The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55 / 1629-30 / 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.

by Unknown

Chapter XII

Of several who were baptized

[The miracle of the cross and the efforts put forth by the fathers bore fruit, and the natives began to request baptism. The first to receive the holy sacrament was a niece of Tupas, who was named Isabel. The ceremony was celebrated with great pomp, “for among the Indians, no sense is so strong as sight. This is so great a truth that they regard as nothing any Castilian whom they see abased and ragged. On the contrary, when they see any Castilian who makes a show, they immediately call him ‘Captain,’ and canonize him under this name, although he does not deserve to be even a soldier. The same is true in regard to the religious, of which I could say much because of my experience therein of more than twenty-two years. They esteem the prior greatly, but his companion very little. They think that the religious who lives better and has the greater number of servants, is a great chief. They believe the contrary of him who does not live with so much ostentation. It happened that a religious was going to visit the chapels of that district where he lived. He, with the spirit that he brought from Castilla, intended to commence with the greatest poverty, so that he took neither bed nor refreshment. An Indian, who was going along as cook, on considering that, said that that father was going in that way, because he must be some bañaga in his own country—that is, low and base by birth. Another time, when the same religious was going barefoot, like the natives, because of the poor roads (for there is nothing good in these islands), their edification was to make a sound like castanets with the mouth, saying that he was a strong and brave man. Hence arose the saying that I heard from Father Bernabé de Villalobos,[23] a notable minister of the Bisayas, who labored many years in the salvation of souls, namely, that if he wished to ascend to any dignity, although he would endeavor to be as humble as possible before God, he would show the utmost grandeur outwardly, so that the natives might recognize the majesty of the dignity by the exterior. From this also arises their not agreeing to or believing in anything, unless they see it. Thus in discussing the glory of heaven, or the pains of hell with them, they reply that if they do not see it how then can they believe it?”[24] Isabel was married, after her baptism, to Maestre Andrés, a calker of the fleet. The wedding was also celebrated with great show. Her son and others of her household were the next to receive baptism. The Bornean Moro, who served the Spaniards so well among the islands, was also converted, “a baptism of great importance ... for this Moro was the key to all the islands, as he was well known in them all; and so much faith was put in him, that he was obeyed as little less than king.” Mahometanism has secured a foothold in the islands, and the natives are constant in it as it does not forbid “stealing or homicide, does not prohibit usury, hatred, or robbery, nor less does it deprive them of their women, in which vice they are sunken, and the women no less than the men. So much are the latter sunken in this vice, that they considered it the choicest thing, and in their revelries were wont, while singing, to fit out a caracoa (a medium-sized vessel ten or twelve brazas long) with those who have been their gallants; and for more verification of this assertion, the women did not allow any man to have communication with them unless he had a sacra, that is a small jagged wheel, like the wheel of St. Catherine, with its points blunted. That wheel was set with a bronze pin, which was thrust through it; for from an early age the males pierced their privies with these, and by means of them had communication with the women, as if they were dogs. All of that has been done away with by the gospel and its ministers, and they have grieved over it as at death. That would not be taken from them but rather supported by the Mahometan law. They endeavor to give themselves with great satiety to the eating of pork and the drinking of wine, and they stuff themselves from time to time, never losing an occasion that is offered. Many of those injuries which the devil was working in the souls of those natives have been remedied; and I hope, with the help of His Divine Majesty, that the evil seed will be truly eradicated from these islands with the lapse of time, so that the seed sown by His ministers may increase and bear a most plentiful harvest.” Our author continues:]

But the enemy of the human race, who recognized his loss, and that the progress of the diabolical worship of Mahomet, by which he wished to gain these islands, was shortened by our coming, tried to concoct a scheme to drive the Spaniards from the islands, since there were no longer any forces sufficient to drive them out. For although the islanders were many in number, so great was their horror of the arquebuses and other firearms, that the very report of these made them tremble. They did not consider themselves safe from their balls and fire, even in the deepest woods. Hence what we now hold was subdued in a short time, of which a thousand years ago not one palmo would have been gained, but rather lost. Hence in order to succeed in his designs against us, the devil made use of another nation, as Spanish as the Castilians, and of equal arms and courage. He contrived that they should come from Maluco, where they had been for some days, and with equal forces descend upon the Castilians in Sugbú to drive them out. They claimed that they found the latter on territory that was theirs, and belonged to the kingdom of Portugal. Over this matter there were not a few contests and glorious triumphs, which must be passed by, for it will be the Lord’s will to have them published some day by him who may write the general history of these islands, so that so heroic exploits may not remain buried in the abyss of oblivion.

Because of this, our Spaniards found themselves in dire need of all things. They had few men, and little ammunition, and the land where the war was carried on was not so well-affected as they wished; for the temperament of the natives made them incline toward the victor, and persecute the conquered. But, notwithstanding this, the Spaniards were so courageous in defending what they already possessed that they were prepared to give up their lives rather than one palmo of land. However, the governor, as a good Christian, had the religious summoned, and requested them to consider the matter, so that when the truth was known fully, and what justice they had on their side, they might, with greater courage, defend their cloak from him who was trying to take it away by violence....

[The fathers deliberated, and Father Rada, who “was not only a very great theologian, but was the wisest man in the world in mathematics, geography, astronomy, astrology, and the foretelling of events,” made a chart on which he showed Alexander VI’s line. By this he proved the islands well within Spain’s demarcation. They had also been taken possession of for Spain by Magallanes. These proofs did not satisfy the Portuguese, however, and they continued their attempts.]