The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 31, 1640

In the mountains of Ytui, which are not far from Pangasinan, father Fray Juan de San Jacintho went on a journey at this time, accompanied by only two Indians. Here he taught, settled their disputes, and brought them to the faith. These people were a race of mountaineers, among whom other religious had not been safe even with an escort of many soldiers; but the gentle manners of father Fray Juan caused them to become calm, and many of them came sometimes to Pangasinan to ask that religious might be given to them. Many years passed before it was possible to provide them with religious; but the father provincial had, as minister of Pangasinan, seen their pious desires and wished to give them the religious. For this he requested the sanction of the ordinary, and asked the governor for the royal patronage. When the fathers of St. Francis learned this, they came and said that this conversion belonged to them, because it was very near to the ministry and the convent which they had in Baler. The order (which needed religious in other regions) instantly yielded without any dispute, permitting the fathers of St. Francis to take charge of these Indians. This they did, but very soon abandoned them, since the region was not one to be coveted, but was very unhealthy. As a result these Indians remained for some time deprived of the ministry of the holy gospel; and, what caused greater regret, they were morally certain to apostatize, like many other Christians among heathens, since they were children among idolatrous parents and kinsmen, without religious and without instruction.

[In this year, 1609, father Fray Juan de Anaya departed this life. He was a native of San Pedro de las Dueñas, two leguas from Segovia, and was a professed son of the convent at Valladolid, whence he came to this province in 1598. He was sent immediately to Nueva Segovia, the conversion of which had just begun. He learned the language very quickly, and so wrought with them that he not only taught them the gospel and the Christian life, but also civilization. He showed them how to build their houses, and how to work their fields; and taught them all other matters of human life, not only by instruction, but by example. He sought out the Indians, and brought them down from the mountains and the hiding-places where some, deluded by their sins, had gone to hide from grace. Father Fray Juan was not content to ask where they were and to send for them; but, trusting in his natural strength, he went to look for them and brought them down from the mountains, traveling through the rough and thorny places among the thickets where they hid. He compelled them to enter upon the path of their welfare, not by the violence of a tyrant, but by the force of love and charity. When he was vicar of Pilitan, some of the poor Indians lost all their harvest from an overflow of the river. Not daring to wait for those who were to come and get the tribute, and indeed through fear of starvation, they left the village, and many of them fled to the mountains. Father Fray Juan was deeply afflicted because of the danger which their souls ran. This grief and his many labors affected his health, and finally brought on a flux, from which he died. Another religious, a subordinate and companion of Father Juan, father Fray Vicente Alfonso, died eight days later. He was a Valencian by birth, and had been a sailor up to his twenty-fourth year. He assumed the habit in the convent of Preachers in Valencia, and set a good and humble example as a religious. He was very charitable, giving away even his clothes to the poor. In the province of Pangasinan, in the month of August, 1609, there departed from the miseries of this life father Fray Francisco Martinez, a native of Zacatecas, and a son of the convent of Mexico. He came to Manila in 1598, and was assigned to Pangasinan, where he learned the language of the natives with great perfection. He was constant in labor and in prayer. To defend the Indians, he did not shrink from suffering or fear the perils of the sea. On one occasion, when he had gone to Manila on this account, he fell into the hands of Japanese pirates on his way back to Pangasinan, and was several times in danger of death, with the pirate’s knife at his throat, who intended by such terrors to increase the ransom. Death called him from his labors and sufferings. He rejoiced, and died a most holy death.]

In this year the most reverend general of the order, seeing how many great things were wrought by the medium of the divine grace through the religious of this province, and condemning the silence with which they hid and covered them, without giving any account of them even to the general head and superior of the order, issued a mandate to the provincials that they should every year, on pain of incurring mortal sin, give him information of what took place in this province of the Philippinas, Japon, and China in the conversions of the heathen and the extension of the holy Church, the service of the divine Majesty, and the edification of the people of Christ. In addition to this, they were to give an account of the state of our order in each province, declaring how many and what convents it included, how many religious it possessed, and of what virtue, sanctity, learning, and good example they were; telling if any of them, after having done illustrious things, had died gloriously; and recounting all other matters which might be an honor to God, a source of comfort to the religious, and an adornment and decoration of our religious order. Together with this mandate, he wrote with his own hand the following letter, from which may be seen the high esteem in which he held this province. The letter is in the archives of the convent of Manila.

“Very reverend Father Provincial: Father Fray Alonso Navarrete has given me good news of the great devotion, spirit, and continual preaching in this new province. In this I have felt very great satisfaction; but it would be desirable that I should receive more detailed reports with regard to matters there, and particularly with regard to what has been done for the conversion of the heathen, by the grace of our Lord, in those kingdoms of China and Japon. This knowledge would be of great service to our Lord, great edification to our fellow-men, and great honor to our holy religious order. On this account and in order that you, very reverend Father, may have the merit of obedience, it has seemed good to me to send you the enclosed mandate. This is sent, however, still more that it may serve as a memorandum for the fathers provincials who may succeed your Reverence in that province, because I know that there may be some carelessness in this respect. Orders have already been given that friars religious shall go to that province to preach and assist your Paternities in the conversion of the heathen. Would that it might please our Lord that I might go with those for whom our Lord has prepared so great rewards in heaven. Your prayers, very reverend Father, and the prayers of all that province I beg for myself and for my associates. Palermo, June 18, 1609. Your Reverence’s fellow-servant in God,

Fray Agustin Galaminio,master of the Order of Preachers.”

Chapter LXIX

The venerable father Fray Bartolome de Nieva, and brother Fray Pedro Rodriguez

[Death fell heavily upon our fathers in this year, seizing the best on every side. In Manila it cut short the thread of the life of father Fray Bartolome de Nieva. Father Fray Bartolome was a native of Nieva in Castilla la Vieja. While still a layman, he went to the Indias in the search for wealth. He spent some years in Mexico; and in spite of the great wealth of that country, the luxury of life there, and the agreeable climate, he could not be satisfied or find peace. Hence he determined to change his course of life, that he might find the calm for which he sought. Though he was already a grown man, he became a child in following the duties of a religious order. He assumed the habit in the convent of Sancto Domingo in that illustrious city, and began not only upon the elements of the religious life, but upon those of grammar. He did well in the studies of arts and theology, and by the aid of the Lord he came forth a religious of great spiritual qualities – prayer, penitence, and prudence, both spiritual and temporal. He joined a company of religious who passed through Mexico in the year 1594, on their way to the Philippinas. He was too old to learn the language of the Indians, but he accompanied the brother who taught and baptized the Chinese in the hospital for that people; and thus assisted the other minister, whose duty it was to live in the hospital. When he determined to go to the Philippinas his companions in Mexico strove to prevent him, because he suffered from several infirmities, and the labors in the Philippinas were known to be very severe. The Lord, however, gave signs that He desired him to go. He showed especial devotion to the holy Virgin and was a useful and devoted minister. The Lord gave father Fray Bartolome wonderful powers of spiritual conversation, and of insight into character; and even some powers of prophecy, of which a number of illustrations are given. Through him the Lord healed not a few sick. A letter of his is reported at length, in which he incites a sinner to give up his evil way of life, and shows a knowledge of the man’s heart which could only have been given him by God. Other instances of the same sort are cited and an account of the holy death of father Fray Bartolome is given.

At the same time there died brother Fray Pedro Rodriguez, a companion of the first founders of this province. He was most closely associated with those who taught and baptized the Chinese. During his whole life he had sole charge of the temporal affairs of the hospital. Father Fray Pedro was not content with receiving those who came, but had persons to inform him if there were any sick in the orchards or quarries, or other places where the Chinese who live about Manila were gathered for work; and immediately sent to have them brought to the hospital. He often went in person to bring them, and, no matter how offensive or disgusting their diseases, he cared for them with his own hands. He waited upon them at all hours of the day and night, caring for their bodies; and he strove to teach them the things necessary for the salvation of their souls, as soon as their sickness gave him an opportunity. He suffered greatly from asthma; but, in spite of this affliction, he constantly employed the discipline of stripes – not upon his flesh, for he had none, but upon his bones, which were covered with nothing but skin; insomuch that some Spaniards came to look at him, regarding it as a marvel that such a living image of death should be able to stand. His head was like a skull with eyes in it, but so sunken that it seemed almost as if he had none. The truth is that he ate no more than sufficient to sustain him in this condition; yet he was so attentive and careful to provide dainty food for a sick man that the religious were sent there to him during their convalescence. He had no greater pleasure than this and his unexpected success in converting some heathen. The Lord provided him with these pleasures, which served him as food and drink to sustain his life. To the two hours of mental prayer observed in the whole province he added two others daily, continuing them after that which follows matins, and prolonging them till dawn. As soon as daylight appeared he left the work of Mary to go to that of Martha in caring for his sick, giving them breakfast after their own custom – which is followed in all the care that is given them, and in everything done for them. In spite of all these labors he thought so humbly of himself that one day when a religious heard him uttering heavy groans and deep sighs, and asked the cause, being unable to refrain from doing so, Fray Pedro answered that it was because he was so evil that, though he had so many times prayed to the Lord for a trifle of His love and charity, he had not gained it. The superior desired to try him as to his obedience; and seeing that he labored with such delight at the hospital, and took such joy in serving the sick, he determined to find out if there were some self-love hidden in all this. He therefore directed him to leave the hospital, and to come to the city and take up the office of sacristan in the convent. Fray Pedro immediately obeyed, and, going into the sacristy which was entrusted to him, he fulfilled his duty with cleanliness, neatness, and good grace in all things, just as if he had exercised it all his life, and had never been occupied with the other. He was accordingly directed to return to the hospital, where he was more needed. The governor, Don Juan de Silva, went to visit the hospital; and when he saw this brother with nothing but bones and skin, and when he heard the things which they said of him, he felt such reverence for him that he kissed his hand, and offered him his favor for all things of which his hospital had need, and arranged to grant him all that he wished, for the governor looked upon him and venerated him as a saint. At the time of his death, about three thousand who had died in the hospital had received baptism. In the intermediate chapter which took place in the following year honorable mention was made of this religious.]

Chapter LXX

Father Fray Luis Gandullo, his entrance upon the religious life, and his coming to this province

[The events which happened in the case of this father are such as God rarely manifests, even in the case of those who are nearest to Him; and I should not dare to bring them to the light if they were not attested by three notable circumstances. The first is that he never formed his own judgment about what happened, but submitted the matter to a learned and spiritual man. The second is, that father Fray Luis kept such silence about these things that he only revealed them under the solemn mandate of his superior. The third is the innocence of his life, and his marvelous virtue. A formal certificate as to these three circumstances is given at length; it is by Fray Juan de Sancto Thomas, and is dated at Manila, August 10, 1615. Father Fray Luis Gandullo was a native of the town of Aracena in the archbishopric of Sevilla, and was born of a rich and noble family. At the age of fourteen he made a vow to assume the habit of the Dominican order. This vow he was unable to carry out for eight years, because of his duties to his widowed mother and his two sisters. While still a youth, he was favored with a vision of the Virgin, which was followed soon after by a vision in which the devil appeared to him. After his two sisters were settled in life a certain trouble befell him in his own country, which obliged him to leave it and to go to the Indias. He dwelt for some time in Nueva España, where he lived with some freedom, the Lord preparing to drive him, by the very thorns which he should find in this road, to the religious life. His ancient desires to become a friar of St. Dominic returned to his mind, and he began to arrange with the prior of the convent of the city of Puebla to assume the habit. The prior and the friars of the convent, being asked by him if a secret business pledge which he had made had any validity, declared that it had no force in conscience, and would not hold him in a court of law if the party concerned would tell the truth of the case. He assumed the habit and waited for fourteen months to be professed. While he was looking for his profession to take place his creditor entered the convent, declaring that they were taking away his money by permitting the novice to enter the profession, since he could earn what he owed in the secular life. Upon this, the superior commanded Luis to lay aside the habit; but the Lord punished the creditor by burning a great deal more of his property than the debt amounted to. Luis, who knew that the obligation was merely a confidential agreement, refused to pay it because he did not owe it. He was ordained as priest, having determined to become a secular clergyman. Under this condition he prayed God to help him fulfil his vow; and afterward had visions, among them a dreadful one of the devil in the form of a snake. Being constantly attended by visions, he determined to carry out his vow, and one night heard a voice calling to him, “Luis!” He answered, “Lord!” and the voice went on to say, “Rise, and go to Mexico to assume the habit.” It seemed to him that it was the voice of his dead brother. His conduct when he came to the convent was such that the brethren there decided to grant him the habit and the profession together, since he had already completed his novitiate. When the founders of this province went through Puebla, father Fray Luis desired to accompany them, but was unable to carry out his wish at that time. He received intimations from a holy woman, a penitent of his, that the Lord favored his desire to come to this province; and to this intimation were added other supernatural signs. A great scandal having arisen because of violence shown by the viceroy to a superior of a certain religious order,59 father Fray Luis felt called upon to preach against the viceroy; he was condemned to exile in the Philippinas, and received the sentence with joy. He accompanied father Fray Juan Cobo, who was exiled for the same cause, as is narrated in chapter twenty-four of this history.]

(To be concluded.)

1

i. e., “The holy synod commands parish priests and other preachers to the Indians to instruct them often and earnestly in the doctrine of this mystery;” and, “To those whom the parish priest shall regard as sufficiently instructed, and made fit by the correctness of their lives, he shall not fail to administer the holy eucharist, on the first Easter following.”

2

Francisco Blancas de San José was a native of Tarazona, and entered the Dominican order at Alcalá de Henares. He came to Manila with the mission of 1595, and was sent to Bataán; afterward he spent several years in the Manila convent, preaching to Indians and Chinese, as well as Spaniards. He also gave especial attention to the instruction of the negroes and slaves there, of whom there were many thousands. He also labored in Cagayán and (1609) in Mindoro and Balayan. In 1614 he sailed for Spain, but died on the voyage, before reaching Mexico. (Reseña biográfica, i, pp. 172–177.)

3

Jacinto de San Jerónimo came to the islands with the mission of 1604. The rest of his life was spent mainly in the missions of Cagayán; near its end, he went to the new mission of Ituy (now Nueva Vizcaya), where he died in 1637. (Reseña biográfica, i, p. 327.)

4

Probably referring to the expedition sent from Mexico early in 1559, to conquer Florida, under command of Tristan de Luna y Arellano; it included 500 Spanish soldiers and a considerable number of Indian allies. This attempt proved unsuccessful, and most of the Spaniards were slain by the warlike Florida Indians.

5

The sketch of Salazar’s life given in Reseña biográfica (i, pp. 35–49) states that he obtained permission to carry twenty religious with him to the Philippines, all of whom he procured from the convent at Salamanca. But twelve of them died (apparently from ship-fever) before reaching Mexico; and the others were so prostrated by sickness that they could go no farther.

6

i. e., “Reprove, entreat, rebuke, in all patience and doctrine.”

7

Cantaro (from Latin, cantharus): the name of a large earthen or metal receptacle for liquids, hence for the amount contained in it; also, a measure for wine, varying in different parts of Spain. The cantaro (or alquiére) of Portugal is equivalent to nearly 2⅕ or 3⅓ U. S. gallons in Lisbon and Oporto respectively.

8

Referring to the cultivation of their rice, usually in fields more or less under water.

9

i. e., the fifth Sunday in Lent.

10

These were Dominicans and Franciscans (Vol. IX, pp. 161, 172). One of the latter was named Gregorio da Cruz; a letter from him to Dasmariñas may be found in Vol. IX, p. 197. Huerta, however, says (Estado, pp. 672, 673) that the early Franciscan missions lasted only from 1583 to 1586, and were not resumed until the year 1700.

11

See Morga’s account of this expedition and its results, in Vol. XV, pp. 78–89, 130–160, 187–190. Cf. letters sent from Manila to Camboja, and papers connected with the embassy sent to Dasmariñas, in Vol. IX, pp. 76–78, 86, 87, 161–180.

12

The island (and group) of Lubang, southwest of Manila; a dependency formerly of the province of Cavite, but now of Marinduque.

13

Pulo Obi – that is, Obi Island; it lies near Cape Camâo (sometimes called Cambodia), the southernmost point of Cochinchina.

14

It is difficult to identify this town with exactness, but it is probably the same as the modern Pnom-penh (Panomping) on the great river Me-khong (also called Cambodia). The usurper of Langara’s throne was Anacaparan (see Morga’s account, in Vol. XV).

15

That is, the usurper Anacaparan. According to Morga, he resided at Sistor, which probably was the modern Udong.

16

Tiuman (Timoan, Timun) Island is off the eastern coast of the Malay peninsula; it is about ten miles long and five broad, and is a mass of rock, rising into heights of 2,000 to 3,000 feet.

17

Pedro de Ledesma, although an old man when he came to the islands, lived until 1625, after having filled several offices in his order – mainly at Manila, where he died. He brought seven missionaries with him (1596).

18

For meaning of this title, see Vol. XV, p. 88.

19

See Morga’s account of this expedition (Vol. XV, pp. 160–168). Another relation (unsigned) is presented in a MS. document conserved in the Archivo general de Indias, with the pressmark: “Simancas-Secular; Cartas y expedientes del gobernador de Filipinas; años 1600 á 1628; est. 67, caj. 6, leg. 7.”

20

According to the MS. mentioned in preceding note, this officer was Pedro de Beaztegui (probably for Verastegui).

21

Spanish, Avia yo andado todas estas estaçiones: an allusion to the “stations” which represent, in a Roman Catholic church, the stages in Christ’s sufferings; and to the devotion which consists in making the circuit of these stations.

22

See Vol. XV, p. 206.

23

Apparently meaning here, “the country of the Irrayas,” rather than the name of any distinct district. The Irrayas are in modern times a heathen tribe, of mixed Malay and Negrito blood, dwelling in the southern part of Isabela province, Luzón, on the western slopes of the Palanan range, and on tributary streams far up the Rio Grande de Cagayán.

24

The Angatatan River, on which is situated the hamlet of Magaldan; it falls into Lingayén Gulf.

25

Thus in Aduarte’s text, but misprinted for Guadaira. Alcala de Guadaira is a small town in the diocese of Sevilla.

26

Prauncar, the son of Langara; he had been replaced on his throne by the Spanish adventurers. See Morga’s account of Joan de Mendoza’s expedition to Camboja, and the death of these two Dominicans, in Vol. XV, pp. 183–190, 244–247.

27

According to Morga’s account, this friar was a Dominican.

28

The Dominicans made their first establishment at the City of Mexico in 1526; nine years later, their houses were organized into the province of Santiago de Mexico. In 1550, Chiapas and Guatemala were separated therefrom, and formed into a new province; and in 1592 permission was given to cut out still another, the province of Oajaca. Alonso de Vayllo was its second provincial (1594–97). See account of the Dominican order in Nueva España in the sixteenth century, in Bancroft’s Hist. Mexico, ii, pp. 724–733.

29

i. e., “Christ became, for our sake, obedient even unto death.”

30

Tomás Hernández was sent, soon after his arrival at Manila (1602), to the Japan mission; but at the end of four years he returned with broken health, which compelled him to cease his labors. He lingered, however, until 1642, when he died at Manila.