sought, because it had gone to +Cochinchina. The mandarins in Chincheo played a trick upon them, +when the fathers asked permission for religious to go from Manila +to their country. Pretending to give it, the mandarins handed them a +plate of silver with some Chinese characters upon it, for which they +received large payment. The father obtained this money as alms from +the Spaniards who accompanied him on the voyage; but, when he showed +the plate in Manila, it was found only to give permission to buy food +there without hindrance. At the time of this journey father Fray Luis +was actually prior of the convent of Manila. On one Easter day he had +a vision of the Holy Spirit coming down upon all the religious of the +convent of Manila. After his term was at an end, he was assigned to +Nueva Segovia, where the faith had been newly planted.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXIV + +The silence, occupation, and virtues of father Fray Luis, and his +happy death + + +[Father Fray Luis had the three virtues which St. Ambrose, the +doctor of the Church, affirms to be fundamental ones: the power to +keep silence, the power to speak in due time, and the contempt for +worldly things. His habit of silence seemed excessive to some, but +when it was necessary he spoke with great spirit; and he so contemned +worldly things that, in spite of the high offices which he held in +the order, he had not even, as many good religious have, an image +or any other trifling thing of his own. When he was ambassador in +China, he left the rich table of Don Fernando de Castro and sustained +himself, as one in poverty, by the allowance granted to the poor in +China. Contrary to his nature, he was very humble. He was devout in +prayer, and careful in saying the divine offices. He distributed his +time with the greatest accuracy. He was most modest in the presence of +women, and, though he sometimes had to speak to them, he never looked +upon their faces. He was so charitable and tender-hearted that, when +the judges were about to execute any rigorous sentence, they always +concealed it from father Fray Luis, because they knew they could not +resist his prayers for pity and pardon. He could not bear offenses +against God, however willing to suffer wrongs to himself. He slept +on a mat on the floor of his cell. His pillow was a piece of wood +hollowed to make it light. Though the rules of the order permitted +him two blankets, one to lie on and the other to cover himself with, +he contented himself with one, folding it so that it would fulfil +both offices. He wore his serge tunic a month without changing it, +which in such a hot country causes great annoyance, because of the +great amount of perspiration. He said that custom had made it not +uncomfortable for him. He constantly wore a hair-shirt next his skin, +and over that a corselet of mail. In his extreme old age, the bishop +of Nueva Segovia compelled him to lay this last aside. He wore his +breeches in such a way that the fastenings cut into the flesh of +his legs. He was very sparing in his eating, giving his suppers, +when the constitutions permit them to us, to the poor; and his noon +allowance was more theirs than his. His lunch was two biscuit crusts +and a banana, or two guavas, when there were any; and except at these +times he neither ate nor drank. When he was vicar of the convent of +Nueva Segovia, a father visited him as his guest, bringing with him +two crawfish, which he boiled and put on the table; but father Fray +Luis would not permit them to be eaten, saying it was not a feast, +that they should have anything so unusual. He scourged himself every +night, with the energy which was his by nature. He was most patient, +and, though his body was mortified, his spirit was open to divine +influences. He had great power of insight into the souls of those +whom he saw. At one time he caused the bishop of Nueva Segovia, whose +vicar-general he was, to dismiss two youths of his household--saying +that he saw in them the marks of wickedness, and that one of them +was a thief and the other a traitor. This was not known at the time, +but the truth was afterwards discovered, one of them having ransacked +a desk of the bishop's and the other having been condemned to be +hanged for murder. When he was engaged in contemplation, his mind +was so absorbed that he could hear and see nothing else than the +visions of God. This life of penitence continued from his youth to an +old age of almost eighty years. In his last illness he was taken to +the convent of Sancto Domingo at Manila, where he died. Testimony of +miracles wrought by him during his life was given after his death. He +is mentioned with honor in the records of the provincial chapter of +1612 and in the general chapter held at Bolonia in 1615.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXV + +The election as provincial of father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, +and the condition of the province and Japon. + + +On the thirteenth of May, 1612, father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho was +a second time elected as provincial, not because there was any lack +of religious of much virtue, knowledge, and prudence to take the place +of father Fray Baltasar Fort--who had just completed his term, and had +governed like an angel--but because father Fray Miguel had left all the +religious of the province so devoted to his good government that they +finally determined to elect him again. They regarded it as more prudent +to select one whom they knew by experience to be of great skill in the +government of the province, than to try the government of others who, +though they gave good hopes, could not offer so much certainty. + +[At this time the bishop of Macan, Don Fray Juan de la Piedad, +was in Manila. He was a religious of our order; and when he saw the +interest of our religious here in the conversion of the Chinese, he +was desirous that some of the fathers of the order who understood the +Chinese language might be given to him to enter the kingdom by way of +Macan. Two fathers, Thomas Mayor--a very successful minister among the +Chinese race, and excellent in their language--and Bartolome Martinez, +were assigned for this purpose; but they met with so much opposition +at Macan from the religious of another order that they were unable +to carry out their purpose. Father Fray Thomas went to España, and +father Fray Bartholome returned to the Philippinas. Their voyage was +not entirely without fruit, inasmuch as it resulted in the conversion +of one Chinaman from Chincheo. + +At this time, although our religious and the Christian people in +the kingdom of Figen in Japon enjoyed peace and quiet, there were +persecutions in other kingdoms of that realm. After the death of Father +Gregorio Cespedes of the Society of Jesus in the kingdom of Bugen, +in 1611, the tono of that region, who had protected Christianity +out of respect for the father, banished two other fathers who were +there, and tore down the churches. The tono of Firando martyred in +October of this year three Christians; and that of Caratzu, [2] +a cruel renegade, banished many. Thus the devil began that which +afterwards took place. The Lord gave warning, by means of crosses +miraculously found, of the persecution which was to occur. In this +year there went to Japon father Fray Alonso Navarrete and father +Fray Domingo de Valderrama, sent there by father Fray Baltasar Fort; +and in the following year father Fray Baltasar himself, at the end +of his term as provincial, went as vicar-provincial to this kingdom. + +For a long time the emperor of Japon [3] had shown much dislike to +Christianity, and in the year 1612 he began to persecute it. Don +Pablo Dayfachi, the secretary of a man who was very intimate with +the emperor, received a great quantity of money from Don Juan, tono +of Arima, to help him in the recovery of some lands which had been +lost by his ancestors in war. Don Pablo, who was a Christian, could do +nothing for the cause of Don Juan, who complained to the emperor. The +emperor commanded that Don Pablo should be burned alive in the sight +of his wife, and that his son should be killed. The emperor thereupon +began to persecute the Christians, saying that deeds like these were +not done by the Japanese, and that Don Pablo had degenerated from +them because he was a Christian. Fourteen knights with their wives +and families and servants were exiled. The tono of Arima was banished, +because he had endeavored to get back by favors lands which others had +gained by war, and was finally executed. A certain English heretic, +named Guillermo Adam [i.e., Will Adams], who knew the Japanese +language and who pleased the emperor by giving him an account of +European affairs, vomited forth the hate which he felt against our +holy faith whenever he had opportunity. He told him that the plan of +the king our lord to conquer kingdoms is to send religious first, +that they may make the way plain for soldiers, citing for example +Nueva España and the Philippinas--although, in point of fact, neither +there nor here did religious precede, but invaders who intended to +conquer the country. In addition to this, Safioye, the governor of +Nangasaqui, had difficulties with certain fathers, and had complained +of them to the emperor. The result was that the hatred of the emperor +for Christianity grew greater and greater. He finally commanded all +the churches in that part of Japon known as Cami to be demolished, +and gave the same commands for the kingdom of Quanto. [4] He required +the Christians in certain parts of the country to deny their faith. A +number of the Christians proved weak; while of those who refused to +obey the commands some were martyred, some banished, and some driven +to the mountains. The conduct of the governors in different parts of +the country varied from very great rigor to as much kindness as was +consistent with obeying the commands of the emperor. The tono of Figan, +who had shown so many favors to our order, directed the religious of +our order to leave the kingdom, but did not at that time persecute +the Christians. The command to depart was received by the religious in +September, 1613. Two of the religious retained their habit, and went on +to Nangasaqui; but the third, disguising himself in Japanese costume, +fled to the country of Omura, and went about secretly animating and +encouraging the Japanese Christians. Don Miguel, the tono of Arima, +who had married a granddaughter of the emperor, [5] requested eight +gentlemen of his household to pretend to have abandoned the faith, +in order that he might satisfy the emperor that he had ceased to be +a Christian. Five finally consented. The other three were executed +with their wives and children, eight persons in all, in October, +1613. They were burned alive with a slow fire. The religious having +been driven out from nearly all the kingdoms and having assembled +in Nangasaqui, two of our religious were sent out to go secretly to +comfort the persecuted Christians, to hear their confessions, and to +celebrate the sacraments.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXVI + +The servant of God, Don Fray Diego de Soria, bishop of Nueva Segovia, +and one of the founders of this province. + + +[Among the most highly honored religious in this province a very +important place is taken by Don Fray Diego de Soria, second bishop of +Nueva Segovia. It was he who began the conversion in this province, +and who might therefore be called the father in Christ of that +church. Father Fray Diego was a native of Yebenes, near Toledo, +and professed religion in the convent of the order at Ocaña. Giving +signs of promise as a student and a preacher, he was sent to the +college of Alcala, where he continued to follow the rigorous rules of +the order forbidding the eating of flesh. When the holy and prudent +vicar-general, Fray Juan de Castro, assigned his companions to their +various duties, he gave father Fray Diego the chief place by making +him superior of the convent which was to be founded in the city of +Manila. The number of the religious at that time was so few that +the superior of Manila rang the bells, assisted in the singing, took +messages to the sacristy, and was general confessor of the many who, +influenced by the great virtue of the new religious (the Dominicans), +came to put their consciences in their care. The Lord had endowed +father Fray Diego with two qualities which appear to be opposed to +each other. The first was natural freedom of speech in rebuking evil +with great courage and zeal; the other was marked gentleness and +suavity of nature. At one time when the governor of Manila--who was +a very good Christian and a learned man [6]--was confessing to him, +a certain difficulty arose in which it seemed to father Fray Diego +that the governor had erred. When the governor strove to defend his +conduct, father Fray Diego said to him that in this matter he was, +although learned, not a judge but a party, and indeed defendant; +that in cases of conscience the confessor alone was the judge; and +that, after reflection, he had formed his conclusion, which was that +the governor's conduct could not be approved. He required him to +accept his decision or to seek a confessor elsewhere. The governor, +with tears in his eyes, professed his readiness to obey. At one time +when a very rich man was sick, and feared death and the judgment, he +sent to call father Fray Diego to him that he might confess; but the +father refused to go, sending back as an answer that the rich man must +return the tribute which he had wrongfully taken from an encomienda, +and must give the Indians there a minister. The sick man put himself +in father Fray Diego's hands, and thus his conscience was composed, +to the great advantage of the wronged Indians. When the bishop of these +islands, Don Fray Domingo de Salaçar, was about to set out for España, +he asked for father Fray Diego as a companion; but the governor at +that time [i.e., Gomez Perez Dasmariñas], being very different from +the previous one, refused to permit him to go to España, fearing +the freedom with which he might speak there. Father Fray Diego was +therefore sent to Pangasinan, where he learned the language of the +Indians; thence he went to Nueva Segovia, being the first minister to +the Indians there. Among them he made many conversions, especially that +of the most important Indian in that region, Don Diego Siriban. He was +afterward elected prior of Manila, and was then sent as procurator +to España. He went on his voyage in complete poverty, trusting in +the Lord for what he might need. He received enough not only for the +support of himself and his companion, but for the purchase of the +convent and garden of San Jacintho--where, from that time forward, +the religious who came from España to this province were lodged. This +was so important a matter that if father Fray Diego had done nothing +else for this province, this would have been enough to entitle him to +its gratitude and perpetual thanks, since it receives here a perpetual +benefit whenever new religious come. He had planned for other similar +prudent arrangements in España, but the province declined them for the +time, failing to see the advantage of them; and afterward, when they +were desired they could not be obtained, because there was no Fray +Diego de Soria in España. In that country, great and small thronged +to consult him in regard to spiritual matters, for he had singular +power in prudent counsel. He gave his chief attention to sending many +good religious to the Philippinas, and for this purpose went on to +Roma clad in the same lowly fashion as in his poor province. He was +very small of stature, and went clothed in a habit of serge which +was short and patched. In spite of his unfavorable appearance, he +made a great impression, not only upon the general of the order, +but upon the supreme pontiff, who at that time was Clement VIII. The +pope desired to retain father Fray Diego with him in Roma, in order +to put into execution the reformation of all the religious orders; +but the father was unable to remain, because he was very much occupied +with assembling religious for this province. It usually happens that +many of those religious who have purposed to come to the Philippinas +have fallen off; but in the case of father Fray Diego not one of those +who had been assigned and prepared for this journey failed him, while +many others came to see if they might be accepted. This happened at +the time of the great plague of 1601, which raged with especial fury +in Sevilla, where the religious were to assemble. Father Fray Diego was +highly regarded at court, especially by Queen Margarita. The bishopric +of Nueva Caceres in these islands was vacant, and was offered to father +Fray Diego, who declined to accept it because he did not understand +the language of the Indians of that region. But when the bishopric +of Nueva Segovia was offered to him, he could find no excuse for +declining it. It was desired to keep him in España in some bishopric; +but, as he wrote, he would not give up his poor apostolic bishopric +for the chief bishopric in España. When he became bishop, he did +not change his manner of living or lay aside his serge habit. The +only thing which he did to maintain his dignity as a bishop was to +keep one servant. He kept his pectoral covered with his scapular, +until the nuncio directed him to make his appearance more dignified, +and to wear his pectoral openly. His prudence was so highly regarded +that he was asked to carry the news of her mother's death to the +daughter of the Duchess of Lerma, the wife of the Conde de Niebla, +which he did with such discretion that she accepted her bereavement +with Christian resignation. On his departure from España, he brought +with him a good company of religious. On the way he was delivered, +as by the hand of God, from some Moorish galliots. When the others +were rejoicing at the opportunity of disembarking at the island of +Guadalupe to get wood and water, the bishop was in great anxiety, as if +he saw the evil that was to follow; and strove, but without success, +to keep the others from going on the land. The bishop disembarked, +and after saying mass instantly returned to the ship. The rest of the +religious, following the usual custom of those who go to that island, +remained till evening. Five of them lost their lives, and four came +back wounded, by the arrows of the Indians on that island. Somewhat +later, a storm attacking the fleet, some of the other vessels were +lost; but that in which the bishop was came safe to land--as it +seemed, miraculously. In Nueva España he inspected the convents of +the province, under direction of the pope, the general of the order, +and the king; and he performed this visitation with such justice +that even those who were grieved by his chastisement were obliged +to admit that he was a saint. On the way a mule laden with a number +of rich and exquisite pieces of cloth which had been given him in +España by many lords, and by the queen herself, for his pontifical +vestments, was drowned. All that the bishop said was Dominus dedit; +Dominus abstulit--"The Lord gave it, and the Lord has taken it away; +let Him be praised for all things." The muleteer was overcome with +shame; but the bishop consoled him, and caused him to be paid as if +he had delivered his entire load safely.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXVII + +The personal habits of Don Fray Diego de Soria and other matters in +regard to him up to his death. + + +[After reaching his bishopric, Don Fray Diego made a visitation of +it. Striving so far as possible to relieve the Indians of burdens and +of other labor, he made these visitations with as little baggage as +possible. He immediately paid those whom it was necessary to cause to +carry loads, and put the Indians to no expense whatsoever, even in +matters in which he might justly have done so. He constantly wished +to give them much, and not to ask even for the little which was his +due. He delighted in labor, and rejoiced particularly when there +were many to be confirmed. He observed the discipline and the rules +of prayer of this province. He rose at dawn and prayed until six, +when he said mass and gave devout thanks. If there was any business +to be done, he gave audience or attended to necessary matters. When +he was not obliged to attend to any of these occupations, he read +and meditated upon holy books and upon the sacred scripture and its +expositors. He did not generally write, but read and meditated, and +received the Lord. Thus he was occupied up to the time for saying +prayers at the sixth and the ninth hour; and then he ate some eggs +and fish, as if he were still in the convent of the order. After +his meal, he conversed with his companion upon some useful subject; +and, after resting awhile, returned to the exercise of prayer until +the time of saying vespers. Then, if necessary, he gave audience, +or engaged in works of piety; and then he returned to his sacred +reading and contemplation. He never had any other entertainment +or amusement, however lawful, nor did he go out to refresh himself +in the garden, or in the chase, or in fishing, taking pleasure in +none of these things. He made a personal visitation of his bishopric +every year, and confirmed many Christians, sending word beforehand, +that the ministers might prepare those who were to receive this holy +sacrament. He gave much to his church and to his convent of Manila, +in spite of the poverty of his bishopric, but gave very little help +to a poor brother of his. In the province of Pangasinan he gave great +alms, and sent a large sum of money to buy rice to be kept on deposit, +as it were, in the cities, and to be distributed in times of famine. He +spent but little upon the persons of his household, directing them to +eat as he did, twice a day, eggs and fish, and to be clothed plainly +as suited ecclesiastical persons. He lived in such poverty that he +sometimes lacked tunics to make a change. He was given to ejaculatory +prayer. At the festival of Pentecost in the year 1608, a dove lighted +on his head, which he was unable to drive away, the Lord thus showing +him honor. In the following year, at the celebration of this festival +in Abulug the dove came and sat upon the shoulder of the bishop. When +the fever with which his last illness began came upon him, he knew +that his death was approaching. So far as he could, he followed the +constitutions of the order even in his sickness. After twenty-seven +days of sickness, and twenty-seven years of labor in these regions, +his works were at an end, and he went to receive the reward of them. In +his last illness he gave to the college of Sancto Thomas, at Manila, +his library and three thousand pesos.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXXVIII + +Father Fray Francisco Minaio and his death + + +[At this time the death of father Fray Francisco Minaio was much +regretted in the province. He was a native of Arevalo in Castilla la +Vieja. He assumed the habit and professed in Palencia, and was sent +to finish his studies in arts and theology to the convent of Sancta +Cruz at Segovia. He came to the province, very near its beginning, +with the bishop Don Fray Miguel de Benavides. He was assigned to +the province of Nueva Segovia, which was practically all heathen. He +labored much and with good results, and was stationed at the utmost +borders of the province, in the village of Pilitan. He learned +the language well, and was very devoted and compassionate to the +Indians. He labored most affectionately with the poor and sick, and +cared for the latter with his own hands. He and his associate, father +Fray Luis Flores, went about through all that region, searching for, +and burning the huts where superstitious sacrifices were offered to +the devil, who was consulted as an oracle in these places. These +huts were generally hidden among the mountains and crags in the +midst of bushes. The servants of God traveled over the rough paths, +and all the rest that they could take was in finding one of these +huts and in burning it. The devils were greatly angered by these +insults; and the Indians heard, in their fields, the complaints of +the devil because they believed in these men with white teeth. But +they were obliged to confess their weakness to the Indians, who in +this way were converted to the true faith. Father Fray Francisco, +not contented with work in these villages, began upon the conversion +of the idolatrous tribes of the great and spacious plains in the +neighborhood of Pilitan, which are known as Zimbuey. So diligent was +he that churches were built on those plains, and practically all were +baptized and became good Christians.] At one time when the father went +to visit them he found one of the principal chiefs of that country, +named Guiab, lying sick. He talked with him about matters of the +faith and his salvation; and Guiab, although he did not listen to +them with displeasure, was still unwilling to embrace them. Since +his sickness was not at that time severe, father Fray Francisco left +him, telling him that if his disease grew worse he should send for +him. Father Fray Francisco returned to his village of Pilitan. The +sickness of Guiab increased in severity; and the physicians who were +there--perhaps the aforesaid sorceresses--told him that the cure for +his disease consisted in killing a child and in bathing himself in +its blood. He immediately sent for the child; but so great was the +respect which they had for father Fray Francisco that, although they +supposed that the life of Guiab was departing, they were unwilling to +put this order into execution without first asking permission from the +father, and sent for some one to ask it. The father heard the message, +and, without letting the messengers return, went with them, fearing +that even if he refused his permission they would go on and kill the +child. At this same time Guiab heard, perhaps from the devil, that +the father was coming. He sent other messengers to say that there was +no necessity of the father's taking the trouble to go to the village; +that if he was not pleased that they should kill the child, they would +not kill it. This message reached the father while he was still on +the way, but he did not stop on that account, and kept on with all the +rest. When he entered the house of Guiab he found it full of people; +and immediately beheld there, weeping bitterly and hoarse with crying, +the child who was designed for the inhuman remedy which should slay its +soul. Full of pity, he told the sick man of the great error which he +was committing, and the frightful sin against God which would result; +the uselessness and unreasonableness of striving to obtain health for +an old man by bathing him in the blood of a child; the indignation +of the Spaniards if they should hear of this act; and the vengeance +which they would take for this unjust and cruel murder, if not upon +his person, at least upon his gold and treasure. Guiab admitted his +error, and ordered the child to be given to father Fray Francisco. In +the course of the father's conversation, Guiab received instruction as +to matters of the faith, which the father explained to him, taking as +the principle and subject of what he said the control of God our Lord +over the lives of men. The father took the child in his arms, and, +on his way back with him, he found a man tied fast to a ladder. This +was the father of the child, who was placed thus that he might not +interfere with the killing under the influence of his natural paternal +love. He had him untied, and left him in freedom and in great happiness +with his son. The sickness of Guiab was mortal, and the father taught +him thoroughly and baptized him. Following the directions of the new +Christian in his will, father Fray Francisco divided his gold among +his relatives, and gave liberty to many slaves whom he wrongfully +held. To the child whom the religious had ransomed (at the price +of six reals), he likewise gave baptism; and named him Feliz [i.e., +"fortunate"], since he had been fortunate in being rescued from the +gates of eternal damnation, where he was already standing, and placed +by baptism in the beauty of grace and on the right path for glory. [It +could but be that the devil should burn with infernal wrath against +one who did so much against him; and that the Lord should reward him, +as He rewards His servants in this world, with sufferings which result +in their spiritual good. A bad man brought a false accusation against +father Fray Francisco of most nefarious wickedness, and supported it +with evidence so plausible that it seemed as if the father must be +guilty. The author of this charge exchanged a religious letter which +father Fray Francisco had written to his superior, for a forged one +very contrary to father Fray Francisco's real manner of writing. In +this way father Fray Luis Gandullo, at that time vicar-provincial, +was convinced of the truth of the charge. The innocent man took this +so much to heart that one day, when he was saying mass before his +Indians, he fainted and fell on the floor, as if he were dead. The +Indians fled from the church, in fear that they should be charged with +having caused the death of their minister. He was withdrawn from his +ministry and placed in confinement; but in the course of the trial +the truth was made clear, and father Fray Francisco was set free with +honor. Some years afterward, he was appointed prior of the convent at +Manila, and afterward, was very nearly elected provincial. He greatly +augmented the devotion to our Lady of the Rosary, and adorned her +image with rich vestments and jewels, and her chapel with a large +retable and other ornaments. He was not forgetful of the necessities +of the poor, and greatly increased the alms which were ordinarily +given at the door of the convent. After he had finished his term as +prior, he returned to Nueva Segovia. When he came back, the Indians, +learning that their good father and teacher had returned, came fifty +leguas to visit him. The Lord gave him a peaceful death, and he was +buried in the church of our father Sancto Domingo at Nueva Segovia.] + + + [End of Book I] + + + + + + + +BOOK SECOND OF THE HISTORY OF THE PROVINCE OF THE HOLY ROSARY + + +CHAPTER I + +The sufferings of the religious in Japon in the persecution which +arose against Christianity + + +[The church in Japon was like the primitive church as it was founded +by our Lord, which from the beginning suffered persecutions. The +first persecutions of the church were not so severe but that the +disciples when persecuted in one city could flee to another; thus, by +sinking its roots deep, it was able to endure the greater persecutions +which followed in the days of the Neros and the Domitians. All the +persecutions in Japon up to the year 1614 were like those in the +infancy of the early church--tempered, and without much shedding of +blood; and giving the ministers an opportunity, when they were expelled +from one kingdom, to flee to another. That which arose in this year +was like the universal persecution of the church. The emperor, seeing +that it was impossible to cut off the trunk of Christianity in Japon, +and that to martyr a few would only give the creed greater strength, +decided (perhaps advised by the devil) that it would be better and +easier to cut off only the roots--namely, the religious, by whose +teachings Christianity in Japon had been brought into existence and +was sustained. In the beginning of January in this year he sent out +an edict to all his tonos that the priests and religious in their +lands should be gathered together and sent to the port of Nangasaqui, +to the governor Safioye, to be put on board ship and banished to +Maccan or to Manila, so that not one should be left in Japon. After +this the rosaries, images, and other sacred objects were to be taken +from the Christians; and they were to be compelled to worship idols, +the disobedient being tortured and put to death. Great care was to be +taken that the bodies of the martyrs should not be permitted to fall +into the hands of the Christians, who might venerate them. This decree +was thoroughly carried out, and the Christians, deprived of ministers +and sacraments, went out of the cities and fled--some to the mountains, +others to caves, others to thick woods; and others set sail in little +boats for other countries. It made the heart burn simply to hear the +cruel destruction wrought by the emperor among the faithful. Some were +hung alive by one foot to high trees; others were tied to stakes and +exposed to the rigors of winter by night and by day; the ears and the +noses of others were cut off. Others were branded on the brow with hot +irons. Men and women were being put to shame by being exposed naked, +and chaste women were threatened with being sent to the brothels. Some +were put in sacks of straw, dragged about the streets and derided; +and others were hung up in panniers and baskets. Others suffered +confiscation of their goods, and were banished, all people being +forbidden to give them food or lodging. These last were, for the most +part, noble and rich persons who had been brought up in luxury. [7] +The religious, laying aside their habits, went in secret throughout +Japon, animating and strengthening the persecuted Christians to suffer +for the Lord. Among these religious there were three of our order. + +In this extremity of persecution confraternities were formed, for the +mutual support of their members. They took pledges to be faithful, +and were likely to be of great use because the Japanese, being a +people who think much of their honor, would be ashamed to lapse +from such agreements and promises. They made many processions, and +subjected themselves to severe disciplines. On the second of June, +Safioye was visited by all the superiors of the religious orders, +whom he received with courtesy and a great show of kindness. As soon +as they had returned to their convents, he sent them word from the +emperor that they should prepare all the members of their order to +go to Macan or Manila in the following autumn; and an inspector was +sent to see that the mandate was carried out. All the officials of +the city of Nangasaqui were compelled to sign a paper to the effect +that they would not conceal any religious or secular clergymen, or +show them favor, or assist them to remain in Japon. It was pitiful +to see the Japanese Christians as the time for the departure of the +religious approached. On the fourteenth of October, our religious +tore up the crosses which had been erected, and burned them, +together with other things from the church, that they might not be +profaned by the heathen. After partaking of the holy sacrament on +the following day, they put out the lamps and left the altars. They +put on board the ships the relics and the bodies of the saints, and +most of the ecclesiastical ornaments and things from the sacristies, +though of these they left some to the Christians who were to remain +in hiding. They were able to take only a few of the bells. On the +twenty-fifth, they were ordered to leave the city for the port of +Facunda, till their ships should be ready. After they had set sail, +certain priests returned in small boats. There were five secular +priests out of seven. Six of the ten Franciscan priests remained, +and seven out of the nine priests of our order. Of three Augustinian +fathers, one remained. Of seventy priests of the Society, eighteen +or twenty remained. [8] More would have returned to land if it had +not been for the failure of one of the boats agreed upon. The names +of the fathers who remained are given in all cases, except in that +of the Jesuits. After the departure of the clergy, the profanation +of the churches was begun. The fathers disguised themselves as well +as they could, and went out upon their mission. Many of them were +obliged to remain in Nangasaqui and its vicinity, because the greater +number of Christians were there. They traveled secretly, however, +all over Japon. They labored chiefly at night, and suffered greatly, +being obliged to travel much, and lacking food and sleep.] + + + + + +CHAPTER II + +Father Fray Francisco de San Joseph Blancas + + +[Though father Fray Francisco de San Joseph was not one of the first +founders of this province, he came in the second shipload from +España. Because of his great virtue he is worthy of an important +place in this history. For this purpose it has pleased God that there +should come to my hands from the bishop of Monopoli, Don Fray Juan +Lopez, an accurate account of the first years of this father, which +follows. Father Fray Francisco was born at Tarazona in Navarra. His +parents were exceptionally pious. From his youth father Fray Francisco +showed signs of exceptional devotion. He fled from the sight of women, +and even declined to accompany his mother, excusing himself on the +ground of his studies. At the age of thirteen he was sent to Alcala +de Henares to continue his studies; and at the age of fifteen he +assumed the habit, and showed the behavior of a man at that youthful +age. An account is given of his sisters; and the testimony of persons +of superior virtue to the sanctity of father Fray Francisco is cited. + +In course of time he came to be reader of arts in the religious +convent of Piedrahita, where he was made master of the students. He +had even greater gifts as a preacher than as a teacher, having a fine +voice, natural rhetoric and powers of action, a great gift of words, +good memory, and skill in systematic arrangement. He was master of +the hearts of all those who heard him. His first pulpit was that +of San Antonino at Yepes, and later he was appointed as preacher to +the convent of Alcala. While here he felt the impulse to go to the +Philippinas, and, in spite of the efforts of the convent to retain him, +he carried out his purpose. When he reached Manila, his superiors, +desiring that the Spaniards of Manila might not be deprived of his +great talents as a preacher, assigned him to the ministry of Bataan, +which is near Manila. Here he learned the common language of the +Indians, called Tagal, so rapidly that he was able to preach in it +within three months, and taught others the language within six. He +was constantly studying the exact signification of the words of the +language and the method in which the Indians used them, so that he +might become a consummate master of this tongue.] + +It is their custom when they are rowing their boats, or when many +are gathered together on any occasion, to sing in order to beguile +and relieve their labors. As they had no others, they used their old +profane and even pernicious songs. He composed many songs in their +language, after their own manner of verse, but on sacred themes--for +he had a particular gift for this--and introduced these among them, +so that they might use them on such occasions. He hoped in this way +to make them forget their old ballads, which were useless or noxious, +without taking from them their pleasure--rather, indeed, to increase +their delight by the devout sentiments of the new songs. He wrote +many books of devotion for them; and since there was no printing in +these islands, and no one who understood it or who made a trade of +it, he planned to have the printing done by means of a Chinaman, +a good Christian. This man, seeing that the books of father Fray +Francisco were sure to be of great use, bestowed so much energy upon +this undertaking that he finally succeeded with it. He was aided by +some who told him what they knew, and thus in time learned everything +that was necessary to do printing; and he printed these books. [9] +[The good father so delighted in seeing the fruit of his teaching +among the Indians that when he was directed to come back to the city, +to preach to the Spaniards, it was a severe penance for him. However, +he did so, especially in Lent. He was very severe in rebuking vice, +and it gave him pain to be obliged to preach to vicious Spaniards, +as it seemed to him that he was toiling in sterile soil. He usually +came down from the pulpit bathed in sweat, but continued to wear his +heavy tunic and to observe the rules of the order rigorously. Although +he had seemed to be of delicate constitution in España, his health +was always very good, so that for more than twenty years during which +he was in this province he did not even have a headache, except once, +when he struck himself by accident. He spoke with intense energy, in a +grave, sententious, and clear manner. He learned the Chinese language, +in addition to the other two in which he preached; and he took as his +especial charge the duty of teaching the many negroes and slaves in +Manila. He was most humble, in spite of his great abilities. When +he was vicar-provincial of Manila, he received a letter from the +provincial, who was making a visitation in the province of Nueva +Segovia. He asked father Fray Francisco, as vicar-provincial, to see +if some of the religious in his district could not be spared for that +needy region. Father Fray Francisco, thinking that he was himself +the least necessary person in the district of Manila, took with +him one father as his companion, and set out for Nueva Segovia. In +the year 1614 he was sent to España as procurator of the province, +but died on the voyage to Mexico. Just before and after his death +his body gave signs by the beauty of its appearance of the sanctity +and purity of his life. He printed a grammar of the Tagal language, +and in that language he printed a memorial of the Christian life, +a book on the four last things, [10] another of preparation for the +communion, a treatise on confession, a book on the mysteries of the +rosary of our Lady, and another to teach the Tagal Indians the Spanish +language. He also left behind him many devout and valuable compositions +in the language of those Indians, particularly many sermons for Sundays +and saints' days, which were highly regarded because of their doctrine +and their language, which is very elegant and pure. He had also made a +collection of sermons in the Spanish language for a whole year, with +the purpose of printing them. The letter of the dean and chapter of +the holy church of Manila (dated May 12, 1614), given him as he was +about to set out for España, corroborates Aduarte's account of him, +and is therefore printed by that writer in full.] + + + + + +CHAPTER III + +Events in this province at this time + + +In the year 1615 this province, which from the beginning had sailed +with a fair wind, and had proceeded with the conversions which it had +undertaken in these Philippinas Islands without meeting any storm, +began to feel a hurricane which caused much anxiety and pain. It was +of great value in teaching the religious to open their eyes, and to +know that in dealing with heathen and new converts they should not +be content with the simplicity of the dove, but should strive to add +the wisdom of the serpent, as our Lord charged His disciples and His +preachers. Seven years only had passed since the village named Batavag, +which is the furthest village in the province of Nueva Segovia, +had been formed by assembling a population of mountaineers. Many of +these were still heathen; while the adult Christians (who were the +minority in the village) had been educated in their idolatries, and +therefore had not completely rooted out from their hearts their ancient +customs. Thus in time of sickness the former priestesses of the devil, +or witches, found their way into many of their hearts. These women, +coveting payment, came to offer on the part of the devil, health to +the sick if they would observe the ancient superstitions which he had +taught them. These sorceresses killed certain birds, anointed the sick +with their blood, practiced other superstitious ceremonies which the +devil accepted as a sacrifice, and performed other similar acts. Some +sick persons were guilty of these things in their desire for health, +not giving heed, since they were not firmly rooted in the faith, +to the grave offense which in this way they were committing against +God, the author of life and health; and not considering the injury +to the faith or the serious harm to their own souls and consciences, +which would follow. Yet their condition was such that they ought +to have considered this matter all the more carefully, as the death +that they feared brought them nearer to the time when an account of +all this would be demanded from them. If the evil had been confined +to this village, it would not have been very great, because Batavag +was small and had not a very large population, and a majority of the +adults were not yet Christian; but the evil spread to other villages +which were larger and older in the faith, such as Bolo, Pilitan, and +Abuatan, each of which had two thousand inhabitants or more. Hence +the matter was of greater importance, and caused more anxiety to +the ministers and preachers of the law of God. When they received +information as to what was occurring, they went with great secrecy to +make an investigation into the evil; and they wrote down the names of +the old aniteras or witches, in whom was the whole foundation of this +sin. One of the persons who took part in this investigation warned +the guilty old women in the village of Batavag; and they, to escape +the punishment which they feared, began to stir up the inhabitants +of that village. When the religious went there with the purpose of +remedying one evil, they found another greater one; for the people of +the village of Batavag were in tumult and alarm because of what the +witches had said to them, and had determined to flee to their mountains +and their ancient dwelling-places. They had been brought to the one +that they now had, that they might be more easily, and more to the +profit of their souls, taught and baptized and given the sacraments, +in sickness and in health; for so long as they were divided as they +had been, into tiny hamlets at great distances from each other, it +was impossible to do that. But being (as at this time they were) +disturbed and alarmed by the witches, and desirous of abandoning +the faith, they returned to their ancient sites, which more readily +permitted each one to live in the law which he preferred, and none in +that which would have been well for him. Yet, in spite of all this, +the religious had dealt so well with them, and had shown them so much +love and benevolence, that the Indians could not cease to feel and +to show kindness for them. Hence, though they were able to kill the +religious or to do them any harm they pleased, because the fathers +were alone among them without any other protection than their good +consciences--which is a great safeguard--the Indians not only did them +no harm, but laid hands on nothing of theirs or of their convent. This +was, as it were, a declaration that they had fled, not on account of +any harm that the ministers had done them, but on account of their +fear of the punishment which their bad consciences caused them to +dread--a fear increased by what the aniteras or witches, as the most +guilty, had falsely said to them with the purpose of alarming them. In +point of fact, the religious had had no idea of severe punishment, +but simply of remedying such pernicious evils. They pitied them as +being new in the faith, and pitied even the very witches as being +persons deceived by the devil, little exercised in the law of God, +and many of them not even baptized. The religious were greatly grieved +by this event, and carried down to the nearest village the adornments +of the church which they had there, taking with them some Indians +who feared God and did not wish to follow the pernicious behaviour of +those who fled from God to the devil. They made some efforts to bring +back with kindness those who had fled; and in this way some of them, +enlightened by God, returned to the bosom of the Church and the easy +yoke of the divine law. They made continual efforts to bring back +the rest, declining no labor, no journeys, and no discomforts, in +order to gain some soul from among these lost ones. The flight of +these Indians took place on the day of the ascension of the Lord, +May 28. Since they had retired into the mountains, the Spaniards, +as they were few, did not pursue them, deeming that on account of +the roughness of the country where they were the pursuit would have +little effect, and would cause many deaths, much suffering, and great +expense. Hence many of them remained apostates from the faith and +the baptism which they received, which is a cause of great grief. + +On the nineteenth of the following month in the same year, ships +arrived from Mexico with thirty-two religious to aid in the work of +conversion upon which this province was engaged. On the following day, +Saturday, in the morning, they entered the convent, to the great joy +of themselves and of those who dwelt in it. Their vicar and superior +from Mexico hither had been father Fray Angel Ferrer, [11] who was +afterward a glorious martyr in Japon. When this company of religious +arrived in Mexico, he was vicar of the convent of San Jacintho, which +this province has near that noble city, as a hospice for the religious +who come to it from España. Since he who was conducting them [i.e., +Aduarte] went back thither, father Fray Angel undertook the very useful +duty of conducting them to the Philippinas, in order that the former +might fulfil his office as procurator of the province. The Lord led +him, without his knowing it, that He might give him a glorious martyr's +crown, which he received a few years afterward, as will be told later. + +These religious reached Mexico in the year 1613. Since in that year +there had been no ships from the Philippinas, it was necessary to +detain them there until the following year, with great risk that those +who were coming to these islands might remain in that kingdom, which +has so attractive a climate and is so abundant in all things; but as +these fathers did not come to seek for pleasures, but for the souls of +their fellow-men and labors for themselves, it was not hard to overcome +this and other difficulties which were met. To this good result the +excellent administration of the superiors greatly contributed, and the +constant occupation of the friars in holy exercises, prayer, fasting, +and disciplines. Thus they not only prevailed against the temptations +of ease and comfort, but were prepared so that the Lord might raise +them to higher things--some of them even to the glory of martyrdom, +which, as St. Augustine says, is the greatest glory of the church. + +[In order to inspire in them a longing for these things, the Lord gave +them grace in the meantime to save some lost souls. Two notable cases +of this sort occurred, one in Cadiz and the other in Mexico. Two of +them rescued and returned to her convent, a wretched woman, eighteen +years old, whom a dissolute lieutenant had enticed from a convent +in Xerez. In Mexico there was a wretched man, a person of acute +intellect and learning, who had been guilty of an infamous crime +with a boy. He had refused to confess, and, when he was tortured, +had charged a number of innocent persons with complicity with his foul +actions. The president of the alcaldes de corte [i.e., "judges of the +high court"] was at this time Dr. Morga, who had a very kind feeling +for the religious of this province, since he had come to know them by +his long residence here as an auditor. By his assistance, and by that +of one of the officers of the prison, father Fray Pedro Muriel obtained +access to this unfortunate man; and by his wise and kindly conferences +softened his heart, so that he confessed his original guilt and also +his malice in making false charges against innocent persons. Both +before and after his execution, there were manifest signs that the +Lord had been pleased to grant him salvation. In the following year, +1616, father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catalina, or Navarro, commissary +of the Holy Office in these islands, and one of the first founders of +the province, was a second time elected provincial. In the following +month, at a feast of the Visitation, there died in the city of Nueva +Segovia father Fray Garcia Oroz, a Navarrese by nation; he was a +son of the convent of our Lady of Atocha in Madrid, and a religious +old in virtue as in years. When he made his first efforts to come +to the province he had been hindered, but afterward carried out his +intention; and although, because of his years, he was unable to learn +the language, he was of great use to his companion who understood it, +by his assistance and by the good example of his life.] + + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +The life and death of father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Cathalina, +or Navarro + + +[The new provincial had but a short time in which he could exercise his +office, as he died in November of the same year, on the octave of All +Saints. Father Fray Bernardo was a native of Villanueva de la Xara. He +was much inclined from his earliest years to letters and the Church; he +assumed the habit in the convent of Sancta Cruz at Villaescusa. After +he had professed, he was sent to study in the college of Sancto Thomas +at Alcala, which was the highest honor that the convent could bestow on +a student. Here he so distinguished himself that the college gave him +charge of the conduct of a theological discussion in the provincial +chapter, which is the highest honor that a college can give its +theologues. While at the college, he did not take advantage of the +privilege of eating meat, which is granted to students in consideration +of their labors and study. He was a successful and beloved preacher, +and lived a life of the severest mortification. He was most devoted +to the holy sacrament. At one time when a sick person had received +the Lord and had afterward vomited forth the sacramental species, +which was carelessly swept into a rubbish-heap, father Fray Bernardo +rescued the precious treasure. He was most successful in uprooting +the vices of the villages in España where he preached. When he came +to this province he was one of the best of the ministers, and one +of those who labored in the conversion of these tribes with the +greatest results. He was assigned to be superior of the religious +who preached to the barbarian Indians in Pangasinan--an indomitable, +untamed, and bloody race; and above measure opposed to the gospel, +since that was above measure opposed to their vices, cruelties, +lewdnesses, superstitions, and idolatries. Noble religious were his +companions, eager to act and to suffer for the conversion of souls; +but father Fray Bernardo was the head and superior of these religious, +the one who first began to succeed in christianizing those Indians, +the one who perfected them and carried them on to a high state of +Christian excellence. His life and his doctrine were alike marvelous +and efficacious in influencing the souls of those Indians. He was +devoted to his charge, seeking alms from the Spaniards for his Indians, +and defending them with all his might from the wrongs which were +committed against them. It was only in defense of his Indians that +he was seen to give up his ordinary gentleness of demeanor, which was +like that of a dove. The Lord blessed his efforts for the conversion +of those Indians by miraculous healing wrought by his hands. He was +visited by the saints, in particular by our father St. Dominic and +St. Vincent Ferrer, who were seen to come and say matins with him. He +was given miraculous insight into the souls of those who confessed to +him; was miraculously preserved from fire and water; and had power +given him to see devils who had taken possession of those who were +confessing to him, or whom he desired to convert. It was declared +that he even had a vision of the holy Virgin. He lived a life of +abstinence, penance, and the greatest devotion; and translated into +the Indian language a hundred and fifty brief devout treatises. He +also wrote in their language a number of spiritual letters, afterward +collected by father Fray Melchior Pavia, who made a goodly volume of +them that they might serve as an example of the manner to be followed, +in writing to the Indians, by the religious who came after. In temporal +matters he likewise assisted those Indians in all ways in his power; +for in addition to their poverty they were his dearest sons, engendered +in Christ with mighty but successful labors. + +Although father Fray Bernardo would have been pleased to be left +forever among his Indians, the province felt that it had need of him +for higher duties, and elected him as provincial in 1596. He gave +a noble example as head of the province, and was most wise, kind, +and prudent in his visitations. At one time, finding it necessary +to chastise one of his subordinates, he began the punishment upon +himself, compelling the guilty person to scourge him severely while +they two were alone. Then he proceeded to scourge the man who was in +fault, who, considering what had preceded, received his chastisement +with great humility and amended his life. The fervent love of God of +father Fray Bernardo was manifest in all that he said and did. The +high esteem in which he was held spread from the Philippinas to Nueva +España, so that the tribunal of the Holy Office in Mexico made him +its commissary-general in all these islands. On some occasions he +showed the gift of prophecy, foretelling the deaths of some persons, +or declaring the deaths of those who were at a distance. Once when +a governor assembled a great fleet against the Dutch enemies, he +was obliged to obtain the necessary revenue by great oppression of +the Indians and the poor, since the royal treasury did not yield +a sufficient amount for the undertaking. Father Fray Bernardo was +greatly grieved by this course of procedure, and strove to remedy +it without success. When the governor was about to set out, father +Fray Bernardo declared to him that he would never return; and, in +point of fact, he died in Malaca without ever seeing the enemy. [12] +The persecution in Japon was revealed to him before it occurred. Being +asked how he knew of the threatening danger, he said that he inferred +it from certain stars in the sky, which resembled a comet threatening +Japon. His companion when he had looked was unable to see any comet, +or anything like one. His love and charity kept constantly increasing, +and there were continually on his lips the words, "Let us love God; +let us love God." He sent what he could to the needy and persecuted +Christians in Japon, and wrote to Mexico to get such assistance for +them as he could obtain. He was always most loving and kindly to all +the religious. + +At the end of his term as provincial, he would have been glad to live +and die among his children in Pangasinan, but was detained in Manila +by his duties as commissary of the Holy Office. Yet every year he used +to make a visit to Pangasinan, where he was received as an angel from +heaven, and sometimes carried almost by force to distant villages, by +Indians who came more than twenty leguas for the purpose. His arrival +was like a feast-day. The people crowded to confess to him, and to +listen to his spiritual exhortations. They put off the settlement of +their most weighty differences to submit them to his judgment. They +sometimes crowded about him to kiss his hand or his scapular so that +he could not move. When he was a second time elected as provincial, +his devotion to the duties of his office resulted in his death. The +stormy weather preventing him from going by sea to Nueva Segovia, he +made the journey by land, traveling through the swamps and lowlands of +Yllocos [13] and over the Caraballos, some rough and lofty mountains, +where he was caught by a baguio or hurricane. The rivers rose so +that he was unable to go on. Captain Pedro de Rojas, his son in the +faith, had gone with him to keep him company. The hardships of their +journey were such that both men fell sick; and father Fray Bernardo, +in fear of immediate death, kept praying to the Lord that he would +prolong his life until they reached a place where he could receive the +sacraments. Arriving in Abulug, Captain Pedro de Rojas was given up by +the physician; but the father, in spite of his advanced age, seemed +likely to recover. He was deeply grieved that he--who was of no use +in the world, as he said--should be saved, while the captain had given +up his life simply to accompany him. He prayed the Lord that he might +change places with the captain, who soon afterward began to amend; +while father Fray Bernardo within twenty-four hours fell sick again +in Camalayugan, and felt that his disease was mortal. On the eighth +of November, the octave of All Saints, he departed from this vale +of tears, to be with those who are in glory. His death caused great +grief in Pangasinan and Manila. Double honors were shown to him in +our convent, first as provincial, and second as commissary-general of +the Holy Office. At the latter service father Fray Antonio Gutierrez +preached, recounting much of what has here been written. After his +death, a religious had a vision of his soul going to glory. In the +provincial chapter in the following year, honorable mention is made +of father Fray Bernardo in a Latin eulogy, recording his illustrious +virtues, his marvelous success in the conversion of the province of +Pangasinan, and the sacrifice of his life to the duties of his office.] + + + + + +CHAPTER V + +The election as provincial of father Fray Melchior Mançano, and the +situation in Japon at this time. + + +When the sad news of the death of the provincial was learned, the +electors assembled at Binalatongan, a village of Pangasinan, on the +fifteenth of April, 1617, and elected as head and superior of the +province father Fray Melchior de Mançano, [14] who was at that time +vicar of the convent of the city of Nueva Segovia. He was a very +prudent and devout character, a professed son of the convent of the +order in Ocaña; and had been made, on account of his great ability +and his successful studies, a theologue at the college of Sancto +Thomas at Alcala. In this province he had governed many of the best +convents with great approbation; and his term as provincial was very +useful to the province, augmenting it greatly, as will be narrated. + +[Now that the churches in all Japon were torn down and all the +priests expelled, as Safioye supposed, it seemed to him time to +begin the persecution of Christianity. The commencement was made in +the kingdom of Arima, which was under the direct government of the +emperor. The officers upon whom was laid the carrying out of this +persecution did their work with cruelty and insolence. When the news +of the beginning of the persecution reached Figen, twenty courageous +Japanese went from Nangasaqui to Arima to confess the faith, and died +a glorious martyrdom. Some others who purposed to follow in their +footsteps had not the courage, and recanted when they saw the dreadful +torment which awaited them. As soon as father Fray Thomas del Espiritu +Sancto, or Zumarraga, the vicar-provincial of our religious who were +in hiding, heard of this persecution in Arima, he despatched father +Fray Jacintho Orfanel to go to the aid of the persecuted Christians, +and soon afterward sent father Fray Juan de Los Angeles Rueda to go +thither also. They were followed by the father commissary of the Order +of St. Francis, with three other religious of his order. The efforts +of the religious in hearing confessions, giving the sacraments, and +comforting and strengthening the persecuted Christians, were of great +value. It seemed unwise, however, to enter the city of Arima itself, +where guards had been set to prevent entrance and egress; for if the +emperor should learn that any religious had remained in Japon, the +persecution was likely to be very much more severe. The Christians in +Nangasaqui prepared themselves, and were prepared by the religious, +for the beginning of the persecution in that city. When everything was +ready, the persecution was suspended on account of a war between the +emperor and Fideyori, the son of the previous emperor and the true heir +to the throne. [15] The officers contented themselves with publicly +burning a great number of rosaries, crosses, and other Christian +emblems taken from Arima. Father Fray Alonso Navarrete had assumed +the dress of a Spanish layman and was beaten for trying to rescue from +the fire some rosaries. Our religious obtained the sacred relics of a +number of the blessed martyrs. The emperor was victorious over Fideyori +by treachery. During the progress of the war the Christians had peace; +and the fathers did a mighty work in strengthening their courage, and +in perfecting them in the faith. Many, however, of the Christians, +for the lack of ministers, had begun to forget the matters of the +faith and even their own Christian names. Some of the Franciscan +fathers were captured, and thrown into prison; but the fathers of our +order escaped. After the fall of Usaca and the disastrous close of +the war, the persecution broke out again. The fathers were scattered +among various kingdoms, but were prevented, by the very close watch +which was kept, from entering Satzuma. The father vicar-provincial +alone, with father Fray Francisco de Morales and father Fray Joseph, +remained in Nangasaqui, going out at night only, in secular dress. This +lasted until the death of the emperor, in the year 1616. Nangasaqui +being the metropolis of Christianity in Japon, where the number of +Christians was greatest and their spirit resolved and determined, +the emperor did not dare to treat the Christians there with as much +severity as elsewhere. In spite of the exposure of our ministers +in Japon, not one of the members of our order died a natural death, +but all were crowned with the crown and aureole of martyrdom.] + + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +The great devotion in Japon to the rosary of our Lady; the death of +the emperor, and the state of the church there. + + +[In the beginning of the year 1616, the confraternity of our Lady +of the Rosary, which had been established in 1602, when the order +of our father St. Dominic entered Japon, was very greatly increased, +and the devotion to the rosary became much more intense. This order +and the devotion connected with it spread from Nangasaqui through all +parts of Japon, and much improvement in the lives of those who devoted +themselves to the rosary was perceived. Miraculous strength was also +given to the members of the confraternity to hold to their faith. In +July the emperor died by poison, which was given him by mistake +from a box of medicine. The emperor being succeeded by his son, +Xogunsama, [16] the persecution was continued, and even increased +in severity, the officers exerting themselves to invent ingenious +tortures. Sometimes the very tormentors themselves, though they +did not abandon their idolatry, were compelled by the virtue of the +martyrs, and the aid rendered them by the Lord, to admit the truth +of our holy faith. Particulars are given of the deaths of a number of +martyrs. In course of time the persecution extended to Nangasaqui. It +was discovered by accident that there were religious in the city. This +was one cause for the beginning of the persecution. Another cause +was the contentions of two governors in the city, one Christian and +the other heathen. [17] Great efforts being made to capture some of +the religious, father Fray Pedro de la Asumpcion of the Order of +St. Francis, and Father Juan Baptista Tavora of the Society, were +caught and suffered martyrdom, being decapitated May 22, 1617. This +caused great joy among the religious, who had feared that, if they +should be captured, they would merely be sent out of the kingdom, +but were now encouraged to hope for the crown of martyrdom.] + + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +The expedition of father Fray Alonso Navarrete, vicar-provincial of +our order in Japon, and father Fray Hernando de San Joseph, or Ayala, +vicar-provincial of the order of our father St. Augustine, for the +aid of the Christians of Omura. + + +[The persecutors were satisfied with these deaths, thinking that they +would frighten the ministers of the gospel and either drive them out +of Japon or greatly curtail their activity. May 24, 1617, on the eve +of Corpus Christi, father Fray Alonso Navarrete, vicar-general of our +order, set out for Omura, where the other priests had been martyred, +with the purpose of openly preaching the gospel there. He took with him +a courageous Japanese servant named Pablo. The landlord of his house +also volunteered. Father Fray Hernando de San Joseph, vicar-provincial +of the Augustinian order, who was his close friend, decided to +accompany him. After examining their consciences carefully, father +Fray Francisco de Morales of our order approved their enterprise.] + + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +The capture of the holy martyrs + + +[The two fathers set out, traveling slowly, encouraging the Christians +and recovering some of those who had recanted. The number of those +who came to be confessed was very great, and the religious heard +their confessions at the risk of their lives. The fathers rejoiced +to lay aside their secular garments; and the Christians who saw +them in religious habits were greatly delighted. Five persecutors +came to arrest the fathers, who received them with great joy and +gave them presents. Father Fray Alonso wrote a letter to the tono, +informing him that the fathers had come to give him an opportunity +to repent of his great sin in martyring the fathers who had been +executed, and to deliver him from the pains of hell. Some Japanese +boldly offered themselves for martyrdom. The Christian inhabitants of +the city showed the greatest devotion to the fathers, crowding about +them and offering themselves for martyrdom with them; and they showed +the greatest grief at the thought that the fathers were to be taken +from them by death. The tono of Omura was in the greatest grief and +perplexity, feeling that there would fall on him the obligation to +martyr Christians after Christians who would come to offer themselves +in his kingdom. He finally determined to take their lives, but with +the greatest secrecy, in order to prevent an uprising in the city. The +fathers were accordingly taken to a desolate island named Usuxima; and +in spite of the efforts of the heathen to keep the place secret, they +were followed by a great number of Christians, who confessed to them.] + + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +The death of the three holy martyrs + + +[From this island the three fathers were removed to another named +Coguchi. They received with great joy the news that they were to +die, and were carried to another island still more solitary. Here +they showed great courtesy and kindness to those who were to slay +them. They left letters for their provincials, desiring them to send +religious to Japon at any cost. In spite of the care of the tyrant, +some Christians were present at the execution. The two were beheaded on +Thursday, the first of June, the octave of Corpus Christi. Their very +executioners looked upon them at such men of virtue that they dipped +their handkerchiefs and bits of paper in their sacred blood, to keep +these as relics. The bodies of all the martyrs were put in coffins +laden with stones, and cast into the sea. In spite of the danger, many +Japanese went to the place of the martyrdom to venerate the relics of +these saints; and the Confraternity of the Rosary offered continual +prayers that they might recover the bodies of these holy martyrs. At +the end of two months the bodies of the holy and blessed Fray Pedro +de la Asumpcion and Fray Hernando were cast up on the shore.] + + + + + +CHAPTER X + +The virtues of these blessed fathers, their fitness to obtain the +crown of martyrdom, and the fruits which followed therefrom. + + +[The holy Fray Hernando was especially devoted to the souls in +purgatory, and gave a notable example of poverty and obedience to the +rules of his order. Father Fray Alonso was very pious, almsgiving, +and compassionate. Although the lords in Japon are very rich, the poor +people are very needy; so that the heathen often slay their new-born +children, and the Christians cast them out in the street. The heart +of the holy man was so afflicted by this that, at his persuasion, +a Spanish captain named Pablo Carrucho settled a certain income +upon the pious work of maintaining these children. Just before +his death the holy martyr, not forgetful of this, wrote a letter +to the captain, urging him not to forget the alms for the exposed +children. Father Fray Alonso was one of the first ministers of Nueva +Segovia; he returned to Europe, to bring with him a number of new +religious to the Philippinas. After he had been assigned to Japon +he once returned to the Philippinas. He suffered greatly in these +voyages, since he was of delicate constitution. He was a charitable +and most beloved minister, very bold, and especially distinguished +for his gratitude. From this martyrdom the Christians of Nangasaqui +received new courage, as did also those of Omura, who were greatly +strengthened in the faith. Some, indeed, who had feared to do so +before, boldly confessed Christianity. Throughout Japon the example +of this martyrdom was a great source of strength to the Christians, +and forced the heathen to respect the Christian faith. The heathen +also were cured of their error of supposing that the fathers had come +to this region because of temporal ambitions. The persecution which +was feared in Nangasaqui ceased when the courage of the holy men was +seen. The last result of this martyrdom was the many more martyrdoms, +which soon followed, of those who by the example of these saints +openly avowed Christianity. The names of several of the confessors +and martyrs are given, with a brief account of their deaths.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +The state of affairs in Japon after the martyrdom of the saints Fray +Alonso Navarrete and Fray Hernando de Ayala. + + +[After the martyrdom of these holy religious the Christians of Omura, +ashamed of their weakness, desired to follow their example. Father +Fray Thomas del Espiritu Sancto and father Fray Juan de Los Angeles, +religious of our order, and father Fray Apolinario Franco, commissary +of the Order of St. Francis, went to take spiritual charge of these +Christians in Omura. Fathers Fray Apolinario and Fray Thomas were +arrested, with their servants, and imprisoned. Father Fray Juan de Los +Angeles was not found. The landlord of father Fray Alonso Navarrete +in course of time won the crown of martyrdom by the boldness of his +confession; and he and another Christian were carried to an islet, +and secretly executed at midnight on the last day of September. The +tono of Omura, in perplexity, went to the court of the emperor to +confer with him in regard to the questions raised by the arrest of +the two fathers. The Christian faith extended, and some remarkable +conversions of persecutors took place. The holy fathers suffered +in prison from the rigors of winter, having been deprived of their +clothes, and having no bed or any protection against the cold; for the +prison was made of wood, and did not protect them against the cold, +wind, or snow. They suffered equal tortures from hunger, having but a +small ration of boiled rice without other food--the Christians having +been forbidden to assist them.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +The building of the church of Los Sanctos Reyes in the Parian + + +As soon as the order entered these islands, it took upon itself the +charge of evangelizing and teaching the Chinese who came to these +islands, every year, in pursuit of their business and profit. They +all lived in a sort of alcaicería, or market, called in this country +a Parian; and here there were usually ten thousand Chinese, and at +times as many as twenty thousand. Here they not only store their +merchandise, which is very rich, but maintain all the trades required +for a very well ordered and provided community. They were at that +time all heathen, because up to that time as soon as any Chinaman +was converted and baptized he was obliged to leave this idolatrous +place and to go to live in another village, of baptized Chinese, +which was near there. In this way the effort was made to separate the +newly-baptized from the heathen, so that they might not follow the bad +example of their heathen neighbors while their Christianity, being +new, had not sufficient strength to resist this temptation and free +themselves from the danger of this scandal. The town of the heathen +was not forgotten on this account; for the religious went from the +town of the Christian Chinese, called Binondoc, where they lived, +to preach every Sunday to those who lived in the Parian. This course +was followed up to the year 1617, when it was remarked, with reason, +how advantageous it would be that preachers should be constantly in +residence in this multitude of people. Thus by having more intercourse +with them, and being in closer relations with them, they might reap a +greater spiritual harvest among the Chinese, and the number of those +who should be baptized, in both sickness and health, might be greatly +increased. The father provincial conferred with the two estates, +ecclesiastical and secular, receiving the approval of everyone. The +usual licenses were obtained, and a small wooden church and convent +were begun. Everything was done at the expense of the order, that +it might not be necessary to ask anything from the heathen Chinese, +for whose benefit and advantage the buildings were erected. The Lord +straightway began to manifest that the work was very acceptable to Him, +by showing marvelous favor to a Chinaman who was occupied as overseer +of the building. A Spaniard, enraged because he had been bitten by +a dog, asked the Chinaman "whose dog that was," intending to avenge +upon the owner the pain which the dog had caused him. The Chinaman +answered that he did not know whose it was, and the angry Spaniard +said: "It must be yours, because you do not tell me." Drawing his +sword he thrust it at his chest; but the Lord, who was pleased with +the care which the Chinaman gave to the building of His poor temple, +guided the sword so that it struck an ebony cross which the Chinaman +wore under his clothes. The blow made a deep mark upon this cross, +while the Chinaman was untouched--the Lord receiving the thrust +upon His own cross that it might not harm His votary. The Chinaman +recognized this as a very special mercy, and a great reward for his +labor; and he and all those who knew of the fact praised the Lord, +wonderful in His works. + +The poor church was finished, and being the edifice of those vowed to +poverty it lasted but a short time. The beams which served as columns +and held up the building were not strong, and the soil was marshy and +unstable; hence the beams were unable to carry the load of the tiling, +but gave way, in such a manner as to threaten the downfall of the +church. To prevent this, so that no one might be caught beneath, it +was planned to take down the tiling; and while the church was being +untiled, and there were nineteen persons on the roof, the building +(which was already on the point of falling) broke open with this +additional weight, and the whole roof came down--key-beams, ridge-pole, +and tiles. Even some of the largest beams were broken into very small +fragments; and many of those who were on the peak of the roof were +caught and buried in the lumber and tiles, so that of some there +was nothing to be seen except some part of their clothing. A great +multitude of people ran to the noise. Most of them were heathen, and +stood looking on with much alarm at the ruin which had been wrought; +but they did not dare to show any kindness, or to disinter the poor +workmen who had been overwhelmed. Hence the men remained for a long +space of time covered in this way, all supposing that they were not +only dead, but horribly mangled. However, this was not the case; +for the Lord was desirous of teaching these heathen the omnipotence +of His providence and the care that He takes of those who serve Him; +and all were taken out, unconscious indeed, but uninjured and in +health, without the slightest wound upon any one of them, although +some very heavy key-beams had been broken to pieces. They soon came +to themselves and gave thanks to Him who had so marvelously preserved +them; while all those present, who were innumerable, both Christians +and heathen, were astonished, and the heathen said aloud: "Great is +the providence of the God of the Christians." Thus the Lord drew from +these His enemies the highest praises, and changed into honor to His +name that which might have caused offense among these idolaters if +these men had been killed while working on the house of God. It was +believed that the fervent prayer of father Fray Bartholome Martynez +aided much in bringing about this result; for the work was going +on under his direction, and when he saw that a good account of it +could not be given, if the Lord did not remedy this misfortune, he +begged this grace of Him most affectionately. And this was not the +only time when the Lord granted to his faithful and devout prayers +very marvelous things, as will be narrated in due time. + +A small portion of the land belonging to the convent was made ready to +serve, as well as possible, for a tiny church for the few Christians +who were there. The harvest reaped here by the religious, in this +multitude of heathen and idolatrous people, was marvelous. They taught +them constantly by day and night in the church, in the squares, in +their houses, without losing an opportunity to do them good--though +they labored beyond their strength, trusting in the Lord whose work +they were doing. Marvelous results immediately followed, to the great +service and honor of the Lord and the profit of souls. Of the many +sick in the Parian, who before the residence of the fathers had all +departed in their heathen state, now, since they have had these devoted +fathers among them and have heard their teaching, practically none +have died without being baptized. Such is the fruit of the fathers' +care in expounding the faith to them, explaining to them the great +good and the spiritual benefit of baptism, and the eternal misery of +those who have neglected it. Often even the heathen relatives and +friends of the sick have persuaded them to be baptized; and they, +like the persons of their own nation whom the fathers have appointed +for that purpose, take great care to ascertain if there are any sick, +and to inform the fathers, that the latter may visit them and teach +them the way to heaven. + +In addition to these who are baptized in sickness, many are baptized in +health and take back the news of the gospel to their own country. In +this way, it is hoped, the entry of preachers into China will be +somewhat facilitated, if it is once known that we are persons who, +in addition to loving and helping them, are not desirous for our +temporal profit, but for the good of their souls. This is an argument +of great weight with the Chinaman, who is excessively avaricious, +and hence regards as a very divine virtue the contempt of that which +he esteems so highly. Since they are very intelligent, they are easily +persuaded that that is truth which we preach to them as to the great +reward in the other life for those who are good, since they see that +their preachers take such pains and undergo such penances to become +good, and despise all temporal gain in the firm hope of an eternal +one. If their eternal reward were not to be much the vaster, great +would be their imprudence to cast aside for it all temporal reward; +and they would be, as the apostle has said, of all men most miserable. + +Father Fray Bartholome Martynez afterward erected on the same site a +sumptuous and handsome church, which was intentionally made large and +capacious, that there might be room in it for the many whom he hoped to +baptize; and beautiful, that the very magnificence of the edifice might +give some sign by its appearance of whose it was. In order that it +might please the Chinese better, it was constructed entirely after the +manner of the best buildings in China, out of wood, the pieces framed +together with joints, without any nails in the entire frame. This +was accomplished, in spite of the fact that the number of pieces +which entered into the frame came to more than three thousand. They +were wrought with marvelous skill, and with superior craftsmanship; +indeed, before they began to be put in place they were all shaped, +with their joints so fitted that, although the architect at the time +of erecting the building happened to be unable on account of illness +to rise from his bed, and had to give his directions from it as to +what had to be done, yet everything was found to be so exact that +his presence was not needed. Everything was fitted exactly as it was +planned and worked out by the designer from the beginning. This is +something which aroused great admiration in the Spanish architects +who saw it, and they were amazed, and with reason. It is reckoned +a matter worthy of the wisdom given by God to Solomon that the same +thing is recounted of the temple which he built, as is narrated in +holy scripture. The architect was a heathen, very old and infirm; +but God prolonged his life until this work was finished. Afterward, +as his illness grew worse, he asked for holy baptism; and, having +received it devoutly, he died happy in being a Christian, and was +buried in the church which he had built for God. + +[While the church was being built, some very notable events +happened. One Sunday, after the Christians had heard mass, they and +a number of heathen who helped them were dragging a very large beam +which was to serve as a column in the building. As they went down +a little hill, it began to roll on some round sticks which they had +placed under it in order that they might move it with less difficulty, +and came at one of those who were dragging it with such force that, +as it seemed, he could in no way avoid being caught by it. The Lord +heard the prayers of some religious who were present, and delivered +him from his danger. In the same church the workmen were setting up +the beams which were to support the four corners of the transept like +columns--which beams were much larger, longer, and thicker than any +of the others. A great number of people were stationed on each of +the four sides of one, to draw it so that it might go straight. The +cables which they used were new and heavy, and there was a workman +seated on the head of the beam to watch the hitches of the cables to +be sure that they did not slip. The weight of the beam was so great +that one of the cables gave way, and when it was broken the others +began to become loose. The workmen dropped their work and fled in +alarm, leaving the man on the head of the beam beyond help, as it +seemed. Father Fray Bartholome Martinez prayed to the Lord for this +man, and the beam rested upon some bamboos standing there, which were +strong, but not strong enough to carry such a weight; and the man got +down by them unhurt, but with his blood curdled by fright. The church +was finished and was most beautiful, being a notable piece of work in +its style. It caused great joy to the Spaniards, and to the Chinese, +both Christian and heathen. In the course of time another event which +greatly edified these Chinese occurred; for on Monday, March 13, 1628, +at one o'clock at night, a fire broke out in the Parian which burnt +down practically the whole of it--since it was at that time built of +reeds and nipa, or of dry boards, which burn like a torch. The only +houses saved were some which were protected by green trees, and some +other small ones which were somewhat isolated. The fire bore directly +toward the church, and had already begun to scorch the wood of it, +when the religious carried out the image of our Lady of the Rosary, +and turned her face toward the fire. The wind instantly changed, +and the church was saved. Although in the construction of this most +beautiful church care had been taken to build it of durable wood, +yet within a few years some of it rotted, and it seemed as if it +would be with this church as with the others. Hence it was deemed +necessary to tear it down, for fear of accident; and another church +was built, with strong pillars of stone.] Since this is very near the +city, we did not fail to build it with stronger frame. But it is very +beautifully decorated, its walls being covered from top to bottom with +paintings, in which is depicted everything which may instruct these +heathen in the knowledge of that which is of consequence for them to +understand. There is represented the whole life of Christ our Lord, +and His most holy Mother; there are many pictures of the judgment, +purgatory, glory, and hell; much instruction as to the seven holy +sacraments; many miracles pertaining to them, and especially to the +greatest of all; many martyrs, and many holy examples. All this, +in addition to beautifying the church, is of great use, serving as +devout books wherein these people (who are very inquisitive) may see +and understand that which is taught to them by word of mouth; and very +great benefit is thus wrought for them. Many incidents have occurred +which have made clear the great usefulness of having this church in +the midst of this idolatrous population, to preach the true God with +so loud a voice that it may be heard in the great kingdom of China, +and may dispose it to be converted. + +[One of those who had been baptized here was accused, when he returned +to his country, of being a Christian. When the Christian replied that +there was nothing evil in Christianity, the judge asked him how he +could say that being a Christian was not evil. He handed the judge +a little card printed in the Chinese language, containing the first +prayers, the ten commandments, and directions for works of charity, +and told him that this was the Christian law. The judge, when he +had read it over, dismissed the Chinaman, retaining the card, and +saying: "Who has deceived me by saying that Christianity is evil? On +the contrary, it is very good." Thus the knowledge of Christianity +spreads in that great kingdom. The Lord wrought miracles in defense +of the new converts, punishing with death a heathen who had insulted a +Chinaman that had given up his litigious habits after his baptism; and +other miracles of healing and protection were wrought, and marvelous +conversions took place, evidently by the hand of God.] There have been +baptized in this church, from the year 1618, when baptisms began, up to +the year 1633, when this is written, four thousand seven hundred and +fifty-two Chinese, all adults. Of these, two thousand and fifty-five +were baptized in health, and two thousand six hundred and ninety-seven +in sickness, in addition to some whose names were accidentally omitted +from the registry. Since that time [18] baptisms have continued at +a proportional rate, where, before they had the church, all died +in their idolatry, and there were very few who went hence in health +to be baptized in other churches. Such persons usually went to our +church in Minondo for the Christians of their nation; but those who +went from the Parian were very few, because they did not at that +time have the constant intimacy and stimulus of the presence of the +religious, as now. The result has been a very great increase of the +affection which the Chinese have always felt for our order, and the +high regard which they have for our holy faith. This is so great that +even the heathen, who themselves are not baptized because of worldly +considerations, generally desire the sick with whom they are connected +by relationship or friendship to become Christians. Hence it is rare +that anyone dies in this great multitude of heathens without first +being baptized; while those who return to their great kingdom give +in it a very good report of our faith and of the doctrine of Christ, +to the no small credit of our religious community, with the members +of which they generally have most to do, and receive from them the +greatest benefits, both in spiritual and in temporal matters; for we +are often able to be of assistance to them. They recount all this +in their own country; and this is an excellent preparation for the +rapid advance of the holy gospel, which has already entered it. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +Some missions sent to various kingdoms + + +[Since the establishment of this province was intended not only for the +Philippinas, but also for the neighboring heathen kingdoms, advantage +was taken of every opportunity to send out religious to these other +kingdoms. Our order had planned to labor in the conversion of the +kingdom of Macasar, whose king manifested some signs of desiring +to have religious sent to him. This kingdom is very powerful, and +has a large population. The people of it have an excellent natural +disposition, which is a good foundation for the faith; but, because +of disturbances which arose, this mission did not take effect. + +The religious not only of this province, but of España and Nueva +España, have had their hearts set upon the conversion of the kingdom +of China, the population of which is of incredible vastness, and the +people there exhibit very acute intelligence and have an excellent +civilization and government. They even establish their authority in +all the neighboring kingdoms: Corea, Siam, Camboja, Cochinchina, +and others; and they communicate their system to these as far as +possible. Their character and their moral doctrines also fit them +for the gospel. In spite of the failure of previous efforts to enter +this kingdom, our religious were not discouraged. In this year (i.e., +1618) an opportunity was offered when the governor, Don Alonso Fajardo +de Tença, was about to send an embassy to inform the Chinese that +their enemy and ours, the Dutch, had taken up their station in the +straits through which the merchant vessels of China sail on their way +to this city, richly laden; and that the enemy intended to capture +and pillage the ships there. Our order was asked to send a religious +who understood the language, and who had worked among the Chinese +in the islands; father Fray Bartholome Martinez was chosen for the +post. After some days sailing the vessel met with a furious storm, in +which it lost the mainmast; and afterward struck upon a large rock, +losing the rudder and part of the poop. Some leaped into the water, +and some made their way to land in the boat; the rest remained on +board the vessel, and father Fray Bartholome remained with them to hear +their confessions. The next morning they all succeeded in getting to +land, not far from Pangasinan. Here father Fray Bartholome preached +to the Chinese who had come to that region to carry on business, +and succeeded in converting twenty. From Pangasinan he made his +way with great difficulty to Nueva Segovia, where he was directed +to embark in another royal vessel, and to carry out his embassy by +way of Macan. On this voyage they also met with dreadful storms, +and he landed twice on the island of Hermosa. This island had not +yet been taken possession of for his Majesty; but the Lord willed +that the father should see it and carry to Manila a full report as to +its character, the result of which was that the island was afterward +acquired. He finally reached Macan, where he met with so many obstacles +to carrying out his mission that he was obliged to return to Manila, +and thus failed to gain that entry into China which he had desired. + +At the same time, another mission was planned to the kingdom of Corea; +for it seemed likely that there would be a great and noble conversion +in that kingdom, the people of which have a very good character by +nature, being very simple, and free from duplicity and deceit. That +kingdom is between Great China and Japon, so near to each that it +is separated from them only by some very narrow arms of the sea, +like large rivers. The people have the intelligence and ability of +the Chinese, without their duplicity. They are for the most part +tillers of the soil. They have some of the valor of the Japanese, +without their ferocity. It happened in 1593 that Taycosama determined +to make war against this kingdom of Corea, in order to strengthen +himself by diminishing the power of some princes of his own state, +whom he sent to make this war at their own expense. The war was most +cruel and destructive, and the kingdom of Japon was full of Corean +slaves. [19] Among these was one who was converted and who came to +Manila. The father of this convert (who was called Tomas) reached the +post of secretary to the king, and, taking advantage of his wealth +and high office, spared no pains in the search for his son. The son, +in spite of his love for his native country and his father, and the +hope of the wealth which he would have if he returned, was still +more devoted to his own soul; and was therefore unwilling to return +to his own country without taking with him some religious. The father +provincial, thinking this a good opportunity to begin this conversion, +assigned three religious, who set sail, on the thirteenth of June in +this year (i.e., 1618) in a ship for Japon, since there was no ship +direct to Corea. At Nangasaqui the officials, detecting the purpose +of the religious, detained them and finally prevented them from going +on. Tomas was obliged to go on without them, promising to send for +them; but affairs in Japon became so disturbed that nothing more was +ever heard of him. Two of the three religious who were to go to Corea +returned to Manila. The third, father Fray Juan de Sancto Domingo, +remained in Japon and learned the language, that he might aid the +afflicted Christians there; and he was rewarded by the Lord with the +palm of martyrdom.] + +So eager was the province to extend our holy Catholic faith throughout +all regions, to introduce it into the kingdoms of the heathen, +to enlighten their souls and show them the way to heaven, that the +Lord aided them by sending in this year twenty-four new laborers, +religious who had been gathered in España by Father Jacintho Calvo +[20]--a religious who had been in this province, and who on account of +the severe heat in the islands, which was dangerous to his health, +sent the fathers on from Mexico, whither he had brought them, +under the leadership of father Fray Antonio Cañiçares. They arrived +here very opportunely; for by the missions which have been mentioned +several ministries had been much interfered with, and were now filled +up from this new company. Even some new convents were established; +for instance that of San Telmo at Cavite. This town is the port where +all those go aboard who sail from these islands to Nueva España or +to Yndia or to other regions--except in the case of small vessels, +which are able to sail from the city. In Cavite there is accordingly a +large town of Spaniards, Indians, Chinese, and Japanese. At that time +they were in greater need of Christian teaching because they had only +one convent, that of the seraphic father St. Francis; and, besides, +our order needed to have a convent there in which the religious might +remain while waiting to go aboard the vessels. On this account this +convent of San Telmo was established there at that time, and did great +good to those who lived in the town. The Confraternity of our Lady of +the Rosary was immediately carried thither; and this holy devotion was +greatly revived, and other very good effects were wrought. Thus for the +Virgin's sake the people of the town have come to have a great regard +for her chaplains; and a fine church, with rich altar decorations and +ornaments, and a convent sufficient for the religious who are obliged +to be at Cavite, have been built there. This is supported very well by +alms, without any other income; and the religious with their sermons +and good example have wrought much good, not only among the Spaniards, +but also among the natives. There has been a great reformation of +morals among both, as is always effected by the devotion to the Virgin +of the Rosary, wherever care is taken to give due heed to preaching +it, and to using it as a benefit come from heaven, by the hands of +the Virgin, to correct the sins and reform the excesses of the world. + +During this year a beginning was also made in an undertaking which +had been much desired by good and spiritual religious, as being +worthy of and proper to that charity with which the religious of +this province usually took up enterprises involving great labor, +that they might in return offer souls to the Lord and bring heathen +into the church. There are near the province of Nueva Segovia certain +islands, called Babuianes, following each other in a line toward the +northeast until they approach near those which are called Lequios, +which are near Japon. [21] These latter are innumerable, and some +of them are very large and very fertile. Their inhabitants are of +excellent natural dispositions, so that, being heathen, they cause +wonder in all of those who go there. They are extremely kind, loving, +docile, and free from self-interest--excellent foundations for their +becoming noble Christians if the happy day of the faith shall dawn upon +them. The islands near Nueva Segovia are not fertile, being plagued +with fierce winds, which, sweeping over them without any defense, +do them great damage. The inhabitants, however, are very ingenuous +and simple. When they sometimes came to Nueva Segovia to do their +poor little trading, the hearts of the religious were grieved when +they saw those people of a natural disposition so excellent, so humble +and peaceable; while their souls were left totally without assistance +because they were poor and few, and widely scattered over many islands +in the midst of the sea, without hope that any other preachers would +undertake their conversion if our religious neglected them. They had +a Spanish encomendero, who went duly every year to demand his tribute +from them; but he paid no attention to providing them with Christian +teaching, civilization, or justice. He saw them only when he collected +his tribute, without caring about them all the rest of the year, +and without trying to do them any good, as he was bound to do. The +religious had many times conferred about the conversion of these poor +people, but their purposes had never taken effect until this year, +when the religious came from España; and then preachers were sent +to them. That it might be possible to reach them, the inhabitants of +many islands were gathered on one, where they could more conveniently +be taught; they were baptized, and became very good Christians. In +this way the great labor was somewhat diminished, and the religious +were enabled to bear the almost total absence of comfort among them; +for they were imprisoned on a small island from which during many +months of the year it was impossible to have any communication with +other people. The land was so scanty and in every way so poor that +it did not produce even enough rice for the food of the inhabitants; +but yielded only borona and other grains of less excellence than rice, +or even something inferior to this. The people generally sustained +themselves on roots, potatoes, and such things. If this fails, as often +happens, it is necessary for the religious to support them by giving +them the little they themselves have, and asking alms from the other +convents of Nueva Segovia. All this was evident before the religious +went to convert them, as was also the inconvenience which results +if the religious are ill--as they must inevitably be much of the +time--for there is no physician there, nor are there any medicines; +and for nearly half the year it is not possible for a religious to +go thence to be cared for where he can have them, or even to send a +letter. During this period this sea is not navigable, for it is very +stormy; and the boats which they have there, being the boats of poor +persons, are small. Yet all this, and the fact that those natives have +a different language from all the rest, and many other inconveniences +which they suffered there, the religious bore with pleasure, being +good and devout Christians. They are in two little villages, with +a church and a convent in each, sufficient for its needs. Though +the Indians provided the labor, all the rest was a gift which the +religious had made and are making to them. Since they had religious, +there have been several attacks of smallpox in various years, which +is almost like a plague among the Indians--attacking practically all +of them, and being very fatal. On these occasions great numbers of +baptized children have gone to heaven; and there have been many cases +of the special providence with which the Lord takes hence those who +are predestinated. The love and devotion with which the ministers +strive for their salvation is so great that he only who has seen +it can believe it. On the one hand the people were good Christians, +humble and devout, and on the other hand so poor and needy that it +seemed as if the people and their country had been rejected by all +lands and men. Hence the religious, taking them in charge, pitied +their miseries and strove to provide relief for them in both their +temporal and their more important spiritual necessities. Thus, in +times of need, the religious have come to Nueva Segovia to ask alms +from house to house, sometimes undergoing manifest danger of drowning +to help these Indians. As for their souls, the care which they take of +them may be inferred from the following case. The principal minister, +father Fray Jacintho de San Geronimo, learned that a poor woman was +in the fields about to give birth to a child. She had not come to +the village, as they commonly do, perhaps because she could not. The +religious pitied her, and went to find her and bring her to the town, +so that in her need she might find someone to help her when she should +be delivered. With all this solicitude it took him some days to find +her, so far away from all companionship did she live. When she had +been brought to the village she was provided for by the religious, +and brought forth two children. They were baptized by the religious, +and both died within a short time, going to enjoy God forever because +of the devoted care given to them by their spiritual father while their +natural parents left them on the road to perdition; for without doubt +they would have been lost, if the religious had not had the mother +brought to the village for her delivery. + + + + + +CHAPTER XIIII + +The capture of father Fray Juan de Santo Domingo, and his happy death +in prison in Japon + + +[After the death of Safioye, other enemies of Christianity held the +government of Nagasaki. With great acuteness the persecutors set +about capturing the religious who were concealed in the city. On the +thirteenth of December, 1618, they found two convents and captured four +religious, two of our order, Fray Angel Ferrer and Fray Juan de Sancto +Domingo, with some Japanese. At the same time they captured Father +Carlos Espinola and Brother Ambrosio Hernandez of the Society of Jesus, +with their Portuguese landlord. The fathers, on being interrogated, +confessed who they were. The two Japanese youths, the servants of +the religious, whom the judges desired to set free, insisted that +they were Christians, and declared that they were not ignorant of +the profession of the religious, so that the judges were obliged +to imprison them. The Japanese Christians crowded in and shouted, +and some of them made a bold confession of faith. The persecution of +the Christians throughout the kingdom of Japon increased greatly in +severity, but the Christians protected the fathers and did not give +them up. Even in the midst of the persecution many were converted and +baptized, and other religious came into the kingdom to carry on the +work. The fathers in prison were treated with great severity. Father +Fray Juan de Sancto Domingo fell ill in prison, and finally died +there. His imprisoned brethren desired to keep his body as that of a +saint; but, being unable to do so, cut off a foot and a hand, keeping +them for their comfort. The Japanese took the body, intending to burn +it and to scatter the ashes in the sea; but though they built a great +funeral pyre they were unable to burn it, and finally threw it into the +ocean, weighted with chains. The holy martyr was a native of Castilla +la Vieja, of the region of Campos near Sanabria, and assumed the +habit in the convent of San Estevan at Salamanca. He came to this holy +province in the year 1601. He was assigned to the ministry of Bataan, +where he learned the language quickly, as he did also the language of +Pampanga. Hence he was sent to Pangasinan, where he learned a third +Indian language. When he was afterward sent to preach the holy gospel +in the kingdom of Corea, he remained in Japon to assist the afflicted +Christians there, being persuaded to do so by the holy Fray Francisco +de Morales. He was engaged in the occupation of learning the Japanese +language when he was captured by the persecutors.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XV + +The intermediate chapter, and the death of father Fray Juan de Leyva + + +In the year of our Lord 1619 the intermediate chapter in the term of +father Fray Melchior de Mançano was held, on the twentieth of April, +in the convent of our father St. Dominic at Nueva Segovia. In it +many important ordinances were passed, which were of assistance in +supporting the observance of the rules and in making illustrious our +order. This was the first provincial chapter held in that province +[i.e., of Nueva Segovia], and it was accordingly conducted with +much dignity and was attended by many of the religious of this +province. Their number was great, but greater was the divine Providence +and the paternal affection with which the Lord sustained them, showing +forth His greatness so plainly that it was obvious to all that He +it was who provided the religious with their daily food. [During the +session of the chapter, there was a wonderful catch of excellent fish +called taraquitos. [22] On this occasion they were so large that they +weighed ninety libras, and so abundant that they sufficed not only +for the whole chapter, but for all the Spaniards. All that beheld +this were amazed, because the fish of this kind which had hitherto +been caught there were but few and small, never weighing more than +four libras. No fish so large, and no such numbers of these fish, +had been seen before, or were seen afterwards. The very Chinese +fishermen who were heathen were the most amazed; for being desirous +of continuing the fishery for gain after the close of the chapter, +they did not catch a single fish of this kind.] + +In this provincial chapter was received and incorporated into the +province the college of Sancto Thomas at Manila, which had been +in process of erection for some years, and was now ready to be +occupied. The first man to plan this great work was the archbishop +of Manila, Don Fray Miguel de Benavides. Being a learned and a +holy man, he was grieved that there was in his province no fixed +and regular school of learning--as there was not at that time, the +fathers contenting themselves with carrying on instruction when there +was need of it. This was only when among the religious who came from +España there were some who had not finished their studies; and in such +cases they were given to masters to teach them. The places of masters +were filled with as much system as in the schools in España, by the +fathers Fray Juan Cobo, Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr, Fray Francisco +de Morales, and others. When the religious had completed their courses, +the schools were brought to an end; and the masters with their pupils, +who were now sufficiently instructed, went to preach the gospel to +these peoples. This was the end for which schools were established, +and for which both pupils and teachers had come from España, many of +them leaving behind them the chairs from which they lectured--coming +here not to lecture, but to convert souls. All this did not satisfy +the great mind and the charitable heart of the archbishop. He declared +that lecturing and teaching were matters of great importance in the +Order of St. Dominic, and were ordained to a lofty end; and that they +had as their purpose not only ministering and preaching the gospel, +but also the creation of ministers and preachers, which is a superior +and creative work, as the degree of the bishops is superior to that +of the priests. Therefore, though the priests have the lofty duty +of consecrating and offering the most sacred body of Christ, the +bishops are those who make these priests. Likewise the lecturers and +masters of theology in this land surpass the ministers and preachers +of the gospel, since with their teaching they make them fit for this +very office. On this account lecturers might well come from España to +lecture in this country, to their own great advantage; since in España +they make preachers for that kingdom, where there is not so great a +need of persons to preach, and where the effect of their sermons is +not so great or so certain as here. Further--and this he repeated many +times--our constitutions, made after consideration and reflection upon +this matter, require that there should be no convent of ours in which +there is not a doctor or master who is actually engaged in teaching; +they require that in the provinces there shall be organized, settled, +and permanent schools of higher learning. Hence, as our province lays +so great stress upon the observance of our sacred constitutions, it +ought not to regard itself as released from the obligation to carry +out this one. This requirement, as is evident from the constitutions +themselves, is one of the most important and one for which a very +special observance and regard is commanded. With this argument +he convinced the minds of the religious, and they began to try to +establish the schools. The death of the archbishop soon occurred, +after he had held his office for only two years. He did what he could +by leaving to this work his library and all that he had, the whole +of which, as befitted one vowed to poverty, came to only two thousand +pesos. However, it did much toward making a beginning to this holy and +necessary work. This institution was so beneficial to his archbishopric +that it may be said that since it was established there are competitors +for benefices, who have studied so that they may be able to hold them; +while previously there were no such persons, and even no persons who +desired to study--because, since no one had studied, it was necessary +to appoint men to benefices, even if they had not learning. On this +account they did not understand the obligation which rested upon them +if they received the benefices, and were unwilling to spend time or +labor upon study when they could obtain benefices without. Since the +establishment of this college there are competitors for benefices who +have studied; and hence those who come into competition with them are +obliged to study--being certain that a benefice will not be taken away +from a good student to give it to one who has no knowledge. After this +good beginning made by the archbishop, the province entrusted to the +holy Fray Bernardo de Sancta Catalina the care of this work. Since +he was beloved and esteemed by all, there were many to aid him with +great benefactions. Everything that was given was bestowed without +any conditions, though the college keeps these benefactions in +memory--feeling obliged to commend the benefactors to God all the +more carefully, on account of the confidence in the religious which +they showed. This was so great that they asked for no more security +than their own knowledge that the religious would do this for them, +which was without doubt a better security than any other that they +could ask in return for their benefactions. The building was begun +and the college was founded during the term of the father provincial +Fray Baltasar Fort. The title of founder was given to him who was +the cause of the foundation and who gave the first gift for that +purpose. This was, as has been said, the archbishop Don Fray Miguel de +Venavides, as appears from the document of foundation which is in the +same college. Some years later the bishop of Nueva Segovia, Don Fray +Diego de Soria, being near to death, left to the college his library, +and three thousand eight hundred pesos which he possessed. With this +sum the building was continued, and in this year [i.e., 1619] on the +day of the Assumption of our Lady, twelve lay collegians entered on +residence. Father Fray Balthasar Fort was appointed as rector, with +two lecturers in theology, one in arts, and one in grammar; and the +college was opened with great formality, and with the same care and +attention as in the best institutions in España. The lecturers and +the rector had all been trained in distinguished schools belonging to +our religious order; and they carried on their lectures, conferences, +and other academic exercises in the same manner in which they had +followed the courses in España. The same system has been persevered +in and carried further. Afterward, to encourage the students, the +sanction of his Majesty and a brief from the supreme pontiff were +obtained, granting this college authority to give all the degrees +which are given in other universities, with all the privileges which +the graduates of those universities have throughout the Indias. The +students have performed their exercises for graduation as brilliantly +as they could be performed in the best conducted universities in +España; and the examination is regarded as even more rigorous, in the +judgment of many persons of authority who have seen both of them. The +income of the college has increased steadily with the course of time, +in proportion to the number of collegians, of whom there are now +usually about thirty; and in buildings, income, and instruction, +the college may compete with the finest in España. + +[In the month of October in the same year, father Fray Juan de Leyva +died in the province of Nueva Segovia. Father Fray Juan was a native +of La Rioja, and was born in a village named Grañon. He lost his +mother when he was a very young child, but had been so carefully +trained in the devotion of our Lady, that he immediately chose her +as his mother. He left his own country while very young, and went to +Madrid, the country of all, being commended to an honorable person +who took him thence to Valencia del Cid. Here by the death of his +benefactor or from some other cause he was left alone, a child of +twelve in a strange country. He determined to make his way back to +Madrid on foot. He reached the convent of our Lady at Atocha, where +he was overcome with fatigue. In response to his prayers, our Lady +opened the way to him to enter the convent of our Lady at Atocha, +by the patronage of a noble person. He was an excellent student, and +as such was sent to our college of Sancto Thomas at Alcala. Here in +the year 1605 he heard the voice that called him to the mission of the +Philippinas, and he was most humble and obedient. After he had begun to +study the language of the Chinese in the mission of Binondoc, he was +called upon to go to Nueva Segovia because of the need of religious +there; and he uncomplainingly obeyed, without giving a thought to the +great amount of labor which he had given to learning the new language +which he now laid aside. He succeeded well with the language of Nueva +Segovia, although on account of his age it was difficult for him to +learn it. He was most devoted to the care of the altars, the adornment +of the church, and the holy sacraments. When he gave extreme unction, +he was accustomed to wash with his own hands the feet of the Indian +who was to receive the sacrament. He never entrusted the lamp of the +most holy sacrament to boys, but himself provided it with oil, raised +the wick, and cleaned the vessel. He was most constant in prayer, +adding an hour to the two hours universally observed in the province; +and he usually made this hour so long that it lasted from one to five, +at which time he went to complines. He was so sparing in eating that +the little which he ate at a meal often lasted him for twenty-four +hours, so that in time his stomach came to be so reduced in size that +any little thing overloaded it. He was prior of the convent of Manila, +and definitor in a provincial chapter. Being elected as procurator, +he was unable to fulfil his office, inasmuch as the vessel in which +he was to go did not sail. He therefore returned to his Indians in +Nueva Segovia. Here by his hand the Lord wrought miraculous works, +granting children to childless parents and healing the sick. He died +a holy death, and was honorably mentioned in the provincial chapter +that followed.] + +Toward the end of November in this year, on St. Andrew's day, a +terrible earthquake occurred in these islands. It extended from Manila +to the extreme limits of the province of Nueva Segovia, a distance +of two hundred leguas. This earthquake, which was such as had never +been seen before, did great damage throughout all of this region and +made a great impression. In the province of Ylocos palm-trees were +buried, leaving only their tops above the ground. Some mountains struck +against others, with the great force of the earthquake, overthrowing +many buildings and killing people. Its greatest violence was in Nueva +Segovia, where the mountains opened and new fountains of water were +uncovered. The earth vomited out great masses of sand, and trembled +so that people could not stand on their feet, but sat on the ground; +and were as seasick on land as if they had been in a ship at sea in a +storm. In the high lands of the Indians named Mandayas [23] a mountain +fell and, catching a village below it, overwhelmed it and killed the +inhabitants. One large tract of land near the river which previously +had contained little mountains, as it were, most of it being at a +considerable elevation, sank downward, and is now almost level with the +margin of the water. The movement in the bed of the river was so great +that it raised waves like those at sea, or such as are aroused by the +blasts of a furious wind. The stone buildings suffered the greatest +damage. Our church and convent in the city were totally overthrown, +the very foundations giving way in places, because of the sinking +of the earth. It was no small comfort to be able to find the most +holy sacrament in this most pitiful ruin, with the consecrated loaves +unbroken and unharmed. There were nine religious at that time in the +convent, three of whom were outside of the house--the rest escaping, +not without a special providence of God. Father Fray Ambrosio de la +Madre de Dios was protected in the arch of a window, everything on +all sides of him having fallen. There were persons who declared that +they had seen above the walls of the enclosure a matron in the dress +and mantle which our Lady is accustomed to wear. It was no new thing +for the sovereign princess to come to the protection of her friars in +their great distress; but because of the great disturbance, and the +carelessness ordinarily shown about such things in religious orders, +the verification of these facts was neglected. Only one religious, +named Fray Juan de San Lorenço, [24] who was sick in bed, had his arm +broken by a beam which fell upon it; and only one Indian boy who was +waiting upon him was killed. This religious lived for some years, and +offered a noble example of patience in enduring the cruel miseries and +the terrible pains occasioned by the blow, of which he finally died. + + + + + +CHAPTER XVI + +Some very virtuous fathers who died at this time + + +[In the hospice belonging to the province in the City of Mexico, +there died at this time father Fray Athanasio de Moya, a near relative +of the holy archbishop of Valencia, Don Fray Thomas de Villanueva. He +assumed the habit in the royal convent of Sancta Cruz at Segovia, where +he showed great courage and devotion in the great plague of 1599. In +1601 he came to this province, and was assigned to the ministry of +Bataan. From here he was sent back to care for the hospice of San +Jacintho at Mexico, where he constantly followed the rigorous rules +of the province of the Philippinas. + +In the next vessels which left for Nueva España the superior of +this province sent father Fray Juan Naya to take the place of the +father who had just died. The Lord, who had carried father Fray Juan +throughout his life through great sufferings, ordained that he should +not fight the last fight in the delightful clime of Mexico; and hence +was pleased to take him to himself before the voyage to Nueva España +was concluded. He was a native of Aragon, and assumed the habit +of the order in our convent of San Pedro Martyr at Calatayud. His +proficiency and scholarship was such, and such was his virtue, that +he was appointed master of novices while still very young. The Lord +wrought miracles through him. He cast out a demon from a sick woman +in España; was miraculously protected from death on the island of +Guadalupe; and was delivered from an illness which afflicted him +in the Philippinas, by [making a vow to our Lady, as follows:] "I, +Fray Juan Naya, being afflicted by this severe infirmity, and seeing +that I am very much hindered from carrying on the ministry for which +I came from España, vow and promise, as humbly and devoutly as I may, +to the most blessed Virgin Mary, my Lady, that I will minister to the +Indians in this ministry, remaining and assisting in it at the command +of my superior, in reverence and honor for this most sacred Virgin, +my Lady, for seven continuous years from the day of her Visitation, +the second of July, 1605, if she will deign to obtain for me from +her most holy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, comfortable and sufficient +health for me to be able to accomplish that which is necessary in +this ministry; and I vow that, if I shall gain this health, I will +exercise the ministry." This humble supplication was heard at that +tribunal of mercy, and our Lady of Compassion granted him his health +so completely that at the end of the month he was well and strong +enough to learn the language, and in three months was fit to render +service and labor in it. As a memorial of this marvelous goodness, +he kept this vow written in his breviary, and, as often as he read +it there, he used always to give devout thanks to her who had gained +that health for him; and with great devotion he fulfilled his vow, +to the great gain of the Indians in this province. At the end of +the seven years he was afflicted with a flux of the bowels, with +abundance of blood; and on the same day of the Visitation he made +another vow to serve four years more in the ministry in the honor +of this Lady. He received complete health, so that he was able to +labor in it for that time and much longer, as one of the best of the +ministers of religion, giving a great example of holiness and virtue +wherever he was. When he was living in the district of Ytabes, in a +village of that province named Tuao, he was once burying a dead man +in the cemetery when a venomous snake came out from the grass and, +amid the noise and alarm of the people, entered between his leg and +his breeches--which was an easy thing for the snake to do, since these +garments are worn loose in this province and resemble polainas. [25] +Although the Indians, who knew how poisonous the snake was, cried out +and gave him over for dead, father Fray Juan continued with the act +which he was performing, because of his duty as a religious, until +he had finished burying the Indian; and then, putting his hand in his +breeches, he caught the snake by the neck, and drew it out and threw +it away, without receiving any harm from it. [When father Fray Juan +was vicar of Yrraya, and was living in a village called Abuatan, a +fire broke out. Father Fray Juan threw himself on his knees and prayed +that the fire should turn away from the village, as it did--making its +way straight toward the tambobos, or granaries where the Indians kept +their food, the loss of which would have been a greater damage than +the burning of the village. In response to the prayers of father Fray +Juan, the wind fell and the fire ceased. On one occasion his guardian +angel came to accompany him in his prayers. When he was assigned to +the vicariate of San Jacintho at Mexico, he embarked in the flagship +sent back that year, in which more than sixty persons died because of +the hardships and length of the voyage. Father Fray Juan was attacked +by some malignant fevers, and when he asked for extreme unction, on +the day of St. John the Evangelist, the sailors were so much alarmed +at the fear of losing his prayers that they declared that if he died +they would not continue their voyage, but would go back to the island +of the Ladrones, that they might not perish in the dreadful storms +to which they would be exposed if they had not the aid and comfort +of father Fray Juan. At the demand of the sailors, the general asked +father Fray Juan if they should continue their voyage. The sick man +was grieved at being asked that which was reserved for God alone; +but he was persuaded to tell what God had given him to know, and +made a sign for them to go on. His poor possessions were shared among +those of the ship as precious relics; and on the octave of St. John, +on the third of January, 1620, a fair wind began to blow. The sailors +cried out joyfully: "Father Fray Juan has seen God, and has sent us +fair weather." On the seventh of the same month, they began to descry +signs of land coming from the coast of Nueva España, whereupon they +regarded as fulfilled that which the holy religious had promised them. + +Father Fray Gaspar Zarfate was a native of the City of Mexico, and +assumed the habit and professed in the convent of that city. He was a +teacher of the arts in the convent at Puebla de los Angeles, whence he +volunteered to come to this province. He reached the islands in 1595, +and was one of the first founders of Christianity in the province of +Nueva Segovia. Here he labored much, with great results. He devoted +himself to the study of the language of the Indians in that region, +and his attainments in it were very great. He was the first to make a +grammar of this language, and he knew a very large number of words in +it. Thus he opened the way for the other religious, that they might +as a result of his labors more easily learn this language, and preach +the holy gospel in it. He was most penitent and devoted to prayer; +and so completely master of his passions that, though by nature he +was very choleric, he seemed excessively phlegmatic. At one time when +he was vicar of Camalaniugan an Indian saw our father St. Dominic +praying in his company, and surrounded by light from heaven. In the +village of Nasiping it was said that father Fray Gaspar had raised a +child from the dead. The verification of this matter was neglected, +but father Fray Gaspar's reputation for sanctity was such that no one +regarded the statement as incredible. He was made preacher-general +of the province, in which there was only one such preacher. He was +definitor, vicar-provincial, and twice prior of the convent of Manila, +in which city he had the name of "the holy prior." He suffered greatly +from a urinary disease, from which he finally died. He received +honorable mention on the records of the provincial chapter during +this same year.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XVII + +The election as provincial of father Fray Miguel Ruiz, and events in +the province at this time + + +On the first of May, 1621, father Fray Miguel Ruiz was elected as +provincial, to the great satisfaction of the province. He was a son +of the royal convent of Sancta Cruz at Segovia; and at the time of +his election was prior of the convent of Manila, which position he +had held twice. He exhibited in it and in other important dignities +the excellent qualities which are desired in a good superior--much +virtue and learning, great prudence, and natural gravity and kindness, +which, while rendering him much beloved, did not allow others to lose +respect for him. In this chapter many ordinances were enacted which +were helpful for the quiet and calm of the religious. During this +year two religious went from Nueva Segovia to Japon, and, after having +suffered much in that kingdom, they had the fortunate end of glorious +martyrdom--being burnt alive by a slow fire, as will be seen later. A +fortunate provincialate was promised because it had begun so joyfully; +for at that time the verification of a most famous miracle wrought +by our Lady of the Rosary was being concluded. She went, in her holy +image which she had in the convent of Manila, to give aid. (as she +did most marvelously) to a votary of hers by the name of Francisco +Lopez, who called upon her in the extreme necessity of his soul. The +narrative, with the most marvelous circumstances which accompanied her +act, has already been given in the part of this history which treats +of the foundation of this convent--where something has also been +narrated with regard to the great deeds of this most holy image, and +some account has been given of the innumerable miracles which it has +wrought and still works. Among them this, which was the most famous, +has been described. [26] On account of it, this most holy image was +brought out during the procession which was made to the cathedral +on the first Sunday of the chapter-meeting, and with its beauty and +the special joy of that day, the city was filled with delight and +devotion. The miracle was made the subject of sermons, and was painted +upon a canvas, and thus the devotion of all to this sovereign lady +was greatly increased; and she, as if by grace omnipotent, from that +day forward conferred more and greater favors on her votaries. She +so greatly multiplied the working of manifest miracles that, although +many of them have been recounted in the place referred to, there were +incomparably more which were omitted on account of their number; and +she has never ceased and will never cease to work the like marvels, +until the devotion of this city for her shall cease. This provincialate +was also very happy in the great number of holy martyrs which the +province had during it. A detailed account of them will be given, +so far as we have been able to learn the facts, though many great +and edifying matters must remain in silence because the disturbances +of the persecution gave no opportunity for verifying them. Yet that +which is certain is so much that it alone would be sufficient to +give glory to an entire religious order; and how much more to a small +province--so small that there were many convents in España which alone +contained more religious than this entire province. Under all these +circumstances, for the Lord to give so many and so great saints to +it is a special mercy; and however much we may strive to praise and +give thanks for it, our praise and gratitude will never reach the +obligation, which is far and beyond measure above our feeble strength. + +All these new causes of joy were necessary to temper the sorrow +caused among the religious of this province by the rising of a large +number of Indians, which happened on the sixth of November in this +year in the most distant parts of the province of Nueva Segovia, +in the region known as Yrraya. On the Friday before, a very large +and beautiful cross had been set up in the court or cemetery of the +church in the largest village there, which was called Abuatan. At +this time the Indians gave every evidence of joy and pleasure and +even of devotion to the Lord who redeemed us on the cross; but on the +following Sunday, instigated by the devil, they burnt their churches +and villages, and avowed themselves enemies of the Spaniards, and even +of God, whom they left that they might return to their ancient sites +to serve the devil in exchange for the enjoyments of the liberties and +vices of their heathen state. Practically all those in this village, +and many of those in another near it called Pilitan, belonged to a +tribe called Gadanes. [27] This tribe was always regarded as one on +a lower plane of civilization than the others, and more devoted to +freedom, and enemies to subjection; for they were a race bred in the +most distant mountains and the wildernesses of that province, and they +had less communication and commerce than did the other tribes--not +only with the Spaniards, but even with the rest of the Indians. It +was these Gadanes, then, who became restless, and disquieted the +other inhabitants of that region, though these others had always +been very faithful to God and the Spaniards. They had even sustained +many bloody wars with the neighbors by whom they were surrounded that +they might not be lacking in the friendship which they had with the +Spaniards, or in the subjection which they had promised them. But now +these revolted and joined the insurgents, partly as the result of +force applied by the Gadanes--for the latter greatly excelled them +in numbers, and caught them unprepared for defense--and partly also +carried away by their own natural desire for liberty, to which they +were invited by the safety of the mountains to which they proposed to +go. The mountains, being very rough, offered opportunities for easy +defense; and, being very fertile, promised them an abundant living. The +Gadanes had planned this revolt far ahead, and had appointed a day +for it to occur some time later. Their purpose was to try to get +back first certain chiefs who were held as hostages in the city of +the Spaniards; and they had already sent there one of their chiefs, +named Saquin, who had the influence of a father over the rest, that he +might bring away these chiefs, with great dissimulation and pretended +arguments of necessity. It happened that the father vicar of Abuatan +had grown weary of his work, and wished to resign his office. He had +gone down at that time to the city to ask the father provincial, who +happened to be there then, to give this office to someone else and +to permit him to take some rest by being under his directions. The +Gadanes, accused by their own bad consciences, supposed that he +had detected their purpose of rising, and had gone down to ask for +soldiers to prevent it. In fear of interference, they hastened on +their treacherous act; and, without waiting for the appointed period, +or for the return of him who had gone down for the hostages (their +relatives), they decided to rise at once. Without further deliberation +or delay, they began active operations. Father Fray Alonso Hernandez, +who was at Abuatan, heard the tumult; and being above measure sad at +what was happening, he tried his best to quiet them. He told them +how foolish their proceedings were, and how they were deceived by +the devil, not only as to the good of their souls, but also as to +the many temporal advantages, which they possessed in their trade, +with the Spaniards as well as with the rest of the Indians--in which +they gained so much that they were the richest and most prosperous +Indians in all that region. All this, he said, and their own quiet, +peace, and comfort would be destroyed by their rising; while if they +would keep quiet they would preserve it all, for he assured them that +no harm would happen to them for what they intended to do. But the +chiefs who led the insurgents said to him that he should not waste +his time by talking about this; and that it was now too late, since +they were determined to carry on what they had begun. "What is it +that moves you," said the religious, "to so imprudent an act? If the +religious have done you any wrong, you have me here in your power; +revenge it upon me, take my life in pay for it, and do not cast away +your souls." "It is not because of any wrong from the religious, +or resentment toward them," said the Indians, "but because we are +weary of the oppressive acts of the Spaniards. Depart hence in peace; +for though it is true that our rising is not against the religious, +we cannot promise that some drunken Indian may not try to take off +your head." The religious perceived the obstinacy of the Gadanes, +and the fact that arguments would be useless in this matter, and +went away to watch over the village of Pilitan, which was under +his care. He found it quiet, but that peace continued for a very +short time; for presently--this was early Sunday morning--he heard +a very great noise and a loud Indian war-cry. They came in a crowd, +after their ancient custom, naked, and thickly anointed with oil, +and with weapons in their hands. It was the insurgents from Abuatan, +coming to force the Indians of Pilitan to join the uprising, in order +that they might have more strength to resist the Spaniards when the +latter should make war upon them to bring them to subjection. One of +the chiefs who were leading the insurgents, named Don Phelippe Cutapay, +a young man of about twenty-three, came forward. He had been brought +up from infancy in the church with the religious, and when he was a +mere child had aided in mass as sacristan, and afterward as cantor; +and at this time he was governor of Abuatan. He went direct to the +church to speak to the religious, intending to inform him as to what +they were about to do, and to advise him to go down the river, for +fear that someone might get beyond control and harm him. While he +was talking with the religious in the cloister, his elder brother, +named Don Gabriel Dayag, who was acting as guide to the others, came +in. Being somewhat nervous and excited, he approached the religious +with little courtesy; Cutapay rebuked him for the way in which +he was acting, saying to him that he should remember that he was +before the father, to whom he owed more respect. The elder brother +answered: "Cutapay, if our minds are divided we shall do nothing;" +however, he grew calm and behaved respectfully in the presence of +the religious. The shouting increased, and there were now in the +courtyard of the church about eight hundred Indians armed and prepared +for battle. The religious roused his courage, and, laying aside all +fear, went out to them; and standing in the midst of this multitude, +as a sheep among wolves, he caused them to sit down, and addressed +them for more than an hour. He urged upon them what would be for +their good, and strove to persuade them to see the great error into +which they were falling. Among other things in the utterances which +the Lord is accustomed to impart under such circumstances, he said: +"My sons, among whom I have so long been, and to whom I have so +many years preached the true doctrine, which you ought to follow, +and have taught you that which you ought to observe for the good +of your souls, I am greatly grieved to see the mistaken path which +you take, casting yourselves over precipices where destruction is +certain, and from which your rescue is difficult. If your wish to +run away is on account of the bad treatment which you have received +from us religious--and from me in particular, as being less prudent +than others--here you have me alone and defenseless. Slay me then, +slay me, and do not cast away your souls. Let me pay with my life +the evil which you are about to do; and do not lose your faith and +your hope of salvation, nor pay in hell for the sin of this uprising, +and for the many sins which you will add to it in your revolt." Some +of them made the same answer as before; that they had not done this +because of ill-will toward the religious; but on the contrary, they +felt for them affection and love, and therefore did not intend to do +them any harm. This they said was plain because, although they had him +alone in the midst of them, no one was rude to him, but even in the +midst of the tumult showed him respect. "The reason of our uprising," +they said, "is that we are weary of the oppressions of the Spaniards; +and if you or any other religious desire to come to our villages, any +one of you may come whenever he pleases, providing he does not bring +a Spaniard." The religious responded by offering that the Spaniards +would do them no harm, especially for what they had already done, +promising himself to remain among them as security, so that they might +take away his life if the least harm should come to them from that +cause. But they were very far indeed from accepting this good advice; +and some of them went away and set fire to some houses, upon which +a great outcry arose in the village. Cutapay stood up and greatly +blamed what had been done, saying that it was very ill considered +and a daring outrage to set fire. "I call your attention," he said, +"to the fact that the father is in the village; and so long as he is +here nothing should be done to grieve him;" and he commanded people +to go and put out the fire and to calm the village. The religious +began to preach to them again; but, though there were so many people +before him, he was preaching in the desert, and hence could accomplish +nothing with them. They asked the father to depart, and to take with +him the silver and ornaments of the sacristy of this church and of +that of Abuatan. This was no small generosity from an excited body of +insurgents. They provided him with boats, and men to row them, and the +friars went down the river to the friendly villages. The insurgents +immediately began to commit a thousand extravagances. They set fire to +the houses, they drank, and they annoyed the people in the village. If +any were unwilling to join them, they threatened them with death by +holding lances to their breasts. The result was that many joined them, +being forced by the fear of instant death, and waiting for a better +time when they could again have religious. A few of them succeeded in +hiding, and going down the river after the fathers, some leaving their +sons and others their fathers. There was one chief who, despising +his wealth and his gold, left it all and came with the religious, +taking with him only his wife. His name was Don Bernabe Lumaban. Doña +Agustina Pamma, who was a member of one of the most noble families +of the region and the wife of one of the chiefs, hid herself in a +marsh--standing in it up to her neck that she might be left behind, +and might go to a Christian village. However, she was discovered, +and was taken along by the insurgents. But the Lord did not fail to +reward her pious desires, for within a few years she accomplished +them, and lived for a long time, as she desired, in the church. The +insurgents did not cease until they had roused all the villages in +their vicinity. As men abandoned of God and directed by the devil, +they were guilty of horrible sacrileges. In the village of Abuatan +they sacked the church and the sacristy, and made a jest and derision +of the things which they found there. They treated irreverently +that which they had a little before reverenced: the women put on the +frontals as petticoats [sayas], and of the corporals and the palls of +the chalices they made head-kerchiefs. They dressed themselves in the +habits of the religious, and even went so far as to lose their respect +for the image of the Virgin. The feet and hands of this image were of +ivory, and it was one of the most beautiful in all that province and +in all the islands. There was one man who dared to give it a slash +across the nose, saying, "Let us see if she will bleed." They also +committed other sacrileges, and even greater ones, as a barbarous +tribe of apostates. Afterward an Indian, finding an opportunity to +flee from them to a Catholic region, did so; and he went not alone, +for he carried with him the holy image of the Virgin of the Rosary +which had been slashed across the face. Although it was received with +great rejoicings by the Christians, they could but shed many tears to +see it so outraged. All this grieved the hearts of the religious who +had trained and taught them, and who now saw them lost irremediably +and without reason; for although they said that they could not endure +the oppressions of the Spaniards, these were not so great but that the +profit which the Indians gained by their commerce with them was very +much greater. The man who at that time used to collect the tributes +was so kind a man and so good a Christian that, confident of his own +innocence and of the fact that he had never wronged them, he went +up when he heard this news, to try to bring them back by argument; +but they no sooner saw him than they killed him. + +One of those who were most grieved by this disastrous uprising was +father Fray Pedro de Sancto Thomas, for he had dwelt for a long +time among this tribe, and had been the vicar and superior of those +churches, and loved each one of the insurgents as his spiritual +son. Hence this misfortune hurt his soul, and he determined to +strive to remedy this great evil as completely as he could, without +shrinking from any danger or effort for the purpose. The places +where the insurgents had betaken themselves had been selected as +particularly strong and secure, and were in the midst of mountains +so high and so craggy that they might be defended from the Spaniards, +if the latter should try to bring them back or to punish them. Hence +the journey to them was long and excessively difficult. Yet in spite +of this, without hesitating at the hardships of the road, and at +the great danger which he ran by passing through villages of other +Indians--with whom he was not acquainted, and who were generally +looking out for an opportunity to cut off some head without running +any risk--he made his way through everything, went among them alone, +and tried to arrange for bringing them back, and made agreements with +them. No Spaniard dared appear among them, for they were certain +to kill him, but father Fray Pedro was admitted and entertained; +and in the following year, 1622, he brought back in peace with him +some three hundred households of those who had rebelled. These had +gone with the body of insurgents from the villages of Pilitan and +Bolo. Most of them had been compelled to do so, as has been said, +and they were accordingly brought back as a result of the earnest +efforts and the courageous boldness of father Fray Pedro. Returning +to a pacified region, they were settled at the mouth of the river of +Maquila. After this was accomplished, he went further up the river +of Balisi, where it was most difficult, with the alcade-mayor and +the troops who were advancing against the rebels. He went before, +trusting in God, to speak with the enemy; and he was so confident +that he was able to say, like St. Martin among the highwaymen, that +he had never had less fear in all his life, because fear had been +taken from him by the Lord, for whose sake he had placed himself in +this situation. The leader of the revolted enemy, Don Gabriel Dayag, +came to him and kissed his scapular with great reverence, and embraced +him. Repenting for what he had done, Don Gabriel planned to return; +and although at that time he did not carry out this project, he +finally came down in peace later, and revealed to the father some +ambuscades on the road in some dangerous passes where the Indians +intended to kill the Spanish soldiers, which danger was avoided by +his information. At that time this father was vicar-provincial, and, +that he might be able to have more time to attend to these necessary +and arduous labors, the provincial relieved him from the office--to the +great satisfaction of father Fray Pedro, who esteemed most highly that +which was most laborious and least honorable. He paid little attention +to his bodily health, all his solicitude being given to the spiritual +health of himself and his fellow-men. He treated himself very ill, +and would take no comfort even when he needed it. He never complained +when he was suffering from illness, until the increase of the disease +obliged him to keep his bed, in a condition of such infirmity that, +even when in bed, he was unable to move. The hardships which he endured +at this time by going (always on foot) over very difficult paths were +most trying. The heat of the sun was terrible; he was obliged to be +awake much; and he had but little food, and that bad--so that nothing +could be looked for except a severe illness or death. He was reduced +to skin and bones, and yet he strove to give himself spirit to return +to that destroyed vineyard, that he might restore it to its ancient +beauty and verdure; but his exhausted strength was insufficient to +resist so severe a disease, and they accordingly had him carried down +to be cared for in the city of Nueva Segovia. The medicines, however, +came so late that he was no longer susceptible to them. Being nothing +but skin and bone, he was like a living image of death. He was greatly +grieved by his sickness, and his grief was greater since the disease +immediately exhibited its deadly malice; yet it was not a rapid one, +and hence he had time for preparation for the dreadful journey. He +received the holy sacraments very calmly, and he made his confession +quite at leisure. Since it was the last one, and there were now no +stumbles to be feared, he declared that he went from this world in +the virginal purity with which he had entered it. He died on the day +of St. Peter the Apostle; on that day he assumed the religious habit; +and finally, on that day he ended this miserable life, in the hope +of going to eternal felicity by the aid of that same holy apostle, +to whom he had always been devoted. This father was a son of the +convent of Villaescusa, and, after a life in España in which he had +a special reputation for virtue, he continued the same course in +this province, with great spiritual progress, for more than twenty +years. He was always beloved by all, and always distinguished in his +labors for the spiritual good of his fellow-men--not only in Yrraya, +but wherever he lived. This was especially true in the district of +Malagueg, where another uprising occurred, and where, though he was +in great danger of being slain by the insurgents, he showed great +courage and readiness to die for the holy gospel. But here the Lord +delivered him for more labors, greater merits, and higher glory. In +the provincial chapter which followed, the following record was +entered on the minutes: "In the convent of our father St. Dominic at +Nueva Segovia, died the reverend father Fray Pedro de Sancto Thomas, +an aged priest and father, vicar of Yrraya. He was beloved by God and +man, and most observant of the rules of the order; and, although he +suffered from disease, yet he underwent the greatest hardships for +the conversion of the Indians and for sustaining them in the faith." + + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII + +The voyage of the holy Fray Luis Flores to the kingdom of Japon + + +[Father Fray Luis Flores was for many years engaged in the ministry +to the Indians of Nueva Segovia. Though his work was rewarded with +much fruit, he felt that it was not such as he desired it to be; +and he asked and received license to return to Manila, where, +by devoting himself to prayer and the reading of holy books, his +soul might obtain strength to be more fit for his labors. While he +was living in the convent in great quietude of spirit, the news of +the imprisonment of some of our religious in Japon reached Manila; +and--like that Antonius who, in the time of Constantius the Arian +emperor, [28] left the desert and went to Alexandria to confound the +heretics--father Fray Luis determined to leave his beloved quiet and +to go to Japon. Having received permission to go on this enterprise, +he departed without having had any companion assigned to him. God +provided one in the person of father Fray Pedro de Zuñiga, [29] an +Augustinian friar who had been driven from Japon at the time of the +banishment of the religious. They embarked as secretly as they could, +June 5, 1620. They dressed themselves in secular habits, and disguised +themselves as completely as possible. They met with storms and contrary +winds, and were obliged to land at Macan to renew their stores. They +reëmbarked July 2, and on St. Magdalen's day anchored off the island +of Hermosa to get wood and water. They were still within sight of +the island when they were captured by a ship of Dutch pirates. The +Japanese, when they saw that these were Dutch, were at ease because +of the peace between the Dutch and the Japanese; but the fathers and +the two Spanish passengers aboard were in great fear, because of the +mortal enmity between the Dutch and the Spanish. The Japanese tried to +hide them in the cargo, which was almost entirely composed of the hides +of deer, many of which are bought by the Japanese in the Philippinas +to be made into breeches. The moisture caused the stench from the +skins to be horrible, and the fathers suffered much from it during +the day and night while they were there. The Dutch caught them and, +suspecting them of being religious, offered them meat to eat on Friday, +and tried them with theological arguments. They also made prize of the +ship and cargo, for carrying Spanish friars. There were seven other +vessels, Dutch and English, with whom they divided their captives and +their booty. The fathers were threatened with death, and the letters +accrediting them to the religious orders in Japon were found. Although +these were in cipher, they increased the suspicion against them. On +the fourth of August they landed in the port of Firando in Japon, +where the Dutch and English had their factories. They were subjected +to a most rigorous imprisonment and to very severe treatment, being +stripped to their waists with their hands tied behind their backs, +and their feet fastened to some small cannon. The Spanish and Japanese +Christians in Nangasaqui were greatly grieved when they heard of the +imprisonment of the religious; and made plans to rescue them, which +came to nothing. The Dutch were desirous of giving their prisoners to +the emperor, for they wished, as he did, to root out Christianity from +Japon, and at the same time to bring to an end all commerce between +the Japanese and the Spaniards, hoping in this way to have the commerce +to themselves, and caring nothing for the loss of all these souls.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XIX + +The many efforts made for the rescue of the prisoners without any +good results, and rather to their cost; the martyrdom of the prisoners. + + +[Several of the fathers who were in Japon made efforts to rescue +the prisoners. At one time father Fray Pedro de Zuñiga and the two +Spaniards were slipped past the guard, but were soon caught again and +driven back. When the Japanese sent to ask if they were religious, +father Fray Luis sent an answer complaining of the Dutch for plundering +the ship and taking him prisoner, and alleging that they were rebels +and pirates. The Dutch, in anger, determined to force the father by +torture to confess that he was a religious. They bound his body and let +water drip upon a cloth over his face until he lost consciousness. The +prisoners were afterward actually rescued from prison, but were +soon caught again and were beaten. It may be asked how priests +were justified in concealing the fact that they were priests. To +this it may be answered, as St. Thomas says (22, sec. 3, art 2), +that the priesthood is a free state, which may be assumed by anyone +who desires; and when they were asked if they were priests or not, +they had a right to conceal it, or to deny it in some good sense true +according to their own meaning, without following the meaning of him +who asked the question--which they were not bound to follow, because +the question was unjust. In making this denial they did not deny that +they were Christians. Indeed, they expressly confessed that; they +denied only that they were fathers, as they were not in the natural +sense. This declaration did not scandalize or injure the Japanese +Christians. They were satisfied that it was not a lie, but a prudent +and lawful artifice. As there is a time to be silent, there is also a +time to speak, and as the evidence against father Fray Zuñiga became so +strong that the truth could not be denied except to his own discredit, +he confessed in December, 1621. Father Fray Pedro was then handed over +to the Japanese to be put in prison; and father Fray Luis, seeing that +nothing would be gained by further concealment, confessed to the king +of Firando that he was a religious of the Order of St. Dominic. The +two friars were imprisoned on the island of Quinoxima. The other +Christian prisoners were visited by a priest, a Japanese by nation, +named Thomas Araqui, who had studied at Roma, but who upon his return +to his own country had apostatized. He was laboring at Nangasaqui to +induce the Christians to recant, that the work of persecution might +be carried on with less bloodshed. On the seventeenth of August, +the fathers and the Japanese who had tried to rescue father Fray Luis +were taken to Nangasaqui. Here it was impossible to find Christians +who would bring the wood for the pyre of the fathers; and finally the +officials found some heathen of low life who lived among the brothels, +who consented to do it. [30] The apostate Thomas Araqui strove to +pervert the fathers, and the holy prisoners were offered their lives +if they would recant, but they boldly refused. Finally sentence was +passed upon fifteen Christians. Three, including the fathers, were to +be burnt alive, and the others were to be burnt after decapitation. On +the following day, the twentieth of August, the sentence was executed +in the presence of a great multitude. When the heads of the twelve +were shown to the multitude in order to strike terror into the hearts +of the Christians, the contrary result was attained, for they shouted +aloud that the saints were happy and victorious. The Japanese by the +name of Joachim who suffered the extreme of torture with the fathers +spoke boldly to the crowd, as the fathers did also. The death of the +fathers came by noon; and this great multitude remained there all +that time without breaking their fast, accompanying the saints with +prayers and groans. At this time the women and children went home, +while the men remained to obtain the holy relics, which were kept +for five days that they might be shown to the Dutch as evidence that +the sentence had been carried out. The Christians afterward secured +the relics. His own holy religious order will take care to provide +an account of Fray Pedro de Zuñiga. The holy Fray Luis Flores was +a Fleming by nation, a native of Gante (i.e., Ghent). He went to +España in company with his relatives, and from there to the Yndias, +assuming the habit of the Order of St. Dominic in the convent of the +illustrious City of Mexico. When he came to the Philipinas he was sent +to the province of Nueva Segovia, where he was an excellent minister.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XX + +The captivity of other religious in Japon + + +[The first of the religious to join father Fray Thomas del +Espiritu Sancto in prison was father Fray Angel Orsuchi, who called +himself in España and here Ferrer, from devotion to the glorious +St. Vincent. He was an Italian, a native of the distinguished city +of Luca, in Toscana. He was born of noble ancestry and assumed the +habit and was a student in the college of La Minerva at Roma. Seeing +the great lack of ministers of the gospel in these regions, and the +great devotion of this province, he desired to enter it. For this +purpose he went to España under color of pursuing his studies, that +his voyage might not be hindered by his relatives or by the religious +of his own province. He took advantage of his first opportunity to +come to these regions from España, which was in the year 1601. He was +assigned to Nueva Segovia, and after learning the language reaped a +great harvest of converts. Being afflicted by a severe illness he +returned to Manila, where his illness kept him for more than two +years. After his recovery he went to the district of Bataan. The +Lord restored his health to him in response to a vow. Father Fray +Angel learned the language of Bataan, and ministered to the Indians +of this region, without leaving it--except for a short time, when +he went to Pangasinan as vicar-provincial--until he was assigned +to the duty of superior of the hospice of our order in Mexico. In +Mexico he advanced greatly in the things of the spirit, and after +a time became very desirous of returning to this province. He took +advantage of the opportunity offered him by the return to España +of the superior of a company of religious, to take his place and to +lead the religious to the Philippinas. In the following year, 1616, +it was proposed to make him provincial, but he himself objected so +strongly that he was not elected. Father Fray Angel was definitor +at this chapter. The news of the sufferings of the Christians of +Japon, and of the glorious martyrdoms of so many religious there, +aroused in the mind of this blessed father such lively desires to go +to the aid of these faithful and courageous Christians that he could +neither sleep nor eat nor take any rest. He submitted his purposes +to a religious of the Society of Jesus named Father Calderon, who had +been in Japon almost thirty years. This father approved his designs; +and then father Fray Angel desired his superior to determine whether +or not he should go--fearing, on the one hand, that his strength +might not be sufficient for the purpose; and being, on the other, +desirous of undertaking this glorious work. His superior accordingly +commanded him to take the journey to Japon. He assumed a secular garb, +and after many hardships and sufferings on the voyage reached Japon +in August, 1618. While he was still studying the language he was +captured by the ministers of Satan on St. Lucy's day in December, +at midnight. With him were also captured father Fray Juan de Sancto +Domingo and a number of Japanese. The fathers admitted that they were +religious, and were sent to the prison of Omura, where father Fray +Thomas de Sancto Dominico and Fray Apolinario Franco, a Franciscan, +had been confined for two years. They were commanded to lay aside +their habits, which they had again assumed, and to dress in lay +garments. It was intended to prevent the Japanese Christians from +reverencing the fathers, but this act of the judges increased the +devotion of the multitude. One of the most devoted of the fathers, +father Fray Alonso de Mena, was betrayed on Thursday, March 14; +and was bound and taken, with his landlord and a number of Japanese, +before the judge. He admitted that he was a religious of the Order +of St. Dominic. On the following day, they tortured a boy until he +revealed the hiding-place of father Fray Francisco de Morales. He +was immediately arrested. This caused much grief among the Japanese +Christians, many of whom showed great courage and boldness in +confessing their faith. On the following Sunday, which was Palm +Sunday, the two fathers were sent to the island of Yuquinoxima, +where the holy martyrs, Fray Luis Flores and Fray Pedro de Zuñiga, +had been burned. In spite of the efforts of the judges to prevent +the faithful from venerating these holy prisoners, the pious Japanese +showed the greatest devotion and reverence to them. The fathers were +thus made happy in their prison; and father Fray Francisco de Morales +sent home a letter to Manila rejoicing in his imprisonment--which was +very severe, and in which they were subjected to great suffering for +lack of proper food, from the discomfort of their lodging, and from +the indecent and insulting behaviour of the guard. In the month of +August all the prisoners were brought together to the prison of Omura, +and they rejoiced to meet one another. Soon after was captured the +holy Fray Joseph de San Jacintho. He was seized on the seventeenth +of August, 1621; he confessed that he was a religious, and told his +name. On August 19 he was brought ignominiously bound to the prison +of Omura, followed by a crowd of sobbing Christians.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXI + +The arrest of the holy Fray Jacintho Orfanel; the narrowness of his +prison, and the great miseries of it; his martyrdom, and the marvelous +fruits which followed from his captivity. + + +[Though most of the fathers had remained in the cities of the Japanese, +others wandered through the mountains and in thinly populated places, +where they suffered even greater hardships than the former class, as +they ministered to their faithful sons in those desolate regions. Among +these was the holy Fray Jacintho Orfanel. Being lean, swarthy and +tall, it was difficult for him to disguise himself, since the Japanese +are generally short, broad-shouldered, and fair-skinned. Even if his +secular habit had disguised him so far as his external appearance went, +the modesty and gravity of his behaviour would have been sufficient +to betray him. While he was resting in Nangasaqui for a time to +recover from an illness, he was betrayed by a renegade Christian and +arrested. Boldly avowing who he was, he was sent to the prison of Omura +to join the rest of the prisoners, who received him with the Te Deum +laudamus, as at the entry of a prince or papal legate. Merely to hear +the description of their prison causes horror, it was so small and so +wretched. The persecutors permitted them no materials for writing, and +no implements made of iron, so that their nails and their hair grew +long. They were not allowed to wash or to change their clothes. The +guards were changed constantly, that they might form no friendship with +the prisoners. This severity, which was intended to alarm the other +ministers of the gospel who were in Japon, if there were any, had +no such effect. The imprisoned Japanese showed the greatest courage, +and their wives desired to follow them into their imprisonment. The +captive Christians spent all that time in holy exercises, prayers, +the singing of psalms, the keeping of the hours, and the celebration of +the mass. The conduct of the Spanish prisoners was such as to overthrow +the false opinion spread through Japon by the Dutch, that the fathers +were spies of the king of España. Their sufferings and their martyrdom +encouraged the Christians in the faith. From the prison the fathers +wrote encouraging letters to the suffering Christians of Japon. They +also wrote to their brethren in Manila.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXII + +The giving of the habit to three Japanese by the holy captives; and +the martyrdom of the fathers Fray Francisco de Morales, Fray Alonso +de Mena, Fray Angel Ferrer (or Orsuchi), Fray Jacintho Orfanel, Fray +Joseph de San Jacintho, and two of those who had professed in prison +(all members of the order), besides many others. + + +[The fathers, desiring those to be their equals in condition who +were so in virtue, determined to give the habit to some of the holy +Japanese, their companions. Three therefore, among those of the best +capacity and the highest virtue, passed their novitiate in the prison, +and at the end of their year professed. These saintly men feared +that their penalty would be banishment, not death. On the ninth of +September, 1622, the judges called before them many of the prisoners, +offering them life and liberty if they would renounce Christianity, +and at this time they brought before them some of the prisoners from +Omura. As they came to Nangasaqui a great crowd of Christians came +to welcome and escort them. On the following day, the martyrs were +brought out to be slain; there were, in all, thirty-three. Before +those who were condemned to the stake were burned, the others were +decapitated in their sight. There were seven of our order in this +company: fathers Fray Francisco de Morales, Fray Alonso de Mena, Fray +Angel Orsuchi, Fray Jacintho Orfanel, Fray Joseph de San Jacintho, and +the lay brothers Fray Thomas del Rosario and Domingo (a donado), [31] +both Japanese. The two lay brothers were decapitated, and the fathers +were burned at the stake, twenty-five men in all being burned. All the +sufferers died with the most cheerful courage. The judges did all they +could to keep the holy relics from being venerated by the Christians, +some of whom lost their lives in the effort to obtain these.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIII + +The martyrdom of the holy Fray Thomas de Zumarraga, brother Fray Mancio +de Sancto Thomas, and a Japanese; and those of other Japanese in Omura. + + +[Father Fray Thomas de Zumarraga and brother Fray Mancio de Sancto +Thomas were greatly grieved that they should have been left behind +when the other fathers and brethren went to martyrdom; but soon +afterward their grief was taken away, and the door of the prison +opened that they might go forth to be executed at Nangasaqui. It was +no small grief to the saints not to see the Christians in the streets, +who had withdrawn themselves from fear of the emperor's edict. The +martyrs died courageously. The holy Fray Francisco de Morales was a +native of Madrid. He assumed the habit in the convent of San Pablo +at Valladolid, where he professed and began his studies. He was +afterward a student in the college of San Gregorio in the same city, +and became afterward a lecturer in arts in his own convent. Thence +he went to the Philipinas, where he spent some time as a teacher of +theology and as preacher to the Spaniards in the city of Manila. One +Good Friday some Japanese happened to enter the church; and father +Fray Francisco was so much affected by the sight that when he returned +to his cell he was sighing and sobbing, and repeating, "To Japon, to +Japon!" At the provincial chapter in the convent in 1602 he was prior, +and was appointed definitor. At this time one of the subjects discussed +was the answer to be made to the king of Satçuma, who had earnestly +begged for friars of St. Dominic for his kingdom. The holy friar Fray +Francisco de Morales was appointed superior to the missionaries in +Japon, by the voice of all. In time of peace he built many churches; +he gained many souls for God, and at last he attained the martyr's +crown. The holy Fray Thomas de Zumarraga was a native of the city +of Victoria in Vizcaya, and a son of the convent of the Order of +St. Dominic in that city. He studied in the college of San Gregorio +at Valladolid. He accompanied Father Francisco de Morales to Japon +and attained an elegant mastery of the language of that country, in +which he lived twenty years, five of them in prison. The holy Fray +Alonso de Mena was a native of the city of Logroño; he was a son of +the famous convent of San Estevan at Salamanca, whence he went out to +the Philippinas. Here he was occupied for some time in the ministry to +the Chinese, and the Lord conveyed him thence to Japon. He suffered +from illness for a number of years, and from a profound melancholy, +which did not prevent him from fulfilling his ministry with great +joy. The holy Fray Joseph de San Jacintho was a native of the town +named Villarejo de Salvanes, in La Mancha, and was a son of the +convent of Sancto Domingo at Ocaña. He went out to the Philippinas +from the royal convent of San Pedro Martyr at Toledo, when he had +finished his studies there. He was sent immediately to Japon, where +he accommodated himself in all things to the Japanese manner of life, +dressing and eating like the Japanese, employing their civilities, +speaking their language with as much propriety as they, and in the +same sing-song voice. In all this he surpassed the other fathers, +insomuch that he was taken by the Japanese as one of themselves. The +holy Fray Jacintho Orfanel was a Valencian by birth, and was by his +habit a son of the convent of Sancta Cathalina Martyr at Barcelona. He +was a religious of the greatest modesty and patience.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIV + +A mission sent by the province to Japon, and the result of it + + +[Though the province rejoiced in having so many glorious martyrs, +it was grieved to see the preachers of the holy gospel in Japon come +to an end, for without them it was impossible for the faith to be +continued. These true sons of our father St. Dominic strove therefore +to fill up the number of those who, after having fought valorously, +had departed to heaven with the crown of martyrdom. The project was +one of great difficulty. The law directed that not only the preachers +should be burnt to death, but that all those who brought them should +suffer the like penalty, and that the vessels and cargo should be +confiscated. The Dutch and English heretics watched with great care +to see if any religious attempted to enter the kingdom. The emperor +decreed that a registry should be kept of all on board the vessels +which came to the kingdom. And finally there were many, even in +Catholic countries, who for the sake of trade with Japon endeavored +to prevent the religious from going to that country. The commerce of +that kingdom with the Philippinas Islands had been almost destroyed, +so that the very archbishop himself endeavored to prevent preachers +from going from these islands to Japon. They were even more rigorous +in Macan. But the holy martyrs from their prisons sent back calls for +religious to aid the Japanese in their extreme spiritual need. Hence +in the year 1623 the superiors of three religious orders determined +to buy a ship, and to give large pay to the pilot and the sailors to +take the religious to Japon. The risk of death was great in Japon, +and scarcely less in these islands, because the voyage was contrary to +the will and the command of the governor. Finally, ten priests were +embarked--four from our order, four Franciscans, and two Augustinian +Recollects. Many obstacles were placed in the way of the journey, +but the voyage finally took place. The province sent of its best: +father Fray Diego de Rivera, [32] a son of the convent of San Pablo +at Cordova who was at the time teaching theology, as he had done for +many years in the college in Manila; father Fray Domingo de Erquicia, +who was at that time the principal preacher in Manila; father Fray +Lucas del Espiritu Sancto, lecturer in arts in the aforesaid college; +and father Fray Luis Beltran or Exarch, minister to the Chinese and +the Indians. They suffered much on the voyage. They followed the course +by the Babuyanes and the islands of the Lequios, from which they were +driven by a storm to the coast of China, where they took on water and +wood at a point named Sombor. They tried to make port to get fresh +ship-stores, but were attacked by the Chinese. Father Fray Diego +de Ribera was shot in the leg, by accident, by one of his own men, +and finally died. On the nineteenth of June they landed in Satzuma, +and were directed to go to Nangasaqui. They immediately set about +learning the language, and had been there but a short time when the +emperor issued a decree expelling all the Spaniards who had come to +Japon from Manila. The fathers pretended to return to Macan, but left +the vessel to come back secretly to Nangasaqui. The persecution was +going on, seventy persons being martyred in 1623--among them father +Fray Francisco Galvez, [33] a Franciscan; and Father Geronimo de los +Angeles, a Jesuit. Father Fray Pedro Bazquez was taken prisoner; and, +as the other fathers had not yet learned the language, all the labors +of the Dominican order fell upon father Fray Domingo Castellet. The +fathers encouraged the Japanese, a number of whom confessed bravely and +suffered death by burning, among them being some of noble birth. The +accounts of matters in Japon during this period are drawn in the +main from the letters of father Fray Domingo de Erquicia. The fathers +were obliged to be most secret, to go from house to house by night, +and to expose themselves to cold and snow. What happened to this +father and his companion was not known here until August in this year +1626. We turn from the account of the works of these fathers to give +a narrative of the experience of some who had been in Japon longer, +and who had thus far escaped martyrdom. One was Fray Pedro Vasquez, +a son of the convent of Nuestra Señora de Atocha at Madrid; and the +other Fray Domingo Castellet, a son of the convent of Sancta Catalina +Martir at Barcelona. As the persecution advanced, the Portuguese who +lived in the kingdom were expelled from it.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXV + +The harvest reaped in Japon by the holy father Fray Pedro Vazquez; +his life and virtues + + +[The holy Fray Pedro Vazquez was born in Berin in the kingdom of +Galicia, in the county of Monterrey. He assumed the habit in the famous +convent of Nuestra Señora de Atocha at Madrid, and studied arts and +theology in the royal convents of Sancta Cruz at Segovia, and Sancto +Thomas at Avila. He came to the Philippinas with the second body of +religious which I brought over, the first having come in 1613. His +first work in the Philippinas Islands was in Nueva Segovia, where he +reaped a great harvest. When the news of the happy death of the holy +martyr Fray Alonso Navarrete reached him, he strove to be permitted +to go to Japon, and after two years received license to do so. The +ship arrived in Nangasaqui after a voyage of only eleven days. This +was on the twenty-second of July, 1621. Hearing of the great number of +martyrdoms, he strove with all his might to learn the language, until +he knew enough of it to go to the prisons and confess the prisoners, +as he did boldly. Within one year he heard the confessions of more +than seven thousand persons.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXVI + +A more detailed account of the imprisonment of the holy Fray Pedro +Bazquez, the time while it lasted, and the sufferings which he +endured in it; and finally his glorious martyrdom, in company with +four other martyrs. + + +[When father Fray Domingo Castellet had finished the interment of the +relics of the holy martyr Fray Luis Flores, and father Fray Pedro +was speaking with him in somewhat loud tones, two heathen officers +happened to hear them speaking Spanish. They arrested father Fray +Pedro, but father Fray Domingo escaped. They offered to let the father +go for a bribe, which he refused to give them; and he suffered greatly +in prison. The Christians mourned and grieved when they saw that he +was arrested. He was taken to the prison of Omura, where the holy +Fray Luis Sotelo was in prison. Here they were happy in each other's +company, though the imprisonment was very severe. Finally the servant +of God and his four companions, Father Miguel Caraballo, father Fray +Luis Sotelo, and two Japanese Franciscans, were taken from prison +and burnt, intoning the litany during their sufferings. In spite of +the care of the officers, some small relics of the holy martyrs were +rescued by father Fray Domingo Castellet.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXVII + +The election as provincial of father Fray Bartholome Martinez, and +the deaths of some religious + + +On the nineteenth of April, 1625, the vigil of the glorious virgin +St. Inez de Monte Policiano, the fathers having votes assembled for the +election of a provincial, since father Fray Miguel Ruiz had finished +his term. On the first ballot the votes were divided almost equally, +since there were so many religious worthy of the post as to cause +difficulty in the selection. But this did not last long, for on the +second ballot those who had the largest number of ballots withdrew, and +father Fray Bartholome Martinez was unanimously elected. He had been +vicar of the Parian of the Chinese, and was their special minister. He +was recognized by all, both religious and laymen, as worthy of this or +of greater offices, because of his great virtue, learning, prudence, +and devotion. At the same time no one had talked about or even thought +of such a choice, because, in truth, there were many others who well +deserved the post and who were much older than he. The Lord, who does +not look at these exterior things alone, but at the heart and the soul, +turned their eyes upon this father as upon another David, so that by +being placed in a post of government he might do great things. It was +the Lord who caused them all, as if moved by a spirit from above, +to elect him with great good-will, and with general applause from +within and without the order, all recognizing the hand of the Lord in +a choice which was at once so wise and so far from the thoughts of +all. In particular, the archbishop of this city was greatly pleased +with it, for he knew well the great virtues of the person chosen, and +sent to give his most special congratulations to the fathers. Father +Fray Bartholome was a son of the famous convent of San Estevan at +Salamanca. He was a great theologian, and a man of superior virtue, +devotion to the rules of the order, and mortification. He underwent +many extraordinary sufferings. Some were voluntarily assumed, and +although these were many, they were (as we shall see afterwards) +easier to bear because voluntary. At the same time, it was necessary +to train and try him for much which the Lord desired to work through +his means; and hence the Lord gave permission to the devil to torment +him--so severely that, when he was still very young, his hair grew +white. In the first year of this assault he lost his strength, and was +dying without suffering from any other disease. He was living in the +convent of novices in Salamanca, and revealed his sufferings to his +confessor and spiritual master alone. This was the holy Fray Diego de +Alderete. He, being of much experience in such sufferings, consoled +and encouraged him, but commanded him not to speak of the matter with +any person. This direction he observed so carefully that it was never +possible to learn any more than these general facts, although there +must have been many very remarkable things which, if known, would have +been highly edifying. But he, striving for more humility, and obeying +the order to keep silence, never revealed them, and no one else ever +knew them. He was seen to be growing weaker, being without strength and +without health, and when he was taken to the infirmary the physicians +corroborated what all knew with regard to the danger in which he was; +but they were never able to find out the cause, since it was beyond +the limits of their science. All this, and much more which was added +to it, was necessary, and helped him much to bear the bitter hardships +which in time he suffered, and which would have broken his heart. Our +Lord conducted father Fray Bartholome through all his life by a way +of suffering, and in suffering he ended it--as will be narrated in due +time, when we reach the year of our Lord 1629, when his virtue and his +abstinence will be specially treated. During his term as provincial, +the province lost by death several religious of superior qualities, +and suffered from several insurrections of villages. Both of these +things were severely felt in a region where the religious are so few +that the loss of a single one is a notable loss; and where all energy +is turned toward converting souls, so that the perdition of a single +one causes great sorrow. For these sufferings our Lord brought some +comfort in the martyrdom of some sons of the province, and in the +extension of the holy gospel to the island of Hermosa. + +[Among the religious who died at this time was father Fray Francisco de +Cabrera, vicar of San Miguel de Nasiping; he was a native of Carmona, +and a son of the convent at San Lucar, whence he was sent to pass +his novitiate in Sancto Domingo at Xerez. He was stationed in Nueva +Segovia and was an exemplary minister. His name is honorably mentioned +on the records of the chapter in the year 1625. At the same provincial +chapter honorable mention was made of father Fray Pedro Blazquez, +vicar of the convent of Manavag. He was a native of Marchena in +Andalucia. He assumed the habit of the order in the famous convent +of San Pablo at Sevilla and was sent as a collegiate to Almagro. He +left his convent of Sevilla to come to this province in 1613, and was +regarded by those who accompanied him as a saint. On the fifteenth +of May, 1624, died father Fray Thomas Vilar. He was a native of +Castellon de la Palana in the kingdom of Valencia, where he assumed +the habit. He was sent to the college of the order in Origuela, and +came to the Philippinas in 1601. He was assigned to the province of +Nueva Segovia, and afterwards was appointed rector of the college +of Sancto Thomas at Manila. In the following November, as fathers +Fray Miguel de San Jacintho (a man who was twice provincial) and Fray +Diego de Toro, vicar of San Jacintho at Camalaniogan in Nueva Segovia, +testify, a marvel happened in the village of Apari, [34] a port in +that province in the district of Camalaniogan. A fire occurred here +one night, and a sea breeze was sweeping it throughout the village, +when the vicar, taking in his hands the little image of our Lady of +the Rosary which they were accustomed to carry in the processions, +made a vow and turned it toward the fire, when the wind immediately +died down and the fire began to go out.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXVIII + +Father Fray Juan de Rueda and de los Angeles, who died a martyr + + +[Father Fray Juan de Rueda was a native of the mountains of Burgos, +and had assumed the habit in San Pablo at Valladolid, whence he came to +the Philippinas in the year 1603, being sent, as soon as he arrived, +to the kingdom of Japon. Here he assumed the name of Fray Juan de +los Angeles. When the priests were banished, father Fray Juan was +one of those who remained in hiding to aid and fortify the Christians +there. In 1619 he came to Manila in order to obtain more religious. He +reaped a great harvest in Arima. He was devoted to the holy rosary. He +translated into Japanese the devotion of the holy rosary while he was +in Manila. His anxiety to return was such that he strove to make his +way back by the islands of the Lequios, where his arguments in favor +of Christianity convinced those who heard them that he was a Spanish +priest. He was therefore imprisoned for a time in an island called +Avaguni, where he profaned a thicket which was dedicated to an idol, +and for this suffered death, but on what day was never known. + +While this provincial chapter was being held in Manila, there died +in Nueva Segovia father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, a native of +Caceres in Estremadura. He was a son of the convent of San Estevan +at Salamanca. He volunteered for the Philippinas in 1594, and in +Mexico was elected a superior of the company, the vicar who had led +them having died; he was assigned to Nueva Segovia. He was a most +devoted minister, a diligent student of the language of that nation, +and a most zealous and devoted religious. He prayed the Lord that he +might not die a superior, and his prayer was granted; for after he +had been vicar of many convents, vicar-provincial of Nueva Segovia, +prior of the convent of Manila, and twice provincial of the province, +the Lord called him to himself when he was living in Masi, one of +the first villages which he converted. He died suddenly, on the +twenty-fifth of April. The Indians of the villages of Abulug, Masi, +Pata, and Cabacungan gave him the most costly funeral honors within +their power, and made up a subscription for more than five hundred +masses, which at four reals apiece come to more than two thousand. This +they did as a token of their great love for him, and the great debt +which they owed him for bringing them to the Catholic faith.] + +On the eighth of June, the first Sunday after the most Holy Trinity, a +great misfortune occurred in the revolt of some Indians of the province +of Nueva Segovia. Turning their backs on the faith, they gave it up +and fled to the mountains--a thing which caused great grief to the +ministers of the holy gospel. In that province, above a village named +Abulug, near a river which comes down from the mountain, two villages +had been formed by gathering the inhabitants together. They were +called Nuestra Señora del Rossario de Fotol, as has been recounted +in this history, and San Lorenço de Capinatan. In the latter there +lived some Indians known as Mandayas, a wild and fierce tribe whose +native abode was in mountainous places about the bay of Bigan in +Ylocos. The religious ministered to them and assisted them in their +necessities, taught them the law of God, and baptized many people, +for these people generally asked holy baptism from them. Their evil +nature, which was perverse and restless, and their affection for +their ancient places of abode so attracted them that it seemed as +if in that village they were caught fast by the hair. Three times +they endeavored to escape to the mountains; and though they were +prevented twice, and their efforts came to nothing, this last time +they so planned their attempt, and kept it so secret, that they +carried out their evil purpose. With this object, they stirred up the +old inhabitants of Capinatan, and persuaded those of Fotol, bringing +them to join them by means of threats and prayers. Some of the people +of Fotol became so obstinate that they were worse than the Mandayas, +the first movers of the insurrection. Afterward the Mandayas who were +in Capinatan rose; and two of them, Don Miguel Lanab and another chief +named Alababan, set the enterprise in motion by going to the church to +speak to the religious who was there at the time. This was father Fray +Alonso Garcia, [35] a son of the convent of San Pablo at Valladolid, +who had said a first mass in the village of Fotol, and a second in +Capinatan, and was now at dinner with brother Fray Onofre Palao, a +lay religious from the convent of Manila. They were seated at their +meal in a little corridor of the house. Their assailants came up, and +each one standing beside the religious whom he was to decapitate, they +made a pretense of asking permission to go to some villages on their +ancient lands. Father Fray Alonso, who had but recently come, referred +the request to the regular minister of the village, and asked them to +wait till he should come, because he was in another village. At this +point Alababan raised his arm, and with his balanao or knife he struck +such a blow on the neck of Fray Onofre that he cut off his head to the +backbone, leaving it hanging by only a little bit of skin. Don Miguel +Lanab, who had not acted so promptly, lifted his knife, and father Fray +Alonso naturally raised his hand to protect his head. The knife cut +through this and the blow went on and reached his head. Father Fray +Alonso rose from the table and fell on his knees like a gentle lamb; +and the Mandaya traitor repeated the blow, giving him another on the +head. The Indian boys who served at the table began to scream; and the +transgressors, that they might not be caught in so perfidious an act, +made their escape. Some Indians who were ignorant of the conspiracy +came, and took father Fray Alonso to the house of a chief, where some +medicines were applied to the wound. As they were preparing a barge +in which to take him down to the village of Abulug, the Mandayas came, +and prevented them from doing so by threats. They took him back to the +house of the chieftainess: and while father Fray Alonso was exhorting +the people to come back to obedience, and expounding to them the +evil of which they were guilty in apostatizing from the faith, three +Mandayas came in, and with their keen balanaos or knives cut to pieces +the confessor of Christ. They afterward threw out the pieces from the +house, to be eaten by the swine who were there. As a result of this +atrocious deed, the Mandayas rose in a body and roused the Capinatas; +and, coming down to Fotol, they forced the people there by menaces to +flee with them to the mountains. They set fire to the churches, and, +as members of Satan, they defiled them by a thousand sacrileges. They +struck off the head of a Christ, and cut the body down the middle, +dividing it into two parts, which were afterward found by the religious +who came to bring them back to obedience. The religious buried these, +the uprising of the Mandayas (of whose severe punishment we shall soon +hear) allowing no opportunity for anything else. With regard to Fray +Alonso Garcia, several matters worthy of remark were noted. The first +was this. Some months before, while he was living in the convent in +Capinatan, he one night had put himself into the posture of prayer in +the dormitory, with his breviary in his hand. At this time the convent +was disturbed by an imp who caused so much trouble that he would not +give the religious any rest, and from whose visitations there was +not in all the convent any place that was free. He disturbed them +in the dormitory, he made a noise in the cells, he feigned the noise +of a struggle in the church; and sometimes he let himself fall with +a clatter that was heard in the village, and he would throw himself +down from the choir. He used to walk up and down in the church, and +he made his appearance in the larders, where he broke all the plates +there were; he made a noise under the beds, and struck the heads of the +bedsteads; and sounded the strings of a harp which they had for use at +masses on some feasts. This disturbance lasted until the breaking-out +of the uprising, and must have been a prognostication of it, and +a sign of what the devil was devising to disquiet the Christians +of this village. Now while father Fray Alonso was praying, the imp +came to him, invisible to everyone in the dormitory, and struck the +father a heavy blow, so that he felt pain in the same hand and wrist, +in the place where the blow afterward fell which cut it off. This was +the first of the things referred to. The second was that he thought +so little of himself, and had so little confidence in his own works, +that he was accustomed to say that if he did not die by some fortunate +blow which should take away his life and despatch him to heaven, +he did not know whether he should go there. This he said because of +his humility, and the event was as he said. + +Another matter was that, although father Fray Alonso was not a very +skilful linguist, and not one of those who had made the greatest +progress in speaking the language of that tribe, yet when he was +wounded by the first blows and was urging the Indians not to flee, +and telling them of the harm which would come to them if they did so, +he spoke with such elegance and precision that the Indians were amazed +to hear him; and they noted this as a striking fact at the time, and +told of it afterward. He was very charitable, and was in the habit +of praising all and of speaking of the defects of himself alone. He +came to the Philippinas in the year 1622, and lived in the province of +Nueva Segovia--where, in his third year, he met with the happy death +which keen knives, directed by hands of apostates from the faith, +bring to ministers of the holy gospel. The intermediate chapter of +1628 made mention of these two religious in the following words: "In +the province of Nueva Segovia father Fray Alonso Garcia, a priest, and +brother Fray Onofre Palao, a lay brother, died happily by the hands of +impious apostates, an uprising of the Indians to whom they ministered +having occurred." In the place where father Fray Alonso was cut to +pieces, there was afterward raised in his honor a small shrine. The +Indians were brought back in the following year, and this tribe used +devoutly to frequent this shrine. The dwelling of the religious had +stood where Fray Onofre had been killed, and here it was erected +again. Since the first building was burned, it was supposed that the +fire had consumed his body at the same time--although some Spaniards +have some small bones which they value, believing that these are his, +because they found them where he was decapitated. + + + + + +CHAPTER XXIX + +The foundation of a church in the island of Hermosa and the holy +deaths of some religious + + +[The Order of St. Dominic has always had its eyes fixed upon Great +China; and father Fray Bartholome Martinez was especially anxious +for the conversion of that great realm. In this conversion he was +like Moses, who came in sight of the promised land; for he carried +religious and planted the faith in the island of Hermosa, from +which that most populous realm is almost in sight. This island had +been greatly coveted by Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, and Dutch. The +king of España was the first to undertake to conquer it; and by his +order there were prepared two ships of moderate size with a force of +two hundred soldiers and sailors. The leader was Don Juan Zamudio, +who came to the Philippinas in 1593. He chose the time of his voyage +unfortunately, and was driven back to the coast of Batan; but he was +rescued by the intervention of our Lady of the Rosary. The emperor of +Japon in 1615, after his victory over Fideyori, sent an expedition +against the island. It left Nangasaque in 1616 and wintered in the +Lequios Islands. Setting sail again in the following November [sic], +it was scattered by storms upon the coast of China. The Dutch, +desirous of weakening the power of España and of interfering with +the work of the preachers of the holy gospel, had taken possession +of an uninhabited island called Island de Pescadores, [36] which lay +off the coast of China. This was in 1624. By the Chinese the Dutch +were persuaded to go thence to another island (Formosa) running from +northeast to southwest, sixty-four leguas in length, and extending +from latitude twenty-one to latitude twenty-five, and being thus twenty +leguas in breadth. They established themselves at the southern point, +in latitude twenty-three, in a port called Taiban, opposite Hayteng +in Chincheo. From this post they could scour the seas and capture +the vessels sailing from China. Here they built a small fort from +which they could do much damage to the inhabitants of Manila and +might close very important gateways to the holy gospel. [37] + +In the year 1625 Don Fernando de Silva was governor of the +Philippinas. He determined to send a fleet to take possession of a +port in the island of Hermosa, in the name of the king of España, that +the designs of the Dutch might be frustrated. He counseled with the +provincial of the Order of St. Dominic, Fray Bartholome Martinez, who +promised to go to the island of Hermosa and to take religious there, +hoping in this way to gain an entry into China. In order to keep +the design secret it was said that the troops were going to pacify +the rebellious Indians of Yrraya, who had fled to the mountains. On +February 8, 1626, the fleet sailed from the port of Cavite; it was +composed of twelve champans and two galleys. There were three captains +of infantry and their companies, and the force was under the command +of the sargento-mayor, Antonio Carreño de Valdes. The ecclesiastical +authority was in the hands of the provincial, Fray Bartholome Martinez, +who took with him five religious, including those whom he later brought +from Nueva Segovia. They anchored in the port of Nueva Segovia on +the fifteenth of March, and remained there for some time. During the +interval troops were sent to the river of the Mandayas, the Indians of +which had rebelled in the previous June, as was said in the foregoing +chapter. In order to reduce them, a great number of palms were cut +down, that they might more easily be brought to subjection for lack +of food. Since the reduction of the Mandayas took more time than was +expected, and the voyage to the island of Hermosa was urgent, this +matter was left without being brought to a conclusion. To carry out +their principal purpose they sailed on the fourth of May, coming in +sight of the island on the seventh of the same month. They coasted +the island for three days, and on the tenth of May anchored on an +estuary which they named Sanctiago. The provincial and Pedro Martin +Garay, the chief pilot, went in two small vessels to the northern +headland, exploring the coast. Within five hours they discovered +a port which they called La Sanctissima Trinidad. They took back +the news to the fleet, which came on to the port and in the divine +name of the most Holy Trinity took the port under the protection +of España. They built a fort upon an islet [38] a little more than +a legua in circumference. This they called San Salvador. They also +constructed a rampart on the top of a hill three hundred feet or more +in height, which made the place impregnable. The Dominicans erected +a humble church, dedicating it to St. Catharine of Siena. Here they +heard the confessions of the Spaniards, preached, taught, and filled +the office of parish priests, up to the year 1635. The inhabitants of +this region had fled from fear of the arquebuses of the Spaniards, +and desired to avenge themselves for the wrong which they felt +that they had suffered because the soldiers made use of the rice +which the natives had left behind them. To quiet and satisfy them, +the religious set about learning their language; and, although they +knew very little of it, they began to communicate with the natives, +caressing them and giving them presents. The Lord prospered their work, +and the barbarians, who had lived the lives of savages, drinking the +blood of their neighbors, and eating the flesh of their enemies, were +tamed by the treatment of the religious. They brought their wives and +children to be baptized. The first fruits were delicate and tender +children, many of whom, after being laved in the baptismal font, went +to enjoy the possession to which they had acquired a right from the +waters of the holy Jordan. The convent of All Saints of the island of +Hermosa was accepted in the intermediate chapter of the year of our +Lord 1627, and was erected into a vicariate, father Fray Francisco Mola +[39] being appointed as its vicar and superior. + +On the fourth of February of this year father Fray Alonso del Castillo, +a native of Andalucia and a son of Sancto Domingo de Sant Lucar, +set sail from his convent in the islands of the Babuyanes to go to +Nueva Segovia. The distance is a little more than six leguas, but +the crossing is dangerous at some times. His vessel was swamped, +and the father and those who were with him were all drowned. He +was an abstemious and devoted religious. Father Fray Alonso lived +in the islands of the Babuyanes. He was at one time tempted by a +thought which was unworthy of his state as a religious, and the +purity which he maintained--the devil urging him to it, and putting +before him the means of carrying out the design, and the method of +keeping it in secrecy during the absence of the superior. Father +Fray Alonso, recognizing from whose bow this arrow had been shot, +went to his superior and told him the temptation of the devil with +all the details. He and the superior laid the matter before God +with prayers and scourgings. The devil was unable to oppose such +humility, and in a few days father Fray Alonso was able to assure the +vicar that there was nothing to fear. In the following April died +father Fray Ambrosio de la Madre de Dios, a native of Guatimala, +a son of the convent of Sancto Domingo at Mexico. He came to the +Philippinas in the year 1595, and was assigned to the province of +Nueva Segovia. Without any controversy, it is he who up to the present +day has most accurately learned the language there, and who was the +teacher of those who understood it best. No one surpassed him in his +pronunciation and his choice of words. He wrote a methodical grammar, +arranged a vocabulary, translated the gospels, various examples of +holy life, an explanation of the articles, the passion of our Lord, +and other works highly esteemed for the elegance of the writing and the +propriety of the words. He was a religious of great virtue, and our +Lord wrought many miracles by his prayers. It was in response to his +prayers that when the lime-kiln in Abulug fell, those upon whom it fell +did not lose their lives. In Pata occurred two cases, as it seemed, +of resurrection; and in Tocolana he saved the church from burning. + +At the last of May, father Fray Diego Carlos, a native of Guatimala +and a son of the convent at Puebla de Los Angeles, died in the +same province. He suffered much at the time of the insurrection of +the Mandayas Indians, whose minister he had been, and whom he had +brought down from their mountains. In the provincial chapter of 1621 +he twice received half the votes in the election for provincial. In +the month of June, father Fray Juan de San Jacintho, a native of Los +Guertos in Segovia, and a son of San Estevan at Salamanca, fell ill +in the province of Ytuy. He lived a devout and a devoted life in the +province of Pangasinan. He was greatly beloved by all. Some Indians of +the province of Ytuy having asked for baptism, he went thither twice, +suffering greatly from the hardships of the journey. The second time, +he fell ill; and it was rumored that the Indians had given him poison, +as they often do. He died at Manila. In the year of our Lord 1627, +toward the end of March, died in the province of Nueva Segovia brother +Fray Juan Garcia, [40] a lay religious, a native of Yebenes in La +Mancha, and a son of the convent of Sancto Domingo at Manila.] + +To aid in supplying the want of these noble ministers, and to fill up +the gap caused by the death of many more, our Lord gave us in July, +1626, a reënforcement of religious, who had been assembled in España +by father Fray Jacintho Calvo, and whom he had entrusted in Mexico +to father Fray Alonso Sanchez de la Visitacion--a son of the convent +at Ocaña, who had come to the Philippinas in the year 1613. [41] +He was at the time vicar of San Jacintho, where he had been sent +by the chapter of the year 1623; and he now undertook the charge of +conducting the religious, returning to the ministry of Nueva Segovia, +where he had previously been. He had been appointed by the Inquisition +of Mexico as its commissary for the cases which might arise in the +said province pertaining to that holy tribunal. + + + + + +CHAPTER XXX + +The state of the province, and the persecution in Japon + + +For the holding of the intermediate chapter [in 1627], an +ancient custom in the Order of St. Dominic, devout fathers had +assembled. Although the day was at hand, the provincial was absent, +being occupied in the new conversion in the island of Hermosa. He had +not returned from there since the previous year, when he had made the +journey. As the accidents of the sea are so various, the religious +were anxious; but the Lord relieved them from their anxiety on the +day before the holding of the chapter, the morning of Thursday. The +coming of father Fray Bartolome caused joy in all the community; and +in recognition of the good news which he brought and of the labors +which he had undergone, the governor Don Juan Niño de Tavora, invited +him and the fathers who constituted the chapter to dine with him on +the following day, which was Friday. That evening they discussed that +which they were to do on Saturday the twenty-fourth of April; and on +that day they elected as definitors fathers Fray Balthasar Fort and +Fray Miguel Ruiz, who had been provincials; Fray Antonio Cañiçares, +vicar of Babuyanes, and Fray Marcos Saavedra, a son of Villaescusa, +vicar of San Raymundo de Malagueg. By this time the Indians who not +long before had revolted and apostatized from the faith in Mandayas +(and especially those of Fotol and Capinatan) had been reduced to +subjection, and, as a result of the efforts of the religious, had +gone down to their old villages. Recognizing the error which they had +committed, and desirous of atoning for it by amending their lives, +they built churches, reëstablished the villages, and returned to the +quiet which they had enjoyed in their earlier age of gold, giving up +their age of hard iron [42] which they had been deluded into entering. + +[The religious in Japon were at this time greatly afflicted. One of the +persecutors, Feyzo, strove to force his own mother by hunger to give +up the faith from which he was himself a renegade. This man captured +Father Baltazar de Torres, a religious of the Society of Jesus, +who had been his own father in the faith, and imprisoned him. On the +twentieth of July four religious of the Society of Jesus, with five +of their servants, were burned at the stake. The persecution was most +bitter at Omura, where the holy father Fray Luis Beltran (of Exarch) +then was. He was a native of Barcelona, and received the habit in +the convent of Sancta Catarina Martir in that city. He was sent to +the college of Origuela, where even during the time of his studies +he devoted himself to prayer and spiritual exercises. He volunteered +for the Philippinas, reaching Manila in 1618. After learning the +language of the Indians of that region, who are called Tagalos, he +also learned that of the Chinese, ministering in both languages up to +the year 1622, when he was sent to Japon to assist in consoling the +afflicted Japanese. He came in disguise, and very soon learned the +language of that country; and he labored for three years with great +effect in the kingdom of Omura. He foresaw that he was to suffer death +by martyrdom. He was serving in a hut of lepers when he was betrayed +to the judge. While in prison his very jailers showed him respect.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXI + +The state of affairs in Japon; and the martyrdom of father Fray Luis, +Fray Mincio de la Cruz, Fray Pedro de Sancta Maria, and some other +persons of the tertiary order of St. Dominic. + + +[Besides father Fray Luis, father Fray Francisco de Sancta Maria, +and brother Fray Bartholome Laurel, [43] his companion in the Order +of St. Francis, were captured, together with their landlords and +others in their house. The bitterness of the persecution increased, +and the ministers of the gospels went out into the fields, ascended +the mountains, and hid themselves in the caves of the earth. Father +Fray Lucas del Espiritu Sancto had no food for forty days except some +boiled roots. The Christians were forbidden to assemble, and were +brought in scores before the ministers of Satan, to recant or suffer +martyrdom. The number of the holy martyrs cannot be counted. The poor +were driven out from their houses, and were compelled to suffer the +rigors of winter, from which many of them died. The persecution came to +be so severe that this year of 1627 was adorned with martyrs. On the +sixteenth or seventeenth of August, eighteen Christians of all ages +and conditions received the palm of martyrdom, among them father Fray +Francisco de Sancta Maria. Among those executed were some children of +three and five years of age. Details are given of the martyrdoms of a +number of Japanese, with the horrible tortures which were inflicted +upon them. Father Fray Luis gave the habit to some of the Japanese +who were confined with him; and on July 29, 1627, the father and the +nine professed, and three poor women who rejoiced that the time had +come when they were to be freed from their leprosy, were executed by +burning at the stake.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXII + +The great persecution in Japon, and the care of the province to send +ministers there + + +[There were three of our religious in Japon at this time, who comforted +the Christians and kept in hiding from the ministers of the law. It +was with great difficulty that they could be assisted. In the year +1628 the four religious orders in these islands, the Franciscans, +the calced Augustinians, the Recollect Augustinians, and our order, +put forth all their energies to send religious to Japon as secretly +as possible. The expense was enormous, amounting to more than ten +thousand pesos from the common purse of these four orders. They +embarked twenty-four religious; among these were six of our holy +order, one of whom died after two days of sailing--father Fray Antonio +Corbera, a native of La Mancha, who had come within a short time to +the Philippinas from the college of San Gregorio at Valladolid. The +ship was wrecked by the carelessness of the pilot. Though the fathers +escaped from drowning, two of ours died from injuries received in +the wreck, and from sunstroke after reaching land. One was father +Fray Antonio Cañizares, a native of Almagro and a son of the convent +of our order there, who had labored nobly among the Indians of these +regions for some years. [44] The other was father Fray Juan de Vera, +a native of the city of Sancta Fee in the kingdom of Granada. He +studied in España at the convent of San Pablo at Valladolid. He came +to this province, learned the Chinese language, and was occupied in +the ministry to the Chinese when he was assigned to this duty. The +Franciscan fathers, not dismayed by the failure of this enterprise, +strove to make the journey to Japon by themselves. During two years, +no news reached us from Japon, except that the persecution had attained +such a point that not even a letter could get in or out. + +Finally father Fray Domingo Castellet was captured by the diligence +of the persecutors. He was born in a village named Esparraguera, in +the principality of Cataluña, October 7, 1592. He assumed the habit +of our order October 23, 1608, in the convent of Sancta Cathalina +Martir at Barcelona. He pursued his studies in the very religious +convent of Sancta Cruz at Segovia, where he showed great ability. In +the year of our Lord 1613, when I was about to make a voyage to the +Philippinas Islands as procurator-general for the province of the +Holy Rosary of the Order of St. Dominic, and when I came to Sancta +Cruz at Segovia searching for religious to accompany me, one of the +first who enlisted was father Fray Domingo Castellet. He was assigned +to the province of Nueva Segovia, where he taught for six years in +the new villages called Los Mandayas. In 1621 he was directed to go +to Japon, where he showed the greatest intrepidity in danger, and +wrought a marvelous work. He was taken by surprise, and was followed +to prison by several confessors.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIII + +The martyrdom of the servants of God, Fray Domingo Castellet, Fray +Thomas de San Jacintho, Fray Antonio de Sancto Domingo, and some +persons of the tertiary order of St. Dominic. + + +[The blessed Fray Domingo spent all his time in preparing himself for +his last journey, the journey from this world to heaven, and in doing +his duty by the holy company who were in prison with him. There were +many Christians in the prison of Nangasaqui, among them two Japanese +lay novices, who afterward made their profession before the holy +religious who was vicar-provincial of Japon. He prayed many hours in +the day, and took a daily discipline in company with the brethren, +in addition to special exercises of devotion and penance. On the day +of the Nativity of the most blessed Virgin, he was taken out to the +place of execution and born into heaven. Many Japanese Christians were +burned alive or decapitated, the church in Japan being illustrious in +noble martyrdoms, and no less triumphant than the primitive church, +and the Order of St. Dominic having a great share in this glory.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIV + +The voyage in this year of religious of the province to Camboja, +in the effort to convert it; and the progress of the conversion of +the island of Hermosa. + + +In this year, twenty-eight, I came for the third time from España +to the Philippinas, not alone, but with a good company of excellent +religious, [45] who, desirous to advance themselves in virtue, left +their land and their kin and their comforts, like Abraham, that +they might assist in their spiritual necessity, these tribes which +depended so much upon such ministers. There was no lack of hardships +on the way, for the Lord knows of how much importance it is for us to +find persons who will accept these as they ought; He does not lose +the opportunity to apply them, and does not desire that His gift +should be useless. When we reached Manila we were heartily received, +for we had been desired because of the great lack which had resulted +from the deaths that had taken away religious just when they were +most needed by the Indians whom we had under our care. There were +also many others under our eyes who still were heathen for lack of +preachers, but who would have been Christians if they had anyone to +teach them the truth and the Catholic religion. The vacancies were +filled up with these reënforcements. As might be expected of those +who were heartily desirous of converting their fellow men, the more +they labored the more labor they desired; and there were many who were +very eager to go on new missions and to reap new harvests of heathen. + +[The opportunity was offered for making another attempt to convert +Camboja. A Chinaman who had lived in the kingdom of Camboxa brought +word that the good reputation which the fathers of St. Dominic had +left in that country would cause them to be kindly received there +if they went again. The kingdom of Camboxa is the one which has +given religious rites, though false ones, to China, Japon, and the +most civilized of the surrounding nations; and the people of that +kingdom are naturally much inclined to religious devotion. Hence it +was hoped that they would be the better Christians because they were +so devout heathen. A letter was written to the king of Camboxa, asking +permission to preach the gospel in that country. The reply which was +received was courteous, but did not grant the desired permission. At +this time the governor of Manila was thinking of sending Spaniards +to Camboja to build a ship there, because of the excellence of the +wood of that region for such a purpose, and the abundance of workmen +there. That the Spaniards who went might not be deprived of sacred +ordinances, he asked the superior of our order for religious to +accompany the expedition. There were strong arguments against sending +the religious to that kingdom. The Cambodians had twice exhibited their +fickleness, having striven to kill the Spaniards and the religious +who had been invited to enter the kingdom. The same fickleness would +make it unlikely that converts would hold to the faith in times of +persecution. The people were unintelligent, and most vicious; and +the country was very hot and unhealthful. On the other hand, it did +not seem consistent with Christian charity not to take advantage of +every opportunity to attempt to save these people, in spite of their +natural fickleness, their low intelligence, and their inveterate +vices. Three religious were accordingly assigned to this expedition, +the superior of whom was father Fray Juan Baptista de Morales, a son +of the convent of San Pablo at Ecija. He was a master of the Chinese +language, which is of great importance in that kingdom. Two other +religious volunteered to go on this service. They set sail December +21. The voyage, though a dangerous one, was fortunate; and they sailed +four hundred leguas up the famous river of that kingdom (the Me-Kong +River), the source of which is unknown. The religious were courteously +received by the king. Factious quarrels broke out among the Spaniards, +which threatened so grave results that father Fray Juan Baptista de +Morales felt obliged to return with them when they came back to the +islands, for fear of an outbreak on the way. The king refused to give +permission for the baptism of his subjects, allowing only the Chinese +and Japanese to be converted; and the ministers, feeling that they +could be of greater use in these islands, returned to take up their +ministries here, where they have been of the greatest use. This was +the third time that this province actually placed religious in the +kingdom of Camboxa, in addition to the expeditions which set out for +that kingdom but failed. + +At this time our religious in Hermosa were engaged in the most +laborious work of all these ministries, the learning of a new and +extraordinary language without grammar or vocabulary, or any other aid +even in the country itself; for at the beginning they were not able +by payment to keep an Indian who would merely permit them to listen +to him as he spoke and to catch up a word here and there. Although at +the beginning these people were like wild beasts, without the least +trace of human civilization, the religious have now domesticated them +to such an extent that they can go among them--although a few years +before no stranger could enter their country without their drinking +his blood like fierce wolves. Some infants have been baptized, and the +children of some villages, though not baptized, know the creed and pray +every night at the foot of the cross. The children learned to laugh at +the old superstitions, which have a strong hold on their elders. The +hardest thing of all has been to bring them back to their old villages, +from which they fled in fear of the arms of the Spaniards; but as they +learned the gain to be acquired from trading with the Spaniards--which +is a lodestone that attracts hearts of iron--they are returning to +their old abodes. The religious have erected two little convents and +churches, about like shepherds' huts in appearance. One is near the +presidio of San Salvador, in a native village called Camaurri, and is +dedicated to St. Joseph. The other is half a legua from the village of +Tanchuy (i.e., Tamsui), and is dedicated to the Virgin of the Rosary.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXV + +The foundation of the first church among the Indians of Tanchuy, +a district of the island of Hermosa, and the events which happened +among those Indians. + + +[The father provincial, father Fray Bartholome Martynez, after +building a church in the new city of San Salvador, went on to Tanchuy, +a province of the same island and a port known to the vessels which +come to it from China. It is fourteen leguas from the chief city in +it. When the fort was built there, to which the name of St. Dominic +was given, he was present, doing all he could to prevent damage +to the natives. Many of the latter fled away to Senar, where he +followed them and built a church. The ministry in this province of +Tanchuy was entrusted to father Fray Francisco de Sancto Domingo, a +son of the convent of Zamora. His companion was brother Fray Andres +Ximenez. They went by sea, having a perilous voyage, and were met +when they landed by father Fray Jacintho de Esquivel.] The three +went with Captain Luis de Guzman and some soldiers, to set up in the +village of Senar a beautiful image of the Virgin of the Rosary. They +went on foot and with great difficulty, as it had rained the day +before and was still raining, and part of the way they went mid-leg +deep. Not a single soldier said the things which are usually heard on +such occasions. On the contrary, loaded as they were with mud, they +comforted themselves by saying: "At last we are going to establish the +faith." The captain, Luis de Guzman, to whom this region owes much, +because of his valor and Christian spirit, and his kind treatment of +the natives in it, marched barefoot, encouraging them and saying: +"Come on, my children; doubtless there is much good here, because +the beginning is so hard." A messenger was sent ahead to notify the +Indians, and by their help the streets were covered with branches; +they fitted up a half-castle [46] with powder, which they had prepared, +and they arranged for a graceful sword dance. When the image, which +they carried as ceremoniously as possible, reached the village, +they placed it in the church. The sky cleared, and the sun came out +as if to rejoice in the festival; and after a mass of the Virgin of +the Rosary had been said, they bore her in procession--the soldiers +firing off their arquebuses, and the castle discharging its salute, +and the dance being performed in token of the possession taken of +this country by the queen of heaven, and of the conclusion of the +devil's ancient control over it. [The Indians rejoiced greatly, +the chiefs being invited to dine with the captain. After this they +gave a ball after their fashion--a very disgraceful one in our eyes, +because at every turn they drink a draught of a very bad wine which +they have. This kind of ball or dance they keep up for six or eight +hours, and sometimes for whole days. The chiefs kept boasting that +their village was the finest in the island, since they had Spaniards, +a father and a church, as the others had not. They desired to return +the invitation of the captain with one to a feast after their own +manner--which is a repast of dogs rather than of men, since they eat +nothing except meat so rotten that the bad odor of it serves them +as salt. After the feast the soldiers, the captain, and father Fray +Jacintho returned to Tanchui; while father Fray Francisco and brother +Fray Andres remained as a guard of honor to the Virgin. Father Fray +Francisco, thinking that the Spaniards would be lonely without their +holy image, thought best to return it; but the Indians were so much +grieved that it was given back to them, and they rejoiced greatly, +though they were not yet Christians. A great part of the labor of the +conversion fell upon the brother. The Lord wrought miraculous works +through his hands, keeping the sick alive until they might receive holy +baptism, and doing wonderful works of healing. The kindly treatment +of the fathers at last made the Indians feel sufficient confidence +in the Spaniards to return to their previous places of abode, whence +they had fled from fear. One lay brother was in the island of Hermosa +for five years among the Indians, who, although they had not been +pacified, never harmed him. He baptized a number, brought down +from the mountains many who had fled from fear of the Spaniards; +and with them formed a village of moderate size named Camuarri, +which is constantly increasing in numbers, and greatly needs a church.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVI + +The election as provincial of father Fray Francisco de Herrera, +commissary of the holy Inquisition; and the beginning of an account +of father Fray Bartholome Martinez. + + +In May, 1629, father Fray Francisco de Herrera was elected as +provincial of this province, on the first ballot. He was a son +of the convent of San Gines at Talabera, and afterward a student +of San Gregorio at Valladolid. At the time of his election he was +commissary of the holy Inquisition in all these islands, and prior of +the convent in this city of Manila. Since he is still living, we must +be silent about him, and not say the things in his praise which are +so well known, and which are said by those who enjoyed his peaceful +and religious government. In this chapter nothing of importance was +done in laying down ordinances for the province; but there was much +cause to give thanks to the Lord for the peace and quiet with which +the religious strove to fulfil their obligations as members of the +order and as ministers of the holy gospel. The Lord gave them special +relief and comfort, that they might find light and pleasant the great +sufferings which they endured in both capacities. Hence the electors +returned to their posts very promptly, feeling that in them the hand +of the Lord had delivered to them their own profit and that of their +fellow-men. + +[At the beginning of the following August occurred the death of +the venerable father Bartholome Martynez, who, being engaged in +the conversion of the island of Hermosa, was unable to attend this +chapter. Father Fray Bartholome was a native of a village of Raoja +called El Rasillo, a hamlet of some twenty poor inhabitants. He was +a son of Sant Estevan at Salamanca, and a student in the college of +Sancto Thomas at Alcala. He took advantage of the opportunity of coming +to this province in company with the holy Fray Alonso Navarrete. He +gave his chief attention in the province to learning the Chinese +language, hoping to become a missionary to the kingdom of China. He +was so devoted to the Chinese that he was beside himself with anger +whenever a wrong was done by a Spanish soldier to any Chinaman. As +this seemed to be an impediment to the conversion, he resolved to +restrain his anger, and learned, as the law of the Lord teaches us, +to be angry but not to sin. It was father Fray Bartholome who built +the beautiful wooden church in the Chinese Parian. The cost was +above twenty thousand Castilian ducados, and it was all raised by +offerings. The Lord wrought miracles by father Fray Bartholome in the +building of this church, and on other occasions. On some occasions +he displayed the gift of prophecy.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVII + +The virtues which God granted him, and particularly some in which he +excelled; his labors and death. + + +[Father Fray Bartholome was notable for humility, patience, penances, +and zeal. When he was elected provincial in 1625, he prostrated +himself on the ground, and begged them to put him in jail rather +than make him provincial. His habit was poor and mean, his tunics +full of sweat and blood and all tattered. He would never permit the +Indians to carry him across streams or to wash his feet. He subjected +his body to the severest mortifications, beating himself cruelly and +wearing chains of various kinds, some with sharpened links. He went +always on foot, even crossing swollen streams in this way. He had so +accustomed himself to abstinence that when he felt obliged to set the +other religious the example of eating a little more than was habitual +to him, that they might not injure their health, he suffered greatly +as a result. He slept as little as he ate. He suffered greatly from +asthma, but was most patient. Although he was often insulted on the +expedition to Hermosa for interfering with the soldiers, he overcame +all this by his great patience. The Chinese or Sangleys were devoted +to the father, because of his affection for them. He gave them alms +of his poverty, and was once almost drowned in the effort to rescue +some heathen Chinese. In spite of the failure of his two efforts to +enter China, he was not discouraged, but hoped that the way might be +opened through Hermosa. In the effort to carry out the plan of sending +an expedition to Hermosa, he exposed himself to dangerous storms, +but was rescued by the Lord. To bring the expedition to success, +he labored with his own hands like a slave. On the way he brought +from Bigan, on the coast of Ylocos, to Nueva Segovia the remains of +Bishop Don Fray Diego de Soria. The efforts of this father on this +journey seemed superhuman. The soldiers when told of the real object +of the expedition believed that they were deceived, and were on the +point of mutiny. When a storm broke out soon after they had landed +on the island of Hermosa, and the soldiers were exposed to hardship, +and when the Indians made some resistance, the soldiers cursed and +swore at the father again; but afterward they came to love him. It +was with the idea of getting nearer to the coast of China that the +father suggested that possession be taken of the port in Tanchuy. It +was fortunate that this suggestion was made and carried out by the +commander, Don Juan de Alcarazo; for if they had waited a week they +would have found the port in possession of the Dutch, who came there +with three vessels of war, but were forced to retire. Happy in the +good results of the expedition, the father set sail to cross an arm +of the sea, in a small boat in which there were eight persons, the +father and the commander among them. The boat was caught by a wave +and capsized; five, including the general, were saved, and three, +among them father Fray Bartholome, were drowned. The death of the +father caused great grief among the soldiers, the Chinese--both +Christian and heathen--the religious, and all who knew him.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXVIII + +The death of father Fray Miguel Ruiz, and the state of affairs in Japon + + +[On Friday, June 7, 1630, died father Fray Miguel Ruiz, a son of the +royal convent of Sancta Cruz at Segovia, who had come to the province +of the Philippinas toward the end of April in 1602. At the time of his +death he was vicar of San Gabriel at Binondoc. He was several times +vicar of the district of Bataan; he was once vicar-general of the +province, was definitor in many provincial chapters, vicar-provincial, +several times prior of Manila, and provincial of the province, +which office he filled with justice and gentleness. He was a devout +religious, much given to penance, and indefatigable in teaching the +Indians--in whose language, in addition to a book of the Holy Rosary +which was printed, he wrote several tracts, made the abridgment of +the grammar which is still printed, and made a careful vocabulary, +which at the end of his life he was desirous of augmenting. It +was said that he died by poison, given him by a person whom he had +chastised for scandalous living. It is most likely that the pains in +the stomach from which he suffered came from the fogs which are so +common in the Philippinas. + +The persecution in Japon had reached such a point that it was +impossible to enter the kingdom. The religious orders did all in their +power to replace the holy martyrs with new laborers. They went to great +expense for this purpose, and many religious died in the effort to make +their way to Japon; but the kingdom remained so closely shut up that +their efforts were without result. Information as to the condition +of affairs there in this year 1630 was received from father Fray +Lucas del Espiritu Sancto. The religious in the empire were even +unable to meet one another, and were hunted from place to place, +exposed to wind and weather. Under these circumstances the peace +between the religious orders was of great utility to the ministers +in Japon. The religious were constantly exposed to being captured, +being obliged to lodge in the houses of renegades and heathen; but +the constancy and devotion of the fathers caused even these men to +respect them. The Japanese were absolutely controlled by the devil +of idolatry. Every false sect was tolerated, Christianity alone was +persecuted. Among the fathers in Japon at this time was a native +Japanese, who had completed his course in arts and theology in the +college of Sancto Thomas at Manila. He profited well by his studies, +and had been given the habit, had professed, and had passed through +all the orders. He had been taken by father Fray Bartholome Martinez, +during his term as provincial, to the island of Hermosa--not to remain, +but to make his way from there to Japan, if possible, by the islands +of the Lequios. He was dressed after the Japanese fashion, with two +swords, and succeeded in making his entry into Japon, from which he +wrote a letter to the provincial, dated January 3, 1630. In this he +says that he reached his country on the eve of St. Martin; but that +he has been unable to get into communication with his superior, +who was at that time father Fray Domingo de Erquicia. He later +writes that it is dangerous to send letters, because of the severe +punishment of those who are caught with letters of the fathers upon +them. If it had not been for the return of this father in this way, +no information would have been received with regard to the fate of +Father Juan de Rueda in the islands of the Lequios. + +The third religious at this time in Japon was father Fray Domingo +de Erquicia, who also sent back a letter in this year. He says that +the savage persecution which was designed to root out Christianity +from Japon made many weak, but brought out the bravery of many noble +martyrs. In November, 1629, father Fray Bartholome Gutierrez, of the +Order of St. Augustine, was captured in Arima; and in the same month +there was captured in Nangasaqui a father of the Society of Jesus, +named Antonio. Somewhat later an Augustinian Recollect named Fray +Francisco de Jesus, and afterward his companion, Fray Vicente de +San Antonio, were captured, a mountain having been burnt over in +pursuit of them. Father Fray Domingo de Erquicia writes that a man +recognized him and set out to betray him, but that he was rescued by +the courage of his landlords. In March, 1630, they captured a brother +of the Order of St. Francis; so that there were in that year five +religious imprisoned in Omura, together with forty lay Christians, +besides those in Nangasaqui. In his letter father Fray Domingo +gives a record of the executions of which he knew. The total within +a year and a half is over two hundred. In this year the daire [47] +(who in Japon is like the pope in our Church), on account of various +causes for offense against the emperor, caused his hair to be cut +off, to indicate that he renounced his high office--something that, +it is said, had never been seen in Japan; and thus that realm is now +without a head in spiritual affairs. No Dutch ship came to Japon in +this year, and the Dutch who had come in the two previous years were +all put in prison. The Japanese desire that the Dutch surrender to +them the fort which they have in the island of Hermosa, where some +of them have been sent, while others remain in Japan as hostages.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XXXIX + +The life and death of father Fray Matheo de Cobissa + + +[Though sufferings and persecution refine the gold of the church, yet +there are many rich and pure spirits who appear in time of peace. Of +these latter we are now to give an example. There were but few years in +which father Fray Matheo de Cobissa lived in this province. He reached +the province toward the close of July, 1628, and was sent directly to +the island of Hermosa where he spent less than three years, but those +were full of glory. Fray Francisco Mola, vicar-provincial of the order +in Hermosa, and Fray Angel de San Antonio, vicar of the convent of All +Saints in that island, wrote a formal certificate testifying to the +facts in the case of father Fray Matheo. They give an account of the +marvelous visions which the father beheld, in which the Lord explained +to him what was to come. The Lord had previously revealed the future to +him, giving him notice beforehand of the coming of the English fleet +to Cadiz in 1625; of the great inundation in España in 1626; and of +the unfortunate death of the reverend father Fray Bartholome Martinez, +the provincial, on his return from the island of Yama. To these fathers +the dying father gave an account of other visions that he had had. He +told them further that his rigorous penances had never weakened his +bodily strength. He received the extreme unction, and told the fathers +who were listening that when he was coming from España he saw by the +mizzenmast of the vessel the patriarchs St. Dominic and St. Francis, +and that he had had a vision of the three holy kings. Not satisfied +with this evidence uttered by this father's mouth, these fathers +added other information. Father Fray Angel told of cases which had +been revealed to him by father Fray Matheo, in confession, which he +had received permission to publish for the glory of God. Such were +the coming of the Dutch enemy against Tanchuy and the death of the +provincial. When the fathers asked if his dreams, which signified that +which was to come, were always clear, or were of indistinct figures, +he answered that they were generally clear; but sometimes only such +that he could understand that something was prognosticated, though he +could not tell immediately what it was. He was most devoted to prayer, +and most rigorously abstinent. Father Francisco Mola testified to +the religious devotion of the friar. Brother Fray Andres Ximenez, +who accompanied the father from España and was very intimate with +him, testified to his life of mortification and penance, and to his +devotion. He was reckoned a saint, and the high esteem in which he +was held in this province is shown by the words of the provincial +chapter in recording his death.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XL + +The entrance made from the island of Hermosa to the great kingdom of +China by two fathers of St. Dominic. + + +[If this island were of no value, its spiritual promise would make +it important; and if it were poor in material things--and it is not, +because it has many mines of gold and silver, and is fertile--it would +still be well that our nation has set foot on it. It is of spiritual +use because it is from hence, as it appears, that the conversion of +the great kingdom of China is to have its rise. It is of importance in +a material way, because of its nearness to the trade of that kingdom, +which is so rich and so abounding in merchandise. That both spiritual +and temporal ends might be attained, Don Juan de Arcaraço, [48] who +was commandant of the island at that time, decided to send an embassy +to the viceroy of Hucheo, the capital of the nearest province, with +a view to opening up trade with it, but without saying anything about +matters of faith. He offered our religious an opportunity to go on the +embassy. Two religious were accordingly sent--the father vicar of the +convent, Fray Angel Coqui, a Florentine by birth, who had assumed the +surname of San Antonino; and, as his companion, father Fray Thomas +de Sierra, who was called here "de la Magdalena." He was a native +of Cerdeña. His natural gifts were but small, but his spiritual ones +were great, as will be seen. They set out accompanied by two soldiers +and seven Indians, carrying their letter of embassy and a present +for the viceroy. They took what they needed to say mass, and a very +little money for their support; and embarked (December 30, 1630) +in two very small vessels. On the way a heathen Chinese, master of +the vessel in which the religious were, planned to kill them in order +to rob them. The signal being given, the Chinese killed five of the +members of the expedition, and wounded two with the clubs which they +used as weapons--for, among the Chinese, soldiers only are permitted +to carry weapons of iron. Father Fray Thomas was one of those who lost +his life. The narrative may pause for a moment to give some account +of him. He was a native of Cerdeña, and a son of the convent there. He +was destined to the Order of St. Dominic from his mother's womb. Since +the schools in his part of the country were not very good, he strove +to be assigned to the province of Andalucia, and went to the convent +of San Pablo at Cordova. Hearing of the devout manner of life of the +religious in this province, he desired to enter it, and departed from +España in the year 1627, at which time I was bringing over a body of +religious. This was the third company which I led (besides the first, +in which I came with others under leadership, which is now about forty +years ago). I accepted his application, thinking that he could complete +his studies in this province as well as in España. He was of most +gentle and patient disposition. He suffered greatly from headaches, +and was unable to carry on his studies, though in some cases of moral +theology he showed ability. He was sent to the island of Hermosa, +in the hope that the cooler climate would benefit him. His health +improved, and he devoted himself to learning the mandarin language, +which is the language used in China by the learned, and takes the +place of Latin among us. Nicolas Muñoz, a native of Mexico, a soldier, +was one of those killed at this time. He was a man of the greatest +piety. God in His infinite pity delivered father Fray Angel from +this terrible danger. He fled to the cabin in the poop, and there +he and the three others who survived were able to defend themselves +against the seventeen Chinese, who fastened them up there, hoping to +kill them of starvation. The vessel was captured by pirates, to whom +father Fray Angel owed his liberty and his life. The mutineers on the +vessel told the pirates that the persons in the poop were captives +taken in lawful war, whom they were going to sell into slavery. The +pirates planned to make an assault upon them, but decided not to, +because they would be certain to meet with some damage, and resolved +to scuttle the ship, leaving the captives to drown. They took off +the sail and the rudder, anchored the vessel that it might not be +carried ashore, and abandoned it. The prisoners were left fastened +up and unable to get out, while the vessel filled with water up to +the poop. The imprisoned men found a chisel in the cabin, with which +they worked a hole between two boards, and finally escaped from their +confinement. They made their way to an island, and on the other side +found an arm of the sea wherein there were many vessels, among them +a fisher's boat. They went up to the fishermen, who fled from them, +but who came back again in response to their prayers, and let them have +some food. These men warned them not to stay on that island that night, +for fear of tigers; and said that if they survived until morning they +would meet with other worse tigers--namely, soldiers from the fleets +which were always moving about that coast, who would certainly kill +them. In fear of both dangers, they asked the fishermen to take them +to terra firma, and to bring them before some mandarin. A thousand +difficulties were raised which were quickly conquered with a few bits +of money which had escaped the recent robbery. Being brought before +a mandarin, they were sent to the city of Ziumcheo with letters of +safe-conduct and provision for the journey--which according to the +custom of this kingdom, is afforded to every poor man who in any +way comes to it. The letter which accompanied them described them +as four robbers who had been caught on the seashore. The second +mandarin before whom they were brought sent them to the third; and +he despatched them to the viceroy, forty leguas away in the city +of Ucheo. Father Fray Angel was taken ill, as a result of all his +hardships, but recovered by the help of God. As all the papers had +been lost, the viceroy directed the father to return to the island of +Hermosa for satisfactory credentials, providing him with a vessel and +everything necessary for the purpose. The father, unwilling to leave +China, and being afraid that the viceroy had some design against him, +sent in his place a Christian Japanese who understood the mandarin +language very well. He was one of a number who were scattered over +China, and who desired to make their way to a Christian country. He +dressed this man in a religious habit and caused him to pretend to be +ill, so that he might be left quiet in a dark part of the ship. By +the laws of the kingdom the father thus exposed himself to death or +to perpetual imprisonment, which in China is a prolonged death. The +curiosity of the Chinese is such that nothing escapes it. The viceroy, +the mandarins, and all knew of the return of the father, and even knew +where he was lodged; but no disturbance arose, and the authorities +paid no attention to the matter. The father decided to change his +dress, and to assume such a one as was worn by the most honorable of +the natives, who pay great attention to such matters. He permitted +his hair and beard to grow in their manner, as some fathers of the +Society of Jesus have done--who have performed many useful labors +here, as is known throughout Europe. During four months the father +was unable to say mass, having been robbed of what was necessary.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLI + +Father Fray Angel leaves the city of Ucheo for the town of Fuhan, +trusting solely in God; the success of his journey. + + +[Father Fray Angel, knowing that there were some Christians in the +village of Fuhan and the province of Funinchiu, decided to set out +thither on foot. He met with no interference on the way. In Fuhan +he found some Christians, and met Father Julio Aleni of the Society +of Jesus. Like father Fray Angel, he was an Italian; and he showed +the father much kindness. Here father Fray Angel made a number +of conversions, and found everything promising for the future of +Christianity in China. The Lord showed the father grace, for, though he +was naturally weak, he received strength for many labors. He begged for +a companion, saying in one of his letters which he wrote from Fuhan, +December 24, 1632: "Laborers! laborers! laborers! for the harvest is +ready and it is great." There was sent him as companion father Fray +Juan Baptista de Morales, a son of the convent of San Pablo de Ezija, +for the province could spare no more.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLII + +The lives and deaths of fathers Fray Marcos de Saavedra and Fray +Juan Rodriguez + + +[January 6, 1631, died in the convent of Sancto Domingo father Fray +Marcos de Saavedra, a native of Villamayor in the district of Veles, +a son of Sancta Cruz at Villa Escusa in La Mancha. He left España +in 1623, in which year he was ordained priest in Mexico. He was +a minister in Nueva Segovia, and understood the language of the +natives very perfectly. He composed in it a book of sermons for +the whole year; and a grammar for those who might learn it later, +abbreviating the old grammar. He was a devout and zealous religious, +and patiently suffered the long illness which preceded his death. + +On the seventh of May in this same year father Fray Juan Rodriguez +departed from this wretched life for a happier one, in the convent of +Sancto Domingo at Nueva Segovia. He was a native of the bishopric of +Salamanca, and assumed the habit in the famous convent of San Estevan +in that city. After he finished his course in arts and theology, +he was assigned to the convent of Sancto Domingo in the city of +Guadalaxara. He was a friar of exceptional devotion and received great +favors from the holy Virgin and from St. Joseph and St. Dominic, +who visited one of his penitents and directed his life. With the +approbation of the Lord, father Fray Juan desired to go to the convent +of the order in the town of Aranda de Duero, which was famous for its +observance of the rule. Here he was master of the novices, and hence +he was called by God to this province. He was sent to Nueva Segovia, +where he learned the language of the natives, and within five months +was able to preach to them in it. He was much beloved by the natives, +and also by the religious, who all desired to be in his company. His +devout and exemplary life edified all wherever he went. After he had +been attacked by an illness which proved to be his last, he was sent +with some Spanish soldiers to bring back some Christians Indians who +were in the mountains, and who wished to return, but were prevented +by their neighbors, who threatened them with death. In spite of his +illness, he accepted the responsibility and went with the troops. The +soldiers, growing impatient with the delay of the Indians, who feared +them, desired to capture them with the aid of some friendly Indians +who accompanied the expedition. The father, however, persuaded them +to wait for another day; and after he had spent the night in prayer +he succeeded by his gentleness and his arguments in persuading those +Indians to give up their lost way of life and to return. There were +in all more than one hundred and thirty persons. After his return +his illness grew rapidly worse, and he died in the month of May.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLIII + +A second expedition made by two fathers to the province of Sinay, +otherwise known as Ytui, and the result of it. + + +Eighty years had passed since Christianity was first planted +in this country in the island of Luçon, the chief island of the +Philippinas. From here it had spread to other islands; and in Luçon it +had spread from one province to the next, for in this one island there +are many nations and languages. Yet the province of Ytui [49]--as we +shall call it in future, since it is better known by that name--had +not had the good fortune to receive regular preaching before this late +date, namely, the beginning of the year thirty-three. This delay was +not due to the fault of the natives, for they have often manifested a +desire to receive the gospel, and have asked several religious orders +for ministers to teach them; but to the fact that all the orders +were so poor in ministers, on account of the great number of people +whom they must aid. That country also is so rough and so difficult +of access for the visitations of the superiors, that all the orders +have avoided assuming the charge of it. For some years the order of +the glorious father St. Francis sent religious there to cultivate it, +but without any good result. They made a beginning, but could not +carry it on--some of the fathers being taken away by death, and others +leaving the region because of sickness. The natives have constantly +persisted in their request for ministers of the gospel to teach them, +and have been particularly urgent with our sacred order--because they +have some commerce with the province of Pangasinan, which is in our +charge; and because they know how much that is advanced in all matters, +both temporal and spiritual, as a result of the labors of the fathers +who minister to it, though the population was previously the most +barbarous known in these islands. Once, some years ago, some chiefs +came here to Manila during a chapter when a provincial was elected, +to place their request before it. The fiscal of the king (who was +also that of the royal Chancillería), Don Juan de Bracamonte, offered +a petition to the definitors, supporting this request for ministers +for that province, since the Indians were vassals of the king and +paid him their tribute, and his Majesty was bound to provide them +with Christian instruction. The answer was a hopeful one, saying that +if his Majesty would send ministers from España they would then very +readily be assigned to this duty, as he desired; but in the meantime +the order could scarcely fulfil the requirements of the regions which +they had already in charge, for the Indians were many and the ministers +few. On another occasion when the father provincial of the province, +Fray Baltasar Fort, was making his visitation to this province of +Pangasinan, the inhabitants of Ytui learned of the fact; and there +came to meet him, in a village called Calasiao, some thirty of the +chief Indians of that country--among them he who was, as it were, +their king. He brought with him his wife and his sister; and they +proffered their request with much feeling and many tears, complaining +of their misfortune that when they were so near--the provinces were +about four days' journey apart--they were not worthy to receive the +fathers, though they had several times striven to obtain them with +all possible urgency. The provincial could but feel pity when he +saw these heathen Indians becoming preachers to us, in so urgently +persuading the preachers to come and teach them the law of God; yet +he was totally unable to give them what they asked, but gave them +his promise that he would do so as soon as possible. They returned +to their country with this answer, very disconsolate. Father Fray +Thomas Gutierrez--a minister who was then in Pangasinan and of whom +an account will be given later--learned of this, and volunteered to +undertake an expedition thither. A second father, Fray Juan Luis de +Guete, offered to go as his companion. The father provincial granted +their request, in spite of the need of them that would be felt in the +posts which they left; but he commanded them that they should go at +this time simply to explore the country, and should return within a +few days to report their opinions to him, according to the impression +made upon them by the natives. They did this, and went about through +the villages of the province, setting up in the public squares large +crosses, to the great delight of the Indians; this act was a token that +the fathers took possession of them for the Lord who was crucified on +the cross. That the devil might begin to give up his ancient possession +of the natives, the fathers taught them the worship which they should +perform, and some prayers out of the "Christian Doctrine" translated +into the language of Pangasinan. That language they half understood, +though it was different from their own. They understood it all so well +that they immediately began to say the prayers they knew, around the +crosses, seated on cane benches which they made for the purpose--two +of them intoning the prayer, and the rest repeating it. With these +excellent beginnings, which gave proof of the fitness of the soil for +receiving the seed of the faith, the two explorers returned to report +to their superior as he had commanded them, and offered themselves anew +to return to that region. The provincial, when he heard their report, +was not unwilling to grant their pious desires, although it seemed +that these were contrary to what the strength of the province could +sustain. So trusting in the power of God, and with the permission and +benediction of the father provincial, they prepared themselves for +the return; but they were interfered with by someone who disturbed +them by indiscreet zeal, for the devil sometimes appears clothed in +the garments of an angel of light. The project was not carried out, +but not from the fault of the order or of its sons, who are not +accustomed to be slothful before such opportunities. Perhaps those +peoples were not yet ready in the sight of God for that which they +desired; for in such matters the what, the when, and the how are +understood by God alone and are determined according to His divine +foreknowledge. The natives of Ytuy were not weary of being persistent +in presenting their requests, as in such matters it is well to be. It +happened that in the month of December in the year 1632 the father +provincial, Fray Francisco de Herrera (now commissary general of the +Holy Office for all these Philipinas Islands), was traveling in that +region on his visitation to the province of Pangasinan. The natives +of Ytuy, who must have had scouts to inform them, learned of this; +and there immediately came in search of him some twenty-four Indians, +four or six of them being leading chiefs in the province. In the name +of all the rest of the natives, they put forward their old request. He +did not make them the answer which they had received before--"Wait, +wait again;" but gave his instant approval, drawing strength from the +weakness of the province--which, in the matter of laborers, is great +for such a harvest as it has upon its hands, and as it sees every +day increasing; and which, therefore, has to pass by much for lack +of ability to achieve it all. The father who seemed most suited for +this mission was father Fray Thomas Gutierrez, who some years before +had filled the office of explorer in this country. His companion was +father Fray Juan de Arjona, [50] a son of the convent of San Pablo de +Cordova--a man of middle age, but of more than middling spirit. They +both took up the enterprise with great delight, without any objections +or requests; and went back with the Indians who had come thence, taking +no larger outfit than was absolutely necessary to equip them for the +journey. This chapter will give a brief account of the events of the +journey and their arrival at Ytuy, drawn from a letter written by both +fathers and dated at Ytuy January 21, 1633. The letter was directed +to the father provincial, and contains the following narrative: + +They left Pangasinan for Ytuy December 6, 1632, the day of St. Nicholas +the bishop; and since there is but little communication between the +two countries--none at all, in fact, except that occasionally some +natives on each side visit the other--there is no open road from one +to the other, since the Indians have no need of one, making their way +like deer through the thickets of the mountains. By their account, the +journey takes four days; but this is estimated by their mode of travel, +which is twice as rapid as ours. Father Fray Thomas was so eager to +reach that region that he even wished to make the journey shorter, +and he asked the Indians if they did not know some short cut. One +of them responded that he did; the father asked him to guide them, +and they all followed him. This was in an evil hour, for the short +cut did nothing but to increase their labor, as it took them out of +their way. The journey occupied nine days, over mountains and across +valleys, and through rivers, streams, and marshes, which they came +upon at every step--for the guide did not know where he was going, and +yet they were obliged to follow him. The provision which they carried +was but for a few days, since they did not expect so long a journey, +and they carried it all on their own shoulders that they might not +burden the Indians. Since the journey took twice as long as they had +expected, they became very hungry, and thus suffered much, hunger being +added to exhaustion. The sky was not kind to them on their journey, +for it rained constantly on all these days and they had no protection; +and the ground was as cruel, for the thickets abounded with leeches +who attached themselves to the faces, the hands, and the feet of +the travelers, and drew blood like a physician's blood-letting. The +Indians were not distressed by any of these things, or by the necessity +of carrying the fathers on their shoulders across rivers or very bad +places in the road, which shows the pleasure and affection with which +they were taking the religious to their country. The fathers endured +this no less well, being certain that they were not putting into a +torn sack what they suffered for God. + +They derived some relief from their sufferings from one happy +circumstance provided them by God, who seemed to have designed all +these wanderings. This was that in the midst of these wildernesses they +found a tiny village of Christian Indians; for this jurisdiction was +under the charge of other ministers, but was very little visited +by them, since it was at so great a distance and over so rough +a road. They baptized two children, and heard the confessions of +some adults--among them that of a woman who had not confessed for +some years, having no one to confess to. Though she seemed well +and healthy, she died that same day. This was a marked token of +her predestination. They finally reached the principal village of +the province, which is called Ytui, and takes its name from the +village. The Indians received them with great demonstrations of joy, +after their manner; and they remained there for eight days resting, +and receiving visits from all the villages in the province, who sent +ambassadors to bid them welcome with some presents of the fruits +of the country. They set out afterwards to visit all the villages +in it. Great and small, they visited eleven, that they might become +acquainted with the temper of the Indians. In all they were received +with the same tokens of pleasure. From what they saw and learned from +the Indians, they had much to say in their report of the excellence of +the country. They said that it was cool, so that by day the sun's heat +was pleasant at times, and a covering was agreeable at night. This +is something new in these islands, which have the fault of being +very hot. They reported that the country was so fertile that when +Indians desired to plant their rice they only burn over a part of +the mountain [51] and, without any further plowing or digging, they +make holes with a stick in the soil, and drop some grains of rice in +them. This was their manner of sowing; and, after covering the rice +with the same earth, they obtained very heavy crops. They said that +some good fruits grew there, and that in their opinion that country +would yield all the fruits of Spain, if the seeds of the latter were +planted. There were, they affirmed, pleasant valleys with quiet rivers +and streams in them from which the natives obtain some gold, and that +the Indians are wont to wear golden earrings. They are not acquainted +with silver, and do not care for it. They have no sort of money, so +that all their sales and purchases are carried on by barter. They +keep their villages very clean and in good condition--a new thing +among the Indians. They also remarked that there was great fraternity +between different villages. This is something even more unusual, +for generally these nations live after the law of "Might makes right" +[viva quien vence], at the expense of their heads. Hence these Indians +walk alone over their roads without fear of being injured or robbed, +for they are very safe in this respect--so much so that they leave +the rice which they gather, each one in his own field, heaped up in +the spike and covered with straw. They go there and carry what they +want to their houses, to grind and eat, without fearing that anyone +will take what is not his. They readily offered all their infants to +the fathers to be baptized, so that within about three months, during +which the religious went about visiting the villages, they baptized +some four hundred. It would have been the same with the adults, if +it had not been necessary to prepare them with the catechism. The +fathers have been slow in this, because they have been obliged to +translate the prayers into the native language, of which they have +not a good command. They are spending their time in learning it, +and on this account and no other are delayed in beginning baptism. In +order that so few ministers may be able to teach the Indians, it is +necessary to bring them together into a smaller number of villages, +conveniently arranged so that the people may be visited and helped in +their necessities. Since the country is very mountainous, the fathers +have determined to bring and gather them in large settlements, at +sites convenient for their fields, near a river which rises in this +country, and which, increased by others, grows to be a very large +stream, crossing the whole of Nueva Segovia to the ocean. [52] This +river, on account of its fish (upon which most of the Indians live), +is also of great value to them. This is the only point as to which +they are somewhat obstinate, because they are greatly grieved to +leave their ancient abode. However, most of them have accepted it, +and it is hoped that the rest will come, and in this way in a short +time much will be gained by the aid of the Lord. Through the mountains +next to this province, which are many and very rough, there wander +a tribe of Indians known as Alegueses, a vagabond people having no +settled places of abode. Father Fray Thomas sent word to them by an +Indian chief of Ytuy that if they wished to come and settle one of +the new sites which he indicated, he would receive them there as sons, +and do them all the good he could. They answered in the affirmative, +and he waited for them for some time; but before they came the holy man +finished his days, full of years and of heroic works, as will soon be +seen. This is the work which these apostolic men of God accomplished +in only three months, as appears from the aforesaid report. They +conclude their report with another case similar to that referred to +above, of the woman who died so soon after she had confessed. In the +goings-out and comings-in of the fathers among the Indians that they +might become acquainted with them, they found in one village, called +Palar, a very aged Indian woman who was dying. She had eaten nothing +for five days. Father Fray Thomas went to see her, and began to talk +with her of becoming a Christian for the salvation of her soul. He +expounded to her briefly what she had to believe, and called upon +her to repent of her sins. She answered as well as might be desired, +and he accordingly baptized her on that day, which was the last day +of her earthly life and the first day of her Christian one. It was +a happy day, so far as can be judged; for, being newly baptized, +she had merely to be recorded in purgatory. Not only in these new +provinces where the dawn of the gospel's light now begins to shine do +extraordinary cases happen like those which have been mentioned, to the +great glory of God and the joy of his ministers; but they also occur +in many others where the dawn has risen high but has not yet bathed +all the horizon, though it is covering it, little by little. From the +province of Nueva Segovia father Fray Geronimo de Zamora, [53] a native +of the city of Zaragoça, wrote me a letter dated February 25, 1633. In +it are these words: "Before Lent I went up the river of Mandayas" +(this is the name of a part of that province), "to try to teach many +Indians who were without Christian instruction in heathen darkness, +but who paid tribute to the king our lord as his vassals, without even +being sons of the Church. I asked them if I might visit them, and they +received my request kindly and asked that I or some other father should +remain among them. In token of the heartiness of their wish, they gave +me, as a sort of hostages, ten sons of their chiefs to be baptized; +and after having sufficiently instructed them, I baptized them, to +the great joy and delight of my soul. I hope in God that in this way +thousands of them may be redeemed from the power of the devil, for +there is no one who will declare that they are not his." He afterward +asked aid from his neighbors to draw the net which was laden with so +many fish as are promised by the casts already made there. Many are +needed, but we may say here, "Where are those good men?" + +It is not to be understood that only these new events are the good +ones, or that among Christians who have been so for some time there +are but few occurrences to rouse joy. This is not the case, for there +are so many which have occurred among these latter that a very large +book might be made of the account of them, if it were necessary to +report what has happened hitherto, and what happens every day anew, +to the holy old ministers of the gospel who have been and are among +them, whose beards have grown, and whose hair has become white among +the Indians. They are good witnesses to this truth, and to the growth +that the Spirit is wont to cause in these clods of earth. As for those +who grow weary quickly and leave the ministry, there is no necessity to +say anything. It is certain that among those who have been Christians +steadily for years there are fewer dangers; yet the care of them is of +no less merit, and consequently the reward will be no less, since, as +King David has well said (I Kings, xxx), Aequa pars erit descendentis +ad praelium et remanentis ad sarcinas, et similiter divident. [54] + +Here in Manila the order has under its care a hospital for the Chinese, +in which the sick of that nation are cared for. The province may +place this at the head of its possessions, since there is scarcely +a day in which some soul or souls of newly baptized do not pass to +heaven. Very few are they who die without baptism, and very many are +they who give their souls to God before the baptismal waters are dry on +their heads. This is accomplished with so little effort on the part of +the minister that it calls upon him only to make a little effort, and +to go from his cell to the infirmary. I do not know whether there is +any other hospital in Christendom of the character of this hospital, +its principal end being the cure of souls, while for the cure of +bodies it has its physician, its medicines, and everything needed +within its gates, besides the food and the dainties called for by +the palates of the sick. The effects of the divine predestination +which are beheld in it are so many that they are almost ordinary, +and are therefore not mentioned. + +[In Japon the persecution was increasing in fierceness, and very +few letters were received. One of these, from father Fray Domingo +de Erquicia, gives an account of the death of the emperor and the +succession of his son, who was even more cruel than the father. [55] +He tells of the deaths over a slow fire of a father of the order +of the calced Augustinians, and of two discalced; of a Japanese +Franciscan priest of the tertiary order, and of a Franciscan brother; +and of a Japanese father of the Society of Jesus--the remains of all +being burned, and the ashes cast into the sea. On another occasion +two Augustinian Recollects were burned. Two Franciscan fathers were +captured, while two Dominicans were hidden in caves or cisterns, +and did not see the sun or the moon for many days. From a Dominican +at Macao, Fray Antonio del Rosario, testimony was received as to the +great achievements of father Fray Domingo Erquicia.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLIV + +The life and death of father Fray Thomas Gutierrez, vicar provincial +of the province of Ytuy + + +[Father Fray Thomas Gutierrez was a native of the city of Origuela +in the kingdom of Valencia; and he assumed the habit in the convent +and college of the order there. When the opportunity offered he went +to the province of Sant Hipolito de Oaxaca in Nueva España. Here he +learned the language of the Mistecs, whose minister he was for some +years. Coming to the Philippinas, he was assigned to the province of +Pangasinan, where in a few months he learned the language so well that +he surpassed many of the very natives. He rebuked the vices of the +Indians with such efficacy that they called him "Thunder," because +he frightened them like the thunder, which they greatly fear. He +was a rigid observer of the rules of the province and was notable +for his modesty. He went courageously among the savage Indians, who +often attack those who are traveling along the paths--not for their +purses, but for their heads, he who cuts off the greatest number +being the most highly esteemed among them.] On one occasion he came +to a village of these Indians called Managuag. While he was there, +more than four hundred of these Zambales, as they are called, appeared +in the village, with their bows, arrows, lances, and daggers such as +they use--which are so keen that in a single instant they strike a +head to the earth. They came into the unsuspecting village with such +a noise and shout that the poor inhabitants, being unarmed, almost +died of fear. Some fled to the mountains, and some sixty Christian +Indians took refuge in the house of a chief. When they saw that they +were lost, having no weapons nor any means to defend themselves, +they put themselves in the hands of God, and decided to make use of +prayers in place of weapons; so they fell on their knees, and began in +a loud voice to pray in their language. The Zambales, hearing them, +surrounded the house and undertook to go up to it. Without knowing +what held them back, they were several times obliged to retreat when +they were half-way there. They finally set fire to it, though against +their will, for they thought much of being able to take with them the +heads of its inmates. It was burned to the ground in a few moments, +with those who were within. Although God did not deliver them from the +fire, He showed by a miracle that He had delivered them from the fires +of hell, and perhaps from the fires of purgatory, exchanging those +for this fire; for they were all found dead in a circle, untouched +by the fire, and on their knees, with their elbows on the ground and +their heads on their hands. Most of them took refuge in the church +under the protection of the father and of God. These availed them; +and the father, without attempting to close doors or windows, took +in his hands a Christ that was on the altar, from whom he and the +people (who were about him) all begged for mercy, which the Father +of Mercies granted them. It was a marvelous thing that though the +cemetery in front of the church had a wall the height of which was +only from a few palmos up to two varas, the enemy were unable to cross +it; and one of them, who leaped over it, was struck dead by a stray +arrow. The roof of the church and the convent was of nipa, which is +like so much dry straw to the fire. Upon it fell many brands and more +than fifty burning arrows, none of which kindled it, though it was +so inflammable. God, choosing to show who it was that defended this +place, by the prayers of His servant Fray Thomas, permitted an Indian +who was with him in the church, and who thought he was not safe there, +to go out, thinking that he might escape by running. The enemy caught +him and cut off his head in an instant. Not an arrow touched even the +clothes of one of those who remained with the father, though these +fell as thick as grass, and though many arrows passed among them, +for they came in at the doors and windows of the church like showers +of rain. Finally the enemy, frightened--although, being barbarians, +they could not understand--when they saw that the fire would not catch, +though there was nothing to prevent it, and that their arms would not +injure these people, though disarmed, retreated with some heads (the +spoils which they most desire) and with some captives. The father, +when the disturbance was over, immediately set about burying the +dead and putting the village in a situation to defend itself from +any other similar attack. + +On a mountain chain near two villages, one of which is one of the +most important in the province of Pangasinan, which are called +Binalatongan and Balanguey, there were some unpacified Indians so +savage and barbarous that they knew no occupation but cutting off +heads. They were even more cruel than the ones just referred to, +and came down into the valleys, to the fields of the peaceful Indians +and to the roads, to hunt the latter like so many deer. Father Fray +Thomas was much grieved by this, and did not know what to do to +prevent it. To keep them back by arms he had not the strength; and, +as for arguments, these were not people who would accept them. He +therefore made use of a means which the event showed to have been +revealed to him from above, because according to carnal reason it +seemed to be very contrary to the rules of prudence. He directed two +Christian Indians to go up the mountains to the settlements of their +enemies, totally unarmed, and to carry to them a certain message from +him. They went, for the Indians did not know how to refuse to do what +the father directed them; but they went as if they were going to the +slaughter. When they came to the place, they made signs of peace; +but the barbarians, who knew no more about peace than about theology, +were on the point of killing them without listening to them. But one +of the savages themselves diverted them from this purpose by saying +that they would better listen to them first; that there would be time +to kill them afterwards, because they could not escape. They called +our Indians, and asked them what they wished; and they answered that +they were bringing a message from father Fray Thomas their father; +this was, that he begged them earnestly to do no more harm to these +Indians their neighbors, who were to him as sons. He desired them to +come down and settle in the plains wherever they pleased, promising +that he would regard them likewise as his sons, and would show them +great kindness. They were not acquainted with the father, and did +not know his name; and some of them were of the opinion that they had +better slay the simple ambassadors. Others, contrary to their usual +practice, defended the latter, treated them well, and showed them +hospitality. Among those who were thus kind to them were two chiefs, +of whom one--who was, as it were, the leader of all--was named Duayen; +the other was named Buaya. Their hearts, which were harder than the +hearts of tigers, God softened without any other application than +that which has been described. They sent back his ambassadors to the +father with an escort to defend them in dangerous places, and to take +them safe to his presence; and by them they sent the answer that they +were very ready to do with a good will what he commanded them, and +that they would come down to the plain and settle in three places, +so situated that the father might visit and teach them. They did not +delay in carrying out their promise. They built their villages, and +in them churches and dwellings for the father. In one of the churches +were baptized immediately a son and two daughters of Duayen, together +with many other children, twenty of them boys. Thus was sown the seed +of the gospel, which has grown luxuriantly, at no further cost than +has been recounted. Father Fray Thomas was indefatigable in striving +for the good of souls. For the benefit of souls he made journeys of +twelve leguas on foot, over very bad roads and in the heat of the +sun. He sometimes went among warlike Indians who cut off the heads of +others, while he and those who went with him saved theirs. It seemed +to his companion, when he took one, that even though the companion was +weak, a contagion of strength went out from the father, so that his +associate was able to follow him, and they both went on long journeys +without being much exhausted. Father Fray Thomas was not grieved +that the direction of his superior occupied him in different posts, +and called him from one place which was already cultivated well to +another which was not so, but very ill--an effect which might have +resulted from various causes. In the province of Ylocos--which is +next to that of Pangasinan, and between it and that of Nueva Segovia, +all of them being in this island of Luçon--there is a large village +called Nalbacan, the instruction of which was entrusted to secular +clergy. As they were quickly changed, one after the other, and as some +of them did not know the language of the natives, the village was in +great lack of religious instruction. The bishop of these provinces, +Don Diego de Soria, determined to give this village to the order, +that it might minister to it. The father provincial who held that +office at the time, charged father Fray Thomas with this duty. He set +out there immediately, and began on the way to learn something of the +language of the country, of which he had already a vocabulary and a +grammar. Though it is different from that of Pangasinan, he preached +in it at the end of twenty days after he arrived there, and before +the bishop and other priests who were there, and before the natives, +to the wonder of all. He began to fill his office so acceptably to the +Indians that some came from the most remote parts of the province to +confess to him and to receive his counsels. He was given the name of +"the holy father," and, whenever they spoke of him, they used this +name. As this is the appellation of the supreme pontiff of the church, +whom the Indians had never seen, and still less had any dealings with +him, those who were not acquainted with the secret were surprised +to hear them speak until they came to understand it. Father Fray +Thomas remained here a year, and his teaching and example were easily +perceived in the improvement of the Indians and of those who were +under his direction. All this province of the Indians is under the +care of Augustinian fathers, who have in it many places where they +give Christian instruction. They accordingly claimed this of Nalbacan, +which was the only place outside of their jurisdiction. The order was +very willing to yield it, and in exchange for it the Augustinians +gave to our order another, which they had among our ministries in +Pangasinan; and thus each order remained with its province complete, +with its own tribe and language. When the Augustinian fathers came +to take possession of the house of father Fray Thomas, as they did +somewhat in advance of the time, he departed with nothing but his +cloak, his hat, his breviary, and his staff, setting out for the +province of Nueva Segovia, which was very near, to wait for the +order of his superior, and to be disposed of as he pleased. Desiring +not to be idle in the interim, for he did not wish to be idle a +single hour--and if he did not know the language he would have to +be idle many hours--he learned the language of that country with the +facility which God had given him. He was aided by the fact that the +languages of these three provinces of Indians are somewhat alike, +and resemble each other in their idioms and in their syntax--which +does not seem to have been invented by a barbarous people, but by a +race of intelligence and keenness of mind. He remained but a short +time in this province, being sent by the order of his superior to +his former province of Pangasinan, whose language he understood as +if it were his mother-tongue. In this language he wrote many books +of devotion, sermons, and treatises, which he distributed while +he was alive among the fathers who were ministers to that people; +and he left others behind him at his death, as his estate, for he +had no other estate except instruments of penance. From these long +journeys on foot, through these rough and hot regions, a sickness +resulted in Pangasinan which threatened to be the last of his life, +and obliged him to give up the ministry to the Indians, much against +his will. He suffered from this very much more than from the pain +of the illness; but what he could not gain in this life he laid up +for the other by his admirable patience and fortitude. Finally God +restored his health, without medicines or comforts, for which there +is little provision here; and there was less then, because things +were nearer the beginning, when everything was barrenness and extreme +poverty. With all these merits, he still lacked one thing to fill up +the measure of his deserts. The common enemy of souls guessed this, +and once appeared to him, while he was reading a book of devotion, +in a hideous and shocking form; and although the father made the +sign of the cross, the enemy did not flee so quickly but that he +had time to say that, if it were not for the stones on the father's +neck, he would be revenged upon him. This was the rosary, which the +father took off neither by night nor by day, that he might be at +all hours armed against him who may attack at any hour, and will do +so whenever he is permitted. His zeal for souls increased with age, +contrary to what often happens; for with the old age of the body, +the weakening of the strength, and the increase of infirmity, old +age often attacks the spirit--as St. Paul says (Hebrews, viii), +Quod antiquatur et senescit prope interitum est [56]--which is as +true of the spirit as of the body. When the father had reached the +age of seventy years, he implored father Fray Francisco de Herrera, +who was provincial at the time, to send him to Japon on the occasion +when the large mission thither was planned which, afterward, God did +not see fit to permit to be carried out. I think that this was not +the first time that he proffered this request to his superiors. In +proportion to the dangers and hardships promised by this mission, +of which father Fray Thomas was not ignorant, was his earnestness +in the desire to be a member of it. This is a proof of his vigorous +spirit in venerable old age. His urgent request was not admitted, on +the ground of his age; but he did not lose the merit of it, since he +made it without any hypocrisy. God preserved him for another mission +(that described in the previous chapter), which he undertook in the +province of Ytui. He had made a beginning there in former years, but +had not carried it on because of the obstacle there mentioned. He had +now come to three years beyond seventy, and undertook the difficult +expedition already described with as much spirit and energy as if +he had only half his years. Yet he was much bowed with infirmities, +as well as with age; and between them he seemed, as he walked, +to be dragging along his body and his bowels. The words which the +church sings of the holy old Simeon are not inappropriate, Senex +puerum portabat; puer autem senem regebat. [57] This same God whose +name he, as His vassal, desired to carry to all regions, directed +him and strengthened him, so that he undertook enterprises so far +beyond the strength of one bowed with years and infirmities. In this +period of his life he began to learn the language of this province, +accomplishing his purpose in three months, and beginning to preach +to the natives in it. He went to attend them in their spiritual needs +whenever they summoned him, however far away he was, without heeding +rain, or sun, or difficult roads. Though very compassionate to all, +he was rigorous to himself alone, and that throughout his life. Every +night he took a rigorous discipline; and never after he entered the +order did he eat meat, except in case of grave necessity. He did not +complain of his food when it was scanty or ill prepared, in sickness +or in health. To the fasts of the order he added others. After the +festival of the Resurrection he added another Lent up to Whitsunday, +and another afterwards to the day of our father St. Dominic, so that +the whole year was to him fasting and Lent. On Wednesdays, Fridays, +and Saturdays throughout the year, and on the eves of the festivals +of Christ our Lord, of the Virgin his most holy Mother, and of our +father St. Dominic, and of the saints of the order, he fasted on +bread and water. As a result he possessed that which follows such +fasting--a heroic degree of chastity. Finally the last illness of +his life came upon him, being occasioned by a fall from a precipice, +while he was in the work of his ministry. During the whole time of +his illness, his companion could not persuade him to accept a sheet +of very coarse cotton, or to permit his bed to be changed. On the bed +which he had in health, which was a frame of cane-work covered with +a patched blanket, he desired to await the hour of his death. Before +his death he made a general confession, covering his whole life from +the time before he reached years of discretion. Though his confession +covered so many years, it lasted about a quarter of an hour. After +he had most devoutly received the other sacraments, he died in the +Lord, March 30, 1633. The following provincial chapter, in giving +notice to the province of his happy death, said: "In the province of +Ytui father Fray Thomas Gutierrez ended his days, an aged priest and +father, most observant of the rules of the order, severe to himself +and most gentle to others. He labored in this province for the good +of souls for the space of five and thirty years, with such devotion +that the very Indians, by whom he was most beloved, held and regarded +him as pious and a saint. This aroused the ill-will of the devil, +who appeared to him while he was at prayer; and the wicked enemy was +able to arouse in him great fear and terror, but not to harm him, +because he found him protected with the impregnable rosary of the +Virgin. Of him we have the pious faith that, full of years and of +virtue, he has flown to heaven." + + + + + +CHAPTER XLV + +The election as provincial of father Fray Domingo Gonçalez, and the +state of the province + + +On the sixteenth of April in this year 1633, the fathers of the +province assembled in Manila to elect a superior. Their minds were in +such agreement that without difficulty they unanimously elected, on the +first ballot, father Fray Domingo Gonçalez, prior of the same convent, +not one vote being lacking for the election but his own. He was very +acceptable to the estates, both secular and ecclesiastical, of this +region, as have been all of the other provincials; since the electors +have always exhibited great zeal for the good of the order, and have +made their choice without considering personal predilections. In +general, the election has not previously been discussed, so that +the provincial is elected before anyone suspects who he is. Often a +person is elected with regard to whom no one imagined any such thing, +so that the city is not a little edified. He who was elected at that +time was in España a student at the college of San Gregorio, where +he was for many years a teacher of theology. After filling all the +offices of the order, he became commissary of the Holy Office in these +islands--as he still is, with which we must bring to an end all that +may be said with regard to him. + +The provincial and the definitors found nothing to occupy themselves +with in the reformation of the province. Advice was received of a +new ordinance of the chapter-general held in Roma in 1629, in which +permission is given to the provinces to discontinue the intermediate +chapter as being the source of much expense and trouble to all +the order--and, in this province, of much interference with the +systematic instruction of the Indians in our charge, many of whom +are entirely without ministers during the whole time spent in coming +to these intermediate chapters. In their place were very prudently +substituted the councils, which, being reduced to a much smaller +number of religious, the picked men of the province, are almost +as useful and much less expensive, and are not followed by the bad +results spoken of. This permission was accepted, and the precedent +has since been followed. + +In this year the order was extended so far throughout these kingdoms +that it had never before reached such limits. Although the number of +the religious of this province is very small, they have taken up a +jurisdiction so extended and so large that, even though many hundreds +and even thousands of companions were to come to their aid, they +would have enough to provide all these with labor, without needing to +seek for or even to accept anything else, all of them being occupied +with that which has already been acquired and gained. For the lack +of ministers, the Indians are still untaught, and remain in their +heathen state; while if they had ministers they would embrace and +follow the law of God, as those have admitted and professed it who +by the favor of heaven have been able to obtain ministers. + +[The persecution in Japon was still increasing in intensity and +cruelty. The authorities of Japon now offered a reward of a thousand +taes (which amount to almost as many ducados of Castilla) to anyone +who would reveal the place of hiding of a minister, in addition to full +pardon for all offenses previously committed. Besides this, a new and +dreadful method of execution was devised for the Christians, inasmuch +as their crime was regarded as so vile that the ordinary methods of +execution--decapitation, or burning alive over a slow fire--should +not be used as a punishment for them. The condemned Christians were +hung, head downward, in a pit, in such a manner that they could not +move their bodies, and that the blood ran out of their mouths, noses, +eyes, and ears until they bled to death in horrible torment. [58] In +this way father Fray Domingo de Erquicia was martyred. Father Fray +Jacobo de Sancta Maria, [59] a Japanese by nation, who had assumed +the habit in our convent of Manila, August 15, 1624, was martyred in +this year. He had returned to Japon in 1632. He went by way of the +islands of the Lequios; and the champan in which he traveled with some +Japanese fathers of the Society encountered storms, and was cast upon +the shores of Coria. The sufferings of this voyage were such that his +hair turned gray. At the end of five months he reached Satzuma, where +he labored for about three months. His father, who was a Christian, +was tortured by water until he revealed the place where his son was +hidden; and on the seventeenth of August father Fray Jacobo died, +after three days of torture, by the method of hanging described. In +this year two preachers of our order made their way to Japon. One was +the glorious martyr, father Fray Jacobo; the other was a Sicilian, +a very thorough master of the Chinese language, who was called Fray +Jordan de San Estevan. He had assumed the habit in Sicilia, after +having studied arts and theology in Aragon and Castilla. He barely +escaped capture immediately on his arrival; and the whole crew of +Chinese who had been hired to bring him were executed for the crime +of bringing a priest into the kingdom. + +In this year, thirty-three, the cruel old emperor died; and in the +commotions which followed it seemed as if all parties turned their +hands against the Christians. Many other martyrs of other orders +were executed at this time. Among them were Father Manuel Borges, +of the Society of Jesus; fathers Fray Melchor and Fray Martin, +Augustinian Recollects--Spaniards, who were caught before they learned +the language; father Fray Jacobo Antoni, a Roman, of the Society of +Jesus; fathers Fray Benito Fernandez (a Portuguese) and Fray Francisco +de Gracia, of the Order of St. Augustine; and a Japanese father of +the Society named Pablo Saito, who had accompanied father Fray Jacobo +from Manila. In this year father Fray Thomas de San Jacintho reported +that thirteen religious were captured in Nangasaqui, besides two of +the Order of St. Francis who were prisoners in Usaca. Besides these, +there were Fathers Antonio de Sousa and Juan Mateos, and Father +Christoval Ferreyra, all Portuguese Jesuits; father Fray Lucas del +Espiritu Sancto, a father of our order; besides many Japanese, both +lay and religious. + +Father Fray Lucas del Espiritu Sancto was a son of the convent of +Sancto Domingo at Benavente. An account is given of his labors in the +chapter dealing with the year thirty-one. From his prison he wrote +an account of his labors and travels in Japon, in which he told how +he had gone through the most distant parts of the empire from east +to west. Most of these fathers and many of their companions were +tortured while in prison, and father Fray Lucas wrote a long letter +describing their imprisonment and torture. In this letter he makes the +following statement: that if he should die on the day of St. Luke, +he would be exactly thirty-nine years of age; that he assumed the +habit in 1610 in the convent of Sancto Domingo at Benabente, whence +he went to study at Trianos and hence to Valladolid, coming to the +Philippinas in 1617, and being assigned to duty in Nueva Segovia. He +reached Japon in 1623. His letter is dated October 16, 1633, and +two days later he was put to the torture of the hanging described, +being respited for a time and afterward executed.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLVI + +The holy Fray Jacintho de Esquivel or De el Rosario, martyred on the +way to Japon; and his holy life. + + +[To the six or seven holy martyrs of our sacred order--Fray Domingo +de Erquicia, [60] Fray Lucas del Espiritu Sancto, Fray Jacobo +de Santa Maria, and three or four lay brothers, should be added +another who, though he did not die in Japon, died on the journey +thither, at the hands of traitorous heathen. This was father Fray +Jacintho de Esquivel. He was a Basque by nation, noble in lineage +and nobler in virtue. He assumed the habit in the convent of San +Domingo of the city of Victoria. While he was a novice I happened, +in returning from the chapter-general in Paris in 1611, where I was +definitor for this province, to rest in his convent for a week; and +at that time he conceived the desire to come to this province. He +was sent to the famous college of San Gregorio at Valladolid, and +distinguished himself in his studies, becoming a teacher of arts when +still very young. In Manila he was appointed as lecturer in theology +in the college of Sancto Thomas; and in this position he did not +take advantage of the dispensations allowed, but rigorously observed +the severe rules of the province. While he was teaching theology he +studied the Japanese language, under the teaching of father Fray +Jacobo de Sancta Maria. With his aid he printed, at the expense +of the college, a Japanese-Spanish vocabulary--a large book, which +required very great resolution and labor. As a result of abstinence, +he had lost the sense of taste. He dressed poorly and roughly, and +his modesty and chastity were such that he once said that he had +never looked a woman in the face. In order to make his way to Japon +he went to the island of Hermosa. On the very night of the arrival of +father Fray Jacintho occurred a heavy storm, which overthrew a small +convent of ours with its church, which had been erected in the Parian +of the Chinese. The other fathers attributed this to the wrath of +the devil because of the coming of the father; but he rejoiced that +materials were provided for building a church in Taparri, for which +the ruins of these buildings might be used. This village of Taparri +was populated by the worst tribe in the whole island; for they were +all pirates, who committed as much robbery and murder on the sea as +they could. It was less than a legua from the presidio of San Salvador, +and strict orders had been issued that no one should go there without +permission, and that those who went should always go in company and +armed. The father asked permission to go and build a church in that +village, where he soon learned a few of the words. When the Indians +asked him where his wife and sons and land were, he answered that +the religious had none, to which they replied that he was a great +liar. At another time, when he told them of the resurrection of the +dead, they called him mad. Afterward, when they came to have a great +deal of affection for him and offered him several marriages, and saw +that he would not accept them, or even admit a woman into his house, +they began to believe in him. He afterward set about building a church +in another village on the same coast, nearer the presidio, and named +Camaurri. He established peace between the two villages though they +had always been enemies before. He was afterward sent to Tanchuy. He +lived a life of great mortification, and labored strenuously to learn +the language of this country. In a few months he succeeded, and made +a grammar and a very copious vocabulary. Being sent back from Tangchuy +to Sant Salvador, he obeyed most readily, and his labors were attended +with great results. He exposed himself to dangers by sea and by land, +and preached to Spaniards as well as to Indians. He established in the +island of Hermosa the holy Confraternity of La Misericordia. The good +cavalier Don Juan de Alcaraso gave four thousand pesos for the purpose; +and father Fray Jacintho gave two thousand, which he had received in +alms. He also established a school for the bright Chinese and Japanese +children, and those of other nations in that country, where they might +be taught the matters of our faith, and where those who are capable of +them might learn Latin, the liberal arts, and theology. He hoped thus +to train up children who might carry the faith into China and Japon. He +finally embarked for Japon in a Chinese vessel, with a Franciscan; +and after they had been at sea for a few days the Chinese, unwilling +to wait and put them ashore in Japon, killed them and took their +noses and ears to the judges in Nangasaqui, who paid them liberally.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLVII + +The martyrdom of the holy friar Fray Francisco de Sancto Domingo in +the island of Hermosa, and the death of the venerable father Fray +Angel de San Antonino in Great China. + + +[In the course of time arose a persecution of the Christians in the +island of Hermosa. An Indian chief in Tanchuy excited some villages to +rebel, and to kill some Spaniards from an ambush. They first employed +their weapons upon the holy martyr Fray Francisco de Sancto Domingo, +who had never done them anything but kindness, and who had just rescued +from prison the man who excited all the others. This man had been +placed there because his evil purposes had been detected. Father Fray +Francisco was a native of Portugal, and a son of the convent of Zamora +in the province of España, whence he went in 1615 to study theology in +the royal convent of Sancto Thomas at Avila. He came in my company on +the second expedition which I made with religious from España to this +country. He was assigned to duty in Nueva Segovia, where he learned +the language of the natives, and labored gloriously among them for +some years. He was a lean man but had very good health and great +strength. He was taken by the father provincial, Fray Bartholome +Martinez, as his companion, and the conversion of the island of +Hermosa was begun. He suffered from headache, in addition to which he +subjected himself to the most severe penances. He was most kindly and +charitable, especially to the Indians. When the Indians attacked him, +he sank on his knees before them; and they shot at least fifty arrows +into his body. The Indians cut off his head, leaving the tongue and +lower jaw on the body; and with the head and the right hand they went +to the mountains, to celebrate the festival of head-cutting. On the +way the head wept miraculously, and there was a dreadful earthquake, +so that the Indians in alarm cast the head into the river. The holy +martyr died January 27, 1633, the Lord working miracles upon his body +after his death. + +In this same year, there died in Great China father Fray Angel de San +Antonio, who before coming to this province used his family name, which +was Quoqui (or Cocci). He was of noble Florentine descent. Some mention +of his virtues has been already made, when I spoke of the entrance of +our order into the kingdom of China. By the assistance of miracles, he +succeeded in carrying out the great desire of the province to preach +the gospel in that most populous and wealthy country, the people of +which have so much intelligence and such fine natural gifts. He was +minister to the Indians of Bataan, whose language he understood; but by +the direction of his superiors he undertook the study of the Chinese +language, and, in spite of its difficulty, he obeyed with alacrity +and promptness. Before he had thoroughly mastered this language he +was sent to Hermosa, from which the governor, Don Juan de Alcaraso, +sent him on an embassy to the viceroy of Ucheo. The treachery of the +Chinese on the way has already been described; and an account has +been given of the events which occurred in China. In the year in which +the order sent him a companion (1633), he was taken sick, and died.] + + + + + +CHAPTER XLVIII + +The beginning of the conversion of the Mandayas, mountaineers of +Nueva Segovia + + +Although the conversions of the kingdoms of Japon and China turns +thither much [missionary] effort [61] in España, since these kingdoms +are so magnificent, and summons many noble spirits, that is not the +only conversion; nor ought the others to be despised where the Lord +more quietly (and perhaps in a humbler way) works marvelous effects +among the heathen who are converted--and also among the ministers, +who profit greatly by so noble a work. Many examples of this have +been written in this history, which are confirmed by the events of +this year among the Indians called Mandayas, who inhabit some remote +and craggy mountains in the province of Nueva Segovia. Though this +island of Luçon is the first which received the faith in these regions, +having done so at the time when the Spaniards invaded it, there are +still many regions in it where for lack of ministers the faith has not +been preached, and where the inhabitants have never heard more of the +gospel than if Christians had never come hither. This is true not only +of a village here and there, but of whole provinces, each inhabited +by its own race and each possessing its own language, though they +are all within this great island. Such were these Mandayas Indians, +the conversion of whom was begun in this year by father Fray Geronimo +de Zamora, a native of Zaragoça, a son of the most religious province +of Aragon--from whose report, and from that of two other fathers who +for some time accompanied him, the following facts are drawn. In the +provincial chapter of the year 1631 obedience sent this father as +superior to the villages of Fotol and Capinatan, which are in Nueva +Segovia near the aforesaid mountains. He had great joy in going there, +for he immediately entertained great hopes of the conversion of these +Mandaya tribes. They were as completely given over to their errors +as if there had never been a preacher of the faith in this country, +for they lived in mountains which were very rugged, although they +were near the villages above mentioned. When father Fray Geronimo +came thither and saw that these heathen sometimes came down for trade +with the villages, he began to show them kindness, and to give them +some trifles that they thought much of, until at last he secured +their good will. For the time he did not speak of anything else, for +they were not inclined to matters of the faith, much less to accept +ministers who would interfere with the vices in which they lived and +had been brought up. In this way a year passed, and at the beginning +of the next year, seeing that they were more kindly disposed to him, +it seemed to him that he could trust them; and he determined to go up +to their villages. He was confident that even though they would not +admit him as a teacher and preacher, they would receive him kindly as +their friend and benefactor, who was not coming to take or to ask for +what they possessed, but merely to provide them with a good which they +were without. That he might not make a mistake by following his own +opinion, he consulted first with the father vicar-provincial of that +region and some grave fathers of it; and after they had conferred, +and discussed the case, they resolved that father Fray Geronimo should +make the journey, while the others should pray to the Lord for a good +result. Hereupon he most courageously went up into the mountains, +about the end of January, taking with him some Indians whom he could +trust and who were of good intelligence--acquaintances and friends of +the Mandayas. It took him a day and a half of most laborious traveling +to reach their first village, for they had to row up stream against +the current, which is always strong and in some places terrible. The +river runs between high mountains on both sides and in the middle of +the stream there are great rocks, which make it very dangerous to go +up--and still more so to go down, because the rapid current carries +the boat against the rocks. They received him with great pleasure, +and lodged him in one of their best houses, though it was built of +thatch, after the custom of the country. Next to it the father had +a building erected where he could say mass; and he sent round to the +chiefs of the other villages to ask them to come to that one, and there +he waited for them. They did so readily, because of their good will +toward him; and, when they were all together, the father--standing in +the midst of them in an open place, like St. Paul in Athens--expounded +to them the mysteries of our faith, demolishing the delusions of their +errors and the teaching of the devil, the Father of Lies, and saying +much that was suitable for both purposes. To this they listened with +attention, although the doctrine was new to their ears. God enlightened +them within, and hence they did not answer as the Athenians did to +St. Paul--some making a jest of it, and others saying that they would +hear him another time as to this matter, while there were few that +believed; but here all said at once that they believed what they were +taught, and wished to receive this holy law, placing themselves in +his hands to be disposed of as he thought best. Great was the joy +which father Fray Geronimo felt at this answer, which was beyond +his hopes; and he gave many thanks to the Lord, seeing that it was +he who had accomplished the matter so well, so quickly, and with so +little effort, though it was a great matter. He also thanked them, +and confirmed them as much as he could in their good purpose; and +he asked them as a proof of the validity of the promise which they +had given him, to grant him, as sureties that they would not retract +it, their infant sons in baptism. Without hesitation ten of their +chiefs on the following day brought ten infants, their sons, whom +father Fray Geronimo immediately baptized, offering them to God as +the first-fruits of this new conversion. As a token that in the name +of Christ our Lord and of his most holy Mother he assumed possession +thereof, he said mass, and assigned to the village as their patron +the Virgin of the Pillar of Zaragoça. [62] It was surely a prudent +thought to fasten this tender church to this strong pillar, upon which +from of old that noble city has been supported, and has stood firm +without being overthrown by the storms that have assailed it since +its foundation, though it be as many years in age as the days of the +same Virgin in this mortal life; and it shall last to the end of the +world. Throughout that whole day the father spent his time in converse +with his new sons, encouraging them to go on with what they had so +happily begun; but he was obliged to leave them for the time, that +he might return to the villages under his care, for Lent was at hand +and it was necessary for him to listen to confessions. The ministers +are so few that their strength and power cannot reach as far as their +desire. The Indians were greatly grieved when they saw that they were +to be without a guide just as they were beginning a path which they +had never trod; but the father was more grieved at being obliged to +leave them. He promised to come back and live among them as soon as he +could; and they determined to go to his superior to beg for a minister +and a teacher to instruct them in the way of salvation. They carried +out their plan at such a fortunate time that they found the fathers +preparing to go to the provincial chapter, which was at hand. The +religious promised to help the Indians in their good purpose, and +did so, as will soon be seen. Father Fray Geronimo departed from +them with many tears on both sides--the Indians weeping from sorrow +at being left behind; the father partly from grief at leaving them, +and partly from joy at seeing his desires realized and his labors so +well begun, for this meant that the work was half done. The fathers +of the chapter complied with the promise that had been given, and +recounted to the definitors the good beginning of this conversion +which they had seen, and the great desire with which these heathen +Indians asked for ministers to teach and baptize them. The result was +that the definitors felt obliged to grant so just a petition, and to +give them as minister and preacher the same Fray Geronimo de Zamora, +who offered to dwell in those solitary mountains in order to carry +on what the Lord had begun through his ministry and diligence. That +he might be able to go, he was provided with two good companions--a +great number where the religious were so few, and where there was so +much calling upon them for their help. The convent and convents which +might be established there were accepted; and the patronage of the +Virgin of the Pillar was extended over all the Christian churches which +might be formed there. This last request was so just that it brought +its favorable answer with it; and, even if father Fray Geronimo had +not presented it, there was a definitor in that chapter who would have +made it, because he was likewise a native of the same city of Zaragoça, +and a son of the famous convent of preachers of that city. His name +was Fray Carlos Clemente Gant, [63] long an excellent minister of the +province of Nueva Segovia. It is well that the sons of that noble city +never cease, wherever they are, to see within their souls that great +sanctuary which the city enjoys and in the shade of which they were +bred. Though father Fray Geronimo was eager to carry out the orders of +the chapter, he was unable to do so until the beginning of September, +on account of the obstacles placed in his way by the devil, who saw +how much he was to lose by the expedition. He finally embarked to go +up the river with one of his companions, father Fray Luis de Oñate, +[64] who called himself here by the name of del Rosario; he was a +native of Sevilla, and a son of the convent of Portaceli in the same +city, a religious of much virtue though of few years, and therefore +very well suited to such enterprises. All of his qualifications were +necessary, because in the midst of that voyage, at one most dangerous +passage, full of great rocks, where the waves are high and the current +is stronger, they were unable for three days to make a yard of headway +by the greatest efforts that they could put forth, such was the force +of the current--or of the devil, who, being unable to do more, strove +in this way to interfere with the fathers on their journey. At last +by patience and perseverance, which conquer everything, they reached +the end of their difficulty. They arrived in the first village of +the Mandayas on September 7, the eve of the Nativity of our Lady--a +feast which, among the other feasts of the Virgin, is celebrated in +Zaragoça with the greatest solemnity by the chapter and the clergy of +the holy church of the Pillar. The Indians received them with great +demonstrations of joy, after their fashion; and with much greater joy, +though a spiritual one, the fathers celebrated on the following day +the birth of the Virgin--for it seemed to them wonderfully appropriate +to begin the foundation of this conversion on this day--the Virgin +herself adopting it, so that, as if it were her own, she might look +upon it with the eyes of a mother, and of one so tender. The material +(that is, the minds of the listeners) being so well disposed, it was an +easy thing for the word of God to kindle in it; for it is like fire, +as St. Jerome says in his comment upon the prophet Abdias [i.e., +Obadiah], which consumes the straw and purifies the grain for the +Lord. Hence the first thing which father Fray Geronimo did, because +of his deep spiritual insight and his great experience as a minister, +was to get at them under the straw of their vices and superstitions, +and to place before them immediately the pure grain and clean seed of +the faith. He began, as St. Paul did, in the eleventh chapter of the +Epistle to the Hebrews, with the knowledge of and belief in one sole +God, the great reward which He has prepared for those who serve Him, +and the dreadful punishment with which He chastises the unbelief of +the heathen and the sins of those who offend Him. With such force did +he explain the greatness of the reward of glory, and the horrors of +eternal punishment decreed for the heathen, that all those who heard +desired to be baptized immediately. But as this was not possible +for the adults, who must first be instructed in the matters of our +holy faith, and relieved and unburdened from their previous sins +and superstitions, they immediately offered their infant children, +who might receive holy baptism without these preparations. Within +a few days were baptized some three hundred and more, who learned +the whole of the Christian doctrine with strange quickness, a clear +indication of the great willingness with which they were converted to +their Creator. On the first Sunday in October, which came very soon, +an Indian chief and his wife were baptized; and four days later his +brother, a youth. It was attributed to the particular favor of the +Virgin of the Rosary, whose festival is celebrated on that Sunday, +that so barbarous a race, without knowing how to read or write, +and bred in those mountains without commerce or communication even +with other Indians, should so quickly learn so many prayers. This +is still more wonderful because they were not taught them in their +own language, which is a savage one, but in that of more highly +civilized Indians, which is quite different from theirs. Although +they usually all understand this latter, they never speak it among +themselves, which increased the difficulty of this matter, and the +grace shown by enabling them to conquer it in so short a time. The +religious went on to two other villages higher up, and were received +by the Indians with the same welcome and signs of rejoicing as in +the first village. These Indians listened as readily to the teaching +of the faith as the others. Here was founded a tiny church under the +advocacy of St. Antoninus--for when lots were cast for this glorious +saint, St. Jerome, and St. Francis, that of our holy archbishop came +out; and, mass being said in his honor, the church was dedicated +to him. Then followed the baptism of many children, whose fathers +readily brought them for the purpose--and indeed desired to be the +companions of their children in baptism, but were obliged to wait +until they could be prepared. The religious could not remain here, +and wait until they had prepared them, because they were called back +by their obligations to minister to those who were already Christians +in the older villages of their district, to whom a single religious +could not attend sufficiently. As only one had been left behind, the +fathers were obliged to leave them after making so good a beginning, +promising to return afterward and to perfect them in Christianity, +after fulfilling these duties. It may perhaps seem to some a cause +for offense when they shall read that these fathers left this growing +grain in the blade, without protection or anyone to care for it, when +there was danger that the enemy might come and sow tares in the field; +but if the reader will consider how few ministers the province had, +and how much they had to attend to, he cannot fail to see that they +did not only what they could, but many times more--God giving them +courage for that to which their natural strength, as it seemed, could +not attain. Yet, even so, they were sometimes compelled guiltlessly +to fail in that to which charity would have obliged them if they had +been able to do it. + +[When the fathers informed the Mandayas of their intention, the +Indians were so much grieved that the chiefs and the council resolved +to keep the fathers by force if they would not remain with them +willingly. Father Fray Geronimo called their attention to the fact +that, as a good father, he must attend to all his sons alike. They +replied that it would be enough for one to return, and the companion +of father Fray Geronimo was accordingly left behind. He was but new +in the ministry, and was now to be left alone in the midst of these +mountains to cope with the difficulties of a new conversion. Father +Fray Geronimo separated from him and the Indians with little less +grief and tears, on both sides, than when St. Paul departed from the +inhabitants of Ephesus. Father Fray Luis, the minister who remained +behind, determined to guide himself by the instructions and the +example of father Fray Geronimo. From father Fray Luis is obtained the +report which follows. As it deals with matters in which he was himself +concerned, it was very short, and he was greatly opposed to publishing +it; but the truth of history requires us not to pass over the glory of +his works. He was not to baptize any adults, however well instructed, +until father Fray Geronimo returned, for fear of meeting with the +impediments which are so frequent in such cases--irregularities in +marriage, or the guilt of unjust enslavements and of wrongs done by the +more powerful to the weaker, or any of a thousand other impediments +which only those who are skilful and experienced in the ministry of +new conversions can detect and settle. Father Fray Luis continued to +exercise his office, and found in the Indians a wonderful hunger and +thirst for the matters of the faith, and great readiness in learning +it. Some Christians who were older in the faith, who had accompanied +the fathers, were astonished. One of these was Don Francisco Tuliao, at +present master-of-camp for the Indians of the whole province of Nueva +Segovia; he had accompanied the religious, and his influence was of +great importance in achieving the conversion of these people. When he +saw the fervor of the Mandayas, and the ease with which they learned +Christianity, though they were regarded even by the other Indians as +rude and barbarous, he declared that the hand of God could be seen +in this work. The Lord took to himself the tithe of the first ten +baptized children; but the Indians who in their heathen days had been +accustomed to spend a week in weeping and mourning their dead children, +with a thousand superstitions and extravagances, before burying them, +now accepted readily from the hand of the Lord the death of baptized +children who departed in their innocence; and, without a sign of +grief, they themselves took the little bodies of their children to +be buried in the church. In the case of adults also, some of them +showed marvelous devotion and were baptized on their deathbeds. Even +those who were not baptized believed, and helped the baptized to die +blessedly. Many signs of true conversion were shown by these Indians; +the Virgin showed special grace to some of the converts, in particular +assisting one poor woman of small intelligence to learn the prayers, +with which she had great difficulty; and miracles were wrought in +order that those predestined by God might not die unbaptized. By the +twelfth of January of the following year more than five hundred of +this tribe had been baptized; and though it would seem that such a +number would have justified the permanent residence of a minister +among them, father Fray Luis was obliged to leave the Mandayas, to +go to aid in hearing the confessions of those in the lower villages, +where there were only six confessors for more than eight thousand +penitents. He departed from them with grief, and left behind for +their instruction some Indians qualified for the purpose, among them +the master-of-camp Don Francisco Tuliao (who was an Indian). He had +accompanied the religious in their good work, being also directed +by the civil authorities to lead in a war for the reduction of +some Indians near the Mandayas, in villages called Ysson.] They had +risen; and, being favored by their location in the midst of rugged +mountains, had refused the obedience and the tributes which they +had been accustomed to pay to their encomenderos. This difficulty +was happily settled by Don Francisco, as a result of his prudence and +authority. The truth is that the thing was already practically settled, +father Fray Geronimo de Zamora having arranged it when he came up for +the first time to the Mandayas. At this time he summoned the chiefs of +the villages of Ysson along with the rest; and the arguments of this +father had such an influence upon them that they immediately yielded +to them and put themselves in his hands. As a token of their fidelity +they cut off their hair, which is much cherished by these heathen; +and this was as much as to say that they renounced their ancient +customs and the laws of their ancestors, and that they desired to +embrace the law of God, whose servants did not wear their hair long, +as did all the heathen. Would that there had been ministers and +preachers to give them; for they would have been able to enter this +region immediately, and to go among the heathen villages, baptizing +the Indians as if they had never served the devil. It is a pity that +many of them should be still completely given up to their errors, +for lack of someone to declare the truth to them. As soon as father +Fray Geronimo and his companion were able to leave the confessions +and the communion of the elder Christians, they returned to the aid of +these new ones who so greatly required their presence. It did not seem +that their absence had caused any great evils, for they found them well +taught and prepared for baptism. Accordingly, a few days afterward, +on one of the feasts of the Virgin, namely, the Purification, they +were able to baptize eighty-three persons who had come to years +of discretion, belonging to the leading families in that country; +and in two days more, forty others, elderly men. They took as great +pains as they could to keep these solemn baptisms for festivals of +our Lady, in recognition of her patronage, and with the purpose that +after their spiritual birth these tribes might remain very devoted to +her and continue under her protection. Music to make these baptisms +joyful there was not in these villages, because they were so new; +but there was no lack of music in heaven, for if the conversion of +one sinner causes rejoicing there, the conversion of so many heathen +could not fail to cause great joy indeed. + +In the following April, father Fray Geronimo de Zamora reported +that the conversion of the Mandayas was advancing; and that their +Christian character was, by the grace of our Lady of the Pillar, +becoming better and better established. These Mandayas Indians were +little esteemed in the province of Nueva Segovia, being regarded as +fickle and inconstant, and of small capacity--so that some venerable +and prudent ministers thought it was not wise to extend Christianity +so rapidly among them. But the proofs which they gave of being aided +by heaven relieved their ministers of these fears, and caused them to +baptize them without delay. They learn the faith rapidly, readily give +up their old superstitions, and are much devoted to prayer. Before +baptism they paid their debts, gave liberty to their slaves who were +unjustly held, and did many other things that are very hard. They +have given up killing and wronging their neighbors, and are now +so friendly and peaceful that they visit and entertain each other +without suspicion--even in the case of persons, who a short time ago, +were hunting each other with the purpose of committing murder. Under +all these circumstances, was there any reason for prohibiting their +baptism? + + + + + +CHAPTER XLIX + +The beginning of the account of the glorious martyrdom of four +illustrious martyrs--fathers Fray Jordan de Sant Estevan, Fray Thomas +de San Jacintho, and two religious of our tertiary order in Japon. + + +[Father Fray Thomas de Sant Jacintho was a native of Firando in +Japon, and was the son of Christian parents. He learned Latin and +began ecclesiastical studies, and even commenced to preach, under +the direction of the fathers of the Society. The breaking-out of the +persecution obliged him to go to Manila to carry out his studies; +so that he pursued the study of theology under the religious of +St. Dominic in that city, where he assumed the habit. He showed great +keenness of mind, and advanced far in learning. He was a companion of +father Fray Jacobo de Sancta Maria, whose glorious martyrdom has been +described. The native pride and hauntiness of the Japanese are very +much opposed to the religious state, but father Fray Thomas in his +novitiate and throughout his life exhibited the greatest humility. He +spoke Spanish like a native, and took delight in fulfilling the duties +and performing the offices of a friar. He made his profession August +16, 1635, being thirty-five years of age, and continued to carry on +the study of theology afterward. Under these circumstances he was +selected by the father provincial, Fray Bartholome Martinez, as one +of those to go to the island of Hermosa. On the way, the expedition +was detained for some months in the province of Nueva Segovia, the +climate of which is well known to be most adverse for the Japanese, +who generally fall sick and die there. This had happened only a +short time before to two priests, companions of his and devout +religious. Father Fray Thomas, however, said nothing of his fears, +and the Lord preserved him for the acceptable sacrifice which he was +to make in Japon. There was great difficulty in sending religious +to Japon; out father Fray Thomas went, disguised in Japanese dress, +to the island of the Lequios, which is subject to the Japanese. Here +by the death of his companion he was left alone, with ornaments and +money, and with the direction to go to Japon at the first opportunity +and to present himself to his superior, at that time the holy martyr +Fray Domingo de Erquicia. In the letter which father Fray Thomas +wrote back, he briefly mentions being in the island of the Lequios, +making no allusion to the great sufferings which he must have passed +through on this journey. He reached Japon in the year 1630, remaining +there to the end of the year 1634, four years in all. He was a great +help and comfort to the afflicted Christians. The authorities sought +after him with great diligence, offering large rewards for his capture, +and displaying the greatest severity against those who harbored the +ministers of the faith.] + + + + + +CHAPTER L + +The coming of the venerable father Fray Jordan de San Estevan to this +province, and his entry into Japon. + + +[Father Fray Jordan de San Estevan was a Sicilian, who had assumed +the habit of our order in his native country. Hearing of the crowns +of martyrdom which had been attained in Japon, he went to España, +hoping that he might make his way thence to this province and have +the opportunity of offering his life for Christ. He carried on his +studies in the convent of our order in the city of Truxillo, and +was a religious of the utmost devotion, abstinence, and spiritual +elevation. Submitting his purposes to persons of learning and virtue, +he received their approval, and set out for these islands. He formed +a most intimate friendship with father Fray Jacintho de Esquivel, +or del Rosario, who afterward was a holy martyr. To pass his time +when in Mexico--for he was a great enemy of idleness--he wrote an +elegant Latin summary of the lives of the saints of our order. When +he reached these islands he postponed to his obedience his eagerness +to go to Japon; and was assigned to minister to the Chinese, whose +language and letters he learned, being acquainted with many thousand +characters. The Lord had given him a great gift of languages; for in +addition to his native language he knew Latin, Greek, Spanish, Chinese, +that of the Indians of Nueva Segovia, and finally the Japanese. He +generally lived in the hospitals of the Chinese, obeying the whims +of the sick Chinese with the greatest charity and kindness. At last +he received permission to go to Japon, passing for a Chinese. In +1632 he set sail, reaching Japon in the following year. He met with +many dangers and wandered about through the mountains. As a result +of exposure he was afflicted by a severe illness, but was cured by +the grace of God.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LI + +The capture and martyrdom of the fathers Fray Jordan de San Estevan, +and Fray Thomas de San Jacintho. + + +[The persecutors at this time were seeking with extraordinary +diligence for an Augustinian father named Miguel, a Japanese by +nation. The inquisition brought the officers of the law to the house +where fathers Fray Jordan and Fray Thomas were lodging; and though, +being informed of its approach, they fled, they were caught on the +day of our father St. Dominic, August 4, 1634. When examined in court +they answered briefly and boldly, and with Christian liberty showed +no reverence to their unjust judges, denying the accusation of being +spies of España. After a severe imprisonment and being ignominiously +treated by the judges, before whom they were called several times, +they suffered from the dreadful torture of water, which was poured +down their throats until they swelled out like bags. They were then +laid on the ground and a plank placed upon them, with two men on it, +who trod on the plank and thus forced the water out of their mouths, +ears, nostrils, eyes and other parts, with such torture as may be +imagined. Afterward they again filled them with water, and forced it +out again. They were subject to other tortures of the most horrible +nature. November 11, 1634, sixty-nine persons, men and women, +were taken out of prison to suffer for Christ, some by burning, +some by beheading, and our glorious martyrs by being suspended head +downward. As they passed through the streets, the Christians showed +them secret signs of respect. The martyrs who declared their faith +were brought to a place of execution. Father Fray Jordan lingered for +seven days, and father Fray Thomas somewhat less. During his lifetime +father Fray Jordan had received marked signs of the divine favor, +having power to reveal their secrets to guilty hearts, and receiving +other special revelations.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LII + +The glorious martyrdoms of the illustrious Marina and Magdalena, +religious of the tertiary order + + +[The Christian Japanese who had been well prepared in the faith yielded +many confessors; and the religious decided to admit into religious +orders some of these of the most advanced virtue. Among these was a +certain Sister Marina, admitted by father Fray Luis Exarch--a most +holy woman. She was arrested and charged with being a Christian, and +with protecting the religious. They revived in her case a torture which +had long been given up as barbarous, exposing her naked to the public +view and then subjecting her to other tortures by dragging her about +from town to town, and causing her to suffer from thirst. Her valor +and courage caused even the heathen to respect her. She was condemned +to be burned by a slow fire, and her ashes were cast into the sea. + +Sister Magdalena was the child of two martyrs; she departed to the +desert, and gave herself up to devotion. She received the habit +from father Fray Jordan, and, though the officers were not seeking +for her, she came before them and confessed Christianity, forcing +them to imprison her. After subjecting her to frightful tortures, +the tyrant judge finally grew weary and sentenced her to death, +directing her to be hanged by her feet. She lived in this torture, +without food or drink, for thirteen days and a half.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LIII + +The condition of the Christian Church lately established by our +religious in Great China + + +[Though the religious of our order who had recently entered Great +China had not enjoyed entire freedom from disturbance, they had met +with no such opposition as they had expected. They baptized many +who became devout Christians. The Christians converted in China are +better Christians than those converted in these islands, being of +higher rank and greater intelligence. They live a life of devotion, +and do much penance. They often ask acute questions, which cause the +minister difficulty in answering; and they are very constant in times +of persecution. Up to this year 1634 our province has had in China +only two priests; while the Order of St. Francis has sent two others, +who have at our request labored in company with the members of our +order. Our religious have gone to cities which do not belong to any +other order, in order to avoid collisions. The Chinese women are kept +in such seclusion that their conversion has been very difficult, +though their husbands sometimes bring them; and the Lord has in +some remarkable cases shown special favor to the preaching of his +gospel by the members of our order. The Lord also works miracles +by the hands of His preachers, showing that He is the true God, +and that the idols are vanity. In especial, He has cast out devils +by His ministers. At times the Chinese heathen have risen against +the Christians, and have spread false tales about them. Three such +uprisings are described, the church being torn down in one of them, +some Christians being maltreated, and a few being slain. The judge +punished the rioters, but directed the religious to leave the city. The +women are devoted Christians. Father Fray Juan Baptista de Morales [65] +and father Fray Francisco Diaz [66] were both exposed to the danger +of death at the hands of the Chinese rioters, and a number of weak +Christians fell away; but even under these circumstances the presence +of the missionaries achieved much. The Chinese are great idolaters, +especially the women, for they believe that after death they shall +come to life again in new form, even men taking the form of brute +animals, and good women becoming men--which is something which they +regard highly, because of the subjection and inferiority of women in +China. The Chinese in the region where the fathers were at work were +given to horrible vices and to excessive and superfluous courtesy. The +converted Chinese departed from their vices, and did much penance.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LIV + +The discovery by the religious of many superstitions concealed by +some new Christians + + +[The greatest of the griefs of the Christian ministers in China +was the discovery of a number of superstitions concealed by their +converts. Many of these had to do with matters which were requisite for +them to retain their honor and their positions in the state. They were +obliged to offer the adoration yielded by everyone in this kingdom +to their deceased ancestors and to worship a certain great teacher +of theirs, Congchu [67] by name, who has left for them admirable +laws full of excellent moral teachings and political virtues, and +defective only from the lack of the divine illumination. The superiors +of the religious orders went secretly to behold the mode in which +the ancestors were worshiped, of which a full description is given in +the text. The magistrates are required to render special worship to +an idol named Chinhuan, the Christian magistrates, in order to hold +their office, being obliged to perform sacrifices to this idol. Among +the flowers they conceal a small cross, thus thinking that they may +be able to satisfy their consciences and to keep their offices. All +the Chinese scholars are obliged to sacrifice to Conchu. This worship +is required of the mandarins and all public officers. Our religious +informed the Christian Chinese that the mere exterior performance +of these rites was a mortal sin, incapacitating them to receive the +sacrament. It is affirmed by the Chinese that the fathers of the +Society of Jesus permitted them to render this sacrifice, but this +is not the case. The religious, by opposing these superstitions, met +with many difficulties. At this time books were printed in Chinese +against our faith, and the superiors of the two orders went to visit +the author of the books, who, angry at the correction of the fathers, +declared that they had attempted to kill him. Worse books were issued, +one of them by a magistrate. The fathers openly opposed what was said, +and were in danger of death, but were delivered by the hand of God.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LV + +The life of father Fray Luis Muro, and his martyrdom at the hands of +heathen Indians in the island of Hermosa. + + +[To the judgment of flesh and blood it would not seem that the success +of our order in the island of Hermosa was worthy of our efforts. We +have sent there some of our best religious; and they have converted +very few of the Indians, in proportion to the number of noble religious +who have been lost there. Yet to him who will judge aright, and who +understands the worth of the soul, it will not seem much to have spent +the blood of martyrs and the sufferings of holy religious for the sake +of those souls which have passed from this island to heaven. Among the +martyrs on the island a high place is taken by father Fray Luis Muro, +who died gloriously at this time by the hands of these Indians. He +assumed the habit of the order in the famous convent of San Pablo at +Valladolid, where he professed. Feeling the great need of preachers +of the gospel in this province, he left all that he had to come to +these islands (in 1626). He was desirous to go to Japan, but the Lord, +not granting him that, permitted him to attain martyrdom in another +way. He was a most devoted and successful minister in Bataan, whence he +was sent to the island of Hermosa. Here he strove to bring back to the +church those who had martyred father Fray Francisco de Sancto Domingo, +and he obtained their pardon and safe-conduct. At this time there was +a great lack of provisions in the chief town of the island, because +of the failure of the ship sent with provisions from Manila. Troops +were sent out with money and cloths (which the Indians prefer) to +buy provisions justly, and without inflicting wrong. Father Fray Luis +accompanied the troops, to restrain them from harming the Indians, and +especially from driving back those whom he was striving to regain for +the church. God was pleased that six Chinese vessels laden with rice +should arrive at the time, thus relieving their needs. A small guard, +with whom father Fray Luis remained, was put in charge of the rice, +the rest of the company returning with as much as could be taken at +one time to the chief camp. Father Fray Luis went out to make an +attempt to reconcile some other Indians who had risen against the +Spaniards. The Indians, seeing the Spaniards very few in number, +conspired to attack them. A detachment of troops were attacked in +an ambush, and one of the first who was shot by an arrow was father +Fray Luis. The Indians cut off his head, his feet, and his hands, +and washed them with his own blood. Miracles were wrought upon the +holy body, and the provincial chapter gave special attention to his +happy death and his excellent life.] + +This was the last life written in this history by the venerable lord +bishop Don Fray Diego Aduarte. He was taken away by death at the +conclusion of it, that it might not be printed without the life of its +author, and that his memory might be eternal--not only as a result of +the labor which he spent upon it, but also of the many labors which +he undertook for the Lord and the good of souls, so greatly to the +honor of this province. Some of these have been recounted in the +course of this his book; but many have remained in silence because +they took place in España where he dwelt many years, filling with +great distinction the post of procurator general of this province. Of +what we have seen and known here, something will now be said, a great +tribulation which came upon this province at this time, and which was +in no small degree contributory to his death, being first dealt with. + + + + + +CHAPTER LVI + +A new congregation of religious which was proposed in these islands +at this time + + +In the ships which reached these islands in this year 1635 there came +twenty religious, sent by his Majesty at the request of the procurator +then at the court, father Fray Matheo de la Villa. [68] This father had +for many years filled that office with great excellence, because of the +great love which he always had for the province--in which he had been +many years a devoted minister of the gospel, prior of the principal +convent in this city, and definitor in its provincial chapters. This +was the only office which the province could give him, though it was +far below his deserts. His merits attracted so much attention in the +court that, without his having any idea of it, as the event showed, +his Majesty nominated him as bishop of Nueva Segovia. The humble +father never accepted the appointment, although strongly urged to do +so; and thus his virtue was better known, and received the higher +glory. When these religious were about to come to this province it +seemed, to one who had been in it and who was then resident at court, +[69] that this was a good opportunity to put into execution a certain +purpose which he had; and he so disposed matters that father Fray +Matheo de Villa accepted this religious as vicar of the shipload of +twenty ministers sent by his Majesty to the province. This religious +seemed to father Fray Matheo to be a person who would fill the office +excellently, as he had been in these regions. He did not imagine that +in the fair words which he heard was concealed the deceit which he +afterwards learned. The fact was that this religious, perhaps with +a good intention, had for many years striven to divide this little +province, by dismembering from it Japon, China, and the other heathen +kingdoms in which it had new conversions, not considering that these +could not be kept in existence apart from the conversion which the +province maintains here. He had discussed this matter with our late +general, the most reverend father Fray Seraphino Sicco, of Pavia--who +having governed the whole order with much prudence for many years, +thoroughly knew and understood what would be for its advantage; and +who therefore immediately perceived how destructive to the province +and how harmful to the order this division would be, and imposed +perpetual silence upon him with regard to the matter. For other reasons +added to this, he took from him his authority as procurator of this +province and commanded him to have no more to do with matters of the +Indias. Because of this mandate, and for other reasons concurrent +with it, the royal Council of the Indias commanded him not to go to +them. On these accounts he gave over his purpose for the time being, +until the election of a new general of our order, to whom he went. As +he was new in the government and very zealous for the conversion of +the heathen, the religious was able, by making great offers in that +regard, to persuade the father-general to make the aforesaid division; +and to take from the province the said conversions, and to give them +to a new congregation of fathers established for the purpose. The +said father was appointed vicar-general of this congregation, and +for its beginning and support it received all the houses belonging to +this province for which the new vicar proffered his request. These, +excluding the convent of the city of Manila, were the best in the +province. All this was done because of the contention that this +province, being much occupied with the conversions of Indians which +it has undertaken in these Philippinas Islands, could not attend +to the conversions of the said heathen regions. On a bosom so pious +and so desirous for the good of souls as that of the most reverend +general of the order, this made so great an impression that without +knowing anything of the province, not even the procurator that it +had in España, he granted everything that was asked. The suitor knew +very well that this division could not be made without the consent +of our lord the king as patron (in which relation he stands to all +the religious orders in the Indias); so he tried all expedients at +court to obtain this assent, but was not successful in any of his +efforts. The prudent counselors of his Majesty, with whom in particular +he discussed the matter, declared that the royal Council would by no +means consent to so great an innovation without first being informed by +the prominent personages of this region with regard to the advantage +or disadvantage of the plan proposed. This caused him to despair of +attaining any of his desires by this road; for he had no hope that +any person acquainted with the facts would declare in favor of his +purposes, because of their thorough impracticability. He therefore +determined to obtain by artifice what he could not obtain by reason +or justice. An opportunity being afterwards offered for religious to +come to this province, he strove to go as their superior, carefully +hiding his purpose from the procurator of this province. Then, just as +they were about to embark from Sevilla, he sent to the court notice of +a mandate and act of excommunication from our most reverend general, +commanding that this new congregation should not be interfered with on +any pretext or cause. This was done at a time when it was impossible to +put any obstacles in his way, because he would already have embarked +beforehand. After leaving Sevilla, and even before going there, +he already had on his side some of the religious, to whom he had +declared his purpose. While at sea he revealed his plan to all, thus +endeavoring to draw them into agreement with him. He placed before them +the opportunity of being taken directly to Japon and to Great China, +a most efficacious bait for the fervor with which the new religious +set out from España to the conversions of those regions. At the same +time he strove to disgust them with the ministries to the Indians, +declaring that the province had now no other ministries, and that he +was the only one who could now send them to those kingdoms and to the +conversion of those heathen regions. In this way he alienated them +from the province, to which it was his duty to take them; for it was +for that province that our lord the king had given them and paid their +expenses, and to which our most reverend general had granted them. He +reached the province, and presented only the letters-patent dividing +the province and establishing the congregation, which were couched +in very strong terms. The provincial, who had already been advised +of the whole matter and of what he ought to reply, listened to them +and made the following response. He was ready to obey the letters and +the mandate of the most reverend general, as his higher officer and +lawful superior, when and in the manner in which his Reverence desired +that they should be obeyed and put into execution. This was by asking +and first obtaining the consent of our lord the king, as patron of +all the orders in all the Indias. Without this consent the division +proposed could not be made, and new provinces and congregations could +not be established; and our most reverend general would not desire to +contravene the right and patronage of the king, because that would be +contrary to justice. The father replied that this matter was now being +attended to, and desired the provincial to show immediate obedience to +these letters by transferring to him the contents of the province which +by the letters were assigned to the congregation. This obedience could +not be shown, and therefore his claim was without effect. As nothing +more could be done, the business remained in this condition for about +nine months, during which this father, taking advantage of a certain +opportunity, very inconsistently with his function of propagating the +faith, asked and obtained a force of soldiers, with which he violently +seized by force the houses of this province which he claimed, contrary +to the royal patronage and the will of the most reverend father. When +the general gave those letters with such authority as he had a right to +claim, he desired first that the consent due by justice should first +be asked of the patron, whom he in no wise intended to wrong. In +addition, there were many other reasons making everything done in +virtue of these letters unjust. They were notoriously surreptitious, +and obtained by false information. It was manifest that the province, +although it attended to the ministry to the Indians of this country, +was not forgetful of the ministry to Japon and China. On the contrary, +it gave so much attention to them that it was constantly suffering +from suits and vexations because the governor, the Audiencia, and the +city, and sometimes even the ecclesiastics, declared that the province +went to excess in that direction. It not only sent preachers of its +own order to those realms, but encouraged and stirred up the other +orders to do the same thing, without shrinking from the excessive +expenses necessary for the purpose. To this end it never imagined +itself poor, though it was so poor that it had not and has not any +income more than what the Lord sends it in alms. Hence the pretext +for establishing the new congregation was manifestly false; and the +letters were so clearly surreptitious that, in order to prove that +they were so, no other evidence was necessary than the evidence of the +governor himself, of the royal Audiencia, and of the councils which +were often held against the province on account of this. Under these +circumstances, our most reverend general did not desire to have his +letters put into execution until he had received information, as is +expressly laid down (even with reference to the commands of the supreme +pontiff) in the law, chap. Siquando, de rescriptis, and chap. Super +litteris, eodem. Much more is this true if most grave inconveniences +would result (as they would) to the conversions of those realms, +which inconveniences our most reverend father by no means desired +to bring about. It was his will that the execution of his letters +should be suspended, as they were suspended, until information was +sent to him with regard to the facts; and it was his will that his +determination as superior should be awaited with humility. Further, +in conformity with our constitution (distinction 2, chap. 1), no +religious house may pass from one province to another unless the +transference be approved in three chapters-general; and hence this +great number of houses and of conversions was not to be immediately +transferred at the first direction to that effect, without further +approbation--especially since the evils which would have followed +from this change were so many, so grievous, and so certain, as they +were instantly proved to be by experience. It is true that the most +reverend general said in his letters that he proceeded in this matter +with the authority of the supreme pontiff, or of the Congregation de +Propaganda Fide; and this would be enough for his letters to receive +entire authority if they were against particular persons, and did not +include spiritual harms and evils to the aforesaid conversions. But as +they were the destruction of this province, and would have produced +the most grievous mischief in the conversions, the most reverend +general did not desire that his letters should be executed until he +had been advised. There was no obligation to do this, the commission +not coming as is expressly said that it should come in the chapter +Cum in iure, de officio et potentia iudicis delegati. This is the +common judgment of doctors, from which may be seen how unreasonable +it was to take violent possession of the aforesaid houses. This and +other disturbances which followed caused great grief throughout this +colony, for it was regretted that by information designed to effect +an evil purpose, and in an improper manner, a province should have +been so disquieted which had continued from its foundation in the +greatest harmony, without any disturbances. The archbishop of Manila +and three bishops in this country, the religious orders, and the city, +all wrote to the most reverend general, testifying as eyewitnesses +that the information given to him was not in conformity with that +which was actually known to occur in point of fact. On the contrary, +it was declared that the province had always shown great care and +watchfulness in sending preachers to Japon, Great China, Camboja, the +island of Hermosa, and other heathen realms near these islands; while +the congregation which it was intended to establish not only could +not surpass it in this matter, but could not even achieve as much, +as is shown by the many martyrdoms which the province has experienced +in these conversions. This will always be plain, for by the grace of +God they have not ceased nor are they ceasing, as we shall see even in +these very years. The one who suffered most from the disquiet caused +by the new congregation was the bishop of Nueva Segovia, Don Fray Diego +Aduarte; for he was one who had most complete knowledge of the province +of which he had written the history, and he understood him who now +disquieted it, for he had had acquaintance and dealings with him for +many years, and that intimately. He accordingly came directly from his +bishopric, the capital of which is distant from this city of Manila +a hundred and fifty leguas, and strove with all his might that the +evil done should be undone. Though at the time he could not succeed, +it is to be believed that he brought it about afterward, when he went +to be with the Lord. For, returning in deep sadness to his bishopric, +he came to his death before many days; and after this there were not +many months before the matter was cleared up, and affairs were set +upon their ancient basis, by the return to the province of the houses +which had been taken from it. This was notably to its honor and caused +the most universal rejoicing through the country that had been seen in +many years. The people in the villages where missions were established +which had been taken from the province and given to the congregation, +were particularly delighted, and held public festivals for many days, +when, after having experienced the method in which the congregation +carried on its work, they saw the convents and the ministries returned +to the religious of the province--whose manner of conducting their +affairs was so much better, that it had caused great grief to +the Chinese and the Indians to be deprived of such teachers and +ministers. Therefore, when the religious returned, those people +displayed their delight by costly public rejoicings, carried on for +many days. + +When the evil befell the province--which was on the fourth of May, the +first Sunday in the month, and the day of our great saint Catharine +of Siena in the year 1636--all the religious of the province went to +beg the favor of their patroness, the Virgin of the Rosary; and in +all the houses of the order her holy litany was recited every night, +in unison, with this purpose. This means was so efficacious that, +contrary to every human hope, matters were settled and arranged as if +by the hands of this great lady; and without any effort on the part +of the province so many things were cleared up, and put together in +its favor that finally, by the aid of one who was not expected to +give aid, the truth was victorious; and the houses returned to their +ancient and legitimate possessors, and the province to its longed-for +quiet, September 6, 1637, after having remained in the power of the +congregation one year and four months. The religious being grateful +for this restitution to the Virgin, from whose generous hands they +had received so great a gift, rendered public thanks to her in all +the convents. In the convent of Manila a feast of an octave was most +solemnly celebrated, this lady being drawn in procession with great +majesty, like a triumphant conqueror. As such she remained all those +days in the midst of the main chapel, with the richest adornments and +the finest of decoration. In this we were aided by those outside of +the order to give to this lady our highest thanks, recognizing her +supreme grace, which could have been granted by none but her powerful +hand. The duty of writing with all care to the most reverend general +was not neglected now, as it had not been neglected before; and a +full account and report were sent to him showing how experience +had manifested that the information in virtue of which the new +congregation had been obtained was impossible. After the congregation +had been placed in possession, and was under the obligation of going +to the aid of Japon and China and other kingdoms, it did not do so; +and there was no hope that it would do so, nor even that it would +so much as have religious to maintain the houses which it had taken +from the province. It was not to be expected that his Majesty would +send them from España, and there was no other way or manner in which +they could come. The vain expectation of giving many habits here was +immediately disappointed, for even if they desired to give these, +there was no one to whom they could be given, nor was there anyone +suitable for the purpose. This would have been much more true if, +as had been said to the most reverend general, the habit was to be +given to Indians. This was something unworthy of thought; but it was +actually stated in the very patent, because information to that effect +had been given to the most reverend general, though it is contrary to +the judgment of all those of ability who have been in the Indias, and +contrary to the demonstration of experience ever since there have been +religious orders in these regions. As soon as it saw itself possessed +of the houses, it saw also the great difficulty or impossibility of +this project; and even to maintain them it found itself obliged to +disquiet the religious of the province by persuading them to enter the +congregation. Some were even received, contrary to the express mandate +of our most reverend general laid down in this patent itself. It is +plain from this that these proceedings must have been the cause of +great annoyance and of many difficulties, for there was nothing but +lawsuits with the province, and disturbances, which left no time to +pay attention to the greater fruit of the conversions of the heathen +which had been promised. On the contrary, it interfered with them, +as the Lord, who was offended with these acts revealed, however +secret the interference was kept. There must be added to all this +that the congregation, from its very beginning, began to relax and +to give up the supports which the prudent and holy founders of the +province set up in holy manner for the maintenance of the evangelical +ministry which it exercised. These are prayers, the disciplines, the +rigorous abstinence, and the like, commanded by the constitution and +ordained in the same law. The congregation did not accept them; and on +this account, and because of the results which followed, it could not +continue, and was brought to an end, the Lord not permitting that to +go further which set out with so bad a beginning. Even before seeing +these evil results by experience, nearly all the religious brought +by this father from España foresaw them; and, leaving him, they were +nearly all incorporated with the province. Generally speaking, the +more religious and intelligent of them did not desire to go to the +congregation; for they judged with much prudence that a thing which +was so ill founded could not have a good end, as it did not. Some of +these have obtained the reward of this wise decision, for they have +been sent to the province of Japon, and became most glorious martyrs, +as we shall soon tell. One of those who were appointed for this most +holy and happy mission lost and abandoned it by abandoning the province +and joining the congregation. As a penalty for this act, he lost the +crown of martyrdom, which his companions gained by remaining in the +province. Thus the Lord manifested the truth of what we said when +we declared that the province was more careful and even more able to +attend to these missions than was the congregation which was formed +for them. At the very time when the province sent out this mission, +the congregation regarded it as impossible, and even strove to impede +it, as has been said. + + + + + +CHAPTER LVII + +The life and death of the venerable bishop Don Fray Diego Aduarte, +a religious of this province + + +For those who knew the great virtues of the most religious father and +most perfect bishop Don Fray Diego Aduarte, this history must certainly +fall under the condemnation of being incomplete, not only because +it passes over in silence the great good which he wrought in España +before coming to this country, but also because he showed singular +dexterity, in hiding, because of his humility, the admirable works +in which he exercised himself, though when in the province he much +surpassed others. In this he was much aided by his nature, which was +not a little taciturn; and although he corrected this fault by virtue, +and those who dealt with him intimately found him always most kind, and +extremely glad to do good to all, yet in himself at first sight and in +one's first conversation with him he did not seem so, and did not even +give signs of the great devotion which he concealed within himself. Yet +after no long time he revealed himself to one who had to do with him; +and his devotion was the more admirable and the more esteemed the more +it exceeded his nature and the less it was exhibited. At the same time, +his great care to hide his own good works and his taciturn nature have +concealed from us many deeds and writings of great edification and good +example. He was a native of Zaragoça, and was of noble birth. At the +age of sixteen he came to Castilla; and, as he was passing casually +through Alcala de Henares, he fell into conversation with a religious +of the order, who told him how, though he was a student in the college +which the order has there, he was giving up this position, with all +the hopes which it offered him, and was leaving all his kinsmen and +friends in España to go to the Philippinas. The religious said that a +new province was about to be established there, under the strictest +rules, and on a basis of so extensive charity as to strive with all +diligence and care for the conversion of the many heathen regions +there. [This conversation, and certain other reasons, decided the +young Diego to ask for the habit in that convent which the order has +in Alcala; and they very willingly gave him the habit immediately, +April 9, the day of St. Peter Martyr in the year 1586. He made his +profession, and, being well instructed in the matters of religion +and virtue, after the custom of the order went to study, reaching +high attainments in scholarship. He was ordained priest in the year +1594, and returned to Alcala on some business, without thinking of +journeying to these regions. In spite of the incident described, he +had never had any inclination to it, or to any other of the Indias; +but was possessed by a particular love for the quiet and calm caused +by retirement in the cell.] At that time there arrived there one of +the religious who had founded this province in the beginning, Fray +Alonso Delgado; he had returned to España, to assemble companions to +carry on the many conversions of the heathen which had been happily +begun. A few days before, the patents of the general of our order +had been read in this convent, giving him authority to take with +him those who might enlist in so holy a work. Father Fray Francisco +Blancas, who was afterward called here "de Sant Joseph," had offered +himself. The prior and the friars of the convent had tried to hinder +him because of the need of him which they should feel; for it seemed +to them that there was scarcely anyone in the province who in life, +spirit, and teaching could fill his place. Father Fray Alonso Delgado +had complained of their interference, and was now returning with new +directions that no one should disturb those who desired to go on this +holy expedition. This brought to an end the force brought to bear +by the prior and the convent, but not their prayers and persuasions +that the said father would remain. Father Fray Francisco Blancas +and father Fray Diego Aduarte were very fond of each other, being +natives of the same kingdom of Aragon, sons of this convent of Alcala, +and being almost of one age and of one mind. [Accordingly the prior +asked father Fray Diego to persuade father Fray Francisco to remain; +but both of them were induced to go to Filipinas by the arguments of +father Fray Alonso. With great content the two began their journey +from Toledo on the first of June, and reached Sevilla in a fortnight +walking poorly and humbly, and setting a noble example. They caused +great joy in all the companions who, expecting father Fray Francisco +alone, saw him arrive with so good an associate. When they set sail +they met with great hardships. The ship was very inconvenient, being +small and having no quarter-deck. They met with contrary winds and +heavy seas the first fortnight of the voyage, which is the hardest +for inexperienced sailors. They met with the heaviest weather in +the gulf well named the Gulf de las Yeguas (i.e., "of the Mares") +because of the kicks which it generally gives to those who sail through +it. On the land journey, before they reached the City of Mexico four +of the religious fell sick, among them father Fray Diego, who alone +escaped. The rest of the chapter consists of a somewhat abbreviated +repetition of the accounts of journeys already given in the body of +the work. A few details are added. For instance, we are told that, +in the prayers of the fathers, father Fray Diego was usually the one +to wake the others up by beginning the singing of the Te Deum. Those +next him observed that he spent nearly all of the night on his knees +in prayer. The only additional information as to his life in Manila +before the first of his many voyages is, that he was assigned to +the ministry to the Chinese. He learned the language, though he +found it very difficult, hearing confessions and preaching in it +within a few months. The narrative of the first journey to Camboxa +is given as in chapters xlvi-xlviii of book i, with the addition of +some new information. When the Spaniards left Camboxa they passed +by the contiguous kingdom of Champa, because of the savagery of the +inhabitants, and went on to Cochinchina. The cruelties of the ruler of +this kingdom are described at some length; and we are informed that on +the return voyage the vessel in which father Fray Diego was sailing +was obliged to take refuge in one of his ports. An account is given +of a miracle wrought by the habit of father Fray Diego, which had been +left behind with four soldiers in a boat at the time of the attack on +the king of Camboja. These soldiers were shot at with volleys of arrows +from the shore, but were protected by the holy habit as by a wall. The +great respect felt by the religious of Malaca for father Fray Diego +when they become acquainted with his virtue and learning is recounted.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LVIII + +Other voyages and sufferings of father Fray Diego Aduarte under the +direction of his superiors and for the preaching of the gospel. + + +[This chapter contains an account of the unsuccessful expedition +to Camboxa undertaken by Don Luis Perez Das Mariñas, as narrated +in book i, chapters xlix and l, of this history. In that narrative, +given by father Fray Diego, he breaks off in the account of his own +experience at the point where he was separated from the rest of the +company, having gone to Macan to be cured of his illness while the +others returned to Manila.] + +He was not able to remain very long in Macan because many Chinese +mandarins frequently came to that city, and to the convent where +father Fray Diego was, since the city is in China itself; and it did +not seem to him that he was safe from the inspector. As there was no +opportunity for him to make a voyage in any other direction, he set out +for Malaca, a city of India about as far from Manila as Macan is. As +we shall see, he went away partly that that ship and all in it might +not perish. They set sail in the middle of January; and as they were +crossing from the gulf of Haynao to the coast of Cochinchina, Champa, +and Camboja, there was a furious storm at the same place where he +had met a storm two years before, and on the same night, between the +eighth and ninth of February. [This stripped the ship of its rigging, +and threw them into great distress; however, as it was strong and +steered well, it soon righted itself and reached Malaca. Here father +Fray Diego remained, and the vessel sailed again for Goa, but came back +again after struggling for forty days with heavy seas and unfavorable +winds. Having lost this opportunity it was obliged to winter there, +and departed with the next monsoon, in the middle of the following +December. In it there went three Portuguese religious of our order, +taking with them father Fray Diego, who, because of his poverty, was +not provided with ship-stores. After they had passed the famous island +of Zeilan (i.e., Ceylon), and were in latitude six, they encountered +so heavy a sea that they were driven back to the equator, under the +lee of the Maldive Islands, where a ship never lands. Caught in that +archipelago of reefs and atolls, the Portuguese are long delayed +before they can make their way out. At last they reach the harbor +of Kocchi in India, "after having spent five months in sailing four +hundred leguas;" and, if they had arrived a few hours later, could +not have entered the port over the bar, although they emptied the +ship. Father Fray Diego waited in India for the season when he could +voyage to España.] He was not idle, but was occupied with many devout +exercises, which he had continued even when he was at sea. Yet this +was not what he most desired, and not what was most suitable to his +wishes, and to his calling as a religious. Hence when he found himself +in convents of devoted religious, his spirit was greatly rejoiced; +and he strove there to lay up some provision of devotion for the +long voyage, in the service of God and of these new conversions, +which he proposed to undertake to España for preachers. He visited +first the Christians converted by the apostle St. Thomas, whose +Christianity has endured from his time to the present in India, and +is now purged from its errors, which it incurred only for lack of +Catholic preachers. There are in that country matters to arouse great +devotion, and anyone who was so devout as father Fray Diego could not +go that way without visiting them, even at the cost of many days of +journey and hardship. This was not in vain, but brought with it much +spiritual reward. He embarked January 15, 1603, in the "San Roque," +a very large ship with four decks and two quarter-decks. They had +favorable weather to the latitude of Cape de Buena Esperança [i.e., +of Good Hope]; and thus a long vacation from hardships was provided +for father Fray Diego, who had been inured to suffering them in the +service of Him who was his comfort in them. [But here they encountered +first calms, and then fearful tempests, which almost wrecked the ship; +and, to save their lives, they were compelled to lighten the ship, +casting into the sea pepper and rich stuffs valued at fifty thousand +ducados. Finally, they passed the Cape of Good Hope on May 12. The +rest of the voyage was peaceful, save that they encountered a storm off +the coast of Portugal; but they escaped from this and landed at Vigo, +which is in Galicia, September 17, after having passed eight months +in navigation. They all went barefoot to church to give thanks to the +Lord, who had delivered them from so many and such great perils; and +father Fray Diego went to visit the church of the apostle of España, +[70] which is fourteen leguas from there, because it would not have +been proper to miss this devotion on account of so short a journey.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LIX + +Other journeys of father Fray Diego in the service of the Lord, +for the advancement of the conversions of these tribes. + + +After all these hardships and perils, which were suffered with such +great patience, father Fray Diego went to the court of España--not to +gain honor or wealth, or rent, or any other temporal thing; but because +of love of the Lord, for His glory, the extension of the gospel, and +the salvation of these tribes. Since he had already passed through so +many difficulties, divine Providence did not see fit that he should +find them there, where there are ordinarily so many; and the royal +Council immediately gave him permission and direction to convey +a number of religious to this province at his Majesty's expense, +that they might there carry on the excellent work which had been +begun by the religious of this order, and that they might continue +to draw heathen from the darkness of unbelief to the light of the +gospel. Father Fray Diego was not of a character to regard himself as +exhausted, although he had so many reasons to be so; and therefore, +without more delay, he traversed the [ecclesiastical] provinces of +España, Aragon, and Andalucia, seeking for laborers for this part of +the vineyard of the church, or this new vine in it. [As this was a +work of God, He moved the hearts of many good religious to volunteer +to undertake this arduous enterprise. They were greatly influenced by +hearing from father Fray Diego and others of the great need and lack +of religious in this province, to accomplish the vast work with which +it is charged; and of the good done by our order in these regions, +which follows the primitive order in the strict observance of the +rule, and which is like the primitive church in the conversion of +the peoples. This company embarked near the first of July, 1605; and, +after suffering the ordinary discomforts of two long voyages following +so closely one after the other, they reached Manila the next year, +six having died in the voyages and journeys. One of these was father +Fray Pedro Valverde, a student in the college of San Gregorio, a +son of San Pablo at Cordova, and a religious of superior virtue. He +died as the vessel was just beginning to come among the islands, and +was buried in an Indian hamlet near the port of Ybalon. Some years +afterward, when the father provincial sent a religious for his bones, +he found the body still entire, without a foul odor or any decay, +just as if it had been newly buried; but neither the Indians nor their +encomendero would permit him to take it away, keeping possession of +it as a holy body. The day after they arrived, the superior gave them +their assignments throughout all the province because of the great +need of religious; and many were sent to Nueva Segovia.] Ere long, +many of the religious wrote to him thanking him for having brought +them to so devoted a province, where they had so much opportunity +to serve God and to do good to their fellow-men. In particular, +father Fray Matheo de la Villa, a son of Sant Esteban at Salamanca, +wrote to him. He was in a large village, the whole population of which +was composed of heathen who desired to become Christians. He taught +them what they desired much, and he desired more. He wrote that on +Holy Saturday he had been obliged to baptize six hundred of them in a +church which they themselves were making; and that he now understood +the language of the natives sufficiently, though he had been only six +months learning it. In spite of this diligence, they were not able to +attend to this great spiritual harvest, for the laborers were few; +and so, though new and old were apportioned, there were not enough, +although they did all in their power, for many villages of heathen who +begged for them with great urgency. The provincial, grieved by this, +and seeing that he had no answer to make except that he would pray +God to bring religious from España, wrote to father Fray Francisco +de Sant Joseph, whom he had left in Manila as vicar-provincial, +and to the other religious, an account of affairs. In particular he +told them that the Indian chiefs from inland had come to him begging +him, on their knees and in tears, to give them a religious to teach +them the way to heaven; and that one of them had offered to make a +village of two thousand inhabitants and the other of nine hundred, in +order that the religious might with greater ease give them Christian +instruction. The Indians in their heathen condition live in farmsteads +and tiny hamlets, where it is very difficult to teach them; and it +is impossible that teaching shall enlighten them, because of the +inability of the religious to care for and attend to so many small +villages. Hence, to make good Christians of them, it is necessary +to gather them in larger villages. At the beginning, there was great +difficulty in causing the Indians to leave their ancient abodes; though +by the help of God, and of that spirit of gentleness and kindness +which He gives to His disciples, the religious overcame it. These +heathen Indians were so eager to have teachers that, unlike the rest, +they did not wait to be asked; but, to succeed in obtaining religious, +themselves offered by anticipation to remove this difficulty, which +is generally so great. The provincial wrote, in addition, that if the +ministers at Manila should be reduced somewhat in number he could +send someone, or someone could go, to help in this extreme need, +to which he could not give aid from there. Father Fray Francisco +de Sant Joseph called together the fathers who formed the council; +and they, after considering the case, found only one religious who +could go. This was father Fray Jacintho de Sant Jeronimo. Because +of this father Fray Francisco de Sant Joseph--as one who always +thought of himself that he did little, and that he would be little +missed--set out with this religious at the time of his embarcation, +without consulting anyone else. In this he acted as superior, which he +then was. After he had sailed eight leguas, he wrote to the religious +of Manila that he was going to supply this lack, since it seemed to +him that he would not be much missed here. But the father-provincial +did not approve, because he knew that for the Indians about Manila, +whose language he understood admirably, he was a St. Paul. On this +account he was called, even by the religious of other orders, "the +apostle of the Indians." For the Spaniards he was a second St. John +Chrisostom in preaching and life; and hence the provincial was not +slow in sending him back to his former post. + +The position of prior of the principal convent in the province of +Manila was vacant, and the religious in it unanimously elected father +Fray Diego as their superior. He declined the position as long as he +could, and accepted it only when he was compelled to do so by the rule +of strict obedience. He filled the position remarkably well, though +he did not hold it long; for in the following year the vessels from +Nueva España brought news of the death of father Fray Domingo de Nieva, +who had gone in the preceding year as procurator of this province in +España. He had left the cares of this life to enjoy the quiet which, +because of his great virtue and charity, the Lord had kept for him in +heaven. Since it was very necessary for the province to have someone +in España to send them religious--for without this supply the province +could not be maintained--they immediately arranged to send another; and +no one was found so suitable as father Fray Diego. He was accordingly +asked to return and begin his labors anew by embarking for España, +where he was to act as the procurator of this province in all matters, +and was especially to provide them with religious.... Notwithstanding +the hardships and dangers of that voyage, his love to God and the +province, and his perception of the need which forced them to do this, +outweighed these other considerations; and he immediately prepared +himself for the departure which was at hand. With only three woolen +tunics in place of shirts, and the ship-stores for the first voyage, +without a real or anything else for the remainder of the journey, he +embarked in the middle of July, having remained in Manila not quite +a full year. They had good weather until they reached the latitude +of Japon, and from there such furious winds as lifted the sea up to +the sky.... Since they had come from so hot a climate as that of this +country, and had so suddenly entered this other, which was so cold, +they could not fail to suffer from many diseases. Many died on this +voyage, among them the commander and the master of the ship, and a rich +merchant who was a passenger. He, perceiving father Fray Diego's holy +way of life, his great virtue, poverty, contempt for temporal things, +devotion toward God, and charity toward his fellow-men, gave him all +his wealth, which amounted to seventy thousand pesos, that he alone, +at his own pleasure, without being obliged to render account to anyone, +might distribute the whole of it in pious works. He told him that, +though he had no heirs to whom he was obliged to leave anything, +he had some poor relatives in Portugal (whence he had come), and he +charged him to aid them. Father Fray Diego gave so much attention +to the fulfilment of his wish that he went in person to Portugal +solely for this purpose, sought with great care for the relatives of +the deceased, relieved their necessities, and left them all in good +circumstances, considering their estate, and very content. He also +fulfilled the rest of the desires of the testator in accordance with +the trust given him, without applying to himself or to any relative +of his more than the trouble and the reward from God, which would not +be small. [Father Fray Diego went on to España, and thence to Francia, +that he might for his province, and personally, yield obedience to the +most reverend general of the order, at that time Fray Agustin Galamino, +a holy man, who as such took particular delight in hearing what father +Fray Diego related as an eyewitness of the devotion of the province +of the Philippinas and of the great services which it wrought for the +Lord in the conversions of these idolatrous tribes. The pious general +gave him all the documents necessary for taking religious thither; +and father Fray Diego was about to return with the documents, that +he might not lose a moment in the execution of his trust, the great +importance of which he perceived. But his superior obliged him to +remain for the general chapter, which was to be held in the middle of +the year in Paris (in which he was a definitor)--to the great regret +of father Fray Diego at losing all this time from the affairs of +the province of which he thought so much. For ten years he filled +this office of procurator for the province in España, setting an +admirable example to lay and religious, who saw him always humble, +devout, and in poverty, and putting forward no claims for himself, +either within or without the order. This made him freely able to +express his judgment with holy and religious liberty before the royal +Council and to the president and members of it. They all looked upon +him with special respect. He aided in sending the religious brought +to this province by father Fray Alonso Navarete, who afterward was a +holy martyr, the first one of our order to suffer in Japon, and the +one who opened the door of martyrdom for so many as afterward followed +his good example. He later sent another shipload, with father Fray +Jacintho Calvo; and the same father Fray Diego, after sending these +first two, afterward set out to bring other religious with him. But, +when he arrived in Mexico, he received letters from the provincial +of this province, desiring him to return to España and continue his +functions as procurator-general in it. Here he could be of use only as +one man; there he could do the work of many, by sending so many good +religious. He went back to the labor which he had desired to give up; +and abandoning a life of contemplation in a cell, for which he was +eager, he returned to the publicity of tribunals, and the distraction +of journeys, from which he desired to flee. At all times, however, +he was instant in prayer, and in other devout exercises. As a reward +for this care, he received from the Lord success in the business +which he undertook, a successful despatch of it being furthered by +his prayer--which, it seemed, would have taken off his attention from +his business and interfered with it. In spite of all this experience +of the pleasure of the Lord in this exercise, he still desired to +retire and to prepare himself for a holy death; and he constantly +begged the superior of this province to send him a successor, that +he might return to it.] + +The province sent father Fray Matheo de la Villa, who has several +times been mentioned with praise. Thereupon father Fray Diego, +after obtaining the necessary licenses and decrees, gathered twenty +companions and came to live and die with them in this province--nearly +all the members of which were his sons, whom he had sent or brought +from España, as has been recounted. Hence he was received as the +general father of all, and was by all much beloved for the great good +which he had wrought for all of them, for each one in particular, and +for the whole province in general, by means of many royal decrees and +grants which he had obtained at court for medicine for the sick, wine +for the masses, oil for the lamps which burned before the most holy +sacrament, and habits for the religious, which are great sources of +relief in our great poverty. Among these things the provision for the +dress of the religious ought not to be passed over in silence. Neither +the province nor any house within it had any regular source of income; +and it provided for all its expenses entirely with alms received +from the faithful. Since serge for our habits had to be brought +from Nueva España, it was a difficult thing for the province to +send every year the money for all the clothing of the religious, +at the price in Mexico. The province provides the religious with +clothing, for no member of it cares for himself, or has any deposit +or anything else of his own, not even with the permission of his +superior. Hence the province sent directions to father Fray Diego to +ask his Majesty to give as alms the clothing for all the religious of +the province--and this not for one year or two, but forever, since the +same need and poverty were to continue forever. Father Fray Diego, +who was acquainted with the heavy demands upon the royal treasury, +regarded it as impossible to obtain this; and he put off asking for +it until he felt obliged to send an answer to the province. Feeling +practically certain that it would not be granted, he asked for it in +a memorial of his own, sending in other memorials in which he asked +for things which seemed to him very easy to grant; and when he looked +over the answers he found that the royal Council had unhesitatingly +allowed the grant and gift of the clothing (which he had regarded as +impossible), but had refused everything which he asked for in the +other memorial. From this it was plain that it was God who had in +His hand the heart of the king; and that He had done more than what +human prudence might hope for. This truth was all the more confirmed +by the fact that when the royal decree came to be presented before +the royal officials in Mexico, who were always accustomed to put a +thousand difficulties and contingencies in the way of such grants, +they not only did not put any such in the way of this grant; but, +seeing that the religious had from mere timidity asked much less than +they needed, urged them to ask for a sufficient amount. The matter was +immediately settled on this footing, and has remained so ever since, +a plain token that the Lord is pleased that the religious of this +province shall wear the habits which they have always worn--poor, +humble, rough, made of coarse and heavy serge; a penance for the +religious, and a good example for others, as have always been the +poor and rough habits of religious orders. At the first vacancy +of the position of prior in Manila father Fray Diego was a second +time elected prior. He filled the post to the great benefit of the +religious and the convent, to the needs and obligations of which +he attended with great care and charity. He was by nature taciturn +and somewhat rigid, but by virtue was so corrected and mild that he +left no necessity unremedied, no afflicted whom he did not strive +to console, no weak or fallen one for whom he did not pray. With +all he was gentle, and to all he desired to do good. While he was in +this position, and very far from thinking of changing his condition, +he received in the year 1632 the royal decree appointing him bishop +of Nueva Segovia. He hesitated long before accepting this dignity, +presenting many arguments against his acceptance. But, since all the +others were opposed to him in this matter, he gave up his own opinion +and accepted the episcopate, with the most firm determination not +to abandon his character as a friar vowed to poverty and to observe +the manner of living which he had previously maintained--and even +to improve it by far, as the superior station upon which he entered +required of him; and this determination he most perfectly fulfilled, +as will be seen. Someone very much devoted to the order sent him a +diamond cross for a pectoral; and he returned it, saying that it was +very rich for so poor a bishop, for whom a pectoral of wood would be +sufficient. The bulls did not reach him that year; so he waited for +them without leaving the cell in which he had lived in the hospital +of the Chinese. He took no servant, and made no change in his poor +manner of living, dress, and clothing. He went to the choir and +performed the other obligations of religious in this poor habit, +and did everything else, whether by day or in the midst of the night, +that he had promised. He was consecrated and went to his bishopric; +and giving himself up wholly to his obligations as bishop he personally +visited all his bishopric, leaving in all parts a lively memory of his +sanctity, devotion, and alms-giving. His common custom was to spend +one hour of prayer before mass, raising his fervor by mental devotion +that he might say it with a greater spiritual elevation. This was in +addition to many other hours of prayer by day and by night. After mass +was finished, he spent another hour in giving thanks to the Lord for +what he had received; and then he went immediately to his study of +holy scripture, which likewise is prayer. He did not rise from his +work until something happened which compelled him to. His expenses +were almost nothing, so that the poor income of his bishopric was +wholly spent upon charity and upon the adornments of his church; for +in these two matters he spent as if he were rich. Hence in the short +time during which he governed the bishopric (which was only a year and +a half), he gave it more ornaments and jewels than others who had been +superiors there had given in many years. He was most humble; and when +father Fray Carlos Clemente Gant was vicar of the convent, the bishop +used to go almost daily from his residence to our house to confess to +him. When father Fray Carlos begged him to remain at home, and said +he would go to hear his confession every day, the bishop declined, +saying, "Your Reverence is very busy. I, who am less so, will come," +and on this footing this matter always continued. He took less food +than when he was in the order, giving up one meal when he accepted +the bishopric. He said that his position brought more obligations; +therefore his food ought to be less. He always ate fish, if necessity +did not force him to take something else. His bed was a piece of felt +for a mattress and a blanket for covering, without any other pillow +than the mat used by the poor Chinese, or one of the native mats--which +was given a coat of a sort of varnish, so that the perspiration might +be washed off and the pillow kept clean. In his whole house he had +no other bed-clothes, so that even in his last sickness he had no +mattress nor sheets, nor even a linen pillow upon which to rest his +head; it was therefore necessary to bring that which was kept ready in +the poor infirmary of the convent, for no such comforts were used or +were to be found in the bishop's house. When he went on visitation, +he always took with him some bundles of cloth to distribute among +the poor, and these and other good works which he did for them +constituted the sole profit of his visitation. He highly esteemed +the ministers whom he had in his bishopric, and was greatly pleased +to see that they were practically all religious--not only of his own +order, but also of that of our father St. Augustine. He loved both +tenderly, and always had much good to say of all of them. During his +time another bishop [71] (who was a member of an order) put forward a +claim that the royal decrees should be put in execution which provide +that the religious who have charge of Indians shall be subject to the +inspection and visitation of the bishop or his visitors. When this +matter was discussed before the royal Audiencia, our good bishop was +present--yielding, so far as his bishopric was concerned, the favor +granted in these royal decrees. He declared and proved with many +strong arguments that, though the execution of the decrees would +greatly increase the dignity and temporal profit of the bishops, +it was to the spiritual and temporal injury of the Indians. Hence, +to avoid these greater injuries, he renounced with a good will these +inferior gains, as a prelate who felt that all his gains were secured +by procuring the proper ministry for those subject to him. The whole +income of his bishopric he collected for the poor, without taking +from it more than the labor or dividing it among the needy; for his +own maintenance, he asked alms as one of the poor. When on any account +he was absent from his bishopric, he left someone in it to distribute +alms to the poor, that they might not be injured by his absence. + +The habit which he wore was of serge, and he wore an old frieze cloak +which had served one of the religious on his way from España. His +shoes were old and patched, and his breeches poor and mean, like those +used in this province. He wore no rings, and did not spend a real for +them or for a pectoral, being contented with those which were offered +to him as to a bishop in such a state of poverty. When he entered our +convents, he prostrated himself on the floor to receive the blessing of +the superior, as the other religious do; and he joined the community +and took no precedence in seating himself, just like any of the other +brothers. He did not permit them to give him anything special in the +refectory; and he remained in all things as humble and as perfect in +his duties, as a member of the order, as he had been before becoming +a bishop. The happy end of all his many arduous labors was at hand; +and after only three days of sickness he went to receive the endless +reward of his toils, leaving those who were subject to him above +measure sad at the loss of such a superior, father, and common +benefactor of all. But those who displayed the greatest feeling, +and with the greatest reason, were the religious of this province, +who had in him an honor, a defense, and an example, which incited +them to all virtue, and to strict observance of their rules. [His +death caused great sorrow, not only in his diocese but in Manila, +where he was beloved by all; and notable honors were paid to his +memory, even by the other orders.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LX + +The glorious martyrdom of four religious of this province, and two +laymen, their companions, in Japon. + + +May 2, 1637, there was elected as provincial father Fray Carlos +Clemente Gant, a native of the famous city of Zaragoça, and a son of +the illustrious convent of Preachers in that city, a person of much +virtue and superior prudence, of which he had given evidence in many +offices which he had filled with great praise. He was elected in this +chapter on the first ballot, and the wisdom of his election was soon +shown, the Lord choosing him as a principal instrument to bring to +an end the congregation--which, as has been narrated, had already +begun to be planned, to the great harm of these conversions. + +[This year, which concludes the number of fifty since the foundation +of this province, is closed, as with a precious key, by the marvelous +martyrdom of four religious belonging to the province--father Fray +Antonio Gonçalez, father Fray Guillermo Cortet (who here bore the name +of Fray Thomas de Sancto Domingo), father Fray Miguel de Ozaraza, and +father Fray Vicente de la Cruz. With the martyrdoms (already narrated) +of father Fray Jordan de San Estevan and Fray Thomas de San Jacintho, +the Japanese persecutors of the church had spilled the blood of all the +Dominican friars of that kingdom; yet they had not, as they expected, +caused the souls of the religious to fear, or cooled their fervent +desires to go to Japon. Of all those who asked for permission to go +thither, these four only received the desired license. Two of them were +teachers of theology in the college and university of the province, in +the city of Manila; and both of them had lectured on theology before +coming to this province--father Fray Antonio in that of España, +and father Fray Guillermo in his native country of France. Thus +the province has sent its best to Japon. Father Fray Francisco de +Morales was for many years lecturer on theology, and at the time +of his mission was prior of the convent of Manila; and father Fray +Jacintho de Esquivel, father Fray Domingo de Erquicia, father Fray +Lucas del Espiritu Sancto, and father Fray Diego de Rivera had all +been lecturers on theology. There was great difficulty in sending +these four religious to Japon, which was finally overcome by the +determination of the religious. In the year 1634, some Spaniards had +been cast on shore on the islands of the Lequios, which are subject +to Japon. They were examined to see if they were religious or no; +but, as it did not appear that they were, they were set free. Many +Japanese came to them by night, asking them if they were priests +to hear their confessions; and, being assured that they were not, +they begged for priests to come to them. Father Fray Vincente de la +Cruz and a Christian Japanese offered to take the religious whom the +province might send and to make their way from the Lequios Islands +to Japon. The governor, learning that the expedition was about to be +equipped, burned the vessel which had been prepared, and set sentinels +at the mouth of the bay to prevent the religious from setting out. By +God's aid they succeeded in eluding him, and after meeting with storms +made their way to the islands of the Lequios, where they landed July +10, 1636. No certain reports have been received as to what occurred +in the islands; but the fathers seem to have been arrested as soon as +they revealed themselves, and to have been sent as prisoners to Japon. + +On September 13, 1637, fathers Fray Guillermo Cortet, Fray Miguel +Oçaraça and Fray Vicente de la Cruz, dressed in secular clothes, +were brought from Satzuma to Nangasaqui, to be tried for their +crime. Father Fray Antonio Gonçalez was not with them, having sailed +in another vessel, and not having yet arrived. They answered boldly, +declaring that they had had no assistance from any government; and +that their very pilot had been a religious who had known something +of seamanship before entering the order. They were subjected to +terrible torture, especially the torture of water, which they bore +bravely. Their tortures were prolonged, and the text describes them +with fulness. On the twenty-first of the same month, father Fray +Antonio Gonçalez, the superior of the religious, arrived in Nangasaqui +in another funea. He was accompanied by two lay companions--one a +mestizo, the son of a Chinese man and an Indian woman; the other a +Japanese, who had been exiled for the faith. [72] As soon as father +Fray Antonio set foot on the soil, he made the sign of the cross, +in sight of all the Portuguese trading there and of a great multitude +of people. The holy father, being of noble stature, towered above the +company about him like another Saul. He was taken directly before the +judges, confessed who he was, was cruelly tortured, and subjected +to insult. The mestizo at first feared the torments, but afterward +plucked up his courage to endure them. The Japanese wretchedly fell +away from fear. Father Fray Antonio suffered the torture of water, +to which he was subjected when he was very sick of a fever; and he +died in the prison, his body being burnt and the ashes cast into the +sea. On the twenty-seventh of the month the prisoners were taken out +to be martyred, being gagged to prevent their preaching. They were all +suspended by the feet, and while they hung in their pits they chanted +praises to God; and the ministers of justice, in admiration of their +courage, caused them to be taken out from the holes still alive and +to be beheaded, that they might no longer suffer torture. The ashes +of the five holy martyrs were cast into the sea, three leguas from +the port of Nangasaqui, on the same day, September 29, 1637.] + + + + + +CHAPTER LXI + +The exercises with which the Lord prepared these saints for martyrdom + + +[The Lord in general requires a holy life to precede a martyr's +death. Father Fray Antonio Gonçalez was a native of Leon, bred up for +the Lord like another Samuel. He showed great capacity in his studies, +and became the master of the students in the most religious convent +of Piedrahita. Before his conversion, he was devoted to poetry and +such matters, which, though they do not take away the grace of the +Lord, choke the good seed of His special counsels and the way of +perfection. But before long father Fray Antonio gave up these trifles, +which, though they were not grave faults, were grave impediments to +the perfection to which the Lord called him. Considering how God might +best be pleased, it seemed to him that the best offering he could +make was the offering of martyrdom. As a means to attain this end, he +considered that coming to this province offered the best opportunity +for becoming a martyr. He devoted himself to virtuous company, and +was most useful as a minister in España. He begged his way from door +to door, and set out for the Philippinas when he was just recovering +from a severe illness. He was greatly given to works of mortification, +and most patient, kind, and obedient. He was devoted to be service +of the Rosary, and offered a special devotion, among many saints, to +St. Peter Martyr, whom he desired to imitate in life and in death. His +martyrdom had been predicted while he was in España. + +Father Fray Guillermo Cortet was a native of Visiers, a city of +France. He was the child of noble and wealthy parents. While still +a young layman he heard of the glory of our holy martyrs in Japon, +which made such an impression upon his heart that he determined +to give up all that he had and might hope for in the world, +and to assume the habit of the order which contained such saints, +hoping that he himself might be one of them. He therefore requested +the habit from father Fray Sebastian Michaelis, who at that time +governed the strictest congregation in France. In time he professed, +and became notable for religion, virtue, and learning. So closely +did he observe the rule that, when the famous convent of the order +in Aviñon was to be reformed, father Fray Guillermo was sent there +for the purpose. All this time he was sighing for Japon, and finally +set out on foot for España, making the journey in the winter through +rain, cold, and snow. He was greatly esteemed in the court, but left +it to come to the Philippinas as a member of the congregation. This +he abandoned when he heard the convincing reasons with which the +province, though obeying the most reverend general and his letters, +suspended the execution of them until they could give him information +as to the surreptitious manner in which they were obtained, the many +impossibilities which they contained within themselves, and the harm +which would be done to the work of conversion by the establishment +of the congregation. The province directed him to teach theology in +the college of Sancto Thomas at Manila, which he did obediently, +putting aside his desire to go to Japon. That he might have more +time and ease in the holy exercise of prayer, he never undressed at +night during the last twenty years of his life, but slept seated in a +chair. This country is infested with multitudes of annoying mosquitos; +but he did not take advantage of the common means of preventing them, +which is a tent, something permitted to all the religious. He would +not accept one, but offered to the Lord the stings of the gnats, which +is no small mortification and penance. It was no wonder that he paid +small attention to the stings of mosquitos, as he often wore next to +his skin a girdle bearing fifteen rosettes in honor of our Lady of +the Rosary and her fifteen mysteries, with points so sharp that they +drew blood when they were touched with the finger. Besides this he +wore an iron chain, which was kept bright by wear and gleamed as if it +were polished; and in addition to all these things he sometimes wore +next his skin a hair shirt, with points of iron so cruel and large +that the mere sight of them shocked some religious who happened to +see them, as being the most severe thing that they had ever seen in +their lives. He was most abstinent, full of devotion for the mass, +and above measure humble. He was also very kind and gentle, especially +to repentant sinners. He was scarcely a year in this province when +his ardent desire to go to Japon was finally gratified. + +Father Fray Miguel de Ozaraza was a native of Vizcaya; and because +of his virtues, devotion, and prudence he was much beloved in the +convent of Sancto Thomas at Madrid, where he lived for some years +in great quiet, with all the comfort that a good religious could +desire. But as many laymen have been moved by the desire of worldly +riches to leave their comforts in España and to go to the Indias, +so the desire for spiritual profit caused father Fray Miguel to come +to this most distant part of the world. He was very industrious, +and skilful in the management of business; and had much to do +with the management of the affairs of the shipload of religious +with which it was intended to begin the new congregation. When he +came to the province, and more clearly understood the condition of +affairs here, he left the congregation and was incorporated into the +province. For this he obtained the reward of martyrdom for which he +sought. No opportunity for him to go to Japon immediately offering, +he was directed to learn an Indian language, and to minister to the +Indians; this he did with humble obedience, not looking down upon +this despised ministry. At the same time he studied the Japanese +language. His fortitude in martyrdom was supernatural and divine.] + +Father Fray Vicente de la Cruz, whose Japanese name was Xivozzuca, was +a native of Japan, the child of devoted Christians of long standing, +and was the youngest of seven brothers. He was offered to God before +his birth; for, while he was still in his mother's womb, his parents +promised that, if they should have a son, they would offer him like +a second Samuel to the service of the church. They bred him in this +way as one dedicated to such a service, never permitting him to wear +any colored clothes like other boys of his rank, that he might grow +up with the sense of being dedicated to God, and of being bound to +serve Him with all care and devotion. At the age of nine he was given +to the fathers of the Society in fulfilment of the vow; and from that +tender age began to be trained in Nangasaqui in the college of the +fathers there--studying grammar, and the other moral teaching given +by the fathers of the Society to those who are to aid them in their +preaching. This Vicente did for many years, up to the persecution +which broke out, with the fury described, in the year 1614. At this +time Vicente went to Manila, when the ministers were exiled, returning +soon afterwards to Japon; but like the dove in the ark, not finding a +place whereon to set his foot, because of the persecution, he returned +again to this city, seeking some established way in which he could +serve the Lord as a minister of the church. He suffered great need, +and was tempted by friends and acquaintances to change his plans and +to marry; but he did not consent, preferring to be poor and needy +in the house of the Lord than to live with ease among laymen. The +Lord, who never fails those who put their trust in him, helped him by +making him acquainted with the bishop of Zubu, Don Fray Pedro de Arce, +a master of such virtue that the virtues of Vicente could not fail to +advance under him. Father Fray Luis Sotelo afterwards came to this city +with the purpose of taking preachers to Japon, and Vicente joined him, +being prepared for every good work, even at the expense of the hardship +and danger required by the preaching of the faith in Japon. It was not +yet time for this holy man to suffer, and hence he was prevented by +sickness from accompanying the holy martyr Fray Luis Sotelo when he +went to Japon; so he remained in this country, teaching the language +to the religious who were to go to that realm. In this and in all +his actions his conduct was so virtuous that the Christian Japanese +offered him a liberal support, so that he was ordained priest and gave +them his spiritual aid, preaching to them and administering the holy +sacraments. That he might live with great perfection, he followed the +rule of the tertiary Order of the noble St. Francis. The expedition +of these holy martyrs was about to take place, and the superior of +it endeavored to have father Fray Vicente accompany and guide them, +as he was a native Japanese who had had experience in the preaching +of the gospel in that realm. He not only readily agreed to this, but +earnestly begged for the habit of the order; and he wore it--in such +manner as he could, since he was going to preach in Japon--for more +than a year; he professed and suffered, as has been described. May +the Lord give us for the merits and intercession of these glorious +martyrs, [73] and of all the other holy martyrs and confessors who +have been in this province, something of the divine grace which made +them such as they were. Thus, as up to this time the present members +of the province have not belied the holy beginnings with which it +was established, but rather seem to perfect themselves with each new +increase, so may we not fall off in the future; but may our love toward +God and our fellow-men, and our devotion to the rule of our order, +forever preserve the perfection which has been found hitherto in the +sons of the province, to the glory of the Author of all good, who is +the same Lord God to whom belongs all glory forever and ever. Amen. + + + +After the fifty years of this history were completed, there came +the following letter from his Majesty, which settled the matter +which had disturbed the religious of this province and kept them +in affliction. This letter was received, as has been said in the +history, without any representation from the province having come to +the royal ears; hence it is a most certain proof that it was given +by the special providence of the Lord, and by the aid of our great +patroness the Virgin Mother; and that it is worthy to be placed as +a conclusion to this history. + + + + + +Letter written by his Majesty to the venerable and devout father +provincial of the Order of St. Dominic of the Philipinas Islands. + +(Copied faithfully from the original.) + + +The King. To the venerable and devout father provincial of the Order of +St. Dominic of the Philipinas Islands. From different reports which I +have received, I have learned of the disturbance and disquiet caused +among the religious of that province by the division of it that was +made by virtue of letters obtained from the general of the order by +Fray Diego Collado, and by the aid given him for the purpose by Don +Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera, my governor and captain-general of these +islands. I desired that the said briefs should not be executed, since +they were not approved by my royal Council of the Indias; and hence, +looking rather to the conformity of the religious with the rule of the +order, and to the quiet of that province, and perceiving that the said +division must cause some relaxation therein, I have commanded my said +governor and captain-general of these islands, and my royal Audiencia, +to suspend the said brief and all other briefs brought by the said +Fray Diego Collado, without permitting them to be executed. And I +have commanded that the division of the provinces which has been made +shall be annulled, and that they shall return to the condition in which +they were before the said division. I accordingly request and direct +you to attend to it, on your part, that these said provinces shall +be placed in the state in which they were before Collado to España +immediately. That this may have effect, I have in a letter of this +day commanded my said governor to have him provided with passage. You +will inform me at the first opportunity of what you shall have done +in execution of what I thus request of you. Dated at Madrid, February +first, in the year one thousand six hundred and thirty-seven. + + + I the King + + By command of our lord the king: + + Don Gabriel de Ocaña y Alarcon + + + + + + + +BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA + + +For bibliographical data of Aduarte's Historia, which is concluded +in the present volume, see Vol. XXX. + + + + + + + +NOTES + + +[1] i.e., "In the beginning was the Word." The other quotation reads, +in English, "May the reading of the gospel be health and protection +to thee." + +[2] Karatsu is a town in Hizen, north of Nagasaki; it possesses large +deposits of coal and kaolin. It was formerly called Nagoya. + +[3] The shôgun at that time was Hidetada (1605-1623); but his father +Iyeyasu, although nominally retired from the government, still inspired +its proceedings in great degree, until his death in 1616. + +[4] For description of the Kuwantô, see Vol. XVI, p. 47. This group +of provinces lies near the center of Hondo, and includes the city of +Tôkio (Yedo). + +[5] According to Rein (Japan, p. 304), he had put away his Christian +wife to marry a daughter of Hidetada, and had become an apostate. Then +he removed his residence from Arima to Shimabara, and began a fierce +persecution of the Christians. + +[6] Evidently referring to Santiago de Vera. + +[7] Notwithstanding this fierce persecution--which, thus begun, +culminated in the massacre of Shimabara (1637), and lasted as long +as Christians could be discovered by the Japanese authorities--a +considerable number of Japanese converts maintained their Christian +faith, unknown to their rulers, handing it down from one generation +to another until 1868, when their existence became known to the +government, and for a time they were exiled from their homes, but +were restored to them a few years later. This Christian church was +at Urakami, about seven miles north of Nagasaki. + +[8] Rein states (Japan, p. 306) that there were 22 Franciscans, +Dominicans, and Augustinians (agreeing with Aduarte's total), 117 +Jesuits, and nearly 200 native priests and catechists; and that these +were shipped to Macao. Murdoch and Yamagata say (Hist. Japan, p. 503) +that 63 Jesuits were sent to Macao; and 23 Jesuits, all the Philippine +religious, and several distinguished Japanese exiles, to Manila. + +[9] Cf. Vol. IX, p. 68, for mention of earliest printing in the +islands. + +[10] See Vol. XII, p. 222. + +[11] Angelo Orsucci e Ferrer was born in Lucca, Italy, in 1570, also +entering there the Dominican order. Hearing of the Filipinas missions, +he went to Valencia, in Spain, to join them, and arrived at Manila +in 1602. He labored successively in the Cagayán and Bataán missions, +and in 1612 went to Mexico to take charge of the Dominican hospice +there. In 1615 he returned to Manila, conducting the mission band which +Aduarte had brought to Mexico. He went again to Bataán for a time; +but, hearing of the persecutions in Japan, determined to go thither, +reaching that country in August, 1618. In the following December he was +arrested, and imprisoned in Omura. He remained there nearly four years, +and was burned alive on September 10, 1622. He was beatified in 1867. + +See Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 211-214. + +[12] This was Juan de Silva, who died on April 19, 1616 (see Vol. XVII, +p. 279). + +[13] A letter written by the Franciscan Fray Pedro de Alfaro to Fray +Juan de Ayora, commissary in Manila, under date of Canton, October +13, 1579, and existing (in copy) in Archivo general de Indias (with +pressmark, "Simancas-eclesiastico; cartas y expedientes de personas +eclesiasticas vistos en el consejo; años 1570 á 1608; est. 68, caj. 1, +leg. 42"), says of the Ilocos district: "Also it should be noted by +your charity and the superiors who shall come that the province of +Ylocos is the destruction and sepulcher of friars; for it is known +how the first who went there returned, while I found the next ones, +although they had come there so short a time before, with very +ill-looking, flabby, and colorless countenances, and brother Fray +Sebastian (may he rest in glory), smitten with stomach trouble. His +sickness began there, and there was its ending. In consideration of +this, and of the common rumor and report of all, I do not believe that +it is a district where we can live." The sick friar here mentioned +was Sebastian de Baeza, who, at the time Alfaro wrote, had just died +on a ship in Canton Bay. + +[14] Melchor Manzano came to Manila in 1606, and ministered in the +Cagayán missions until he was chosen provincial in 1617. In 1621 he +was appointed procurator of the province at Madrid; and he died in +Italy, about 1630, as bishop-elect of Nueva Segovia. + +[15] After the battle of Sekigahara (1600) Iyeyasu had left Hideyori +(the infant son of Hideyoshi), with his mother, in the castle of +Osaka. After this child grew to manhood, he incurred the jealousy +of Iyeyasu, which was doubtless aggravated by his intimacy with the +Jesuits, and the shelter given by him to many discontented Japanese, +both heathen and Christian. Armies were raised on both sides, and on +June 4, 1615, the castle of Osaka was carried by assault, and burned, +Hideyori and his mother both perishing. See Murdoch and Yamagata's +full account of this war, its causes, and its immediate results +(Hist. Japan, pp. 507-567); cf. Rein's Japan, p. 306. + +[16] i.e., "the lord shogun;" it is only a title of honor, not a +personal name. It here refers to Hidetada, who had been associated +with his father Iyeyasu in the government. + +[17] Later (at the beginning of chap. xiiii) Aduarte states +that under Safioye were two officials in charge of the Nagasaki +government--Antonio Toan, a Christian; and Feizó, a renegade +Christian. After Safioye's death, dissensions arose between these two; +and finally the emperor made Feizó and Gonrozu (a nephew of Safioye) +joint governors of the city, who proceeded to persecute the Christians +with renewed severity. + +[18] This sentence may be a later addition by Aduarte himself; but +is more probably written by his editor, Fray Domingo Gonçalez. + +[19] Among these Korean captives were numerous potters, who were +carried to Kiôto, Hagi, Satsuma, and other towns of Japan, in order +to introduce into that country the ceramic arts of Korea. Descendants +of these potters are still living in Tsuboya, a village of Satsuma, +where they still carry on their craft. See Rein's Japan, pp. 289, 527. + +[20] Jacinto Calvo came to Manila in 1604, from the convent of Peña de +Francia; but he soon returned to Spain, on business of his order. It +is probable that he spent the rest of his life there, except for +some years while he was in charge of the hospice at Mexico; it is +not known when he died. + +[21] The Babuyan and Batan Islands, groups lying north of Luzón, +extend northward to near the southern end of Formosa. From near the +northern end of that island, the Riu-Kiu Island stretches in a long +northeastward curve to the vicinity of Kiushiu Island, in southern +Japan. + +[22] A vulgar appellation of the fish called rompecandados +("padlock-breaker"), according to note by Retana and Pastells in +their edition of Combés's Mindanao, col. 770. Taraquito may possibly +be a diminutive form derived from tarascar, meaning "to bite, or tear +with the teeth." + +[23] The tribe best known as Mandaya are found in Mindanao; but the +same name is conferred by some Spanish writers on the Apayaos (a +head-hunting tribe in northwestern Cagayán and the adjoining portions +of Ilocos Norte and Abra)--with doubtful accuracy, according to +Blumentritt (Native Tribes of Philippines, p. 531). In U.S. Philippine +Commission's Report, 1900, iii, p. 19, is the following statement: +"In the hamlets on the western side of the river [i.e., Rio Grande +de Cagayán], Itaves, Apayao, and Mandayo are spoken;" but there is +no further reference to a Mandaya tribe in Cagayán. See Aduarte's +mention of Mandayas in later chapters. + +[24] Juan de San Lorenzo came to Manila with the mission of 1618; +he labored in the Cagayán missions, and died at Lal-ló in 1623. + +[25] A sort of trousers, generally made of cloth, covering the legs +as far as the knees, buttoned or hooked together on the outside. It +has also a dust-guard, which extends to the shoe. It is mainly used by +laborers, carriers, and the like. (Dominguez's Diccionario nacional.) + +[26] See book i of Aduarte's work, chapters xii-xv (in Vol. XXX of +this series). + +[27] Blumentritt characterizes the Gaddanes as "a Malay head-hunting +people, with a language of their own, settled in the provinces of +Isabela and Cagayán." Landor mentions them (Gems of the East, p. 478) +as having delicately chiseled features, and being now civilized and +christianized. + +The bulk of the population of Nueva Vizcaya is made up of converts +from two of the mountain Igorot tribes, the Isinay and the Gaddang or +Gaddan. This valley was called Ituy or Isinay. There are but three +or four thousand people in each of these tribes, the rest of the +christianized population of this province being made up of Ilocano +immigrants. (U. S. Census of Philippines, i, pp. 449, 471. 472.) + +[28] Constantius, second son of Constantine the Great; he reigned +from 337 A. D. to 361, and adopted the Arian doctrine, of which he +was a powerful supporter. + +[29] Pedro de Zúñiga was a native of Sevilla, and a son of Marqués de +Villamanrique, viceroy of Mexico; he entered the Augustinian order at +Sevilla, in 1604. He came to Manila in 1610, and spent several years as +a missionary in Pampanga. Fired with zeal for the Japanese missions, +he entered them in 1618, only to be sent back to Manila the next year +with other priests banished from Japan; but, as recounted in our text, +Zúñiga returned to that land to end his life as a martyr (August 19, +1622). He was beatified in 1867. See Pérez's Catálogo, p. 82. + +[30] Probably a reference to the ronins, men who had left their +masters, under the old feudal system in Japan, and spent their time +in low company and in idleness and excesses; see Griffis's Mikado's +Empire, p. 278. + +[31] This brother's proper name was Mangorochi. The term donado, like +the French donné (in each case meaning, literally, "one who is given") +was applied to devout persons who voluntarily entered the service +of the missions, giving themselves (often for life) to that cause, +and sharing the lot of the missionaries. All the martyrs whose fate +Aduarte describes were afterward beatified. + +[32] Diego de Rivera came to Manila from Córdoba, in 1615. He +ministered in Bataán at first, but was lecturer in Santo Tomás from +1619 to 1623--in which year he lost his life as described in our text. + +[33] Francisco Galvez, a native of Utiel, made his profession in +the Franciscan order in 1600, at the age of twenty-six. In 1609 he +departed for the Philippines, where for some time he ministered to +the Japanese Christians resident near Manila. He went to Japan in +1612, but was banished thence in 1614; after several vain efforts, he +succeeded in returning to that country in 1618. He was arrested by the +Japanese authorities, and after great sufferings in prison was burned +alive at Yendo, December 4, 1623. (See Huerta's Estado, pp. 391, 392.) + +[34] Aparri is a port of entry on the northern coast of Luzón, at the +mouth of the Rio Grande de Cagayán. It is the chief port of coast +and ocean trade in that region, and the starting-point for inland +river navigation. + +[35] Alonso García came from Córdoba to Manila, in 1622; he was sent +to the Cagayán missions, where he died as here related. Onofre Palau +was a native of Valencia, but entered the Dominican order at Manila, +in 1620. In the following year he made his profession, and was sent +to Cagayán, where he died with García. (See Reseña biográfica, i, +pp. 294, 373.) + +[36] i.e., "Island of Fishermen," indicating the occupation of nearly +all the 50,000 inhabitants (of Chinese race) of the group known as +Pescadores Islands, west of Formosa, and under the jurisdiction of +that island (which has been, since 1895, a possession of Japan). The +location of the Pescadores is such as to make them of strategic +importance, and Japan is now (1905) fortifying them. + +[37] The Chinese refused to allow the Dutch to trade with them unless +the latter would depart from the Pescadores, but permitted them to +occupy Formosa. The Dutch settled there in 1624, at Tainan (formerly +Taiwan) near Anping, remains of old Dutch forts still existing at both +places; and this island was their headquarters for trade with Japan +and China. See Basil H. Chamberlain's account of Formosa in Murray's +Handbook for Travelers in Japan (4th ed., New York and London, 1898), +pp. 536-542; Davidson's historical sketch in Transactions of Asiatic +Society of Japan, vol. xxiv, pp. 112-136. + +[38] One of the small islands in the bay of Kelung. + +[39] Francisco Mola was born in Madrid, and there made his profession +as a Dominican, in 1600. He came to the Philippines in 1611, and +spent many years in the Cagayán missions; afterward having charge of +the mission in Formosa. After 1643 his name is not mentioned in the +provincial records, as he returned to Spain about that time. (Reseña +biográfica, i, p. 339.) + +[40] Juan García Lacalle entered the Dominican order at Manila, +in 1602; he spent many years in the Cagayán missions. + +[41] Apparently a misprint for 1611. Sanchez remained in the Cagayán +missions until his death, which must have occurred about 1640. The +missionaries brought by him in 1626 numbered sixteen, sketches of +whom are given in Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 375-381. + +[42] A play upon words, the Spanish hierro ("iron") having almost +the same pronunciation as yerro ("error"). + +[43] Both these missionaries came to Manila in the mission of +1609. Fray Francisco labored in the villages of Balete and Polo--the +former being originally a village of Japanese, formed in 1601 by +Tello from that of Dilao, near Manila, but again restored to Dilao +in 1626. Fray Francisco went to Japan in 1623, and was burned at +the stake on August 17, 1627. Fray Bartolomé served in a hospital +(probably that at Los Baños), went to Japan in 1623, and met the same +fate as befell Fray Francisco. See Huerta's Estado, pp. 395, 557. + +[44] He had come to Manila in 1618, and labored in the Cagayán missions +and the Babuyanes. + +[45] In this band were twenty friars; for sketches of their lives, +see Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 381-390. + +[46] Spanish, castillo ("little castle"); apparently an imitation of +the castillo de fuego, a contrivance built of wood in the shape of +a castle, to which are attached various fireworks. + +[47] The reference in our text is to Go-Midzuno-o, who was mikado from +1611 to 1630; in the latter year he abdicated that dignity, forced +to this step by petty persecutions and interference by the shôgun +Hidetada, and lived in retirement for the rest of his life, dying +in 1680. The statement as to cutting off his hair is hardly accurate +in regard to its rarity, as it was then the custom for potentates of +various degrees to abdicate their office at an early period therein, +and retire into a Buddhist monastery, on which occasion the head of +the candidate was shaved. Dairi is merely one of the appellations +bestowed upon the mikado of Japan (see Vol. XIX, p. 51). The term +mikado is practically the equivalent of "Sublime Porte;" the first +to bear this name was Jimmu-Tennô (660-585 B. C.), and his dynasty +has continued to the present day. After the conquest of Korea (202 +A. D.) Chinese influences began to affect Japan; and the mikado's +authority was gradually diminished by powerful chiefs and lords, +until the dignity of shôgun--a military title of honor--was conferred +(1192) upon Yoritomo, and made hereditary in his family. From that time +dates the dual monarchy which ruled Japan--the mikado being but the +nominal sovereign--until 1868; the revolution of that year suppressed +the shôgunate, and restored to the mikado his rightful authority. The +mikado's residence was established at Kiôto in 793, where it remained +until 1868, being then transferred to Yedo (now Tôkiô). The comparison +of the mikado to a pope arose from his possessing certain prerogatives +in religious matters, and because a sort of divine character was +ascribed to him from the claim of the first mikado that he was a +descendant of the sun-goddess Amaterasu. See Rein's Japan, pp. 214, +224, 315-317; also Murdoch and Yamagata's Hist. Japan, chap. i, +and pp. 697-700. + +[48] A variant form of Alcarazo, as the name is spelled +elsewhere. These variations, which occur in numerous cases, may be due +to additions made by Aduarte's editor; or possibly to his employing +more than one amanuensis. + +[49] The modern province of Nueva Vizcaya. + +[50] Juan Arjona came from the convent at Córdoba, in the mission +of 1628, and was assigned to the Pangasinan field. In 1637-38 he +was ministering in Ituy, and in 1639 was appointed to a station in +Formosa. Afterward he returned to Pangasinan, and, after filling +various offices in Manila, died there on September 4, 1666, at the +age of eighty-four. + +[51] There are more than a hundred different varieties of rice, +some of which are lowland, cultivated by irrigation, and some upland, +grown in the dry lands (these being more numerous than the former). See +U. S. Philippine Commission's Report, 1900, iii, pp. 244, 245. + +[52] The province of Nueva Vizcaya (Ituy) is drained by the great river +Magat and its tributaries, which fertilize its soil; this stream flows +into the Rio Grande de Cagayán, which Aduarte seems to regard as the +continuation of the Magat. + +[53] Jerónimo de Zamora came to the islands in 1615, and labored +thirty-eight years in the Cagayán missions; at times he occupied +various offices, among them that of commissary of the Inquisition. He +died at Lal-ló about 1655. + +[54] i.e., "Equal shall be the portion of him that went down to battle +and of him that abode at the baggage, and they shall divide alike;" +in I Kings (of the Douay version; I Samuel of the Protestant versions), +xxx, v. 24. + +[55] Hidetada died in 1632, hut he had, following the usual +custom, abdicated the shôgunate in 1623, in favor of his son +Iyemitsu--retaining, however, as Iyeyasu had done, the actual control +of the empire until his death. + +[56] i.e., "That which decayeth and groweth old is near its end" +(Hebrews, viii, 13). + +[57] i.e., "The old man carried the child, but the child directed +the old man." + +[58] The torment of the pit (French, fosse, Spanish, hoyo); a hole six +feet deep and three in diameter was dug, and a post with a projecting +arm was planted by its side. To this arm the victim was suspended, +being lowered head downward into the pit, and left thus until he +either died or recanted; his body had been previously tightly corded, +to impede the circulation of the blood, but one hand was left free, +to make the sign of recantation. This horrible torment did not bring +death until two, three, or even six days; but most of the religious +endured it unto death, rather than recant. Of the few who did so was +Christoval Ferreira (Vol. XXIV, note 91). See Murdoch and Yamagata's +Hist. Japan, pp. 632-633. + +[59] Jacobo Somonaga (in religion, de Santa Maria) was born in +Omura of Christian parents; he had ability as a speaker, and often +preached while a student. He came to Manila, and at first became an +Augustinian; afterward, he entered the Dominican order (August 15, +1624), being then forty-three years of age. In 1627 he was in Formosa; +in 1632 he went from Manila to Japan, and in the following year died +as a martyr. (See Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 256, 257.) + +[60] Domingo Ibañez de Erquicia was born about 1587, in San Sebastian, +Spain, and entered the Dominican order there. He came to the +islands in 1611, and was sent to Pangasinan. From 1616 he remained +in Manila--except 1619-21, at Binondo--until 1623, when he went to +Japan--where he labored, in spite of persecution and sufferings, +until his martyrdom, August 18, 1633. (See Reseña biográfica, i, +pp. 235-241.) + +[61] Spanish, de grãde estampida; literally, "causes a great stampede +thither." + +[62] Alluding to the cathedral El Pilar at Zaragoza, in which is a +famous statue of the Virgin descending upon a pillar. It soon became +a rival of the noted shrine of St. James at Compostella, in the number +of pilgrims attracted thither, and miracles performed. Maria del Pilar +is a favorite name for girls in Spain, commonly abbreviated to Pilar. + +[63] Carlos Clemente Gant made his profession at Zaragoza, in 1602. He +came to Manila in 1611, and spent most of his life in the Cagayán +missions, filling many high offices in that region; he was also +provincial for two terms. He died at Lal-ló, in 1660, at the age +of seventy-two. + +[64] Luis Oñate made his profession at Sevilla, in 1626, and came to +the islands in 1632. He spent the rest of his life in the Cagayán +missions; and he died at Manila on June 18, 1678, at the age of +almost seventy. + +[65] Juan Bautista Morales was born in 1597, at Ecija; he entered +the Dominican convent there, but was ordained in Mexico. In 1618 he +came to Manila, and was assigned to the ministry among the Chinese +there. In 1628 and 1629 he was in Camboja, but was unable to establish +a mission there. In 1633 he went to China; after spending several years +in the missions there, he was sent (1640) by his order to Europe, +to make complaint regarding the practice of the "Chinese rites" by +the Jesuits in China. Taking the overland route from Goa, Morales +arrived in Italy in January, 1643; five years later, he escorted a +band of missionaries to Manila, and in 1649 returned to China. He +spent the rest of his life there, dying at Fo-Kien, September 17, +1664. (See Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 358-369.) + +[66] Francisco Diaz was born near Valladolid, October 4, 1606, and +entered the Dominican order there. Coming to Manila in 1632, he spent +some time in the Chinese hospital; and in 1635 he entered the China +mission, where he spent the rest of his life, dying at Ting-teu, +November 4, 1646. (See Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 393-411.) + +[67] Referring to the Chinese moralist and teacher Kôshi, usually +known to Europeans as Confucius. His teachings have exercised a +powerful influence on the history and national character of Japan; +and Iyeyasu's celebrated code of laws was modeled thereon. + +[68] Mateo de la Villa, born in the province of Oviedo, made his +profession in the Dominican convent at Salamanca, in 1600. Six years +later he came to the islands, where he spent many years in the Cagayán +missions. In 1622 he was appointed procurator at Madrid and Rome, +a charge which he held as late as 1665; but it is not known when and +where he died. (See Reseña biográfica, i, p. 330.) + +[69] This was Fray Diego Collado, who had come to the Philippines in +1611; see sketch of his life in Vol. XXV, p. 158. The band whom he +led were called "Barbones" (see Vol. XXV, p. 161). + +[70] Allusion is here made to the famous town of Santiago de +Compostela, formerly the capital of Galicia. Its foundation was due +to the alleged discovery (in the ninth Century) of the burial place +of St. James the apostle, who afterward became the patron saint of +Spain. A church was built over the tomb of the saint, by Alfonso I, but +was destroyed by the Saracens; the present cathedral was begun about +1080. It soon became a noted resort of pilgrims, being visited by many +thousands every year, and has continued to be such to the present time. + +[71] Referring to Fray Francisco de Zamudio, an Augustinian, the +bishop of Nueva Caçeres--of whom bare mention (and that only as a +confessor) is made in Pérez's Catálogo. Cf. the earlier controversy +on this question between Archbishop Serrano and the religious orders +(1624), for which see Vol. XXI, pp. 32-78. + +[72] The Japanese was named Lazaro; he was one of the lepers who had +been formerly exiled from Japan for the faith, and came with the +Dominicans as a guide. Although at first he denied the Christian +faith, under pressure of torture, he afterward recovered courage, +and died as a martyr, September 29, 1637. The mestizo was Lorenzo +Ruiz, a native of Binondo; he had left Luzón on account of a murder +that he had committed there. He also was martyred, at the same time +as Lazaro. (See Reseña biográfica, i, p. 276, note.) + +[73] Biographical sketches of all these martyrs are given in Reseña +biográfica, i, pp. 258-276. + +It is well to note, in this connection, the fact that the persecutions +of Christians in Japan were not, in the main, on religious grounds. The +Japanese government was tolerant to the new religion until it had +reason to fear that its authority was being subverted by the influence +of the missionaries, and the independence of the nation threatened by +the foreign nations who sent to Japan the priests and traders. See +Griffis's Mikado's Empire, pp. 247-259, Rein's Japan, pp. 290-293, +and Murdoch and Yamagata's History of Japan, pp. 457-506. The +last-named cites at length the writings of Charlevoix, Léon Pagés, +and other historians. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: +Volume XXXII, 1640, by Diego Aduarte + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 42458 *** |