The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 24 of 55 / 1630-34 / Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, As Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century

More than half of this volume is occupied with the concluding installment of Juan de Medina’s early Augustinian history. He recounts the leading events therein, from one provincialship to another, and furnishes biographical sketches of the more prominent members of the order: and he relates various important secular events, especially those bearing on the work of the missionaries. The most striking occurrences in this period (1602–30) are the coming to the islands of missionaries from the Recollect branch of Augustinians, the assassination of the provincial Sepúlveda, the frequent attacks on the colony by the Dutch, and certain revolts among the natives. Miscellaneous documents, dated 1630–34, comprise the rest of the volume. Affairs in the islands are in fairly prosperous condition, in the main; the insurgent natives have been pacified, the religious orders are at peace, the Dutch have been quiet of late, and the Japanese trade shows some signs of revival. More missionaries are needed, as also more care in selecting them. The treasury is heavily indebted, and has not sufficient income; and trade restrictions and Portuguese competition have greatly injured the commerce of the islands. Of painful interest to the Philippines are the cruel persecutions that still rage in Japan.
Medina, continuing his history, recounts the choice of Lorenzo de León as provincial of the Augustinian order, and his subsequent deposition; but this is stated in brief and cautious terms. In 1602 Pedro de Arce (later bishop of Cebú) is elected to that high post; Medina extols the virtues and ability of this noted prelate, and relates many things to show these. He then proceeds to give another version of the difficulties connected with the second election of Lorenzo de León, one side of which was told in vol. xiii; Medina takes sides with that provincial, and regrets his deposition from office, but contents himself with a statement of the bare facts, and some general comments.