Events of those times, and the provincial chapter of the year
1650. The insurrection of the Indians of Palapag, and their
pacification.
That whole triennium was very happy for our province, because of
the prudent government of our father, Fray Diego de Ordás, who was
one of the most perfect religious that it has ever had. He was very
observant in the rules of the order, and zealous for the welfare of
the souls of the natives; and he had been an excellent evangelical
minister in the Bisayan provinces of Panay, Ogtong, and Cebú. He was
very mild toward his subjects, but very austere toward himself. If
it were not my purpose in writing this history not to be prolix in
writing the lives of the religious, in order not to expose myself to
the belief that I dwell on my own order too much, the life of our
father Fray Diego de Ordás would furnish sufficient material for
several chapters. Those who had to do with him told me much of his
continual penitence and prayer, and especially of his poverty and
disinterestedness in temporal affairs, for which he was notable. His
presence in the choir in his extreme old age was the admiration of
the youngest and most robust. Consequently, he was always venerated
by all this province as a father. He was also much esteemed by the
other orders, and by the entire community of Manila.
But very different was the condition of this community during all
the term of the government of Diego Fajardo until the year 1653,
because of the calamities and troubles which occasioned the earthquake
on St. Andrew's day in the former year of 1645, and because of the
frequent comings of the Dutch. And although the divine Mercy willed to
humble their pride by giving us miraculous victories, yet the anxiety
and expenses were very great; and the burden of the provinces was
increased greatly, because of the cutting of timber for the building
of ships and galleys, and other precautions that had to be taken for
defense. But the greatest horror suffered by the community of Manila
was the internal war of fears and sudden surprises, of imprisonment,
embargoes, and exiles, which were continually occurring, and were
such that they exceeded past troubles.
Don Diego Fajardo was a gentleman of great valor and integrity, and
wholly disinterested and free from covetousness--qualities that would
have been sufficient to have made him a great governor, had it not
been for the counterweight of other peculiarities that rendered them
abortive. For he secluded himself so much that it became difficult to
hold communication with him, and he was very much feared; from this
it resulted that he was so rigorous in the observance of justice that
he would not allow mercy any play, as if the two virtues were opposed
to each other. That natural fondness for retirement, injurious to
so extensive a government as is that of these islands, forced him to
admit an associate for his negotiations, which is always a dangerous
thing in worldly affairs. Consequently, among those few who gained his
good-will, a rich citizen of Manila well related by marriage gained
great control over him. That man became so much the master of the
governor's actions that the latter neither did nor commanded other
than what his favorite desired. Since this name is given by the world
to the tyrants of the wills of princes, therefore I have desired to
suppress the name of that man for the sake of his honored posterity;
for, although it will be indelible in these islands, it may be at
least somewhat unknown outside them. [68]
The disposition of that favorite was very ambitious and proud, which
greatly resembled that of the harsh and austere governor. Consequently,
that sympathy [in characteristics] conciliated the will of the governor
to such an extent that he gave the favorite complete control of the
government--giving him more confidence than he ought, in order to
sink farther into his natural retirement. He decreed what this man
ordered to him, and executed only what was directed by the favorite's
influence. Thereupon the latter began with that license to avenge
certain passions and arrogated to himself all the grandeur, fear,
and respect which was due only to the supreme character of the
governor. Master Don José de Poblete, [69] who died as bishop-elect
of Nueva Segovia, wrote a printed relation at the order of the
supreme Council of the Indias, and in accordance with a decree of his
Majesty Don Felipe V, of happy memory, in which his Majesty ordered
that an exact relation be given of the condition of those islands,
in order that he might give notice to his chronicler-general, Don
Tomás Tamayo de Vargas, for the general history of the islands which
he was composing; therein he uses these words, when describing the
condition of Manila at that time:
"But although the decrease of wealth and the general poverty had
afflicted this kingdom, accustomed at other times to great opulence
and affluence in all things, yet that which most grieved the
minds of its inhabitants were the acts of violence, imprisonments,
embargoes, exiles, and other terrifying exhibitions of rigor which
began to be introduced into it after the year forty-four, as will
be told later. All this, being yet in its violent beginnings, kept
not only this city of Manila, where the thunderbolts strike nearer,
but all the islands of its jurisdiction, full of horror and gloom;
and there was no chink that was not closed to consolation, when all
gates were seen opened to misfortune." The author of this relation,
after having described the earthquake which happened in the year 1645,
proceeds as follows:
"All those plagues, penalties, and wretchedness above mentioned were
not the most grievous matters that afflicted this community. Worse
were the domestic afflictions and secret tragedies that it suffered
during these last years. Those were the hidden pest that infected men's
hearts and poisoned the blood, which instead of giving vital strength
to the members caused them mortal shocks. These were the slow fever,
which, insidiously taking possession of the principal part of the body,
destroyed the harmony of its actions and disturbed its powers. With the
progress of that disease, the hourglass was so disordered that there
was no hour for clemency and fortune, and all times were given over
to misfortune. Already so great was the number of those thrown into
prisons, dungeons, and obscure cells, that all the places set aside
by justice for the punishment of criminals were filled; and other
new and frightful places, sites, and methods of delayed punishment
were found inside the city. And when those places were also full, it
was necessary to divide the prisoners among the provinces, villages,
and presidios of these islands."
Thus far Don José Millán de Poblete, in the above-cited relation,
which was dedicated to the Conde de Peñaranda, president of the supreme
Council of the Indias. In matters so criminal and full of grief, I
have not been willing to trust to my own poor wit and lack of polish,
nor to leave my reputation to the judgment of others. The worst is,
that those disasters continued with greater rigor to the year one
thousand six hundred and fifty-three.
Those misfortunes were succeeded by another, causing universal sorrow
and pain, namely, the disastrous loss of the ship "Encarnación," which
was returning from Nueva España laden with very great wealth belonging
to the citizens of Manila. It sighted the land of Filipinas late, and,
very severe vendavals having seized it, it was driven ashore on a beach
of the island of Leite called Bula. Striking through carelessness on
a shoal, a storm overtook the ship, which made kindling-wood of it,
although it had been already lightened of much of its cargo, and all
the money was taken out. Afterward the artillery was taken ashore,
and much of the iron in its construction was used. But the loss of
that galleon was great, because our lack of ships kept these islands
threatened by the frequent coming of the Dutch enemy--who, protected
by their nearness in the island Hermosa, lost no opportunity to do us
all the harm possible. That misfortune was followed the next year by
the putting back to port of the galleon "San Diego," which was badly
injured by the storms that it had suffered in northern latitudes in
the month of October--which is the most dangerous month for navigators
in all seas.
The three years of the prudent government of our father, Fray Diego de
Ordás, having been concluded--to the general sorrow of this province,
which was desirous to reëlect him for the second time, and oftener
if possible--the fathers who had a vote assembled in chapter in the
convent of Manila, May nine, 1650, and elected as provincial for the
third time our father Fray Gerónimo de Medrano. The senior definitor,
Fray Gerónimo de Paredes, presided. As new definitors were elected
fathers Fray Lucas de Aguilar, [70] Fray Sancho de Moncada, [71]
Fray Dionisio Suárez, [72] and Fray Diego Tamayo. The visitors were
Fray Pedro Mejía and Fray Tomás de Villanueva. Fraternal relations
between our order and the fathers of the Society were settled at that
chapter, and the feasts of the two holy patriarchs were celebrated
alternately. It was accomplished by Ours saying mass on St. Ignatius's
day, while the same was done by the fathers of the Society in our
convent--they preaching and celebrating mass on the day of our father,
St. Augustine. That holy concord and harmony lasted for several years,
until the enemy of the peace destroyed it. [73]
As the father-procurator, Fray Martín García, had died on the voyage,
father Fray Juan Lozano, [74] apostolic missionary in the Bisayan
provinces--where the memory of his great virtue, acts of penance,
and contemplation still lasted when I went to the said provinces
in the year 1671--was appointed in that chapter meeting. But that
appointment failed to go through; for the father-procurator did not
embark, as he was prevented by Governor Don Diego Fajardo--or rather,
by his favorite who was governing; for the latter feared that he
was carrying reports denouncing his operations, which had thrown
those islands into the final degree of consternation. Accordingly,
father Fray Cristóbal Enriquez was appointed, and he sailed that
year. However, in the year 1652 they succeeded in sending father Fray
Juan Lozano as procurator to bring some religious, even if it should
be from the provinces of Méjico and Mechoacán, for the need that we
were suffering was very urgent; but he died on the way to Acapulco.
Our father Fray Diego de Ordás presented a petition to the definitorio,
yielding and renouncing the right that he held according to our
rules, as immediate outgoing provincial, to be able to assume the
government of the province in case of the death of the recently-elected
provincial, who was very aged. That resignation was accepted in order
to console him and because of the many entreaties therefor which
he proffered. All the fathers were edified at beholding him so free
from ambition, although they forced him in the following chapter to
receive the office of provincial, which he accepted very reluctantly.
Since the pacification of the insurrection of the Indians of Palapag
(in the province of Leite) in Pintados was finished in that year of
one thousand six hundred and fifty, I shall here insert some notice
of that insurrection, leaving the historians of the Society of Jesus
to deal with it more particularly--who as they were eyewitnesses of
it, will have more individual information about its events. [Diaz's
account of this insurrection will appear in another place.]
Another very considerable misfortune happened at that time, namely,
the loss of the galleon "Encarnación," under command of General Don
López Colíndrico. It was broken to pieces at a place called Balón,
because it left Acapulco late, and because, having lost the better
season of the brisas, the favorable winds, ran aground at Bagambog, on
the coast of Caraga in the island of Mindanao--a place where no ship
had passed since the year 1542, when General Ruy López de Villalobos
anchored there with his fleet. The governor sent orders to Andrés
López de Asaldigui, his chief lieutenant, to go to investigate the
loss of the galleon "Encarnación."