The Philippine Islands, 1493 1898: Volume XVII, 1609 1616 by Various

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[8] Luis Geronimo de Cabrera, fourth Conde de Chinchon, became viceroy
of Peru in 1628, holding that office until 1639. During his term
there was made known the efficacy of a medicine--previously in use
among the Indians--the so-called "Jesuit's bark," or "Peruvian bark,"
obtained from a tree found only in Peru and adjoining countries, named
_Chinchona_ by Linnaeus, in honor of the viceroy's wife (who, having
been cured by this medicine, introduced its use into Spain). From
this bark is obtained the drug known at quinine.

[9] Whenever any ships sail from the port of Acapulco and other
ports of Nueva Espana to make the voyage to Peru on the opportunities
permitted, it is our will and we order our officials of those ports
to visit and inspect those ships with complete faithfulness and
the advisable rigor. They shall endeavor to ascertain whether such
ships are carrying any Chinese silks or merchandise, or any from the
Filipinas Islands. They shall seize such, and declare those found
as smuggled goods. They shall divide them, and apply them as is
contained in the laws of this titulo. [Felipe IV--Madrid, April 9,
1641. In _Recopilacion de leyes_, lib. viii, tit. xvii, ley xv.]

[10] See note to law lxviii, p. 33.

[11] See _Vol_. XIV, note 12, p. 99.

[12] Latin, _Bacchanalia_. In Latin countries, the three days before
Ash Wednesday are given up to boisterous outdoor merriment, which
frequently degenerates into coarse and licentious revelry. Hence,
the expression "Bacchanalia" Carnival. In order to counteract these
abuses, the Jesuits at Macerata in Italy, introduced, in 1556,
some special devotions during the three days. The Exposition of the
Blessed Sacrament was held in the church, this custom was adopted by
St. Charles Borromeo, in Milan; and it gradually extended to other
places, and was developed subsequently into "The Devotion of the
Forty Hours," which is not confined to the Carnival season. This is
the explanation of the term "Bacchanalia," in connection with that
church ceremony--_Rev. E.I. Devitt, S.J._

[13] Evidently referring to the capture of van Caerden's fleet by
Heredia (see note 26, _post_).

[14] Flagellation in the Philippines was a custom probably taken
from the early Spanish friars, but it has been so discouraged of late
years by the church that it is performed only in the smaller villages
of the interior and in the outlying _barrios_ of the larger towns,
more or less secretly, away from the sight of white men. Especially
is it prevalent during Holy Week. Although the Philippine flagellants
are called "_penitentes_" the flagellation is not done in penance,
but as the result of a vow or promise made to the diety in return
for the occurrence of some wished-for event, and the "_penitentes_"
are frequently from the most knavish class. The fulfillment of the
vow is a terrible ordeal, and begins back of the small chapel called
"_visita_" that exists in every village. The "_penitente_" wears only
a pair of loose thin white cotton trousers, and is beaten on the back
by another native first with hands and then with a piece of wood with
little metal points in it until the blood flows freely. Thus he walks
from _visita_ to _visita_, with covered face, beating himself with
a cord, into the end of which is braided a bunch of sticks about the
size of lead pencils. He prostrates himself in the dust and is beaten
on the back and soles of his feet with a flail. At every stream he
plunges into it, and grovels before every _visita_. From all the houses
as he passes comes the chant of the Passion. (Lieut. Charles Norton
Barney, who was an eye-witness of the flagellation--"Circumcision and
flagellation among the Filipinos," in the _Journal_ of the Association
of Military Surgeons, September, 1903.)

[15] See _Vol_. IX, note 13. Roberto Bellarmino, born in 1542, entered
the Jesuit order in 1560, becoming one of its most famous theological
writers. He was long connected with the college at Rome, and later
was successively provincial of Naples, a cardinal of the Roman church
(from 1599), and archbishop of Capua (1602-05); he died at Rome,
September 17, 1621, Perhaps the most widely known of his works is the
_Doctrina christiana_ (Rome, 1598); it passed through many editions,
abridgments, and translations, having been rendered into more than
fifty languages. See account of these in Sommervogel's _Bibliotheque
de la Compagnie de Jesus_, art. "Bellarmino." "He was the first Jesuit
who had ever taken part in the election of a pope"--Cretineau-Joly's
_Hist. Comp. de Jesus_ (Paris, 1859), iii, p. 106. This refers to
the election of Paul V (1605).

[16] In the Ventura del Arco MSS. (Ayer library) i, pp. 341-381,
is a copy of a letter (dated June 11, 1611) from Father Armano to
his provincial, Gregorio Lopez, detailing the achievements of Silva's
expedition to the Moluccas in 1611--on which occasion Silva restored
to his throne Zayri, king of Ternate, who had been kept as a prisoner
at Manila for five years. Rizal says in his edition of Morga, p. 247,
note 1, that this king did not return to his island. He was probably
taken back to Manila shortly after this restoration.

[17] Pedro Solier was born about 1578; he entered the Augustinian order
in 1593 at Salamanca, where he remained five years, and then joined the
Philippine mission. In 1603 he went to Spain on business of his order,
returning to the islands in 1606. Elected provincial of his order in
1608, he held that office for two years; and in 1610, "on account of
the deposal of Father Lorenzo de Leon, journeyed to Spain to make a
report of that unpleasant incident" (Perez's _Catalogo_, p. 57).

[18] Baltasar Fort was a native of Moto in Valencia, though some
say of Horcajo in the diocese of Tortosa. He studied Latin grammar
at Villa de San Mateo. At Valencia he studied philosophy. He took
his vows at the Dominican convent of San Esteban at Salamanca,
May 2, 1586. After serving as prior and as master of novitiates in
Aragonese convents, he went to Manila in 1602. Mart of his ministry
there was passed in the province of Pangasinam. He served as prior of
the Manila convent, and then as provincial, after which he was sent
to Japan as vicar-provincial, whence he was exiled in 1614. He was
definitor several times and once rector of the college of Santo Tomas,
after which he was again prior of the Manila convent. He died in that
convent without the last sacraments, October 18, 1640, being over
seventy years of age.--See _Resena biografica_, part i, pp. 311, 312.

[19] Francisco Minayo was a native of Arevalo. After arriving at the
Philippines in 1598, he labored extensively in Cagayan, where his
ministry had good results. He was accused of the sin against nature,
but after arrest and trial was released. Later he was prior of the
Manila convent, and after his three years' term returned to Cagayan,
where he died at Lallo-c, August 25, 1613. See _Resena biografica_,
part i, pp. 302-303.

[20] The following law was passed at Lerma July 23, 1605; and at
Madrid December 19, 1618, and is found in _Recopilacion de leyes_,
lib. iii, tit. x, ley xiv: "The governor and captain-general of the
Filipinas Islands shall take care to reward the soldiers who shall
have served us there, and their sons, with the posts and profits
that shall fall to his appointment, in accordance with the ordinance,
and with full justification, so that they may have some remuneration,
observing in everything the laws issued upon this matter."

[21] Father Gregorio Lopez was a native of the town of Alcocer, in
the bishopric of Cuenca. He studied theology at Alcala de Henares,
but took the Jesuit habit in Mexico. He filled in Mexico the chairs
of the arts and of theology, and was master of the novitiates. After
sixteen years' residence in Mexico he went to the Philippines,
where he became a teacher of Christian doctrine, and rector of the
seminary at Manila. He was later vice-provincial and then provincial
of his order for eight years, being the first provincial. He died at
the age of fifty-three, on July 21, 1614. He spent fourteen years in
the Philippines.

[22] La Concepcion says (_Hist. de Philipinas_, iv, p. 284) that the
Dutch unexpectedly encountered at Panay a Spanish force, on its way
to the Moluccas, who compelled the invaders to retreat.

[23] Francois de Wittert. See _Vol_. XV, pp. 323-328.

[24] "The bells of the churches were cast into heavy cannon" (La
Concepcion, _Hist. de Philipinas_, iv, p. 286).

[25] _Vino de Mandarin_; literally, "mandarin wine."

[26] Paul van Caerden (Pablo Blanchardo), who had made several voyages
to the East Indies, was captured by Sargento-mayor Pedro de Heredia
after a fierce fight near Terrenate, the seat of the new Dutch posts
in the Malucos. Juan de Esquivel, Spanish governor of the Malucos,
allowed him to pay a ransom of fifty thousand pesos; but was severely
rebuked by the Manila Audiencia then in power, for doing so without
first advising them. Esquivel took the censure so much to heart
that he fell into a melancholy, and died soon after. His successor,
Sargento-mayor Azcueta Menchaca, anxious to please the Audiencia,
pursued van Caerden and captured him a second time, although the Dutch
tried to burn their ship to escape such an ignominy. He was sent to
Manila, and his ransom promised on certain conditions. Twenty-two
Spanish prisoners at Ternate were given; but, the other conditions
not being met, the Dutch officer was kept prisoner at the expense of
the royal treasury until his death, in Manila. See La Concepcion's
_Hist. de Philipinas_, iv, pp. 112-114.

[27] La Concepcion and Montero y Vidal make this name Faxardo (or
Fajardo) instead of Pardos; and the latter gives the following name
as Luis Moreno Donoso.

[28] The original is _malos dias_, literally, "a bad
'good-morning.'" It is used as the term _buenos dias_, or "good
morning."

[29] The Trinitarian order was founded at Rome in 1198 by St. John
of Matha, a native of Provence, and Felix of Valois, an aged French
hermit, in order to redeem Christian captives from the infidels. The
order received sanction from Innocent III. Their rule was that of
St. Augustine, with particular statutes; and their diet was one of
great austerity. The habit in France was a soutane and scapular of
white serge, with a red and blue cross on the right breast. The first
monastery was established at Cerfroy, France, and continued to be
the mother-house, until the French Revolution. At one time the order
had two hundred and fifty houses, and by the seventeenth century
had rescued 30,720 Christian captives. At the dissolution they had
eleven houses in England, five in Scotland, and one in Ireland. The
religious were often called Red or Maturin friars in England, from
the color of the cross on their habit and because of their famous
house at Paris near the chapel of St. Maturin.

A reformation made by Father Juan Baptista was approved by the Holy
See in 1599, and resulted in the erection of the congregation of
discalced Trinitarians in Spain. Their houses, as well as those of
the unreformed portion of the order, were suppressed in Spain in the
reign of Isabella II.

See Addis and Arnold's _Catholic Dictionary_, p. 810.

[30] The Ventura del Arco copy reads _concera_, which may be a
mistranscription for _cascara_, hull.

[31] Pedro Montejo took his vows at the Toledo Augustinian
convent. After his arrival at Manila he was master of novitiates and
superior of the Manila convent of San Pablo until 1607. In that year
he was assigned to the Japan missions at his own request. He probably
did not go to that empire, however, for shortly afterward he was in
Manila again on business for the province, where he embarked. He was
captured by the Dutch and killed, as stated in the text, by a ball
from the Spanish fleet. See Perez's _Catalogo_.

[32] For quite another estimate of these youthful commanders, see
_ante_, p. 97.

[33] This was Fray Juan Pinto de Fonseca.

[34] This difference in time when sailing east and west, was commented
on by many early writers. Acosta (_History of the Indies_, Hakluyt
Society's publications, London, 1880) says "seeing the two Crownes of
Portugall and Castille, have met by the East and West, ioyning their
discoveries together, which in truth is a matter to be observed, that
the one is come to China and Iappan by the East, and the other to the
Philippines, which are neighbours, and almost ioyning vnto China, by
the West; for from the Ilands of Lusson, which is the chiefe of the
Philippines, in the which is the city of Manilla, vnto Macao, which
is in the Ile of Canton, are but foure score or a hundred leagues,
and yet we finde it strange, that notwithstanding this small distance
from the one to the other, yet according to their accoumpt, there is
a daies difference betwixt them.... Those of Macao and of China have
one day advanced before the Philippines. It happened to father Alonso
Sanches, ... that parting from the Philippines, he arrived at Macao
the second daie of Maie, according to their computation, and going
to say the masse of S. Athanasius, he found they did celebrate the
feast of the invention of the holy Crosse, for that they did then
reckon the third of Maie." Acosta then gives the reason for this
difference. See _Vol_. I of this series, p. 22, note 2.

[35] A species of pelican (_Pelicanus sula_).

[36] The modern province of Bungo is located on the eastern side of
the island of Kyushu, on the Bungo Channel.

[37] It is prohibited by us that the Audiencia of Filipinas should
grant licenses [for anyone] to go to the provinces of Peru. We order
that all the audiencias of Nueva Espana keep and observe this law, and
that those of Peru do the same in regard to Nueva Espana." Ordinance
27, Toledo, May 25, 1596. (_Recopilacion de leyes_, lib. ix, tit. xxvi,
ley lxi.)

"The governor of Filipinas shall not concede leave to any soldier
or any other person who shall have gone there at the cost of our
royal treasury, to leave or go out of those islands unless there be
very urgent causes; and in this he shall proceed with great caution
and moderation." Madrid, March 29, 1597. (_Recopilacion de leyes_,
lib. ix, tit. xxvi, ley lxii.)

"It is advisable that the citizens of the Filipinas Islands shall
not leave them, and especially those who are rich and influential. In
consideration of this, we order the governors to proceed with great
moderation in giving passports to come to these kingdoms or those
of Nueva Espana, for thus it is important for the preservation of
the people of those islands. And in consideration of the fact that
the passengers and religious who come are numerous, and consume the
food provided for the crews of the vessels, we order the governors
that they avoid as far as possible the giving of passport to the said
passengers and religious, in order to avoid the inconveniences that
result and which ought to be considered." Segovia, July 25, 1609;
and San Lorenzo, August 19, 1609. (_Recopilacion de leyes_, lib. ix,
tit. xxvi, ley lxiii.)

[38] On the death of Pedro de Acuna, Rodrigo de Vivero was appointed
governor ad interim of the Philippines, by viceroy Luis de Velasco
of Mexico. He landed at Manila, June 15, 1608, and governed until
April of the following year. He was a native of Laredo (Santander),
and was experienced in the political life of the Indies. He introduced
important reforms and laws among the alcaldes-mayor and corregidors. He
was given the title of Conde dela Valle, and made governor and
captain-general of Panama. See La Concepcion's _Hist. de Philipinas_,
vi, pp. 114-116.

[39] The following description of Japan it taken from _Recuril des
Voyages_ (Amsterdam, 1725), ii, p. 84: "These islands look toward
New Spain on the east; Tartary on the north, besides other countries
unknown; China on the west, and unknown lands on the south; with
a large sea between them. They comprise 66 petty kingdoms, and are
divided into three chief parts. The most considerable, and the one
always named first, is Japan, which contains 53 seigniories, or petty
kingdoms, the most powerful of which are Meaco and Amagunce. The
king of Meaco has under him 24 or 26 kingdoms, and he of Amagunce 12
or 13. The second of these three parts is called Ximo, and contains
9 kingdoms, chief of which are Bungo and Figeu. The third part is
called Xicoum, and contains 4 kingdoms or seigniories." J.J. Rein
(_Japan_, London, 1884), gives four divisions in modern Japan,
namely, Japan proper, the Riukiu Islands, Chigima or the Kuriles,
and Ogasawara-shima or Munito, commonly called Bonin Islands.

[40] A kind of silk grograin.

[41] Gabriel de la Cruz (in the Moluccas as early as 1605),
together with Lorenzo Masonio (Laurent Masoni) wrote a relation
entitled _Relacion de la toma de las islas de Ambueno y Tidore que
consigueiron los Holandes en este ano de 1605_, which is published
by Colin in his _Labor Evangelica_, lib. iv, chap. ii. Masoni was
born at Campolleto (Naples), February 27, 1556. He entered the Jesuit
order when already a priest, in 1582. In 1586 he went to the Indies,
where he died at Amboina, July 19, 1631. He wrote also a letter from
that island, which is published in _Lettera annuae di Giappone_ (Roma,
1605), pp. 113-121; also in _Hist. Univers. des Indes orientales_,
by Antoine Magin (Sommervogel).

[42] The author of the present relation precedes the portion here
presented, which appears to be complete, by a notice of the death of
Father Antonio Pereira. This notice appears to have been abridged
by Ventura del Arco, who copied the document from the archives. La
Concepcion states (vol. iv of his history) that after Acuna had
recovered the Malucos, all but two of the Jesuit priests there were
ordered to Malaca. This included Pereira, who was stationed on the
island of Siao. The authorities at Malaca contended that the care
of these religious devolved upon the Philippines, hence they were
ordered to go there. Pereira left Malaca in July, 1608, for Manila
in a Portuguese vessel, but they were wrecked after twenty days'
voyage. The Portuguese and Father Pereira started for Borneo next
morning in the small boat, leaving 130 slaves who were in the vessel
to their fate. After four days the boat reached a desert island, with
its occupants famished. Father Pereira, having a knowledge of the
region, procured water from one of the hollow canes growing on the
island. There they were captured by Moro or Malay pirates and sold
by them to the Borneans. They were sent to Manila in a small boat
by the sultan; but, in a storm, Father Pereira died. He was a son of
Gonzalo Pereira, who had also lived at Siao. Father Pereira had aided
Chirino in various labors in Cebu, whence he later returned to Siao.

[43] This phrase, the usual epithet of the general of the Jesuit order,
would indicate that Lopez was addressing that official--who was then
Claudio Aquaviva; he died on January 31, 1615.

[44] A vessel built like a pink--that is, with a very narrow stern--and
sloop-rigged.

[45] By metaphor, the instrument is here used for the person; the
reference is to the advocacy of the Virgin as obtained through
the rosary, the instrument of the chief devotion to Mary. As
such, many churches and other institutions are dedicated to the
rosary.--_Rev. Patrick B. Knox_ (Madison, Wisconsin).

[46] Thomas Aquinas, born in 1227, belonged to a noble family,
descended from the kings of Aragon and Sicily. Entering
the ecclesiastical life, he soon became noted as a scholar and
divine. He was professor of divinity in several universities, and
author of numerous theological works. He died on March 7, 1274, and
was canonized in 1323. Various epithets have been bestowed upon him:
"the Angelic Doctor," "the Universal Doctor," "the Dumb Ox" (alluding
to his taciturnity), "The Angel of the School," and "the Eagle of
Theologians." "It was in defense of Thomas Aquinas that Henry VIII [of
England] composed the book which procured him from the pope the title
of Defender of the Faith" (Blake's _Biographical Dictionary_, p. 66).

[47] Argensola says mistakenly that this father was killed by the
Chinese in the insurrection of 1603.

For sketch of his life see _Vol_. XIII, note 43.

[48] Domingo de Nieva was a native of one of the three towns of
Villoria in Castilla, and professed in the Dominican convent of San
Pablo at Valladolid. On going to the Philippines he was sent first
to the mission of Bataan, where his labors were uninterrupted and
severe. He became fluent in the Tagil language, after Which he was
assigned to the Chinese mission near Manila; and he composed and
published several devotional treatises in both those languages. He
was elected prior of Manila, but before his three years in that office
were finished, he was sent as procurator to Madrid. He died at sea, at
the end of 1606 or the beginning of 1607, after having spent nineteen
years in the Philippines. See _Resena biografica_, part i, pp. 108-110.

[49] That is "by my priestly word."

[50] The see of Cebu was made vacant by the death of Bishop Agurto
(September 14, 1608), and that of Nueva Caceres (in 1607) by the death
of its second bishop, Baltasar Corarrubias, O.S.A. The reference in
our text is to the appointment of new bishops for these sees--for Cebu,
Pedro Matias, O.S.F.; and for Nueva Caceres, Pedro de Arce, O.S.A. But,
as Matias did not understand the Visayan language, these appointments
were finally exchanged; Matias was transferred to Nueva Caceres, which
he administered for two years and until his death, and Arce to Cebu.

[51] Because of the difficulty that has been represented to us in going
or sending from very distant provinces, separated by the sea, to give
their accounts, we have determined and resolved that the accounts of
Chile and Filipinas shall be examined as hitherto, in accordance with
the ordinances of the Audiencias--notwithstanding what is ordained
by others--given to the accountants. The accounts shall have to be
brought and given in the tribunal of accounts. We order that those
thus examined in Chile be sent to the tribunal of accounts in Lima,
and those of the Filipinas to that of Mejico. Our royal officials
of those treasuries shall also send at the beginning of each year
the lists and muster-rolls of the soldiers to the said tribunals,
signed also by the governor and captain-general. The accountants
of the above-mentioned tribunals shall send a report of the said
accounts, with its lists, to our council of the Indias." Felipe III,
San Lorenzo, August 17, 1609, ordinance 24. (_Recopilacion de leyes_,
lib. viii, tit. i, ley lxxix). A decree dated San Lorenzo, October 19,
1719, ordered this law to be observed, and ordered also inspection
of the treasuries every week. See note in _Recopilacion de leyes_
to the above ordinance.

[52] Marcos de Lisboa was born of a noble family in Lisboa,
Portugal. At an early age he was sent to India to engage in its
commerce. Establishing himself at Malacca, he took the vows in 1582,
in the Franciscan convent established there in the preceding year
by Juan Bautista Pisaro. In 1586 he went to the Philippines, where
he projected and later helped to found (1594) the Confraternity of
La Misericordia at Manila. He later spent a number of years in the
province of Camarines, where he labored extensively. He was elected
three times as definitor (1602, 1608, and 1616), and once (January 16,
1609), as vicar-provincial. In 1618 he went to Mexico, whence (July 16,
1622), he went to Madrid, and then to Rome to take part in the general
chapter of his order. At the conclusion of the chapter he retired to
the convent of San Gil at Madrid, where he died in the beginning of
1628. Lisboa left a number of written works, among them four in the
Bicol language, which he was the first to write. See Huerta's _Estado_,
pp. 447, 448.

[53] The Marquis de Montesclaros (third marques of the title, see
_Vol_. XIII, p. 228) was born posthumously probably at Sevilla;
and was a knight of the Order of Santiago, and gentleman of the
bedchamber. Throughout his offices as viceroy of Nueva Espana and
of Peru, he showed ability and determination, and his policy was
approved. See Moreri's _Dictionnaire_, vi, p. 268; and Bancroft's
_History of Mexico_, iii, pp. 5, 6.

[54] The consulate (see _Vol_. XIII, p. 57) of Sevilla was formed
in accordance with a law dated August 23, 1543; it authorized the
exporting merchants of that city to meet annually for the election of
prior and consuls to administer, regulate, and guard the commercial
interests of those merchants. See the laws enacted regarding this
institution, in _Recopilacion de leyes_, lib. ix, tit. vi.

[55] The Atlantic Ocean; the new trade-route opened by the Portuguese
a century before led to the Atlantic via the Cape of Good Hope.

[56] Spanish, _tan en las mantillas_, _i.e._, the long outer garments
in which an infant is dressed.

[57] Referring to the Cerro Gordo ("rich hill") of Potosi; see
_Vol_. XIV, p. 306.

[58] Perhaps the region known as Miztecapan, which has fertile valleys.

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