_A relation of events in the Philipinas Islands, and other neighboring
kingdoms, from the month of July, 1628, to July,1629._
Continuing my project begun last year, I will proceed in this account
to relate the events which have happened this year, without observing
any other order than that in which they occur to me.
At half past one on the night of November 25, Our church fell,
with so terrible a crash that it seemed as if the heavens were
falling. It was due to God's great providence that it did not happen
several hours later, for without doubt some of our fathers would have
been caught in the ruins. It is the third time that this church has
fallen; for years ago, just as they finished saying the last mass,
and locked the doors, the whole vault, which was built of brick,
fell in a great earthquake. If it had happened an hour before, it
would have wrought great injury, by imprisoning beneath it all the
people who were in the church. Then six years later, in the month of
September, on the same day, just as they were beginning to decorate
the church for celebrating the feasts of St. Ignatius and St. Xavier,
one large pillar and two arches fell, leaving the roof in the air,
without any means of support for more than eight yards--a thing which
seemed miraculous; two of Ours were caught, but neither received
much harm. On this last occasion the ruin was greater, because one
pillar, when it fell, carried with it half of the church. Thus it
remained, without repairs being possible; there was nothing to be
done but to finish the work of destruction, and build a hut in which
to accommodate our fathers in their ministries, until we finish the
new church building and house--which is a very good one, and well on
its way to completion. [63]
On the twentieth of December, at eight o'clock in the evening, they
omitted the holy sacrament in the Cathedral church of this city,
because it had been stolen, together with the monstrance in which
it was kept. Diligent search was made for it, arresting some and
putting others to the torture, and making earnest prayers to placate
the wrath of God, but no trace of the thief could be found in these
or any other ways, even to the present day. [64]
On the twentieth of June an eclipse of the sun began at eleven o'clock,
and at thirteen minutes after twelve it was so far eclipsed that it
could not be seen at all. It seemed as if it were night, and the stars
were seen in the sky, so that we were forced to light candles in order
to eat; for there was a dinner that afternoon, on the occasion of a
certain feast. As far as I know, this eclipse was not seen in Nueva
España; it is the most complete one that I have ever seen, though I
have seen many.
On the eighteenth of July last, in the village of Guiguan, which is
a mission of the Society, an image of the Immaculate Conception of
Our Lady with a gilded face, began to weep piteously--in the sight
of all, and of the father who was expounding Christian doctrine in
that village--with a saddened countenance, to the great terror of
all who were present. It seemed as if this was the announcement of
the disasters and calamities which have been suffered by those poor
islands of the Pintados (which are in our missionary charge) from
their enemies the Camucones and the Joloans, who have become very
insolent--plundering many ships on the sea, some of them valuable;
robbing and burning towns, capturing the people, and destroying the
images, which the fathers have kept well until their flight and refuge
in the mountains. It has been considered a singular providence that
no one of our fathers has been captured (although there are fears
about one, but nothing certain is known about it). The enemy suddenly
landing, one father was surprised in bed, but made his escape almost in
his shirt; they surprised another while saying mass, and he was obliged
to make his escape in his chasuble, fleeing through the marshes;
another they found sprinkling with holy water the whole population
of the town in the church; another they met on the sea, and having
given chase to his vessel, the father leaped overboard and finally
escaped. The father provincial was in great danger several times, but
in the end God preserved him and all the other fathers. The greatest
hardship is, that it seems as if those who conduct the government do
not endeavor to check these raids; may the Lord do so by restraining
the enemies.
Relief was sent this year to the Malucas Islands, as has usually been
done in past years, in several pataches and a galley. The Dutch enemy
had at their Malayo fort (which is almost within sight of our fort
at Terrenate), a very powerful ship which passed in front of our fort
several times discharging their artillery as if defying us to come out
and fight. After this bravado our men and Pedro de Heredia, governor
of those fortifications, armed two pataches and the galley (a force
much inferior to that of so powerful a ship) and went out to meet the
enemy. He boarded it and began to attack the soldiers in it; the enemy,
seeing that the fight was going against them, cut loose from our ship,
and retreated or fled to their fort. There their people arrested the
captain, because, although he had had the advantage on his side, he
had not sunk our little pataches, but instead had taken to flight. Some
of the Dutch and some of our men were killed in this fight.
At Xacatra, which is the capital of the Dutch possessions in all
these eastern regions, and at which their governor and captain-general
resides, there have been many harassing wars this year, because King
Xabo with a very powerful army had besieged them for many months,
seized and burned the suburbs, and killed many men. However, on account
of the many winter floods, Xabo had to retreat; but the Dutch are left
in considerable fear lest he will return, with the Portuguese giving
him assistance. On that account they have still further fortified their
forts, made greater provision of all necessaries, and detailed there
six galleons from the great fleet, which they maintain at Ormus for
the aid and defense of the Persian, [65] in order that the Portuguese,
who are threatening that fortress, may not recover it.
With the aim of relieving these islands and their natives from
the suffering that they endured in building galleys and ships, the
governor decided to send some Spaniards to the kingdom of Camboja,
which abounds in fine woods, to establish dock-yards; this purpose
was carried out. With the Spaniards it was decided to send some of
the Society, but for certain reasons this was not done, nor would
we permit it. The fathers of St. Dominic, however, permitted it;
and so some of them went there with the Spaniards, and were very well
received by the king of Camboja. They immediately commenced to carry
out their plans for the ships, while the religious built a church. The
king gave them permission to baptize and convert to Christianity any
persons in his kingdom who wished it.
I wrote last year, that, annoyed by the injuries which these islands
had received from the king of Sian, who had seized in one of his ports
a ship of ours richly laden with silks, our galleons had gone there
and made reprisals on some of his ships. The latest news is that
a ship was sent there with some of the Sianese who were captured,
and some Spaniards, to give an account of the affair; and to tell the
king that our people desired to continue in peace and friendship, but
that he must satisfy us for what he had seized from us, and in return
we would satisfy him for what we had seized from his people. As yet
we have had no answer from there, nor have we heard how the matter
was concluded--much less if our fathers who reside there lost their
lives when our galleons did so much damage to the Sianese ships.
The outlook for Christianity in Cochinchina was very promising, and
in the year 1627 eight hundred adults were baptized; but this year
we have had news that the fathers had encountered adverse fortune,
and were fearing expulsion from that kingdom--but now they write that
the tempest has already abated, and the skies are clearing.
In late years, there have been many wars in the kingdom of Tongin,
which adjoins that of Cochinchina; but the Christians have been
left in peace, and thus many have been converted to Christianity. It
is even reported that this same king and a brother of his had been
or were to be baptized. Would to Heaven that it were so! although
hitherto there has been no certainty of anything, because we have
had no letters from our fathers, on account of the said wars.
The Tartars have again revolted against the Chinese, who are so hard
pressed that they have sent to Macan for artillerymen and artillery
for the war. The Portuguese lent them two heavy guns, and thirty men
to go with them, among whom was Father Palmerin, the visitor of that
province [_in the margin_: in the secular habit], to visit, on this
occasion, the houses and the residences in China.
As to the condition of Christianity in Japon, I cannot better give
account than by inserting here letters and relations sent from
there. The first, dated 1627, reads as follows:
"The persecution of the Christians here, which was begun several
years ago, continues without any remission of its vigor, but rather
increases with every day--not throughout the whole kingdom, however,
but in certain parts of the Xymo or Tacab, in which the Christians
are persecuted more than they have been hitherto. It commenced among
the Christian converts of Tacacu and the lands of Arima, by soliciting
the tono of that region, Gentir, to return to the favor of the lord of
Japon, of which he has been deprived for some time, and to dissuade
from the faith all the Christians who should enter his lands. An
official was sent to all places with orders that they should not
fail to go through every village, and to cause everyone, by any way
or means whatever, to renounce the faith, in order that they might
instead adopt one of the Japanese sects. The officials obeyed their
orders and searched out all, whether steadfast or wavering; and some,
in order not to risk their faith, left their homes secretly. Some of
the strong ones were rigorously treated, and others gently, among
whom some exiled themselves. Those Christians suffered, for their
constancy, various and extreme torments never before seen in Japon,
which at the said tono's command were inflicted in order to subdue
them--stripping both men and women, and hanging them in their shame;
hurling them from a height into cold water, in the depth of winter;
placing them near a fire so that they would burn; and burning them
with lighted torches. Two of them they roasted on burning coals, as
St. Laurence suffered. Others were left so that they died in a few
days. They also burned the men with a hot iron upon the forehead,
leaving the word "Christian" stamped upon it. They cut the fingers
from the hands, even of children, inflicting other indignities that
cannot be written. The inhuman pagan, not content with this, had
some men and women conducted through the streets of certain villages
with insignia of dishonor commonly applied among the heathen to
criminals, but of great glory to our Lord God, for whose love they
suffered. When the servants of the Lord arrived at some of these
places, they bound them in a shameful manner to stakes, in order
to frighten the Christian inhabitants in this fashion; but with all
their efforts they were not strong enough to conquer any Christian,
or make him recant. Forty-seven, of all ages, were condemned to death;
three were beheaded, and the rest drowned in the sea. Eighteen others,
of all ages, they took to a mountain, where there were some very hot
baths; and, binding them with ropes, they put them into the water,
asking them again and again if they would not recant. Seeing their
constancy, they bound them to stones, with which they were sunk in the
sea. Twenty-six others, of varying ages, they also took to the said
baths; and having especially distinguished ten of these by torments,
they kept them for some time on the edge of the baths, repeatedly
asking them if they would give up their religion. At the same time
they poured upon their shoulders jars of that boiling hot water,
drawing from them cries of pain; until, becoming convinced of their
constancy, they drowned them in the said baths. Because the body of
one of them was not burst open like the rest by the heat of the water,
they cut it open in various places with a knife. In this torture he
died, and, like the others, was flung into the baths. Adding to these
two others who died of the terrible torture inflicted upon them, the
number of those who died in the province of Tacacu, by fire, blood,
and water was forty-seven. They went to rest and abide with Christ,
and will always be able to say with David: _Transivimus per ignem et
aqua e reduxisti nos in refrigerium_. [66] We would never finish if we
undertook to tell in detail all the particulars of these martyrdoms,
which we shall leave for a more extended relation, in which they may
be viewed; and great consolation will be had from the fact that those
Christians have endured such atrocious and unheard-of torments with
such constancy, for the love of Christ.
"Let us speak of the persecution which another pagan tono set in
motion against the Christians in his lands, adjacent to those of
Tacacu. They buried three of the martyrs whom the tono of Tacacu
had condemned, and three others were captured who were going there;
he ordered them to recant if they wished to save their lives, or
else they would be subjected to various torments, but these they
suffered rather than lose the life of the soul. Besides this, the
Japanese persecuted the Christians of that town, and others near
by, trying every means in their power to divert them from our holy
faith. Some of them were steadfast, and others wavered. The tono,
however, ordered them not to kill anyone then as a Christian, and this
order was obeyed--although two widows, named Maria, gave a noble [_word
illegible in MS_.] in order to show that they were more constant. They
insulted these women in many ways, putting them to shame; and
finally, as they were triumphant over every injury and torment,
they were set free. Then they hastened to the city of Nangasaqui,
the chief of Christian communities in Japon, where on August 16, 1627,
they arrested and burned alive father Fray Francisco de Santa Maria,
and the lay brother, Fray Bartholome, both Franciscans, together with
their servants and other men and women. Others they beheaded, among
whom the lot fell to a woman with three children, two of whom were
two years old and the other older. On the sixth of September of the
same year, they arrested and burned alive a Japanese father of Ours,
together with two chiefs, his servants. The governor and president
of that city was present at all these murders. He, in conformity
with his orders, tried to make all the Christian inhabitants recant,
without respect to age or estate, and to persuade them all to adopt
some one of the Japanese sects, making use of many ingenious artifices
for this purpose. Seeing that he could not effect his purpose, he
tried locking some of them in their houses, nailing up the doors,
and depriving them of all communication with relatives and friends, to
which end he set guards around them. Some weak-spirited persons obeyed
him; but the greater number, both chiefs and common people, resisted
him. The governor, seeing that so many resisted, as he had no orders
to take their lives, but only to send them as prisoners to the court,
sent those whom he thought best, and among them fifteen of the most
prominent persons. Fearing because some of these were persons of rank,
and had many relatives, and some of them were actually officials in
the same city, in order to prevent any revolt from arising he asked
the neighboring tonos for a large number of soldiers. A great many
of these came, who were lodged throughout the city; but, seeing that
there was no resistance he ordered them back to their fortresses,
and, the confessors being much rejoiced, he sent them prisoners to
the court. Others are kept in captivity until the arrival of a decree
from the court. Four distinguished families were exiled to Macan, with
four hundred and thirty of the common people, who were driven to the
neighboring mountains as a warning and intimidation to many others,
and all intercourse and communication with them was cut off. It was
ordered that no one should admit them to their houses. They were
commanded not to build huts, even for the infant children, to defend
them from the inclemencies of the weather. Guards were set over them
so that no one should grant them even a mat for their shelter, the
persecutors hoping by this means to bend them to their will. Although
the confessors of Christ undergo great suffering, they do so with joy
and invincible constancy. Others who were not banished were deprived
of their employment, to force them to abandon their resistance. Many
fled for this reason, leaving the most populous city in Japan almost
depopulated, although it still contains confessors who ennoble it. [67]
"On the twenty-ninth of July of this year (1627) they burned alive at
Omura, together with another who wished to accompany them, a Dominican
father and three domestics, who had been kept in close captivity since
the year 1626. This persecution was begun because, having confiscated
the property belonging to the Franciscan fathers in Nangasaqui,
they found a list in which those fathers enumerated the servants and
houses which each one possessed in the land of Omura; and because they
had sent a ship with a cargo of flour to Manila, in order to bring
religious to Japon on its return--although those of Omura were more
than twice advised by the religious of Nangasaqui to consider that it
was against the Japanese law, and that by so doing they were exposing
themselves and others to the risk of destruction, by furnishing pagans
and renegade Christians with a pretext to persecute them, especially
the religious at the port from which the ship sailed. Twenty-five of
the constant ones were murdered--of all ages, men and women--some
for having displayed their constancy, and others for admitting
religious into their houses. Among others who died by burning alive,
one, a good laboring woman, was especially distinguished, whom,
because she was discovered to have admitted religious to her house,
they exposed to public shame, taking her in this manner for more
than twenty leguas round about. Finally, she was burned alive, ever
displaying the most remarkable constancy. The same fortitude was shown
by three men, whom they buried up to their shoulders. Another who saw
some one being burned alive, displayed no less courage; for, filled
with fervor, he voluntarily plunged into the flames, where he was
entirely consumed. All these were martyred at Omura for their faith,
or for receiving religious into their houses. More than forty were
executed for sending the said ship, and even now the punishment is
not concluded. Thus that Christian community, one of the earliest in
Xapon, is greatly afflicted [_apparently some words missing in MS._]
in order that it may be preserved and aided.
"From the kingdom of Figen, they passed to that of Fingo. At Amacusa,
in Fingo, there was no general persecution, leaving the chiefs
and laborers, so that if it were conducted rigorously with all,
some would be found to be weak-spirited. However, they martyred one
man, who showed unusual constancy. At the end of this year 1627,
this Christian church had devoted one hundred and eight martyrs to
the Lord. In other parts of Japon the Christians and their ministers
were left in comparative quiet, so that in the year 1626 their ranks
were increased by more than two thousand converts who were baptized
by members of our Society, to say nothing of those who were baptized
by religious of other orders. We believe that in the year 27 there
will be a still greater number of converts in the kingdom of Oxu,
because in this kingdom (which is the farthest in Japan) many of the
people are well disposed. There are at present there four of Ours,
five Franciscans, and one Augustinian. May the Lord assist them there
in all Xapon, opening doors so long locked, through which many others
can enter."
This is the first relation. The second is a letter from the father
provincial of Xapon, Matheo de Couros, dated February 25, 1626. It
reads as follows: "The Xongu [i.e., shogun] lives with his queen,
obeyed and feared by all. There is no human hope of any change
here. All these kingdoms enjoy considerable peace during the tempest,
and Christianity only is persecuted with fire and sword. From others
you may have learned that the Franciscan fathers sent a ship to
the city of Manila. This has more than twice resulted in the total
destruction of Christian work in Omura; and its lord, although he
is a child, runs the risk that they will behead him (or at least
his governors), because the said ship was fitted out in one of his
ports. We do not know how this will end. On January 21, they arrested
Father Antonio of the Franciscan order at Nangasaqui. The embassy of
the Dutch had an unfortunate ending at the court of Xapon, because
it was known to be only a pretext. It is also said that one of the
great governors of Xapon remarked at court that it would be a great
injury to that kingdom, were it said that they welcomed in their
ports a people who came only to rob upon the high seas, and that it
was taken ill in foreign kingdoms."
In another letter, of November 28, 1627, it is said by Father Xacome
Antonio, after the departure of the galeotas, that "there is no
news from these countries; the persecution at Nangasaqui has ended,
because the presidents had all gone to the court, and so at present
there is comparative quiet. At first those who were banished to the
mountains were not allowed, under the penalty of burning, imposed by
the ministers of justice, to build any shelter from the inclemencies
of the weather; but afterward they were allowed to build huts of
straw. It was also granted that no minister of justice dwell among
them, which is a great blessing. The Christians who were sent to court
arrived there in safety; and although at the beginning they found no
one to welcome them the governors afterward ordered that houses be
given them. They are well accommodated in a monastery of bonzes, who,
beyond the kind treatment they accord them, are urging the governors to
accord to them, and to the other Christians at Nangasaqui, liberty of
conscience. The chief bonze of this monastery, a man of great authority
on account of his dignity, is pushing this negotiation. Besides this,
these same Christians presented a petition or memorial, asking the
governors at this court to intercede for them, and procure for them
such liberty at Nangasaqui as they had had in the days of the Daifu,
so that their inhabitants might live there as Christians. It was well
received, and they were given hopes of a favorable decision. The same
encouragement is given to all those who come to the court. Even the
heathen talk of it, and say that the permission will doubtless be
accorded. May the Lord grant it; for if it succeeds the whole country
in the neighborhood of Nangasaqui will remain in some peace."
In another of March 16, 1628, the same father, Xacome Antonio, says
that father Fray Juan de Ribera, of the Dominican order, while he was
returning from Manila to Xapon, was left on the Lechios [i.e., Riu-Kiu
Islands], where it is said that he was murdered in an attempt to rob
him, though the motive is not certainly known. Three of the same order
came last year to Japon, and when they were within sight of land, the
Chinese crews threw them overboard, on account of some superstitious
fear. It was known afterward, because on their return a sudden squall
struck the Chinese ship two leguas from Nangasaqui. The vessel was
wrecked and many lost, eight saving their lives by swimming. This
was a punishment for their sins, and for the large amount of silver
that they took from the said religious, which they say must amount
to two thousand sacks of treasure; [68] they took it on condition of
returning the same amount at their return from the voyage.
The last news we have from Xapon is as follows: There was a great
outbreak in the palace, in the emperor's anteroom, and a tono among
great governors of the kingdom was killed. The emperor came forth
at the noise, and, attempting to put his hand upon his sword, he was
foully stabbed in the abdomen, an example showing how skilled they are
in wielding arms. This death has caused much restlessness, and many
risings, which will not be crushed for a long time. The Indians of
the island of Hermosa sent ambassadors to the emperor of Xapon, asking
for assistance to help them expel the Dutch from that port where they
have their fortress. They were well received and help was offered to
them, and they were sent back with assurances of friendship. The Dutch
themselves were arrested in Xapon and their ships detained, because
they owed large sums and did not pay; and there was talk of expelling
them from the entire land of Xapon. Just then, unfortunately for us,
news arrived there of the Japanese ship that our galleons burned last
year on the bar of Sian, [69] whereupon the tables were turned; the
prospects of the Dutch improved, and ours grew worse. There was talk of
making an agreement with them, and even of raising an armada of Dutch
and Japanese, to proceed against our fort at the island of Hermosa
and even against Manila--a matter which does not fail to occasion
considerable anxiety, though it is not known how it will turn out.
We have had no news from the island of Hermosa, which keeps us in great
anxiety, because more than two hundred thousand pesos were sent there
from this city of Manila to be invested in Chinese silks. We do not
know what has been done with it, or whether the money has been lost,
an uncertainty which occasions anxiety to the merchants. In short,
these Philipinas Islands are at present in a ruinous condition, with
many powerful and triumphant enemies, our forces weakened, and our
people in dread of other large fleets. May the Lord remedy all this,
and assist with His divine favor, in the preservation of the faith
in these lands. Manila, July 18, 1629.
[A document of this same collection ("Papeles de los Jesuítas"), with
pressmark "Tomo 169 numero 2," is identical with the above relation,
except for slight verbal differences which do not change the sense
in any way. But at the end occurs the following additional letter:]
_Letter of Father Sebastian de Morais_
Since the letters carried by the little ship from India are lost, the
following was learned from another letter. On the octave of Espíritu
Santo, a sudden attack was made from Fayal Island to Tercera Island,
as a little ship from India, called "San Felipe," was making port
there. That ship left Cochin December 22, 1629, and reached Fayal
seven days after Pentecost. There it was met by an English ship
which mounted twenty-four pieces, many carrying balls of sixteen
libras. It had sixty musketeers, while our ship had only thirty
white men and twenty Indians, and mounted fourteen small pieces of
artillery. However we cut down the yard of the pirate's foremast with
the first volley. They fought one day and night. They killed our
master and two sailors, and our men killed the enemy's captain and
many of their men, while the ship was so hardly used that it would
have sunk but for the calking. Our ship bore down upon it; but another
pirate, of heavier burden, appeared within range. Consequently, our
ship retired to Fayal, where some ships from the island of Terceras
went to get it. They cast anchor at that point with great rejoicing,
our ship being quite like a sieve because of the balls that remained
sticking in its sides and upper works. Even that image of our patron
saint, St. Philip, had in it eighteen balls. The ship carries three
thousand five hundred quintals of pepper for the king, and a quantity
of merchandise. The ships of General Roque Senteno were going for it
[as convoy].
A fleet of forty sail had gone to Socotra against the enemy, with
volunteer forces, who were encouraged by the sight of a crucifix
which the enemy had insulted on a certain occasion. We had a glorious
victory over many galleys of the [king] of Achen, although our craft
were very inferior.