The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898: Volume XVIII, 1617 1620 by Various

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In the island of Oton a strange thing happened this year. The ships
that usually go with supplies to aid the forces of Maluco were
despatched from the city of Manila. In one of the best of these
embarked Manuel Riveyro, a father of our Society from the house of
Ternate. He had come here to solicit and collect the alms which his
Majesty orders to be given to the fathers who labor in the Malucas
Islands. For many days, for years even, nothing had been given;
and, as a result, Ours were suffering great privation. The father
was very successful and collected from the royal treasury a large
sum of money. Part of this he spent for very rich ornaments and
for images for our churches; part for ship stores, and for gifts
with which to aid the poor soldiers in those strongholds of Maluco,
who suffer great want. These soldiers are materially assisted by our
fathers who reside there, to the great edification and gratitude of
the soldiers. With these supplies the father embarked in one of the
ships, and arrived at Punta de Najo [Naso--_V.d.A._], about eight
leagues from the town of Arebalo, where the king's ships go to take
on rice and meat for the Malucas. At this town it was necessary for
the father of our Society, and other fathers of St. Francis, to go
ashore to obtain some things which they needed, in order to have them
ready when the ship should arrive. Therefore they disembarked to go
by land, and the ship anchored off the point. One day the master,
who was called Juan de Ochoa Sarape [? Lara--_V.d.A._], brought it
about by deceit that the captain of the ship, Francisco Benitez,
the pilot, and two soldiers who were not of his following, should
disembark. There were on board also two mariners, a Galician and a
Castilian, neither of whom had sided with him in the treason that he
had planned with the others. He sent these down the hatchway for some
ropes, and then took a lock and fastened the hatchway. Thereupon the
traitors unsheathed their swords, drew their arquebuses and muskets,
and lighted their fuses. Standing under arms, they cut the cables, and
set sail, taking possession of the ship and of all the goods that it
carried for the king, for the governor of Maluco, and for the fathers
of San Francisco and of our Society, all of which, they say, might be
worth more than thirty thousand pesos. The captain and the pilot, who
witnessed this treason from land, embarked at once in a little vessel,
and, coming near the ship, discharged three muskets, none of which
did any damage. The traitors asked the pilot whether he wished to go
with them. Seeing that neither he nor the captain was so inclined,
they took them to land, and in their ship changed their course to
Borney and Macasar. This treason was committed by twelve Spaniards,
eight of whom were Biscayans and four Castilians. They made captain
the master [of the ship] who was the author of the treason. Besides
these [twelve Spaniards], there were on board this ship the other
two Spaniards, whom, as I said, they were carrying as prisoners,
as well as some Indians of this country who also were compelled to
go. When Father Ribeiro considered how much labor it had cost him to
get together the help he was carrying there for the fathers of Maluco,
this disaster caused him some distress--all the greater when he thought
of the hunger and need that they must suffer. But our Lord prevented
this. The father started out to beg alms from the inhabitants of the
town; and in a short time he got together an abundant supply of rice,
wine, and meat for one year, for all responded liberally to relieve a
necessity that had so moved them to pity. The father set, sail with
all this in another ship, and we trust that, by God's help, he is
already in Maluco. This is the same vessel that had been despatched
this year for Nueva Espana as almiranta. It left port so heavily
laden that it was necessary to put back into harbor to unload part
of the merchandise, so as to be able to make the voyage. This done,
they set out a second time from the port; but they encountered such
violent storms that, after sailing entirely around the island of
Manila, losing the masts, and imperiling their lives, they returned
to Manila on the seventh of October, 617. Afterward the vessel was
utilized [for Ternate] in the manner indicated above.

From the Mindanaos there came persistent rumors that they were
undertaking to set out with a large fleet to besiege the fort of Caraga
which was in the same island, Mindanao, and held in check a province
of that island. Its inhabitants do not now engage in robberies and
hostile incursions by sea, as has been their custom. [Upon receipt
of this news] two galleys were despatched from the city of Manila, in
order that with the caracoas that were to be found in Zebu they might
go to aid the fort. They left Zebu for Caraga, but before arriving
there our fleet turned back, partly because notice was received
that the rumor had not been true, and partly because the winds had
arisen. These winds would have greatly endangered our ships upon
their entrance to and departure from that coast, which is very bold.

But, although we have been free from these enemies this year, we
have had to deal with others, the Camucones, [14] a people who owe
allegiance to the king of Burney, They are thieves who scour the
sea, plundering everything within their reach. They are so cruel
that they never imprison, but kill all upon whom they can lay their
hands. These people came to the Filipinas this year with seven caracoas
and seventeen _ajuangas_, vessels resembling large galleys, but not
so strong; ordinarily they carry four hundred men at the oars. They
did very little damage, however, for they must have heard that our
fleet was on the sea, and therefore they soon withdrew to their own
territory. Their withdrawal was also due in no small degree to the
fact that when they once landed upon an island the native Indians,
sallying forth, killed some of their men and put their heads upon
poles along the coast in order to terrify the rest. It was the special
providence of our Lord that our father provincial did not fall into
the hands of these corsairs when he went to visit the Pintados Islands,
for when they [the father and his crew] were not far from the islands,
a strong wind came up ahead of them, which compelled them to remain
sheltered in a small bay for more than fifteen days. Here the news
of these enemies came to them, and therefore the father retired to
Manila. It is certain that if that contrary wind had not arisen he
would have gone forward, and would have fallen into their hands.

The devotion to the Immaculate Conception of the most sainted Virgin
has greatly increased among all the people. As soon as the ship from
Nueva Espana arrived, bringing the news of the elaborate demonstrations
that had been made in all Espana in honor of this Lady, they began to
place on all the corners and upon the doors of churches notices that
read, "Praised be the most holy sacrament and the Immaculate Conception
of the most holy Virgin, conceived without blot of original sin." There
was no lack of persons who tried to efface one of these notices that
was on the door of the church of Santo Domingo, a fact which caused
the people to burn with greater devotion to this Lady. It was arranged
that for two nights there should be a procession of masked figures. In
it a banner with an image of the Immaculate Conception was displayed;
lamps were placed throughout the city; the cathedral bells began
to chime; and the orders formed in line of march. One devout person
placed on the corners eighteen images of the Conception of our Lady,
with a legend reading, "Without blot of original sin." Other pious
people adorned these images with gilded ornaments and lights that burn
all night. The children continually recited before these images, in
loud voices, various couplets in praise of the Immaculate Conception,
thus fulfilling that saying of David, _ex ore infantium e lactentium_
["out of the mouths of babes and sucklings"], etc.

Concerning the persecution in Japon, I can only say that with the death
of Daytusama, who was the chief cause of the expulsion of our fathers,
[15] it was hoped that the persecution would cease or at least would
abate. On the contrary it has increased under the new administration of
his son, who is so hostile to the law of Christ our Lord that simply
because of our holy faith he has martyred one religious from each
of the four orders there. These four religious, among many others,
had gone about secretly, as in England, with great labor cultivating
that vineyard. This event occasioned much rejoicing in the hearts of
all the people of this city, the laity as well as the religious. They
talked of making fiestas and public rejoicings in thanksgiving that
our Lord had adorned the four orders that are in these islands with
four martyrs so distinguished. But in order not to further provoke to
wrath the ruler of Japon, who had ordered their death, and for other
reasons, it was thought best to suspend for the present all kinds of
fiestas. Among those who suffered this fortune or fate was a father
of our Society named Juan Bautista Tavora, a native of the island of
Tercera. He died in company with a father of San Francisco. Afterward
they martyred two others, one of Santo Domingo, and the other of San
Agustin, and in order that respect might not be paid by the Christians
to their bodies, the heathen threw them into the sea. The bodies of
the father of our Society and the father of Santo Domingo were placed
together in one box; those of the two fathers of San Francisco and San
Agustin in another. These last were afterward found, but the first
were not. The account of all that happened concerning this matter I
will place in the relation of that province [Japon] where these most
happy deaths will be related at length.

I will conclude this account with one of the most singular events
that have ever happened in the world. Although it is discreditable to
the Order of St. Augustine, it should be related here with all truth,
because it is so public and will be so noised about through all the
world. When Fray Vicente de Sepulveda, [16] first cousin of Father
Juan Laurencio, rector of the College of Mexico, finished his term of
three years as provincial, the fathers of St. Augustine met in chapter
in a convent near the city of Manila, to elect a new provincial. They
chose Fray Geronimo de Salas, [17] not without dissensions and discords
between the two parties into which they are divided. This provincial
died twenty days after his election. He died, as some say (and this
opinion seems not without foundation, as we shall see further on),
from poison that they gave him, and consequently his death was very
sudden. By the death of this Fray Geronimo de Salas, Fray Vicente de
Sepulveda returned to the office of provincial, as their regulations
provide. It seemed to some religious who were not of his party that it
was too much for him to govern three more years, so they planned to
cut the thread of life for him--by means of poison, since this would
not betray them. They gave it to him more than eight times in his
food and drink--in his chocolate, and even in the wine with which
he was consecrated. The poison was ground glass, and it resulted
in eruptions over his entire body and in illness for several days,
but it did not produce death. When the conspirators saw that their
attempts so far had been unsuccessful, four of them planned to kill
him with their own hands. The affair was so public that not only was
the conspiracy noised about among the friars but also among the laity
of Manila. Thus it came to the ears of the provincial himself, who
had not lived as prudently as he should have done for the safety of
his person. After this, he was very careful about his food and drink;
he locked himself in at night, and entrusted the key of the apartment
to only a few. He ordered one, who was the author of the treason
(and he was the one that was suspected), that in virtue of his [the
provincial's] holy precept, he should not come into the convent of
Manila, but that he should prepare to embark for Nueva Espana where
they should take from him the cowl. Thereupon this individual, Fray
Juan de Ocadiz--who was a native of Madrid, a priest, and one of long
service in his order--formed an agreement with three others, all young
men about twenty years of age, who had been ordained to preach. These
were Fray Juan de Quintana and Fray Andres Encinas (both natives of
Manila), and Fray Ignacio de Alcaraz, born in Nueva Espana in a place
near Acapulco, called I think, Quatulco. Fray Ignacio was companion
and secretary to this provincial, and so he had the opportunity of
making a key to the apartment, by first making an impression of the
key in wax. On the thirty-first of July, 617, the day of our Father
Ignacio, at eleven o'clock at night, the four opened the door of
the provincial's apartment with the key that had been prepared
for the purpose. The provincial heard the noise immediately, and
suspecting what it might be, rose from the bed, and went shouting to
meet them. At this juncture the three evangelists repented of what
had been begun, and talked of withdrawing from it. But Fray Juan de
Ocadiz, bolder than the rest, since he had already begun the work,
told them that if they deserted he would have to stab them. Thereupon
all four together attacked the provincial, threw him upon the bed,
and held his mouth. The three evangelists held his arms and legs
firmly, and Fray Juan de Ocadiz, putting his knees upon his stomach,
choked with his hands. While the friar was choking him, the provincial
begged for confession. Fray Juan said, "Father, repent of your sins,
and in token of this clasp my hand." The provincial took his hand,
and the murderer absolved him, adding, "Trust, Father, in our Lord,
who will pardon your sins." Upon this he seized his throat, and
finished choking him. Then with diabolical cruelty, in order to be
more certain [that he was dead] they twisted his neck against the bed
in such a way that they disjointed the bones, no that the head fell
from one side to the other as if he had been a dead fowl. All this
tragedy was committed in the dark, so they went for a light, cleansed
the provincial's body of the blood that had gushed from his mouth,
changed his bed-linen and garments, and set everything in good order,
that it might appear that he had died of some sudden accident. They
did not take into consideration the many discolorations upon his
body, or the twisted neck, that must soon give testimony of the
hideous crime. Fray Andres Encinas took all the bloody clothing and
threw it into the closets. The others closed the door from within,
with a cross bar, and jumped through a little window. Although the
provincial had given many loud cries, and other friars lived near
the apartment, nothing was heard in the convent--a thing that seems
impossible. After the crime was completed the bells rang for matins,
for which it was now time. The murderers, or rather parricides, with
great craftiness went to prayers. Morning came, and the hour arrived
at which the provincial was accustomed to open his apartment; but he
did not open it. They waited a little, but he did not come out. They
knocked at the door, but he did not respond; they knocked louder,
but in vain. The prior and the other friars, who were ignorant of
the affair, determined to break down the doors. They did so, entered,
and then beheld the crime, and saw that the provincial had been killed
with violence. The prior, a certain Fray del Rincon, [18] hastened to
the president of the royal Audiencia and to Don Geronimo de Sylva,
captain-general, in order that they might give him help of which he
was destitute because there was so great a tumult in the convent. They
soon came with men. First the president ordered that all the friars
should go one by one to kiss the hand of the dead man, in order that he
might note the countenance of each. Finally they buried the provincial,
and every one can well infer what would be said of the whole order;
for people will forget that in the apostolic college there was a Judas
and in Heaven a Lucifer, and yet the other apostles and the angels did
not fall on this account. Reports of the affair were transmitted to the
bishop of Zebu, Don Fray Pedro de Arce, of the Order of St. Augustine,
and at that time governor of the archbishopric of Manila. He imprisoned
some and tortured others; and in a short time, and with little trouble,
the criminals were discovered. He made all the investigations, prepared
the case, and handed it over to the _definitorio_, which, as they
said, had by right jurisdiction in the matter. The definitorio, which
was composed of nine of the most prominent friars of their order,
advised with the other orders as to whether, without consulting
the pope, it could condemn the criminals to actual degradation and
deliver them over to the secular arm. The Society [of Jesus] avoided,
as far as it could, giving its opinion upon an affair that was of
such moment, and that must create such a sensation. In the decision
of the affair, whether wise or unwise, it was best for us not to
interfere. The authors were examined, and upon the advice of wise
and learned men the definitorio resolved to give the sentence. It was
read to the criminals from the pulpit of the church of St. Augustine,
on the nineteenth of September, 617, before all the people, who had
congregated to witness a spectacle so extraordinary. Immediately they
took from him the cowl, and left them with only some short cassocks
such as are worn by clergymen. They delivered them to the bishop,
who was already prepared for the degradation. He immediately began to
degrade them, and then delivered them over to the secular arm. They
were taken to jail by the strong guard of soldiers that had been in the
church ever since the criminals had been removed from the prisons to
hear the sentence. But it was possible to execute this sentence against
three only, because Fray Andres Encinas had escaped the night before,
in company with a lay brother who was guarding him. With chains and
all, the lay brother removed him from the prison at twelve o'clock at
night, and, placing him upon his back, carried him along an unfinished
wall of the convent, with great danger to both of falling and killing
themselves. He took from him the chains and, together with another
lay brother of their order, they jumped from the wall and fled in
great haste. On the twenty-second of September of the same year,
617, the secular tribunal pronounced the sentence of death upon the
three. They were taken from the jail amid a great retinue of religious
of all orders, who were assisting, and of soldiers who were guarding
the prisoners. At ten o'clock in the morning they were hanged in the
square before the largest assembly of people, I think, I have ever seen
in my life. They died with suitable preparation. I am unwilling to omit
the account of a very peculiar circumstance. Twenty years ago they were
hanging in Madrid that Augustinian friar because he wished to make a
pastry-cook king of Portugal, and to marry him to Dona Ana de Austria,
the mother of Fray Juan de Ocadiz. She was watching the proceeding,
and all at once she began to scream and weep. When asked the cause
of this she replied that she fancied she saw on the gallows her son,
who was an Augustinian friar. Followed by a large crowd they took the
bodies of these three men who had been hanged, to the convent of San
Agustin for interment, where they will remain with their provincial
until God calls them to judgment. The friars then very diligently
searched for the one who had fled, in order to execute upon him
the same sentence. At first they did not find him. And afterward,
although they might have captured him, they did not, because they did
not feel obliged to revive the painful remembrances and cause to all,
and especially to his mother and the relatives whom he has here,
the grief and distress that the first three deaths occasioned.

Besides these there were found guilty in the affair Fray Joseph de
Vides, a native of Mexico, who had been instructor of the novices;
and Fray Pedro de Herrera, a native of Medina del Campo, who had
been professor of theology, and who now was prior of a convent. As
these two were not so guilty as the others the friars took from them
the cowl, and sentenced them to six years at the galleys in Maluco;
and to suspension [from mass] for one additional year, on account of
the reverence that is due to so high and divine a mystery. They were
handed over to the secular tribunal, and were put upon galleys. But
in a few days they escaped, and embarked upon a small ship in company
with Fray Andres Encinas and the lay brother who had freed him from
prison. All four set out together upon the return to Malaca, in order
to go from that place to Goa, Espana, and finally to Rome. Such is the
unfortunate event which was reported last year to the pope, the king,
and all the world alike. This year report will be made of the justice
meted out to the malefactors. [19] And as more than four lies will
be written, I have thought it best that your Reverences should know
the affair just as it occurred, nothing being added or omitted. [20]

_Events at Ternate_

Since this was written, advices came from Ternate that brought us some
news which I will add here. The aid that was sent from this city to
the Malucas Islands arrived, and those who carried it found in the
passage two Dutch ships awaiting them, to prevent their entrance to
our fortifications, and even to take the supplies, if possible. They
made an attack and our people thought best to withdraw; but after
some days they returned by another route, to land the supplies if
they could. They again found the Hollander in the road and, being
attacked a second time, they fought, made a great effort to pass,
and succeeded--although the enemy so pursued one ship, the admiral's,
that it ran aground in the island of Tidore. Most of the people were
saved, but some the enemy killed with musket-shots, and some, who threw
themselves into the water, perished. Captain Alonso Martin Quirante,
who was in our stronghold of Tidore, hurried out and prevented the
enemy from taking anything from the ship.

Many of the provisions that were in the ship were lost, among them
almost all of those that the father, as I mentioned above, was taking
for our fathers. In the thick of the battle this father was the first
to be wounded. He was struck on the arm by a splinter, but his wound
was of little consequence. The soldiers, however, will not because of
this loss be in want this year; for the English went [to the Malucas]
with a shipload of rice to trade for cloves, and the viceroy sent
six galeotas of provisions from India.

The above-mentioned captain, Alonso Martin Quirante, made an
ambuscade, in which he killed twenty-one Hollanders and captured
four. Of the enemy, twenty-five Hollanders and many of the Indians of
their following deserted to our fortifications. Although the king of
Tidore has always been very favorable to us, the prince his son has
been very friendly and of much importance to the Hollanders. But our
Lord has been pleased to destroy these friendly relations in this
way. The Hollanders, for what reason I do not understand, hanged
one and drowned four of the people of Tidore. On account of this
the prince has been so opposed to them that he has sworn to avenge
himself, and to do them all the injury that he can. And he will do
this, without doubt, because he is very valiant.

So much for the Malucas. To this may be added the fact that the admiral
Heredia had made, at his own expense, a beautiful, though not very
large, ship with which to serve his Majesty whenever occasion might
offer. Just as soon as it was launched upon the sea, it was overtaken
by a storm so severe that it foundered and was lost.

I forgot to say that one [_Marginal note_--Sequeyra's ship] of the two
ships that were despatched last year for Nueva Espana, but did not
arrive there, was separated from the other. It must be known that a
certain de Sequeira, a Portuguese of the Order of Christ [_del Habito
de Christo_], went in it as captain. He had come as general of the
fleet which five years ago the king sent by way of the cape of Buena
Esperanca, [21] and he carried a cedula from his Majesty to the effect
that they should send him back at once by the same route. Instead,
they detained him four years in this city, much against his will. At
last they sent him as captain of this ship in order that he might go
to Espana by way of Nueva Espana. They loaded upon this ship goods
of high value, although not a great quantity of them, because the
vessel was small. He began his voyage with favorable winds astern,
and when he had reached the latitude of more than 30 degrees, he
saw that he might turn toward India; but, the brisas beginning to
vex the ships, he ordered the return, and, arriving at these islands,
disembarked some Castilians whom he carried but who did not wish to go
with him. He steered for Malaca and India, in order to go, they say,
to Espana upon the voyage which his Majesty had ordered. He arrived at
Malaca and died, I think, in Cochin. Nothing more is known [of him],
nor [is it known] what will be done with the goods that he carried.

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