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 XIII, 1604-1605

 Edited and annotated by Emma Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson with historical introduction and additional notes by Edward Gaylord Bourne. 

CONTENTS OF VOLUME XIII

 Preface 9 Relación de las Islas Filipinas (concluded) Pedro Chirino, S. J. ; Roma, 1604 2 Documents of 1604

 Letters to Felipe III. Pedro de Acuña; Manila, July 15 and 19 221 Decrees regarding religious orders. Felipe III, and others; Valladolid, February-July 246 Grant to the Jesuit seminary at Cebú. Pedro Chirino; [undated; 1604?] 251 Decree regulating commerce with Nueva España. Felipe III; Valladolid, December 31 256

 Documents of 1605

 Complaints against the Chinese. Miguel de Benavides, and others; Manila, February 3-9 271 Letter from a Chinese official to Acuña. Chincheo, March 287 Letters from Augustinian friars to Felipe III. Estevan Carillo, and others; Manila, May 4-June 20 292 Letter to Felipe III. Antonio de Ribera Maldonado; Manila, June 28 307

 Bibliographical Data 317

ILLUSTRATIONS

 Autograph signature of Pedro Chirino, S. J. ; photographic facsimile from MS. In Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla 215 Autograph signatures of Pedro de Acuña and members of the Audiencia; photographic facsimile from MS. In Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla 243

PREFACE

The larger part of the present volume is occupied with the _Relacion_of the Jesuit Chirino, begun in _Vol_. XII, and here concluded. Inthis work is recorded the progress of the Jesuit missions up tothe year 1602, by which time they have been established not onlyin Luzón and Cebú, but in Bohol, Leyte, Negros, Samar, and northernMindanao. The arrival of the visitor García in 1599 results in newvigor and more thorough organization in the missions, and the numbersof those baptized in each rapidly increase. The missionaries are ableto uproot idolatry in many places, and greatly check its practicein others. Everywhere they introduce, with great acceptance andedification among the natives, the practice of flagellation--"theprocession of blood. " Religious confraternities are formed among theconverts, greatly aiding the labors of the fathers; and the latteropen schools for boys, among both the Spaniards and the Indians. Intime of pestilence they minister to the sick and the dying; and theygain great influence among all classes. They secure the good-will ofhostile natives, quell a threatened revolt among those of Leyte, andreclaim certain outlaws and bandits. The Spaniards also receive theirministrations, especially in Manila; the fathers adjust dissensionsand family quarrels, and reform several dissolute persons. The collegeat Manila prospers, and enlarges its curriculum. The labors of theJesuits effect certain important changes in social conditions among thenatives. Usury, unjust enslavement, and polygamy are greatly lessened, and sometimes entirely abolished, among the Indians in the missiondistricts; and most notable of these results, the fathers have muchsuccess in gathering not only their own converts, but even many ofthe wild and savage mountaineers, into villages under their personalcare and supervision. 

A new monastic order, the Augustinian Recollects, is permitted tosend missionaries to the islands. Little of importance occurs therein 1604; but among the Spaniards there is much fear of an invasion bythe Chinese, in revenge for the late slaughter of their countrymen inLuzón. Yet the cupidity or laxity of the officials has permitted thenumber of Chinese resident in the islands to increase beyond properlimits; and the archbishop of Manila endeavors to secure strictenforcement of the laws against this dangerous immigration. Theleading officials of the Augustinian order complain (1605) of theirprovincial as unscrupulous and overbearing, and ask for relief andthe suitable adjustment of the affairs of their province. 

Chirino's narrative of the Jesuit missions (here concluded) narratesevents from 1598 onward. In June of that year Father Vera goes toobtain more missionaries from Europe. In Mexico he meets orders fromthe general of the Jesuit order that Diego García shall go with areënforcement of laborers to the Philippines. In Manila, during thatyear, the Jesuits meet much success in their ministries--especiallyin the confessional, in public preaching, and in various benevolentworks. They also accomplish much in private affairs, reconcilingenemies, preventing lawsuits, and checking licentious conduct. Theannals continue with the progress of the Antipolo mission during1598. The mountain-dwellers continue to come to the mission, of whommany are baptized--among these some of the heathen priests. Amongthe converts are formed confraternities which most efficiently aidthe labors of the missionaries. The people have given up their paganpractices, and display great piety and devotion as Christians. 

At Cebú the bishop has greatly favored the Jesuits, who have openeda school for his clergy and the sons of some citizens. Their laborsare chiefly among the Visayan natives and the Chinese, and meetmuch success. The writer relates some instances of especial virtueand piety among these converts; there, as in missions elsewhere, the women are distinguished in those respects. No less importantare the labors of the Jesuits among the Spaniards of Cebú, amongwhom they exercise great influence, even the bishop depending upontheir advice; and they often preach in the cathedral. The bishop, "in imitation of Manila, " introduces the practice of flagellation atLent, and himself leads the "procession of blood. "

In the island of Bohol the infant church continues to grow. Theconverts have entirely abandoned idolatry; and certain miraculouscures have kindled in them a most fervent piety. In Butúan (innorthern Mindanao) "Christianity is in a flourishing condition, "according to Father Ledesma, whose letters are cited. Conversionsare steadily increasing: and several chiefs are to be baptizedsoon, although the most noted leader, Silongan, is not yet curedof his polygamous inclinations. He is, however, most friendly tothe fathers, and protects them in certain dangers. In Alangalang, Tomás de Montoya (an American Indian who has gone to the islands)has resumed the work dropped at the death of Cosme de Flores; herelates some instances of piety among his converts, and of punishmentvisited on the impenitent. At Ogmuc much caution had been exercised inconferring baptism, and those who have received it show most edifyingpiety. In Holy Week occurs a procession in which "the most pleasing andtouching sight was to see all the children disciplining themselves withscourges which they themselves had made for that day. " The missionariesadjust various family quarrels, and put an end in the islands to thepractices of usury and unjust enslavement. Chirino here gives someaccount of these evils, but adds that they are abolished among allthe christianized tribes in the islands. 

Good reports come from Carigara and Paloc; the latter village isunusually prosperous because one of the Jesuits has aided the peopleto construct better dwellings. They have abandoned their idols, and take pleasure in scourging themselves on Fridays. At Dulac manybaptisms have occurred, and various diseases, among them leprosy, have been cured by this sacrament. A letter from Father Otaço, whois in charge at Tinagon, shows that idolatry has been abandoned, and immoral customs are almost uprooted. He gives an interestingdescription of the methods pursued by the missionaries in theirpreaching, and by one of their native helpers in teaching his fellows. 

In June, 1599, Diego García is sent to the islands as officialvisitor of the Jesuit missions there, and he at once reorganizes andsystematizes their plan and conduct. Soon after his arrival there is aviolent earthquake at Manila, which injures two of the churches. TheJesuits receive much aid for restoring their building--contributionsfrom the Spaniards, and services from the Indians. In an epidemic ofdisease among them much good is done by the confraternity establishedamong the converts, and the sick depend upon the fathers for spiritualcomfort. When the people harvest their rice, their first care isto carry an offering of the first-fruits to the church. As usual, the Jesuits here do much to better the lives of their penitents, both Indian and Spanish, reconciling those who were at enmity, andbreaking up licentious alliances. The pestilence extends to Antipoloand other villages near Manila, and both the missionaries and theirconverts aid the sick and the dying in every possible way. 

The uprooting of idolatry in the Taytay mission has been effectual;various instances of this are related by Chirino, as also the cureof a lunatic by wearing an _Agnus Dei_. Garcia, the official visitor, arrives at Cebú in 1600, and makes arrangements by which the Chinesethere are cared for by other priests, the Jesuits being thus free tolabor among the Indians. But the harvest of souls is far greater thanthe few laborers there can reap and more are urgently needed. Chirinorelates some instances of conversion and pious deaths in that mission. 

He then relates the progress of the mission in Bohol, citing for thispurpose the letters of the two missionaries there. The new convertsdisplay much devotion, and even the pagans receive the fatherskindly. Many are converted, and some of their children are trainedto instruct the people in the Christian faith. Sánchez procures thedestruction of many instruments of witchcraft in a certain village;and relates some marvelous cures made by administering the sacraments, and some instances of feminine virtue. 

In Butúan (Mindanao) a rich harvest of souls is being gathered byLedesma and Martínez; and even the infidels are very friendly to thenew religion. The converts are very devout, and will not countenanceany pagan practices. Certain miraculous cures are recorded. Thepractice of flagellation is maintained in the Jesuit church there, as in other places. 

The Filipinos had formerly lived in perpetual warfare between thepetty chiefs and their adherents; those who could remove migrated tonew homes inland, and thus the mountain regions became settled. Inorder to reach the natives, the Jesuits at Alangalang bend alltheir efforts, which are soon successful, to gathering thesescattered settlements into large villages--mission "reductions"like those which they had already made so noted in Paraguay andother lands. Their labors are thus more advantageously conducted, and many conversions result. At Carigara their church services aregreatly aided by a native choir, who sing in both their own and theEuropean modes. A letter from Father Enzinas praises the purity ofthe converted Indian women. Father Sánchez relates a notable casein his missionary labors at Barugo. The progress of the church atOgmuc is related, with ardent praise for the piety and fervor of theconverts. The infidels are steadily growing more inclined to receivethe faith; and polygamy is being suppressed. A brief mission at Palocby Father Rodriguez results in fifty baptisms; and other subsequentmissions there reap a rich harvest of souls. Flagellation is a usualpractice in Lent; nearly all the people have received baptism; andthe converted chiefs offer atonement to all whom they may have wronged. 

The record of the Dulac mission shows seven hundred baptisms in oneyear; and the details of some conversions are related, especiallythat of two deaf-mutes, whose piety is most edifying. During HolyWeek the converts practice flagellation; and on one occasion one ofthe fathers gives his flock a practical lesson in Christian charity. 

In Tinagon the Jesuits baptize, during the year ending in April, 1600, nearly a thousand persons. The number of missionaries for thisfield is so inadequate that they send to some villages the Indianboys who have been instructed, in order that they may teach thepeople the catechism and doctrine. Accounts of missionary laborsand of certain conversions are given in extracts from some letterswritten by the fathers. All the people are friendly to the new faith, and the prospect is most encouraging. 

Chirino mentions the shipwreck of the vessels bound for Mexico, and theconflict with Oliver van Noordt, in connection with which he describesthe deaths and the pious lives of some Jesuits who perished therein. In1601 Father Gregorio López brings to the islands a reënforcement ofnine missionaries; and their long and dangerous voyage across thePacific, safely accomplished through the intercession of St. Ignatius, is fully described. In the same year and the next arrive also manymissionaries of the other orders: Chirino praises their devotion andzeal, the fraternal spirit among the various orders, the excellentinfluence exerted by their members among the Spaniards in Manila, andthe religious spirit exhibited by the latter; and describes variousexercises of piety practiced there--the institution of a religiouscongregation among the students in the Jesuit college, and, later, one among the townspeople; the practice of flagellation every weekduring the year, as well as in Lent; attendance at Sunday afternoonsermons; the choice of patron saints by lot; etc. The particulars ofcertain conversions and virtuous acts are also related--especiallythe conversion of the Dutch prisoners captured from van Noordt. 

The Indians in Manila, who are largely in care of the Jesuits, aredevout by nature, and much inclined to confession and other piousexercises. A confraternity among them accomplishes many pious andbenevolent works, and exerts a great influence on those outside it. Inthe Taytay mission there is cheering progress, and many of the mountainIndians, hitherto infidels, are converted and baptized. The visitorGarcia has founded at Antipolo a hospital, and a seminary for boys, both of great assistance to the missionaries' labors. 

Toward the end of 1600 the bishop of Cebú holds a council of secularclergy and missionaries, wherein their work is better plannedand regulated, and various salutary enactments are made for thediocese. The Jesuit fathers pay especial attention to the Indians andthe soldiers, giving up the charge of the Chinese in Cebú; an Indianhamlet near that city yields them many converts. Letters from ValerioLedesma give encouraging reports of progress and gain in the Boholmission. He is successful in gathering the scattered settlements intomission villages--in Loboc, "more than a thousand souls, gatheredfrom the mountains and rivers, most of them people reared in war, robbery, and murder;" and on the Viga River two wild hill-tribes, who had never before seen a priest. 

Ledesma visits many villages in that island, finding the people eagerto receive baptism, and hospitable toward the missionaries; and manyconversions occur among the savage and fierce mountain tribes. On oneoccasion Ledesma goes, alone and unarmed, to meet a hostile band (whohad never before seen a Spaniard); and by his gentle and kind demeanor, and some small gifts, induces them to depart in peace, after winningtheir friendship for himself and his converts. The harvest is great, and more laborers are greatly needed in that field. This is largely dueto the policy of the missionaries in forming the mission reductionsof converts. The savage mountaineers still continue to migrate tothese mission villages; and heathen priestesses are converted to thefaith. In the Bohol mission there are now more than three thousandChristians. The island is again menaced by the Moro pirates ofMindanao; in 1600 they ravaged other islands, but did little damagein Bohol. Various citations from missionary reports show the docilityand eagerness of the natives in embracing the Christian faith. 

At the request of the secular priest in charge there, the districtof Tanai (in Negros Island) is placed in the mission-field of theJesuits, and Gabriel Sánchez is transferred thither from Bohol; heis welcomed by the people. His report contains accounts of numerousconversions and miraculous cures, as well as of a heavenly visionbeheld by some converts. Returning to Tanai later, Sánchez finds hisconverts steadfast, and most exemplary in their lives. 

In Ibabao (Samar), are conducted flying missions, from the centralresidence at Tinagon, the indefatigable missionaries coasting alongthe shores of that and other adjacent islands "casting their netsfor souls. " During the year they have baptized nearly four thousandpersons, most of them adults. Six missions are formed, reports fromwhich present many interesting accounts of the labors, methods, and achievements of the fathers. 

In the Dulac mission (in Leyte), the fathers are also gaining manysouls; at the Christmas feast alone, six hundred former infidels werebaptized at Paloc. Various incidents are related of pious deaths, and of deliverance of those in danger. 

Good progress is being made in the missions of Leyte--Alangalang, Carigara and others; nearly three thousand persons were baptizedtherein during the years 1600-1602. At Alangalang there are inthe Jesuit church three choirs of Indians, who "surpass manySpaniards. " The Christians at Ogmuc are exceedingly fervent; andthe children instructed in the Jesuit school become, in their turn, teachers of their parents. The Indians of the Alangalang missionpractice flagellation during Holy Week, "shedding their blood with suchfervor that it became necessary to restrain them. Nor was there lessfervor among the children;" and these, when too young to be allowedto scourge themselves, invent another penance of their own. In Leytea notable disturbance among the natives, arising from the murderof a prominent chief, is quelled by the influence of the Jesuits, who reconcile the different factions and restore harmony, besidesreclaiming certain outlaws. 

While a ship is being built at Panámao (now Biliran), one of thefathers ministers (1602) to the workmen gathered there--Spaniards, Indians, and others. A Spanish youth is slain by a negro; this sadevent disposes the minds of all to religion, and the missionary gathersa rich harvest of souls. He is almost overwhelmed with his labors, but is consoled by the deep contrition and devotion displayed by hispenitents, and twice defers his departure at their entreaties andfor the sake of their souls' welfare. 

At the end of 1601, Father Francisco de Almerique dies at Manila, worn out with long and incessant toil in his ministry to theIndians. Chirino relates his virtues, labors, and pious death; hehas rendered especial service by attracting the wild Indians of themountains to settle in the mission villages, thus bringing them underthe influence of the gospel. The Jesuit college at Manila prospers;a course in philosophy is begun, and the two religious congregationsstimulate religious devotion among their members. The spells used bycertain witches in that city are neutralized by the influence of an_Agnus Dei_. 

In 1602 the Taytay and Antipolo mission grows rapidly, and morelaborers are needed in that field. The devotions of Lent are, asusual, emphasized by "processions of blood, " wherein the devoteesscourge themselves through the streets. The mantle of Father Almeriquefalls upon Father Angelo Armano. The devotion of these converts ispraised. The seminary for Indian boys, and the hospital, are efficientaids to the labors of the missionaries. 

The mission of Silan has been recently assigned to the Jesuits; theyfind the people well-disposed and tractable, and soon have many, both children and adults, under instruction. In caring for these, they are greatly aided by a blind native helper, formerly a heathenpriest. Letters from the fathers in charge of this mission describetheir arduous labors, the faith and piety of their neophytes, andcertain miracles wrought by an image of St. Ignatius. Here, too, themissionaries pursue their favorite policy of gathering the nativesinto reductions. 

A chapter is devoted to the customs of the Filipinos in bestowingpersonal names. Surnames are conferred only at the time of marriage;but various appellations of relationship and endearment are givenbesides that chosen at a child's birth. Chirino praises the fertility, elegance, and politeness of the Tagál language. He says that formerlythe natives did not adorn themselves with titles; but now "the wretched'Don' has filled both men and women with such vanity that every oneof them who has a tolerably good opinion of himself must place thistitle before his name; accordingly, there are even more Dons amongthem than among our Spaniards. "

The bishop of Cebú visits the island of Bohol, accompanied by aJesuit missionary who briefly relates something of their experiencesin this journey. The bishop confirms, in the Jesuit missions, aboutthree thousand Christians, and wins their hearts by his paternallove and benevolence. The fervor of these converts is very great, and even the little children are full of zeal to learn the Christiandoctrine. The people are all well disposed toward the faith, and"the whole island would now be converted" if they had missionaries togive them instruction. There are islets adjacent to Bohol, where thepeople are going to hell for lack of religious aid; but the Jesuitscannot take care of them for lack of ministers. This difficulty isespecially encountered in the island of Samar; a journey of FatherJuan de Torres to a needy mission station is described at somelength. At Catubig a flourishing mission is established (1601);the headman of that village is converted, and shows his faith bymany pious works. Various instances of encounters with crocodiles, and some miraculous deliverances from danger or death, are relatedas occurring at Catubig. Chirino closes his narrative with an appealfor more laborers to be sent to the Philippines, as a field where sogreat a harvest of souls awaits them. 

Permission is given (February 23, 1604) for the Augustinian Recollectsto establish themselves in the Philippines. On June 3 the king sendsorders to Acuña to repress the high-handed proceedings of some of thereligious orders there; and on July 30 he directs the archbishop topunish those of the teaching friars who abandon their mission fieldsand sell or exchange church furniture. 

Acuña writes to the king (July 15) about various business matters. Heasks for money with which to make restitution to certain Chinese, and for royal favor to Christoval de Azqueta. Much fear of aChinese invasion is felt in Manila. Trade with the Japanese is ingood condition; but Acuña refuses to let them bring money to Manilafor investment. Acuña makes various recommendations as to officials, their appointment, and the official inspection of their conduct; andasks that the royal treasury of the islands be properly inspected andregulated. In other letters of the same date, the governor urges atsome length that the Audiencia at Manila should be abolished. TheSpanish population is so small that the Audiencia has but littleoccupation; the auditors bring to the islands numerous relatives orfriends, for whom they secure the offices and benefits which rightfullybelong to the inhabitants; they appropriate the best of the Chinesetrade and of its profits, compelling the citizens to stand aside; andthey tyrannize over the latter in many ways. The auditors interferewith the affairs of the military service, and hinder the governor fromperforming his duties. The expense of their salaries is a heavy burdenon an impoverished country, and the treasury has not enough means tomeet the demands constantly made upon it. The people are discontentedand clamorous, and they ought to be freed from this encumbrance. Apostscript dated July 19 refers to the king a dispute between theAudiencia and archbishop regarding the seminary of Santa Potenciana. 

Letters from Pedro Chirino (undated; 1604?) to the king ask forroyal grants to aid the Jesuit seminary for boys at Cebú. In supportof this request he cites the benefits derived from this school bynatives as well as Spaniards, and the ministrations to all classesby the Jesuits in charge of it; and adduces the testimony of variouswitnesses, secular and ecclesiastical, to the same effect. His requestis granted by the royal council. By a decree of December 31, 1604, the Spanish government regulates the trade of the American colonieswith the Philippines. The substance of previous decrees is rehearsed, and Felipe orders that the trade of the islands with Nueva Españabe continued, although under some restrictions. The commander andother officials are to be appointed by the governor and archbishopat Manila, and chosen from citizens of the islands. The officials ofthe ships may not engage in trade, and the salaries of the two highestare fixed. Provision is made for more rigid inspection of vessels andtheir cargoes, for equitable allotment of space, and for the safetyof the crews. Freight charges are to be moderated and regulated;additional duties on goods are levied, and provision is made forthe care and expenditure of these, also for inspection of cargoesand money shipped at Acapulco. No person may go to the Philippinesunless he shall give security for his permanent residence there. 

In February, 1605, a formal complaint against the Chinese is madebefore the authorities at Manila by Archbishop Benavides, supportedby the depositions of several witnesses. The Parián in that city, destroyed in the insurrection of 1603, has been rebuilt, and isagain peopled by "infidel Sangleys. " These Chinese are idolatrous, and exceedingly licentious and vicious; and in both these respectsare demoralizing the Indian natives, and drawing them away fromthe Catholic faith. The Chinese, moreover, are inclined to revengethemselves on the Spaniards for the slaughter of their countrymen inthe insurrection of 1603, and thus are a constant source of danger. Herecommends that they be driven out of the city, except that they beallowed a place where they can live during the months while the shipsfor the Mexican trade are being unloaded and freighted; and that theybe not allowed to hold intercourse with the Indians. The archbishopalso denounces the Japanese (who reside not far from the Chinesequarter in Manila) as being equally vicious and dangerous. For allthese reasons, he causes a secret investigation to be made of thewhole matter, which he has not been able to induce the governorto do. Further testimony to the same effect is given by severalwitnesses. Talavera, a cura of the natives in Manila, states that hehas been told that the Mindanao pirates were incited to hostilitiesby the Chinese; also that the archbishop had repeatedly striven, but in vain, to correct the evils arising from the proximity of thenatives to these vicious foreigners. A sworn statement by Francisco deAvila (June 15) is appended, showing that Chinese were then residingin the houses of prominent citizens of Manila. A letter is written(March, 1605) by the officials of the Chinese province of Chincheo, to Governor Acuña, demanding investigation of the late Sangley revoltat Manila and redress for the killing of so many Chinese. 

The leading Augustinians at Manila send to the king (May 4) a formalcomplaint against Fray Lorenso de León, whom they charge with arbitraryand illegal acts, and with scheming to gain power in the order, and with forcing his own election as provincial. They ask the king toinduce the papal nuncio to revoke Fray de León's authority, and to senda visitor to regulate the affairs of the order in the islands. Thisrequest is supported by a brief letter from the commissary of theInquisition (a Dominican), One of the Augustinian officials signingthe above document, Joan de Tapia, writes another and personal letterto the king, giving further accounts of Fray de León's illegal actsand general unfitness for his office. Tapia also accuses him andone Fray Amorin of having appropriated to themselves various fundsentrusted to their care; and says that León is investing in mercantilespeculations money which must have come from the convents. 

One of the auditors, Antonio de Ribera Maldonado, writes to the king(June 28); he complains of the conduct of Governor Acuña toward himselfand others, and of his appointments to government positions. Maldonadoalso asserts that Acuña evades the laws regulating the Mexican trade, securing for himself and his friends privileges which rightfullybelong to the citizens at large. He asks that he may be permitted toremain longer at Manila, instead of going to Mexico. 

_The Editors_

March, 1904. 

RELACION DE LAS ISLAS FILIPINAS (_concluded_)

By Father Pedro Chirino, S. J. Roma: printed by Estevan Paulino, in the year MDCIV. 

_Source_: This is translated from the original printed work, for whichpurpose have been used the copies belonging to Harvard Universityand to Edward E. Ayer of Chicago. 

_Translation_: This is made by Frederic W. Morrison, of HarvardUniversity, and Emma Helen Blair. 

RELATION OF THE FILIPINAS ISLANDS

And of What Has There Been Accomplished by the Fathers of the Societyof Jesus

How Father Francisco de Vera returned to España for morefathers. Chapter XXXVII. 

The men of the Society remained in the rest of those Pintados Islands, occupied as we have already seen. In various places, during thosetwo years, there had been newly erected to the glory of Jesus Christthirty churches; but in all this the least important thing was thematerial gain, for the real success was in the continual increase ofthe body of Christians in all those churches. In places where Oursdid not reside, each church had its own representative [_fiscal_], who took care of it and assembled the people, at least on feast-days, to recite the prayers and chant the Christian doctrine. They did this, not only in the church, but in their houses; and even when journeyingby water, or cultivating the soil, their usual recreation is to singthese exercises. In proportion at the fruit grew more abundantly, sodid the need of laborers increase--until Ours, exhausted by their lackof strength to reap such copious harvests, unanimously called for thesuccor of new companions. But as this aid must be sent from Europe, which is so far away, and as they could not depend upon letters, it was agreed to despatch Father Francisco de Vera, as a personwho had been most successful in conveying the last reënforcement, so useful and so large--which, however, was now too small for sogreatly increased a harvest, and more reapers were needed. Thefather set out from Manila on this journey, in the month of Juneof the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-eight, in the ship"Santa Margarita, " which, after a prosperous voyage of four months, reached Nueva España. Soon afterward, orders arrived there fromour very reverend father-general, Claudio Aquaviva, that FatherDiego Garcia, who had completed his term as rector of the college ofMexico, should repair at once to the Filipinas, to visit and console, on behalf of his Paternity, Ours who were there; and should take withhim a reënforcement of earnest laborers in the vineyard of the Lord, which was the same object for which Father Francisco de Vera hadgone. It seemed best to the superiors that the good father shouldremain there and obtain his much needed rest, and not undergo atonce the fresh hardships of a second voyage to the Filipinas. Besidesthis, they desired to retain him in Mexico, because his presence inthat province was important, as it had been in the Filipinas, and, still earlier, in Madrid, and in Alcala de Henares where he had beensuperior. So the father-visitor departed, as we shall later see, with some companions for the Filipinas. 

Further transactions in Manila up to the year one thousand fivehundred and ninety-eight. Chapter XXXVIII. 

Although in Manila we had received novices from the very beginning, and although a goodly number of acceptable men of various ranks hadentered our Society there, and had proved to be zealous servants ofGod and very useful in our ministries, at the time of which we arespeaking their number was greater. For there were seven novices--allvery religious, humble, and devout--also three brethren of longstanding, and six priests; all were busy, each according to his degreeand vocation. The number of those who attended Lenten services and theregular sermons continued to grow with the increase of the Spaniardsin Manila, and our Lord was pleased to give our fathers the immediatereward for their labors, so that they might be thus encouraged totoil with even greater ardor. Besides the large number of ordinaryconfessions, many general confessions were made of great importance, and by persons who for many years had not confessed--at least, not as they should. In a single year one father heard forty generalconfessions; another, fifty; and another, two hundred. There were alsomany persons who desired, some to amend their lives, others to attaina higher degree of virtue, and who made retreat at home, in order toperform the exercises--especially persons serious and of high standing, such as the schoolmaster of Manila, the commander of the fleet, andother captains and men of reputation. During Lent and Advent sermonswere preached on Sunday afternoons to the soldiers in the guard-room;and these were attended by many people of the city, as well as bythe governor and some of the auditors of the royal Audiencia. Beforecommencing the sermon the children were, as usual, instructed inthe Christian doctrine, with questions and their answers. Afterthe sermon was concluded, the soldiers were invited to make theirconfessions, which they did with alacrity. After that a kind of usurywas abolished, which the soldiers, without considering it as such, wereinadvertently practicing in their eagerness for gain. This was to sellcertain things for a higher price, on condition that the purchasershould make his payments from what he might gain at play. Thisthey called "putting into one's hands" [_dar a las manos_]. DuringLent, the discipline was practiced three days in each week, with soextraordinary a concourse of people that besides the Indians, whocame in large numbers, there were more than five hundred Spaniardsof all ranks and conditions--ecclesiastics and laymen, merchants, captains, soldiers, and men of other callings. Various friendshipswere made in this way, especially between ecclesiastics and laymen, which were of great service to our Lord. 

Many needs of poor people were remedied, especially of those in theprison; and efforts were made to alleviate the hunger and thirst thatthey were suffering, and compassionately to settle their difficulties, so far as we had means and opportunity. 

Efforts were also made to shelter in the seminary for girls somewomen who, on account of the absence of their husbands, were indanger. Arrangements were also made with the governor, Don FranciscoTello, to secure the marriage of certain other women, in whichmatter he lent assistance not only with his authority but with hismoney. Upon one occasion he charitably bestowed a dowry of six hundredpesos upon a woman of noble parentage who, for various reasons, hadgone from Madrid to sojourn in that country. The brethren of La SantaMisericordia of Manila also lend assistance in these matters withgreat solicitude and charity, conformably to their profession and theaims of the Confraternity. The members are among the most noble anddistinguished people in that community, and are most useful therein, to the great glory and service of God our Lord. 

Our fathers devote themselves at all hours to consoling and confessingthe sick and afflicted, for these always have us summoned, even thoughfar away. In this connection I shall relate a special instance. Asick man, having abandoned hope of life (for the physician haddeclared him past recovery), seeing that human remedies were ofno avail, had recourse to the divine; and he sought aid from themother of God, to whom he made a vow to betake himself for ninedays to her chapel called Ermita de Guia, which, as I have said, lies without the city walls. Having made the vow, he arose at once, just as he was, to fulfil it. A marvel of God! as the days went by, his health continually improved; and at the end of the nine days, he was entirely well. This meant health of body, but the two daysfollowing his recovery brought him life for both body and soul. 

An honorable woman lived in great suffering through the crueltreatment to which her husband subjected her; and she determined tofree herself from this pain and anguish by putting an end to her life, which was passing in such bitterness. For this purpose, she placed anoose around her neck, the demon aiding her, and hanged herself. Thenoise which she made while in the pains of death was heard by one ofher neighbors, who hastened to her, and, encountering this horriblesight, promptly cut the rope. The woman, when she came to herself, repented of her wicked act, and had recourse to one of Ours forcounsel; and, through the mercy of the Lord, she now lives in peaceand contentment. Another married woman, likewise disheartened by theabuse and bad temper of her husband, resolved to leap into the seaand drown herself. Collecting some of her goods, with tears and greatsorrow she bade her daughter farewell, and set out to accomplish atonce her desperate purpose. When she was on the point of throwingherself into the water, the Lord, having compassion on her wretchedlot, sent to her a voice which caused her to hesitate, and to realizewhat she was doing. "What art thou doing, woman? Trust in God, for thyhusband shall treat thee well. " With this she was affrighted; but, as a proof that this deliverance had come from Heaven, her husbandcame soon afterward, and began to caress her and to show her muchkindness. Then she grew calm, recognizing the great mercy which theLord had showed her. 

In this same year our students gave evidence of their intelligenceand application, on the occasion of the safe arrival at Manila ofthe most reverend archbishop and suffragans, whom they entertainedin their schools with two ingenious dialogues, and other proofs oferudition. In that season arrived also some of the gentlemen of theroyal Audiencia who were visiting our schools for the purpose ofshowing them favor and honor. They greatly enjoyed a third literaryexercise which had been prepared for them and were thus encouragedto carry out their intention of placing their sons in these schools, as they did. In time, these studies began to bear fruit, and some ofour students even entered the religious life. 

The leading events at this time among the Indians in Manila. ChapterXXXIX. 

The ministries to the Indians are those which are exercised with thegreatest satisfaction in our college, for which occupation we had inthat year three fathers who had gained a mastery of their language. Ifthere had been many more, each one would have had something to occupyhim, on account of the great number of the Indians, not only withinthe city, but beyond the walls, in many villages which are in thevicinity of Manila, and whose inhabitants attend our church. In thatyear our Lord was pleased to favor this ministry with new tokens ofHis favor; for although in former years the conditions were such asare described above, in this year [1598] the attendance in our churchfor sermons and confessions was extraordinary--indeed, there was onefather who heard more than three hundred general confessions. Thiswas due partly to the increase in the number of fathers who knewthe language; and partly to the cessation of the sermons which wereformerly preached by other religious orders, through the press ofother labors with which they ever busy themselves most zealously inthe service of God. By these holy means we set aright many importantaffairs which concerned enmities and sinful lives. As an instance ofthis, certain legal proceedings were instituted for the separationof a married pair; these had made considerable progress, but wereabandoned, and the husband and wife were reconciled, and againlived together in peace. Efforts were also made to break up illicitrelations, and separate those who lived therein; and the result wasthat, through the mercy of God, those persons have not relapsed intoevil ways. Although among these were some cases of special interest, I will confine myself to other matters which occur to me, which arecleaner and more agreeable. The first concerns an infidel Indian womanwhose conversion was a difficult matter, on account of her marriagewith a Chinese or Sangley who was also an infidel; for her husbandkept her, as is the custom among the Chinese, under close confinementand guard. One of our fathers was desirous to gain this woman forChrist; and, finding no other means, placed some Christian Indianswhere she could hear them talk about the things of God and the lifeeternal. The woman was so impressed by what she heard that, fleeingfrom her husband and abandoning her home and child, she came to ourhouse and asked to be instructed for baptism; her request was granted, and by this means the husband was also converted. His conversion isa valuable one, since it is very difficult to incline the people ofhis nation toward the truths of our holy faith. 

Some Indian women, during a pest of locusts, erected in their sowedfield a cross containing some relics; and our Lord was pleased tohonor the emblem of His death, as well as the faith of these, Hisnew faithful ones, for the locusts passed on without causing themany loss. The owner of the land gave, in gratitude, all its harvestas alms--which he was able to do, as he possessed some wealth. 

Although these incidents, and many others which are not here related, show that our Lord is desirous of drawing these peoples to Himselfby the bonds of Adam, namely, by love and mercy, He also choosesto show them that He is a God of justice. This He made evident inthe dreadful fate of a man and wife who swore to be faithful to eachother during his absence, and, supplemented their oaths with terriblecurses which are in use among them. Yet the woman, overcome by thedevil, was false to her compact and promise of fidelity; and whilethe unhappy adulterers were thus sinfully engaged, both were struckdead, and were found thus by persons who told it to the father. Byhis orders the matter was suppressed, as much as was possible in sofrightful an event. 

Of the villages of Antipolo and San Juan del Monte. Chapter XXXX. 

So great was the increase of that mission throughout those two years[1597-98], by the continual arrival of people who came to us, as wehave already stated, from those mountains and deserts, that besides twoentire villages which were established near Antipolo, at a distanceconvenient for the instruction of the people, more than a hundredpersons came down from the mountains with some children, who wereat once baptized. Among these were three ministers of their idols, who, upon arriving at Antipolo, went to Father Almerique, and, makingavowal of the evil employment which they had up to that time practiced, renounced it before him and many others who were then present. Theypromised never again to resume it, and asked that this declarationbe given them in writing, as a proof of their conversion, and thatno one in times to come might attribute to them guilt for what theyhad done in the mountains when they had no knowledge of the true God. 

In each of these two villages there was formed a confraternity, which, besides other works of piety and devotion, practices twothat act as a preservative against the two great evils of idolatryand intoxication--which, as we have already stated, were customaryin cases of sickness or death--since in this confraternity are thepeople who are most prominent, most Christian, and most trustworthyin those villages. Moreover, they take the utmost care to ascertainwho in the village may be sick or dying; and they aid the familiesof both the sick and the dead by frequent visits--in such casesnot only exercising perfect piety and charity, but preventing theabuses, superstitions, idolatries, intoxications, dirges, music, and wailing which had been their own custom when they were pagans, as now among these others. These confraternities have renderedChristianity in those regions most glorious, and for their good deedsare so highly esteemed that he is not considered a person of worthwho is not received into one of them. On two special occasions theymade processions, in excellent order, and with great solemnity andconcourse of the people, and attended mass and preaching; and verymany frequented the communion. One of these was at the foundationof a confraternity; the other was occasioned by a plague of locustswhich had been devastating all those islands for two years. In orderto obtain from God a remedy for this evil, they chose the most holyVirgin Mary as their intercessor, and made a vow to celebrate the feastof her most pure conception, and to give on that occasion liberal almsas aid for the marriages of the poor and the orphans. They fulfilledtheir promises, and our Lord received their humble tokens of serviceand showed them that He was well pleased, by turning aside the locustsfrom their crops, and giving them that year very abundant harvests. Allthe people of the village have now directed to the church that recourseand dependence which they formerly exercised toward the ministers ofthe devil; and, consequently, when they experience any ill, howevertrifling it maybe, they summon the father to hear their confessions, or to have the gospel recited to them. Hardly a day passes, while theirsickness lasts, when they do not cause themselves to be conveyed tothe church, at the time of mass; and when that is ended they approachthe priest, to have him recite the gospel and sprinkle them with holywater. Sometimes there are so many of them that, when the priest hasdone this for them, he is compelled to wait until they go away beforehe can leave the altar. They also carry first to the church whatevergrain or seeds they are about to sow, to have these blessed, in returnfor which they offer the priest the first-fruits of their harvests. 

The leading events in the city of Santissimo Nombre de Jesus. ChapterXXXXI. 

As a result of the favors bestowed upon the six resident members of theSociety by the right reverend bishop of Sebu, Don Fray Pedro de Agurto, a religious of the Order of St. Augustine (who entered this yearinto his church and erected it into a cathedral), the fruits of ourministries were at this time most abundant and prosperous. As I havealready stated, these were exercised among the various nationalitieswho inhabit that city, or who resort thither from various regions fortheir business and traffic. Likewise, at the instance of his lordship, a school of Latin was opened in our college for his servants andclergy, who were joined by the sons of some of the citizens. Thisschool was not only a common and general benefit, but also very usefulas a retreat and aid for those who in the school for children werealready advanced in reading, writing, and reckoning. Although manyof the boys remained in the lower school as pupils, a considerablenumber of students began the study of grammar with the new master, Father Francisco Vicente Puche, who as an initiation to the studies, and as a welcome to the bishop, gave with his students a two-hours'dramatic representation in the cathedral, in honor of his Lordship, which proved most agreeable, learned, dignified, and devout, and gaveextraordinary pleasure to all the citizens, who had never before seensuch a thing in their city. 

There were two Indian peoples among whom we were especially laboringat that time: one the Bissayans, who are the natives of that country, to whom we preached, on Sundays and feast-days, throughout the year, in their own language; the other the Chinese--many of whom, coming fromtheir own land into this (and many do come in the merchant-vessels), remain here. They have established in this city, near our house, aquarter of their own, which at that time was in charge of the Society;and our fathers administered the sacraments to them and their families, including their women and servants--Chinese, Japanese, Malucos, and Bissayans. They repaired with great frequency to confessionand communion, especially on days in jubilees and in Lent; and wealways had catechumens among the infidel Chinese, whom we baptizedonly at the notable feasts, and with great solemnity--excepting onoccasions when that sacrament was bestowed on persons at the pointof death. The first confirmations which the lord bishop celebratedoutside of his cathedral were in our church, where he most devoutlybestowed this holy sacrament upon our Chinese and their families. OnEaster of this last year, he celebrated in the same church, as anencouragement and a favor, the solemn baptism of the catechumens, of whom there were a large number; and he was greatly delighted andedified to behold one of our fathers, his assistant on that occasion, conversing in the Chinese language. 

The fruitful results of these ministries were displayed in manyinstances, more especially in regard to purity and constancy. Ishall mention one case only, wherein it seemed to us extraordinaryconstancy which could inspire with courage for such resistance anIndian woman whose former occupation, while she was a heathen, wasso contrary to such conduct, as we have related. It happened in thisway. One of those women was solicited by a wicked man whom she bravelyrepulsed. But he finally began cautiously to offer her money, urgingher to receive it, and assuring her that he made no claim upon herthus. Not less valorously than before did she reject his offering, saying that she desired no money which, when she must appear beforeGod; would cry out against her, and be an accuser and witness againsther; and she reminded him that this money, with which he was strivingto wage such war against her, could serve only for her condemnationand chastisement. In proportion to her resistance, so did the furiouspassion of this wicked man increase, who gave himself no repose indevising projects for her downfall. Attempting to accomplish this, on a certain occasion when she was alone, she uttered loud cries, atwhich someone came to her aid and delivered her from his violence. Withthat his love turned to hatred, and his cajolery to threats, which hecarried out by accusing her to her masters, with false testimony. Shewent from their house, in great affliction and distress, but everrepeating, with much patience: "God sees it all. " Still further toexercise her virtue, God permitted that even her master, who wasa person of high rank, instigated by the devil, should solicit herwith great importunity. She answered him by saying that she would, under no persuasion, commit such a sin, and that he should considerthat he would greatly disgrace himself, as a man of so high position, by seeking relations with her, a woman of lowly state. She addedthat, besides this, she kept before her the thought of God, in whosepresence she dared not commit any vile act, or consent to it inher heart, knowing that God sees all things; and, moreover, she hadconsideration for her mistress, who treated her as her own daughter, and against whom she could in no wise commit such treachery. The man, irritated by this resistance, threatened her with harsh treatment; butshe replied that even if he were to kill her, it was enough for herthat God saw all that she was suffering to avoid sin. The evil man, notwithstanding, carried out his threat, annoying her and treatingher with great harshness; yet this only increased the strength andvirtue of this innocent and chaste woman. Another Indian woman, lefta widow, was so devoted to the preservation of her chastity that, without the advice of anyone, she made to God a vow of chastity, andmost strictly kept it. There are many other women who, though they makeno vow, preserve intact their chastity and virginity. Nor are the menbehind the women in the fervor and contrition wherewith they make theirconfessions, and the rigor with which they scourge themselves and dopenance. One of those Indian women made her confession with so abundanttears and signs of true contrition, that the father who confessed herwas greatly aroused and moved thereat, and afterward related thatthe feelings of devotion caused by those so fervent tears and truecontrition remained with him for many days; and that when he wished tohumiliate himself or enliven his piety he had only to remember whathe had beheld in that Indian woman. For it is vastly different tobut talk of contrition for sins, and to contemplate its vivid imageand reality in a soul. Another woman came to the confessional and, without noticing the multitude of people in the church, began herconfession, and continued it with so many tears and such grief for hersins that she could with difficulty speak. She was thereupon seizedwith a great longing to do penance, and desired to go at once throughthe streets of the city, publicly scourging herself, as many do here[in Europe] throughout Lent, in the early part of the night. A youngman in the confessional experienced such horror at his sins that, incensed against himself, and without informing the father, he scourgedhimself through the streets with such severity that he fell down asone dead, and was considered as such. He came later to our house toconfess his offenses, and was as disfigured as if he were recoveringfrom a severe illness; but, not content with the former scourging, he desired to inflict on himself another--for, as he said, his heartwas transfixed, as by a nail, with grief for his sins. The father, however, commanded him to cease for the present, and he obeyed. Therewere many other special instances which, for the sake of brevity, I here omit. Not the least affecting among them were those wherethere was manifested the eternal predestination which has mercifullyprovided for many at the hour of death the resource of baptism. 

Our ministries in behalf of the Spaniards were no less fervent at thistime. They repaired in great numbers to our fathers, especially duringLent and on days of jubilee, when the results of their instructionwere most apparent. There were, very commonly, consultations in casesof conscience, not only with laymen, but with ecclesiastics, andreligious, and even with the bishop--who hardly took any step withoutthe advice of our fathers, although he was a most learned and discreetprelate. It must have been from seeing that persons of so high standingheld our Society in so great esteem that the people conceived the idea, and made the resolve, of coming to our house for their confessions;and for that very reason they felt under obligation to lead betterlives. With regard to this, one man said that during our absence hehad endured many inward struggles on account of not having made hisconfession to Ours; but that, after he had done so, he had, throughthe mercy of God, overcome them all. In short, no matter of weight orimportance arose where the advice of the Society was not sought withconfidence and truth, especially when it was seen that the bishop hadsuch confidence in us--which his Lordship manifested on many publicoccasions and before many people, by words and deeds which could notthen be heard or now repeated, without confusion and embarrassment. 

Our sermons in the cathedral and in our own church were regularand frequent, and were all attended by the right reverend bishop, who also honored our church with a pontifical mass for our feastof New Year's day, which was celebrated with much solemnity, manypersons, from all classes of people, repairing to confession andcommunion. His Lordship also preached at the titular feast of the samechurch (that of the glorious St. Ildefonso), which was celebrated withthe like attendance and devotion, in the presence of a concourse ofpeople, and with many communions. His Lordship was also desirous ofintroducing, in imitation of Manila, the practice of scourging in thechurch during Lent; and he actually visited it, on the first Friday, with a considerable following. He began by preaching a very devoutsermon, at the conclusion of which, seeing that, although night hadset in, the church was still light with the rays of a full moon, hedetermined to leave it for the time, and accordingly returned afterhis choir had sung the _Miserere_. 

On account of the heat in this region, the churches are so constructedas to be open and airy, and for this reason are poorly adaptedfor taking the discipline. Accordingly he changed his plan and, inviting the children of the school, and the students, with these andmany others of the town, he arranged for every Friday of that Lent aprocession of blood, in which the bishop himself marched barefoot. Thisprocession left the cathedral in the evening, and proceeded tothe other church (of the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady), somedistance away. In the meantime the rest were flagellating themselves, even to the extent of drawing blood; and while the choir was singingthe _Miserere_, the holy bishop scourged himself alone in the sacristy. 

How the Christian religion extended in the island of Bohol. ChapterXXXXII. 

Through the solicitude and fervor of the two fathers who were inBohol, who soon received the help of a brother, that new Christianchurch was notably increased, especially among the old people, from sixty to eighty years of age. These--the world no longer forthem, or they for the world, but for Him who died for them--He didnot disdain to receive into His church when their sun was setting, although they had not begun so early to follow and obey Him as He hadto seek and invite them; many of them died shortly after they werebaptized, having left many tokens and proofs of their salvation andthe sincerity of their faith. All of them--little children and grownmen, youths and aged people, the well and the sick--all convinced andpersuaded by the truths of Catholicism, are certain that no other roadleads to heaven; and so, without resistance or objection, they preparedthemselves for holy baptism--although the fathers with praiseworthyprudence, restrained them by conferring the sacrament on those onlywho were well prepared, or really in need of it. Many who receivedthe holy sacraments were cured of their maladies, and, consequently, the earnestness and devotion with which they sought and received themwere intense. Even when they are in health, it is indeed marvelous tosee the satisfaction and willingness with which they repair to allvirtuous exercises, especially to confessions and masses. There wasno scent or trace of vice or idolatry, or witchcraft, or of otherevil customs practiced by them while they were pagans; and if, inconfession or elsewhere, mention were made to them of these things, they became deeply offended, saying: "Since we are now Christians, how could we do such things again?" Especially notable is the fidelitymaintained by married people, which they observe not only in outwardact, but in their hearts. 

I cannot mention without sorrow the many souls, in this and neighboringislands, who clamor for deliverance and have no one to give it tothem. During this same year some chiefs came from one of the adjacentislands who asked, almost in tears, that one of the two fatherswho were there would, for the love of God visit them at least oncea week. In another island, called Siquihor, or the island of fire, distant from Bohol some four leguas, there are many so well inclinedto the faith that, upon receiving the Christian doctrine of one whowent from that region to their island, they learned it very carefully, and the chiefs even came with the others to ask for baptism. They wereall, however, appeased with the good prospects that were held out tothem, although these did not suffice to console them in their sorrowat returning still hungry for the bread of heaven; or Ours at seeingthem with such righteous hunger for it, yet unable to procure it, and with no one who might give them a share of it with the many whoin other regions have more than enough. 

The increase of Christianity in Botuan. Chapter XXXXIII. 

What the other two fathers accomplished in Botuan I shall relate intheir own words; for, if I am not mistaken, he who has the task inhis own hands can well declare it. Father Valerio de Ledesma in oneof his letters writes thus: "Christianity here is in a flourishingcondition, as is seen in the large attendance at divine services andin the silence and reverence displayed in the church (for even whenit is crowded with many people it seems as if not one were there), and in the affection of the people for the sacrament of confession. Ineven their petty troubles, many repair to the confessional; and somehave already begun to receive communion, concerning which sermonshave been repeatedly preached. I trust in our Lord that many willbe ready by Corpus Christi; although in the beginning it is best toproceed very gradually that they may reverence the sacrament and knowhow to distinguish this divine food. The people attend the servicesmore than ever, and on Sundays a very large audience listens to theword of God. The doctrine is sung at night, and the heavens themselvesseem to rejoice at music so sweet. In all the families there are manypersons well-disposed to the Christian faith; and soon a large numberof adults will be baptized; among them some chiefs of high standing, although the largest fish of all is not yet caught. If it were not forthe difficulty of learning the doctrine, it seems to me now that almostthe whole village would come to us. " Thus writes the father. This"largest fish" whom he mentions is that great Silongan of whom wespoke. Although he divorced five of his wives, one of them holds himso in captivity that finally he is keeping both of them [_i. E. _, this one and his lawful wife]. Although every possible means of agentle sort has been used to free him from this impediment, nothingcould be done; and yet he showed a great desire to become a Christian, and the utmost esteem for the things of God, as well as extraordinaryaffection toward our fathers--which he manifested by giving hisson to their care, and on two occasions of special importance. Oneof these was when the inhabitants, in fear of their enemies, theTernatans, who were scouring their coasts, received the news thatthere were some ships at the mouth of the river, which, although theybelonged to friends, were not recognized as such; the inhabitants, fearing that these might be enemies, accordingly armed themselves atonce. It was then that this chief, with all the men of his district, all armed with lances and shields, crossed to the other side of theriver, where our house stood; and there, upon learning the deceptionand recognizing the friends, Silongan in front of our house performedsome feats of activity to show his valor and strength, and said that itwas he, Silongan, who protected and defended the fathers and who, intrying circumstances, showed what should be done in their behalf. Theother occasion was when one of our fathers, while going up the river, happened to encounter another chief who, on account of a murder, wasplundering that district with many others who defended and guardedhim. The father, dreading this man, sought the protection of Silongan, who happened to be in the same locality. The latter, with his numerousslaves, surrounded the church where the father was, guarding it withgreat vigilance; and, when he returned, took, in his own boat thebox of church ornaments and brought them all back in safety. 

The departure of Father Tomas de Montoya for the doctrina ofAlangalang. Chapter XXXXIV. 

To take charge of this Christian community (which, as we have said, was bereft by the death of Father Cosme de Flores), Father Tomas deMontoya left Manila, abandoning the instruction which, to their greatprofit, he was imparting to the students. He himself tells what heaccomplished there, and I shall state it in his own words: "As a resultof the good music that we have in the church, the divine services arecelebrated with much solemnity, and to the great satisfaction of thenatives. Many solemn baptisms and marriages have been celebrated whichwere attended with great fervor, especially by the inhabitants of onevillage, who in this respect have had the advantage of the others. Oneof the women of this village received the sacrament with such devotionand joy that a few days after her baptism she made her confession, andpersuaded her husband to become a Christian; and she was one of thosewho practiced the exercises of the Christians with most pleasure. Anold man, already so exhausted by age that he could hardly stand uponhis feet, came one day with the others to the church, and upon beingenjoined to become a Christian, that he might give to God the littleof life that remained to him, told them to leave him in peace, for hewas no longer fit for anything except death. Seeing that for the timebeing nothing impressed him, I left him; and afterward caused him tocome to my house, where I represented to him the benefits which hewould gain in heaven by becoming a Christian. This had such an effectthat our Lord moved his heart; and, unable to repress his satisfaction, with much gladness he urgently sought immediate baptism. I told himto go away and to reflect upon the matter for a time, for an affairof such moment could not be hastily settled. He again answered thatit should not be delayed, as he desired baptism immediately; but, at last, the ceremony was deferred. While being instructed he madethe most joyful answers, and afterwards received holy baptism withthe same tokens of pleasure. During the remaining short period ofhis life his happiness was such that he imparted it to everyonewho spoke to him. The great goodness and mercy of God were seen inthe case of a new born babe whose pagan mother--an inhabitant ofanother village, far distant--gave birth to it in a village of thismission. To escape the burden and labor which she must sustain inrearing it, she took it in her arms and, descending to the bank ofa river, was about to bury it alive. A Christian chanced to see herand hastened to inform us. Upon reaching the spot I found the child, so small that it was a cause for astonishment. I baptized it, and itsoon passed away to the eternal rest of which the imprudent mother(worse than a step-mother) had recklessly tried to deprive it. Butas God our Lord showed to these the gentleness of His great mercy, so on others did He execute the rigor of His justice, chastisingthem for their obstinacy and hardness; and others He terrified, sothat some day they might enjoy His mercy. One of Ours had asked acertain man to receive baptism, following the advice of his father, who was an Indian of high standing and governor of the village. Hemade excuses, saying that he did not wish to receive the sacramentuntil he had been married. But God our Lord did not allow him tofulfil this desire, on account of which he deferred holy baptismuntil he paid for the delay by an untimely death. Besides dying ashe did, in his heathenism, and very hastily, the character of hisdeath was violent and horrible; for he was carried away by a poisonwhich caused the flesh to fall from his body in pieces. Anotherman was continually ill, and, fearing that any day he might die, heasked me to baptize him. Upon summoning him one day for instruction, he failed to appear, having abandoned his purpose. Soon afterward heembarked for a neighboring island, where he died in his paganism. Oneday, the children of a village came together to be baptized, but oneof the pagans refused to allow her child to receive the sacrament;neither entreaties nor arguments availing to soften her. Accordingly, we had to give her up--our Lord taking charge of this obdurate one, as He did, suddenly deprived her one night of life. "

But the event which caused among these Indians the greatest surpriseand terror, was the death of two of their most esteemed and respectedchiefs. The first was an Indian who in former days had married sixwives. He was so arrogant and cruel that whenever he made a journeyhe sent Indians ahead of him to cut the branches of the trees, inorder that he might pass without bending his body; and if any of hisfollowers neglected to clear away a branch he paid for his carelessnesswith his life. This chief became sick, and a father entreated himwith much earnestness to receive baptism. This he refused, and, having no fear of death, said: "Father, as yet I have sufficientstrength in my eyes to see, in my hands to work, and in my feet towalk. Leave me for the present, for, since thou art near by, I willsend one of my slaves for thee if I find that I am in distress. " Thefather left him, seeing that he would do nothing for us; and withintwo days was told that this man was dead, having gone where he mustexpiate his obstinacy as well as his pride and cruelty. 

For the better understanding of the second case, we must assume thatone of the ways in which God has been best served in that missionis in persuading the Indians who have two or three wives to abandonthem and to content themselves with one. The means used to accomplishthis end was to condemn polygamy, to the assembled natives, as astate unworthy of the nobility of man, saying that they ought not tomake themselves beasts and brutes by having so many wives. Our Lordgranted a fortunate outcome to this effort, for the men were thuspersuaded to give up their wives. The Indians were so impressed by thisteaching that once when a swarm of locusts lit in the grain-fieldsof a certain village, they accounted for it by saying that God hadsent this pest on the people of that village, because the men werewont to keep two wives. There was an Indian chief of high rank in theisland of Leite, by the name of Umbas, one of the most prominent amongthe chiefs on account of his riches and the good government which hemaintained in the villages under his rule, and the thoroughness withwhich he fulfilled all his responsibilities; he was esteemed by notonly the Indians but the Spaniards. All eyes were turned to him, andconsequently, had he but become a Christian, large numbers of peoplewould have followed his example, for he was regarded by the rest, even in distant parts, as a pattern to follow. This Indian had twowives, and being frequently urged, with many entreaties and arguments, to abandon one of them, so great was his love for his sons that hecould not make up his mind to divorce one of the women, preferringnot to be separated from their children. He was urged in the church, before all the people of the village, to divorce one of his wives;but he only answered that he had already been told this. Many ofour fathers, as well as his encomendero, therefore besought himwith great earnestness to be baptized, but all in vain. But finally, seeing that all the rest (and especially one of his sons, also muchesteemed and beloved) were abandoning their wives, he said thathe would do the same after he had harvested his rice, for whichthe time had arrived--alleging as a reason that since he and theyhad toiled together in the sowing, they should together enjoy theharvest; and when that had been done, he would remain with but onewife. But the Lord, who already had just cause against him, by Hislofty judgments prevented him from carrying out this intention; for, very soon afterward, when he suspected no misfortune, he was stabbedby an Indian whom he tried to seize. No second blow was needed, forhe fell to the ground dead, thus ending his disobedience and obduracy. 

Of the fervor of the Christians of Ogmuc. Chapter XXXXV. 

Our fathers in the residence at Ogmuc, having proceeded with dueprudence and caution, had up to this time baptized only eighty-eightadults. There was, however, a goodly number of catechumens, who werevery earnest in seeking baptism. Those who are baptized seem to haveknown for many years the things of our holy faith, to judge by theirknowledge of its mysteries, especially those concerning Christ our Lordand His most holy mother. They highly esteem the confessional, and whenthey become sick they clamor at once for the father, and find reliefin making their confession. A sick man said that day and night hethought of the father, who was absent, and desired him for confession, adding that what most aggravated his sickness was to know that hedid not have the father at hand for that purpose. His relatives, desirous of taking him to another place, had no success, nor couldthey persuade him to go; for he maintained that they were about totake him where he must die without confession, and where there was nochurch in which he could be buried after death. As soon as he learnedthat the father had arrived, he went, although very ill, to make hisconfession, weeping for gladness, and never ceasing to render thanksto the Lord that he had permitted the father to arrive at such a time;and he declared that he could die consoled, now that he had made hisconfession. During Holy Week there was a great concourse of peoplewho devoutly attended the divine services, keeping the receptacleof the most holy sacrament handsomely adorned. On Holy Thursday, inthe afternoon, after the sermon a very devout procession was formed, by which the people were more thoroughly instructed in the faith, and taught what Christ our Lord had done for our salvation. The mostpleasing and touching sight was to see all the children discipliningthemselves with scourges which they themselves had made for thatday. At Easter some Spaniards chanced to be here, who augmented thesolemnity of the occasion with salvos from their arquebuses. Peace wasrestored between many married people who had been living in discord;and some abuses were corrected, especially two very baneful practicesanciently common among them, namely, usury in loans, and enslavementthrough tyranny. In order that my readers may better understand andrecognize the power of God, who has unrooted these evils, it hasseemed to me best to describe them in greater detail. 

Of usury and slavery among the Filipinos. Chapter XXXXVI. 

Among other vicious practices common to these nations and proceedingfrom that fountain and abyss of evil, idolatry, one was that insatiablecupidity mentioned by the evangelist St. John as one of the threewhich tyrannize over the world. [1] This caused them, forgetful of thatnatural compassion which we owe to one another, never to lend succorin cases of need without assurance of profit. Consequently, wheneverthey made loans (not of money, which they did not use or possess, but of other things, most commonly rice, bells, and gold--this lastmore than all else, for when weighed it took the place of money, forwhich purpose every one carried in his pouch a balance), they mustalways agree upon the profit which should be paid them in additionto the sum that they were to lend. But the evil did not stop here, for the profit or gain itself went on increasing with the delay inmaking payment--until finally, in the course of time, it exceeded allthe possessions of the debtor. The debt was then charged to his person, which the poor wretch gave, thus becoming a slave; and from that timeforth all his descendants were also slaves. There was another formof this usury and slavery, by which the debtor or his son must remainfrom that time a slave, until the debt, with all the usury and interestwhich were customary among them, was repaid. As a result of this, allthe descendants of him who was ether a debtor or security for the debt, remained slaves. Slaves were also made through tyranny and cruelty, by way of revenge and punishment for offenses of small account, whichwere made to appear matters of injury. Examples of these are: failureto preserve silence for the dead (which we have already mentioned), or happening to pass in front of a chief who was bathing (alludedto in the fable of Actæon), and other similar oppressions. Theyalso captured slaves in war by means of ambuscades and attacks, keeping as such all those whom they did not wish to kill. Since thesecruelties were so usual among them, and, on the other hand, the poorare commonly oppressed by the powerful, it was easy to increase thenumber of slaves. Consequently they used to have, and still do have, a very large number of slaves, which among them is the greatest ofriches. This has been no small hindrance to their conversion, and hasfettered the hands of many ministers of the gospel, and subjectedthem to great doubts and perplexities. But since, on the one hand, pious individuals have, although with difficulty, paid ransoms;and, on the other, the royal magistrates have ascertained the factsand provided redress for those thus tyrannically treated who seektheir liberty; and, moreover, since God our Lord has influenced manyin their baptisms and confessions, an enormous number of ransomshave been given. Usury also quickly diminished, the creditors beingsatisfied with the original interest, without expecting a continualincrease. But now, through the grace of our Lord, all that custom hasbeen abolished, and the natives now proceed with mercy and Christiancharity, not only in Ogmuc and throughout the island of Leite, butin all the other islands where there is knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

What the Christians accomplished in Carigara. Chapter XXXXVII. 

From the very beginning, the people of this mission showed theirfervor; consequently, the Christians continued to increase in numbers, although, as I have said, our fathers were very cautious in grantingholy baptism. All those Christians have frequent recourse to theconfessional, prizing it highly and greatly benefiting their ownsouls. Those who are not Christians are all catechumens; and there isnot one of them who does not desire holy baptism. There was formed inthis church, and completed this year, a very delightful musical choir, composed of the children themselves, who are very clever in thisexercise; and thus the divine services are celebrated with solemnity. 

Of the remarkable increase in the mission of Paloc. Chapter XXXXVIII. 

This village is one of the finest and best regulated in all theisland, thanks to the labors of one of our fathers, who helped thenatives to construct good houses. The Christian doctrine is taughtevery day to the children in all the villages; and so many of themattend this exercise that it is necessary to appoint four chantersin order that they may be heard. Every day the people attend mass, after they have had their lessons in the doctrine. One day of theweek is set apart when all the Christians come together to learn thedoctrine and catechism; and, even without the presence of the father, they all assemble in every village. Great benefit has been derivedfrom this practice, for thus those who know the doctrine do not forgetit, and those who do not know it may learn it. Every night an Indiangoes forth with a little bell, warning all to prepare for death andto repent for their sins, and enjoining the Christians to pray toGod in behalf of those who are not, that they may know God. Whilehe is uttering this message, perfect silence reigns, for they callthis "the warning of God;" and, in truth, it has been so effectivethat there is not an Indian who does not reflect on death and desirebaptism. Before Lent some sermons were preached to them on confession, and they were taught that they must not conceal their sins; to enforcethis, a very appropriate instance was cited, which had such an effectupon them that many persons, though they had left the church verylate that night, returned the next morning to make another confession. 

Although idolatry was formerly very common among these pagans, whopracticed it on every trivial occasion, our Lord has been pleased soto diminish it that hardly anything is now known of it. Two children, whose mother was sick, took three fowls for the purpose of making asacrifice to the demon. While on the way to the house of the priestess(who in that country is usually old, and belongs to a mean class), oneof the children said to the other: "Whither are we going, and what arewe doing--we who are Christians and know that God sees us? Let us giveup this purpose. " With this they abandoned their projected sacrifice, and returning to their home, set the fowls at liberty. The practiceof disciplining on Fridays was begun, and was taken up by all thechildren and the adults of the village. On the first night when theyassembled for this purpose, the father made known to them the spiritin which it should be done, and so profoundly impressed them thatthey soon named Friday (which is the usual day for the discipline)"the day of atonement for sins. "

Some notable incidents in Dulac. Chapter XXXXIX. 

In this residence, from the month of June in the year ninety-eight toJanuary in the year ninety-nine, there were solemnly baptized morethan one hundred catechumens who greatly desired the sacrament andprepared themselves very carefully for holy baptism. This did notinclude the sick, who through the mercy of God had been but few thatyear; but among these sick persons, both children and adults, wasexperienced the virtue of this holy sacrament for bodily health. Somepersons who were covered with leprosy and their recovery despaired of, were restored by baptism to so good health that, although borne downby years, they were able to till the soil and sow their fields. I wishto relate the faith of a pagan woman whose husband, also a pagan, laysick. Believing his condition to be dangerous, she persuaded him toaccept baptism. For this purpose she sent for the father, and, whenthe latter asked the sick man if he desired baptism or instruction, she helped him to make his answers. The father, observing her to beso capable and so desirous of the welfare of her husband, inquiredif she also wished to become a Christian. She answered affirmatively, saying that she had heard in the church that only the good Christianswent to heaven, and that those who were not Christians must burn inhell; and that for the sake of retaining her husband's affection shewas not willing to die an infidel, and come to so bad an end. Finally, when it seemed that the sick man was well prepared, and his sicknesswas becoming dangerous, he was baptized, and then our Lord waspleased to give him health--whereat the good woman was more thanever anxious to receive baptism for herself. After they were bothbaptized, they received the nuptial benediction, as do all the othermarried people who are baptized, renewing their marriage accordingto Christian usage. I will also mention the death of a child, whichwas no less remarkable than the recovery of the other. The fatherwas passing through a village late in the day, on his way to anothersettlement. He was hastening his steps, for the sun was setting andthere still remained a considerable strip of road before he could reachhis destination. But at the very entrance of the village a Christiancame out and called to him, entreating him to go and baptize a child, the son of infidel parents, who was very sick. The father went to thehouse and baptized the child; and, having offered a prayer for it, went away. No sooner had he gone, than our Lord called the child toHimself; and it seemed as if the little one was only waiting baptismin order to enter heaven immediately. 

The method of preaching which our Fathers employed in Tinagon, andthe results thereby obtained. Chapter L. 

What was accomplished at that time in Tinagon is well related byFather Francisco de Otaço in the following special account which hegave of his labors there: "It is wonderful to see how these peoplehave all at once and generally abandoned their sins. For the greaterglory of the Lord, there has not been known, nor have I heard of, throughout this year, a single act of idolatry, and these formerlywere so common. Concubinage has been rare, and their drinking feastsso moderate that they do not deserve such a name. The knowledge ofthe things of our Lord is ever increasing, as well as the pleasure ofthe people in them; and our fathers are steadily gaining their loveand gratitude. A father once told them that for a certain feast itwas their share to adorn the church; immediately they set themselvesto the task, and the one who began it was a pagan, who did his shareof the work. Our method of preaching to these people is not so muchby means of arguments and consecutive discourses, which make butlittle impression on them, as by a sort of spiritual conference, in which the father briefly presents to them one or two points, repeating these and asking questions concerning them. Thus his hearersbecome proficient, and the result is plainly seen; more than sevenhundred have been baptized this year--most of them in two villages, where the faith has penetrated with notable results, the people beingwell inclined to if. This has been especially evident in one village, where the fiscal is a chief acknowledged by all its people, whom ourLord has been pleased to use as the instrument for much good to thosesouls. What he has accomplished and is still accomplishing in thatdoctrina causes me unusual edification and consolation; for in truth, if I may judge by what I myself see when I go there, and by the commonaccount of all, both Spaniards and Indians, even one of our fatherswho might have been stationed in that village could not have wroughtsuch results as he has done. And this I say without exaggeration;God provides it all, and blessed be He! This village of Paranas [2]is on the coast, and contains a few Indian fishermen, but there aremany Indians in the mountains, divided, scattered, and far away;some of these have established their abodes on the coast, but theyfrequent it but rarely, and are (or rather were) a very churlish andfugitive people. Yet Don Gonçalo (that is the name of the fiscal) hastaken hold of them in such a way that he does what he will with them, and that, too, by so quiet, gentle, and efficacious means as to causeone to wonder. Although it is exceedingly difficult to attract theiryoung children from home (especially among those who dwell in themountains) Don Gonçalo draws them to himself by the same means thatI have already mentioned, and to such an extent that he usually hasin his house nearly a hundred young boys; such was their number theother day, when I was there, and now he tells me that some twentyor thirty more have just come. He now has them so tamed, gentle, intelligent, and contented that, considering their former savageand terrible character, I know not how I can certify it. Those whoformerly knew little or nothing of the doctrine, at present are, bycommon consent, those who in this mission are most proficient. Thefiscal maintains with them a regular plan and order: morning andevening, their prayers and procession; and at night before retiring, and in the morning before dawn, they also offer their prayers--sothat the Spaniards, their encomendero said, and the collectors arenotably edified thereby. Nor does this occupation depend upon thepresence there of the father or of the Spaniards, for it is alwaysmaintained. The older boys he sends to their villages for food andshell-fish, and the little ones remain to learn, as if they were in aschool. What I especially value is, that it is all done through love;for both the children and their parents have so much affection forthis man that, as I noticed the other day, the boys hardly give heedto the father, but are captivated by their Don Gonçalo, and it is hewhose permission they seek. This man has received a special blessingfrom the Lord, and what he does comes entirely from his heart. Henot only looks after the knowledge and recitation of the doctrine, but even trains them in good habits, and punishes them gently whenthey are at fault. He brings together the adult Indians in the churchto pray on feast-days, and if it becomes necessary to do or undoanything in the mission, it is always entrusted to him. Without doubt, if there were many men of this sort the lack of ministers here wouldbe well supplied in many respects. "

The arrival in the Philippines of the father-visitor, Diego Garcia, and how he began his visitation. Chapter LI. 

When affairs were in the condition which we have described, thefather-visitor, Diego Garcia, very opportunely arrived in the islands, with some companions, [3] on the seventeenth of June in the year onethousand five hundred and ninety-nine. His arrival was a source of muchconsolation and joy, on account of the reënforcement which he broughtus, and was of much importance and advantage to the internal governmentof the Society in those parts, on account of the good order to whichhe reduced all our affairs, particularly in our ministries and in themethods of aiding those souls. Upon careful investigation he learnedthat, during those four years while our fathers had given instructionin the islands of Pintados, twelve thousand persons had been baptized, and that there were about forty thousand catechumens--not to mentionmany others who, although they were not on the list of catechumens, had also an inclination (or at least no repugnance) to receivethe faith and the gospel. In accordance with this information, thefather-visitor set about organizing the affairs [of the missions], and providing needed assistance, as we shall later see. Before enteringupon this, however, I will relate, in order to show the mercies of Godtoward our fathers, a special instance of this which His Divine Majestydisplayed toward them and the vessel which brought them from the portof Acapulco to the Filipinas. The pilots were confidently sailing overtheir accustomed course, heedless that in it there were shoals. Oneevening at the hour when the _Salve_ is wont to be repeated, and whileall were devoutly reciting it, a young man fortunately (or ratherthrough the singular providence and mercy of God) descried shoalsfrom the maintop and immediately began to shout a warning. With thatthe crew--although everyone was agitated and fearful lest, with thefreshening of the wind, they would be driven upon the shoals--hastened, some to the sails, ropes, and rigging, others to the helm, and thepilot to direct the ship's course. Our fathers, meanwhile, repairedto their quarters and berths to invoke the most blessed Virgin, tocall upon God, and to pray for the intercession of the saints--allof them especially invoking that of blessed Father Ignacio, [4] arelic of whom the father-visitor carried with him. Showing this tohis companions while the rest were busied in the other occupations, he augmented the fervor with which they cried to heaven, and atthe same time their confidence that by means of that holy relic ourLord would deliver them from their danger. And so He did; for, uponsteering so as to direct the vessel to one side, to avoid the shoals, the vessel, in spite of their efforts, would not obey, but, turningin the other direction, doubled the shoals. If their attempt to steerhad been successful, not only could they not have passed the shoals, but they would have drifted hopelessly upon them; but, as it was, theflagship was saved. Moreover, her lighted lantern (for evening hadalready arrived) guided the other ships, which followed behind her, through the channel, and in this manner all of them were saved. 

Occurrences in Manila at this time. Chapter LII. 

In the latter part of June in the year one thousand five hundredand ninety-nine, the father-visitor and his companions were restingfrom the hardships of their voyage, and preparing to begin anew theirlabors--the father on his tour of inspection, and the others in thefishery for souls--for which purpose they had gone into retreat toperform the exercises, [5] and to allow themselves more leisure forsolitary prayer. At this time there occurred in Manila, as a resultof the unusually dry season, a very violent earthquake, which injuredmany buildings. Among these it rent and laid open the vault of ourchurch; and in the church of Santo Domingo it loosened and tore apartthe woodwork (which was very beautiful, and handsomely wrought), andcrushed in all the walls in such a manner that it was necessary to teardown the building. We also were obliged to demolish the vault of ourchurch; for whereas that of Santo Domingo could be left standing fora few days, we were compelled to begin at once to tear down the vaultof our church, which was the part most injured. The Spaniards came toour aid, with contributions amounting to more than a thousand pesos, to pay the workmen who were tearing down the church, and to aid in theexpense of repairing it. The Indians assisted us with their labor, helping us to remove the obstructions, and to clear the buildingfrom the ruins and from the earth and stones which remained fromthem. More than a thousand Indians, without exaggeration, came tooffer their services; men, women, and children; young men and girls, and old men; chiefs and common people--all busied themselves to suchan extent that the place appeared like an anthill or a beehive. Thesewere assisted by the inhabitants of all the neighboring villages, who, animated and encouraged by the religious of St. Dominic, St. Francis, and St. Augustine, and by the clergy who had them in their charge, aided us to roof the church temporarily with canes and palm-leaves(which is the usage there). Thus in four days was accomplished the workof twenty or thirty days; thus the church was made fit for service, and is being used thus until it can be properly roofed. The industryand good-will with which the Indians assisted us on our church weresoon repaid to them by our fathers, when a general malady prevailedamong them, causing the death of many persons. Then our fathers aidedthem, especially by hearing their confessions, and administering tothem the communion and extreme unction, in the church itself; hardlyever during the day was it free from sick persons who had been carriedthither on the shoulders of men that they might receive those holysacraments. The devil, who slumbers not, seized the opportunity ofthis malady to sow the seeds of error among some wretched old women, his ministers--saying that at first the God of Castile had vanquishedtheir anitos, but that the latter were now the conquerors, and werechastising the people for having abandoned them. To counteract thisevil, among others, a solemn procession and mass were ordered, whereinour Lord was supplicated for the health of the people. Inasmuchas a sermon was necessary, its preparation was assigned to FatherDiego Sanchez, at the instance of the canon, Pablo Ruiz de Talavera, who is the priest of the Indians in Manila; he chose this father onaccount of his devotion to the Society, and of the great affection ofthe Indians for him, caused by his eloquence and the many and signalservices that he has rendered them. The father, discussing in hissermon the above-mentioned error, refuted it, and expelled it fromtheir minds and hearts with that admirable force of expression andpersuasion with which our Lord had equipped him; while He gave to thehearers grace and sensibility to perceive and be influenced by thetruth, as since then has been evident on many, and notable occasions. 

In that very time of the malady, admirable evidence appeared of theimportance of the confraternity which, as we said above, that peoplehad instituted for the purpose of exercising themselves in similarpious acts. Its members aided the sick with the utmost solicitude, striving to provide them with comforts and medicines; and when deathsoccurred they kept watch over the corpses, and accompanied them toburial, to the great edification of all who saw them. As a naturalresult, the confraternity came to be much esteemed and valued, andmany sought the intercession of influential persons in order to beadmitted to its membership. It is proverbial among the Spaniards thatits members can be recognized by their quiet and modest address, for which they are much respected. Not to mention other details, the devotion which they showed that year in the harvesting of theirrice was certainly a source of great consolation; for they would nottaste it until, after they had brought part of it as an offering toour Lord in His temple, that part had been blessed which they mustimmediately use. Their offering was a sort of grateful acknowledgmentthat God had delivered their grain-fields from the plague of locusts, and themselves from the sickness. 

Care was taken to check offenses against our Lord, and to break upvile illicit relations--some secretly, and others by other gentlemeans--by which many Indian women were kept in bondage. These women, in their eagerness for worldly gain and kind treatment, were gratifiedby certain men, who maintained them in that mode of life without fearof God. Indeed, there were two women who had killed their husbandsthat they might gain greater freedom in this respect. Some, too, had lived during many years in this wretched state--one ten years, another twelve, another thirteen; and still another, twenty longyears. Yet God, in His infinite patience, had been waiting for themall this time, and at the end received them into His most gentle mercy. 

As in past years, our ordinary ministries were also exercised amongthe Spaniards; in particular, many general confessions were made, and friendly relations were established between certain prominentpersons. Among these latter was one notable case concerninga prebendary of the cathedral of Manila--whom, for certain goodreasons, I do not name; but his noble conduct on this occasion giveshim sufficient fame. Knowing that another prebendary of the samechurch, an aged and venerable man, was offended at him, he securedan opportunity to meet him in the house of an auditor of Manila, and in the presence of several dignified persons; there, after havingexpressed himself in such gentle and conciliatory terms as to appeaseall angry feelings, he knelt at the feet of his elder, and, takinghis hand, kissed it. Then they embraced each other; and thus begana very stable friendship between them, which I saw with my own eyesfor many days--confirmed, months later, by their very intimate andfraternal intercourse. 

The progress in eradicating idolatry from Taitai, and the piety andconstancy of its Christians. Chapter LIII. 

The pest, with its mortality, spread among all the Indians of thatregion, even to the villages of San Juan del Monte, Antipolo, andothers. This kept our fathers busy night and day, caring not only forthe welfare of souls, administering to them the holy sacraments withmuch fervor and concern, but for that of their bodies, aiding them withmedicines and the necessary comforts--an important consideration withthose people, in view of the value that they attach to kind treatmentduring illness and the pleasure that it gives them; indeed they oftenrecover their health from very contentment at seeing that they arecherished and cared for. The confraternities of that village and ofManila gave no less useful aid, on this occasion, to the sick and thedead, their members taking turns in caring for the sick and attendingfunerals, which were usually accompanied by more than two hundredpersons bearing lighted candles; these attentions were especiallybestowed on the dead who had belonged to the confraternity, who werealso honored by special funeral rites. 

Superstition and idolatry have been so thoroughly uprooted that thereis hardly a trace or evidence of them left; if any had remainedfrom former years, it was due to carelessness rather than to evilintent, and an end was put to them this year, through the favor ofour Lord. Even the little plates and other insignificant articleswhich they were wont to use in making sacrifices they brought to thefathers, to be broken and burned. An Indian owned, growing on his land, a very luxuriant clump of the great reeds which they call _cauayan_[_i. E. _, bamboo], which we have already described. This man came tonotify us that this clump had formerly been offered to an idol, forwhose service its canes had been cut; and he himself condemned it tobe burned to the very roots, in order that it might not sprout again, and himself be thus reminded of an object which had been used forso evil purposes; accordingly, yielding to his feeling of devotion, orders were given that it be burned. Others showed a little house thatwas dedicated to another idol, and requested that it should be burnedto the ground, which was done. The first to show their abhorrenceof idolatry (in Which they surpassed the others) were the people ofSan Juan del Monte, where formerly this practice had reigned, andwhere there were so many priestesses of the idols, that there washardly a street which did not contain three, four, or even more. Butthey have now turned their false superstitions into true religion andChristian piety, repairing to the church so regularly that on certainweek-days, while the bell is rung for mass, the church is entirelyfilled with those who come to hear. They are wont to complain that, as there are so few fathers, they are unable to attend, as often andas regularly as they desire, confession and communion--which they seekwith loving eagerness, not once, but many times during the year, totheir own edification and profit. As a result, the sweet odor of thisChristianity and esteem for the labors of Ours, have, to the gloryof our Lord, reached other villages, so affecting and edifying themthat the vicar-general of the archbishop, as well as other priests andreligious, and even secular magistrates, have sent to that village fora few months, to be restrained, reformed, and kept in safety, certainpersons who were sorely tempted. It has pleased our Lord that by goodexample and suitable instruction these persons should be delivered fromdanger and their lives reformed; they have made general confessions, and given other satisfactory proofs of the change in their lives. 

Among the mountains of this mission district, where the people are lessexperienced in the faith, there had remained a notorious catalonan, or priest, of a celebrated idol which had been hidden away, no one ofthose who knew about it daring to disclose the idol. This root wascapable of producing many cursed shoots. But our Lord was pleasedthat it should be discovered through the praiseworthy diligence ofFather Francisco Almerique, who obtained possession of the thingspertaining to the adoration of the idol, and had them all burned. Hewas successful in converting the priest, and for greater security, madehim live in a village where Ours usually reside. The devil, the fatherof lies, now that credence is no longer placed in him or importanceattached to his superstitions and follies, transforms himself into anangel of light, striving to deceive the simple-minded. In this way hedeluded a woman of rank with many visions and revelations which seemedto her real and true, and in which, according to her statement, heappeared in the form of our Lord Jesus Christ, taught her many things, and bade her instruct the people therein. The same father, as soonas he became aware of this, sought to undeceive her, enjoining hernot to repeat those things to any one. But she paid no heed to this, and assembled secretly, at night, a number of persons; and, in orderthat they might go more willingly, she said that the father had toldher to proceed. In this way she persevered in making known her fanciesand illusions. Those who were present, noticing that her method ofinstruction and speech was similar to that employed by the priestessesof the idols when they are possessed by the demon--making a thousandgestures and movements like those of a madman or deranged person(which was the method formerly employed by the devil in making answersthrough the mouths of the catalonans)--hastened to give informationof this proceeding. The father, learning for the second time of this, which was again taking place, assembled in the church the people whohad heard this woman speak; and, showing them what it really was, undeceived them, pointing out the falsity of all those things, andthe wiles of the devil. By these means an evil was corrected whichdoubtless would have been very great if so timely and appropriate aremedy had not been applied. In another instance a poor fellow wasrelieved by an Agnus Dei [6] which one of our brethren gave him. Thelatter had sent some Indians to cut grass, and one of them fled inland, among the mountains, as if terrified and beside himself; and wanderedfrom hill to hill during an entire day, until he was found in thatcondition by some other Indians, who conveyed him to his house. Whenthe brother visited him, the Indian said that he wished to confess, for the demons were harassing him in such a manner that he could notrest; and that, without any intention, and unable to control himself, he had wandered alone and in terror through the wilderness. The brotherbrought him to a father, who heard his confession; but afterward heagain suffered in the same way. Again he repaired to the brother, andtold him of his trouble; and the latter advised him to have faith inour Lord and confidence in the virtue of the holy Agnus Dei--makingknown to him the favors which our Lord has granted to men, and themiracles which He has wrought through the efficacy of this holy relic;he then placed an Agnus Dei on the Indian's neck. From that very momentthe latter felt relieved, and our Lord, in order to show that He hadgranted that favor by means of the holy relic, caused him, wheneverthe emblem was removed from his neck, even for a short time, to loseat once his reason, and go astray. The Indian himself stated that, assoon as it was removed, he lost his wits and had no control of himself, but that when wearing it his mind was quite calm; so he gave manythanks to our Lord, and related the efficacy of the holy Agnus Dei. 

Some notable incidents that happened in the city of Santissimo Nombrede Jesus. Chapter LIV. 

The fortunate arrival at this city of the father-visitor occurred inLent of the year one thousand six hundred. Although he increased thenumber of our fathers in that city, he realized that their laborsamong the Chinese were a hindrance to their work among the Indians;he therefore entreated the right reverend bishop of that city toplace the Chinese in the care of some other order, which his Lordshipdid. By this measure our fathers had less responsibility, but werenot less occupied; for, not to mention the other peoples who, as Ihave said, resort to this port, the Bissayans alone kept six fathersso busy during Lent that the people hardly left them alone by dayor by night. Nevertheless, so great is the need, and at the sametime the scarcity, of the bread of divine truth, for lack of thosewho may distribute it, that many people dwelling very near the citydie in this hunger and cannot be assisted; for although the rightreverend bishop of Sebu and the few priests who are under him do much, and the fathers of St. Augustine much more, neither the former northe latter suffice for the care of so many children. After Lent andEaster, one of the fathers visited, by way of recreation (for suchare the vacations which they enjoy there), some pagan villages whichare about six leguas from the city. He remained there eight days, which gave him opportunity for the usual occupations. Although thetime was very short, our Lord was served by some good results; forthe father found many Christians who, through lack of teaching andtheir constant association with infidels, had returned with these totheir former idolatrous practices. By means of sermons and discourseshe touched the consciences of these people, and, recognizing theirwretched condition, they made a general confession; they receivedhis instructions for their future conduct, and were very grateful forthe good that had been done them. The infidels were so attracted andinclined to the things of our holy faith that they urgently besoughtthe father to remain with them a few days more; but, as this was notpossible, they contented themselves with the hope that he might soonbe able to revisit them. After four months had elapsed, seeing thathe did not return, they sent their messengers earnestly to entreathim to return for a short time to teach them the things of our holyfaith, which they all desired to accept; but this could not be done, and so they were left in their hunger. 

In the city of Santisimo Nombre de Jesus there was a Malucan Indian, the slave of a Spaniard, who, although he had been a Christian for manyyears, lived negligent of his salvation, and his masters had never beenable to induce him to make confession and fulfil the obligations of aChristian; he always displayed much unwillingness and obstinacy. Thisman became ill with a malady, apparently not very serious, accompaniedby a slow fever; but within three or four days he suddenly lost thepower of speech and seemed to be surely dying. A little food and somedrink were offered to him but he could not be induced to take any;and finally became so low, that he lost all consciousness. Some holywater was brought him from our house and a few drops were sprinkledover his face; some of these ran down into his mouth, and he began tolick them, so that he tasted the water. One of those present placedsome of it near his mouth, and, opening his lips, he received thewater. At once regaining consciousness, he said that it seemed as ifsomeone had seized him and clutched his throat, and for that reasonhe was unable to speak; but drinking the holy water had, as it were, released him, and set him at liberty, and he gladly listened to whatthey said to him concerning his salvation. After he had receivedinstruction, he made a general confession of his entire life; andour Lord was pleased to restore him to complete health of body, as He had already deigned to give him health of soul. 

Another Indian, while very ill, was afflicted with horribleapparitions; when he was left alone, hideous and fierce black menappeared to him, threatening him with death. He asked his friends tosummon our fathers; finally, after he had endured many sufferings, either he or the people of his house sent for a priest to hear hisconfession. The priest repaired at once to the sick man, and foundhim in great suffering. He gave him consolation, and after thoroughinstruction, the Indian made a general confession, to his own greatrelief--from that time experiencing entire rest, and seeing no moreof the visions that had tormented him. 

There was an infidel Indian woman who lived near this city amongChristians. A serious illness attacked her, and she was carried to thehouse of another Indian woman, who attended our church and led a mostpure and edifying life, who persuaded her to become a Christian. Shesent for a priest of our order, who catechized her and so preparedher that she soon received holy baptism. During the remaining daysof her life she gave tokens of the grace that she had received; for, although she suffered the utmost pain, hardly a word was heard fromher lips, save "Jesus, Mary, " or, "My God, have mercy on me. "

One day two of Ours, chancing to pass through the Chinese quarter, wereinformed that in one of the houses an infidel woman lay dying. Theyat once ascended into the house, and found her very near death, butvery far from knowing the truth of our holy faith. But our Lord, who had provided teachers, aided her in His great mercy, and withsovereign help; accordingly, she listened very willingly to what theysaid to her, and prepared herself in so short a time that they gaveher baptism that very night, fearing her critical condition. She wasgreatly consoled by the sacrament, and grateful to our Lord for themercy that she had received, edifying those who were present by herwords, which were all invocations for help to Jesus and Mary. Withsuch good proofs of her salvation, she passed away on the followingday. Among the persons who, to the edification of the people and theservice of our Lord, have profited by the teaching of our fathers, wasa woman advanced in years, and a native of China; her case is one ofgreat importance, as her nation are so hard to reach, and so unwillingto receive the gospel; and so it does not seem beyond the scope of myplan to give some account of her conversion. This woman had married anhonorable Portuguese, who left her a widow some six years ago. Mostof her support is what she gains by the labor of her own hands, withthe help of three slaves, in whose company she lives in a wretchedhouse, apart from the crowd of the Chinese, dwelling therein in greatseclusion. Her confessions and communions are frequent, with excellentresults. She practices penance so severely that it has been necessaryto moderate the rigors she inflicts upon herself, in long scourgingsevery night, and in fasts throughout the year, four days in everyweek; and even on the other two days she seldom eats meat. Prayer isher one consolation, for which she has much natural aptitude in herexcellent judgment, and supernatural aid in the gifts which the Lordcommunicates to her. She is present every day in the church duringthe masses, hearing them always upon her knees. Nothing so afflictsher as to know that God has been offended, especially if by those ofher nation. In short, she has offered herself entirely to our Lord, and He has plucked her with His own hand as a rose from among so manythistles and thorns. 

Other interesting events, which occurred in Bohol. Chapter LV. 

In order to give a more detailed account of what took place at thattime in the island of Bohol, I shall avail myself of two letters fromFathers Alonso de Umanes and Gabriel Sanchez, who were in that region;for in my opinion their account is given minutely and with pleasingand enjoyable simplicity. Both of them, writing to the father-visitor, give him a detailed account of their labors, as is the custom in ourSociety. The superior, Father Alonso de Umanes, writes as follows:"As soon as we had returned from Sebu in last year, ninety-nine, asit was the season of Lent we busied ourselves in hearing confessions;and with remarkable devotion and promptness all this new band ofChristians, without any reward, repaired to the sacraments--eventhose coming to us who lived very distant from the village wherewe ordinarily reside. The Christians throughout the island cametogether for the exercises of Holy Week, and many of those who werenot yet baptized attended the divine services during all that week, with great devotion, also the feast of Easter, when a goodly numberof them received communion. Having fulfilled our obligations as toconfession, we set out to visit some of the pagan villages, in allof which we found the people well disposed. Those who most attendedour preaching were the inhabitants of Panglao, a small island almostadjoining this; all the people came very willingly to hear aboutthe things of our holy faith, and soon began of their own accord tobuild a church. As the first-fruits of Christianity there, we firstbaptized the sons of the chiefs, in order that they might open thedoor for the others. Their parents were greatly pleased at this, in token of which they held a feast that same day, with dancing andother festivities. This little island we visited again, at whichtime a considerable number of adults as well as a hundred childrenreceived baptism. The chiefs besought us to leave there someone whomight instruct them, that they might thus learn more speedily allthat was necessary. For this purpose we took from the island theirbrightest boys, so that they, after receiving instruction, mightteach their people. Thus we shall be able to supply, to some extent, the great need of men from our Society, until our Lord shall multiplyour number. During a visit that was made to the village of Lobo, animportant event occurred which served to overthrow their errors andremove some great fears with which the devil had inspired them. Analguazil learned that in a little village near by there was a chiefwho kept in his house many small horns and little jars full of charms, and other instruments, which served for casting lots, for determiningif in sickness sacrifice should be made to the devil, and for decidingother matters. Father Gabriel Sanchez resolved to go in person totake away those cursed instruments. In fact, no other means wouldhave been successful, because, upon arriving at the house, he wasobliged with his own hands to unhang and heap together the bottlesand horns; for the Indians who had accompanied him did not dare evento touch them--fearing that, if they did, they would die; and that, if they threw them into the river, the caimans would be enraged againstthem--such was their belief in these delusions. But the father, havingquieted their fear and removed their mistaken apprehension by himselftouching those objects and yet remaining alive, induced them to seizethe horns and bottles and expose them publicly. Then he summoned theyoung boys who spat and trod upon them--actions which among thosepeople, as among other nations, are a token of contempt, detestation, and infamy. He finally caused the charms to be burned, and thrown intothe river. By these means they were all freed from error, and becamemore devoted than ever to our true and well-grounded Catholic religion. 

"I cannot refrain from relating an incident that has just befallen us, as it was a source of great consolation to me. As soon as our peoplelearned that your Reverence had ordered us to go to Sebu, fearfullest we might not speedily return, they all repaired to us to maketheir confessions, with such fervor that it seemed like the seasonof Lent. Those who had not received baptism came also, with likeearnestness seeking that holy sacrament. Thus, by way of farewell, we made a goodly number of Christians. " The account of Father Alonsode Umanes ends here. 

Father Gabriel Sanchez, in another letter to the father-visitor, writesthus: "Glory be to our Lord, Christianity in this island is receivingmuch increase. They all frequent the most holy sacraments with greatfervor at Christmas, Epiphany, and other leading feasts. So many werethe confessions and the communions that it seemed to me like HolyWeek. They possess great confidence and faith, and through the mostholy sacraments and the sacramental offices they are sure to receive(and his Majesty does bestow upon them even in temporal affairs)most signal favors. An old woman, a good Christian, was so reduced bysickness, and brought so near to death, that she no longer possessedher senses, or power of speech; in short, there was no hope that shewould live. The sacrament of extreme unction was administered to her, and at once she began to improve, and at last regained entire health. Afew days ago they brought to us a sick man, so tormented and harassedby a severe malady that he could not even raise his head; he thereforemade his confession while reclining, and with great difficulty. But, as soon as he had ended it, he began to feel better, with the resultthat in two days he came to the church to render thanks to our Lordfor the mercy that he had received, which he attributed to the holysacrament of penance. A few days ago a child of four years--notrealizing, as he was so little, what he was doing--waded into thesea, and, despite the haste with which he was taken from the water, was almost drowned. They brought him in haste to our house, that wemight repeat the gospel over him, for they had no hope of preservinghis life by natural means. When they brought him to us he showedalmost no sign of respiration, his face was black, and his stomachmuch swollen with the water which he had swallowed. The gospel wasread for him, and he was sprinkled with holy water; and then, inthe presence of the many people who had assembled, he straightwayrecovered consciousness and became entirely well, in return forwhich they all gave many thanks to our Lord. Another incident, whichoccurred quite recently, I cannot refrain from relating. Our Lord hasthis day exercised His accustomed mercy in the case of two old men, very venerable and more than a hundred years old. The greater partof their long lives they had spent in diabolical acts of outrage, murder, cruelty, and lawlessness; and yet our Lord had waited forthem until now--when, illumining them with His divine light, theywere marvelously converted. I was astonished at beholding the fervor, sincerity and grief with which they expressed abhorrence for theirpast life and sought baptism, which they received today after carefulinstruction. To see the perseverance and constancy of this peoplehas given great consolation to me. I shall relate in brief a fewthings which certainly give strong evidence of that constancy. Anunmarried Indian woman was persecuted by a soldier with innumerableplots, yet she always resisted him valiantly. Once in particular, hesent her by a servant some twenty escudos; but she drove the servantaway, and threatened that if he should come again she would flinghim and his money through her window. The soldier, rendered boldby the fury of his passion, as he had a headstrong disposition, andrealizing that he could not gain his damnable purpose by bribes, hadrecourse to threats. As these did not suffice, he laid violent handson her, seriously hurting her; but our Lord came to her assistance, and she emerged victorious from the struggle, leaving the wretch inconfusion and shame. Another woman was no less persecuted, a manoffering her, among other gifts, a gold chain that was worth morethan thirty escudos; but she rejected all his gifts with Christiancourage. Then, fearing the fury of her persecutor and her own greatdanger, she persuaded her mother to accompany her, and they fled tosome grain-fields, where she remained in hiding until he who wasmolesting her had left the village. Another, a young girl hardlyeighteen years of age, and so poor that she could procure only alittle rice for her support, was persecuted by many men, who offeredher large sums of money to relieve her poverty; one of them offeredher more than forty eight-real pieces. But she made answer that ourLord, in whom she trusted, would relieve her need; that she did notcare to live by any means that would offend Him, but in serving Himwas well content in her poverty; and that she was confident thatour Lord would not abandon her. Another poor woman resisted withequal courage no less vexatious importunities, refusing a quantityof gold worth more than eighty escudos, thus leaving her persecutorin amazement. Another woman, fearing that she would have to defendher body by force from so many and violent importunities, removedit from danger, and herself from any occasion of offending God, byfleeing to the mountains, where she wandered about for almost fourmonths, suffering, although with much satisfaction, many hardshipsand privations; nor did she return to the village until she learnedthat he who had brought her to such a plight had departed thence. "

The good conduct of the Christians of Botuan. Chapter LVI. 

I shall, continuing as I began, relate the prosperous conditionof Christianity in Botuan in the same words which Father Valerio deLedesma and his companion, Father Manuel Martinez, used in writing thisyear to the father-visitor. The letter of Father Valerio gives thefollowing account: "Glory to our Lord, the inhabitants of this townare well instructed. There are nearly eight hundred Christians, andnearly all the rest of the people are catechumens, engaged in learningthe necessary truths. We hold back these persons that they may prizemore highly the mercy which God is showing them, and understand morethoroughly the Christian doctrine and acquire good habits. All therest of the people have the best possible inclination to receive ourholy faith and come on every Sunday and feast-day to hear the sermonsand discourses; a large audience always assembles, and all of them, even the infidels, entertain a great affection for holy things. Oftheir own accord they bring their children to be baptized, and theirsick people, to hear the gospel read. They erect crosses in theirgrain-fields, and sing the Christian doctrine with the Christians, of whom there are usually some in every house. In times of sicknessthey come at once to be baptized; and as they are universally wellinstructed, and have sufficient knowledge of the things of our faith, it is easy to succor them upon such occasions, so that hardly any onedies without having first received holy baptism. An Indian, seeinghimself afflicted by a violent disease, asked to be baptized. They wentto call the father for that purpose, but in the meantime the maladyhad gained such headway, that when he arrived he found the housein confusion and everyone bewailing the sick man as one dead. Thefather, seeing that he could not speak and seemed unable to hear, assured himself that he had asked for baptism; and, knowing that hewas one of those who frequented the church, he asked for water tobaptize him. Then, speaking in a loud voice, he persuaded him totry to say 'Jesus. ' It seems that at the sound of that most sweetname the sick man recovered somewhat, and, making a great effort, pronounced the word. He soon regained breath, and made answer tothe questions of the catechism, to the great wonder of all who werepresent. He received holy baptism, and soon afterward our Lord grantedhim complete health. His parents, who were pagans, astonished at hisrecovery, attributed it to the virtue of the holy name of Jesus, andto holy baptism. Through the mercy of God, there is constancy amongthe faithful. In all the time I have resided here I do not know ofany Christian who has been present at a pagan sacrifice, althoughliving among so many of them. The corregidor of this town relatedto me, with surprise, that although he had investigated many casespertaining to this matter, he had never found any Christian guiltytherein. This same man related that he had [on official journeys]taken in his company, among other Indians, some Christians of thistown; that in some places which were unsafe, on account of enemies, he placed sentinels; and, when it was the turn of the Christians togo on guard, they were found praying, and singing the doctrine. Henoticed, besides this, that they never let a day pass without recitingthe rosary; and he greatly valued and praised such solicitude amongpersons so new in the faith. "

To this account Father Manuel Martinez adds the following: "Theesteem in which they hold holy baptism is universal. Consequently, those who have not received it, and some who in health refused it, when they become sick ask at once for the sacrament, confident thatby this means they will acquire health, not only for their souls butfor their bodies, inasmuch as our Lord has many times granted thisto them. A little boy, the son of a chief of this town, was broughtso low by sickness that he was thought to be dead; and as such theywere weeping for him when an Agnus Dei and some holy water weresent to him from our house. Our Lord was pleased to restore him verysoon to health, and his parents related it to every one, ascribingthis result to the efficacy of the Agnus Dei and the holy water. ASpaniard was exhausted by a violent pain that had been afflicting himfor some time. Seeing himself in such distress, he sent for one of ourfathers, who read the gospel to him. Immediately he began to improve, and in less than a quarter of an hour felt entirely well. He then gavethanks to God, and made it publicly known that he had recovered hishealth by means of the holy gospel. In Advent and Lent the practiceof discipline has been maintained in the church, in which participatethe Spaniards who are wont to come to this town. Sometimes publicand bloody flagellations took place; and on Holy Thursday and Fridaythere were two admirably arranged processions, in which many peopleaccompanied the flagellants with torches. I will conclude this letterwith two incidents, omitting many others, to avoid prolixity. Thefirst concerns a pagan, who was grievously wounded by a wild boar whilehunting. Thinking that the hour of death was at hand, and rememberingto have heard in the church that in our necessities we should invokethe most holy name of Jesus, he fell upon his knees, and, folding hishands, repeated, 'Jesus, have mercy on me. ' Our Lord heard his prayer;and, soon healed of his wounds, he came to recount this experience, and asked to be at once baptized. With great devotion he relates toothers this act of God's mercy, and says that he received it throughhaving heartily invoked the most holy name of Jesus. Another pagan, affrighted by some terrible thunder, and fearful that some flash oflightning might strike him, invoked many times with confidence thesweet name of Jesus, accompanied by all the people of his household;and all were protected and encompassed by one cross. A brilliantflash of lightning burst forth, accompanied by a frightful pealof thunder. The pagan, in his fright, fell to the ground, and allbelieved that their hour had come, and that they would be consumedby fire on the spot. But they noticed only a bad odor of somethingburning, and in the morning found that a palm-tree which grew closeto the house was completely burned by the lightning. This incidentfilled them all with wonder, and they rendered thanks to our Lord, who by means of His own sweet name and holy cross had delivered them. "

The number of people who were gathered into villages in the districtof Alangalang, and the result of our labors therein. Chapter LVII. 

At no time did the Filipinos have any form of towns with civic orderand political government, such that at least one island, or a number ofvillages, recognizing one person as their lord, might live under hisprotection and rule; but he who was most powerful conquered others, and ruled over them. As there was not only one such, but almostall the chiefs asserted their authority, and conquered and ruled, the general result was that each chief remained apart from the rest, having his own followers, and fortified himself, keeping up an attitudeof defense. Consequently, they were usually at war with one another, neighbors against neighbors--perpetually engaged in petty warfare, with ambuscades, violence, robbery, murders, and captures. 

Very seldom, if ever, did any of these bands become friendly and livein the same neighborhood or village, and aid each other and combineagainst enemies. Even rarer were the lords who ruled large towns, such as Sebu, Manila, Cainta, and a very few others. To this must beadded the fact that those who were able to remove from the vicinityand danger of such turmoils, and flee to the mountains to spend theirlives, would there build their houses and, close by, cultivate theirgroves and fields. As a result, in places and at times favorable tothe enjoyment of this tranquillity, many persons migrated; and soonthe country districts abounded with homes--so that in some districts, and even in many today, one may journey many leguas, all the waythrough dwellings and plantations (which are cultivated and dividedinto fields), in the same manner as, here in Europe, the farm-housesand cottages are wont to stand. This was the condition of all thoseislands, and, in particular, of this island of Leite; the greaterpart of the people everywhere divided and scattered in rural hamlets, in rugged, inaccessible, and mountainous localities. Besides these, there were houses at considerable distances from one another, withoutany order, or any trace of streets or village, placed along the banksof the rivers, and surrounded by their grain-fields and groves. Onaccount of these conditions, the first concern of Father Cosme deFlores, upon entering the district of Alangalang, was to gather allthese settlements into one village, which he did; and this policyhas been followed by those who have succeeded him in the charge ofthat mission field. This measure has been of no small advantage tothose people; for in the year one thousand six hundred alone, twovillages were established, containing each three hundred houses, anda third one with five hundred--all amounting to about four thousandfive hundred souls, of whom more than a hundred were baptized inthat year. During Lent all the Christians attended the services witheagerness, especially in Holy Week, when the people of the othervillages joined them. They attended the divine services which werecelebrated in as fitting a manner as possible. On the morning of HolyThursday a sermon was preached to them concerning the holy sacrament;and in the afternoon the superior of that house washed the feet of adozen poor persons (explaining in a brief sermon the signification ofthat holy ceremony), by which they were all greatly edified. Towardevening a well-ordered procession was formed containing a large numberof flagellants, with other persons who carried some large crosses. Thisprocession was repeated the next day, after the sermon on the passion. 

On Easter the people from other villages assembled, and, after the massand sermon, celebrated the occasion with all the tokens of rejoicingthat they could display. A very graceful dance was performed, andall the people made merry in the court of the church with dancingaccording to their custom. What especially pleased us was, that inso great a concourse of people, who amused themselves and feastedafter their own fashion, there was not one person who was known tohave taken wine, although formerly this was a very ordinary viceamong those people in their feasts and merry-making. 

The condition of Christianity in Carigara. Chapter LVIII. 

Our church here, although no older than five years, was both served andattended as if it were a church in Europe. Its services were renderedmore magnificent by the choir of music, especially on feast-days;the musicians not only celebrated divine worship in consonance withthe organ, but accompanied it with motets and other compositionsin their own Bissayan language. These latter were sung, some to theleading of the organ, others in the musical mode and the manner ofthe country. Both methods greatly attracted the people, moved themto devotion, and caused them to learn willingly and with pleasureour sacred mysteries, thus couched in their own meter and styleof music. In short, these were affected in the same way which theglorious doctor St. Augustine mentions concerning himself; and we allexperienced the same emotions. By these means those Christians becamefervent, and frequented with profit the holy sacraments. The fruitof their devotion was apparent in their lives, as Father Francisco deEnzinas relates in one of his letters; therein he continually praises, as one who keeps this matter in his mind, and is personally concernedin it, the good disposition of those people, their readiness to acceptthe teachings of virtue, and their service to God, concerning whichhe relates the following:

"It is a source of great consolation to see the purity that shinesin many of these poor women. I know concerning some of them that, after being annoyed and even persecuted with liberal offers of money, neither by gifts nor threats were they in any way overcome. I alsoknow of other women who, when, they have learned that lawless men haveentered the village, have absented themselves from home and retiredto their grain-fields, to avoid the danger of offending God. One ofthose soulless men promised a young boy, one of those who aid us atour house, that he would give him I know not what gift, if he wouldsearch after a certain woman for him. The lad answered that he couldnot, since he belonged to the house of the father, assist in such amatter. When he was told that the father would not know it, he replied:'But will God fail to see it, even if the father does not know it?' Atthis reply the man became abashed and ashamed, and ceased to importunehim. From Easter-time until the date of this writing, which is abouta month and a half, more than eighty adults have been baptized--thegreater part of them very old, but well prepared--and with these aboutninety who are younger. While journeying during Lent, to the village ofLeite, we were overtaken by a storm so violent that it drove our boatupon the shore and compelled us to continue our course by land. Thischange, however, was not without the special providence of God; for, as we were passing by some grain-fields, an old woman lay very sick inher wretched hut. Learning that I was going by, she had me summoned;and after I had given her instruction, I baptized her, with greatconsolation to both, and on the following day she died. "

The remarkable case of three old men, of whom two were converted, and the third, who was blind, refused. Chapter LIX. 

The village of Leite, which the father here mentions, lies on thebanks of a very beautiful stream of the same name; which gives itsname to the whole island. The village lies at the very entrance of theisland, as one goes eastward from Manila, from which it is distantabout one hundred and thirty leguas. The distance between Carigaraand Leite is five leguas by land and ten by sea. The fathers usuallymake the journey by sea, to avoid the fatigue of crossing on foot thegreat mountain-ranges in that route. On the other side of Carigara, proceeding along the coast of this island--which, as we have said, runs east and west--there is another river, called Barugo, two leguasdistant; on its shore are many dwellings, which, being united in avillage, numbered three hundred houses (besides which there were manyothers). Father Mattheo Sanchez repaired to the village of Barugo, where at one haul he caught two of three fishes; the third remainedin spiritual and bodily darkness. As the incident is a notable one, I shall relate it in the words of a letter from the same father, whowrites thus: "In the village of Barugo an event occurred by whichour Lord displayed to me the effects of His divine predestination, and how _cujus vult miseretur, et quem vult indurat_. I was summonedto baptize an old man who was very ill. Upon entering his house, I found him in company with two other men, also very aged--one, indeed, so old that he did not go from the house, nor could he evenwalk. This last, hearing me instruct the sick man, began to exerthimself, and approached us by creeping across the floor. Then, withremarkable attention, he began to listen; and, very opportunely, heheard the catechism. Seeing the satisfaction which the old man andhis companion received from hearing the things of our holy faith, I remained a long time, explaining it to them. When I had baptizedthe sick man, the other began with eagerness and devotion to ask forthe sacrament, saying that he had faith in all that I had said, andwas desirous of salvation. He said that in no case ought I to leavehim without baptism, since his old age gave him not many more daysof life and those he wished to spend as a Christian; accordingly, Ibaptized him. The third old man was blind; and all the time while I wascatechizing his companions he spent in twisting some threads, and whilethe others were receiving so much pleasure and their hearts becomingsoftened, he was jesting and becoming more and more hardened. Takingpity on him, I tried to incline him to conversion; but I could donothing with him, and his soul remained as forsaken as was his body. "

How the Christian church continued to increase in Ogmuc. Chapter LX. 

Every one of these mission-fields [_doctrinas_] is truly a schoolof celestial theology; for just as, in the schools, are seen thestudents assembled at the lectures, and their eagerness in studyingand reciting their lessons, and afterward their reception of degrees, so in these missions it is a cause for praise to God to see old menbecome again children, and the chiefs made humble--all learning, with eagerness, delight, and perseverance, the Christian doctrine, and writing, repeating, studying, reciting, and singing it. As afinal reward, they receive the degree of holy baptism, a blessingwhich those people as anxiously seek and desire, and receive withas much joy, as do students the degree of doctor or master. In someplaces they are assigned on one Sunday the lesson they are to learnfor the next; in others, without being assigned a lesson, they arequestioned as to what they know. In some districts, as here in Ogmuc, are formed as many classes as there are divisions of the Christiandoctrine, from making the sign of the cross to the act of confession, and each student, whether child or old man, continues to advance ashe learns, until he takes his degree, and is graduated--that is, until he knows the doctrine--which, as we said, was done with theold men of Antipolo. Not only do they, as good students, writetheir lessons--mainly in their own characters, and using a pieceof a reed [7] as a book of memorandum, and an iron point as a pen;but they always carry with them these materials, and whenever oneceases his labors, whether at home or in the field, by way of resthe takes his book, and spends some time in study. Such is the fervorand zeal of these eager students in learning their supernatural anddivine theology; and their ardor in learning is also evident in theirdemeanor and actions, for their lively faith enkindles and inflamestheir deeds, and after the ardent heart follows the eager and ardenthand. All this (omitting many other details, which might be related)is seen in their often frequenting the holy sacraments, with notableresults in the amendment of their lives; and yet these are peoplenewly born in the church, and but yesterday begotten in Christ. Theydevoutly and confidently ask that the gospel may be read to theirsick, and that holy water be given them; and our Lord responds totheir faith by frequently granting them complete health. Accordingly, they acknowledge these favors from His hand, being thus confirmed inthe faith, and abhorring the sacrifices which in their maladies theywere wont to make to the devil. Even the infidels are so undeceivedconcerning these vain illusions that scarcely a case is known of thoseaccursed sacrifices which formerly were so frequent. Many infidelshave brought their sick children to be baptized, saying that by thismeans our Lord would give them health. Indeed it has often happened so, and their cure has been the cause of converting their parents. They aregreatly devoted to the holy cross, and have upon occasions experiencedits protection. One night, while some Christians were reciting, asusual, the doctrine in their house, someone outside began to throwstones at the building, and made a great noise, and injured whateverwas near the house. Several times they sallied forth to discover whowas doing them harm, but saw no one; yet, again entering the house, the same disturbance was made outside. Thinking that it was an artificeof the devil, they persevered in prayer, and under this persecutionconfirmed themselves in the faith; and, as a defense, they erected across in front of the house. From that time, they were not in any waydisturbed. The infidels are steadily growing more inclined to receiveour holy faith; moreover, we are gradually uprooting that hindrance toconversion, so common among those people, and so difficult to remove, the practice of having several wives. They are easily persuaded thatit is impossible and unseemly for them to have more than one wife, accordingly they have forsaken the others, although in doing so thehusbands lose their property; for in marrying the women the men givethem dowries, and if they leave their wives they must lose the dowriesthat they gave. To do this is no slight merit, for people who arenot even Christians. 

Of some baptisms conferred in Paloc. Chapter LXI. 

In the absence of Father Christoval Ximenez, this village was leftalone; and while in this plight it was visited by Father AlonsoRodriguez, who went there to hold a mission. What he accomplished inthe few days that he could spend among them he himself relates in aletter, a section of which is as follows: "We held a mission at Paloc;and the method of teaching the doctrine by decurias [8] so aroused theenthusiasm of all that within ten days many learned the prayers andgained all the knowledge necessary for baptism. Such was the emulationamong them that their prayers never ceased--at night, in their homes;and by day, in the church. As a result, on the feast of the gloriousSt. Joseph I baptized fifty adults, among them the most prominentpersons of this village. To see their leaders already Christians isa strong incentive for the others to follow these. From many others Iwithheld baptism, as it was necessary to investigate their marriages, and this could not be done on account of the absence of the personsconcerned. Of these latter there is a considerable number, but I trustin our Lord that within a few days not a man will remain unbaptizedin this village; for already they are all catechumens and attendthe church. At the same time I baptized also fifty children. " Thefather proceeds to relate other devout exercises of those Christians, which I do not repeat here, as they are similar to those which I haverecounted of others. Afterward, Father Juan de Torres held anothermission in the same town, and our Lord made him joyful by grantinghim another rich haul, when he cast from the pulpit the net of theword of God, in order to fish for souls. This was a chief, one of themost powerful in that district; in imitation of the chiefs of Botuan(although ignorant of what they had done), he arose like them in thecongregation, and after earnestly asking for baptism, began then andthere his preparation--by publicly asking pardon of all those whom hemight have wronged, and offering full satisfaction, whatever might bethe amount of his obligation; and (an act of much greater importance), by putting away one of his two wives. Through this the Spirit of truth, [9] which is uniform, swayed the hearts of the others to be likethis man's, and brought them, most efficaciously and harmoniously, under the gentle yoke of Christ, although he and they were so faraway. But inasmuch as this divine Spirit is present in all places, in all alike it operates as if they were but one, its strength andpower being subtly and efficaciously active. 

A third mission was held in this village during Lent of the year onethousand six hundred, by Father Melchior Hurtado, who had gone tothese islands in the previous year with the father-visitor. Devotinghimself to the study of the language, he used it effectively as we mayjudge from a letter written by him from Paloc to the same father, asfollows: "In the village of San Salvador (which is the same as Paloc)the number of those who had recourse to the discipline was greatlyincreased, especially on Fridays, when it was necessary to excludethe children [from the church], to make room for the adults. Manywent out for the bloody discipline, and it was cause for edificationto behold the fervor with which at the conclusion of a short sermonwhich was preached to them before the procession began, all the peoplefell upon their knees, asking in a loud voice pardon for their sins, with such emotion and weeping that we who were present were alsobrought to tears. They were all deeply impressed by the sermons onthe various stages of the passion; and also when we pictured to themthe life of Christ our Lord, from His childhood until He was fastenedto the cross. They shed many tears thereat, and their minds were soimpressed by those sacred events that for many days they talked ofnothing else. On Easter Sunday a most joyful procession was formed, inwhich was borne the cross triumphant, handsomely adorned; all were cladin white tunics, and bore garlands of flowers. Those who have receivedcommunion have set a notable example. They have a sort of brotherhoodthe members of which are the most assiduous in their attendance atchurch. There are two women, among the most exemplary and capable, who take care of the rest; and when any woman asks to receive communionfor the first time, they instruct her how to approach it. The exampleof these few women has induced the rest of the people to ask eagerlyfor the most blessed sacrament. During this time some seventy adultshave been baptized, among them six datos, or headmen of districts, withtheir wives. Matters are in such condition that in a short time all thepeople of this village will be baptized. The baptisms are conferredby families, in order that the Christians may not live intermingledwith infidels, but may daily augment their virtue in the uniformityof the Christian religion. It was a source of great edification tosee with what sincerity the chiefs, before receiving holy baptism, asked from all the people pardon for any wrongs that they had donethem in the matter of slavery--a common practice in their heathenism, for very trifling causes. They also besought those who had grievancesagainst them to betake themselves to the father, for they were willingand prepared to give full satisfaction therefor. " All of this is toldby Father Melchior Hurtado. 

Of two mutes who were baptized in Dulac; and other matters of specialinterest in that mission. Chapter LXII. 

This year the baptisms in Dulac reached the number of seven hundred, of which the most notable was that of a chief, whose conversion had (asis usual) much influence in bringing about that of an entire village, named Bincai, inasmuch as he was its head man and governor. Thischief came one day to the church and eagerly sought holy baptism, saying that his people were negligent and dilatory, and were waitingfor him to be first baptized; and that it seemed to him that if heshould become a Christian many would follow his example. Accordinglyhe urged that this blessing might not be withheld from him and from somany others. To test him, however, he was put off for several days, upon various pretexts; but each day he displayed greater constancy, and each day his desire grew stronger. 

But even more wonderful was the baptism of two mutes, who, besidestheir natural barbarism, were still further hindered in receivinghuman instruction by their lack of the usual qualification therefor, which, as the apostle St. Paul declares, [10] is the hearing--whichthey, being mutes, lacked entirely. But God our Lord, in order toshow His great mercy, and to demonstrate that His law, as the royalprophet says, is "unspotted, converting souls, " and that His divineword (as the apostle also says) is sharp-edged and piercing--so that, unhindered by the absence of the senses, it reaches "unto the divisionof the soul and the spirit, " [11] and with hidden force instructs, illumines, and sanctifies the soul--wrought a supernatural marvel inthese mutes, whom He made such (as in that other case of the blindman) [12] for the manifestation of His glory, not because of theirown sins or those of their parents. 

There were then in Dulac two mutes, who caused our fathers much regret, as they supposed it would be so difficult to baptize these persons onaccount of their lack of capacity for instruction. Father Ramon dePrado, who was still our vice-provincial, determined, upon learningthis, to instruct them by means of signs, believing that DivineMercy desires that we should all be saved, and denies His grace tono one. [13] He undertook the task, persisted, and won success, ourLord so operating therein that the father, and the father-visitor, and all who knew them, regarded these men as fit for baptism. Norwere they deceived in this opinion; for the two mutes received thesacrament, and since then the divine grace which is communicatedtherein has been resplendent in them, with such tokens and effectsas Fathers Francisco de Otaco and Melchior Hurtado attest in someof their letters concerning this matter. In that written by FatherFrancisco de Otaco to Father Ramon, he says: "I will not fail toinform your Reverence in a special letter, of the two mutes whomyour Reverence catechized, and whom I baptized on the day followingyour Reverence's departure. Your Reverence was deprived of muchconsolation in not being present on that occasion: for in all thisland I have not seen another person receive holy baptism with greaterdemonstrations of devotion and joy, while thus setting an example forthe others who received the sacrament in their company. They couldnot restrain their joy--especially the elder one, who seemed as ifhis heart were bursting with gladness. But it was not only duringthe baptism that these admirable tokens and results were evident, for they were continued in the church, these new Christians attendingmass upon their bended knees, with folded hands, and their eyes fixedupon the altar with extraordinary attention and reverence. " HereFather Francisco de Otaco ends his account. Father Melchior Hurtado, in another letter to the father-visitor, thus writes: "The baptism ofthe mutes whom the father vice-provincial catechized was performedwith all possible solemnity, and with the utmost satisfaction thatour Lord had made good in these poor men their lack of hearing andspeech. Their expressions of devotion--and especially those of theelder, who was christened Raimundo--were extraordinary, not onlyduring the ceremonies at holy baptism, but when they were sprinkledwith the water. So devoted has Raimundo become that he seldom goesfrom home. He diligently attends to all the requirements of devotion, never failing to attend mass, carrying his rosary, beating his breast;and he lacks nothing save speech. We are convinced that God suppliesmuch more than we can understand. During this Holy Week Raimundoscourged himself in the procession, and it seemed to me that evenhad he possessed the power of speech and hearing, he could not havegiven more satisfactory tokens of his Christian faith. "

The same Father Melchior Hurtado solemnized another baptism, alsoof considerable importance, as occurring at the point of death. Thisbaptism took place in a village near to Dulac, called Tambo, whitherhe had gone to visit and console its people. This incident and itsattendant circumstances are depicted to the life by that father inanother letter, in which he says: "We reached Tambo thoroughly soaked, but with much consolation that we had so opportunely arrived; forat once we were hastily summoned to visit an old man who was dying, who desired holy baptism. Immediately we set out for his house, wherehe lived in his grain-field, a little more than a quarter of a leguafrom the village. Struggling through mud almost knee-deep, we reachedhis wretched abode, where we found the poor man in such extremitythat speech had failed him. Knowing that he was a catechumen, andconsidering the statements of all those present that he had sent forme in order to be baptized, and fearing that he might die on my hands, I at once baptized him, although wishing that I could have preparedhim better for the sacrament. But the Lord, who had inspired him withthe desire to ask for baptism, I trust gave him what more he neededfor his salvation; for he died soon afterward, on that same night. "

As we have stated, the other Christians continued to increase togetherin numbers, as well as in virtue and edification, as may be seen fromsome special instances. At the beginning of Advent, we preached tothem about fasting and abstinence, which are practiced throughout theworld by good Christians in their piety and devotion. So earnestly didthey set about this that one of them fasted four days in the week, in all that time eating only roots. Throughout Lent they repairedto the church, three days in the week, to take the discipline, the singers meanwhile chanting the _Miserere_ to the accompanimentof the organ; and with the same devotion they attended the sermonswhich were preached to them two days in the week. During Holy Weekthere was a great concourse of people from the neighboring villages;and on Holy Thursday and Friday they had well-ordered processionswith many flagellants, in which some bore on their shoulders largecrosses. The most blessed sacrament was kept in a receptacle adornedwith many ornaments and jewels of gold; all the time while it wasenclosed therein, the chiefs were present in behalf of their districtsarmed according to their custom. 

On this day a poor Indian failed to appear with the others at thechurch for the divine services, having gone to the river to bathe;there, by divine permission, a cayman seized him, and well nigh causedhis death. He was brought to the church covered with gashes, and insuch agony that he could neither understand, nor hear, nor utter aword. On account of his precarious condition, and as he was one ofthe catechumens, he was at once baptized. Being urged to invoke themost holy name of Jesus, this man, who had not been able to speakone word, was granted such strength that twice he uttered distinctly, "Jesus, Jesus, " and died with that honey on his lips. 

I will relate another and similar incident, equally interesting, although it occurred at a different time and in a different place. Apoor Indian one night, in his grain-field, suspecting no harm, received several knife thrusts, so grievous that it is consideredalmost a miracle that they did not instantly kill him; for all hisabdomen was cut open, and his entrails lay on the ground. In thiscondition he remained until morning, when he sent another Indian, who by chance left his route to pass that way, to summon the fiscalof the church, since the fathers did not reside in that village. Thefiscal went, and found the poor man in such misery that some dogs wereactually beginning to devour him alive. Asking with great earnestnessfor the sacrament, he was accordingly baptized, whereupon he at onceexpired. It seemed that our Lord would wait no longer to receive himto Himself. 

But to return to Lent at Dulac: The good example set by a Spaniardwho happened to be there during this holy time, was most valuable. Itwas he who adorned, as we have mentioned, the receptacle of the mostblessed sacrament, and who sent much wax to furnish its illumination;and he remained under arms, guarding the sepulchre, and marchedin the procession with the Indians, bleeding severely under thescourge. Not content with this, he went a second time along thestreets through which the procession had passed (a long distance), scourging himself. The Indians were greatly edified at this, and, as I have said, hastened to imitate him. 

Not less readily did they imitate a virtuous action by one of ourfathers, who performed it in order to preach to them by deeds aswell as words, that he might at once constrain them and render gooddeeds easier for them; and, by the grace of our Lord, he succeededin his purpose. Those people are fastidious to such an extreme thatthey are annoyed and disgusted by any object offensive to the senses, especially to sight and smell. They are passionately fond, on the otherhand, of fine colors and flavors, and eager to see or hear agreeablethings. Accordingly, they cannot endure foul odors, and have greataversion for persons who are wounded or bruised; among them suchpersons suffer, in consequence, great privation and neglect, bodilyas well as spiritual. On this point, several sermons were preached tothem; but, as the achievement of victory in such a cause is, in truth, arduous and heroic, the preacher, seeing that words were of no avail, determined to preach a sermon of deeds. They had one day in the weekset apart when all the old, the sick, and the wounded assembled toreceive instruction; and the father knew that some were not presentbecause they had no one to carry them, or help them to come--amongthese, especially, there was a female slave who belonged to one of thechiefs; her masters had never been willing to carry her to the church, on account of their great loathing for her. At a time when many ofthese poor creatures were assembled, and the most notable of thepeople were present, the father took in his hands the feet of a poorslave who was covered with sores, kissed them, and placed his lips onthe wound itself. There was another unfortunate whom they all held ingreat contempt, who himself did not dare to expose his countenance, on account of an ulcer which had eaten away his mouth, nose, and thegreater part of his face; but the father drew this man to himself, spoke to him, and caressed him, even touching his face. This examplemade so great an impression upon them that, from that time forth, they have displayed great compassion for such unfortunates--aidingthem in their necessities, and, when they cannot walk, carryingthem on their shoulders to the church. One of the chiefs did thisseveral times for his slave woman, although, before that occurrence, he had not been accustomed even to approach her. The governor of thatsame village, an Indian of very high rank and much esteemed by hispeople, seeing that all refused to help a poor woman, who was in avery loathsome condition, to go to the church, placed her on his ownshoulders and carried her thither, heedless of the stench and sores, and careless of staining a very elegant gown which he had put on thatsame day. When some persons attempted to restrain him, he respondedthat such was the obligation of a Christian. 

The increase and fervor of Christianity in Tinagon. Chapter LXIII. 

When the first fruits had been paid with a thousand Christians, who, aswe have said, died newly-baptized, in Tinagon and its district, therewere left, upon the arrival there of the fathers of the Society, abouteight thousand five hundred souls. Of this number we baptized from themonth of April of the year one thousand five hundred and ninety-nine, to the same month of the year one thousand six hundred, more thannine hundred and seventy persons, almost amounting to a thousand. Forthe rest of the catechumens, and for some Christians besides who arescattered through various villages, the services of three fathersand three brethren did not suffice, although they were constantlyoccupied in instructing them. But our Lord provided us with some boys, so well disposed and so intelligent in the things of our holy faith, that they have, upon various occasions, supplied the lack of priestsand the need for catechizing and instruction in those villages. It wasin this way that a native chief in one of those neighboring villages, having heard one of Ours preach, became so enamored of the things ofour holy faith, and so desirous that he and his villagers might knowthem, that he went straightway to his encomendero and entreated himto find for them some Indian well instructed in our doctrine, whomight impart to them the prayers and catechism. An Indian was sent, as he had desired; they received him very hospitably, and all promptlylearned the doctrine. They manifested their gratitude for such benefitsby entertaining their teacher liberally during his stay and presentingsome gifts to him at his departure. Two or three times afterward, thissame chief came to ask our fathers to send someone to his districtto baptize his people, saying that they all desired to receive holybaptism. The earnest affection wherewith they asked for it was manifestin another Indian whose baptism our fathers delayed until he should bebetter prepared for it: but each day his desire and fervor increased, and each day he became more fixed in his good resolution. One day afather asked him why he did not cut off his hair, since he desiredto become a Christian. At once he made answer with much affection:"The hair, Father, and nothing more? Do but grant me what I ask, and I will cut off, not only my hair, but even my arm, in return forbaptism. " This man was almost on the point of tearing out his eyes, or cutting off his hand or foot, to his own shame. 

But who can exaggerate the satisfaction and devotion wherewith theyreceive in their villages these servants of the Lord, when the lattergo to visit them? This will be seen in an account of such a journey, made by Father Juan de San Lucar, who himself thus describes it:"I cannot express the satisfaction which was caused by our visits toall these villages. We reached the first one, called Ibatan, in themiddle of the night. The people had already learned that we wereto go to their village, and, in spite of the late hour, they didnot weary of waiting; indeed, they were all waiting on the shore, where they had lighted fires. As soon as we arrived, the leadingchiefs cast themselves into the water in order to take hold of ourboat; and we could not prevent them from carrying us ashore on theirshoulders. In the two weeks that we spent there, great was the fervorof their attendance at our church, as well as the concourse of menand boys on certain nights for the purpose of scourging themselves;at the same hour the women throughout the village performed the sameexercises at their homes. Ten children and thirty adults were baptized, and to some holy communion was granted after they had been preparedby a sermon on that subject. All those who received the most blessedsacrament manifested great unworldliness and exemplary virtue. In thisvillage there was an old woman, more than eighty years of age, blind, deaf, and so sick and crippled that she could not leave her bed. Uponseveral occasions we had passed much time with this poor woman tryingto persuade her to receive holy baptism; but she had never shown anydesire for it, and even stubbornly resisted. But the Lord took pityon her and enlightened her, at a time when I was most forgotten ordistrusted. Her husband came to me as many as eight or ten times toask me to go to baptize her telling me that he loved her very much, and it would cause him much grief if she should incur damnation; hewas therefore anxious that she should be baptized, so that she mightenjoy God; and he added that such was already her wish. But I didnot believe him, for my visits to her house had so many times proveduseless. I told him that I would baptize her on the condition thatshe would come to the church, thinking that what I required from himwas impossible. On his returning with this answer, the poor woman, in her desire to receive holy baptism, was so aroused that she, although formerly she could not even move her limbs, recoveredstrength, with the help of our Lord, and came to the church. Shelistened to the instruction with pleasure and attention; and finally, as she was prepared for the sacrament, I granted her baptism. Duringall the time while I was administering this sacrament to her, sheremained standing, to the wonderment of all the people. Great wastheir edification at seeing how heartily she had sought baptism, and how our Lord accomplishes more in one moment than we in manydays. In the village of Paet our Lord moved the hearts of two women whowere a cause of offense and stumbling on account of their dissolutelives. Protected by certain profligate men, these women, althoughthey were slaves, had become so arrogant that they despised the otherwomen; and all the village felt ashamed to have among them so evil acompany. These women came with deep grief to make their confession, and remained thoroughly reformed, to the great satisfaction of allthe people. There dwelt in this village a young girl, the daughter ofa chief, whom we had urged to attend the catechisms and the sermons, hoping that if she were baptized others would follow; but the devilhindered our efforts, for she either hid herself or was concealedby her parents. This time I made more diligent endeavors; she cameto the church and, having heard a few sermons, earnestly asked forbaptism. I gave her a teacher for the doctrine, promising that I wouldbaptize her when I returned to that place--although so great was herdesire for the sacrament that the least delay seemed to her very long;accordingly, she applied herself so closely to study that within thespace of two days she knew the prayers and the catechism. On examiningher, great was my surprise that she should have learned so much inso short a time; accordingly, with great satisfaction on my part, I baptized her and two other adults. 

In the village of Cauayan there lives an Indian woman of rank, alreadyadvanced in years, whom our Lord has inspired with zeal for winningsouls and for the conversion of her people. She devotes herself topersuading, preparing, and catechizing the Indians for holy baptism;and whenever we visit that doctrina, she has a troop collected, and well instructed, for us to baptize. In this place I baptizedtwelve adults, and four or five younger persons. In all the othervillages the people are very well disposed, and a great harvest willbe continually gathered, with the help of our Lord. "

In the measure of this fervor does our Lord correspondingly bestowupon them visits and spiritual consolations, most liberally accordedby His Divine Majesty to these His new faithful. Of these we havealready given some general account, and now I will relate in detailone case, only, in the words of Father Francisco de Otaco, who wrotefrom Tinagon, before he departed thence to be superior in Dulac:"There came today from Catubig a Christian Indian, a youth ofabout sixteen years, to hear mass and make his confession; it wasa long and toilsome journey. He showed much candor and goodness, and special affection for the things of Christianity, speaking ofthem with intelligence and appreciation. He related to me an incidentthat had befallen him, which had been the cause of that interest andintelligence. He was sick, and, fearing that the hour of death wasalready at hand, he charged a companion of his to place at the headof his bed, at the last hour, a cross and some lighted candles. Hisend approached, so near that all regarded him as one already dead, and his companion fulfilled the charge that had been given him. Then, he said, he became as one who dreams, although it seemed to him tobe more than dreaming, and even quite different. There appeared athis right side a father of the Society, holding in his hand a rosaryof our Lady: upon his head he bore a diadem of golden brightness anda halo of the same splendor encompassed his breast. The apparition, calling him by name in affectionate terms, said to him: 'Turn thisway, my son, to the right side, which is that of the elect, and countthese beads. Thou wert to die of this sickness; but, because thou art aChristian, our Lord has been pleased to give thee life and health; butit is only that thou mayest be a good Christian, always rememberingour Lord, living in prayer and carefully guarding thyself fromevery sin--that is, from all that offends the sight of God. ' Havingin a long discourse given him other profitable counsels, the figuredisappeared; and the sick man regained his consciousness, as if he hadbeen resuscitated (for all thought him really dead), and with suddenenergy began to speak. He asked for food, and soon felt much better, to the astonishment of all who were present. These, terrified at sucha change, inquired from him its cause, and he related to them the aboveoccurrence--attributing his recovery to the singular mercy of our Lord, and to the fact that he was a Christian; and he often related theaffair with no little benefit to his hearers. Having heard him speak, for some time, so well and so affectionately concerning our Lord andthe observance of His holy commandments, I praised his discourse andmeritorious sentiments. He answered that it was no cause for surprise, since all those things had been taught him in the aforesaid vision, and had remained deeply impressed upon his mind. "

The loss of some vessels, and in them of two of the fathers of theSociety. Chapter LXIV. 

Among other calamities and troubles which our Lord has been pleasedto send upon these islands in the form of loss of life, property, and ships, one was the destruction of two large ships (a flagship andan almiranta) which, in the previous year, six hundred, set out forNueva España with cargoes of very rich merchandise. These vessels, after having sailed the seas for eight months, with violent storms, and encountered great dangers, and after having lost many men throughhunger, pest, accidents, and the billows of the sea (which washedthem from the vessel itself), were driven back and stranded--or ratherdashed to pieces--on the shores of the Ladrones and the Catanduanes, where they were destroyed. But few persons were able to escape, who only served, like the servants of Job, to carry the news of thedisaster--which, following upon many other losses and misfortunesof war, was keenly felt and bitterly lamented. In one of thesevessels, named "San Geronimo, " went Father Pero Lopez de la Parra, a professed member of our Society, who after this long voyage andanother, even longer, of thirty-seven years in the religious life, finally came to port, as we believe, in the Fortunate Land, towardwhich he was making his main voyage with good works. In Nueva Españahe taught the arts and theology, and was one of the first founders[of missions] who went thither from the Society; and both there andhere he exercised our ministries with good results. Although we knowno details concerning his death, it is believed, from his having beenone of the last to die, and from his great devotion to confession andthe care of souls, that in that hour of peril he must have been ofservice to all with much charity, as he always acted thus during hislife. By another disaster and misfortune in these islands, we lostanother father and a brother, if we may call those lost who, to winsouls and aid their brethren, die with them in a righteous war. Someheretic corsairs from the islands of Olanda and Gelanda went to thoseof Filipinas, bent on plunder, in the month of October of the year onethousand six hundred; they had robbed a Portuguese vessel in the NorthSea, and in the South Sea, having passed the Strait of Magallanes, some fragatas from Piru. These corsairs entered among these islands, committing depredations and threatening even greater excesses. Forthis purpose their almiranta and their flagship (in which sailed, as commander, a corsair named Oliverio del Nort) were stationed ata place six leguas from Manila, where the ships from España, China, and Japon were obliged to enter, and where all the ships and vesselswhich leave that city must be inspected. Against the two Dutch shipswent forth two others from Manila, carrying more than three hundredmen, the flower of the militia of those islands, with much artilleryand military supplies. In the flagship went Father Diego de Santiagoand Brother Bartolome Calvo, at the request of General Antonio deMorga, auditor of the royal Audiencia, and other officers, who werewont to confess to the father, because he had a very affable manner, and could adapt himself to all persons. At the outset he heard theconfessions of most of the men, and encouraged them, as well as hecould, to make the attack and to fight valiantly. Finally, on thefourteenth day of December, they sighted the enemy; and crowding onsail, in their eagerness to overtake him, both flagships grappledtogether, so closely that one could cross unimpeded from one vesselto the other. They finally succeeded in seizing the enemy's colorsand hoisting them on our flagship, our men confident of success, and already shouting "Victory!" But the ship, whether unsteady (for, carrying so many people on one side, it took in water through theport-holes of the lower tier of cannon), or laid open at the keel bythe very weight of our guns (which were very large), or by the willof God, went to the bottom with all its crew--except a few men whoseized the enemy's shallop and escaped in it, and some others whoreached the shore by swimming. Among the latter was the commander, who with the enemy's two flags gained the shore. Our almiranta (whichwas a new galizabra), in charge of Admiral Juan de Arcega, grappledwith the enemy's almiranta, captured it, and brought it to Manila, where justice was executed upon the corsairs who were in it. Amongthe dead and drowned--who numbered one hundred and nine Spaniards, the pick of the captains and soldiers of those islands; and onehundred and fifty negroes and Indians--perished Father Diego deSantiago. He died bravely, encouraging the men, and having heard theconfessions of nearly all. Seeing, a short time beforehand, that theship was about to go down, he intended to save himself by swimming;but he heard the voice of a captain, who said to him: "Father, hearme but a word, for it concerns my salvation. " With much charity, he remained until the last moment, to hear the soldier's confession;and afterward neither the father nor his companion was seen. The fatherwas twenty-nine years old, a member of the Society for fifteen years, and a shepherd of the Indians and Spaniards. Brother Bartolome Calvowas of the same age, attached to the Society in these parts forseven years. He possessed much virtue and died through obedience, a quality for which he ever professed much esteem. 

Nine new members of the Society reach Manila, having been saved froma ship-wreck--through the intercession, as is devoutly believed, of our Blessed Father Ignatius. Chapter LXV. 

In the month of May in the year one thousand six hundred and one, there arrived in the Filipinas Father Gregorio Lopez with a welcomereënforcement, of nine fathers of the Society. [14] Their arrivalwas most opportune for filling the places of the dead, and aidingthe living who are ever clamoring for new companions to help themdraw in the net of this spiritual fishery. It was an extraordinaryconsolation to hear of the mercies vouchsafed to them by our Lordthrough the intercession of our propitious Father Ignatius--especiallywhen they reached the opposite coast of that island of Manila, near Catanduanes--as I shall here briefly relate, referring to thejudicial investigation of this disaster, which was made with manyand competent witnesses, and was brought to Rome for the honor andglory of God our Lord, and of his saints. In the latter part ofApril in that year, 1601, when the galleon from Nueva España [15](in which came the ten fathers of our Society) reached the region ofthose islands, bad weather shut them in with heavy fogs and rains, so that, although in front and on both sides the land was not faraway, it could hardly be descried or recognized as such. As soonas the weather cleared somewhat, they found themselves in a bayhemmed in by shoals and rocks, with a rugged shore, upon which thewind was driving them. In spite of their efforts they were unable togain the open sea, for the force of the wind was driving them out oftheir course and upon the shoals. They then resolved to cast anchor, hoping in this way to gain some safety for the vessel, and thus theyremained during an entire night in twenty-six brazas of water, exposedto great danger, and in fear of being lost. On the next morning, the auditor Don Antonio de Ribera (who went as commander and chiefof the vessel), seeing the great danger to which they were exposed, and considering all human means weak and useless, hastened to entreatthe Divine favor; and, recalling those which our Lord had recentlybestowed upon certain persons through the mediation of our blessedFather Ignatius, resolved upon this occasion to implore his favor andassistance, and to beseech our Lord, through the merits of His servant, to give them at ten o'clock that day a propitious wind whereby thevessel might reach a place of safety. He added that he did not setthat time as a limitation to the divine Majesty, but because suchanswer to their prayer would show that the mercy bestowed upon themhad come through the intercession of the blessed Father Ignatius, to whom they made an offering of the vessel and its deliverance. Thispetition and its conditions he called those to witness who were thenpresent in the stern-cabin. 

The shallop was launched, to seek some refuge within the shelter ofthe shore where the ship might be anchored, and the men were orderedto give signals when they should find it. But while the shallop wasreconnoitering the shore, the galleon began to drift from its mooringstoward the shoals and the rocky coast, whither the force of the windwas bearing it. Accordingly a cannon was fired, to call back the crewof the shallop, so that it might accompany the vessel and lend to itscrew what assistance it could. The shot was heard a long distanceon land, but those in the shallop could not hear it, although theylistened attentively and observed the fire and smoke; they continued, therefore, their search for a more suitable landing. Thereupon themen on the ship cut the anchor, and hoisted sail, aiming to get asfar out into the sea as possible. At that moment a miracle occurred;the wind suddenly became favorable, shifting three or four points, so that they were able to steer the vessel to the only place whichwas secure and sheltered, where the shallop's crew had already foundbottom and a place for anchorage. At the same time Captain FranciscoCadena--a Venetian, and an expert in nautical affairs--without knowingof the commander's petition, said with great surprise: "This is agreat miracle; for just when we hoisted sail the wind shifted fourpoints, so that we who thought ourselves lost may now hope to besaved. " This unexpected shift in the wind was also observed by thechief pilot and other seamen. 

The commander, Don Antonio de Ribera, beholding this change and goodfortune, and recognizing God's mercy toward them at the very hourof ten which he had appointed, twice repeated with extraordinarytenderness and devotion what he had that morning sought from ourLord--through the intercession, as they piously believed, of ourblessed Father Ignatius. Soon afterward he related the same incident, in his stern-cabin, to some Augustinian and Franciscan fathers, withmany tears and great devotion; and those religious fathers, full ofadmiration, rendered thanks to the Lord that He had chosen thus tohonor His servant Ignatius, by displaying in that hour of peril hisgreat holiness and merits. On reaching shelter and casting anchor, the commander announced to all, publicly, what he had requested fromour Lord through the mediation of our blessed Father Ignatius; at whichthose who had been about to cast themselves into the sea, to escape, if they could, by swimming, and had seen themselves at the point ofdeath, realizing that they had been saved by such means, offered manythanks to the Lord and praises to His saint. Both religious and laymenasked that the image of our blessed Father Ignatius be brought, andthereupon they all, of every rank and age, began to adore it--fallingon their knees, and kissing it with great devotion, while all thereligious chanted the _Te Deum laudamus_. In memory of this event, all, with one voice, desired that this place be called the Puerto deSan Ignacio, which name it now bears. Afterward, that our Lord mightreveal more clearly the merits of His servant--while the ship was atanchor in the very place where they had so marvelously been aided, and while they were about to leap joyfully ashore--a violent hurricanesuddenly arose, on Tuesday, the first of May, which toward midnightcaused the galleon's single anchor to drag, so that it was carriedtoward the shoals and the perilous coast. At this, all feared theutmost danger, for peril seemed most certain amid the darkness ofthe night, and with so angry a tempest; but when they began to cryout and entreat the favor of our blessed Father Ignatius, then thevessel ceased to drift. Thus invoking him in every danger--as theyfrequently did, both religious and laymen--the Lord again bestowedupon them a special favor; for when the mainmast fell, which theywere obliged to cut, its fall was not, as they feared, such asto sink the vessel, inasmuch as the yard and the topsail, fallingupon the rocks, served as a support, and on that side held back theship so that it could not drift to destruction. At the same time, as they were held by only one anchor, with so great risk of furtherdragging, or of the cable's being cut by the many submerged rocks, they urgently requested an image of the blessed Father Ignatius, and with great devotion and confidence, made it fast to the cable. Itwas wonderful to see how the cable was held in place during the restof that night and a great part of the following day; and how, whenthey tried to improve the position of the ship by casting anotheranchor, they were able to raise the first one, which was very heavy, by working the capstan, although they found that the three cords ofthe cable were fretted, and only one remained entire--whereat theyall were greatly astonished and proclaimed it a miracle. 

Other devout practices which were augmented in Manila, and edifyingevents which occurred therein. Chapter LXV. [i. E. , LXVI]

In these vessels which arrived in the year one thousand six hundredand one, there were also many religious of the sacred Orders ofSt. Francis and St. Augustine, and in the following year, of the Orderof St. Dominic; they were men selected and well qualified for thesuccor of those souls. Immediately they were assigned posts, each inHis own province, that they might devote themselves with fervor to theconversion of the Indians. I do not here describe their occupations, and the large harvest which they gathered and still are reaping;for that is not within my present scope, although there is much, and of great interest, to say about them. I will only say this, thatthe excellent example set by the religious orders in the Filipinasis a most efficacious means for the conversion of those souls; andlikewise serves to stimulate and maintain the Christian spirit offormer times among our Spaniards. Among these there are men and womenwho may serve as examples of virtue and piety from whatever point thismay be considered, and who both profess and exercise piety with theutmost sincerity, and in perfection. I observed and noted in thosepeople, without distinction of good and bad, three habitual virtues:they do not blaspheme, they hear mass every day, and they are presentat every sermon. As for confession and communion, I may affirm thatthere is not a feast-day appointed during the year when they do not, almost every one, confess and receive communion; indeed, we hardlyhave leisure to administer those sacraments to them, for no sooner isone communion concluded than we must prepare for the next one. And thispiety is displayed not only by select Christians, of recognized virtue, but by almost all the people of the city; and they are constrainedthereto by the saintly labors, example, and teaching of these holyreligious orders. These, not to mention other virtues which make themconspicuous in that country, possess two which are especially notable:first, the strictness of religious observance and the purity of lifewhich they all teach, and which, in truth, they exercise with greatconsistency; second, the peaceable and fraternal relations which theymaintain among themselves--a virtue which is born from the first. Forthe likeness between them in this respect awakens and kindles, in theminds of their members, a readiness to esteem and value one another, and, in consequence, to take pleasure in the society and welfare oftheir brethren; and thus are born peace and harmony. Of this and manyother excellent things, much could be said. 

But to return to our ministries: with the reënforcement of thatyear, and the pious inclinations of the people of Manila (which hadbeen aroused and cultivated in them by the hand of the Lord, throughtribulations), we had excellent facilities for increasing the practiceof pious exercises--not only maintaining those of former days, butadding others which were new--in return for which, some notable andedifying events occurred. First, the students founded the congregationof La Anunciata in imitation of other colleges of our Society, where itflourishes with so much distinction and piety. Although those who beganit were but six, it grew apace, inasmuch as it was a work of God andof His most glorious mother. As the rays of this light spread throughthe city, it ravished the eyes and hearts of many laymen of variousconditions, filling them with desire to enter this congregation;and in less than eight months its membership grew so large that itwas necessary to form two congregations from the one, separatingthe laymen from the students, and assigning to each congregationits officials. At public feasts, however, they assemble together, and celebrate their services in the chapel. These pious and devoutexercises, with the example and sweet odor [of piety] displayed intheir conduct, and the benefits resulting from it to their own souls, would require a separate narrative. 

The discipline, which formerly was practiced during Lent, was nowextended to every Friday in the year; and on every day thus appointed, without missing one, many people of distinction, and those from allclasses, repair [to the church] to scourge themselves. Every Sundayafternoon many people, whether or not members of the congregation, assemble in the church to hear a short sermon, in which are explainedthe divine mandates, accompanied by some pleasing example, aninteresting story or edifying narrative. The father-visitor beganthese sermons with good results, which were soon realized in thechanged lives of many persons--especially one, who, coming by chance tohear the sermons, was--although bent on leading a shameless life andgiving loose rein to his appetites--brought to himself by one sermonand began to lead a new life. There was also begun, that same year, the devotion practiced by certain cities; namely, that of acceptingsaints by lot. This was done on All Saints' day, with a great concourseof the citizens. There was a certain person who, falling into thesea, with many others who were drowned, in the expedition againstthe Englishman, and being already overcome by the waves, rememberedSt. Nicanor, who had fallen to him by lot; and calling out to thatsaint in a loud voice, from that moment, he affirmed, his courageand strength returned, and he felt a confidence that he would not bedrowned. As a result, he swam nearly a legua, and reached the shore, to his own great surprise and with much devotion to that saint. 

Several interesting cases occurred of fervor in these devotions ofwhich I shall mention only two or three. A certain woman, to whom Godour Lord had communicated lofty purposes and sentiments of chastityand purity, was for a long time beset with gifts and importunitiesfrom wicked men. Her refuge was to confess and devoutly to receivecommunion, arming herself with these holy sacraments. One day, after she had received communion in our house, one of these menlay in wait to seize her when alone; and, with a bare dagger at herbreast, was about to slay her if she would not consent to his evilpurpose. But she, fortified with the bread of the strong, and withthe wine springing forth virgins, [16] told him that she was ready todie on the spot, rather than offend God. He abused her with words, and even handled her roughly, but left her, astonished and overcomeby her chastity. 

Another man lived for many years in great impiety, and, forgetfulof his God, in mortal sins--especially a base passion so fixed androoted in his heart that when one of our fathers talked with him, striving to convert him, he seemed mad and beside himself. In truth, he was beside himself, for he still remained with that evil companionwith whom he had lived, nor did he seem to have feeling or thought forany other thing. It pleased our Lord that by serious conversationsand arguments he was induced not to visit his wicked companion; andafter a reluctant "yes" had been drawn from him, almost by force, he did afterward abandon her, so entirely that it seemed as if he hadnever known her. He made a general confession, and began a new life, to the wonder of those who knew him. 

The corsairs from Gelanda [Zeeland] who had been brought as prisonersto the city of Manila were condemned to death. The governor of thoseislands deemed it advisable that they should be distributed amongthe religious orders, to see if they would be converted to our holyCatholic faith; our Lord was pleased that twelve of the thirteenshould be converted. The exception was the admiral, who died aheretic, while obstinately uttering a thousand blasphemies againstour holy faith; he was executed by the garrote, [17] and thrown intothe sea. The other twelve reflected, and, in great anguish for theirsins, were converted to our Lord. They professed our holy Catholicfaith and rendered obedience to the holy Roman church. This was donewith such sincerity that they entreated the religious orders of thatcity to give them the most blessed sacrament at the altar, whichthey devoutly received; as for the five who fell to the care of ourSociety, and whom we saw die, I may affirm that they left us notablyedified. With the utmost grief for their sins, they made a generalconfession and received communion with many tears. Before receivingthe latter sacrament, they made public declaration of their beliefin the holy Roman Catholic faith, maintaining that they died withinthe church, and abominating the heresies of Calvin, Luther, Zwingli, and other heretics. Two days from that time, having asked pardon ofall, they died with rosaries about their necks, and with the bullsof the holy crusade (by means of which they obtained absolution)sewed upon their breasts, each one holding his crucifix in his hands, devoutly adoring it. They embraced us all, and in great joy at seeingthat, by such a death, they were expiating their sins, they suffereddeath, to the great edification of all. On the following morningthey were buried with great solemnity by the Confraternity of LaSanta Misericordia, which was founded by the most prominent peopleof the city. But enough for the present concerning the Spaniards;it will be desirable to make some mention of the Indians. 

Other edifying matters, among the Indians of Manila. ChapterLXVI. [i. E. , LXVII]

That part of our employment and occupation which lies among theIndians is no less important, since they retort to that city in numbersexceeding those of the Spaniards, and their love and affection for usis more recent. Usually they are a people inclined to make confession;and this would give, throughout the year, work for six fathers who knowthe language. The Indians seek communion most eagerly, and therebyare their souls much profited, and they are aided in cultivating thevirtues, especially that of chastity. All that concerns devotion andthe ceremonies of the church makes a marvelous impression upon them, and they set an example to Christians of long standing. They practicethe discipline every Friday in the year; and many more would cometo these exercises, if the gates of the city (which separate theirvillages from the Spaniards) were not closed at night. 

The Confraternity which has been established among those nativesarouses the rest to fervor; for its members are the leaven, with theirgood example leavening the mass of dough. At the Christmas feaststhey give food to all the poor whom they can assemble, and in suchabundance that there is even a surplus for the prisoners (Spaniardsas well as Indians), and also for another very needy class of people, those who work in the powder-house. After this repast they wash andkiss the feet of all the poor, who fall upon their knees and offerup prayers for those who have performed for them this charitableact. In company with those of our Society, they betake themselvesto the hospital of the natives, especially during Advent and Lent, to serve and entertain its inmates. They make the beds, sweep outthe house and clean it thoroughly--which for them is a great deal, since the Indians are a fastidious people, who are wont to remain intheir homes to die, in order not to see the hospital; but with theirfervor and devotion the members of the Confraternity overcome thisand other obstacles. 

They are greatly addicted to prayer and fasting; some, indeed, have passed whole weeks subsisting on bread and water alone. Theyhave made retreat in our house, to make their general confessions, and perform similar exercises, greatly to their own profit and tothe edification of the people. 

There was a Christian woman who, in former days, had been made acaptive by infidels who had taken her to the islands of Mindanao andBurnei, where the doctrine of Mahoma is taught; and they carried herthrough many peoples of that infidel land, but never did she relapsefrom the Christian faith. 

A certain Indian had, with others, made his confession for thepurpose of receiving communion; but he remained silent in regard tosome circumstances of his sins. He says that in a dream he beheld avery beautiful child who seemed to desire to give him the communion;the Indian excused himself from receiving it, as being so great asinner. The child said to him: "It is true, thou dost not deservecommunion, because in thy confession thou didst conceal this and thatcircumstance. " On awakening, the Indian betook himself to our house;and, communicating to one of Ours what had befallen him, he said thathe wished to make his confession anew, which he did. 

Another Indian, who was wont to take the discipline in our house, became through that excellent practice so accustomed to his prayersand scourgings that, while marching on an expedition with a companyof soldiers, he left the camp at night in order to practice hisdiscipline. One night, while the captain of infantry was going therounds, he saw this man leave the camp, and followed him, believing himto be some soldier who was going out with some evil purpose. He sawthe man go to a church cemetery, where, after offering his prayers, he began to scourge himself severely. When his penance was ended, the captain approached him, and recognizing him as an Indian, waseven more edified than before. Asked whence he came, the Indianreplied that he belonged to one of the suburbs of Manila, and thathe made his confessions to the fathers of the Society. The captain, impressed by this new converts solicitude for his soul, gave himsome money and sent him home, saying: "Take this and do not corruptthyself among soldiers. "

The number of Christians in the mission of Taitai, and theirexercises. Chapter LXVIII. 

Of those who were Christians in the year 1600--who might number sixor seven thousand--in San Juan del Monte and other villages of thatmission, one thousand five hundred were newly baptized in that sameyear, among the many infidels who were continually coming down to usfrom the mountains and thinly settled districts. Our observation andexperience among those people show, of late, greater devotion and morefrequent attendance at the holy sacraments of confession and communion, and in processions, discipline, and works of charity; and every daymay be observed constant progress and reformation in their lives. 

The father-visitor founded a hospital in Antipolo, which has beenmost important to the welfare of their souls and bodies. On the daywhen it was opened, after a solemn mass and sermon (which was drawnfrom the story of the paralytic), the father-visitor rendered serviceto the poor, washing and kissing their hands while he knelt beforethem. In this he was assisted by the chiefs, whose wives performed, ina separate place, the same act of humility toward some sick women. Arule was made that the poor should be fed each day by four brethrenof the Confraternity, who aid them with much charity and pleasure. 

The father-visitor also began a seminary for boys, where they arereared in virtue and good habits, obeying the rules imposed upon them, according to their capacity, of Christian and civilized living. Thisschool is of great importance to the whole mission, for from thesechildren must come the good rulers of the people; and it is an easyand gentle means for all reformation. Some of the children (those whohave some means) are fed with the rice which their parents give them, and others through alms. They are taught to pray, to assist at mass, to read, to write, and (most important of all) to be good Christians. 

In San Juan del Monte it is customary to sing the _Salve_ to our Ladythroughout the year. During Fridays in Lent, after some spiritualinstruction, they perform the discipline in the church. It oncehappened that some Indians, who were bathing, as is their custom, heard while in the river the bells calling to the _Salve_ and thediscipline; most of them at once made preparations to go thither. Onealone played the obstinate, and, in ridicule of the others, said inhis own language: _A coi ovian niño_ "Bring back something for me, "which in their mode of speech is a sort of mockery. 

The rest went to the _Salve_, and this man remained alone; a caiman, or crocodile, seized and killed him, before he could be assisted orconfessed. What most surprised me was that, although this animalis very voracious and always devours a man after killing him, orat least carries away a hand or foot, this man it left untouched, although dead; and thus he was found by the Indians, to their greathorror, and causing them to hold in great esteem the disciplines, and the _Salves_ to our Lady. 

The council held by the bishop in the city of Santissimo Nombre deJesus; and other events which occurred there. Chapter LXIX. 

The right reverend bishop of Sebu, having through a residence oftwo years acquainted himself with the affairs of his bishopric, determined to hold a council [_sinodo_], composed of the clergy andreligious who were busied in the conversion of the tribes, in order toregulate many things, and to agree upon the method to be used by themin giving instruction. Their advice was especially desired in regardto the translation of the Christian doctrine, in order to select, from the various versions of it which were current in the Bissayantongue, one which might serve as a Vulgate and be generally usedin the province of Pintados. [18] Before assembling this council, that great prelate chose to visit some of his flocks, which he did, traveling in person throughout a good part of his bishopric. Inthis tour our fathers were honored by his being their guest in theisland of Leyte--over which he journeyed on foot, although seventyyears of age. He took up his lodging in our houses and residences, in as simple and familiar a manner as if he were one of ourselves; andconfirmed our Christians with the most holy sacrament of confirmation, and strengthened them by his example, and by the kindnesses that heshowed them, with much charity and good-will. He was highly pleasedwith them, and with the excellent evidences of Christianity whichhe beheld in them, especially with the chastity of the Bissayanwomen--concerning whom he said that they had been unjustly slandered;for, although he had spent so long a time in Nueva España, he hadnot seen there so much reserve and modesty. He told Ours that theymight feel well content with their ministries, since that region wasone of the most favored spots on earth, and, in his opinion, it wasmost pleasing and precious in the sight of God. He finally held hiscouncil, convening therein all the superiors of those residences; andafter many very salutary regulations had been made for all classes ofpeople in his bishopric, the council was concluded with great harmony, and to the consolation of all. 

During Lent of that year the disciplines were commenced in our house, with a goodly number of persons and with the devotion of all thepeople. Sermons and instruction were also begun in the barracks, onaccount of the soldiers who had been stationed there for the protectionof the city; these were highly profitable to them, as well as to thepeople of the city. The Indians have received more attention in ourhouse this year than have any other class of people, because therewas no priest in the city who could understand their language, saveonly three members of our Society, any one of whom would have beensufficient to care for them. 

The following occurrence was considered by some as wonderful: A fatherwent to visit a sick Indian, to assist him when dying; the sick manwas unable to speak, and had not yet made his confession. The fatherurged him to utter the name of Jesus; he made a great effort, andtried to pronounce it as best he could, uttering the word, but in sobroken a voice that it could hardly be understood. The father askedhim to try to say it a second time, and as soon as he pronouncedit he gained the power of speech; then he made a full confession, and on the following day was sound and well. 

Part of the employment of our fathers in that city was with theSangleys from the kingdom of China; this was exchanged (and forthe better) for labors among the natives of that land; and we tookcharge of a little settlement called Mandavi, half a legua distantfrom our house; they are a simple people, docile and inoffensive bynature. Father Miguel Gomez recently sent us, in a letter, this accountof a visit which he made there: "I made inquiries, to learn who had notyet been baptized, and seventy were brought to me, besides some otherswhom the Bissayans call _Daotáñgatao_, which signifies, 'People whoare good for nothing;' these people are wont to reply, when we preachto them the law of God: 'I am good for nothing at being a Christianor learning the prayers. ' I began to preach to all these peoplethe truths of our holy faith, and the foolishness of their divatas, or idols. Our Lord was pleased that they should learn the doctrinein a very short time, although they were old men and obstinate, andask for holy baptism with a devotion which caused my admiration. Theday had scarcely dawned when old men and women, septuagenarians, were at the door, in order to become Christians. I baptized sixtyof these persons--among them the most influential chief of thatdistrict, a man seventy years old, Andug by name--and six others, infant boys. All this has been a source of great consolation to me, and I hope in our Lord that He will vouchsafe much to those people. "

Many conversions are made in Bohol. Chapter LXX. 

From the end of the year one thousand six hundred to the spring of theyear one thousand six hundred and one, that fire which the Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, came to earth to light, so earnestly desiringto set the world aflame, seemed to burn with great heat in the islandof Bohol--as may be seen by the letters of our fathers who at thattime had gone thither. The most interesting letter, as giving the mostdetailed account, is, if I am not mistaken, one from Father Valeriode Ledesma, rector of Sebu, to the father-visitor; he writes thus:

"In this letter I shall give an account of what our Lord was pleasedto accomplish in the island of Bohol after I departed from Sebu withFather Ximenez and Brother Dionisio, on the twenty-ninth of Mayin the year one thousand six hundred. When the council adjourned, I set forth to visit the island of Bohol, as your Reverence hadinstructed me. There I immediately undertook to unite and bringtogether the people, a very difficult task, but quite necessary fortheir instruction. I began with the people of Loboc, who were dispersedand disunited; and, after many peaceful methods and forcible arguments, God was pleased to bring together more than a thousand souls, gatheredfrom the mountains and rivers--most of them people reared in war, robbery and murder; until then, it had been impossible to bring themdown from the hilly regions and inaccessible mountains where theydwelt. But _non est impossibile apud Deum omne verbum_. Encouragedby our good fortune in Loboc, we sought to unite the Tinguianes(or mountaineers) of Dita and Marabago, a wild people who had neverbefore seen a father. We brought them together by blandishments andmild threats, and by other methods suited to their capacity, and itpleased our Lord that we were able to persuade them to settle alongthe river which they call Viga. There they have erected a church, and Father Gabriel writes me that on Sundays it does not contain themall. He says that he began by baptizing more than one hundred andtwenty children; and that the adults are not only tamed, but evenask for baptism with much fervor. At night they pray, and sing thedoctrine; and in the day-time they chant praises to our Lord. Thosewho have dwelt in Bohol, and know the unruly nature of that people, will appreciate the change which our Lord has wrought in them. When wefirst begin to address them, your Reverence might behold them on thebank of the river, armed, and so fierce as to arouse one's fear; yet, at the same time, desirous that I should address them. This I did, showing them so much affection that they and I became friends; andas hostages they gave me their children for baptism, preparing themto learn the doctrine and to receive holy baptism. Having broughttogether the people of Dita, when it seemed to me that they wouldhave no difficulties in the small villages round about, it happenedthat, when least I expected, I saw as many as forty men coming, armed with lances and shields, whose design it was to break up theunion by violence, especially if they should be ordered to assemblein any place not to their liking. Realizing from their determinationthe danger to which the others would be exposed, I dissimulated asbest I could, so that the others might not perceive their uncivilconduct, and feigned that my desire was the same as theirs--but withsuch conditions that I know that they will not fulfil them; and itis obvious, from this very incident, that he who has the authorityand force to intimidate them can subdue them. I think, with FatherFrancisco Xavier, of blessed memory, that a little gained in peace isworth more than much secured by war. Thus was ended that disturbance;I did what I could, but not what I desired. They can, it is true, be instructed where they now are; but the task will be a hard one. 

"Thence I returned toward Sebu, passing through some villages whereFather Miguel Gomez had given instruction; and I can assure yourReverence that while I tarried there I found more consolation, andgathered a greater harvest of souls, than I have ever before known. Fortheirs was so great a longing and hunger to hear of the things of God, and so ardent a desire to learn the doctrine that throughout the nightcould be heard in their houses, now here and now there, ceaselesssongs and praises to God; and morning and night, in the field and inthe church, nothing could be heard but praises of our Lord. A chiefsaid to me: 'Would you believe, Father, that all night long I didnot close my eyes, I was so anxious and eager to pray?' Accordingly, it appeared in eight or nine days that all the people had learnedthe prayers and other things needful for baptism. Your Reverencewill doubtless ask: 'Who inspired them with such warmth and fire, since they are a people so heedless by nature?' I know not whatanswer to give your Reverence save, _Digitus Dei est hic_. What Ican say is, that he whose heart is set on an end, also holds dear themeans to that end. They were inspired by God to desire holy baptism, and for that reason they so heartily availed themselves of the meanswhich we offered them to gain it, and heeded no difficulty in theirway. Upon the feast-day of Saint Anne, when the church was calledtogether, our Lord was pleased to make for us a goodly beginning inthe conversion of an aged chief regarded by all as their father. Whilein the church, he fell upon his knees and said: 'Father, baptize me, for God is calling me. ' I said to him in a loud voice, while allthe rest preserved silence: 'Dost thou say this heartily?' 'Yes, Father, with all my heart do I say it. ' 'Does love for God and forthy salvation move thee?' 'Yes, Father; that and nothing else. ' 'Hastthou determined to abandon all the maganitos and to exchange them forthe true God?' 'Yes, Father. ' 'Art thou resolved to serve the trueGod and to be a good Christian, or dost thou ask this with thy mouthonly?' 'There is nothing else in my heart. ' 'That is well, then, 'said I; 'I admit thee as a catechumen. ' With this example thosewho were already prepared were so convinced, and others so deeplymoved, that more than a hundred came, one after another, and kneltin the same way and asked for baptism. I, on my part, began to askthem questions, to confirm even more their faith; for this virtue, as well as other habits, grows and is increased by acts. BrotherDionisius and I returned home, astonished at such fervor and devotionamong Bissayans. At one time I baptized more than eighty-nine adults;a few days later, ninety-four, children and adults together; and, atstill another baptism, the other people in that village. A few whomI did not baptize fell upon their knees and asked for the sacrament;but I deferred it until the next time when I should, God willing, return to them. 

"While we were passing, on the way from that village, over somemountains, the Lord offered us, as a spiritual gain, twenty-ninechildren, who were like so many little angels [19] (which isa safe money); these we baptized, together with three adultswhom I took on this journey with me that they might hear somemasses, and be instructed, by word and example, in the thingsof Christianity. Although those people were mountaineers, theyentertained us with the best that they had; and he was not held inhonor by them who did not bring a banana, some papaya [20] fruit, rice, or a fowl. Here I have learned by experience how important it is thatwe should not rear these Indians in such [spiritual] aridity thatthey know not how to perform any act of charity. For admitting thatthey are poor, yet even in their poverty there is room for mercifuland charitable deeds with the little possessions which are theirs;and by performing these they are made humane, and they find pleasuretherein. On the other hand, they can be recompensed by us with othergifts, by which they are greatly pleased, and their hearts are moreeasily won for God. 

"From that place we set out for another little village which iscalled Tobigu, where, in anticipation of our arrival, they hadquickly erected a very convenient church. We cast our nets--or, tospeak correctly, those of Jesus Christ--and the Lord pressed intothem all the fish there were. Indeed, even if there were no otherreturn than this, I would consider myself well repaid for having comefrom España; for all--the headmen and chiefs, the children, old men, and women--prostrated themselves at the feet of Jesus Christ, makingpublic confession and asking for the waters of baptism. The firsttime, we baptized a hundred souls; the second time, the rest ofthe people in the village, so that we did not know of any perverseone remaining--although, at the beginning, there were a few whoresisted. When I arrived at the village, I heard someone say ina loud voice: 'I do not have to become a Christian;' but he wasafterward converted, being unable to resist the Holy Spirit. Anothersavage, fierce and intractable in disposition, after having heardthe sermon on salvation and hell, said that he would go to hell;and he maintained this so obstinately that he seemed to be possessedby the devil. He was arousing the same spirit in others, as he wasan influential man, respected by those of the village. I told him ofthe terrible punishments of hell, and in return he asked what he wasto do if his ancestors and parents were there, and he wished to bewith them. I told him that he ought first to try the fire, to see ifhe could endure it, and I ordered some red-hot coals to be brought, that he might make this test; but his hands were as hard as his heart, and the fire had little effect on them. After a few days had passed, however, he turned over a new leaf, so completely that he went throughthe plains and grain-fields, calling together his people so that theymight become Christians and be baptized with him. He is now one ofour good Christians, and the most earnest one whom I have known amongthe Bissayans. 

"The devil, envious of such success, sought to disturb our newChristian community with rumors of war, which compelled us to returnto the village of Tobigo. There, while the people were wrought upto the most ardent fervor of prayers and conversions, forty-eightarmed men descended upon the village, to plunder it and to burnthe church. That night our people posted a sentinel, and kindledlarge fires, and so the enemy did not dare to enter openly; butthey remained in the neighborhood to rob anyone who might enteror leave the village. On the morning of the next day, armed withbetter weapons than theirs--namely, with confidence in the Lord, whose work we are doing--I set out to go where they were, takingwith me Brother Dionisio (who has been, in all these experiences, my very faithful companion); and there I said to them: 'Fear not, my children, for I am your father, not the alcalde-mayor; I come todo you good, not harm. What do you fear from a man unarmed and alone, who puts himself in your power? You behold me here. If you desire mefor a slave, I will live with you in your village of Tibor, and willserve you as a slave if you will in turn let me teach you how youmay obtain salvation. I have compassion on you when I see you actingthus, for if the Spaniards seize you they will do you much harm. Letus be friends, and in token of our friendship, take this garment:'and I handed to the chiefs an elegant striped mantilla, asking them togive me also some pledge. They presented to me a necklace, and then weembraced each other and drank from the same cup. In short, we becameso good friends that they promised me that whenever I might summonthem to Loboc, they would come, provided that they would bring but fewpeople. They gave me a little fruit and some eggs, and I gave them abasket of rice. After expressions of friendship had been exchanged, I asked them to make peace also with my friends of Tobigon; this theydid, and departed abashed without having done any harm. May God bringthem to a place where they can receive instruction; for some of them, when questioned, replied that I was the first Spaniard whom they hadever seen in their lives. This took place near Sebu; what must bethe condition of affairs elsewhere?"

Another letter from Father Valerio to the father-visitor, datedOctober 4, gives the following account: "Father Gabriel writes methat he has baptized in Loboc and Dita more than four hundred souls, most of them children under the age of reason. In these three monthsI find, upon examination, that more than a thousand souls have beenbaptized, and that the ardor of numberless others is aroused. Thefathers write me that the hour has come in which God is present in thisisland. May your Reverence send us laborers, or at least one father, until those from España arrive. Fortunate is he who may come hither, for he will delight in the fervor of this primitive church. "

Father Gabriel Sanchez writes thus, in a letter of October 5:"Our Lord has favored the plans and labors of the father rector andother fathers; for in uniting the villages, their people have been sothoroughly converted to the Lord that I know not what to say, exceptthat the Lord, who created and redeemed them, has been pleased to callthem with so special a vocation. Of the people in those reductionsthere have been newly baptized in the last four months more thantwo thousand souls, and it seems to me that, if we had fathers, the whole island would be converted in one month. I am filled withdevotion when I see people who are practically savages come from themountains, and on their knees ask for baptism, and children as well, like angels, who have already learned the prayers, although I know notwho are their teachers. Today, for instance, one of them came down, a child about ten years old, whom I had never before seen; and yethe knew the catechism and the questions, and was most eager to bebaptized. Catolonas, or priestesses, also come to us, and have givenso many proofs of their holy desire that we have not been able todeny them baptism. Truly, my father, I am living in great consolationand joy; for here in these regions there is nothing more to be desiredthan that we may faithfully serve our Lord, and that all the people maybe brought into the presence of His Divine Majesty. On Sunday we hadin the church of Loboc six or seven hundred souls, which is the usualattendance. If your Reverence could see in the early mornings nearlya hundred children from the mountains, boys and girls but recentlybaptized, march with praises to God in a procession along the bankof this river, singing the doctrine with angelic voices that seemto come from heaven, I verily believe that your Reverence would bemoved to devout tears, at seeing how God has brought them down fromthese mountains and dragons' caves that they may praise and glorifyHim. During the last few days there were baptized in Dita five hundredmore souls, so that in this mission of Bohol there are now more thanthree thousand Christians. At the beginning, we had eight hundred, andnow, with the blessing of God and the mercy that He has shown them, two thousand three hundred have been baptised. Since God decrees it, may St Peter bless it. Amen. "

In another letter he writes: "For days I have been toiling alone;and when I depart from a village, a considerable time passes before Ireturn to it. But it is evident that the spiritual benefit of thosepoor people acquits me for this delay, in order that your Reverencemay take pity on them. For this reason, my father, let fathers bebrought from España; and will your Reverence send hither even twenty, for there will be a harvest for all of them. In Loboc and Dita in thelast few days nearly four hundred little ones have been baptized;this has given me much consolation in the Lord, for I find greatsatisfaction in these little creatures. The adults are learning thedoctrine with such fervor that even until midnight the sound of theirvoices is incessant. We have received information that enemies arecoming to attack this island, and the people are therefore greatlydisturbed. Would to God that we might be made captives for His love, and might die for pure love of Him!" All this is from Father GabrielSanchez. 

The enemies whom the father here mentions are Indians from the islandof Mindanao which lies near the islands of Terrenate and Maluco, wherethe doctrine of Mahoma is professed. In the year one thousand sixhundred that people collected an armed fleet of sixty small vessels, which descended upon these islands subject to the government of Manila, and wrought much damage. They laid waste the island of Bantayan andthe river of Panai, and burned the churches. Then they coasted alongother islands, robbing and murdering, and finally carried away ascaptives one thousand two hundred souls. But it pleased our Lord thatwhen they came to this island of Bohol, where our fathers reside, theyshould inflict no considerable losses, nor did they burn our churchand house--which they could have done with impunity, for all thepeople fled to the mountains. Yet they passed on without stopping, as Father Gabriel relates in part of his letter of November 16, which runs as follows:

"In order that your Reverence may aid us in rendering thanks to ourLord for a great act of mercy which He has shown us, your Reverence, as father-visitor, should know that on the twenty-sixth of October inthis year, 1600, the enemy attacked Baclayun just after our fathershad gone thence to Sebu, summoned thither by holy obedience; for thefather rector had sent in haste for the three of us who were in theisland, and lo! the enemy were there. As evidence of the value of holyobedience, and to show how it exempts from dangers, as well as anothertoken of mercy--the enemy committed scarcely any ravages in Bohol, considering what was in their power to do. Their approach was madeknown three or four hours in advance, and all, as I have been informed, fled to the mountains--except three old women and an old man, whom theykilled; and three women and a man, whom they carried away captive. Oneof the old women whom they killed had been a notorious witch; but Godour Lord, who loved her soul, inspired her with so fervent a desire tobecome a Christian and receive baptism that for three months she didnot cease asking me for it. Finally, on account of her importunity, I baptized her, after she had several times given evidence of hersincerity by expressing in public her abhorrence of her idolatrousbelief. But she was fortunate indeed, for soon after she had beenbaptized they killed her, which is certainly a singular blessing fromour Lord. The other old woman who was about seventy years of age hadalso been baptized a little while before. They did no damage in ourchurch, although I am told that they disinterred some bodies--why, I know not. Here is another instance of God's mercy: although theypassed very near the river of Lobo, Dita, and other little villagesbelonging to our newly converted Christians, they neither visitednor attacked them; this seems miraculous, considering that they had, as your Reverence well knows, committed so deplorable ravages inother places. "

Another of our fathers held a mission in that island, during thevacation in the Latin studies in the College of Sebu; and, amongother things, he writes thus about his short stay there: "So great isthe heavenly influence which God sends upon this village of Tobigon, and the abundance of gifts which He bestows upon it, that I have notdared to go hence, and cut the thread of a progress so auspicious, thinking it best to remain and behold the marvels of God. The churchis full night and day, and there is no leisure to leave the building, and hardly to eat when I must; and it is necessary to have my foodbrought to me from a distance. All are eager to become Christians andbe baptized. During the two weeks that I have spent here, among thoseto whom we have been able to give instruction, one hundred and fiftyadults have been baptized, and today we are to baptize about fortycatechumens; the rest will be left until our return. Their affectionfor us is great; they bring their children and sick that we may blessthem, and in the street they fall upon their knees to receive thebenediction. They make frequent use of holy water for their houses, at their meals, in their grain-fields, and for their sick; indeed, to drink a swallow of it they consider an efficacious remedy. Inshort, all that I see in them is piety and devotion--which is allthe more precious since they are Christians so recently converted. Anold man asked on his knees for baptism, and, as it was necessary todefer the sacrament, he said with his hands crossed upon his breast:'Father, teach me how to invoke God, since I do not know how topray and thou wilt not baptize me; for I truly reverence Him inmy soul, and desire to serve Him:' Another old man--a chief, whomall respect--who hitherto had been obdurate, has just asked me forbaptism; he is very hoary, and so old that it seems as if he couldnot, from very age, utter a word. I go to his house to instruct him, for he is too feeble to come to the church. I shall soon baptize him, and another old man of his age; and it seems to me a certain proofof their predestination that God should have kept them so long, andnow have inspired in them so ardent a desire to be saved. The Lord beblessed, amen! for His marvels, who from the stones can raise sons ofGod and heirs of heaven, at the time and hour that pleases Him, and byinstruments most inadequate, so that all may know that it is the workof His power. Up to this time we have in this island three thousandthree hundred Christians, and I am confident in the Divine goodnessthat by next year there will not be one man who is not baptized. "

The mission held in Tanai. Chapter LXXI. 

Tanai is a beautiful and thickly-settled river in the great islandcalled Negros, on the side which forms a strait with the island ofSebu. This part of the island is under the parochial care of DonDiego Ferreira, the bishop's vicar there, and first archdeacon ofthe cathedral of Sebu. This priest, in his great affection for ourhumble Society, and influenced by seeing the results of our fathers'labors in those islands--aided by the demand of the natives ofTanai themselves, who had at various times asked for us--so urgentlyrequested our presence there that at last the authorities were obligedto consent. Overjoyed that they had assigned this field to FatherGabriel Sanchez, whom he held in great esteem, the said Don Diego wentin person to Bohol with a ship, expressly to convey Father Sanchez, and carried him to their Tanai. What this faithful minister of JesusChrist accomplished there the Indians themselves made known, and thearchdeacon lauded it in various letters, being most grateful to Godand to the Society for this service that we had rendered him. Wegave him therein no little aid in carrying his burden of the manysouls which are under his care, alone as he is, without any otherassistance or instruction than ours. But Father Gabriel Sanchez, withhis accustomed plainness, has written a more detailed account of someparticular cases, while making a report of his labors to the superiors, as is the custom among us. In a letter to the father-visitor, datedin November of the year one thousand six hundred, he writes thus:

"The archdeacon of Sebu, who holds the benefice of Tanai--a venerableand meritorious man, as your Reverence well knows--went in person tothe island of Bohol, twelve leguas away, to beseech Father Alonso deUmanes, our superior, to send, for God's love, a father to teach hispeople the law of God, since he himself did not know their language. Iwas chosen, and it pleased our Lord to give us a good foothold inthe island; on the very first day we found all the people gatheredon the beach, awaiting us with music and other tokens of joy. We wentto the church, and there I began to address them and discuss our holyfaith. At the first or second sermon, your Reverence might have seenalmost all the people suddenly changed. Indeed, as they had not beforehad any minister who could address them in their own language, they hadnot, as I learned, been able to form any conception of the things ofGod. When the light penetrated their souls, they were astonished; and, full of joy, they began to ask one another, 'What is this?' They gazedon me (poor wretch that I am), as on one descended from heaven. As thegreater number of those who assembled there were Christians, but hadnot made their confession nor did they even know _si Spiritus Sanctusest_, I discussed with them the remedy of confession, explaining itspurpose, and arousing their affection for it. Within one month aboutfour hundred persons made their confessions, with the utmost sorrowfor their sins; and many received communion, with such devotion thatto behold them inspired a like emotion. I baptized about eighty, most of them infants, although there were a few adults. We institutedthe procession of children which, in our doctrinas, is wont to marchthrough the streets. We began, too, in the church to give instructionand ask questions, which so pleased them that the chiefs answered them, and were offended if we did not question them. 

"During our stay several incidents occurred which I shall relate. AnIndian woman, wife of the governor of the village, and of high rank, lay sick. One night her malady grew so violent that it left her withoutpower of speech. Believing her to be dead, they hastened to summon uslate in the night. When we arrived she was speechless and unconscious, and they were bewailing her as one dead. It grieved me that the womanshould die in that state; for she had been a Christian for some years, and yet had not attended confession (although she led a blameless life)because there was no priest who knew her language. I was anxious thatshe should, if only by a sign, ask for confession, but she could notdo even this. We repeated the gospel to her, sprinkling her withholy water; and God, the Father of mercy, gave such efficacy tothese means that we had not finished reciting the holy gospel whenthe woman regained consciousness and asked for confession, saying:'Jesus, have mercy on me. ' Many people were present on this occasion, and we gave thanks to our Lord. Within ten minutes the sick woman wasas well as before her illness; accordingly, I would not confess herin her own house, but left her, directing her people to bring her tothe church the next day. This was done, and on the following day sheconfessed, to her great consolation. Another woman, also of rank, was attacked by an illness so violent that she could not be held, and even dashed herself against the walls. Finally, she was dying, and they hastily summoned us; we read to her the gospel, as usual, and gave her holy water. Then with much difficulty, on account ofthe many persons who were in the house, I began to confess her beforeshe should die. But it was God's pleasure that, just as she began toconfess, her malady and the pains of death should be mitigated--sofully that before her confession was concluded she was as well asbefore. The next day she went to the church, and there, before manypersons, she made known the mercy which our Lord had shown to her thenight before. Another woman was reduced by sickness to the point ofdeath, so that she was speechless; her people hurriedly summoned us, saying that she was already dead, and we found her unconscious, andalready lamented as dead. We recited the holy gospel, and gave herholy water; and we had not yet finished the reading when the womanregained her senses and said 'Jesus. ' She then made her confession, and even before we departed she had recovered health, and was offeringthanks to our Lord. 

"They also called us in to see two children who were dying. We wentto them in haste, putting aside the confessions which we had on hand;and found both of them speechless and unconscious--one of them withno sign of respiration--and already bewailed as dead. We recited theholy gospel to them, and gave them holy water; and soon we left themso well that one of them, who was four or five years old, came downthat same day to play with the other children, and the other one soonbecame well. We went to hear the confession of a man who lived a leguaand a half away from the village; he was so sick that they could notbring him to the church, for his body was in such a state of corruptionthat no one would touch him. We went to hear his confession and foundhim in the condition which we have described; he could not even movefrom one side to another. We sought to induce him to confess, andrepeated to him the holy gospel. This was on Friday or Saturday; onthe following Sunday, when I asked for him, they told me that he wassound and well, and had gone to another island in quest of food. Wewere informed that another, a pagan woman, was at the point of death;at her request, we went to baptize her. I gave her this sacramentin some haste, lest she should die on my hands; but after baptismshe regained her health. All these things aroused in their hearts adeep affection for our Lord, and they recognized that what had beenpreached to them was the truth, and that their idols are but demons. 

"I also desire to relate to your Reverence how one night, about teno'clock, while I was commending myself to our Lord, round about thechurch I heard many persons weeping most piteously, yet in gentletones, as if grieving for something which had been lost. Fearing lestit might be some case of death, I sent out two boys to inquire whatit was. Some women of rank, the daughters of the master of the house, replied that they and the other women were weeping because on thatnight, having finished chanting the Christian doctrine, while in apassage-way or corridor of the house and gazing toward the sky, theysaw as it were one fastened on a cross with a crown on his disfiguredbut beautiful head. His body and breast were brighter than the sun, white, and lovelier than words can depict. This [vision of the] Lordgradually receded from them, rising toward heaven, until it reachedthe moon, when it disappeared from their sight. This lovely visionaroused in them deep love, and, when it departed from them, sadnessand sorrow. I sent to bid them calm their grief. On the following day, in the church, those same young women, with their servants and thoseof their household, arose before all the people; and when I asked themwhat that meant, they recounted what had occurred to them the nightbefore. Yet they are simple and artless people, who were quite bashfuland timid when I questioned them. The next day we learned that thisvision, or cross, had been seen at the same time in another village, one or two leguas distant from this one. What most impressed me in thisincident was that those persons, although virtuous before it occurred, were afterward much more so, and in their exemplary and modest behaviorare the example and pattern for the other women; for they pass manyhours on their knees in prayer, they hear mass every day, and, whilewe remained there, they made their confession every Saturday. Theincumbent of that benefice wrote me, several months later, that theywere persevering, and setting a rare example in virtue. 

"The time for my departure and my return from Tanai arrived, inaccordance with the orders of holy obedience. Such was the sorrow, and so many were the tears of those poor people that I was constrainedthereby to weep for compassion. They cast themselves at my feet, and upon their knees besought me not to depart, saying: 'If we againfall into sin, to whom shall we have recourse?' I consoled them asbest I could; and they accompanied me as far as the river, whereI embarked. Then they plunged into the water, and surrounded theboat--men, women, and children--dripping with water, and sheddingtears. They brought me for the journey their offerings of rice, chickens and other presents, which I did not accept, as it seemedto me more becoming not to take them. I left them with much regretat seeing so many souls exposed to danger and without a shepherd orminister who knew their language. May God our Lord provide aid forthem, according to His mercy. "

Seeing the excellent disposition of those people, and the harvestwhich our Lord was gaining from the missions, the same Father GabrielSanchez held another one among those people which he briefly mentionsin one of his letters. He says: "I found the people steadfast in theirgood intentions, and in the doctrine which I had taught them. WhenI asked them, on certain occasions, if they had committed such andsuch a sin, they would answer: 'Jesus. Father, would I be false toGod? When we were taught last year that we must not sin against theDivine Majesty, would we dare to do so?' And their works confirmedtheir deeds, for their lives were like those of the primitivechurch. There were women who, although they were offered chains ofgold and presents of great value, could not be influenced thereby toconsent to sinful acts. Others suffered insults, and harsh treatmentuntil their blood was shed from the blows and wounds they received, because they would not consent to offend our Lord. Many instances ofthis could be related. "

The fruits of other missions in the island of Ibabao. Chapter LXXII. 

As the inhabitants of the island of Ibabao are scattered alongthe coast and shores of the sea, it has been necessary to despatchthither, on missions, three fathers and three brethren, during mostof the year, who instruct the people with the excellent results thatare wont to accrue from such missions. In these the harvest has beenvery large, the divine grace corresponding to the earnest desires ofthose fathers, and with their labors and perils. Nearly all the timethey are journeying by sea, sailing along the coast of this and otheradjacent islands, and crossing from one to another, never withoutdanger. They have become fishermen of souls, casting their nets forthe heavenly catch--from these journeys returning to Tinagon, where, as we have said, is the house of their residence. This residencecares for fourteen villages, large and small. During the year, therehave been baptized therein three thousand six hundred and eightypersons, most of them adults. Father Alonso de Umanes, superior ofthe residence, Father Manuel Martinez, and Father Juan de San Lucarformed six principal missions, each father with his companion beingassigned to certain villages. Father Alonso de Umanes writes that inthe first mission two hundred and sixty-nine persons were convertedto Christianity, eighty of whom were children, and the rest adults. 

In this mission two small and isolated islands were visited, concerningwhich Father Juan de San Lucar writes to the father-visitor, asfollows: "Knowing the satisfaction which your Reverence receives whenwe render to you an account of our missions, I will now tell you ofthe last one which I made in the two little islets of Maripipi andLimancauayan, which for more than two years had not been visited byany priest. The people were most eager to have some father to instructthem; and when they knew that Brother Francisco Martin and I weregoing to them, they made a great feast, and adorned with branchesof trees the streets of the village, and the shore as far as thechurch. The boys and girls came forth, singing the doctrine and bearinga cross, which was to me a most gratifying reception. Afterward, inthe church, I thanked them with tears for the affection which theyshowed us. From the time of our arrival until we departed from thoseislands, they were continually bringing us gifts from the products ofthe land, such as wax, rice, and bananas, and other articles of morevalue. When I undertook to make a list of those who sought baptism, they asked me not to do so, since all those who were not converted(who were very few) desired to become Christians; so I did as theywished. The old men, who elsewhere are usually obdurate and stubborn, and answer that they are now too old to learn the doctrine and begina new manner of life, here used this very same argument to induce meto baptize them, saying: 'Father, consider that we are already old, and soon shall end our lives; do not let us die without baptism, since we are so anxious to be Christians. ' With this good dispositionon their part, I began to preach to them, and our Lord was pleasedthat they should all become Christians. They not orly learned thedoctrine, but discussed together the sermons and instructions in thechurch and in their houses; indeed, so concerned were they about thismatter that they seemed to pay no attention to anything else. 

"We were greatly aided in facilitating their instruction by the methodof [learning by] decuries which your Reverence imparted to us. Dividingthem by tens, as if in classes, some learned the _Pater-noster_, othersthe _Ave Maria_; and thus they came to acquire with much facilityand ease all the prayers of the primer. I baptized one hundred andforty persons, some of whom were old men of rank. One of them was veryanxious that his mother should become a Christian, and on the day whenour Lord accorded him this mercy he was greatly rejoiced; he made agreat feast, inviting the people to eat at his house, and furnishedto them a bountiful repast. We celebrated the octave of Corpus Christiwith a solemn procession, in which we bore the most blessed sacramentthrough the streets, which were decorated and adorned for the occasionwith as much splendor as was possible. They laid all their riches andgold chains on the platform; and although it was all insignificantenough, greater was the good will and love with which they offered it. 

"With the report that those two islands had been converted to thefaith, the island of Cauayan and others of Samar were led to askfor fathers to instruct them. I repaired to Cauayan, and in fifteendays I baptized, after some instructions and sermons, one hundredand seventy adults, with four or five little children. I inquiredif any one yet remained to be made a Christian; they replied thatonly one was left, an old woman, outside the village, but that Ineed not concern myself about her, for, on account of her greatage (she must have been more than a hundred and thirty years old), she had not sufficient understanding or judgment to penetrate intothe things of God. I had her conveyed to the village with greatcare, and they brought me a clod of clay, which had only a littleperception, and hardly any understanding; sight had forsaken her, and her hearing was very dull. She had no more power of motion thana stone, for wherever they placed her, there she remained withoutstirring. She had great-great-grandsons living, and I believe thatthe descendants extended even further. I began to catechize her, orrather to test her, to see if she had the use of reason; but for thetime I could not convince myself whether she had it or not. I had herconveyed to the house of a worthy Christian, an Indian woman of muchjudgment, by whom the old woman could make herself understood; and Iasked her to talk with the old woman very carefully about the thingsof God, and to draw from her all that she could. Relying upon whatthis good woman told me (she acted as my interpreter in the church, and as catechist in her own house), I was finally persuaded that theold woman had the use of reason; but when I began to instruct her inthe things that were absolutely necessary, the Christian woman told methat, as for the other truths, it was morally impossible, on acount ofthe old woman's limited capacity, to give her further instruction. Ithen baptized her, with much consolation, being persuaded that Godhad preserved her for that hour. I am convinced that she has a veryshort time to live, but I trust, in the mercy of God, that in theother life she will obtain eternal blessedness through the meritsof our Lord Jesus Christ, who gained it for her with His preciousblood. From Cauayan I went to a little hamlet called Cotai, where Ibaptized eighty-three persons. From that place I went to Paet, whereI baptized one hundred and twenty, all adults; thence to Canauan, where I baptized one hundred and forty. According to my reckoning, then, more than five hundred persons have been baptized, all of age, besides twelve children. What I especially value in this is thesight of the fervor and devotion with which they received baptism, their horror of sin, and their zealous desire that other neighboringpeoples should become Christians. They often take the initiative withthose people, and preach to their friends with a fervor and powerthat astonish me. I am also much gratified at having brought aboutmore than eighty marriages within the church, for I suspect thatthe alliances formed by those people are not marriages, but ratherthe taking of concubines, considering the readiness with which theydivorce and marry again, according to the custom of the country. 

"It seems to me that the road to the conversion of those natives isnow smooth and open, with the conversion of the chiefs and of themajority of the people; for the excuse which they formerly gave, saying, 'I will become a Christian as soon as the rest do, ' has nowbecome their incentive toward conversion, and they now say: 'We desireto become Christians because all the rest are Christians. ' While Iwas passing through Canauan, one of the chiefs was enraged because aslave woman of his had become a Christian, and rebuked her angrily forit; but recently he brought her to me with all his slaves, and he, with his wife and all his family, have become Christians. Anotherchief prevented his wife from hearing the divine word and becominga Christian, which she desired most heartily to be. Being unable togo to the church, as she was kept at home, she sent a message to thefather informing him that her husband was using this violence towardher. Orders were given to arrest him, and, this done, the woman wasbaptized. But she obtained from God, as I believe, the conversion ofher husband; for within a few days he returned to the church, subdued, and was baptized. This occurred during the first mission. 

"Another mission was held at Catubig; this village is farthest fromthe residence, for it is at the extremity of the island of Ibabao, which is very large. The Indians are very well disposed, and amongthem are some Christians, who lack instruction; and all are desirousof having a father to teach them. There are more than four thousandsouls who only await the coming of ministers of the holy gospelto distribute among them the bread of heaven. If we had chosen toopen the door for baptism many might have received that sacrament;but during that mission only one hundred and fifty-four children werebaptized, the others being reserved for a better opportunity, when ourLord might be pleased to send them those who would preserve them withthe food of instruction in the new life which, with the divine grace, they would receive. 

"In the third mission, there were baptized in three months eighthundred and thirty-seven persons; seven hundred and five of thesewere adults, and ninety-two children. At first, the men encounteredgreat difficulty in putting away their many wives; but finally thedivine Majesty made the outcome propitious, softening the hearts ofthose pagans, and they brought their undertaking to a glorious end. 

"In the fourth sortie or foray, six hundred and thirteen were baptized;in the next, two hundred and seventy; and in the last, two hundred andfifty-four. With these and other baptisms in this residence alone, three thousand six hundred and eighty persons were therefore madeChristians, as I stated above; and many more might be converted ifthe earnestness with which they ask for baptism were appreciated. Butour fathers proceed by inspiring them first to desire baptism, andto give proofs of their desires, and constraining them to learn thedoctrine, to attend the church, and to abandon all their heathen rites, their paganism, and their polygamy; thus they become more thoroughlyacquainted with and rooted in the faith. "

Instances occurring in the mission of Dulac. Chapter LXXVIII. 

The year one thousand six hundred and one also gave evidence ofgreat increase and perfecting in the Christian community of Dulac, effected through the ordinary labors and occupations of four fathersand three brethren. These laborers, making their retreat at theappointed times, to practice the spiritual exercises (as is thecustom in all those residences), repair thereafter with greatercourage to their ministry to souls; and the results of their workthus correspond to their fervor. But, of all the means that theyhave employed, we must attribute their good fortune in winning soulsto their exposing the most blessed sacrament in our churches, thusstimulating the devotion and respect with which it should be regarded;celebrating with solemn processions the feast of Corpus [Christi];and inviting the faithful to the table and feast of heaven. As aresult of these measures, the people were so fond of holy communion, and so greatly enjoyed receiving it, that on some feast-days thecrowd was as great as in cities of Europe; and with so thoroughpreparation, by fasting, discipline, prayer, fervor, and confession, that it seemed to be a primitive church. Thus their esteem for ourholy faith is so increased that few are those who do not ask for ordesire baptism. Indeed, there are so many who seek it that duringthe two weeks of advent and Easter in 1601 more than seven hundredpersons were baptized; and from the Easter of the previous year, 1600, there were counted in this mission-field more than two thousand andtwenty persons baptized--and all this with great fervor, eagerness, and esteem for the new law which they profess with holy baptism. 

The residence of Dulac has in its care, among many others, the twolarge villages called Dagami and San Salvador (which is Paloc), bothpopulous; their people are well instructed and submissive, and ourfathers have labored among them with great success. Father MelchiorHurtado writes that in San Salvador, during the celebration of theChristmas feast, almost eight hundred infidels were baptized, andthat the confessions and communions were such as might be expected inEspaña--so many, that the fathers could not attend to them all. Thisis occasion for much glory to our Lord, especially in a land so new, which the Society had entered but six years before to instruct itspeople, and had found them so obdurate, as I have already stated. Fromthe letters of this father, and from others of Father Juan de Torresand Father Francisco Vicente, some special incidents have been drawn, which I shall here relate. 

A father, passing through a little village belonging to that residenceand inquiring who were Christians, was told of an old man who livedout in the country, alone in his little hut, and remained thereunable to walk. The father gave orders that this man be brought tohis presence, and asked him concerning his life, not expecting him torecall much of the doctrine; but he gave so good an account of himselfas to leave the father astounded. Among other things the old man said:"Although I remain in this life with my body, my desires are in heaven;and so much so that at night I dream only of the things of the otherlife. There I see all the dwellers of heaven covered with splendor, and especially one, who excels all the others in brightness. O, father, would that I might be there, freed from this decaying and burdensomebody!" The father showed him a print of the judgment, in which heavenwas depicted with splendor and beauty, and then asked him if it lookedlike what he had seen. He answered, _Abà_, which is one of their wordsof surprise, and, as it were, of disdain. "That and nothing more, Father? Much more, much more!" Then the father wondered as he beheldthe riches which God our Lord had deposited in that clod of earth; andhe felt sure that, as the old man said, his only occupation thereafterwould be to repeat "Jesus" and "Mary"--which would never leave hismemory or his lips, until he should end this life and begin thatwhich is eternal. Two of Ours, passing a wretched hut, found a man, who must have been more than eighty years old, stretched upon somereeds, unconscious and dying. So thin was his body that it was hardlymore than skin adhering to bones; and so wasted that he seemed theliving picture of death. In their pity for him they prayed our Lordto have compassion on that poor soul. In a short time he recoveredconsciousness, and gladly asked for the waters of holy baptism, whichhe greatly desired; this was plainly evident in the ardor with whichhe declared his belief in our holy faith. After being baptized, hissenses were entranced, and he very sweetly invoked the most blessedname of Jesus, and that of Mary; and then he died. 

One of our fathers desired to visit another sick man (who had, when indanger of death, been baptized by the schoolmaster of the village), but, with his many confessions and other duties, he had forgottento do so. Afterward, while resting, he had heard loud wailing andoutcries, such as they are wont to utter for their dead; and they cameto tell him that the man had died. The father could not refrain fromgoing to see him (although he left all the people in the church), deeply grieved that he had not seen the sick man before. But withgreat confidence (although everyone said that he was already dead), he approached the unconscious sick man, and said: "Clement" (such washis name), "dost thou hear us, my son?" He opened his eyes and said:"Yes, Father. " Then the father bade him invoke the most blessed nameof Jesus, and the most sweet name of Mary, and aided him with somenourishment; the sick man regained consciousness, and some strength, and at the end of a few days made his confession, and died in the Lord. 

Ours had been asked to visit a sick man, and, when the visit to himwas ended, the father, while descending from the house, was seizedwith the desire to ascertain if there were any other sick person inthe vicinity. In the next house he found an old woman, an infidel, ninety years old, although not very sick; he approached her, gaveher instruction, and baptized her. On the following day, when he wassetting out from the village at the same hour, his heart would notallow him to depart without first visiting his sick people. He gainedthe little hut, and found therein a dead person, shrouded. He inquiredwho it was and they told him that it was Ana (the name of the womanwhom he had baptized the day before). He continued his way, praisingthe divine Providence and judgments of God, who had thus predestinedthe lot of that soul. We were informed that a sick man lay at thepoint of death, far out from the village. The road thither was hardto descry in the darkness of the night, and abounded with serpents, which were continually encountered, stretched out in the road. Inaddition to this, a very broad river must be passed, with rapidcurrent and full of crocodiles--which, when they become ravenous, rush upon anything. Yet all these obstacles were of less importancethan one soul redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ; so the fatherwent to visit his sick man, and, with a certain medicine, in the nameof Jesus Christ our Lord, cured and comforted him. But the marvel wasthat on the way he found another sick person, a woman, apparently inless danger; he baptized her, and she died immediately, while the sickman, for whom the father had undertaken all that hardship, was healed. 

An Indian, finding himself in the clutches and jaws of a crocodile, covered with wounds, and almost dead, began to invoke the most holyname of Jesus, which a little before he had heard in the sermonof a father; and our Lord was pleased that the savage beast shouldrelease him. 

This befell a father and a brother while journeying along a sandytract, greatly fatigued by the heat of the noonday sun, without anyrestorative or food, and parched with thirst--in short, deprived ofeverything that might serve them as a relief or comfort; yet enduringtheir suffering and with devout meditation offering to God thathardship, even desiring that it might be increased if his Majestymight thus be served. Unexpectedly and suddenly they descried a manseated in the midst of the sand, with a collation of fresh cocoanutsand other fruits; and so gracious and serene was his appearance thathe inspired admiration and pleasure. When the fathers and those whoaccompanied them accepted from him those delicacies, refreshing theirheated bodies and appeasing their hunger, this man displayed unusualsatisfaction and joy, inviting them to partake of more, since what hepossessed was theirs, and he was a servant of the Spaniards. With thisthey continued their journey (which otherwise would have been verywearisome), giving thanks to Him who had thus succored them in theirdire necessity. Although at the time the father took little notice ofthis incident, afterward recalling the circumstances, as well as thegracious manner of the man, he became convinced that he must have beensome angel. Nor was he far out of the way, considering the occasion onwhich he succored them, when they could not go any farther on accountof the oppressive heat of the season, and the lack of food; the spotwhere they had encountered him, a place where it had never occurredthat they found an Indian so solitary and, moreover, unknown; andthen his gracious manner and serene countenance, and his generosityand liberality in sharing with them what he had, saying that it allbelonged to the fathers, and that he was a servant of the Spaniards(at a time when there was not one Spaniard in the island): all thisinduces the belief that the incident was something more than ordinary, or, at least, a token of our Lord's especial providence. There can beno doubt that the incident was most pleasing to Him, on account of theunusual and extraordinary harvest which He permitted to be gatheredin the village from which the father had that day set out. I shallnot relate this in detail, in order not to repeat the same events, and to pass on to what yet remains to be narrated, which is much. 

The many conversions to the Christian faith in Carigara and itsdistrict. Chapter LXXIV. 

We deem it a special providence of our Lord that while the nativelanguage of the Indians of our various residences is the same, and itis easy for our workers to remove from one place to another, sincethey are not, in doing so, obliged to learn several tongues--thereis, at the same time, such variety in the stations and missions. Someof them may be visited entirely by sea, such as those of Tinagon orSamar; others wholly by land, as the mission of Alangalang. Again, others may be reached partly by sea, partly by land, such as Dulac, Carigara, and Bohol. This is a great convenience, in assigning themissionaries according to the abilities and temperament of each, allotting to those who cannot journey by land, stations on the coast, and inland posts to those who can endure the hardships of the roads. 

There is enough of such hardship in the residence of Alangalang, where four fathers and three brethren are employed, toiling in thevineyard of the Lord--journeying on foot (as is our custom there)under sun and shower, through swamps and rivers, with the water oftenwaist-deep; yet with much consolation and joy in the Lord, for whoselove are undertaken these and like hardships. 

Our brethren live in those villages well content at seeing that ourLord is continually gaining souls to Himself, and inclining to His holylaw the hearts of those who but a few years ago were living without Godand without law. From the year 1600 to the year 1602, when I departedfrom those regions, two thousand six hundred and ninety-four personshad been baptized in that mission. They attend with great punctualitythe sermons, masses, and other divine services, which in that missionare celebrated with greater splendor and more punctiliousness than inothers, through the advantage which it has in three choirs of Indians, who [in this service] surpass many Spaniards. They are wont to singthe _Salve_ to our Lady; on some days, the litany; and on the Fridaysof Lent the _Miserere_ to accompany the discipline--all of whichindicates the faith which burns and glows in their souls. 

To that residence of Alangalang are annexed those of Ogmuc andCarigara, with seven or eight other villages; through these our fathershave dispersed (having made their retreat, in the course of the yearfor the [spiritual] exercises), being assigned [to certain villages] toinstruct their people. The superior, Father Mateo Sanchez, took chargeof the newer villages, in order to build there churches and establishstations convenient for the affairs of those Christian churches--ashe did in the village of Lingayon, and in others. On the way, hebaptized in Barugo twenty-five adults, and in Carigara sixty-three. 

At the residence of Ogmuc we had completed a church, one of thefinest in that island, through the diligence and labors of FatherAlonso Rodriguez, who spent a long time there. Father Francisco deEnzinas went to that residence, and baptized one hundred and twopersons; of these eighty-one were adults, and among them some oldmen. These last asked for baptism, as it seemed, with reason, sayingthat they were already at the gates of death, and they ought to bemost favored since they were most needy. They asked questions aboutthe life eternal; and while the father was explaining to them theresurrection of the body he was aided, by a man recently baptized, with the simile of the serpent, which sheds and then renews its skin, and with other comparisons of that sort. On his road the same fathervisited a little village, called Baibai, and baptized there ninetypersons, of whom eighty-seven were adults. 

Father Alonso Rodriguez held another mission in a little village calledUgyao, where he baptized twenty-eight persons, among whom was the wifeof the chief of the village; she was afterward an instrument for theconversion of many. He also sojourned in a village called Leite, whencehe writes a letter to the father-visitor, which runs as follows: "Thelord bishop was greatly consoled at the aspect of this village. TheIndians seemed to him very tractable, and submissive to the thingsof our holy faith. They are continually in the church, morning andevening, frequenting the services to such an extent that the time Ispent there seemed like a jubilee. I noticed among the chiefs much zealin bringing me pagans that I might baptize them. During this visit andthe next that I made there, I baptized one hundred and thirty-sevenpersons, who were children and old people. I was in Alangalang and wasmuch pleased with the people there; indeed, everything in that islandseemed to me to be from heaven. I cannot sufficiently thank our Lordfor the signal favor that He has granted me in bringing me to thisland, and employing me in this Catholic ministry--of which I feelmyself most unworthy, often acknowledging this before our Lord, withtears and humiliation. I regard it as most lavish pay for many faithfulservices that our Lord should consent to employ one in these missions, and that one may behold His mercy toward these new Christians. I havejust visited the people of Ugyao, and to live among them, enjoyingthe mercies which God conters upon them, seems to me like Paradise. "

Such is the father's general account; I will illustrate the detailsby only two instances. While a father was sojourning in one of thoseseacoast villages, there arrived in a little boat a solitary Indian, to the astonishment of all, as he had neither feet nor hands. ButGod and his good angel aided him to steer the boat, and so hereached that place where the father was, and urgently asked himfor baptism. The reason for this was, that he had heard a Spaniardsay that those who were not Christians went to hell. The fatherbaptized him with great satisfaction, and gave praises to our Lordthat He had preserved this man on the sea, and had guided that littlevessel and a man who was alone, and bereft of hands and feet. Therewere some persons--especially a Spaniard in whose charge he was--whoearnestly desired that a certain Indian should become a Christian. ThisSpaniard sought to convert him by arguments and inducements, and byother efforts; but apparently he became steadily more hardened. Atthat time one of our brethren chanced (although it was not withoutdivine Providence) to speak to him of the things of heaven; and allat once that soul turned in earnest toward our Lord. At his baptismthe Spaniard acted as his godfather, and was much gratified at seeinghis pious desire fulfilled. 

Great benefits have resulted from the schools and the education ofthe children; for these pupils are, in their homes, teachers to theirown parents, and in the villages through which they are scatteredthey arouse the people to devotion. A young boy, one of the singersin the church, thus replied to a Spaniard who communicated to him hisevil desires, in order that the youth might help him to attain them:"Sir, I know of an excellent remedy for this temptation which thouart suffering. Do thou repeat a rosary to the Virgin Mary, and Iwill say another in thy behalf; thus thou wilt drive away these evilthoughts. " Thus he who should by right have been the teacher washimself instructed by this new Christian. 

Other events in the same residence of Alangalang and inCarigara. Chapter LXXV. 

When a certain father was setting out from one of the villages thathe had been visiting, in order to return to the chief town [of themission], an incident befell him which the father himself relates, in a letter which is in part as follows: "In this village there wasa sick man, an infidel, whom the father had visited, and providedwith someone to instruct and catechize him for holy baptism. As thefather thought that the malady was making but slow progress, he leftthe sick man thus. But God, who chose to comfort that soul so desirousfor its salvation, caused such a change in the weather that, althoughthe sky was serene and clear when they went to visit the sick man, a rainstorm suddenly arose, so violent that it seemed as if our Lordwere constraining the father (as he did the glorious St. Benedict)to halt and abandon his journey in order that that soul might enterby the true way into heaven. With this he began to instruct the sickman very slowly; and, having taught him what was sufficient, gavehim holy baptism, to the great consolation and joy of both. At oncethe rainstorm ceased, and the sky became so clear that the father, leaving that poor man much consoled--or, more correctly, rich incelestial gifts--made his journey very comfortably. A few days havingpassed without his making any inquiry about the sick man, an Indiancame to the father, and said to him: 'Father, that Indian whom thoudidst baptize, coming hither, our Lord has taken. '

"During Lent and Holy Week they performed their penances withgreat devotion, shedding their blood with such fervor that it becamenecessary to restrain them. So strong and ardent was their desire to dopenance that those who could not procure woolen shirts would not go inthe procession, waiting for those garments already stained with blood, in order that they might bathe these anew with their own. Nor wasthere less fervor among the children, who sought permission [to takethe discipline], even at a very tender age, and became disconsolateindeed if it were denied them. These new Christians practiced anothersort of penance during the last two weeks of Lent, which caused greatedification. In the early evening they went out, clad in their woolenshirts; their hands extended in the form of a cross, were bound to apiece of wood; and from each hand hung a very heavy stone. In thismanner they went about the village, halting finally at the churchwhence they had set out. There they remained a long time on theirknees, offering their penance to God our Lord. The children hadpracticed this penance before; for during the Shrovetide festival(at which time there are so many disorders among our Christians oflong standing) they formed themselves in pairs, and went forth withgreat devotion, having their hands extended, in the form of a cross, on a piece of wood, with heavy stones hanging at each side. For thispurpose one child bound the other, accompanying him until he returnedto the door of the church; there, unfastening the other's bonds, hehimself took the stick and stones, and thus they again went forth, and he who had first borne the stones now accompanied the other. Thusdid each one acquit his obligation to the other, with more devotionand understanding than the Shrovetide season demands from personsof greater age, judgment, and obligations. In this way does our Lordbestow upon them His mercy--as happened to a young boy, whose story, as it is very attractive, I am unwilling to omit. There was a child, about five or six years old, who was suffering from a disease ofthe eyes; the little one in his pain went to a father, to whom hetenderly made his plaint. The father, inasmuch as a few days beforehe had taught the child the _Ave Maria_, bade him enter the church, and on his knees to say that prayer and offer it to the most blessedVirgin, our Lady. The child did thus, and when his prayer was concludedwent out from the church, and began to play contentedly with the otherchildren of his age. The father, perceiving him so merry with the rest, called to him and asked him if he were well. He answered that as soonas he had said the _Ave Maria_ to our Lady, the pain left him and hebecame well. "

Among the occasions when Ours have gone to make excursions intothe country, and to despoil the enemy of his former possessions, there is one which Father Mateo Sanchez describes in a letter to thefather vice-provincial, as follows: "The voyage of the fathers whowere sailing for Ogmuc and Sebu proved to be unfortunate; for theysuffered many hardships through contrary winds, being finally driveninto a small bay, where they remained as long as their provisionslasted. When these were consumed, they determined, as the weatherremained unfavorable, to return to Carigara. The two of us who remainedhad made, in the meantime, some important visits, especially in Tunga, where the village was in great excitement on account of some murdersamong the Indian chiefs. It pleased our Lord that our fathers shouldbegin to calm and soothe the respective factions, and reconcile theirdifferences, and establish friendly relations between them. Althoughthis was not accomplished at once, the affair made gradual progresstoward settlement; and even the murderers came to our fathers forprotection, so that through our agency, peace might be restored andestablished. This affair was one of the greatest importance, for theisland [of Leyte] was well-nigh in a state of insurrection, and overrunby bandits. Our Lord was pleased that by means of the gentlenessand love with which we approached them, this condition of affairsshould pass away like smoke, and the bandits be dispersed. There weretwelve criminals, who, on account of the various murders that they hadcommitted, were roaming in bands through the mountains and highways, sheltering the slaves and fugitives who joined them, as well as basewomen and notorious witches--who accompanied them either through lovefor evil, or in fear of punishment for their own heinous crimes. Allthese people have been reclaimed, and have come to our fathers--notonly the men, but the women--asking for protection, pardon, andpenance. Only one has failed to come, and he was the beginning and, as it were, the source of all this disturbance; but I hope that God, in His great mercy, will bring in this man. In truth, it will bevery difficult for him to effect a reconciliation with the partiesconcerned and obtain a pardon, on account of their rank and wealth;for the murdered man (whose name was Humbas) was one of the mostnoted and valiant Indians in the island, and always had been, andwas at the time, governor of the village of Ogyao [_sic_]. But sincehis sons were all Christians, and the eldest, Don Philipe Tipon, is an excellent man, greatly attached to us, and well instructed, and informed in the Christian religion, I promise myself that it willnot be very difficult to obtain from him a pardon for this man, andreconcile them, and settle this affair as we have desired and soughtfor the greater glory of God. " Thus writes Father Mateo Sanchez. [21]

The mission in Panamao. Chapter LXXVI. 

Panamao [22] is one of the islands which lie adjacent to Leite, on its northern side, and is almost a continuation of the latter, since they are separated only by a strait so narrow that a ship canscarcely pass through it. As it contains a great abundance of trees, it is well adapted for shipbuilding, as are many others of theseislands. On this account workmen were building there, in Decemberof the year one thousand six hundred and one, the ship in which Ideparted from those islands, early in July of the year one thousandsix hundred and two. As many Spaniards, Indians, and other peoples hadgathered there for this work of construction, they furnished sufficientoccupation to Father Francisco Vicente of our Society, who came fromCarigara, or Alangalang, to visit them and provide for them spiritualconsolation. The father arrived there at a juncture when our Lord hadundertaken to prepare the hearts of all those people. They were indeedprepared, as by the Divine hand, by an occurrence which affrightedand horrified them. There was a Spanish speaking negro who enteredthe service of the captain there, and was accompanied by his wife. Itbecame necessary for him to go away, to procure some articles necessaryto the progress of the work. Returning one night, he found his wifewith another man, and, maddened by jealousy, he killed the adultererwith a lance and wounded the woman, leaving her for dead. This wasa deplorable occurrence, for the murdered man was a youth of comelyparts and beloved by all; and to see him thus slain--a reputableman, without confession, and in such circumstances, by the hand of anegro--was sufficient to lead all to do penance. For assistance inthis, it was necessary for Father Francisco Vicente to proceed toPanamao; and he, finding the harvest ready, was soon reaping, withhis sermons, discourses, and confessions, the now ripened grain--asthat father reports in one of his letters, which runs as follows:"I reached Panamao, on Saturday before the last Sunday of Advent, andwe were welcomed by the captain with much affection and kindness. Itis a large population which has been gathered there, of both Indiansand Spaniards, and among them God our Lord gave us a goodly harvestof souls. On arriving there I sought to speak to them and show themmy affection. At the outset, I undertook to have a church built;and this was done so that we said mass on the following day. I alsopreached to them on matters relating to sin, explaining to them itshideous and injurious nature--especially by recalling to their mindsthat recent example or sermon which our Lord had preached to them ashort time before. They were all deeply moved, and resolved to ask mefor confession and the cure for their souls. In order that so rich aprize should not be lost, I labored assiduously, preaching now to theSpaniards, now to the Indians. On that Sunday I preached three sermons, and tried, moreover, by special discourses to attract the headmen andchiefs, explaining to them how they ought to make confession. Whenthey understood that I must go immediately after the first day ofEaster, they entreated me to remain, if only until the third day, in order that they might make their confessions as they should. Iconsented to this; and from that hour, all the people, Spaniards aswell as Indians, began to consecrate themselves with such devotion asto make me ashamed. I did not lose this opportunity--now encouragingand consoling them, now removing their difficulties, now instructingthem; and striving most heartily to assist them. The confessions beganbefore dawn, about four o'clock in the morning; and the people camewith general confessions for a whole life or for many years, utteringthem with tears and sobs. Indeed, it was necessary to loosen the reinsand encourage them, for it was not necessary to seek, as is usuallydone, incentives to contrition and grief. During this mission some ofthe Spaniards were obliged to go away to another islet; some of them, in order not to lose this opportunity, hastened to confess, making upfor the shortness of the time allowed them by their great devotion;others, who were deprived of even this satisfaction, deferred theirconfessions until my return, to their own great sorrow and with holyenvy for those who remained. In truth, God knows best what went on inthose souls: what I can say is, that I have never seen such tears, orconversions so sincere. There were persons who spent entire nights inweeping, with the crucifix in their hands. During the Easter seasonthey were so withdrawn from worldly concerns that it seemed to beHoly Friday; and they did not leave their houses except to go tomass or to confer with me about the welfare of their souls. In theirsilence and downcast looks, and the grief which they felt within, they gave evidence of the mercies which our Lord had showed them, andthe light which He was bestowing upon them, as they went from and totheir houses. I experienced a thousand scruples in regard to calmingand satisfying their consciences; but I gave a thousand thanks to Godour Lord for having brought me to that place for the great good of somany souls. Certain persons assured me that they had never before seenthe like. We continued to hear the confessions, so that they might bebetter prepared for Easter. Certainly, had I to purchase by dint oftoil those moments of consolation, when I was administering to eachone the sacrament of communion and seemed to read his very heart, a thousand journeys from España were little to give for that. I wasto go on the fourth day of Easter, but that was impossible, for withearnest solicitations they entreated me to remain--and some, moreover, had not finished their confessions; it was therefore necessary towait until Sunday. On that day we effected a reconciliation betweenthe murderer and the adulteress, who embraced and pardoned each otherand made their confession with much devotion. On Monday morning I wasobliged, on account of my departure, to say mass shortly after twoo'clock; and yet the service was not so secret as to prevent them fromattending it, all being present, and manifesting great devotion. Withtears and words they expressed their great regret at my departure, and made me promise that I would soon return to console them; andwith this I came away, glorifying the Lord. I left, in process oferection, a little hospital for the sick and poor, which all aidedwith charitable offerings and personal attendance. Glory be to ourLord Jesus Christ, from whom proceed all things. "

The death of Father Francisco Almerique, and other events inManila. Chapter LXXVII. 

At the end of that year, one thousand six hundred and one, FatherFrancisco Almerique ceased his labors, death claiming him while hewas busily occupied, and full of joy and consolation therein. Hehad no illness save that occasioned by his very excessive labors, which for a period of almost twenty years had been so wasting andreducing his energies that the coming of hot weather carried him off, without strength to resist, in five days. At the time of his deathhe was engaged in forming villages, some of Indians and others ofblacks. These latter are in Manila called Itas; he had lured them froma rugged mountain region, and persuaded them to settle in a lovely, peaceful spot, fertile and pleasant, about two or three leguas fromAntipolo, giving to the new settlement the name of Santiago. Firstin Manila, and afterward in the mission of Taitai, he busied himselfwith the study of languages and the care of souls, to the very greatsatisfaction (as we have already said) of all those who had relationswith him; for, on account of his great humility and gentleness, hewas loved and sought for, followed and obeyed, honored and respected, and regarded as a saint. He never spared toil when the aid of soulswas concerned, nor did he heed times and seasons; by day and by night, in rain or the sun's heat, and both far and near, forgetful of himselfand his health, he indefatigably rendered his services to whomsoevercalled him. His most important occupation was to bring the people downfrom the mountains and thinly settled districts, drawing them by cordsof love and gentleness. Such was his grace in this that as we havesaid, on more than one occasion entire villages would come to him;and, leaving to the care of others those whom he had already won, he devoted himself to winning and inviting other and new souls. Nota feast day or Sunday passed when he did not preach a sermon; andoften he said mass twice and delivered two sermons, in two differentvillages. Inasmuch as those people usually had recourse to the fatherwith all their affairs, it always happened at the end of mass that heremained to answer and console his Indians, with untiring patience, without touching food until past midday, or even two or three hourslater. His soul went out toward some one of those poor creatures, and the meaner the Indian, the greater was his love. In this exerciseand occupation, God our Lord communicated with him most familiarlyand affectionately, the father holding Him ever before his mind byfrequent and fervent prayer. This power he acquired in so high adegree that those who were in close intercourse with him affirm, inthe words of the glorious St. Dionysus, that, _erat divina patiens_;and it called forth our admiration to behold in him the gift of prayerso lofty and sublime, united to a power of action so incessant andeffective. In harmony with these characteristics was his peacefuland easy death, joyful and full of heavenly consolation. He died onthe first Sunday of Advent at the college of Manila (whither I hadtaken him for medical treatment), after having received the mostblessed sacraments with great devotion. His death occurred just asall the churches were ringing for the _Ave Marias_, on the secondof December, 1601, the day of the glorious departure of the blessedfather Francisco Xavier, whose true follower he ever was. His deathwas deeply felt and lamented, and his obsequies were celebrated withtears and solemn ceremonies; his body was deposited in the main chapelof our church at Manila, before the steps of the great altar. 

At that time we were still pursuing our occupations in Manila among ourneighbors, where our Lord was continually forwarding the progress ofall our ministries, not only in those that pertained to divine worshipand the salvation of souls, but in those which concerned learning andletters. To the Latin studies was added a course in philosophy, whichwas begun in that year by Father Miguel Gomez, who had previouslytaught it in Gandia. At the first lecture, which served to openthe studies of that year and which was itself grave and learned, there assembled a goodly number of students, clergy, religious, andpersons of other ranks; and dignity was lent to the occasion by thepresence of the governor, president, and magistrates. The course wascontinued, with a membership of many students, and with the theses, conferences and other exercises which are customary to that branch oflearning, wherein the students gave excellent proof of their talent andability. The two congregations of La Anunciata (composed respectivelyof students and laymen), who continually emulated each other in theirdevotion and service to the most blessed Virgin, celebrated togetherthe feast of the Annunciation with great splendor and dignity, andmuch devotion on their part and that of the people. The youth ofthis city were in the utmost need of a seminary where they couldbe withdrawn from the world and reared in virtue. Although thishad been desired for years, it had been impossible to carry outthe plan until the preceding year [_i. E. _, 1600], when, with thedivine favor, a seminary was begun, which chose as its patron theglorious St. Joseph. The institution was placed in charge of twomembers of the Society, a father and a brother. On the day of itsfoundation were assembled the royal Audiencia, [those who direct]the vacant Bishopric, the religious orders, and many other peopleof rank in this city. The collegians were clad in mantles of husi, which is a thin fabric like picote, [23] inclining toward violet, with insignia of red braid extending to the feet. They went out atthe gate of the college to receive the royal Audiencia, and soonafterward in the chapel the archdeacon of Manila said the first mass, the acolytes being two of the above-mentioned collegians, Don PedroTello de Guzman, nephew of the president, and Don Antonio de Morga, son of Don Antonio de Morga, auditor of the royal Audiencia. Atthe conclusion of mass, two other collegians made harangues, givingan account of what was intended in the foundation of this college;wherewith they were well satisfied, and pleased with the work whichthe Society had undertaken. The collegians at the foundation of theinstitution were thirteen. That number has continued to increase untilit has reached twenty, as at present, which is not an insignificantbeginning in so new a land. Many people came to visit the college andits apartments, admiring its good order and plan, and praising thiswork, so serviceable to God our Lord, and to this commonwealth. Theyattend with punctuality the devotional exercises and the divisionsof time according to the arrangements of the college, and thus deriveprofit in letters and in virtue. The Indians, too, repair to Ours, asthey would to parents; and with the confidence of faithful childrenthey make known their doubts and give account of their affairs. Forinstance: An Indian, on the day of the birth of Christ our Lord, was in his house contentedly repairing his boat and preparing tomake a voyage the next day for matters concerning his occupation, when a certain person chanced to pass his house, who said to him:"How now? dost thou dare to work on Christmas day?" The other answeredhim, in jest: "Oh, yes! I have permission from Jesus Christ to dothis. " But his chastisement was not long delayed, for just when hewas making ready for his voyage on that very day a violent and mortalillness attacked his family, sparing neither wife nor children, andlaying him at the door of death, so that for three months he couldnot leave his house. He came to us in remorse, and acknowledging hisguilt; and after telling us these things asked for advice, made hisconfession, and prepared for communion, through the efficacy of whichhe recovered his health, and was able to accomplish those things which, on account of his sins, our Lord had prevented him from doing. 

While one of our brethren was sojourning in an Indian village far fromthat city [of Manila], two incidents occurred whereby was seen andmanifested the supernatural virtue of the holy _Agnus Dei_, so famedfor many other great miracles. Two women were quarreling, as is usualamong barbarians and vulgar people. One of them was a famous witch, and in anger and passion she threatened the other woman with summaryvengeance through her charms. She went home; and the poor Indianwoman, entering her own house without fear of evil, was seized witha violent trembling throughout her body. In this paroxysm she arosefrom her husband's side while they were eating their food and foughtdesperately to throw herself down from the window. The husband ran, in his consternation, to save her, and called loudly to his neighborsfor help. Three persons ran to her, and were hardly able to holdher. Our brother sent to ascertain what this disturbance meant, andwhen he learned what had happened he called the husband and gave hima little piece of the _Agnus_ in a reliquary, exhorting him at thesame time to have faith, and promising that his wife would soon behealed. Then, upon his knees, the brother prayed our Lord to deignto grant his request, for the greater strengthening of the faithof those new Christians. The husband went home with the _Agnus_, and no sooner had he applied it to his wife, than she was freed ofthe trembling and terror and remained quite calm. This occurrencesoon became public, and another Indian, who had been bewitched bythe same Indian woman, on seeing this marvel was convinced that Godgranted health to those who invoked Him; accordingly, he asked forthe same relic, and the result was conformable to his faith. Thus thepeople were confirmed in their faith, and grateful for the benefitsreceived from the bounteous hand of the Lord. 

The number of villages in the mission of Taitai, and the eventstherein of the year MDCII. Chapter LXXVIII. 

The villages of San Iuan del Monte, Antipolo, and others, wereinstructed by Father Francisco Almerique and Father Tomas de Montoya, with the help of another priest who desired to enter our Society, andwho busied himself in assisting us in this work to the great profit ofthe Indians, of whose language he had an excellent knowledge. Thesefathers were joined by Father Angelo Armano, who had gone hence twoyears before and had been detained in Manila compiling the history ofthe saints, whose relics, as we have said, had been deposited in ourChurch--a work which this father made very learned and eloquent. Havingcompleted this task, he went to Antipolo, where he began the studyand practice of the native language, with admirable results in all ofthose villages. On the death of Father Almerique (who was strongerthan the rest), the burden of work so exhausted the others that, falling sick one by one, the entire load fell upon Father Angelo, whobravely sustained it for several months. This mission contains threeprincipal villages, all of which are capitals of their respectivedistricts, other villages being annexed and subordinate to each ofthese three. Each one of these villages requires and needs at least twopriests with their usual assistants, in order to give adequate care toso many souls. San Iuan del Monte, which is a village of about fourhundred inhabitants, has near it Dalig and Angono. Antipolo containsseven hundred houses, and has the two villages of Santa Cruz andMaihai. Santiago was then being settled, with more than four hundredinhabitants, and had in its vicinity other villages, especially twoinhabited by blacks, or Itas. All those people were in charge ofFather Angelo Armano, who, during Lent of the year one thousand sixhundred and two, maintained them in great devotion and fervor withouttheir losing sight, on that account, of their devotional exercisesthroughout that season, especially in Holy Week. During the latterperiod, the divine services were celebrated with great solemnity, andthere were processions of blood in the two churches of San Juan andAntipolo, with a goodly number of confessions and communions. Anotherfather--a middle-aged man, who knew the language--came from Manila tohelp in this work, with orders not to remain more than one week, onaccount of the need of priests in Manila. However, on the second dayof Easter, the rector of Manila came with two other fathers who knewthe language, on their vacation, very opportunely for concluding theconfessions and communions in those villages. During the month thatwe spent there, there was a notable concourse of people who came toconfess, and great was the number of communions. At that time thereoccurred to Father Pedro de Segura, who was one of those who had gonethither from Manila, an extraordinary incident in connection withthe image of our blessed Father Ignatius. One morning, at daybreak, he was summoned in behalf of a woman who lay in a critical conditionfrom childbirth, and wished to confess with Father Segura. Whilethe father was dressing himself to go, he sent for an image of ourfather, to whom he professed great devotion--which had been increasedby the outcome of the shipwrecks which we have described, in which hehimself had been present. There was some delay in bringing the image, so that the father reached the sick woman first; and after he hadconfessed her the image arrived. The poor woman was much exhausted, and, according to the midwife, in extreme danger. The infant was dead, and as it lay obliquely in the womb, the mother could not obtainrelief by expelling it. The father exhorted her to have confidence inour Lord, and placing the image before her, left her calling loudlyto heaven in her anguish. A second time they called him to hearher confession; and the father, having done so and encouraged heras before, went away. As he was descending from the house the womanexpelled the infant, to the wonder of all at seeing the dead child, and the mother living and free from so great a peril. 

The people of Antipolo celebrated with great solemnity the feast ofthe most blessed sacrament, which was attended by the people of ourmission as well as of many others. A dialogue in the Tagal languagewas spoken by the children of the seminary with much cleverness andindication of ability, and to the satisfaction and pleasure of thehearers. This seminary is making great progress in both spiritual andtemporal affairs. It is aided by the Indians, with generous alms forits maintenance; and (what is of even greater value) they act withsuch harmony and edification that they may well serve as an exampleto the Spanish youth. Some of these pupils are of signal virtue, and our Lord shows them many favors. Every day they go to hear mass, or, in case there is no one to say it, to commend themselves to ourLord in the church. They regularly go from their houses recitingaloud the Christian doctrine; and, upon reaching the church, theyconclude it upon their knees. They celebrate the feasts with muchsolemn pomp and music (for the seminary can furnish good music);and they practice there reading and writing, and other honorableand virtuous exercises. The hospital is making excellent progress, and the Confraternities assign each week those of their members whoare to care for the service of the sick, doing this, as I have said, with great alacrity and devotion. 

The new residence of Silan and its Christians. Chapter LXXIX. 

This new field of Silan was assigned to the Society of Jesus fromthe year 1599, as the people of those villages, among whom were someChristians, were without a priest to minister to them, although theywere but a day's journey from Manila. [24] There are five villages, which contain about one thousand five hundred inhabitants, besides themany other people who, as is their custom, are separated and dispersedthrough the country districts, in their cultivated lands. Thesevillages are in the tingues, as they call them, of Cavite, among somemountains; the climate there is very moderate, and in no season ofthe year is there excessive heat--rather, the mountains render itcooler. The people are simple, tractable, and well inclined towardall good things. The first members of the Society who went expresslyto instruct them and to settle there were Father Gregorio Lopezand Father Pedro de Segura, who went in the year 1601. In previousmonths and years some of us had gone there for a short time, as wehad visited other places, on a mission or by way of recreation; andby the friendly reception that they gave us and the results which, by Divine grace, were accomplished among them, we were encouragedto establish among them in that year a regular mission, stationingthere the two fathers whom I have mentioned. Through the teachingand good example of those fathers they abandoned some of their evilpractices, and applied themselves to the Christian customs with goodwill and pleasure; and many (for there were no Christians among them)received holy baptism. 

Not only do they attend their own mass and sermon on Sundays(never missing one of these services), but on Saturdays they goto hear that in honor of our Lady, which is said for them with asmuch solemnity as that on Sundays. They were greatly encouraged inthe observance of these masses and feasts by the following incidentwhich occurred at that time: A woman, who was very eager to finishthe weaving of a piece of cloth, sat down at her loom one Sunday towork thereon; afterward, upon returning to her task, she found thecloth all eaten away by moths. She herself made this known, withthe full knowledge that it had been a chastisement and penalty forthat offense of hers. To assist us in instructing the large numberof catechumens in those villages, and in teaching the doctrine tothe innumerable children who assemble at the mission from all thesettlements, our Lord provided for that work an Indian blind in bodybut truly enlightened of soul, who, with great faith, charity, andlove for the things of God, instructs those who wish to be baptized, catechizing them morning and night in the church. He is so expert inthe catechism that none of us could excel him therein. Consequently, they come from his charge marvelously well instructed; and, althoughhe is blind, he is so watchful over the large number of catechumens inhis charge, that he notes if even one person is absent, and reportsit to the father. The first time when he received communion, whichwas on the feast of our Lady, he displayed such profound respect andreverence that his body trembled while receiving the holy sacrament, and so great devotion that the sight of it inspired that emotion inothers. This man deserves all the greater credit for what he is doing, for having gone from one extreme to another; formerly he was one ofthe heathen priests, whom they here call catalones, and now he hasbecome a preacher of our holy faith. This he relates, while utteringfervent thanks and exalting the great favors and benefits which Godhas bestowed upon him. 

The increase of this mission has been very great, although it requiresarduous labors on the part of the fathers, who have been obliged togo forth among mountains and rugged cliffs seemingly inaccessible;for they go to seek the people in their huts and grain-fields, whereit seems as if the devil, in order to deprive them of instruction andgospel truth, had persuaded them to seek wild and rugged places whichcan be reached only with the greatest difficulty. In this work thefathers have spent the greater part of their time, and have gatheredinto settlements (to the consolation of their own souls) a greatnumber of people, of all classes. Old persons who seemed the livingand fearful images of death, men, women, and tender little children, of all ages, have in this way become acquainted with gospel truth;and as they see that we act disinterestedly in all things, even aidingthem in our poverty, they are attracted to us, and soon are rankedin the number of the faithful. 

The fathers have succored them in their sickness; and during apestilence which was prevalent in one of the places visited from thismission, they went there twice to confess the people, although thedistance was great, and the roads so difficult that in the going tothat one place one must go through nine or ten precipitous ravines, to pass which, as it was then the rainy season, they must walkbarefoot, the mud in many places being knee-deep. The fathers heardthe confessions of all the sick, some of whom our Lord soon took toHimself. While returning from this village the father passed througha little hamlet of Christians not dependent on this mission, whichlay within some very rugged ravines; and among all its people therewas not one who had in all his life made confession. They welcomedthe father with great joy, going more than a quarter of a legua outof the village to meet him; and when he departed from the villagethey accompanied him to a like distance. He heard the confessionsof some, and all were desirous of removing to our mission-village;they put this desire into execution, at the end of four months, bybreaking up the entire village, and proceeding with their familiesto Silan. This and other beneficial results from that residence ofSilan are well described by Father Gregorio Lopez in a letter writtenby him for the father-visitor, thus:

"Early in my stay there, the people told me that in Caibabayan was acatalona, or priestess; and in order to cut the thread of evil, and togain a knowledge of those distant fields and peoples, I went thither, desiring to act toward them as a father rather than as a judge; andthe Lord, who is the true Father of all, fulfilled my desire. Findingno present evil, but only the report of past things, I sought toreëstablish the reputation of the person whom they defamed. I found inone of the most distant fields, an old man about seventy years of age, who was crippled and had been sick for days. I baptized him, givinghim the name of Ignacio, and invited many others who had not evenbeen baptized--encouraging in them the desire for so great a good, helping them to learn what was necessary, to which they commonly giveattention. Word was sent from one to another among those mountainsand plantations, and those people followed me about with tokens oflove and offered to entertain me. Afterward were baptized there manypersons of all ages--children, youths, and old men. A few days ago Iwas informed that in the villages of Malabag, Balete, and Dinglas therewere many sick persons who needed help. I set out in the morning aftersaying mass, thinking to return in the evening; but when I arrivedthere and saw the needy condition of the people, I changed my plan, for I found in Malabag many sick persons. After I had cared for themI heard the confessions of many who were infirm and old, and thosewho wished to guard against the malady which was attacking many ofthem--and perhaps not a few that they might profit, at little cost, by the presence of the new confessor in their village. I passed on toBalete and found that it had become a hospital. I went through all thehouses to hear confessions, but could not finish them on that day; soI continued this task on the following day, and then went to Dinglas, where I found the same needs. All, both the sick and those in health, were greatly consoled by my visit; and finally I returned to Silangin the night, with the fiscal and others, who accompanied me. I hadoccasion to make other and shorter trips among the plantations inthe vicinity of Silang, as they contained sick persons who were inneed; I also desired to ascertain what houses and persons were inthose country districts. Moreover, I thus did something to further myplan of removing them to the village and to have them carry thithertheir rice and their little possessions, desiring to accomplish whatyour Reverence so desires, and which is so expedient for the properinstruction of those people. The great activity and solicitude ofthe father, who is my companion, was of great value to me in this asin all other matters; and the coming of the father rector and FatherDiego Sanchez, who assisted us here until Lent, was most valuable, adding more energy and ability to our forces, and consoling andencouraging those people with suitable instruction. 

"After Christmas I was summoned back to Manila, but in Lent was sentagain to the village of Silang. At that time I found the missiongreatly increased by the many natives whom the fathers had recentlybrought together; they were coming to us each day from other villages(the entire village of Indan had joined us), all of them very needy, and almost half of them unbaptized. On the feast of St. Gregory Ibaptized twenty-five persons, only one of whom, a sick woman, was ofadult age, and on the feast of the Annunciation twenty-one, of whomnineteen were adults; at present another goodly number of them arebeing prepared. The number of those baptized this year is about twohundred, and the confessions very numerous; and the number of thoseadmitted to communion is about fifty, the choicest of whom are membersof the confraternity. We erected our altar of the sepulchre [25] asskilfully as we were able, and celebrated the offices [appropriate tothe occasion], by the help of which this new people gained new lightupon the services of Holy Week. Those who took the discipline, goingforth in a formal procession, were on Holy Monday, the singers, who didthis by way of preparation; others desired to march on Holy Tuesday, but, as the day was stormy and the winds violent, I forbade them todo so. They had their procession on Holy Wednesday; and others, ingreater number, marched on Holy Thursday. Our most important processionwas on Holy Friday, in the evening; two images were carried--one, a small crucifix (for we had no larger one); the other, an image ofour Lady--while the choir sang the litanies. When this processionended, people gathered in sufficient number to form another; thiswas caused by the lack of [woolen] tunics, which were removed bytheir wearers and lent [to those in the second procession]. In allthe processions except the principal one, the music consisted of theChristian doctrine, sung by the children as they walked. 

"I must continue the account which in other letters I have written toyour Reverence of the favors which the Lord communicates by means of aprint of our blessed Father Ignatius; for He is continually bestowingthese favors upon those new Christians, on account of their strongfaith in Him. A woman was brought in to us, sick and unable to speak, and was dying before us without our being able to obtain from hera word or sign so that we could give her absolution; the statementof her friends, moreover, that she had asked for confession, wasdoubtful. I was therefore anxious and grieved, until I brought heran image of our blessed father, and I said mass for the sick woman, and when I returned she was able to speak, and made a good confession;but utterance again failed her, and she died in peace. 

"When I returned the second time, I was called in haste to visit asick woman, great with child, who was suffering violent pains andtorment. We went to see her, and it aroused our compassion to beholdher in convulsions of pain, both she and the infant (which was enteringthe ninth month) being in danger of death. I sent for the image ofour blessed father, and then left the sick woman with Diego, our goodblind man, and his wife, who performs the duties of a midwife. Sogood service did they render, in conjunction with the intercessionof our blessed Father Ignatius (to whom they were greatly devoted), that very soon they sent for me to baptize the child, which was bornalive. I baptized it, but it died; and the mother regained her health. 

"On Holy Saturday a young man came to me in alarm, saying thata demon was trying to choke his sister. I went to her house andfound her suffering from an oppression in her breast and throat, anddistressed by fear. I asked for the image, and when it was brought, I heard the sick woman's confession; she was at once relieved fromthe oppression and anxiety. For her greater consolation I left theimage in order that she might have good company. 

"On the following day, the Lord accorded us a most joyful EasterSunday. In the morning there came to me a man, but recently arrivedfrom Indan, who said that his wife was in a very exhausted conditionfrom the pains of childbirth. I sent him with a boy to take theimage of our blessed father and carry it to his home. He departed atonce, and when the image was carried into the house his wife broughtforth her child. It seems that the Lord has chosen to confirm thisnewly-converted people in their recent coming to Him, and in theirfaith. A few days ago, a Bilango came to us in haste to ask for theimage in behalf of a woman who was in childbirth; and as soon asit was brought to her, she gave birth to a child. In Santiago alsothe fiscal, remembering what he had heard about our blessed father, entreated his aid, as his wife was in a like critical condition, andher life in great danger. Immediately her infant was born alive, and, while receiving the water of holy baptism, passed on to the bliss ofeternal light. " Thus far I have cited the letter of Father GregorioLopez; he could easily have related therein many other unusual eventsand marvelous incidents which occurred among those new believers. Heomitted them probably for the sake of brevity, and because many ofthem are quite similar--for which reason I too omit them. But I mustnot fail to mention one incident which occurred during the absence ofFather Gregorio Lopez, at which time his companion, Father Pedro deSegura, remained in Silan. Two Indians came to this father one night, seeking relief for a woman who was the wife of one and a relativeof the other. She was suffering violent pangs in childbirth, andwas in a most critical state, being unable to expel the child. Thetwo Indians earnestly entreated the father, in their simplicity, for some blessed beads. He gave them his own reliquary, and as theywere carrying it away he bethought himself of the image of our blessedFather Ignatius. Immediately he summoned the fiscal (who is always aman of mature years and trustworthy character), and gave him the imageto be carried to the sick woman. The Indian woman, when she beheld theimage, took it in her hands with devotion and love, and at the samemoment gave birth to a child as beautiful as an angel, to her own greatjoy and the wonder of those who were present. Soon afterward she namedthe child, on this account, Maliuag, which signifies "difficult;" andagain, at the baptism, Ignacio, in memory of so signal a favor. Thename which this woman gave her child at its birth gives me occasionto describe the custom of these people in giving names. 

The manner in which names are conferred among the Filipinos. ChapterLXXX. 

When a child is born, it is the mother's duty to give it a name; andwhatever appellation she gives it must remain its name. The namesare most often conferred on account of certain circumstances--as, for example, Maliuag, which means "difficult, " because the child'sbirth was such; Malacas, which signifies "a man of strength, " becausethe mother thinks that the child will be strong, or desires that itbe so. At other times they name it, without any symbolism or specialreason, by the first word which occurs to them--as, for example, Daan, which signifies "road;" Babui, which means "pig;" or Manug, which signifies "fowl. " All persons are called by these names frombirth, without using surnames until they are married. The first-bornson or daughter then gives his or her name to the parents; for untilthey die they call the father Ama ni Coan, "father of So-and-so, "and the mother Ina ni Coan, "mother of So-and-so. " The names of thewomen are distinguished from those of the men by adding "in. " Thus, while the name of a man and of a woman may be practically the same, that of the man is left intact, and to the woman's is added the[termination] "in;" for example, Hog (which means "river") beingthe name of two persons of different sex, the man is called Hog, the woman Hoguin. In naming children they use diminutives, just aswe do; but in order not to exceed the limits of my narrative, orto enter those of grammar, I shall not enumerate these, or the otherappellations more personal, more intimate, or more elegant, which thosepeople use for nearly all the degrees of relationship. For instance, _ama_ means "father;" thus the son, in speaking of him to a thirdperson calls him _ang amaco_, that is, "my father. " But the son inaddressing his father directly does not call him _ama_, but _bapa_, which is a more intimate and affectionate term; nor does he addresshis mother as _ina_, but _bai_. On the other hand, the father andmother in familiar intercourse call their sons, brothers, uncles, and other near relatives, not by the common appellations of suchrelationship, but by others more intimate and personal, which signifya like connection. This is but another illustration of the fertility, elegance and courtesy of the Tagal language, which we described inchapter 16. The children of those natives were reared in such respectand reverence for the names belonging to their parents that theynever called them by these, whether the parents were living or dead;they believed, moreover, that if they uttered these names they wouldfall dead, or become leprous. 

At first, I was much often annoyed at these superstitions, because, as I did not know the secret, I would upon occasions of affabilityor flattery, or necessity or obligation, inquire of the son forhis father; and, as he gave me no answer, I remained confused andabashed. But, with the aid of Divine grace, this and other badcustoms and errors were banished and forgotten; and we played agame--our fathers, and the little children, and even the adults--inwhich each one told the name of his father, I also telling them thename of mine. Not only this, but anyone would name the parents ofanother--a thing which they consider a great incivility and insult. 

It is a general custom among all these nations not to have any specialfamily names, titles, or surnames; using, as I have before said, butone appellation. Now, besides the Christian name, Juan or Pedro, theyuse as a surname that which the mother gives them at birth--althoughthere are mothers so Christian and civilized that they will not usethis latter name, but prefer that both Christian name and surname beconferred in baptism; this we often do. The wretched "Don" has filledboth men and women with such vanity that every one of them who has atolerably good opinion of himself must place this title before hisname; accordingly, there are even more Dons among them than amongour Spaniards. 

The visit which the right reverend bishop of Sebu made to Bohol, and the fervor and growth of those Christians. Chapter LXXXI. 

The right reverend bishop of Sebu, in the course of his visitsamong his flocks, determined to go for this purpose to the island ofBohol--which, as we have said, is about eight leguas to the southof the island of Sebu--taking as his companion Father FranciscoGonzalez of our Society. We learned of the outcome of this visitthrough that father's account of it in one of his letters, as follows:"I think that your Reverence knows of the visit which his Lordshipmade to the island of Bohol; but, as it was my lot to accompany him, I shall relate to your Reverence, if only in outline, something ofwhat befell us there. He visited in the island of Bohol eight villageswhich are instructed by the fathers of the Society, and confirmedtherein three thousand Christians, spending about twenty days in thevisit. Most remarkable was the fervor which resulted from it, for theChristians made excellent preparation for receiving the sacrament, many of them, in all the villages, making their confessions. Besidesthis, he had previously trained and examined them, all being assembledin the church, in the catechism, causing them to repeat aloud theprincipal mysteries of our faith. A sermon was preached them whereinthey were exhorted to feel much grief at having offended our Lord. Atthe conclusion of the sermon, they all fell upon their knees, andoffered audible acts of contrition and of love to God. They werenext asked if they desired to receive the sacrament of confirmation;and they answered aloud that they desired it, in order that our Lordmight pardon their sins and strengthen them in the faith. Then, hisLordship confirmed them, with a short exhortation at the end of theceremony, by which they were all greatly consoled and fortified inthe truth of our holy faith. This result was greatly aided by the loveand so paternal affection which the lord bishop manifested to them notonly in the church but in their houses--going to visit the sick, andconfirming them in their very cabins; giving alms, ransoming slaves, and clothing the poor; and performing many other deeds of mercy. HisLordship was especially delighted at beholding those new flocks ofhis so well instructed, when they were answering the questions oncatechism, which was done in the presence of his Lordship. " Such isthe brief account given by the father. 

All these are but flames of that celestial fire which we said hadtaken hold of this island, and with which even the little childrenare ablaze. Thus in each of those villages nearly two hundredchildren assemble every day, uttering praises to the Divine Majesty, acknowledging His greatness, learning the Christian doctrine, andimparting it to their parents and elders. The confessions cannot beenumerated, for they are as many as there are Christians. No one failsto make his confession during Lent, even though he may have confessedmany times during the year; and with like ardor the other exercisesof piety and devotion are performed. This was especially evident onHoly Friday of that year, one thousand six hundred and two, duringthe adoration of the cross, in which they displayed deep emotion;they even removed the rings from their fingers and the jewels fromtheir ears, to make offerings of these. As Father Gabriel Sanchezhas been the usual laborer in that island, I shall here set downa part of one of his letters in which, with his usual simplicity, he gives some account of the island and of Christianity therein:"Our Lord has been well served this year in the island of Bohol, withthe fruits gathered from the conversion of those pagans, for in thisbarren waste we have set out a beautiful garden of new plants which ourLord has planted. Many people have been brought together and inducedto settle in villages, wherein they are instructed. At the time whenI am writing this, we are in a village on the coast, whither therecame down to us yesterday two other villages of the Tinguianes, ormountaineers, asking us, of their own accord, to allow them to livehere. As an earnest of their desire, they brought as many as fortychildren that we might baptize them, which we have done. We value thisall the more because these two villages have up to this time been themost obstinate and stubborn in all the island: but God has now beenpleased to soften their hearts. May He be blessed and praised that, if there had been fathers for all of them, the whole island wouldnow be converted; for, although there are actually in this mission nomore than four thousand Christians, its people are so well disposedthat on the day when they shall have someone to teach and baptizethem they will all be converted. The very villages that we are unableto teach come frequently to ask that we will go to instruct them andunite them into one, and give them baptism. But, as so few fathershave been in this island, we have not been able to succor them; and sothey remain until God shall send them a reënforcement of fathers--ofwhom they themselves are so desirous that they have already builtus houses and churches, before a priest has been brought to them, or even mentioned, to my knowledge. May God, whose plantation thisis, send workmen hither, since there is harvest enough in all thisisland; and when they shall undertake to extend their labors further, there are, near by, some little islands in extreme spiritual want, andentirely deprived of any human succor for their conversion. Thereinmight be held some missions most acceptable to God, all the more sobecause those people are so forsaken; for, as those are insignificantlittle islands, no one cares for them. Those people are on the roadto hell, if we do not succor them; and we do not aid them for lack ofministers. One of these islands is called Isla de Fuegos ["Island ofFires"], and is a half day's sail distant from here. Several timesits chiefs have come to ask that we would go thither. The peoplealready know how to recite the Christian doctrine, and yet not one hasbeen baptized there (although they are calling for that sacrament), for there is no one who may distribute the bread, and thus they areperishing of spiritual hunger. 

"But, to return to our island, there is great cause to glorify ourLord in seeing the esteem with which its people regard the Christianreligion, and the fervor with which they one and all fulfil theirobligations as Christians, in confession and communion, and in theirpious and general affection toward the things of God. A week ago, there was in our house a young man, an infidel, who had come fromanother village to see us. He was laughing and enjoying himself withthe others, although quite modestly; yet another lad who was there, aChristian, said to him: 'How is it that thou, who art not a Christian, dost laugh and sport?'" Thus writes the father; he adds that the newbaptisms during this past year amounted to four hundred. The numberwas no larger, because they did not dare to baptize converts in othervillages until those people could have fathers to maintain them inthe faith and in Christian customs. 

The growth of Christianity in Catubig. Chapter LXXXII. 

The same want of gospel ministers is felt by other residences (asis plainly evident from what I have thus far said), but especiallyin the island of Samar, where for that very reason the exercises ofHoly Week and Easter were celebrated this year in one village; andthere were many confessions and communions together with the feast andprocession of the institution of the most blessed sacrament--both ofwhich were conducted with devotion and grandeur, although with someinconvenience, as they were not celebrated at their proper time. 

Nevertheless, on account of the extraordinary and crying needsof Catubig--which, as we have said, is in the eastern part of theisland of Ibabao, bathed by the South Sea--Father Juan de Torres, accompanied by a brother, was constrained to go thither from Tinagonat the end of the year one thousand six hundred and one. For a yearand a half no one had visited Catubig, because there was no one whocould go there; and now, although this caused a lack of service atother stations, the greater needs of Catubig compelled us to leave them[for the present]. Well did our Lord exercise them in their journey, so that upon arriving they might enjoy the pleasant fruit whichthey afterward gathered; for besides the rivers and swamps--throughwhich they journeyed with the water, in some places, and the mud inothers, to their knees--the slopes and mountains were so rugged thatit was impossible to advance except by using their hands as feet. Butconsolation was not long delayed; even before they reached Catubig, ontheir very way, our Lord aided them, as the father himself describesin the following words: "One night three villages met together, rejoicing at our arrival, and, thinking that it would be appropriate, I told them about the things of the other life, the immortality of thesoul, and the existence of God; and of the reward for Christians, andthe torment for those who are not. I am sure, my father, that amongthe many people who were there you would not think that there wasone who had not faith, to judge by what they said and the questionsthey asked, and the way in which they encouraged one another toreceive baptism. They soon made arrangements to build a large church, and gave me a list of all the inhabitants, including the children, of whom there are an infinite number. God knows what my grief wasat seeing them in the arms of their mothers; for they appeared tome like unto the ripe fruit hanging from the bough, which, if thegardener neglects it, is either stolen or decays, and thus is lost. "

Refreshed by such consolation, the father continued on hisway, crossing the entire island of Ibabao, as far as the riverof Catubig, where he found the whole people busied in theirgrain-fields. Accordingly, he went farther to some small islands lyingadjacent in the broad sea, where the people had already gathered intheir rice crops. In one of them, called Batac, he made a short stay, and the people from all the neighboring islands assembled there tocelebrate the Christmas festivals, and attend to the things pertainingto their salvation. When they were about to return home, advice wasgiven to the women in other matters relating to civilized ways and tomodesty--especially in regard to their mode of dress, which, on accountof their being a rough and barbarous people, was not quite decent;but after they were taught, they adorned and covered themselves moremodestly. They had built, in anticipation of the father's coming, achurch and house and even a confessional for the women. After a goodlynumber had been made Christians, the father returned to the principalstation, which is Catubig; and at his departure these poor creaturesbesought him earnestly not to leave them so forsaken, now that hewas going away, but to teach some Christian the form and ceremony, so that he could baptize them in cases of necessity. The father didso, and left them with much grief in his heart. But these pains, which in truth are more intense than those of childbirth, we oftensuffer there, since the harvest is so great and the laborers are sofew. So many were the baptisms in Catubig that the father, fearinglest the blessed oil and chrism would give out, carried the water ofbaptism from place to place, in order not to prepare it so often. [26]

Among the notable conversions in this mission, which amounted to sevenhundred, the most distinguished and remarkable of all was that of achief some sixty years of age, and highly esteemed in that region. Inthis case much time was needful to extricate his conscience from theformer robberies and tyrannies which we have already described. Hegave their freedom to many slaves, and, in order to settle otherobligations which were not defined by the church, presented to us ahandsome house, so large that, together with the church (a buildingabout fifteen brazas long), it serves us a commodious habitation forour fathers who are there; and finally, after a thorough preparation, baptism was conferred upon him. He was governor of the village, and yet as a catechumen he attended each morning the sermons for thechildren. There he encouraged all, both children and adults, exhortedthem to adopt Christian customs, and rebuked in them anything thatseemed to be opposed to these. When the father reminded him that allhis household should be baptized, he attended to that matter withsurprising energy. He himself conducted them to the church, and withefficacious arguments persuaded them to be baptized. In this way thegreater number of his household were baptized, the rest being deferred. 

Another conversion no less notable also occurred, which I shallrelate. An Indian chief from another island happened to pass througha village where the father was sojourning. He went with the press ofpeople to hear the father speak, and our holy faith so convinced himthat he did not for a moment leave our fathers, asking them questionsabout his salvation. So pleased was he with the instruction that theygave him, that without saying a word, keeping to himself this newsecret of his vocation, he went back to his island, where he becamea new preacher. He persuaded his wife, children, and relatives, actually carrying away all his kindred; and went to the place wherethe father was, in order to enjoy the light of the gospel, which hadnot shone on that country of his. He went in quest of the father, and carried him as a gift a turtle, the shell of which required twomen to lift it--so monstrous in size are the turtles in those seas;some of them I have seen and eaten. This chief often made known tothe father the state of his soul, and sought spiritual aid in veryexact and clear terms; and if he forgot anything therein, he toldof it in the same maner on the next day. His preparation continuedthus until, having given full evidences of his faith, he entered withall his household--wife, children, sons-in-law, and servants, in all, twelve persons--through the gate of holy baptism, into the flock of thegreat shepherd of souls, Jesus Christ our Lord. He was a man of greatvalor, as will be seen from an incident which we learned concerninghim. A large crocodile often came to the neighborhood of his house;and the Indian, angered thereat, determined to punish the hardihood ofthe beast. For this purpose, abandoning the usual means of catchingthose animals (that is, with a large hook), blinded by rage andtrusting to his own valor, he assembled as many as twenty persons;and while they stood watching him, he leaped alone into the water, and swam toward the beast with a knife in his hand. Then, divingbeneath the crocodile, like another valiant Eleazar, [27] he gave itseveral knife-thrusts in the belly and killed the beast. And, as agreater trophy, he was not, as was Eleazar, buried in his triumph, [28] but remained alive and sound--without a wound, or any lesionbeyond two insignificant scratches, one on his forehead, and oneon his leg. At this instant his followers hastened toward him, anddragging the beast to the shore, were hardly able, with the strengthof all, to land it, although it was floating on the water. They saw(and told me of it) a monster of incredible size, the largest thatI have ever seen there, or heard of. The animal measured, from itsshoulders to the tip of its tail, five brazas, [29] and from theshoulders to the mouth one braza--making its total length six brazas;and across the breast alone measured a full braza. 

There was another crocodile, smaller than this one, which inflictedloss on the household of a reputable Spaniard of Manila; and thisman came therefore to our house to entreat that Ours would providehim with a father who would make his Indians Christians. The affairoccurred thus: This Spaniard was in his encomienda, where his housestood on the shore of a river much infested by these beasts. While hewas dining one day, a youth, one of those who waited on the table, went to the river to wash some plates; but he did not finish histask, for a crocodile suddenly sprang upon him and swallowed him. Thepeople [in the house] saw this tragic event, and the good man leftthe table, grieved that the youth should perish without baptism, and desirous to see if there might be some means of giving him thesacrament before he should die in the belly of the crocodile. He soondecoyed the animal by means of a little dog, a food of which thesebeasts are very fond; and, having captured the crocodile and landedit on the shore, he cut it open and found the boy within, whole butdead. This man, who measured the beast (which was not a large one)told us that it was fifteen [Spanish] feet in length, but that thecapacity of its stomach was extraordinary: for within it were found, besides the corpse of the boy, a great number of eggs of variousanimals, and fifteen human heads. Grieved by this sad event, he hadcome to entreat that instruction might be supplied in his villages;but this could not be done, as there was no one to give it. 

But to return to Catubig: I shall conclude my account of this missionwith the miraculous experiences of two children, which gave us moreconsolation than did the incident which we have just related. Whilesome Indians were on their way to visit the father, one of those fiercebeasts attacked their boat, and seized a boy by the arm, carrying himaway before anyone could rescue him. The boy, following the piouscustom that those people have of invoking Jesus and Mary, when hefound himself in the water in the power of the crocodile, cried aloud:"Jesus and Mary, help me!" and the marvelous thing was that the beastat once let him go practically unharmed, for the few scratches that hehad received from the nails hurt him but little. Rejoicing at this, and strengthened in the faith, they drew the child from the waterinto the boat, praising God for His mercies toward them. One nightthe same father was summoned in behalf of another child, who wasvery sick. His parents were very sorrowful, for, although but tendays old, he had not sucked his mother's breast for three days. Theywere anxious for his recovery, but desired, even more, that he shouldnot die without baptism. The father went, and baptized the child;and the next morning, when he inquired about it, they replied thatthe infant was already well, for holy baptism had immediately cured it. 

Let this suffice concerning that mission, and at the same time concludemy narrative, since I have now related the most notable events, andthose which seemed most important and edifying, up to my departure fromthose islands--which, as I said in the beginning, was in the month ofJuly of the year one thousand six hundred and two. [30] I trust thatthe progress of events from that time until the present, a periodof almost two years, may give no less satisfaction and consolation, and that of the future even more; and I hope that it will have a moreable chronicler; indeed, any one in the Society can do it better thanI. It is enough for me that I have tried to render some service to theSociety by this humble work, which although a small one, has cost memuch effort. This, and that other and greater task of undertaking somany and so long voyages (made not for my own pleasure, but in responseto the claims of obedience), I think deserve the reward which I desireand claim for them, which is nothing else than the object to whichthose labors were dedicated--the increase and extension of the holyCatholic faith in those so remote islands, by the conversion of somany souls who are so ready to receive it. May your Paternity and allthose who are able to come to their aid take pity upon them, so thatministers of the gospel may distribute to them the bread of heaven, for the hunger from which they are dying. It is a sorrowful thing, more sorrowful than can be told, to see them die without relief. AtRoma, March 5, 1604. 

_Father Chirino_, of the Society of Jesus. 

DOCUMENTS OF 1604

 Letters to Felipe III. Pedro de Acuña; July 15 and 19. Decrees regarding religious orders. Felipe III, and others; February-July. Grant to the Jesuit seminary at Cebú. Pedro Chirino; [undated; 1604?]. Decree regulating commerce with Nueva España. Felipe III; December 31. 

_Source_: All of these documents are obtained from MSS. In the Archivogeneral de Indias, Sevilla. 

_Translations_: These are made by Robert W. Haight--excepting thethird, which is by Henry B. Lathrop, of the University of Wisconsin. 

LETTERS TO FELIPE III FROM PEDRO DE ACUNA

On the Sangleys

Sire:

The two ships which came this year from Nueva Hespaña arrived in sightof these islands on the tenth of last month, and the captain made theport of Cavite on St. John's day. The Almiranta, not being so good aship, could not follow him, and remained on the shoal of Mindoro untilthe fifth of the present month, which caused great loss. The viceroy ofNueva Hespaña writes me that the cause of these ships leaving Acapulcoso late was because they had met this despatch and that of the Condede Monterey for Peru, and that for the coming year he will see toit that it is earlier. This is necessary, for it has likewise beenunavoidable, on this account, that those who were going back to NuevaHespaña should be late in leaving here; for the Sangley merchants, taking warning from the many losses which they have suffered, and theneglect of the Spaniards to pay them during years past, will not giveup their cloth without first seeing the silver at hand. Accordinglythey waited until the money came before buying the goods and makingup the packages and cases, all of which used to run on credit. 

I wrote your Majesty by way of Yndia, in November and December past, of the uprising by the Sangleys, and the outcome of it, with what upto that time had occurred to me, which your Majesty will have orderedexamined when this arrives. In case my sheets may have been lost, duplicates of them will go with this. 

In that despatch I informed your Majesty that I was consideringsending a ship to China with information of the event, so that ifany ship belonging to the rebels should arrive there and try to placeon us the blame for their loss and ours, they might be made aware ofthe truth. This was done, although with some opposition, and was ofso much use that when certain captains learned that this ship was inMacan they determined to come, although with little merchandise--forthey came with some hesitation, as they afterward said, as they donot wish vengeance to be executed upon them for the loss which theothers had caused by the said uprising. I had the property whichwas deposited returned to them (which I think amounted to more than[_MS. Defective_] pesos), which was to them a strong proof of ourinnocence; this was done that they might not credit in China whatthose rebels who arrived there had published, for they said that, in order to seize the property for ourselves, we had taken the livesof those Sangleys. These goods deposited belonged to quiet Chinesemerchants, reputable persons, who were not in the uprising--and evenfor the most part had hanged or suffocated themselves, at seeingwhat a plight those of their own nation had put them in, and thattheir own countrymen were robbing and maltreating them, as is toldin the relation of this affair. From the said deposited propertyhad been appropriated, by my order and that of the Audiencia and thecouncil on finances, a sum amounting to more than thirty-six thousandpesos, to aid the troops; and when the affair was over I was quiteunprovided and embarrassed, as there were likewise other expenses forfortification and for the exigencies of the service of your Majesty, and there was no other place whence it could be supplied. We cannotsatisfy the Chinese at present, as we have not the means to do so;this troubles me much, as I should wish to be able to fulfil theoffer I made to the viceroys of China by my letters, which was therestitution of this property, which would remain on deposit until itwas surrendered to the owners. As the necessities have been so greatsince then, we could not avoid deferring this; it appeared best tocarry out our agreement with these people by giving them the money, since they had the cloth to sell, but it has not been possible. Ibeseech your Majesty to be pleased to order that the viceroy of NuevaHespaña send us this amount for this purpose, as I doubt much if theobligation can be satisfied here for many years. This commonwealthhas been greatly consoled at seeing that the Chinese have chosen tocontinue the commerce, of which we were much in doubt; but they haveactually done so. This was made easier by sending the information, and the entire failure of one year; in many ways this loss cannot berepaired. Nevertheless, the lack of money is felt in the treasury;for the duties on the entry and clearance of the goods from China, the royal officials tell me, amount to forty thousand pesos less thisyear than the year past. I believe that in the coming year we will havemany goods here; for the little which they brought this year has soldvery well, and they are content and quite satisfied at the freedomallowed them in their traffic, and that nothing is taken from themwithout their consent, as they were not before favored in this manner. 

I have responded to almost all the points of a paper which yourMajesty ordered me to write on the sixteenth of February of the pastyear 1602--as your Majesty will command to be examined in my answer, to which I refer you, merely saying that there I explain everythingwhich might be said in this. 

Christoval de Azqueta, captain and sargento-mayor of this camp, has passed more than twenty-eight years in these islands. During allthis time he has been occupied in the service of your Majesty in theaffairs of war, and a very good account of him has been given. Heis one of the most serviceable men I have for this employment; for, besides being a very good soldier, he has wide experience in all theislands and their ports. Likewise I was very well satisfied withhis person on account of his having so well and so industriouslyattended to his duty as sargento-mayor at the time when the Sangleyshad invested this city. It being understood that a great body ofthem had fortified themselves at San Pablo and another at Batangas, and that they were in a region where much food could be obtained onshort notice, as it was near the harvest time in those provinces, it was resolved that some person of tried valor should go to punishthem, being provided with a number of Indian arquebusiers, archers, and other soldiers, and a few Japanese, with one hundred and fiftySpaniards, and the necessary munitions for that purpose. I chose forthis the said sargento-mayor, Christoval de Azqueta, and he left withhis troops. He went about it so skilfully that the undertaking wassuccessful, and all the Sangleys were left dead except a few whomhe brought for the galleys. Therefore, considering the condition inwhich this colony was, and the risk which he ran in this service, itwas one of the most important which have ever been performed in theseislands for your Majesty. I have desired to give the sargento-mayorsome testimonial for his honor and gratification, but I have not doneso because I had not the means to do so. I have therefore offeredhim this, to give him a good encomienda; and accordingly it will begiven and allotted to him in the name of your Majesty, at the firstopportunity. He has, moreover, earned it by the services which heperformed long ago. It is fitting that it should be known that yourMajesty favors and honors those who serve him, so that others maybe encouraged to do the same. It has seemed best to me to give anaccount of this to your Majesty and to beseech you, as I do, thatyou should be pleased to command that the affairs and claims of thesargento-mayor always be favored, and that honor and grace be donehim; for in this affair I can assure you, the service which he hasdone here was greater than appears by this writing. 

The punishment of the Sangleys being accomplished, there remainsto us another care no less great, which is the suspicion we havethat within a short time a great fleet is to come from China to takepossession of this country, as I wrote your Majesty last year. Thisarises from the coming of the mandarins, and from information thatsome of those Chinese who were punished for their guilt in theiruprising were trying to circulate. Accordingly all the people werepersuaded that this rebellion depended upon that; and at one time arumor was current to the effect that seven hundred Chinese ships hadbeen seen not far from here--on which occasion it seemed best to me toput things in order as thoroughly as if I had certain advice that thesaid fleet was on this coast. Among other precautions which I took, I appointed for the company left vacant by Don Tomas Brabo (my nephew, whom the Sangleys killed in the uprising), Captain Juan de Villaçon, as he is a soldier who has spent many years in Flandes, and duringthat time had been the alferez of Don Luis Brabo de Acuña, my brother;and because he has had experience in the conduct of war in besiegedcities--as it was expected this one must be so in a short time, andas we had very few or none to whom we could have recourse in such acase. It was necessary for me to urge and coax him, and he acceptedit because it was on such an occasion, and to please me. Although theauditors were in the midst of so many cares, and I was hard at workfortifying the weak places, erecting bulwarks and opening trenches, they issued an act in which they commanded me to make appointmentsaccording to the royal ordinances, and that in the meantime thereshould be no changes--as if that were the time for such offices to befilled by whomsoever the auditors wish and ask to do it, or in whichto be considering ordinances, instead of what was most fitting for yourMajesty's service and the good of the cause. It was necessary in orderto make them understand this, or make them willing to understand it, to use much time and energy; and they finally approved of it as ifthey were doing me some great honor. By this event your Majesty maysee to what tune the affairs of war were going, with demands andresponses. God was pleased to bring it about that the informationwhich I sent from Macan caused the Chinese not to collect anyfleet in China for the present, and that the merchant ships came;I accordingly dismissed Captain Villaçon, giving him his discharge, seeing that the reason for his accepting the said company had ceased;I have thought best to give an acount of this to your Majesty, thatyou may be informed thereof, and may have given such order as may beexpedient in similar cases which may arise in the future. 

The decree which your Majesty ordered to be sent to me with thedeclaration of the places which must be taken in the processions andpublic acts by the president, auditors, and prelates when they takepart therein together, arrived at a very opportune time, and has beennecessary to avoid the troubles which have arisen with the archbishopin this regard, as he would not be persuaded that this was the willof your Majesty; but he is satisfied with the decree. 

We are on good terms with the emperor of Japon, and likewise withhis vassals who come here to trade and to make money on flour, hams, tunny-fish, nails, iron, weapons, and other things which they bring tosell. They go back with loads of deerskins and Chinese merchandise, asthey have always done. This year, owing to the loss of the ship fromMacan, they brought some money and spent it. I have overlooked thisfor the present, and allowed it to be done in order not to displeasethem. But I have warned them not to bring any more, or I shall notgive them any chance to employ it. 

The accountant Juan de Bustamante, who acts in that capacity forthe royal exchequer of your Majesty in these islands, is very old, infirm, and crippled, for which reason the affairs of his office arenot so well expedited as they should be. I last year besought yourMajesty to order him retired and pensioned, and to appoint a personin his place. At present I shall again make the same suggestion, as it appears to me important for the service of your Majesty. 

The Marques of Montes Claros, [31] viceroy of Nueva Hespaña, last yearmade the allotment of the money which your Majesty has graciouslypermitted to be assigned to the citizens of these islands. As thiscannot be done punctually in Mexico, and there are in that countryinterested persons--perchance the very ones who are apportioningthe money, or giving their advice therein--there have been manycomplaints. This could not be otherwise, as Mexico is so far awayand they cannot know there what each of the citizens here has anddeserves, and what ought to be given them. The viceroy writes thathe did the best he could, and could do no better, and accordinglyI believe him. He likewise wrote me to send him some information inregard to this matter. What I have done is to appoint eight personsfrom the most honored of this colony, and disinterested in the matterof partnership, to make the allotment among the citizens, as is donewith the cargo, considering what is most expedient and most justand satisfactory for the people; and it has been so done. I haveallotted to the distributers themselves their own part because I wasnot willing that they should allot it. I have sent the memorandumto the viceroy. Your Majesty will be pleased to order that the saidallotment be made in accordance therewith, as well as the licenses; andthat, this be continued from year to year; for it is most expedient, and with it there will be less uncertainty and fraud. 

The royal treasury of these islands is in great need of inspectionand reform. It should be put in good order and well regulated; for, according to the officials, there are no ordinances, nor is thereproper government and administration for the property. AlthoughI do what I can to maintain it, some measure must be taken in thisregard which will be more radical and put it on an entirely differentfooting from the present one. The original inspection made in pastyears was by the factor, Francisco de las Missas, alone. I have thisin my possession, and a copy of it was sent to the Council by DoctorMorga, who took it. As the commission for the inspection of the otherofficers--delivered to me in order that the late licentiate Cambrano, might make it--covers only the time of four months (which is noteven a long enough period to look over the papers), I instructedthem to take a further adjournment, so that this vacancy in theinspector's office should not cause the neglect of necessary work;and accordingly I am doing so at present. Your Majesty will commandaccording to your pleasure. 

It has likewise seemed best to give your Majesty an account of theinexpediency of appointing as inspector of the auditors any of theircompanions, especially those who have exercised that office at thesame time with them, and given judgment in the same affairs; for ifone of them has acted unjustly, the other one may have done so aswell, and might not perform his duty in reprimanding or inspectingthose whom he should. Your Majesty will order as is most expedient. 

In the despatches which I have sent from here since I arrived via NuevaHespaña, I have advised your Majesty of the great difficulty whichlies in the appointment by the viceroy of Mexico of persons there, as the commanders, admirals, and other officials who come and go onthe ships; and how important it was that they should be appointedhere from those who have here served your Majesty, for the reasonswhich I there gave, as your Majesty will command to be examined. Thesame matter confronts me now, and every day I am coming more to seethe great injury which this commonwealth suffers, without finding anymeans for its redress. I promise your Majesty that I am not moved tothis step by the greater importance which this office will then have, but only for the service of your Majesty, and by seeing that thisis as I have said in my other letter; and that there is great needof reform, in order to ward off disaster at all points, for it isvery near. May our Lord protect the Catholic person of your Majesty, in the prosperity which is necessary for Christendom. Manila, July 15, 1604. 

_Don Pedro de Acuña_

It is not expedient that there should be an Audiencia in thePhilipinas. 

Sire:

For a long time I have been reflecting upon the matter which I shallhere mention, and many times I have resolved to give your Majestyan account of it, and of others as important. I have been kept backand restrained, by fear that it might or could be suspected thatI was moved by some personal interest or passion; but owing to thedifficulties which have confronted me in one way and another, havingconsulted and conferred with serious religious and other persons, both ecclesiastical and lay, who look at the matter dispassionately[_MS. Defective_] resolved not to delay any longer, for it appearedto me that otherwise I did not act in accordance with the obligationsof my office, or the favor which your Majesty has done me by puttingme in this position. 

Your Majesty has a royal Audiencia in these island with four auditors, one fiscal, and other officers, whereby your Majesty spends eachyear sixteen thousand five hundred pesos. It seems that this mightbe dispensed with for the reasons set forth in the paper which goeswith this, and to which I refer, only adding (what I may say in alltruth) that, although this commonwealth is in the greatest trouble, through the many causes of death, wars, conflagrations, afflictions, shipwrecks, and the destruction of so much property, as your Majestyhas learned, there is nothing which it feels more keenly today, orwhich afflicts it more, than to have the Audiencia here judging, andwith it to lack all freedom of person or property. The name of auditoris so odious here that it alone offends; and we have come to such astate of affairs that because I, in conformity to what your Majestyhas ordered, have attempted to maintain and have maintained amicablerelations with the auditors; and have shown, on various occasions, more patience and endurance than the people considered right; andmore than seemed fitting to my situation, in order not to give riseto scandal: some have conceived hatred for me, publicly saying that, to comply with the expenditures and opinions of the said auditors, I was neglecting to look after them, and that I could correct theevil which the Audiencia was doing. But as I cannot do that, it hasseemed to me the best means to let the public see that there was goodfeeling between me and the Audiencia, and to give an account to yourMajesty now of the reasons which lead me to this conclusion, in aletter separate from other matters, as I am now doing, and to whichI refer you. I shall end by saying that I remind your Majesty that noprivate interest moves me to take this step, but merely the obligationand zeal which I have always had and now have for the service of yourMajesty. This is vouched for by the fact that, a year ago, I sent mybrothers the order and authority to beseech your Majesty to be pleasedto grant me the favor of commanding an appointment for this charge, and giving me permission to go to España, where I might continuemy service more nearly in the sight of your Majesty; and although Ihold it certain that this was not neglected, I would again on thisoccasion lay on them the same obligation, and beg your Majesty to bepleased to command that my request be favorably regarded. May our Lordprotect the Catholic person of your Majesty through many long years, with the prosperity necessary to Christendom. Manila, July 15, 1604. 

_Don Pedro de Acuña_

[_In the margin_: "Let it be answered that his letter is received, and have him thanked for his zealous interest and care in all thathe mentions. Respecting what he says of abolishing the Audiencia, suitable measures have been taken, and for the present nothing willbe done in regard to it. As to the general statements made in hisreport, in regard to the trade and traffic which he speaks of and theproceedings of the Audiencia, let him give particular informationof what auditor or officer is trading in this way, and whatever isworthy of correction--so that, having considered it in the Council, fitting measures may be taken. "]

[_Endorsed_: "Manila, to his Majesty; 1604. Don Pedro de Acuña, on thefifteenth of July, concerning the inexpediency of having an Audienciain the Philipinas. July 20, 1606, examined and decreed within. "]

Reasons why there should be no Audiencia in the Filipinas Islands, and why the one there should be abolished. 

In all the islands there are not more than twelve hundred Spaniards;and the suits are so few that for the greater part of the year theAudiencia has nothing to do, and there is no business to be despatchedtherein, and the auditors are dismissed after having passed judgment ona few petitions from Indians--and sometimes not even these, becausenone are presented. The administrative session is just the same, and most of the time only exists in name. 

There are no cases here of importance which cannot be adjudged by thealcaldes-in-ordinary; and if we had a lawyer for a lieutenant-governor, as we used to have before the said Audiencia was established, thatis sufficient for business--which would be despatched with lessdifficulty, and without the Audiencia being missed; for when thereis any suit of importance, which seldom happens, appeal can be madeto the Audiencia of Mexico, as was formerly done. 

It must be taken into consideration that each auditor or fiscalbrings with him, his household, wife, children, and relatives, whoare drawn by the idea of coming to the Yndias, and has other creaturesand connections; and for one and all of them he must procure aid andfavor so that they may become rich; for this is the aim and intentionwith which they come here. Accordingly, although your Majesty hascommanded that the livings and offices of these islands be given to theold citizens and those deserving of these rewards, the auditors andtheir wives bring it about that the said relatives, dependents, andother persons whom they bring with them are the first to be providedfor. If the governors do not consent to this, the auditors dislikethem, and seek means and expedients whereby the worthy persons towhom the said offices and livings are given shall not be receivedtherein. Accordingly the governors, in order not to displease theauditors, give up their claims and dare not insist upon them. 

The said creatures and connections of the said auditors trade andtraffic a great deal in merchandise from China; and the citizenscomplain that it is with the auditors' money (their own, or borrowed), and that with the favor they receive they cause great injury to thecommonwealth, for they take up the whole cargo. They desire to bepreferred therein, and in buying the cloth, and in every other way, try to take advantage. If the president wishes to remedy this they donot cease to offer him little annoyances; for the auditors know how tomagnify themselves, in such a manner that they give one to understandthat any one of them is greater than he; and they attain this bysaying that what the president and governor does they can cancel, and that what the auditors decree has no appeal, recourse, or redress. 

This country is not at peace but at war; and it is therefore morefitting for the time being to attend particularly to military affairsand to the government, for our defense, than to keep courts of highjustice. For in countries so new the rigor of the law should notbe applied in all cases; and, when some punishment must be applied, they say that it shall not be done, and are of no use except to undowhat the governor and captain-general orders (as well in matters ofwar as of government), although these things may be quite just. 

All the resources of this land are scanty, but if there is anythinggood the auditors also say that they want it for themselves; and whenthere is a Chinese embroiderer, tailor, carver, or other workman, they proceed to take him into their houses and have him do muchwork--in such a way that the Sangley himself has no freedom. Suchbenefits do not extend to the citizens; but rather, if any of thesethings are available, the said auditors demand them and by entreatyor intimidation get possession of them. It is the same thing inregard to jewels, slave men and women, articles of dress, and otherthings--in such manner that, as experience has proved to me sinceI have considered it very well, when there were very few officersin this colony affairs went more smoothly, and the affairs of theservice of God and your Majesty in a more orderly manner. Aid couldbe given to the one or the other, and to the defense of this land, with fewer hindrances and less difficulty; for in my opinion thereis no one who in one way or another is not seeking his own gain andprivate interest, and the more there are of them the greater injuryis wrought. We are compelled to overlook these things, and others ofmore importance, that we may not experience worse trouble; for we areunable to do more, as your Majesty is five thousand leguas from here, and redress comes so slowly. 

The same trouble arises in the matter of provisions, each one lookingafter the care of his own house without considering the needs of othersor of the poor, who should be looked after; consequently nothing canbe heard but complaints and clamors from the people--poor and rich, and of all conditions--loudly asserting that the auditors are seekingeverything for themselves. 

Since in what regards the payment of their salaries they considerand assert that these must be preferred and the first paid evenif it be from the stated fund for the religious orders, bishops, ministers of instruction, and for the military forces, who are beforethem in order--they have difficulties and misunderstandings with theroyal officials; and as the said auditors do not care for the greatimportance of paying the soldiers, and look only to their privateinterests, I have had many complaints from the said royal officers, as they must have written you. 

The soldiers, captains, master-of-camp, and military officials aregreatly discontented and grieved at the ill-treatment which the saidauditors accord them; and at seeing that they are hindered by them, an auditor commanding at his will the arrest of a captain, official orsoldier, without cause or reason, and interfering in all the details ofservice--even going so far as to inspect their quarters, and send themto the public prison, for very trivial affairs, against all militaryprecedents. If affairs are going in an orderly and concerted way, itis when the auditors do not meddle with them; for all this concernsprimarily the chief commander and officers provided therefor. Judgingby the state in which things are in the Filipinas today, and in theopinion of right-thinking men, soldiers are of more use and benefitin the commonwealth than are judges, for the former do more thantheir share, and the others are deficient. Considering the evil whichresults to the soldiers from seeing themselves punished and checked byso many magistrates; the hardships which they so commonly endure, andthe occasions which are every day arising where these are necessary;and in view of the scant and poor pay which is given them, and asthey are the defenders of the land, and are so far distant and littlefavored; and seeing the great hindrance which the Audiencia is formilitary affairs--for they will give no opportunity for the executionof edicts, nor do they attend to what is necessary, as it appearsto them that they are sufficient for everything; and that they canmanage this matter like those which they have studied--we may fearsome irreparable injury. We should immediately prepare for this, especially as the enemies which we have here are not like those inother parts of the Yndias, but much greater in number and more skilfulin war, and accordingly more adroitness and prudence are necessaryto maintain us; and the soldiers must be content and well paid, and ordered by their leaders, of whom they should not have so many. 

The property which your Majesty has here is very little for theordinary expenses which every day arise; and if it is not broughthere from Mexico with more care and punctuality than hitherto, affairs cannot be maintained here in any way. Even with that whichis sent we suffer much hardship; and accordingly it is necessary toavoid expense, so far as is possible. That which is incurred for theauditors and Audiencia is not so insignificant, as it is not less thansixteen thousand five hundred pesos, not counting other expenses; andthen the fines from condemnations, which they apply to suit their ownconvenience. These amounts, taken altogether, would be enough for anarmed fleet, with which to help in the defense of this land--which isneeded badly enough, but which for lack of money we cannot equip--andmany other things could be remedied. In the future there will bestill more difficulty in this matter, because of the extraordinaryexpenses which have resulted from the uprising of the Sangleys, and thedeficiency which on this acount has this year resulted in the royalduties on merchandise from China, which goes as high as thirty-fiveto forty thousand pesos; and there is a further loss of five or sixthousand pesos each year, which is the amount of the tributes fromthe Sangleys--an income that we formerly received, which is now atan end. Consequently, I do not believe that the Audiencia will be ofany use at all, but rather it will cause great injury to the serviceof your Majesty and the welfare of this commonwealth. Even if thetwo were not rivals, I doubt very much if the Audiencia could bemaintained without there being great deficiency in everything else, if their salaries are to be paid here. I consider it more advantageousand safe to spend what the said Audiencia draws in salaries, to aidin paying the soldiers and maintaining the fleet of galleys which[_MS. Defective_] we defend, and not the presence of the said auditorsand Audiencia, as they themselves assert who were of the opinion thatthe Audiencia should again be established; for this country is not evenin a state to be able to bear such a burden, as it is so ill provided, as I have said, and so borne down with troubles and even with war. 

Likewise another difficulty is presented, as the treasury is alwaysstraitened; and, on account of the great care which the auditors taketo collect their salaries, as it cannot be so prompt as they wouldwish, they seek borrowed money from the citizens--who give it tothem, willingly or unwillingly, each one according to his means ordesigns. From this follow difficulties, to which they pay no heed;as some of them demand these loans from persons who are parties tosuits at the time, who grant these to the auditors in order to placethem under obligations, and profit by them. 

The difficulty which presents itself to me in this matter is that, if the Audiencia is abolished and everything left in charge of thegovernor, there will be but slow and poor remedy for the grievances anddisorders which may occur. For they must be taken to the Audiencia ofMexico, which is so far away that the aggrieved ones would consumeboth life and property before the business was settled. Severaldifficulties occur to me, which are connected with this; but havinginformed myself fully on this point as to what has happened in thepast, all say that they consider government by one person the best, when he governs justly. These men know what the governor can dowithout the Audiencia, and with it; and they believe that it isbetter when there are not so many to command them, for they havenever seen the audiencias redress illegal acts by the governors. Itherefore consider it better, before God and my conscience, that yourMajesty should choose for this charge some gentleman and soldier whohas proved trustworthy, and whose mode of governing and procedure hasbeen learned and tried in other offices. He should be a good Christian, and, above all, not greedy; for if he is affected with this last thecountry is ready and eager for an alteration of its condition, wherebythe same losses which we have seen in other cases might be caused here. 

I am likewise confronted with another difficulty, which is redressfor violations of the law by the ecclesiastical judges; but theseare cases which seldom happen, and it does not seem just, in orderto settle an affair of this sort, that others of a different natureshould be deranged, and that an opportunity should be given for so manytroubles as result from the contrary--especially as we might attendto such a case by some suitable means, referring it to trustworthypersons here, who would take it in charge. 

Although there is no doubt that much of what this paper recounts occursin other regions where there are audiencias, it must be rememberedthat in this country, which is the newest of all and more engaged inwar than any of the others; and where the hardships of conquest andmaintenance are so omnipresent; and your Majesty has little profit oradvantage, except the cargo of cloth which goes to Nueva Hespaña, andwhich is divided among all; and as the resources of the country areso scant that there it no place to go in order to seek a livelihoodoutside of Manila: there is much criticism in this matter, and thepeople are much grieved at seeing themselves in the utmost part of theworld, harassed and troubled by so many magistrates and officers andtheir dependents, and at having so many to satisfy; and that mattersare in such a state that he who has an auditor for a protector may, it appears, go wherever he wishes and with as much as he wishes, and he who has not must be ruined. Dated at Manila, July 15, 1604. 

_Don Pedro de Acuña_

Sire:

There is in this city a seminary named Sancta Potençiana, of which yourMajesty is the patron, where the daughters of the citizens of theseislands are sheltered, and carefully taught and instructed. It has beenvisited by the archbishop of the islands, Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, and when he observed the custom that obtained of allowing the wivesof citizens to enter within the seminary, he issued a decree withcensures, ordering that no person, without any exception, should haveentrance there. The fiscal of your Majesty considered this a matterfor complaint, saying that it was not in the said archbishop's powerto do this, as the matter did not concern him. The case came beforethis Audiencia as one of fuerza. When the proceedings were examined, he was charged to raise the said excommunication, and leave the matteras before, as it was purely a case for the [secular] government, andconcerned the governor of these islands, who represents the royalperson of your Majesty by virtue of the royal patronage. Variouscontroversies regarding this having arisen, and answers on the partof the archbishop, this Audiencia continually overlooked his actionsthat they might avoid a rupture with him, as your Majesty will see bythe documents that accompany this. Since it is most expedient that inthe future he should be restrained from issuing such decrees, and thatscandals should not become necessary, we beseech your Majesty that, after having examined this matter, you will take such action as isexpedient for your royal service. 

[_In the margin_: "Santa Potençiana. Take this clause in the processcited to the reporter. " "Elsewhere provided for. "]

On two voyages from Nueva España Don Diego de Çamudio Manrique has cometo these islands as admiral and commander. He has enjoyed our entireconfidence, and has discharged his duties to the entire satisfactionof all in these islands; nor has anyone ever said anything about himother than that he is a good servant of your Majesty. All this, andthe great ability displayed by him in so few years, constrain us tomake this representation to your Majesty, as we have no authorityto reward him. May the Lord protect the Catholic person of yourMajesty. July 19, 1604. In session. 

[_In the margin_: "Recommendation of Don Diego Çamudio Manrique, telling how meritorious he is, and how worthy to receive reward. "]

_Don Pedro de Acuña_The licentiate _Don Antonio de Ribera Maldonado_The licentiate _Tellez Almaçan_The licentiate _Andres de Alcaraz_The licentiate _Manuel de Madrid y Luna_

DECREES REGARDING RELIGIOUS ORDERS

Sire:

The order of the Recollects of St. Augustine [32] desire to beestablished in the Indias, and have entreated your Majesty to orderthat permission be given therefor, and that several religious maygo for that purpose, and to preach the gospel, to Nueva España, thePhilippinas Islands, and China. This request having been examinedin the Council, it has appeared desirable that--as this concerns themendicant orders, so highly esteemed, pious and strict in religiousobservance, and as they can accomplish much good in those regionsby their teaching, preaching, and example--your Majesty, if such beyour will, might give them permission to go to establish themselvesin the Philippinas Islands, where there is most need of ministers ofthe gospel; and these religious are fitted for so new a country by thepoverty and strictness which they profess. Valladolid, February 23, 1604. [There are nine signatures, apparently those of councilors. ]

[_Endorsed_: "Council of the Indias, February 23, 1604. Thatpermission may be given to the Augustinian Recollects to go toestablish themselves in the Philippinas. " _In a different hand_:"Since this order wishes to send religious to the Indians, notifythe superiors to take care that those who go be learned men, and ofmature age. "]

The King: Don Pedro de Acuña, governor and captain-general of thePhilipinas Islands, and president of my royal Audiencia there: Inmy Council of the Indias has been examined the clause of a letterfrom the ecclesiastical cabildo of the church there, a copy ofwhich accompanies this, wherein was recounted the transactions inrelation to the taking posession by the religious of the Order ofSt. Augustine of a certain chapel of Nuestra Señora de Guia, whichhad been erected into a parish; and how the friars of the Order ofSt. Francis, on their own authority, and without any permission, had established another church in the village of Dilao; and thefreedom with which the said fathers of St. Augustine acted, andthe arrogance shown by them in not receiving a visitor of theirorder. As these are matters that should be carefully looked after, I charge and command you neither to allow nor give opportunity forsuch irregularities, and to take measures to check and correct them, with the utmost discretion, and by the most expedient means possible, advising me of all that may occur. Valladolid, on the third of Juneof the year one thousand six hundred and four. 

_I The King_

Countersigned by Joan de Ybarra; signed by the members of the Council. 

[_Note at beginning of MS. _: "To the governor of the Philipinas, directing him to take effective measures to check and correct in futurethe high-handed proceedings of the Augustinian religious. Corrected. "]

The King: Most reverend father in Christ, the archbishop of Manila, and member of my Council: A letter from you has been received andexamined in my Council of the Yndias, from which has been learned youradvice to the effect that when it is necessary to summon councilsto discuss reforms in certain matters, the religious of the ordersdo not attend them as they should, availing themselves as they doof the privileges which they hold; and that some of them abandon themissions of Indians which they have already instructed and baptized, and dispose of and exchange the appurtenances and furniture of thechurches where they administer the sacraments. I thank you for the careand zeal for the service of our Lord with which you ascertained this, and have given me an account of it. However, in so far as concerns thecouncils, measures will be taken to have his Holiness order a briefto be issued directing the said religious to attend the said councilswhen the prelates summon them. As for the exchanges and sales of theproperties of the churches which you say the teaching religious make, you will check these by the remedies of the law, excommunicating andpunishing those who oppose you. Accordingly I charge you to do this;and to be watchful for the preservation and instruction of the natives, so that what they need may be furnished to them everywhere, for thisis the principal thing that should be looked to by all the ministersof the gospel. Valladolid, on the thirtieth day of July in the yearone thousand six hundred and four. 

_I The King_

Countersigned by Joan de Ybarra; signed by the members of the Council. 

[_Note at beginning of MS. _: "Reply to the archbishop of Manila inregard to stopping the bartering and sale of church furniture by thereligious who give instruction. "]

GRANT TO THE JESUIT SEMINARY AT CEBU

Sire:

I Pedro Chirino, of the Society of Jesus, and procurator thereoffor the Philipinas, affirm that the said Society, as a result of itsdesire that there may be in these islands persons who during theiryouth may engage in exercises of virtue, to the end that lettersmay flourish there, founded a residence [_colegio_] in the city ofEl Santissimo Nombre de Jesus eight years ago; [33] and that in itthere are such religious as are needed for the purpose not only ofteaching religion to the natives, but also of giving instruction inreading and writing to their children and to the Spanish children;and that also Latin is studied there--from all of which great goodhas resulted to the natives, as well as to the Spaniards. Since thecountry is very poor, and since the said residence has no income, it suffers from great need; and in order that the said residencemay advance and may be able to carry on these laudable exercises inlearning still further, and may include the study of other subjectsof knowledge, I offer my petition to your Majesty that you will bepleased to bestow a gift of one thousand pesos of annual income forthe support of the said religious who regularly reside therein forthe said purpose, charged against the royal treasury of Mexico oragainst the proceeds of the saleable offices which are received there. 

_Father Pedro Chirino_

I offer my petition to your Majesty that you will make a grant againstthe following sources of income: In the first place, against the royaltreasury of Mexico, and especially against the saleable offices;against the royal treasury of Manila; against the dues collectedon the merchandise brought to Manila by the Chinese and Japonese;against the tributes collected from the Chinese in the island ofManila; against the dues and tributes collected from the Chinese inCebu and Oton; against the Indians who are assigned to the royal crown, so long as funds remain in the treasury of the fourth. [34]

The Camara [_i. E. _, Council]; let this be now examined. At Valladolid, January 14, 1605. 

The licentiate _Alonzo Fernandez de Castro_

I, Pedro Chirino, of the Society of Jesus and procurator thereoffor the Philipinas, affirm, in the name of the residence of the saidSociety in the city of Santo Nombre de Jesus, that when your Majestyhad examined the official reports conveyed in letters from the royalAudiencia of Manila and from the bishop of the said city of SantoNombre de Jesus, and the _ex parte_ statement made at the requestof the said residence, your Majesty decreed that the matter shouldbe considered at the present time. Since the present necessity ofthe residence is so urgent, as appears from the documents presented, and since the service which it will perform to our Lord God and toyour Majesty is so great, provided that the grant desired for thesaid residence shall be given, I supplicate your Majesty anew to bepleased to consider again the documents which in virtue of a royaldecree of your Majesty were made and have been presented. From thefour Statements of testimony officially presented, will plainlyappear the care and attention with which the religious of the saidSociety have attended and do attend to the administration of theholy sacraments, and to preaching and hearing confessions, not onlyfrom the Spaniards of the said city of El Santo Nombre de Jesus butfrom the natives and Sangleys. They give their assistance in all thenecessities of the people, both spiritual and temporal, with specialcare; and the said residence has schools in which their children arenot only taught to read and write, but also receive instruction ingood morals and habits, and, for all those who desire it, in Latinalso. There are many students, from whose education and instructionresults much good and advantage to all that country. At the same time, the aforesaid residence is very poor, since it has no fixed incometo sustain it. The result is that it suffers great need; and if itreceives no assistance there is no doubt that the necessity in whichit at present is will be increased, since the country is very poor, and the gifts which are made to it are extremely small. At the sametime the expenses are heavy; and it is now housed in a very small, old, wooden building, which at the present time is decaying and isin great need of repairs. The members of the said Society receivefor the masses, administration of the sacraments, preaching, readingand all their other ministries to their fellow-men nothing whatever, but do all these things gratis. It should further be observed thatthe citizens of the said city of Santo Nombre de Jesus are fewand very poor, and are unable to aid the said religious with anygifts or alms. In addition to the aforesaid affirmations, which arecontained in the official evidence, there are other statements inthe _ex parte_ testimony in which the same things are said by twelvewitnesses, one of whom is Bishop Don Fray Pedro de Agurto. Besidesthe above, he has written a letter, which is enclosed herewith, in which he declares as an eye-witness the great service done toour Lord God in those regions by religious of the aforesaid Society;and the great value of their residence there, from which great profitresults to the said city and all that province of Cebu, distant fromManila one hundred and fifty leguas by sea. This said residence is, as it were, a nursery and asylum for all the missions and centers ofteaching that are under the charge of the aforesaid Society in thatprovince. There are two letters from the royal Audiencia in which theystate that which they consider necessary to relieve the wants of theaforesaid residence, and the excellent use to which such a grant wouldbe put. I pray your Majesty that, in view of these considerations, this favor may be granted, by giving commands that a regular incomeof two thousand ducados of eight reals may be allowed, as has beenrequested, for the support of the religious who reside therein. Theaforesaid sum is to be charged against the royal treasury of Mexico, from the proceeds of offices which are sold, deposited therein;and therewith the Society will receive a great grace from your Majesty. 

_Father Pedro Chirino_

Granted by the Camara, May 26, 1607:The licentiate _Alonzo Fernandez de Castro_

DECREE REGULATING COMMERCE WITH NUEVA ESPAÑA

The King: The king my lord and father (may he rest in peace!) byvarious decrees prohibited trade and commerce of the Western Indiaswith the Philipinas Islands and China generally, to obviate theloss that resulted therefrom to these kingdoms and to their tradeand commerce; and he ordered and commanded that no vessel whatsoevershould go from the provinces of Peru, Tierra Firme, Guatimala, or anyother part of the Western Indias, to the said kingdoms of China andthe Philipinas Islands, under the penalties which were for that purposeimposed. But further, considering the importance of the preservation ofthe parts of those lands that are reduced to our obedience and to theChristian faith (which had been established there), and likewise forthe greater extension of the gospel and of our holy Catholic faith, he allowed and gave permission for two ships to go each year fromNueva España to the said Philipinas Islands, each of three hundredtoneladas, in which were to be conveyed reënforcements of troops andother things necessary, and the goods for trade which were to comethence to Nueva España, and which were shipped on account of the royalexchequer; the cost of sending these ships was to be taken from thefreight-moneys for the goods, and the quantity and value of the goodsfreighted each year was not to exceed two hundred and fifty thousandpesos of eight reals, nor the return in money five hundred thousandfor principal and profit, this trade being restricted to the citizensof the said Philipinas Islands. All the said goods must be consumedin the said Nueva España, or brought to these kingdoms; and in nocase might they be taken to Peru nor to any other part of the Indias, [35] under the penalties imposed for such violation, as more fullyexplained in the decrees cited, to which we refer. Although it hasbeen ordered by other decrees at various times that these shouldbe observed and complied with, I have been informed that this hasnut been done, and that the quantity allowed has been and is beinggreatly exceeded in the amount taken each year, with the knowledgeand permission of my viceroys, audiencias, and governors--goods tothe extent of more than two millions of ducats being registered andopenly sent, besides what is secretly shipped. All this money finallymakes it way into infidel kingdoms, whereby their power is increased;and from this have resulted great losses to our exchequer and to thecommerce of these kingdoms with the Western Indias. Those chieflyinterested in this trade are the citizens of Nueva España, Peru, and other provinces; they have taken the said merchandise thereagainst the provisions and commands of the said decrees, and thewarnings sent to the said viceroys, audiencias, and governors, andthe measures that have been and are now being taken are not sufficientto prevent these violations. As the correction of these lawless actsand a remedy for the greater injuries that may be expected, are ofso great importance and moment (all these difficulties having beenrepresented to me), and as I have been petitioned by the prior andconsuls of the mercantile corporation of Sevilla, and other personswho are zealous in behalf of my service that, in order to stop this, I should command the entire prohibition also of the trade of the saidNueva España with the said Philipinas Islands: Having discussed andconsidered this in my royal Council of the Indias, and consultationsbeing held on all that should be considered in this matter, as itappears that they desire to prevent and avert future losses, andlikewise aim to secure the preservation and growth of the Christianreligion in the said islands, and the neighboring kingdoms, whereinthe service of our Lord is so greatly concerned, I have decided thatfor the present the trade and commerce of the said Philipinas Islandswith Nueva España should be maintained according to the ordinances;that the quantity of merchandise which may be carried each year fromthe Philipinas Islands to Nueva España is by no means to exceed twohundred and fifty thousand pesos of eight reals, as is provided;and the return of principal and profit in money is not to exceedfive hundred thousand pesos, which I have permitted. For no pretext, cause, or reason to be alleged therefore is this to be exceeded, andthe traders in every case must be citizens of the said PhilipinasIslands, and none others whatsoever, as is likewise ordered by theroyal decrees of the king my lord, and under the penalties thereinprovided. These I command to be executed without fail against thetrangressors, without there being any exemption or excuse. 

Further, in order that this may be better accomplished, and toremove the opportunities for shipping a great deal of merchandise, and likewise that the crews may go and come in safety, it is my willand I permit that there be four ships in this trade, each of twohundred toneladas burden, and no more; and they shall be my vessels, and shall sail on my account, two each year; and the others shallremain in port making ready for the voyage of the succeeding year, as is ordered--for in this way they will sail at the proper time, without waiting for one another; nor shall they exceed this numberand capacity. These ships shall be built expressly for that route, of the said size and of the required strength, on account of theinconveniences that have heretofore resulted from the ships beinglarge and having been navigated on the account of private persons, in whose charge they were placed--which last must without fail cease. 

Furthermore, in order to avoid such large expenses as have hithertobeen incurred on that route, owing to the large number of agents andofficials who have gone in the ships thereon, it is my will and commandthat from now on there shall be only one commander of the two ships, and one lieutenant, who shall be admiral. Each vessel shall take notmore than one captain of war, besides the ship-master, and there maybe as many as fifty effective soldiers in each ship, drawing pay; andthe sailors who shall be necessary to go and return. These shall bekept under discipline, that they may be effective and practiced. Thereshall be two examined pilots and one assistant pilot for each vessel, of the necessary qualifications. For the present, and until furtherorders, I desire, and it is my will, that since the property to betraded will be that of the citizens of those Philipinas Islands, all these officials--commander, lieutenant, captains, masters, andpilots--shall be appointed by my governor and captain-general of thesaid Philipinas Islands and the archbishop of Manila, the presentor the future incumbents of those offices, notwithstanding thatthey have heretofore been appointed and furnished by my viceroy ofNueva España; and him I command to cease doing this from now on. Ifthe said governor and archbishop do not agree in this selection, I command that they shall join with them the senior auditor of theAudiencia, and the decision of the majority of these shall be carriedinto effect. The persons appointed for these offices shall be chosenamong the principal and honored citizens of the said islands, andthe fittest to be found for the duties that they must perform. Theyshall give securities in the form and amount that may seem best tothe said governor and archbishop, for the greater security of what maybe in their charge. Their residencias shall be taken for each voyageby the auditors of my said Audiencia of Manila; and I command thatthey shall not be allowed to make a second voyage until they shallhave given the said residencia, and account satisfactorily for whatwas in their charge. 

As I have been informed that there have been many infractions andirregularities during past years on the part of the commanders, admirals, and officers of the said ships, in the matter of carryingmoney and bringing back great quantities of merchandise on their ownbehalf; and that they have caused serious grievances to the traders, especially to the citizens of the said islands: for the presentI forbid and prohibit them in any case to trade or traffic, or tooccupy or lade the said ships during the voyage made in their charge, in small or great quantity, under their own or any other name, in anyarticle whatsoever; nor shall a single tonelada be assigned to them, as to the other citizens; nor can they buy or take from others anyspace for freight--under penalty of a perpetual deprivation of thesaid offices on the trade-route, and confiscation of the goods whichthey may have laded, carried, or taken, which on investigation maybe found to be theirs. 

I consider it well, and so decree, that, in order that the saidofficials may be maintained according to their station and theobligations of their offices, there shall be give to the saidcommander a salary of four thousand ducats, and to the admiral threethousand, for each voyage out and back. And I permit and allow thesaid governor and archbishop to give to the captains, soldiers, sailors, and artillerymen who shall go in the said ships for eachvoyage, the wages that they may assign as their earnings, and as just, for the said voyage; for to these no more [than to their superiors]shall permission be given to lade, or cause to be laded, merchandisein quantities small or great, under the said penalties. 

And as it has been understood that in the past more commanders thannecessary have been appointed for the ships on the said route, andthey have carried in the posts of artillerymen and sailors many whowere not such, it is my will that this should cease and be correctedhenceforth; and that for each piece of artillery that the ships carry, there shall go one artilleryman, and no more, nor shall wages be paidto superfluous men. 

And in order that there may be the fitting account and regularityin all things, all proceedings shall be conducted equitably and withgreat precision in the matters ordered. It is my will and command thatthere shall be in the said vessels, and sail with them, an inspectorand an accountant, to keep account and system in everything. And theyshall inspect the articles laded as merchandise, and carried back onreturn in the said ships, and account for them in their books. Thesaid inspector and accountant shall be appointed by the governor andarchbishop in the same maner as they select the commander, admiral andother officers, and with the same intervention of the senior auditorof the Audiencia in case they do not agree. They shall take carethat these be persons of approved qualifications, satisfactory, andworthy of confidence; and shall assign them such salary as may appearsufficient and just, provided that it does not exceed two thousandducats a year to each man for each voyage, for they must not ship goods[for themselves] either little or much, under the penalties providedfor the commander and admiral. And the said inspector and accountantmust sail, one in the commander's ship and the other in the admiral'sship, alternating each voyage. The said governor and archbishopshall give them the instructions and plan which they must follow onthe voyage, and they must give residencia like the other officers ofthe said fleet, before they embark again for another voyage; and theconsciences of the said governor and archbishop are charged with theselection and appointment of all the said ministers and officials. 

And since, on account of the overloading of the vessels which thusfar have plied on the said Philipinas route, we have seen that manyhave been wrecked, with the men and goods which they contained, and asit is fitting that this be remedied and prevented, we command that infuture care be taken that the tonnage to be carried in the said shipsshall be conformable to their capacity, leaving the space necessary forthe men who sail in them, and the supplies they take--which must besufficient so that in case of the lengthening of the voyage, for anycause which may arise, the men may not perish for lack of them. Greatcare should be taken that they be not overloaded or encumbered, so asto put them in danger of wreck or some misfortune; on the contrary, they should be lightly laden, and in such manner as will secure theirsafety against storms or enemies that may be encountered. The tonnagewhich, as aforesaid, is to be laden in them shall be allotted by mygovernor, the archbishop of Manila, the senior auditor and the fiscalof my said Audiencia, and two regidora of the cabildo of the said cityof Manila, among the citizens of the said islands who may have propertyto invest. This allotment shall be made in the most equitable manner, and without aggrieving anyone (as we are confident they will do), forit is just that all should enjoy this benefit and convenience for theirmaintenance and benefit; and their object should likewise be that thecountry be peopled with useful colonists, such as will remain there. 

I also command that my viceroy of Nueva España and the governorof the said Philipinas Islands, each so far as this concerns him, shall moderate and regulate the freight charges to be paid on whatis laded in the said ships on their voyages to and fro, accordingto the expenses thereof--conformably to the reduction that is madein the tonnage of the said ships and the number of men who are tosail in them, and the other expenses incurred--in such manner thatno superfluous or unnecessary expenses shall be incurred (but notso that necessaries or conveniences shall be lacking), and thatit shall not be necessary to supply anything from my exchequer forthe expenditures for the said fleet. For this reason the duties nowlevied and collected on the merchandise shall be raised two per cent, and that on silver another two per cent, by way of avería [36] asis done on that carried from the Indias via the Northern Sea in thefleets and armed vessels; for this is conformable to the profits ofthose that trade in the said Philipinas route. The proceeds of thisshall be a special fund, with a separate account carefully kept, inthe said city of Manila, to be used for the expenses contracted forthe said ships and their crews; with this shall be placed the freightcharges which may be collected conformably to the order which will begiven, as has hitherto been done; and in all things the necessary orderand system must be maintained by the said accountant and inspector, and by my royal officials of the said Philipinas Islands. 

I charge and command my viceroys of Nueva España, both present andfuture, to take especial care in the accomplishment and execution ofall the foregoing; and to station in the port of Acapulco, besidesthe royal officials who are now there, a person of great integrity, trustworthiness, and competence, with a commission as alcalde-mayor, so that this decree may be suitably enforced in all respects; and nomore money may be carried [in the ships] than the amount permitted, whether with or without license. In the said port the registers ofall that is brought from the said Philipinas Islands shall be openedby the person to whom that duty is entrusted by my viceroy and by theofficials of my royal exchequer at the said port of Acapulco. Theyshall also together inspect and check off the bales and chests, withthe scrutiny and care necessary to ascertain what has come withoutregistry and contrary to permission. The said registers are to besent to Mexico, as usual, with the results of the investigations madein the said port of Acapulco, by a person of integrity or by one ofmy said officials. In Mexico everything shall be again checked off, and appraised; and the duties that belong to me shall be collectedand proper measures shall be taken to ascertain and learn what hascome registered, and whatever shall be found to have come withoutregistry, and whatever is carried contrary to the said prohibition, shall be confiscated: but no permission or opportunity shall be givenfor committing, in this procedure, or under pretext or occasion thusafforded, any injury or act of injustice against the owners of thesaid property. 

And I command that the same care be taken at the port of Acapulco inexamining the royal silver and other articles which may be embarkedand carried to the said Philipinas Islands. The royal officials ofthe said port shall take account of them, and shall inform my governorthereof and the royal officials of the said islands, sending them theregisters, and giving them all necessary information. As the majorityof the persons who go every year from Nueva España to the said islandsdo not remain there, but return immediately, investing what moneythey possess, I command my viceroy of Nueva España to give permissionto no one to go to the Philipinas Islands, unless such person shallgive securities that he will become a citizen and resident there formore than eight years, or unless he shall go as a soldier, sent tothe governor; and against those who violate this decree, and theirbondsmen, he shall execute the necessary penalties without fail. 

And as it is my will that all the aforesaid should be complied with, observed and executed inviolably, as also the decrees which wereordered to be despatched by the king my lord, which are hereinbeforementioned, concerning the said trade, in so far as they are notcontrary to what is decreed and ordered, I command my viceroy ofthe said Nueva Spaña and my governor and captain-general of the saidPhilipinas Islands, and my audiencias there, and my other judges andmagistrates, and all private persons whomsoever--each in so far asconcerns him--to observe and comply with, and cause to be observedand complied with this decree, with exactness, and to execute thesaid penalties without any exemption or remission. And in all casesof remissness or carelessness which these my ministers shall displayin the fulfilment and execution of the said orders, I command thatthe penalties be executed against them, and the example which theaffair demands shall be made; for this reason I command that, whenthe residencias of their offices shall be taken, they shall be maderesponsible for such matters. And that these commands may come tothe notice of all, and none may pretend ignorance of them, I commandthat this my decree be publicly proclaimed. Issued at Valladolid, on the last of December of the year one thousand six hundred and four. 

_I The King_

Countersigned by _Pedro de Ledesma_; signed by the Council. 

[_Note at beginning of MS. _: "Your Majesty's decision andmandates concerning the trade of the Philipinas Islands with NuevaEspaña. Corrected. "]

DOCUMENTS OF 1605

 Complaints against the Chinese. Miguel de Benavides, and others; February 3-9. Letter from a Chinese official to Acuña. March. Letters from Augustinian friars to Felipe III. Estevan Carrillo, and others; May 4-June 20. Letter to Felipe III. Antonio de Ribera Maldonado; June 28. 

_Source_: All of these documents are obtained from MSS. In the Archivogeneral de Indias, Sevilla. 

_Translations_: The first and fourth are translated by RobertW. Haight; the second and third, by Henry B. Lathrop, of the Universityof Wisconsin. 

COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE CHINESE

In the city of Manila, on the third day of the month of February inthe year one thousand six hundred and five, the most reverend SeñorDon Fray Miguel de Benavides, archbishop of these islands, memberof the council of the king our lord, etc. , declared that, since theuprising of the Chinese Sangleys who were formerly settled in thiscity, in a market [_alcayçeria_], or large town (which they callParian) that was situated there, the said Parian and town has beencommanded to be built, and has now been built anew, and is at this timeagain peopled with the said infidel Sangleys. The said Sangleys areinfidels and idolaters, and a most pernicious and injurious peopleto be settled among the Christian natives, newly converted to ourholy Catholic faith; for the said infidel Sangleys are most vicious, both with women and in an unnatural manner, and are extremely liberalin spending money for their purposes and desires, and artful andcrafty for every form of evil. Moreover, these Indian men and womenof these islands, especially those of the neighborhod of Manila, are very easily persuaded to carnal sins, in short, as natives ofso hot and humid a climate; although it is a crime against nature, this they do not know, and in some regions did not even have a wordfor it in their language, until these infidel Chinese made this sinknown to them. These native Indian men and women are very greedy, and as they are but lately made Christians, and are not thoroughlyinstructed, a great many of them find it very easy to leave not onlyChristian morals, but even the Catholic faith as well, and embrace thesuperstitions and rites which the idolatrous infidels desire to teachthem. Likewise--and this is very important, considering the state ofthe faith here, and upon what depends the peace and preservation ofthese islands (namely, the faith in God and obedience to the kingour lord), and the extreme danger and peril in which these infidelSangleys placed us in the previous year of one thousand six hundredand three, in the month of October, from which we were delivered onlyby the mercy and infinite power of God, by which alone we could befreed--their desire to slaughter all of us Spaniards, and to makethemselves masters of this kingdom, is much inflamed now at seeingso many thousands as were here of their fathers, sons, brothers, and kinsmen, and of their friends and countrymen, slain; and how sogreat an amount of their property here was destroyed. With this soopen enmity, hatred, and thirst for vengeance so aroused, they willseek, great in cunning and craft as they are, to sow discord betweenus Spaniards and the Indian natives of these islands, and separate us, mind and heart. For this purpose they promise and give them articlesof value; for of all known people they best understand how to bribe, and they will contrive to know all secrets. And all this they caneasily accomplish, if they succeed in maintaining dishonorable carnalintercourse with the Indian men and women. To stop all this, thereis no other means out to send all the said infidel Sangleys out ofthis city, and give them only a place to live and dwell in duringthe two or three months of April, May, and June, while the tradingand lading for Nueva España is being carried on; or, if it seemsbest to his Majesty, to give license to a few of them, even thoughthey be such cruel and open enemies of him and of God; and to givean order that no Indians, men or women, shall settle near them, butshall remain at a considerable distance from the settlement or marketwhere these infidel Sangleys may dwell. His most reverend Lordship, considering these things from the point of view of a person who hasknown the Sangleys so many years, is acquainted with their languageand customs, has been in that country of China for a long time, and has noticed that since the said rebellion and war which the saidSangleys set on foot and waged against us, some of the natives havemade a settlement on a part of the site where the market and Parianformerly stood, in which dwelt these infidel Sangleys; and that thenew settlement of the said natives adjoins the new market and Parianwhich has been erected for the said infidel Sangleys, in which theynow are, and at present dwell. The said natives are so near to thesaid infidel Sangleys, that it is not more than a rivulet, no widerthan a narrow street, that separates them; and it has a foot-bridge oftimbers, which affords passage from one side to the other. And eventhis is not the only evil and danger, but as the said Parian of thesaid infidels is midway between Manila and the said new settlement ofthe natives, every time when those Indian men or women have to come tothis city, they must do so by passing through the street of the saidParian of the said infidel Sangleys; and at morning, noon, and nightthe latter can securely plan and execute all their misdeeds. What isperhaps the worst is, that from birth the Indians of this country, men and women, grow up in the water, bathing and swimming. The saidSangleys see them naked in the said creek, or at best in the riverwhich is there, close to both districts. What with this unavoidablechance for caressing them, and particularly for attracting the boyswith fruits and other little presents, they must draw them into theirown vices. This is particularly so as these boys actually go uponthe bank in the district of the infidel Sangleys, and there disport, and enjoy themselves; and they are usually naked, or, if dressed, they are almost the same as naked. It is very noticeable with theseSangley people that they intermix with any other people who are here, in a very singular fashion; for at once they intermarry with the womenof these nations, adopt their customs, and live like Indians. Theseare not the only evils connected with the said settlement of thesaid natives remaining there, but there are even other injuries, perhaps greater, at any rate as great. One is that the said settlementand district of these said Indian natives is very close to anotherdistrict and market, that of the Japonese, so near that they are onlyabout a stone's throw from each other; and the Japonese are fully asbad as the Sangley infidels, both on the score of the infamous sin, and as concerns the need of protecting ourselves from them as fromenemies. For on the banner that the infidel Sangleys raised whenthey rebelled and made the late war against us, so endangering us, there were written Chinese letters, which declared the Sangleys to befriends of the Japonese; and in the rebellion about sixteen years ago, when the former royal Audiencia of these islands commanded and causedto be executed Don Agustin and Don Martin Panga, Indian chiefs fromTondo, they found a Japonese implicated in the plots and the rebellion, and hanged him in the plaza here at Manila. There is no one thatdoes not know the well-founded rumors and suspicions that have beenafloat to the effect that the king of Japon wished to come againstthis city. It is likewise a matter of importance that these nativesof this new village and district before mentioned, neither sow grainnor have lands for that purpose, but can only act as peddlers andwanderers; and as such, must be ready for any ill deed, especiallyif there be profit in it--as there will be, and that a great one, as has been pointed out. His most reverend Lordship, considering thathe stood alone, has done his utmost to persuade the lord governor ofthese islands, Don Pedro de Acuña, to provide a remedy for an evilso greatly developed (or rather for so many evils), by removing thesaid natives from the vicinity of the said infidel Sangleys; but thesaid lord governor would not do it. When his most reverend Lordshipcommenced to point out the great evils attendant on having the saidnatives so near the said infidel Sangleys, the remedy was easy andwithout difficulty; for the said district and settlement of nativeshad but just begun, and they had not even commenced to build the newParian of the infidel Sangleys. Thus, each day the said settlementgrows larger, and its destruction grows every day more difficult; andlater it will be a greater damage to the said natives to remove them. 

Therefore his most reverend Lordship, desiring to check so enormoussins, and to avert the so evident dangers from them, and thedestruction and end of this kingdom--both in faith and morals, and inloyalty to the king our lord--commanded and commands that there bedrawn and received an investigation of the said matter, to seek andapply the remedy, if in justice and right that be fitting; and thatthe witnesses received shall declare the truth in all matters, underoath, and under penalty of major excommunication, _late sententia, ipsofacto_, incurring [_word illegible in MS. _] canonical admonition and[_word illegible_]--as only this said penalty and oath will securesecrecy so that they will not tell that they were cited for thispurpose, or what they declared, or any part thereof, or that thisinvestigation is being made, or anything concerning or touching thematter. Accordingly I so provide, command, and sign; and they shalldeclare, under the said oath and penalty, not only whether there havenot been infidel Sangleys here, since his Lordship has taken up thismatter of separating these natives from the said infidel Sangleysin the district of the said Parian; but likewise whether they werenot living there in the said quarter of the said natives, until hismost reverend Lordship was constrained to make known the truth, andcause them to be removed from the place--for it had already becomean intolerable thing, in the sight of any man whatsoever. 

_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila. By command of his most reverend Lordship:_Francisco de Carranca_

In the city of Manila, on the fifth day of February in the yearone thousand six hundred and five, his most reverend Lordship, Don Fray Miguel de Venavides, archbishop of this said city, causedto appear before him the canon Pablo Ruiz de Talavera, cura for thenatives of this city, from whom he took and received oath _in verbissacerdotis_, placing his hand upon his breast. Having done this, heswore to tell the truth; and being questioned after the tenor of thecaption of this document, declared that this is what he knows, andwhat is occurring. After the uprising and rebellion of the Sangleyswhich occurred on the fourth of October in the previous year of sixhundred and three, as the settlement and Parian built by the saidSangleys was burned--which stood outside the walls of this city, atabout an arquebus-shot from them, where the first houses began--allthe site on which the said Sangleys had thus settled was abandoned. Asit was thus depopulated, several Indian natives of this country, withsome servants of Captain and Sargento-mayor Christoval de Asqueta, settled in several houses close by and adjoining the said site of theParian, so that there is nothing but a creek between (so small that atlow tide it is almost dry), with a wooden bridge; and on the furtherside, a stone's throw more or less, is the site of the Parian of theSangley merchants (or _auhaes_), where the Xaponese are at presentsettled. This witness, as a person who has been in this countrymore than thirty years, and who is an interpreter of the natives, knows that the said Sangleys are a very pernicious people, and arecunning in all evil. They are especially so in the unnatural sin, which they practice commonly among themselves, and likewise with women, with whom they commit the same sin. For this they are very generous, and readily give bribes for the fulfilment of their desires. Likewisehe knows that the natives, especially those of this district, arevery vicious, and the Indian women very facile and unchaste in regardto offending God. Moreover, among themselves they never knew of theunnatural sin, and they had no word or name for it, nor would theyknow of it, until these Chinese came to this country; and from themthey have learned it. Further, this witness knows that indeed thesesaid natives are but lately converted to our holy Catholic faith, andtherefore are easily approachable; for they easily give up not only thegood morals that have been taught them by the ministers of the gospel, but likewise our holy Catholic faith, that has been taught them withso much pains, and is being taught them from day to day. And if theycommunicate and have dealings with the Chinese, it will be an easymatter to persuade them to abandon their obedience to his Majesty, as they did when the said Sangleys rebelled in the previous year ofsix hundred and three, when the Chinese gardeners of the village ofHuiapo, where this witness holds a benefice, persuaded many Indiansto rise in rebellion with them, saying that they were good people andthe Spaniards bad. And the said Indians, not wishing to fall with them, gave information to this witness, as their cura, which he communicatedat length to his most reverend Lordship, bringing the Indians to him sothat they might tell him. And shortly after this the Sangleys rebelled, and placed this city in so great straits that if God our Lord had notmiraculously delivered us, they would have killed all the Spaniards, and remained in possession of the country; and the Catholic faith wouldhave perished here, which has cost so much to the king our lord forits establishment and support. Owing to the loss of life inflicted onthem so justly at that time, they have become irritated, both thosewho remained alive, who now maintain the new Parian--which has beenbuilt on a part of the site of the old one, close to the village ofIndians above referred to--and likewise those that live in Great China, where their brothers and kinsmen are. These also had a part of theirproperty burned. And this witness knows that the said Chinese area people full of craft in all they undertake, and that they can inone way or another turn the mind to any rebellion or uprising. Thiswitness heard Ensign Christoval Gomez--who was sent as ambassador tothe province of Myndanao by the governor of these islands, Don Pedro deAcuña, and who came back to this city--say concerning a ship of infidelChinese, which was in Myndanao and came armed to the port of this city, where it at present is, that the infidel Chinese of this ship whilethey were in Mindanao persuaded the said people of Mindanao to cometo these islands in an armed fleet, encouraged them to do this, andgave them many supplies of war, catans, and metal to make artillery, powder, and battle-axes; and the said ensign added, to this witness, that these Chinese were great rascals, and that they ought all tobe in the galleys. Further, he told this witness that they did notcome to the port of this city of their own will, but were forced toit by winds; and that another vessel had gone to the island of Xolofor the same reason. And, both, for this and on account of the hatredthey bear for us, this witness knows that they will do all in theirpower to stir up the Indians against us--which will be easy for them, with the bribes that they give the Indians; and easier still if theyhave committed the crime against nature with them, and with theirwomen. And it appears to this witness that there is no other remedythan to drive the Chinese out of the country, and allow them hereonly during the three months of the year while their trade lasts, andthen let them go back to their own country. And if it should appearbest to his Majesty to give permission to some few of them to remainin this land, he should order that no Indian men or women be settlednear them, or near the market where dwell the infidel Sangleys. Andthis witness knows that his most reverend Lordship is considered toknow the language and customs of the Chinese, having been acquaintedwith them for many years past, and that he has spent a considerabletime there in China. He also knows that the Indians of the villageabove mentioned are so close to the new Parian of the Chinese thatthey must pass through it in going and coming, when they are obligedto come to this city; and there they have opportunity to talk with thesaid Sangleys, to concoct their misdeeds and sins. This witness knowsthat the said houses and village of the natives, as has been said, are also near the Parian of the Japonese, a pernicious people, who, like the Sangleys, do great harm through practice of the infamoussin; and they are a more restless and warlike people than the saidSangleys. They have always been threatening this country with war, and they have molested it and its coasts by their ships, with whichthey come to plunder; and they bring Sangleys as pilots and sailors. Ina native rebellion organized sixteen years ago by certain Indians, atwhich time several chiefs who were implicated were executed, they werein communication with the Japonese, and one Japonese was hanged. Thiswitness likewise knows that at the time when the Sangleys rebelled, in the said past year of six hundred and three, there was taken fromthem a banner, with an inscription in the characters which they use, which was examined and read by one who understood it; and he said thatin the said inscription the said Chinese declared themselves friendsof the Xaponese. Besides, it is easy to see the loss that wouldresult from the intercourse of these natives with the said Xaponeseand Chinese. And this witness knows (for he was present and saw it)that at the time when they were commencing to rebuild the Parian ofthe said Sangleys there were present his most reverend Lordship, with the president and all the auditors of this royal Audiencia, the regidors, and many other persons, on the site of the Parian--atwhich time they were considering its rebuilding, it being on the firstanniversary of the burning of the said Parian, which was on the sixthof October of the said year six hundred and three. This witness sawthat the lord archbishop opposed it, saying that it was inexpedientto build it for many reasons, until an account of them had been givento his Majesty. And finally he called to this witness, and said tohim that those houses of the Indians--pointing out to him the saidvillage above mentioned--would better be moved back and taken fromthat place; for it was not good that they should remain there, andparticularly when they were considering putting Sangleys so near. Thiswas heard by the lord governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, and other personswho were there. And this witness knows that on that same day the lordgovernor and both the cabildos, the secular and ecclesiastical, werein the church of San Andres, where mass was being chanted in honorof the patron saints of this city, in thanksgiving for their aid, which, on such a day as this, had given us victory over the Chinese;and the said lord archbishop preached, and in the sermon discoursedat length concerning the inadvisability of a second Parian, owing tothe many offenses against God there committed, and the great danger inwhich it would again place this city. Notwithstanding this and othermeasures which the said lord archbishop took in the matter--such assending to tell the lord governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, with CaptainPedro de Ortega, alcalde-in-ordinary of this city, that this villageof the natives should be removed, as it was so near to the Parian, in order to avoid the offenses that would there be committed againstGod our Lord--so far as he has learned, they have not up to thepresent day removed the said village. And this witness knows that inthe said village of the said natives, there was a house of Sangleys, in which this witness saw three Sangleys; for this witness, as cura ofthe natives of this city, was commanded by his most reverend Lordshipto investigate their way of life, and see whether there were anyinfidel Sangleys among them. In compliance with what his most reverendLordship commanded, he went to the said village, with Señor Geronimode Alcaraz, and both together saw the said three infidel Sangleys, who were living there; and, when asked how long they had been livingthere, they answered "three months. " Likewise this witness asked theIndians of the said village and another Indian--a chief from Mindoro, who frequently went to the said village--whether there had been moreSangleys. They answered that as many as six other Sangleys had livedthere, in this said Indian village, for more than two months. Thiswitness knows further that, by a strenuous effort made by the saidarchbishop, the said Chinese were removed from the said village. Thisprocedure was public, as was also the fact that the said archbishop hadinformed Señor Don Pedro de Acuña, governor of these islands, that theChinese were among these Indians, and that the said lord governor sentto investigate this an ensign of the guard, who returned and told thesaid lord governor that the said Sangleys were not there; or at anyrate the said governor so understood the said ensign. But as the lordarchbishop was certain of the truth, he told the said lord governor, in the presence of all the people, that they were deceiving him, andthat the said infidel Sangleys were among the said natives of the saidvillage. As the lord governor was not yet satisfied, he himself wentin person to the said Parian, and, from the bank of the stream, calledfor the Sangleys who were living in the said village with the natives;immediately the said three infidel Sangleys came into the presenceof the said lord governor. This witness asked them how long they hadbeen there, and they answered that they had been there three months, and had come from Çebu. This was heard by the lord governor, who waspresent, and by other persons who were accompanying him. Then thesaid lord governor ordered the said Sangleys to leave the said villagestraightway. And the said village of the said natives is, at this veryday, as has been said, in the danger explained in the document headingthese proceedings, and in this statement and declaration. And thisis the truth, by the oath he has taken, which he affirmed, ratified, and signed; and he says that he is about thirty-five years of age. 

_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila. _Pablo Ruiz de Talavera_Before me: _Francisco de Carranca_, notary. 

[On the ninth of February of the year one thousand six hundredand five, the archbishop caused to appear before him for the saidinvestigation, the canon Diego de Leon, who, having been sworn inthe manner before described, made a declaration in every way similarto that of the preceding witness. He mentioned as an instance ofthe bad faith of the Chinese, the death of Gomez Perez Das Mariñas, and the many good soldiers that they then killed. Below the formalclosing of the declaration, but before the signature, he adds thefollowing to his testimony:] This witness further says that in hisopinion, if the infidel Sangleys were to come only for purposesof trade to these islands, and none of them were to remain here, the kingdom of China would be altogether friendly toward us for thesake of our trade; and if none of them remained here, the Spaniardswould have no occasion to injure them, and they would not have timeto acquire influence over these natives, who are quick at learning anew language, and are excellent soldiers, shooting even better thando the Spaniards with arquebuses, and possessing very good weapons. 

_Fray Miguel_, archbishop of Manila. _Diego de Leon_Before me: _Francisco de Carranca_, notary. 

I, Francisco de Carranca, canon of this holy church of Manila, appointed notary by his Lordship, by his command caused this copyof this information to be made from the original, which was drawnbefore me, and remains in the archives of the notary-public ofthis archbishopric. It is a certain and true copy, to the best ofmy knowledge, and I refer to the original. Witness its copying, correcting, and comparison, Thomas de Cardenas and Juan Camacho deel Hello, residents of this city of Manila, where it is dated, on tothe seventh of July of the year one thousand six hundred and five. 

_Francisco de Carrança_, notary. 

[We append to this document the following affidavit:]

Sworn statement to the effect that there are Sangleys in Manila inthe present year 1605. 

In the city of Manila, on the fifteenth day of the month of June inthe year one thousand six hundred and five, the schoolmaster Don Luisde Salinas, whom I affirm that I know, declared that it was necessaryfor expediency's sake that I, Francisco Davila, notary of the kingour lord, should testify on oath that today, on the said day heregiven, there live, exist, and reside infidel Sangleys in the housesof the citizens of Manila, or in some of them. It should be knownthat they are in the house of the master-of-camp Pedro de Chaves, and in the house of the master-of-camp Augustin de Arceo, who is atpresent exercising the said office and military rank in this camp--andthe said houses form one side of the palace, and front on the Plazade Armas--and in the houses of the dean Don Juan de Bivero and thoseof Antonio de Spinosa, which are on the plaza of this said city; andin a number of others belonging to the most prominent citizens--thatis, those of the highest life and rank in the city. The said notaryrequested me to give the said testimony, and by these presents I askthat there be witnesses, that I the said Francisco de Avila, give myword and truthful testimony that I have seen today, on the said date, the said Sangleys in the said houses, selling their merchandise andbeing present therein as if in their own homes. And in accordancewith the said request I have given these presents in the said city ofManila on the said day, month, and year, being witnesses thereto theprebendary Tomas de Cardenas, Antonio Baçan, and Alonso Cano, residentsin Manila. And therefore I have set my seal in witness of the truth. 

_Francisco Davila_

We, the notaries who have here signed our names, certify and givefaith that Francisco de Avila, by whom the statement above is signedand sealed, is a royal notary, and to the acts and instruments whichhave been or are drawn before him full faith and credit are given, inand out of court; and that this may be apparent we have given thesepresents, in Manila, on the sixteenth day of the month, of June inthe year one thousand six hundred and five. 

_Bartolome de Quesada_, royal notary. _Alonzo Gomez_, his Majesty's notary. _Francisco de Alanis_, notary-public. 

LETTER FROM A CHINESE OFFICIAL TO ACUNA

(Translation of a letter from the inspector-general of Chincheo inthe kingdom of China, which was received in this year 1605, addressedto Don Pedro de Acuña, governor and captain-general of the FilipinasIslands. The address is to the great captain-general of Luzon. Thesame letter was sent by the viceroy of Chincheo and the eunuch ofthe same province; and since they are all three identical, withoutany discrepancy except in the signatures, this copy stands for allof them. )

Learning that the Chinese who went for purposes of trade to thekingdom of Luzon have been put to death by the Spaniards, I haveinquired into the cause of these deaths and have prayed the kingthat he will do justice upon the person who has been the cause ofthis great evil, that redress for it may be undertaken and that themerchants may enjoy peace and quietness. Some years before I camehere as inspector, a Sangley, by name Tionez, [_sic; sc. _ Tiognen][37] went by permission of the king of China with three mandarinsto Luzon, searching at Cabite for gold and silver. The whole thingwas a lie, for they found neither gold nor silver; accordingly theking directed this deceiver Tionez to be punished, that the strictjustice done in China might be known. 

During the time of the preceding viceroy and eunuch, Tiognen and hiscompanion, named Yanlion, told this lie; and I, after I came hither, begged the king to have a copy made of all the documents in the caseof Tiognen, and to command the said Tiognen to be brought before himwith the record in the case. I myself saw the aforesaid papers andcaused him to see that the whole thing had been a deceit uttered bythe said Tiognen. I wrote to the king declaring that on account ofthe deceits of the said Tiognen the Castilians had suspected us ofintending to make war upon them; and that on this account they hadput to death more than thirty thousand Chinese in Luzon! The king didas I asked him and therefore punished the said Yanglion by orderinghim to be killed, and the said Tiognen, by commanding his head to becut off and suspended in a cage. The Chinese who were put to deathin Luzon were innocent, and I with others discussed this matterwith the king, that we might learn what was his will in this graveaffair. There was also another matter of importance to be considered, which was that two English ships had come to this coast of Chincheo, a very dangerous thing for China. This we did that the king might learnwhat was to be done in these two matters of such importance. We alsowrote to the king that his Majesty should command the two Sangleyswho pointed out this port to the English to be punished. After wehad written the aforesaid letter to the king he answered us thatsince English vessels had come to China, they should be commandedto go away immediately to Luzon, for fear that they had come forpiratical purposes; and that they should carry word to the inhabitantsof Luzon not to give credit to a deceitful and lying set of Chinese, He also commanded the two Sangleys who had piloted the English to beimmediately executed. As for the other things that we had written tohim he declared that our will should be done. Immediately, after havingreceived this document, we--the viceroy, the eunuch, and I--sent thesedocuments to the governor of Luzon, that his Lordship might know thegreatness of the king of China and of his realm (for they are so greatthat he governs everything upon which the moon and the sun shine), and likewise that the governor of Luzon may know the great justicewith which this vast realm is governed. It is long since anyone hasdared to give offense to this kingdom; and although the Japonese haveendeavored to disturb Corea, which is under the government of China, they have been unable to succeed therewith, and have been driven fromthe said kingdom, and Corea has remained in great peace and quiet, as the peoale of Luzon know well from what has been told them. [_Atthe beginning of this paragraph, and on the margin_: "They knew thatthe English are our friends. "]

Last year, after we learned that, as a result of the deceit ofTiognen, so many Chinese had been put to death in Luzon, many mandarinsassembled to agree upon urging the king to take vengeance for all thesedeaths. We said that the land of Luzon was a wretched land of littleimportance, of old inhabited only by devils and snakes; and that, as aresult of the immigration there a few years ago of so many Sangleys totrade with the Castilians, the country has been enriched to the extentto which the said Sangleys have labored therein. They have built thewalls, and made houses and gardens, and other things of great advantageto the Castilians. Nevertheless, the Castilians had no considerationfor these things, and have felt no gratitude for these good works, but have 60 cruelly slain all those people. Although we wrote thisstatement two or three times to the king, he replied to us that, although he was grieved by what had happened, there were three reasonswhy we should not avenge ourselves or make war upon Luzon. The firstwas that the Castilians had long been friends of the Chinese in thisregion; the second is that it was uncertain who would be victorious, Chinese or Castilians; and the third and last reason, that the peopleslain by the Castilians were a base people, ungrateful to China, their native country, to their parents, and to their relatives, since so many years had passed during which they had not returnedto China. The king said that he did not consider these people of anyvalue, for the aforesaid reasons; and he merely commanded the viceroy, the eunuch, and me to write this letter sent by this ambassador, thatthe people of Luzon may know that the king of China has great kindness, great patience, and great pity, since he has not commanded them tomake war against the people of Luzon. His justice is plainly to beseen, since he has punished the deceit of Tiognen. As the Spaniardsare a wise and prudent race it must be that they would be grievedfor having put so many people to death, and will repent thereof andwill show justice to the Chinese who have survived. If the Castiliansshow justice to the Chinese, send back the Sangleys who have survivedthe war, and pay the money due for the goods taken from the Sangleys, there will be amity between this kingdom and that, and merchant vesselswill sail there every year. If not, the king will not permit merchantvessels to make the voyage, but will command a thousand vessels ofwar to be built with a force of soldiers--relatives of the deceased, and inhabitants of the other nations and kingdoms that pay tributeto China; and, without having mercy upon anyone, they will make war, and afterward the kingdom of Luzon will be given to that people whichwill pay tribute to China. [_On the margin_: "Those who pay tributeare Siang, Cochinchina, and Corea. "]

(The letter of the inspector-general was written on the twelfth ofthe second month, which, according to our reckoning, is March of the[_blank in MS. _] year of the reign of Bandel. [38] The letter of theeunuch was written on the sixteenth of the same month and year; andthat of the viceroy on the twenty-second of the same month and year. )

LETTERS FROM AUGUSTINIAN FRIARS TO FELIPE III

Sire:

This province of our father St. Augustine in the Philipinas enjoyeda fortunate and prosperous season as a result of the care, zeal, and strictness in religion of the provincial, who (to my greatsorrow) has just completed his term, and was chiefly inspired bythe advice, directions, and commands which your Majesty has sentus in your letters, all of which have been scrupulously obeyed andrespected. During this happy time there returned to this province FrayLorenso de Leon, [39] a man who after having been provincial herewent on business of the province to España and Roma for six years, as your Majesty has been fully notified. This father Fray Lorenso deLeon came, then, to disturb all this good, having sought and pursuednothing but his own personal interest and desires, with his notoriousvanity and ambition, and having wholly neglected the general advantageof this forgotten province. 

He arrived last year, one thousand six hundred and four; and up tothe present time (our provincial chapter having been held in theinterim) his only occupation and efforts have been to bring it aboutby unfair contrivances that he should attain his own pretensionsand advancement, as is evident by the result. In the face of therequisitions and notifications made by our assembly of definitors, he, although he was under solemn oath, concealed the papers anddocuments which he brought with him, and brought them forward only inthis present chapter. These documents, although they were nothing butsimple letters from our father-general, were accepted there, in orderto avoid contentions and scandals; and accordingly, as they directed, he presided in the chapter as vicar-general, the same authority beingvalid for all chapters and congregations [of the order] at which hemight be present. Thus he has taken this ancient and rightful name fromour provincials of Castilla, to whom it was granted by his Holiness;and this without command from your Majesty and your royal Council, to whom all this is subject. We pray will all humility that suchassumption of authority may be permitted to go no further, in orderthat the evils thus begun in such a decay of this province (of whichyour Majesty will be informed in this letter) may no longer continue. 

After the majority of the chapter, including those most worthy ofconfidence, had agreed and determined, for the greater peace and quietof the chapter, to elect as provincial a deserving religious of thequalifications required by our rules, we proceeded peacefully withthe election, until the said father Fray Lorenso de Leon took controlof it. Although he had no right to be present in spite of his beingpresident, he eagerly seated himself so near the clerk who gave outthe blank ballots that, whether by fear or affection, he certainlyby this, and with his gestures and signs, being himself a candidate, affected and changed the wills and intentions of some of the electors, contrary to the freedom of the election. Moreover, he was present atthe counting of the votes and ballots with the three tellers. Whenhe discovered that he had some votes, at which time he ought to havedeparted, and that another (whom he feared) was receiving more thanhe was then, so as to be sure of the election--and that candidate issaid certainly to have had it--exceeding his authority, he barred thevotes and commanded the counting to cease, declaring the election to bevoid. He showed--as a pretext, as will later appear from all this--aballot or vote somewhat torn, in order to force a new election. Hencefollowed much ill-will, which he manifested on his side. In order tocompel a new decision, as a result of the fear and change of purposewhich he intended to cause in their minds, he delivered deceitful andsatirical speeches (with which he is provided), in which he let themknow that there was no one else in the chapter who could be electedexcept himself. He declared that he was not obliged to confirm him whomthey might elect, making this declaration for the benefit of him whopresumed to be most fit to be chosen. Although he was challenged andcalled upon to declare the impediment or incapacity of that man orof any other, he was not willing to do so, since in truth there wasno such disability. As a result of this and other acts of tyranny, he forced a new election and new vote, to the great disgust andastonishment of the chapter. This sufficed to elect him (as he wasin fact elected) provincial. He caused himself to be confirmed byone of the definitors; and, as the chapter had begun by siding withhim, so it was continued. He now saw himself provincial, president, and vicar-general; and all this encouraged and enabled him to takeour courage and spirit away from us in all elections, both small andgreat. Thus they all resulted in accordance with his will, and withthe promises which he had made to those of his party, and to thosefrom whom he had asked votes. This he had done through some laymen, a thing which makes the matter worse. 

The result is manifest in the holders of all the better offices andconvents. They are chosen from the friars of his province of Mexico, and from those who have assumed the habit here--unlearned, dissipated, and worthless boys. At the same time he has put out of office thosewhom he has oppressed, solely because they have come, being sent outby your Majesty from the provinces of España. The hatred and divisionamong ourselves arising from his party cannot be remedied unless youMajesty take prompt measures to cure it from there, so completelyhave these fathers who are not from España obtained possession ofthe province, which is not very lucrative under their control. Allthe rest of us remain in discouragement and unhappiness to see suchthings, so opposite to good government and the Christian religion, and so full of peril to consciences. The result has been that somereligious have not been willing to accept priorships in this chapter, for fear that they cannot hold them securely, inasmuch as the saidfather has not in their view been elected as a lawful superior, considering the coercion in the proceedings. Taking warning frompast experience, fearing to cause public scandal and the rumors thatresult from disputes and investigations in such matters, and timidbecause of the little redress that can be had here, we have enduredthis affliction, and will suffer the harm within our own gates. Forthe whole series of proceedings is in violation of law; yet we havenot, although your Majesty has many just counselors in this his royalcouncil, entered our plea for justice and liberty before the council;for we desire to avoid scandals, and the governor of these islandshas shown himself to be greatly biased in favor of the provincialelected. This is due to the activity and unlawful proceedings of thesargento-mayor Christoval de Asqueta, long since an agent for fatherFray Lorenso de Leon. Such a relation is completely contrary to therule of our order and our withdrawal from the world. Our only redressis in recourse to your Majesty, prostrate before whose feet we sendour petition from this remotest province to our patron, defender, and gracious king, praying for justice, relief, and liberty in thiscase and in all other cases in which oppression is brought upon ourgood purpose and holy zeal, which were taught us in the convents inthe provinces of España. We assure your Majesty that we who makethis earnest and truthful report are the most prominent and soundpart of the chapter; and that we are moved solely by the purpose ofserving our Lord God and of promoting the advance of our holy order incredit and reputation, to the benefit of the royal crown and to thespiritual desert of your Majesty in these regions. We feel certainthat your Majesty will soon send the remedy for all these evils, as we entreat, by interposing the authority of the nuncio of hisHoliness, that he may by his official censure revoke all documents, rights of preëminence, or letters of our father-general which thesaid father Fray Lorenso de Leon may have, since it is entirelyimproper that he should take advantage of them. By this means andby the decrees which your Majesty will issue, this province can beassembled anew for an election--that is, those of it who have theright to vote--free from domination, under the presidency of a bishopof these Philipinas Islands. That which is supremely necessary is, as we have often prayed your Majesty, that there may come here fromthat province of Castilla a religious to inspect this province and setits affairs in order. If need be, he should have plenary authority togovern it, without allowing other elections; and he whom your Majestyshall send should come accompanied by religious fit to restore andpreserve this province. Like a young vine, it is in need of suchlaborers, and not of such as dry up its moisture and pluck its fruit, like the friars who come here from Mexico. They have no other care, imitating in this their head; for it is evident that the said fatherFray Lorenso de Leon has always acted in this way, since for hisown private claims he has taken almost ten thousand pesos in pastyears and at present he has begun to collect the same a second time, in order to satisfy these claims entirely. We are eye-witnesses thatin his behavior, desires, possessions, and unlawful wealth [40] helays claim to great things. According to rumor and his beginnings, he aims at a bishopric; and this is made certain by the saying thathe brought back here, when he complained that he would have receivedthe bishopric of Manila if some persons had not written against him, and declared that he brought letters with him which would cause him tobe feared, and that he would be provincial, by fair means or foul. Mayyour Majesty be pleased to abate this evil by causing him to leave thisprovince, and by granting us this boon and redress for which we pray, and which will conduce so greatly to the restoring of this province. Beassured that we make this truthful representation without any sortof malice or evil purpose, but only with wholesome and well-foundedzeal. Your Majesty will have satisfactory proof of this in the lettersand advices which will be sent from the government, the community, and the religious orders here, all of which will furnish informationin the case. The cause is that of God and of your Majesty, and thiswill give us calmness and courage, in certain hope of receiving thisgreat grace and protection. We remain your Majesty's humble chaplainsand faithful servants, praying our God to grant your Majesty manyyears of happy life with all spiritual gifts, to the increase of yourroyal estates and Christian seigniories. Dated after the session ofour chapter in our convent of San Augustin in Manila, on the fourthday of the month of May, one thousand six hundred and five. 

_Fray Estevan Carrillo_, definitor. _Fray Bernabe de Villalovos_, definitor of Guadalupe. _Fray Miguel Garcia_, visitor. _Fray Jhoan de Tapia_, associate of the late provincial and secretaryof the province [?]. _Fray Francisco Serrano_, sometime visitor. _Fray Miguel de Siguenza_, sometime visitor. _Fray Mathedo Daças_, prior. _Fray Jhoan de Pineda_, prior, and lecturer in theology. _Fray Diego Pardo_, procurator-general. _Fray Jheronimo de Salas_, prior. _Fray Jhoan de Rojas_, sub-prior of Manila. _Fray Miguel de San Marco__Fray Bartolome de Aguirre__Fray Ambrosio de Leon_, procurator. 

[_Endorsed_: "September 12, 1606. Considered; the decree on a separatepaper. "]

Sire:

The Order of St. Augustine in these islands has for years been inneed of reform, and many letters have been written to your Majesty onthis subject. During the provincialate which has just come to an end, that of Fray Pedro Arce, some reforms were accomplished as a resultof his good example, for he is a friar who follows the rules of hisorder very scrupulously; but as he had no one to carry this beginningto perfection, for lack of friars such as himself, he did not achievewhat he desired. His successor is named Fray Lorenzo de Leon; and hehas begun to overthrow everything which his predecessor established, by oppressing the Castilian friars and encouraging the creoles, [41] who are utterly shiftless and a set of fools. From this willnecessarily follow the entire ruin of the province. The only means ofremedy is that your Majesty should send religious from Castilla andthose provinces of España in order that this province may lift its headand be reformed. The religious of the said order will write to yourMajesty. There are very zealous ones among them, especially Fray Pedrode Arce, [42] the late provincial, to whom entire credit may be given. 

May our Lord keep your Majesty for the good of your manykingdoms. Manila, June 1, 1605. 

_Fray Bernardo de Santa Catherina_, commissary of the Holy Office, of the Order of St. Dominic. [43]

Sire:

In spite of the fact that I am one of those who joined in signinga common letter which was sent to your Majesty by the majorityof the chapter of this province of our father St. Augustine inthe Philippinas, I cannot satisfy my conscience or manifest thezeal which I ought to possess, without giving personal notice toyour Majesty of certain things with which as associate of the lateprovincial and as secretary of the province I became acquainted, andwhich still continue to exist, to the great harm and diminution ofthe province. I am encouraged to do this, although it is the firsttime that I address you, by reasons which demand a remedy; and byconsidering, with the certain proofs which I have, that your Majestyas a king and father most benevolent and most Christian will not beindignant that a chaplain, servant, and vassal such as I should giveinformation, by means of these and other just suggestions, in orderthat reform may result from them. Ever since father Fray Lorenso deLeon returned to this province, it has steadily degenerated from theharmony and influence which it had previously gained, as a result ofthe great improvement shown in all things under the control of thevirtuous superior of the previous term. It now grows worse and worsethe more it has of him who is at present the superior, the fatheralready mentioned. The plan and the tricks with which he was elected Ido not write to your Majesty, since they have already been recountedin a common letter, to which I refer. As a result of his electionthe religious from Mexico who are here, and have assumed the habitin this country have recovered their strength. They are nearly allof little ability, ignoramuses, uncontrolled, and of most perverseinclinations. Out of the respect and reverence due your Majesty Ido not enter into details; I only state particularly that the gamesof cards have been revived among them. The one who has especiallydistinguished himself is a certain Fray Jhoan de Amorin, who withthe said father Fray Lorenço de Leon went from this province to theprovince of Mexico, returning again with a very bad reputation and thename of having a restless disposition, ambitious and injurious to all, and personally vicious and dissolute, unrestrained in all respects. 

The said father being in Mexico took under his charge the conduct ofsome religious intended for this province, and recruited from thatone. He was in charge of the clothing and other possessions of thesereligious, and even of the fund granted from your Majesty's treasuryof that kingdom for such conveyance of friars. He deceitfully affirmedthat it has been spent, but rendered no account for it; and tellsdifferent stories about it, such as to condemn him. He has alwaysbeen under the protection of the said father Leon, who has receivedhis pay from the great amount which the other has obtained for him, during this last chapter, by means of secular and religious personsbelonging to his party. As the climax of all this, he has appointedthe said father Amorin prior of the convent of Tondo, in the sight ofall this community. The common people have objected and murmured much, since in that village they have previously had special proofs of ourdisinterestedness and purity of motive. 

Of the many things which were taken in charge by Father Lorenço deLeon to be attended to in the kingdoms of España and Roma, for thebenefit of this distant province, not one of the least importanceor necessity has been concluded; yet he has spent, just as if hehad carried everything through, the assessments and additionalcontributions which were given him in common by the province. Hehas cared only for his private interests and his private claims, as is manifestly shown by the titles that have been lavished uponhim . .. Master, though he has not sufficient learning; and presidentand vicar-general for all chapters and assemblages, to the manifestinjury of the members of this province. He was received as such, although in violation of law, only in order to avoid contention andscandal. But he has assumed still more authority, as a result ofthe liberty which he has, and in the documents which he issues addsthe title of provincial and vicar-general. All this is without thecommand of your Majesty and of your royal Council of the Indias, and is contrary to the grants made to our provincial fathers ofCastilla who have so long exercised a similar office. This is right, since this province was established and is maintained by them and thehonored friars who have come out hither from España. We have greatlysuffered from the lack of such Spanish friars, since it is now sixyears since religious were sent out to us here. The cause has beenthe fact that the said father Fray Lorenzo de Leon went thither, andalthough he might have brought back a noble shipload of them, he didnot undertake the work with sufficient diligence--expecting to obtainfriars from Mexico, and to convert to his own use the grants made forsuch conveyance in Sevilla from your Majesty's treasury. The fact is, that although he received a decree and allowance to bring eighteenreligious from those provinces, he actually brought only seven towhom the habit of our father St. Augustine belonged. The other elevenhe supplied with laymen who were traveling secretly to the Indias, and he received from them special bribes, putting upon them habitsof the order, that they might in this way get as far as the registryin Vera Cruz and afterward return to their own condition. The saidfather thus retained in his hands all the allowance which he hadreceived. I would not dare to make this statement to your Majestyif I did not know it from the relation of those very seven religiouswhom he brought hither from España. Additional evidence is a letter(which I saw) from Dr. Antonio de Morga, written soon after hisarrival in Mexico, in which he gave this information to persons fromthere. Nothing has been done in this matter because of the fear andsubjection in which the said father Leon has placed those of us whomight speak and demand justice for this and other most unjust actsof which he has been guilty. I testify to your Majesty that his celland manner of dress are like those of a trading merchant, and not ofa poor and abstinent friar; and, through the trade conducted by theChinese here, I know that he has invested a great amount of money insending merchandise to Mexico. Now this he could not do except at theexpense of the convents; for in the larger and richer houses he hasgranted offices to those of his party and those under his control, while he dislikes and ill-treats the virtuous and grave religious fromEspaña. All this causes us sorrow and affliction, especially becauseof the offense committed against our Lord God, and the loss to ourorder and the disservice of your Majesty and of your Majesty's holyzeal, and because your Majesty's directions are not fulfilled. Mayyour Majesty be pleased to put an end to all this by exercising yourauthority and sending as promptly as possible an inspector from theprovince of Castilla, accompanied by religious like himself. Such aone may amend this and take these two religious from here, deprivingthem of the titles of which they have made so bad a use. I beseech yourMajesty to pardon my boldness in having dwelt so long on this matter. Imay have failed, in my manner of writing, to observe the respect andform due to my king and lord, but I believe that I have not been atfault in purpose or zeal. I am now occupied in the service of yourMajesty as chief chaplain and vicar of the galleys and fleets of yourMajesty in these kingdoms, upon the important expedition which is nowbeing made. [44] In this and in all things I am the meanest servantand vassal of your Majesty. I kiss your royal hand and pray that Godmay keep your Majesty in a long and happy life with the increase ofevery good. 

Manila, June 20, 1605. _Fray Jhoan de Tapia_

[_Endorsed_: "June 22, 1606; to the Count of Lemos. " "September 12, 1606; examined; no answer. "]

LETTER FROM MALDONADO TO FELIPE III

Sire:

On every occasion which has arisen I have regularly advised you ofwhatever seemed desirable for the proper service of your Majesty, which is my only desire. Accordingly, last year I sent a letter by thetwo ships which were despatched, a duplicate of which I send in this, with other matters that have come to my notice. Your Majesty willbe pleased to have this examined, as it treats of some affairs whichdemand remedy; and in regions so remote many difficulties arise whendue provision is not made--as will be seen in some papers which aresent with this, concerning the little respect which the soldiers andtroops of war show toward the auditors, as the governor claims thatwe are not their judges; and regarding the galleys which the governorhas built, and their excessive cost, which is the ruin of this country;likewise will be seen therein the many offices and positions of profitwhich the governor has given to his creatures, against the decrees ofyour Majesty and the instructions for his office, so that all thosewho have served here feel very indignant over it. These things, and the obligation of my office, have constrained me to give thisreport, and to try to secure the remedy which the vassals of yourMajesty hope for, when your Majesty shall cast your gaze upon thisland which was so cared for and favored by his Catholic Majesty(whom may God keep!) which your Majesty is still caring for, withthe great favors which your Majesty grants it for the spiritual andtemporal good which is your object. 

The royal [estate] in these islands is in debt for a large sum ofmoney in gold, as your Majesty has been informed; on this accountall those who draw salaries and stipends therefrom are in the utmostneed--so much so that we have not been able to pay this year thepresident, auditors, archbishop, bishops, prebendaries, or ministersof instruction and justice, not having the means to pay them. Mostpitiable of all has been the plight of the soldiers, who are sufferingthe utmost extremity, without there being any resources with whichto aid them. All this has been caused by the excessive cost of thegalleys, and the great expenses incurred by some expeditions madewith them without anything being thus gained. In the interim, untilyour Majesty be pleased to order some provision, we shall take greatpains to do what is most expedient so that these expenses may ceaseand the country be defended without them. [_In the margin of thisparagraph is written_: "No answer to be given. "]

This year it will be very necessary to appropriate a considerableloan of money from what comes from Nueva Spaña--because the viceroy ofMexico has not sent the usual aid, and it is impossible to get alongwithout obtaining it from private persons--that the land may not goto ruin; for I can assure you that it has come to this extremity. 

Last year I advised you of the many offices which the governor hadgranted, and in this he has continued--going so far that, observingthe general complaint of all the meritorious persons, I have tried torestrain him. At this he showed little inclination to favor my efforts, and offered me some affronts--which I shall not mention, as they wereof such a nature as to affect only me personally and not my officeor its authority. But, because it appears to me expedient to informyou concerning one such case, I shall do so, as it is a matter whichtouches the preëminence of the officers whom your Majesty maintainshere, so that your Majesty, if you please, may order it to be setright. [_On the margin of this paragraph_: "Concerning the officeswhich the governor has filled; join this relation which Don Antonio deRibera sends to that which the governor writes concerning the offices, and have it all brought. "]

By the ordinance of this royal Audiencia it is directed that anAudiencia building be erected in which the president and auditorsshall live; and by a later decree it is ordered that there shall bea royal building, very imposing, so that these infidels may see theauthority with which your Majesty is served and which the officerswho serve in these offices must possess. I, as the senior auditor, lived in the royal building, whence, on the occasion when your Majestydirected the treasury of the royal exchequer to be established in theroyal building, the governor ordered me to move, in order to make roomfor the treasury. As this wrong was done to me, I laid it before theAudiencia, saying that he was exceeding the commission given by theroyal decree; and that, in accordance therewith, it was not the willof your Majesty that my place of abode should be taken from me, as ithad been occupied from the time when it was built by the presidentand auditors. This was shown to the governor by the [Audiencia's]record of proceedings; and it was decreed in the Audiencia that in theroyal building where I was two main apartments should be cleared out, in which the treasury and the books of the royal exchequer shouldbe accommodated. The governor, in spite of this action, took all myapartments from me and lodged therein a royal official; whereupon, as there is a great lack of houses in this city, I was obliged tomove into a house of wood and thatch, which was unsuitable to the lastdegree, and attended by much danger because of the frequent fires whichoccur in this city. Accordingly, in the two fires which have occurredthis year I have been obliged to go with my effects and books fromone place to another, until at last I rented for them and my papersan apartment outside of my house in a building of stone belongingto a citizen, where I keep them. Besides experiencing so greatinconvenience, this country is so warm that I assure your Majesty, with all due regard for truth, that my health is failing; and I fearthat I shall lose my life, through the poor appointments of the houseand on account of the intemperate heat from which I suffer in goingto the Audiencia. But so great is the dislike which the governorhas taken toward me, that neither the injustice and wrong, nor thedanger of fire, nor the failure of my health has moved him to giveme a lodging; nor is one to be found at any cost. I beg your Majestythat, even if it may not be necessary for me, you may command what isto be done in regard to the other auditors, for he has depreciated myauthority and maltreated me in such manner that I would consider it agreat neglect of duty to your Majesty if I did not advise you of it, and this has led me to give so detailed an account. [_In the margin_:"No answer to be given. "]

In the letter of last year which will accompany this, I communicatedan expedient which has occurred to me whereby this land might bemaintained in abundance, with only the property which the royaltreasury has in these islands, without there being any need of aidingit from the royal exchequer of Mexico; and the paid soldiers couldbe increased, and other good results might be achieved. I beseechyour Majesty to have it examined, as it appears desirable to both thearchbishop and the bishop of Nueva Segovia, to whom I have communicatedit, and who thought it very good. [_In the margin of this paragraphis an order which says_: "Let the governor and the Audiencia inform usconcerning this plan, sending them a copy thereof without issuing anydecree; and let them send an account of the advantages and difficultieswhich may have occurred to them, with their opinion. "]

It is more than eight years since your Majesty was pleased to do methe favor of giving me a post as auditor of Mexico, with an order toestablish the Audiencia in these islands. I sat therein four years, and I am now advised by way of Nueva España that the place in thatAudiencia which was occupied by the licentiate Francisco Alonso deVillagra, who passed on to the royal Council of the Yndias, has beengiven to me. Although the time for which I was to serve here is alreadypast, I have not dared to leave these islands this year, as I haveno order expressing the wish of your Majesty; and likewise becausethe governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, is obliged to go on the expeditionto Maluco, and, if I go to Nueva España, only three auditors willremain. The eldest of these, who, according to the ordinance, must takeup the duties of the captain-general, is so burdened and his healthso poor that he cannot attend to the affairs of war. On this account, and because I understand that your Majesty would be better pleasedto have me in this country, I have not gone to enjoy the favor whichhas been extended to me in Mexico--which is very great, and a notablepromotion--although the greatest favor that I can receive is to let meserve in this Audiencia at a time when important affairs may occur, whereby I may show my desire. I beseech your Majesty that what I amdoing in staying here to further serve your Majesty be permitted andapproved. [_In the margin is this order_: "Let him go immediately, in accordance with the decree which was sent him. " [45]]

During the whole time since I have been favored with this post inMexico, I have been occupied in your Majesty's service, and withsitting in this royal Audiencia. I beseech your Majesty that, sincein similar offices of justice all the privileges are enjoyed fromthe day of the nomination, as if the office were being exercised, the favor may be done me that I may not lose my seniority, from theday when your Majesty was pleased to appoint me auditor in Mexico(especially as I have been occupied in what I was commanded to do), as was done with Doctor Francisco Alonso de Villagra when he went tofill the same post at Mexico; he was detained by an official visitat Santo Domingo, and did not lose his seniority, [_In the margin_:"What he asks is unreasonable. "]

Last year two ships were despatched somewhat late, and the flagshiparrived in a dismantled condition at the end of four or five months ofsailing, with little damage; but the other was lost on the oppositecoast of these islands, without any person or any part of her cargobeing saved. This was a great pity, and especially so after so manywrecks as we have had in years past. God was pleased to bring hitherin safety two other ships, which go out this year, which has been somerelief to the citizens and merchants of this city. [_In the margin_:"No answer to be given. "]

The licentiate Geronimo de Salazar y Salcedo, fiscal of this royalAudiencia, is dead. He leaves his wife in very poor circumstancesand a daughter who is without any resources, which is a great pity. 

In a letter of last year I told your Majesty how the sargento-mayorwent to La Laguna, which is about fifteen leguas from this city, in pursuit of the Sangley rebels. As they were in two bodies ofat least two thousand each, unarmed, wounded, and fatigued, andwithout any means of defense; and the sargento-mayor had two hundredSpanish arquebusiers, and three hundred others from Pampanga who arenatives of these islands, armed with arquebuses and muskets, and eighthundred well-armed Japonese, besides five or six thousand natives withlances, pikes, halberds, partizans, javelins, and bows and arrows, their strength was so great that, without the Sangleys facing them, the natives killed them--attacking first one troop and then the other, with perfect safety and not the slightest danger. In this affair twelveor fifteen days were spent in the going, the work, and the return, andfor this he claims more remuneration than if he had pacified the statesof Flandes; and he is not even contented with the governor having givenhim an excellent encomienda in the vicinity of this city, besidesanother good one which he possesses in Pangasinan. At present he isenjoying both of them contrary to the instructions of your Majesty, and they are among the best in the islands. I advise you of this sothat the service which he has rendered, the time spent, the danger ofthe expedition, and the risk that he personally ran, may be known, so that the reward may be conformable to that and not to the favorwhich the governor extends to him and the claim which he makes. Forhe dares not ask to have investigations made in the Audiencia, norshould an opinion be given in it as your Majesty orders by the royaldecrees; for it is not known in the royal Council how little he did, that it was not a service of such importance as to demand more rewardthan what he held in the first encomienda. 

All the welfare of this land, for its maintenance and the prosperityof those who reside in it, lies in the cargoes of the ships whichare despatched to Nueva España, with which your Majesty favors thecitizens of this city and the settlers. I assure your Majesty withthe truth that I desire to employ, that much wrong is done them, and that the ships are laded for the dependents and connections ofthe governor, by which they are benefited with great riches; andthe same thing is done by the commanders and admirals who come fromMexico, who, as they are persons from the household of the viceroy, are the ones who get the benefit. The governor will not allow theAudiencia to interfere in this; and thus the persons to whom thisfavor was extended suffer, and those enjoy it who were prohibitedfrom doing so, and counted undeserving. I communicate this, thatyour Majesty may be pleased to order it corrected; for it is a matterwhich affects all with much grief and resentment. [_In the margin_:"No answer to be given, for suitable provision has already been made. "]

The plan which appears suitable for this (which I humbly beseech may belooked into, according to my desire) is what your Majesty has commandedby his royal decree--that there should be sent each year to the Councila report of what is laded in the ships, and to what person it belongs;and this is not done. In order that this should be carried out, it isexpedient that an auditor should be sent by the royal Audiencia--andnot by the governor, as that is not fitting--who should take, on theoath of a notary, account of everything which enters in the ship, nothing being laded without his presence and supervision. In thismanner the freighting will be justly done without the freighterswho are appointed having a chance to sell the tonnage, as they dotoday. Thus they leave the citizens without the share which belongs tothem, defrauding the royal customs, as would appear if this plan wereobserved--at which I know your Majesty would be very glad, and all thecitizens would enjoy fully the favor which has been granted them. Godprotect the Catholic person of your Majesty. Manila, June 28, 605. 

The licentiate _Don Antonio de Ribera Maldonado_

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DATA

_Relacion de las Islas Filipinas_, by Pedro Chirino (concluded). --SeeBibliographical Data at end of _Vol_. XII. Full details regardingthis work will be given in the bibliographical volume at the end ofthis series. 

All the rest of the matter contained in this volume is obtainedfrom original MSS. In the Archivo general de Indias, Sevilla; theirpressmarks are as follows:

1. _Letters from Acuña. _--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia de Filipinas;cartas y expedientes del Gobernador de Filipinas vistos en el Consejo;años de 1600 á 1628; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 7. " The postscript regardingSanta Potenciana--"Simancas--Filipinas; cartas y espedientes delpresidente y oidores de dha Audiencia vistos en el Consejo; años de1600 á [1612?]; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 19. "

2. _Decrees regarding religious orders. _--(A) The first:"Simancas--Audiencia de Filipinas; consultas originalescorrespondientes á dha Audiencia desde el año de 1586 á 1636; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 1. " (b) The second and third: "Audiencia de Filipinas;registros de oficio; reales ordenes dirigidas a las autoridades deldistrito de la Audiencia; años de 1597 á 1634; est. 105, caj. 2, leg. 1. "

3. _Grant to Jesuit seminary. _--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia deFilipinas; cartas y expedientes de religiosos y misioneros en Filipinasvistos en el Consejo; años de 1569 á 1616; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 37. "

4. _Decree regulating commerce. _--The same as No. 2, (b). 

5. _Complaints against the Chinese. _--"Audiencia de Filipinas;Simancas--Eclesiastico; cartas y espedientes del arzobispo de Manilavistos en el Consejo; años de 1579 á 1679; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 32. "

6. _Letter from Chinese official. _-The same as No. 1. 

7. _Letters from Augustinians. _--"Simancas--Eclesiastico; cartas yexpedientes de personas eclesiasticas vistos en el Consejo; años 1570á 1608; est. 68, caj. 1, leg. 42. " The letter from Santa Catherina--thesame as No. 5. 

8. _Letter from Maldonado. _--"Simancas--Secular; Audiencia deFilipinas; cartas y expedientes del presidente y oidores de dichaAudiencia vistos en el Consejo; años de 1600 á 1606; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 19. "

NOTES

[1] Marginal reference: "I John, 2. "

[2] A town on the western coast of Samar, ten miles east of Catbalogan. 

[3] These were Father Melchor Hurtado and Francisco González, andthe brother coadjutor Diego Rodriguez. They were sent from Mexicoin March by Francisco Váez, the provincial of Nueva España. --_PabloPastells, S. J. _

[4] Referring to Ignatius de Loyola (1491-1556), the founder of theJesuit order, and afterward a saint; he is here mentioned as "blessed, "as he was not canonized until 1622. 

[5] The religious exercises recommended by Loyola, and composed byhim while in retirement near Manresa, Spain, in 1522; they from abook entitled _Exercitia spiritualia_ ("Spiritual exercises") whichhas ever since been a text-book of the Jesuit order. 

[6] "The figure of a lamb stamped on the wax which remains from thepaschal candles, and solemnly blessed by the pope on the Thursday afterEaster, in the first and seventh years of his pontificate. " (Addisand Arnold's _Catholic Dictionary_, pp. 17, 18. )

[7] Apparently meaning the interior pellicle of bamboo (_Bambusarundo_; _Vol_. XII, pp. 189, 190, note 44), used in Eastern landsas a substitute for paper. 

[8] _Decurias_: alluding to a custom in Spanish schools of placing thepupils, by tens (or sometimes in smaller numbers), under the chargeof the most competent of the older students, under the supervisionof the master of the school. 

[9] Marginal reference: "Wisdom, 7. "

[10] Marginal reference: "Romans, 10"--evidently to the seventeenthverse of that chapter, "Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing bythe word of Christ. " All citations from the Holy Bible, and referencesthereto, made in the translations for this work, are taken from thestandard editions of the English Douay Bible. 

[11] Marginal references: "Psalms, 18, " and "Hebrews, 4. "

[12] Marginal reference: "John, 9. "

[13] Marginal reference: "I Timothy, 2. "

[14] These were Fathers Gregorio Baroncini, Fabricio Cersali, Tomásde Villanueva, Diego Laurencio, Pedro de Segura, and Angel Armano;and the brother coadjutors Francisco Simon, Martin Sánchez, and DiegoZarzuela. --_Pablo Pastells, S. J. _

[15] This was the "Santo Thomas;" a full account of its voyage, andof its wreck at the Catanduanes Islands, is given by La Concepción(_Hist. De Philipinas_, iii, pp. 428-435). He says that at the LadronesRibera found the survivors of the ship "Santa Margarita, " which hadbeen wrecked there only a month before; of these he ransomed four, promising to send from Manila for the others, later. He mentions, as a part of the cargo, "horses, sheep, goats, and cats. " At the endof this account, he states the pressing need of better ships for thelong and stormy voyage to Nueva España. 

[16] Marginal reference: "Psalms, 77; Zacharias, 9. "

[17] A punishment by which the culprit was strangled with an ironcollar. 

[18] La Concepción gives (_Hist. De Philipinas_, iii, pp. 409-411) asummary of the proceedings of this council. They appointed a committeeto provide a vernacular translation of the catechism (of which theChristian doctrine had already been rendered into the Visayan tongue), in harmony with the Tagal translation of that book. They also appointeda representative to go to Manila and confer with the Audienciaon various matters concerning the royal jurisdiction--especiallyregarding the proposal to enact statutes suppressing polygamy amongthe natives. In the council complaints were made by the ecclesiasticsagainst the encomenderos, that they treated the Indians with injustice;in return, the encomenderos attacked the priests, and the bishop wasobliged to interfere between them to quell the dissensions, reprovingthe encomenderos. 

[19] Spanish, _angelitos_; a play upon words, apparently alluding tothe gold coin known as _angelot_ (from the figure of an angel thereon), used in the Low Countries in the sixteenth century. A similar name(_angelet_) was given to one of the coins struck by English rulersof France in the period 1150-1460. 

[20] A delicate and refreshing fruit, the _Carica papaya_; sometimescalled "papaw, " but is not the same as the papaw of North America(_Asimina_). Crawfurd regards it, however (_Dict. Ind. Islands_, p. 327) as having been introduced in the Philippines by the Spaniards, from tropical America. See descriptions of the papaya in Delgado's_Historia_, pp. 520, 521; Blanco's _Flora_, pp. 553, 554; andU. S. Philippine Commission's _Report_, 1900, iii, p. 280. 

[21] La Concepción gives a similar account of this episode in _Hist. DePhilipinas_, iv, pp. 67-69. 

[22] Panámao is the ancient name of the island of Biliran, off thenorthwestern extremity of Leyte, and is still applied to a mountainin the northern part of Biliran. 

[23] _Picote_: a sort of silken fabric, very lustrous, used forgarments. _Jusi_ (_husi_) is thus described in the U. S. PhilippineCommission's _Report_, 1900, iv, pp. 55, 56: "The especial productof Philippine looms, especially those from the towns of Caloocanand Iloilo, is jusi. These Philippine jusis, celebrated for theirlightness, beauty, and delicate patterns, are made from silk alone, or more commonly with the warp of cotton or pineapple fiber and thewoof of silk. Pieces are made to suit the buyer. These pieces areusually 30 or more yards in length, and from three-quarters of ayard to a yard in width, and beautifully bordered in colors. Thisbeautiful cloth, which varies in price from 50 cents to $1 a yard, compares favorably with fabrics of European manufacture. "

[24] The present Silang is nineteen miles south of Cavite. 

[25] Spanish, _monumento_; an altar erected in churches on HolyThursday which resembles a sepulchre. 

[26] Water blessed in the font on Holy Saturday and the vigil ofPentecost, which must be used at least in solemn baptism. .. . The priestthen pours oil of catechumens and chrism into the water. " These aretwo of the three kinds of "holy oils;" chrism is composed of oliveoil mixed with balm. See Addis and Arnold's _Catholic Dictionary_, pp. 64, 152, 616. 

[27] Marginal reference: "I Maccabees, 6. "

[28] Marginal reference: "St. Ambrose, _De officiis clericorum_, i, chap. 40. "

[29] Equivalent to about twenty-eight feet, U. S. Measure. 

[30] He left Cavite on the seventh day of July, in the vessel "SanAntonio, " which was built in the island of Panámao. This vesselwas lost in 1604, while making its second voyage from Cavite toAcapulco. --_Pablo Pastells, S. J. _

[31] Juan Manuel Hurtado de Mendoza y Luna, Marques de Montesclaros, who held an important office in Sevilla, was made viceroy of NuevaEspaña, arriving at Mexico in September, 1603. This office he helduntil 1606, when he was made viceroy of Peru. He died in 1628. 

[32] Spanish, _Recoletos_: the barefooted branch of the Augustinians, known also as _Descalzos_ in Spain and its former colonialpossessions. The origin of this brotherhood is due to a reform movementin Spain in the sixteenth century, started by the Venerable Thomas deJesús, who was for many years a captive among the Moors in Africa. He, with other lovers of primitive observance of the Augustinian rule, essayed to reintroduce divers customs no longer common among thebrotherhood, as frequent fasts, midnight prayers, wearing beards, andgoing with uncovered heads. In 1588. At a chapter of these brethrenheld at Toledo (the general of the order presiding), Luis de Leon, the famed scholar and poet, was commissioned to draw up constitutionsfor the observants, and these were approved by Rome. In 1614, the newbranch known now (as then) as "discalced" were freed from dependenceon the general of the order; and in 1622 Pope Gregory XV approvedtheir constitutions. In 1589, the reform movement (as above) spreadto some of our nunneries; these sisters were, like their brethren, established as _Descalzas_, with their first house at Madrid underMadre Maria de Jesus (or Covarubias) as Superioress--the first houseof the Recoletos being at Tatavera de la Reyna. In 1606, the Recoletosentered the Philippines, where their first house was at Bagungbayan, with the title of S. Juan. In 1602, by decree of November 16, thegeneral of the Augustinians, Fulvius of Ascoli, sanctioned the divisionof the Philippine fathers of the order into two provinces--those whoheld with the old rule to be known as Augustinians of the province ofSantísimo Nombre de Jesús; the Discalced, or Recoletos, as those ofthe province of San Nicolas de Tolentino; so when the Recoletos wentto the Philippines they bore the name of their home province withthem to Malaysia. In Manila the famous Puente de España ("Bridge ofSpain") was projected and built under the superintendence of a Recoletofather. (Thus Zamora, in _Las Corporaciones en Filipinas_, p, 358. ) In1726, the Discalced were dispensed from wearing beards; in 1746, fromgoing barefooted. Their earliest form of dress resembled the Capuchinhabit, except that its color was black. In 1736, the _beaterio_ ofS. Sebastián at Calumpang, in Luzón--which seventeen years previous hadbeen established by four Indian maidens, who were devout to NuestraSeñora de Carmel--was handed over to the care of Recoleta sisters;it is not known when these first came to the islands. The provinceof the Recoletos in the Philippines bears the title of San Nicolasde Tolentino. In Spain the Recoleto study-houses of their Philippinemissionaries are (or were in 1897), at Alfaro, Monteagudo, Marcilla, and San Millan de la Cogolla. --_Rev. T. C. Middleton, O. S. A. _

[33] Cf. The document in _Vol_. XI, "Grant to Jesuit school in Cebú, "dated December 11, 1601. See note thereon regarding translationof _colegio_. 

[34] Referring to the fund arising from the fourth part of thetributes in encomiendas where no religious instruction was given; thisfourth was reserved for the benefit of the Indians. See _Vol_. VIII, pp. 29, 160. 

[35] In legajo 2637, sec_a_, de est_o_. Of the Simancas archivo is adocument recording the proceedings at a session of the Council of Stateon July 20, 1604; among the questions discussed was this one of tradebetween the American and the Oriental colonies. The councilors gavetheir opinions separately. Their conclusion was that the prohibitionof trade in Chinese goods then in force between Peru and Nueva Españabe made general; and that a period of only six or eight months beallowed for the consumption of such goods already on hand, insteadof the two years recommended by the Council of the Indias. "It isdesirable to do this promptly and rigorously; but merchandise broughtfor use in the churches and in Divine worship should be excepted fromthis prohibition--save that in the future neither this nor any otherexception should be considered, but the door to this trade shouldbe closed by all means. The Marques of Montesclaros was recommendedas the proper person to carry out these instructions, as he had notbeen concerned in that trade. One of the councilors advised that theappointments of the commanders on ships in the Philippine trade beretained by the viceroy of Spain, rather than given to the governorand archbishop at Manila. 

[36] Literally, "average;" a certain duty levied on merchandise inthe India trade. 

[37] See account of this affair in _Vol_. XII, in the first document1603; this name is there given as Tio Heng. 

[38] Apparently a corrupt phonetic rendering of the name of Wan-Leh, then emperor of China (_Vol_. III, p. 228). As he succeeded his fatherin 1572, the blank date here must refer to the thirty-third year ofhis reign (1605). 

[39] Lorenzo de Leon was a native of Granada, and entered theAugustinian order in Mexico where he made profession in 1578. Fouryears later, he entered the Philippine mission, and spent twelveyears as minister in Indian villages in Luzón. He was then advancedto various high offices in his order, among them that of provincial(1596). He was a religious of exceptional abilities, and the generalof the order, as a recognition of his great endowments in virtueand knowledge, appointed him master and president of provincialchapters. After his second election as provincial (1605) he was at theintermediate congregation deposed from this dignity by the fathersdefinitors. Accepting this rude blow with humility and Christianresignation, he withdrew to the convent of San Pablo de los Montes, where he spent the following year in prayer and pious works. Returningto Mexico in 1606, he died in that city in 1623. This account iscondensed from Pérez's _Catálogo_, p. 29. 

[40] Spanish, _propiedad_: property enjoyed contrary to their vowsby members of religious orders. 

[41] As the word "creole" is often used in a vague or inexact manner, it seems best to state that, as used in our text, it means a personof pure Spanish blood, born in any of the Spanish colonies. 

[42] Pedro de Arce was born in the province of Vitoria, in Spain, and made his profession in the convent at Salamanca, in 1576. He cameto the Philippine Islands in 1583, and ministered in various Indianvillages, then filled several high offices, finally becoming bishopof Nueva Cáceres (1609) and bishop of Cebú (1613). After a long andlaborious career, he died at Cebú, on October 16, 1645, at the ageof eighty-five. 

[43] Bernardo Navarro de Santa Catalina was one of the first Dominicanmissionaries, arriving at Manila in July, 1587. His labors wereprincipally among the Indians of Pangasinan (in whose language hecomposed many short devotional works), until he became provincial ofhis order in the islands, June 15, 1596. When the term of this officeexpired, he was appointed commissary of the Inquisition; and in 1616was again elected provincial. Undertaking soon afterward a journey toCagayan in the rainy season, he was made ill by fatigue and exposure, and died at Nueva Segovia (the modern Lal-ló or Lallo-c), on November8, 1616. See sketch of his life in _Reseña biog. Sant. Rosario_, pp. 80-86. 

[44] The enterprise here mentioned was an attempt to regain possessionof the Maluco Islands, which had just been seized by the Dutch. InJune, 1605, arrived at Manila the commandant of the Portuguese fort atTidore, with some of his soldiers, accompanied by three Jesuits andmany native Christians--all of whom had been expelled from Amboynaand Tidore by the Dutch. At the same time came a reinforcement ofa thousand troops from Spain; and Acuña resolved, with this aid, to prepare an expedition for the recovery of the Spice Islands. InFebruary, 1606, a powerful fleet set out for this purpose, carryingmore than one thousand three hundred Spaniards, who were aided bysix hundred Indian auxiliaries; they were successful, under Acuña'spersonal command, in recapturing Amboyna, Tidore, and Terrenate, and carried to Manila as a prisoner the petty king of the last-namedisland. See La Concepción's account of this expedition, in _Hist. DePhilipinas_, iv, pp. 20-93. 

[45] In July, 1606, Rivera sailed for Mexico to fill his post inthe Audiencia there; but an epidemic (probably ship-fever) on theship caused the death of eighty persons, among them Rivera. See LaConcepción, _Hist. De Philipinas_, iv, p. 108.