The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 32, 1640

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Aduarte Diego. The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 32, 1640

Preface

Historia de la Provincia del. Sancto Rosario de la Orden. De Predicadores

History of the Dominican Province of the Holy Rosary

Chapter LXXI. The arrival at Manila of father Fray Luis, his assignment to Pangasinan and the events there

Chapter LXXII. Some special favors received by father Fray Luis from the Lord, and some temptations which he suffered from the enemy

Chapter LXXIII. The fervor of spirit of father Fray Luis, and his expedition to China

Chapter LXXIV. The silence, occupation, and virtues of father Fray Luis, and his happy death

Chapter LXXV. The election as provincial of father Fray Miguel de San Jacintho, and the condition of the province and Japon

Chapter LXXVI. The servant of God, Don Fray Diego de Soria, bishop of Nueva Segovia, and one of the founders of this province

Chapter LXXVII. The personal habits of Don Fray Diego de Soria and other matters in regard to him up to his death

Chapter LXXVIII. Father Fray Francisco Minaio and his death

Book Second of the History of the Province of the Holy Rosary

Chapter I. The sufferings of the religious in Japon in the persecution which arose against Christianity

Chapter II. Father Fray Francisco de San Joseph Blancas

Chapter III. Events in this province at this time

Chapter IV. The life and death of father Fray Bernardo de Sancta Cathalina, or Navarro

Chapter V. The election as provincial of father Fray Melchior Mançano, and the situation in Japon at this time

Chapter VI. The great devotion in Japon to the rosary of our Lady; the death of the emperor, and the state of the church there

Chapter VII. The expedition of father Fray Alonso Navarrete, vicar-provincial of our order in Japon, and father Fray Hernando de San Joseph, or Ayala, vicar-provincial of the order of our father St. Augustine, for the aid of the Christians of Omura

Chapter VIII. The capture of the holy martyrs

Chapter IX. The death of the three holy martyrs

Chapter X. The virtues of these blessed fathers, their fitness to obtain the crown of martyrdom, and the fruits which followed therefrom

Chapter XI. The state of affairs in Japon after the martyrdom of the saints Fray Alonso Navarrete and Fray Hernando de Ayala

Chapter XII. The building of the church of Los Sanctos Reyes in the Parian

Chapter XIII. Some missions sent to various kingdoms

Chapter XIIII. The capture of father Fray Juan de Santo Domingo, and his happy death in prison in Japon

Chapter XV. The intermediate chapter, and the death of father Fray Juan de Leyva

Chapter XVI. Some very virtuous fathers who died at this time

Chapter XVII. The election as provincial of father Fray Miguel Ruiz, and events in the province at this time

Chapter XVIII. The voyage of the holy Fray Luis Flores to the kingdom of Japon

Chapter XIX. The many efforts made for the rescue of the prisoners without any good results, and rather to their cost; the martyrdom of the prisoners

Chapter XX. The captivity of other religious in Japon

Chapter XXI. The arrest of the holy Fray Jacintho Orfanel; the narrowness of his prison, and the great miseries of it; his martyrdom, and the marvelous fruits which followed from his captivity

Chapter XXII. The giving of the habit to three Japanese by the holy captives; and the martyrdom of the fathers Fray Francisco de Morales, Fray Alonso de Mena, Fray Angel Ferrer (or Orsuchi), Fray Jacintho Orfanel, Fray Joseph de San Jacintho, and two of those who had professed in prison (all members of the order), besides many others

Chapter XXIII. The martyrdom of the holy Fray Thomas de Zumarraga, brother Fray Mancio de Sancto Thomas, and a Japanese; and those of other Japanese in Omura

Chapter XXIV. A mission sent by the province to Japon, and the result of it

Chapter XXV. The harvest reaped in Japon by the holy father Fray Pedro Vazquez; his life and virtues

Chapter XXVI. A more detailed account of the imprisonment of the holy Fray Pedro Bazquez, the time while it lasted, and the sufferings which he endured in it; and finally his glorious martyrdom, in company with four other martyrs

Chapter XXVII. The election as provincial of father Fray Bartholome Martinez, and the deaths of some religious

Chapter XXVIII. Father Fray Juan de Rueda and de los Angeles, who died a martyr

Chapter XXIX. The foundation of a church in the island of Hermosa and the holy deaths of some religious

Chapter XXX. The state of the province, and the persecution in Japon

Chapter XXXI. The state of affairs in Japon; and the martyrdom of father Fray Luis, Fray Mincio de la Cruz, Fray Pedro de Sancta Maria, and some other persons of the tertiary order of St. Dominic

Chapter XXXII. The great persecution in Japon, and the care of the province to send ministers there

Chapter XXXIII. The martyrdom of the servants of God, Fray Domingo Castellet, Fray Thomas de San Jacintho, Fray Antonio de Sancto Domingo, and some persons of the tertiary order of St. Dominic

Chapter XXXIV. The voyage in this year of religious of the province to Camboja, in the effort to convert it; and the progress of the conversion of the island of Hermosa

Chapter XXXV. The foundation of the first church among the Indians of Tanchuy, a district of the island of Hermosa, and the events which happened among those Indians

Chapter XXXVI. The election as provincial of father Fray Francisco de Herrera, commissary of the holy Inquisition; and the beginning of an account of father Fray Bartholome Martinez

Chapter XXXVII. The virtues which God granted him, and particularly some in which he excelled; his labors and death

Chapter XXXVIII. The death of father Fray Miguel Ruiz, and the state of affairs in Japon

Chapter XXXIX. The life and death of father Fray Matheo de Cobissa

Chapter XL. The entrance made from the island of Hermosa to the great kingdom of China by two fathers of St. Dominic

Chapter XLI. Father Fray Angel leaves the city of Ucheo for the town of Fuhan, trusting solely in God; the success of his journey

Chapter XLII. The lives and deaths of fathers Fray Marcos de Saavedra and Fray Juan Rodriguez

Chapter XLIII. A second expedition made by two fathers to the province of Sinay, otherwise known as Ytui, and the result of it

Chapter XLIV. The life and death of father Fray Thomas Gutierrez, vicar provincial of the province of Ytuy

Chapter XLV. The election as provincial of father Fray Domingo Gonçalez, and the state of the province

Chapter XLVI. The holy Fray Jacintho de Esquivel or De el Rosario, martyred on the way to Japon; and his holy life

Chapter XLVII. The martyrdom of the holy friar Fray Francisco de Sancto Domingo in the island of Hermosa, and the death of the venerable father Fray Angel de San Antonino in Great China

Chapter XLVIII. The beginning of the conversion of the Mandayas, mountaineers of Nueva Segovia

Chapter XLIX. The beginning of the account of the glorious martyrdom of four illustrious martyrs – fathers Fray Jordan de Sant Estevan, Fray Thomas de San Jacintho, and two religious of our tertiary order in Japon

Chapter L. The coming of the venerable father Fray Jordan de San Estevan to this province, and his entry into Japon

Chapter LI. The capture and martyrdom of the fathers Fray Jordan de San Estevan, and Fray Thomas de San Jacintho

Chapter LII. The glorious martyrdoms of the illustrious Marina and Magdalena, religious of the tertiary order

Chapter LIII. The condition of the Christian Church lately established by our religious in Great China

Chapter LIV. The discovery by the religious of many superstitions concealed by some new Christians

Chapter LV. The life of father Fray Luis Muro, and his martyrdom at the hands of heathen Indians in the island of Hermosa

Chapter LVI. A new congregation of religious which was proposed in these islands at this time

Chapter LVII. The life and death of the venerable bishop Don Fray Diego Aduarte, a religious of this province

Chapter LVIII. Other voyages and sufferings of father Fray Diego Aduarte under the direction of his superiors and for the preaching of the gospel

Chapter LIX. Other journeys of father Fray Diego in the service of the Lord, for the advancement of the conversions of these tribes

Chapter LX. The glorious martyrdom of four religious of this province, and two laymen, their companions, in Japon

Chapter LXI. The exercises with which the Lord prepared these saints for martyrdom

Letter written by his Majesty to the venerable and devout father provincial of the Order of St. Dominic of the Philipinas Islands

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By Fray Diego Aduarte, O.P.

[Father Fray Luis was assigned to the province of Pangasinan and went there in the company of the two other fathers who were sent to the same place. Suffering from disease as a result of exposure, he was miraculously cured. The Lord wrought miraculous conversions by means of father Fray Luis, and supported him in his sufferings and illness with visions. Being taken back to Manila for care, and fearing that he might be sent to some other province, he prayed God to renew his strength that he might return to Pangasinan. The Lord heard his prayer and he was able to return to the duties which he loved. The Lord blessed the mere word of father Fray Luis, sometimes even more than the great labors of other religious; and he took as his special charge those Indians who had been given up by others. At one time when news came that smallpox was raging in one of the villages named Bimmalay, and that many children were dying in it, father Fray Luis instantly went there to baptize as many of the children as he could. The fathers were not usually permitted to baptize the children, except in cases where it was certain that they were not going to live, and then they were permitted to do so only as a result of prayers and importunities. At one time a soldier came to Binalatongan with news that Don Luis Perez das Mariñas was dying in the province of Ylocos. He sent word to father Fray Luis, but without asking him to come, as the sisters of Lazarus wrote to the Lord. Father Fray Luis went to his choir to intercede for his friend, and there remained constantly in prayer and sacrifice until he received news that he was better. From the very day when the soldier reached father Fray Luis, the governor began to recover his health. On many occasions sick children were healed by the prayers of father Fray Luis. He was ready to risk his life for his duties. In many cases it seemed as if God had kept children alive only until they received baptism that they might be saved.]

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[Among the most highly honored religious in this province a very important place is taken by Don Fray Diego de Soria, second bishop of Nueva Segovia. It was he who began the conversion in this province, and who might therefore be called the father in Christ of that church. Father Fray Diego was a native of Yebenes, near Toledo, and professed religion in the convent of the order at Ocaña. Giving signs of promise as a student and a preacher, he was sent to the college of Alcala, where he continued to follow the rigorous rules of the order forbidding the eating of flesh. When the holy and prudent vicar-general, Fray Juan de Castro, assigned his companions to their various duties, he gave father Fray Diego the chief place by making him superior of the convent which was to be founded in the city of Manila. The number of the religious at that time was so few that the superior of Manila rang the bells, assisted in the singing, took messages to the sacristy, and was general confessor of the many who, influenced by the great virtue of the new religious (the Dominicans), came to put their consciences in their care. The Lord had endowed father Fray Diego with two qualities which appear to be opposed to each other. The first was natural freedom of speech in rebuking evil with great courage and zeal; the other was marked gentleness and suavity of nature. At one time when the governor of Manila – who was a very good Christian and a learned man6– was confessing to him, a certain difficulty arose in which it seemed to father Fray Diego that the governor had erred. When the governor strove to defend his conduct, father Fray Diego said to him that in this matter he was, although learned, not a judge but a party, and indeed defendant; that in cases of conscience the confessor alone was the judge; and that, after reflection, he had formed his conclusion, which was that the governor’s conduct could not be approved. He required him to accept his decision or to seek a confessor elsewhere. The governor, with tears in his eyes, professed his readiness to obey. At one time when a very rich man was sick, and feared death and the judgment, he sent to call father Fray Diego to him that he might confess; but the father refused to go, sending back as an answer that the rich man must return the tribute which he had wrongfully taken from an encomienda, and must give the Indians there a minister. The sick man put himself in father Fray Diego’s hands, and thus his conscience was composed, to the great advantage of the wronged Indians. When the bishop of these islands, Don Fray Domingo de Salaçar, was about to set out for España, he asked for father Fray Diego as a companion; but the governor at that time [i. e., Gomez Perez Dasmariñas], being very different from the previous one, refused to permit him to go to España, fearing the freedom with which he might speak there. Father Fray Diego was therefore sent to Pangasinan, where he learned the language of the Indians; thence he went to Nueva Segovia, being the first minister to the Indians there. Among them he made many conversions, especially that of the most important Indian in that region, Don Diego Siriban. He was afterward elected prior of Manila, and was then sent as procurator to España. He went on his voyage in complete poverty, trusting in the Lord for what he might need. He received enough not only for the support of himself and his companion, but for the purchase of the convent and garden of San Jacintho – where, from that time forward, the religious who came from España to this province were lodged. This was so important a matter that if father Fray Diego had done nothing else for this province, this would have been enough to entitle him to its gratitude and perpetual thanks, since it receives here a perpetual benefit whenever new religious come. He had planned for other similar prudent arrangements in España, but the province declined them for the time, failing to see the advantage of them; and afterward, when they were desired they could not be obtained, because there was no Fray Diego de Soria in España. In that country, great and small thronged to consult him in regard to spiritual matters, for he had singular power in prudent counsel. He gave his chief attention to sending many good religious to the Philippinas, and for this purpose went on to Roma clad in the same lowly fashion as in his poor province. He was very small of stature, and went clothed in a habit of serge which was short and patched. In spite of his unfavorable appearance, he made a great impression, not only upon the general of the order, but upon the supreme pontiff, who at that time was Clement VIII. The pope desired to retain father Fray Diego with him in Roma, in order to put into execution the reformation of all the religious orders; but the father was unable to remain, because he was very much occupied with assembling religious for this province. It usually happens that many of those religious who have purposed to come to the Philippinas have fallen off; but in the case of father Fray Diego not one of those who had been assigned and prepared for this journey failed him, while many others came to see if they might be accepted. This happened at the time of the great plague of 1601, which raged with especial fury in Sevilla, where the religious were to assemble. Father Fray Diego was highly regarded at court, especially by Queen Margarita. The bishopric of Nueva Caceres in these islands was vacant, and was offered to father Fray Diego, who declined to accept it because he did not understand the language of the Indians of that region. But when the bishopric of Nueva Segovia was offered to him, he could find no excuse for declining it. It was desired to keep him in España in some bishopric; but, as he wrote, he would not give up his poor apostolic bishopric for the chief bishopric in España. When he became bishop, he did not change his manner of living or lay aside his serge habit. The only thing which he did to maintain his dignity as a bishop was to keep one servant. He kept his pectoral covered with his scapular, until the nuncio directed him to make his appearance more dignified, and to wear his pectoral openly. His prudence was so highly regarded that he was asked to carry the news of her mother’s death to the daughter of the Duchess of Lerma, the wife of the Conde de Niebla, which he did with such discretion that she accepted her bereavement with Christian resignation. On his departure from España, he brought with him a good company of religious. On the way he was delivered, as by the hand of God, from some Moorish galliots. When the others were rejoicing at the opportunity of disembarking at the island of Guadalupe to get wood and water, the bishop was in great anxiety, as if he saw the evil that was to follow; and strove, but without success, to keep the others from going on the land. The bishop disembarked, and after saying mass instantly returned to the ship. The rest of the religious, following the usual custom of those who go to that island, remained till evening. Five of them lost their lives, and four came back wounded, by the arrows of the Indians on that island. Somewhat later, a storm attacking the fleet, some of the other vessels were lost; but that in which the bishop was came safe to land – as it seemed, miraculously. In Nueva España he inspected the convents of the province, under direction of the pope, the general of the order, and the king; and he performed this visitation with such justice that even those who were grieved by his chastisement were obliged to admit that he was a saint. On the way a mule laden with a number of rich and exquisite pieces of cloth which had been given him in España by many lords, and by the queen herself, for his pontifical vestments, was drowned. All that the bishop said was Dominus dedit; Dominus abstulit– “The Lord gave it, and the Lord has taken it away; let Him be praised for all things.” The muleteer was overcome with shame; but the bishop consoled him, and caused him to be paid as if he had delivered his entire load safely.]

[After reaching his bishopric, Don Fray Diego made a visitation of it. Striving so far as possible to relieve the Indians of burdens and of other labor, he made these visitations with as little baggage as possible. He immediately paid those whom it was necessary to cause to carry loads, and put the Indians to no expense whatsoever, even in matters in which he might justly have done so. He constantly wished to give them much, and not to ask even for the little which was his due. He delighted in labor, and rejoiced particularly when there were many to be confirmed. He observed the discipline and the rules of prayer of this province. He rose at dawn and prayed until six, when he said mass and gave devout thanks. If there was any business to be done, he gave audience or attended to necessary matters. When he was not obliged to attend to any of these occupations, he read and meditated upon holy books and upon the sacred scripture and its expositors. He did not generally write, but read and meditated, and received the Lord. Thus he was occupied up to the time for saying prayers at the sixth and the ninth hour; and then he ate some eggs and fish, as if he were still in the convent of the order. After his meal, he conversed with his companion upon some useful subject; and, after resting awhile, returned to the exercise of prayer until the time of saying vespers. Then, if necessary, he gave audience, or engaged in works of piety; and then he returned to his sacred reading and contemplation. He never had any other entertainment or amusement, however lawful, nor did he go out to refresh himself in the garden, or in the chase, or in fishing, taking pleasure in none of these things. He made a personal visitation of his bishopric every year, and confirmed many Christians, sending word beforehand, that the ministers might prepare those who were to receive this holy sacrament. He gave much to his church and to his convent of Manila, in spite of the poverty of his bishopric, but gave very little help to a poor brother of his. In the province of Pangasinan he gave great alms, and sent a large sum of money to buy rice to be kept on deposit, as it were, in the cities, and to be distributed in times of famine. He spent but little upon the persons of his household, directing them to eat as he did, twice a day, eggs and fish, and to be clothed plainly as suited ecclesiastical persons. He lived in such poverty that he sometimes lacked tunics to make a change. He was given to ejaculatory prayer. At the festival of Pentecost in the year 1608, a dove lighted on his head, which he was unable to drive away, the Lord thus showing him honor. In the following year, at the celebration of this festival in Abulug the dove came and sat upon the shoulder of the bishop. When the fever with which his last illness began came upon him, he knew that his death was approaching. So far as he could, he followed the constitutions of the order even in his sickness. After twenty-seven days of sickness, and twenty-seven years of labor in these regions, his works were at an end, and he went to receive the reward of them. In his last illness he gave to the college of Sancto Thomas, at Manila, his library and three thousand pesos.]

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