I am commanded to go to China; events there, and the death of father
Fray Alonso Ximenez
[In spite of the wretched state of the noble knight Don Luis, the
Portuguese of Macan, who were only seven leguas away, were so far
from pitying him that they rather made bloody war against him. He
accordingly decided to send the pilot of the second in command,
with eight other men, to Manila in a small boat, to ask for what was
needed to escape from that labyrinth. They arrived after great peril,
and delivered their letters which were filled with the innumerable
complaints of those who remained there. They moved all the city to
great compassion, but our religious more than the others, who always
had a very tender regard for the good knight, Don Luis, both for his
virtue, and for his great love toward us. He never forsook us or our
churches, where he received all the sacraments, and went to hear all
the masses that were said, to the great edification of the village
of Minondoc--where he lived, near to our house. Consequently, I was
charged with the immediate care of procuring what was needed for the
relief of the present trouble, since the past troubles had none. My
superior notified me that I should go to take the relief to Don Luis,
and ordered me to attend to that matter with the greatest possible
despatch, since delay meant manifest danger. With all that care he was
unable to get the help out within four months, and notwithstanding
that I exercised very great earnestness in it, and attended to
the equipment of the ship that was assigned, which I had fitted
up so that it would stand any storm--having taken warning from the
previous ships, which had proved deficient in the first storm that
came upon us. By such diligence, we set sail, with suitable relief,
on September six. Arriving with it in less than twenty days, we were as
well received, as we were so heartily desired. We also found bad news
from Camboja, which had been brought by some ships that had returned
from that country. That news was that all the Spaniards there--both
those of our galliot, and all the others--had perished at the hands
of the Indians themselves, because of quarrelsome persons among
them, who were intolerable to the natives. Since it was impossible
to go thither as friends, and since our forces were very few to go
in any other manner, consequently, a general council having been
held, it resulted that we should return to Manila. To carry that
into effect, it was necessary to go to the court of the viceroy at
Canton to get permission, for we could not leave his port without
it. It was determined that I should go to get the permission. I was
accompanied by two soldiers and an Indian up a large river with most
beautiful and refreshing banks, which contained some very densely
populated villages. Arrived at Canton, we were lodged in a house
in the suburbs, as foreigners were not allowed to live in the city,
nor even to enter it without express permission from the judge who is
in charge. Guards are stationed for that reason at all the gates, so
that they may refuse admittance without such permission. It happened
that there was a eunuch of the king there at that time, as inspector
of that province. Within his palace the king of China is served only
by eunuchs, and many are castrated, in order to be eligible to serve
the king; and as they alone have access to his person and ear, they
persuade him of whatever they wish, and derive immense bribes from
the judges throughout the kingdom. The latter give them the bribes,
so that the inspectors may hand in a good report of them. That year
the eunuchs got for themselves the inspection of the provinces of that
kingdom, as a great harvest was offered therefrom, not only to the king
but also to the others who remained at his side in order to perpetuate
their acts of injustice with security, the gates to the complaints
that could have been uttered against them having been closed. Then
was it my unhappy lot that I should fall into the hands of one of
them, called Liculifu, who had charge of the visit to Canton, and
who, under pretext of the visit, was making haste to impoverish the
country and the inhabitants; for his charge there also comprehended
the inspection of a pearl-fishery for the king in the gulf of Haynao,
which was situated about one hundred leguas farther along the coast. It
was said that he had borrowed one thousand ships for that purpose,
and that he was in haste; but that he wanted first what fish he
could get on land--for which he had innumerable parasites at his
side who were wont to seek out means by which, rightly or wrongly,
he could employ them, by which they were always the gainers; and who,
in addition, always flattered him by showing him such means of gain,
by which he considered himself as well served, and rewarded those
most who were most advantaged by it. Certain of those creatures,
ferreting us out, immediately went to denounce us, not as evildoers,
but as men absolutely rolling in silver; for that is their opinion
of the Spaniards, even though they see them going naked. Therefore,
it suited him to employ his greed on us, although asking silver from
us was equivalent to asking pears from the elm tree. The inspector,
believing that we had maliciously concealed the silver, tried to get
it by force; but instead of silver he drew blood. Acting upon that
information he had us summoned before him, a day or two after our
arrival. We entered the gate used by foreigners, and there is only
one such gate. The guards registered us there, so carefully do they
watch and guard their city, although so rare are the foreigners who
enter it. We approached the inspector's court, but before we entered
it I had the inspector notified, by an interpreter whom I had with
me, that I would not kneel before him, as such was not the custom of
Castilians--whether religious or captains--even were it before the
kings of that land. He had me told that I should do so, but I answered
to the contrary twice more. However, finally paying greater heed to
the advantage that he expected [to derive], than to his honor and
courtesy which he claimed, he had me told that the soldiers should
kneel and that I should make him the bow and reverence that I was
wont to make to my king. Thereupon we entered, and found him seated
in great state at his desk, on which were the instruments used in
writing, according to their usage. Many servants stood near him, in a
chapel-like place that faced a large open court, whence those having
business entered as he summoned them. Placed on their knees between
two rows of executioners with frightful visages--twelve to the side,
who stood there--their cases were disposed of, and they were punished
there immediately, as soon as he ordered it, without further appeal
or recourse. The soldiers and the interpreter knelt before them,
while I remained upright, after having made him a very deep bow. He
received us well, and addressed some pleasant words to us. I thanked
him heartily, and made him a present of a piece of scarlet cloth
and a large and excellent mirror, with its silver chain by which to
hang it up, which had been given me for that purpose by General Don
Luis. The latter already was aware that no business was transacted
without a present. The inspector received the present very gladly,
as it consisted of articles that were scarce in that country. He
expressed many scruples in regard to it, so that it might not appear
that he was receiving it as a bribe, and said that it would be taken
as part payment of the duties due and to be paid by the ships; and that
he had a conscience and kept his gaze on the heavens, so that he might
not commit any unjust act. But in truth, although I thought that he
would be satisfied with that present, he regarded it as the beginning
of what we had to give and waited for the rest. I asked him to send
someone to measure the ships and receive the duties, for it was now
time for us to leave. He did so immediately, and sent officials like
himself. Those officials declared, because they were not bribed at
the beginning, that the duties amounted to one thousand eight hundred
ducados. Don Luis, having been advised of what ought to be done,
asked that the measurements be made a second time; and after he had
given them their bribe, they took off the thousand ducados, and the
duties remained at only eight hundred. Believing that the inspector's
greed was satisfied, I delayed two or three days in going to see him;
but he, as his appetite had been whetted for the desire of more with
the taste that he had received, took my delay very ill, and had only
the two soldiers and the interpreter summoned, but ordered me not to go
to him. On seeing them, he broke out into great anger because they had
not treated him according to his dignity. He ordered the interpreter
to be beaten as the most guilty, since, knowing the custom of the
country, he had not advised us thereof. They actually administered
five blows to him, and the blows that they give are always few, but
very severe. Those blows accordingly formed great wounds on the upper
part of his legs, that being where they are administered. He ordered
the soldiers to be all but lashed. They were thrown to the ground,
and their legs bared, while the executioner stood near them with his
lash raised. That instrument is made from a very large bamboo (such
as grow there), split in two and weighted somewhat with lead, and
having many slits, whose edges cut like knives. And as the executioner
stood thus, waiting for the order to strike the blow, he ordered him
to stay his hand, being satisfied to see them thus fearful. Then
he ordered all three to be taken prisoners to a public prison,
which was located at a considerable distance from his house. While
on the way thither they had me summoned, and bribed the officials
to stop in an idol temple. I went there alone, although with great
difficulty. They implored me again and again not to leave them in
custody, for they would die in prison. I promised them not to leave
that place until they were liberated, or else I would share the same
fortune with them. I well understood that those blows were directed
at me, rather than at them; and that, although given to others,
were a threat to me so that I should tremble and give the inspector
what he desired, or he would cause me also to suffer such things,
or even greater. I knew already that his parasites had informed him
of the esteem in which the Spanish hold their priests and religious,
and that they would redeem by weight of silver whatever insult he
might try to inflict on me; and that if he wished to fill his hand
well, he should make what extortions from me his tyrannous and greedy
taste dictated. I had no silver to satisfy his desire, nor, even had
I desired to supply that lack by any efforts, did I have any method
or means to do so. It even cost me very dearly to enter the city,
and I could not go on that account. I was persecuted by children, who
accosted me as did the children of Bethel the holy prophet Elisha;
while not one of the men had compassion on me, for they do not know
what compassion means toward their own countrymen, however afflicted
they see them to be. And further, if they behold them persecuted by
the more influential men, then in such case they flee from the sight
of them, in fear lest they receive a portion of the punishment, as
being accomplices in the guilt. The soldiers, as they were afflicted,
attributed the slowness of the relief to my neglect, and the inspector
to obstinacy. Finally he endeavored to satisfy his greed by making
open proof of my patience. Therefore, he summoned me on All Saints'
day. I heard of his resolve some days beforehand, and prepared for it
by saying mass--for which I had the opportunity, as the Portuguese
from Macan happened to be there at that time, by virtue of their
ordinary permission to go to Canton twice each year, to purchase
the articles that they need in certain fairs which are held there
at that time. However, they are not permitted to live in the city,
but must remain in their own boats in the river. As that purchasing
(which lasts many days) is a matter of consequence, the Portuguese
bring a priest, who says mass to them, in a little house near the
river. At that time there were three fathers of the Society there,
one of whom was acting in the capacity of chaplain for the traders,
while the other two were about to enter the interior with Father Matheo
Riccio, who had lived there for years. One of those two fathers, one
Lacaro Catanio, had lived with the above father for some years; and,
having gone to Macan on business, was then returning with another
Spaniard named Diego Pantoja. Both of them dressed themselves,
on the afternoon of the eve of All Saints, in Chinese habits, in
order to make their journey with some guides that they had with
them. Father Lacaro Catanio, as he had been a long time in China,
had long hair and beard, but the other father, having only recently
arrived, did not; and consequently he was in some danger, as he did
not follow the customs of the country in everything. By way, then,
of those fathers I was enabled to say mass. Scarcely had I concluded
it, when I was accosted by an official of the inspector, with his
chapa (or summons) to take me before the inspector. I went thither,
and found him in his courtroom, as at the first time. Although I
intended to show him the same courtesy as the first time, he made me
kneel down, besides going between those two files of executioners, who
appeared to me like demons. The inspector began then to shout at me,
in his treble voice, and poured forth a torrent of words, which were
explained to me by a Chinese who understood some Portuguese. He charged
me in his speech with being a spy, as I had not observed my duty. At
the end of the speech came his deeds. At the inspector's order one
of those executioners threw me to the ground, and, baring my legs,
raised himself in a position to lash me. While in that position,
the inspector repeated many times his assertion that I must be a
spy. Thereupon I drew a report from my bosom that I brought from
the Chinese who were living in Manila, both Christians and heathens,
which told of the great good that the members of my order had done
there to all of their nation--how we cared for their sick, supported
the poor, and defended them all from injuries which were attempted
against them. It was written in their own characters, on a sheet of
paper one braza long, and was folded within a covering, also made of
paper, after their manner and custom. I had come prepared with that
for whatever might happen, and accordingly I presented it at that so
pressing moment. The inspector read it, while I was kept stretched out
and bared ready for the lash, and the executioner awaiting only the
sign to chastise me. As the letter was not to the inspector's liking,
he paid no heed to it. However, he did not carry out the execution
[of the punishment], but ordered me to rise and adjust my clothing
and come to his desk. I thought that it was to make peace, but it
was only to vary the mode of affliction by changing the torture,
which he ordered to be given me between the fingers, while placed on
my knees before him with folded hands. For that purpose some little
rounded sticks were brought, in which there were some small grooves
at each end and in the middle. Those sticks were placed between the
fingers of both hands and were then pressed together by some cords,
tighter and tighter as the inspector ordered--until, when I fell as if
in a faint, he ordered the torment to cease. He ordered me to be gone,
and said that, if I did not give him a thousand taes of silver on the
morrow (each tae being equivalent to ten reals, thus all amounting to
about one thousand ducados), he would kill me. I left his presence,
with the bad treatment that I have described, and went to my lodgings
as best as I could, where I found an order from the inspector not to
receive me. I knew not where to go, for all fled from me, being fearful
lest some blow should come upon them by reason of me. I determined to
go to the ship where the fathers were. Then the merchants returned,
much earlier than was their custom, saying that all the city had
risen against them, because I had gone to their ship. They besought
me not to do so evil an act, for they feared a serious danger from
that. As they refused to receive me, I returned to the shore, where
a Chinese trader who had been in Manila on various occasions received
me into his house. He got me the loan of one hundred taes of silver,
payable with interest; and that night I went clad as a Chinese,
so that I might not be recognized, to the Portuguese ships. On my
word--which I pledged on that of General Don Luis, in whose cause
I was acting--they lent me two hundred more. I sent that whole sum
to the inspector next day by my host, who was a man of esteem in
the city; I also had him ask that the inspector would be satisfied
with that amount, as I had borrowed it as an alms, and could find
no more, and that he would be pleased to liberate the prisoners,
and grant us permission to go to our ship. That was a just petition,
but it was ill received and worse despatched; for although I thought
that that gift would soften that heart of stone, I discovered that it
had been like throwing a little water on the forge which blazes all
the fiercer. The inspector sent a constable with his chapa to summon
me that afternoon. It was necessary to go; and, thanks to my host,
who accompanied me, they took me to the entrance by another gate of
the city, as it was nearer his house. But when the guards saw me they
refused to allow me to enter, and although the constable showed them
the chapa of the inspector, they declared that that concerned me, and
not them; accordingly, they refused me entrance. It was necessary for
the constable to go to his master, and report the matter to him. The
latter gave another chapa for the gatekeepers, and they, taking it,
copied it and allowed me to enter. I did not find the inspector in his
court, but in a lodging nearer the center of the city. He was the only
one seated, while all his officials were standing. The money which I
had had sent to him was on a desk. I knelt down, at a considerable
distance from him, whereupon he began to chide me, and to say many
things to me that I did not understand. It seemed to me that he was
asking questions of me, and I only answered Purhiautet--that is to say,
"I do not understand." He rose from his chair, and came toward me,
in order to address me from a shorter distance. It seemed from his
actions that he meant to scratch out my eyes with his fingers (they
are great men for such deeds, the more when they are angry). He finally
satisfied his wrath by ordering me to be taken straight to the prison
where the soldiers were. An iron chain was therefore quickly put about
my neck, and fastened with a padlock; and one of the executioners,
holding the end of it, walked before me, obliging me thus to follow
him as a captive. The prison was at a considerable distance, and was
under the orders of another mandarin, to whom he sent me, so that
the latter might incarcerate me. In such guise, I crossed all those
streets, which swarmed with people, at four o'clock in the afternoon,
and appeared before this mandarin--who was in his tribunal, into which
the door of the prison opened. When the soldiers saw me through the
door, they began to weep. [I fell on my knees before him, and he asked
me through my interpreter the cause of my imprisonment. I replied,
and the cause seemed to him bad: but he told me that no one could
undo what the inspector did. He said that he would try to satisfy the
inspector, because the latter was obliged to go off very quickly on
his inspection, and, if he left me a prisoner here, no one else had
the authority to release me. With this he ordered the chains to be
taken off, and sent me into the prison. When I saw myself in prison
with the soldiers I was without anxiety, because for their sake I
had made all these stations, [21] and after all without succeeding in
rescuing the prisoners--though I could have taken refuge in our ships
if I had chosen, as I afterwards did; while now, by adventuring the
same fortune with them, I left God to watch over all. There were in
this prison some three hundred prisoners, many condemned to death,
but permitted to work during the daytime in order to earn their
food. I suffered in the prison, because I had little protection and
the weather was very cold. God delivered me within only three days;
my host became my security for a thousand taes. As I was about to
leave the prison, all the servants crowded about me asking for plata
(silver), for they already knew its name in our Castilian. There were
so many that, even if I had had much to give, there would have been
little for each one. As I had nothing to give, I gave them nothing,
and they paid me with hard words and blows. It was very late; and we
were obliged to go to the house of the inspector, and from it to that
of the guarantor outside of the city, in which we were not permitted
to sleep. All this was to be done before they closed the gates. We
were kept waiting in the courtyard of the inspector for some time. In
addition to falling on our knees before him, he made us bow our heads
and then turned us over to our bondsman. When we reached the latter's
house, we had to enter by leaping over a lighted fire which they said
was the ceremony of security. The poor guarantor immediately began
to suffer persecution, for all the servants and attendants of the
inspector, though they had in no way intervened in our business, came
to beg money from him from that which they said he must have received
from me, to persuade him to become my security. The man brought all
these demands to me; but I answered him that nothing more was to be
paid than the thousand taes, and these we should get from Don Luis. He
was unwilling to go to Don Luis, and took great care to prevent us from
escaping. We, fearing that Don Luis and his soldiers might be forced
by our delay to leave us in this embarrassment, determined to save
ourselves. We agreed with a Chinaman, for ten taes to help us escape,
letting us out through a secret door opening upon a creek that flowed
into the large river, and taking us down in a boat. We sailed down
stream that night and the next day, no one appearing on the boat in
the daytime except the Chinese sailors. We succeeded in eluding all
the vessels that might have wished to inspect us, and reached our
ships. As soon as our sailors received their pay they ran away. A
few hours later, my guarantor appeared with an armed vessel. He was
unable to find out who had helped us, and was satisfied with receiving
the amount of money for which he had been pledged. We then set sail,
Don Luis and the rest to Manila, and I to Macan, for I was in such a
condition of ill health as a result of hardship and exposure that I did
not dare to undertake the voyage to Manila. At this time father Fray
Alonso Ximenez died in Macan. His death was caused by the hardships
and exposure which he had undergone in endeavoring to evangelize the
kingdom of Camboja. Though he was almost seventy years of age when
he set out on the expedition, he endured everything that befell him
with patience and courage, consoling the others, though he had always
himself the most to suffer. He was very devout, never omitting his
daily hours of prayer on his journeys or voyages. When in Cochinchina,
his captivity was comforted by the opportunity given him to convert
two condemned criminals. The failures of his attempts to reach the
kingdom of Camboja and to convert the people there did not discourage
him or diminish his enthusiasm. When Don Luis and his men were
cruelly attacked by the Portuguese of Macan, father Fray Alonso
went to Macan to interpose his authority, and to act as mediator
between the Portuguese and the Castilians. Father Fray Alonso had
great difficulty in pacifying the Portuguese, and was obliged to
encounter much vituperation; but he received more joy in the baptism
of two sick persons at the point of death than he had lost in all
the sufferings which have been narrated. He died in our convent at
Macan, to the great sorrow of the religious about him at the loss of
so holy an associate. General Don Luis and all of the troops that he
had brought with him attributed to the loss of father Fray Alonso
all the sufferings which they were obliged to undergo afterward;
while they ascribed to his presence and his prayers the rescue of
their ship in the dreadful storm which they had experienced on the
day of St. Francis. On that day they had been in the midst of shoals,
and had seen many Chinese vessels wrecked about them; and the wind had
been so violent that it had thrown down many strongly-rooted trees
on land. Father Fray Alonso was a son of the convent of S. Esteban
at Salamanca. Desirous for the conversion of the Indians, he passed
his youth in the devout province of Guatemala. Having retired
to his convent, to take up the works of Mary after he had done
those of Martha, he heard of the foundation of the province of the
Philippinas. When many were turned back by the difficulties in Mexico,
father Fray Alonso was always firm and constant. When he reached
Manila, the ministry of Batan fell to his lot. In spite of his age, and
the great difficulty which he had in learning the Indian language, he
at length succeeded. In this ministry he suffered the hardships which
have been described already. He was especially kind and serviceable
to sick Indians, preparing dishes of meat or eggs for them, and even
putting the food in their mouths, with his own hands. Being taken
severely ill as a result of all the hardships to which he was exposed,
he was carried to the convent of Manila. Scarcely did he feel better,
when he left his bed and began to work at the building of the church,
turning his hand to this manual labor with the greatest skill. When
he was elected prior, he had no assistance in the convent except one
priest and one lay brother; but, few as they were, they performed all
the offices of a community. As he had a sonorous voice and understood
music well, he would sing the whole mass alone; then leave the choir
to go to the pulpit and preach, and then return to the choir, though
he had been hearing confessions all the morning. This he did without
failing to make his regular daily prayer. Even when alone he used to
say matins aloud, and on some feast-days would sing a great part of
them. He was elected provincial from this office of prior; and in his
provincialate he made many excellent ordinances for the ministry to
the Indians, which are still observed and esteemed as if they had been
ordained yesterday. During his time the province was greatly extended,
the whole of the province of Nueva Segovia being admitted, and many
new churches and missions being established in that of Pangasinan. It
was his desire also that the kingdom of Camboxa should be added to
it; and in the glorious enterprise of extending the gospel to that
kingdom he ended his life.]