He gathered in his own country a band of 150 people who were lepers. He loaded them into a ship and sent them to Manila. The commander of the ship bore to the governor-general a message which made a sensation in Manila. The message set forth the fact that the emperor did not allow Christians to come to Japan. Since, however, the priests of Manila seemed very fond of such people as these lepers, he sent this shipload as a present to them.
We may imagine the rage of the Manila officials over this “present.” Some of them were for taking the ship outside the harbor and sinking her with her load. Others advised sending her back to Japan. The friars, however, to whom the lepers had been sent, claimed them. They begged the governor-general to have mercy on the poor creatures, and at last he relented.
ST. LAZARUS HOSPITAL, MANILA.
The lepers were brought ashore with much ceremony, and kept in Manila. As soon as possible a hospital was built for them, and they were taken to it. This hospital was named St. Lazarus Hospital. It still exists in Manila, though the present building is not the one put up for those first lepers.
In putting down the revolts of the people against tyranny, the Spanish had, from time to time, lost many troops. Many were also killed in the great battle with the Chinese, of which we have read, and in the wars with the Moros still other Spanish lives were lost. The Moro pirates from the south were a source of great danger, as we have already seen. In 1635 the Spanish were forced to build a fort at Zamboanga (sämbō än´gä) to keep these pirates in check. Garrisons were also stationed at several places in Sulu for the same purpose. The Spanish, however, never really controlled the Sulu archipelago. The soldiers were never safe more than a day’s march from their forts, and they lived in constant danger of attack from the Moros.
In one way and another the army of the colony was much weakened, and an uprising of the Chinese, in 1634, made great trouble. This uprising took place in Laguna Province. Enraged by official oppression 30,000 Chinese rose in rebellion. So strong were they, that they held their own against the Spanish for nearly a year. Indeed, they might not have been conquered at all but for the help of the native troops, who fought with the Spanish. Over 6,000 Chinese were killed in this revolt.
In November 1645, happened one of the worst earthquakes Manila has ever known. Every public building in the city, save one monastery and two churches, was destroyed. The governor-general nearly lost his life in the wreck of his palace, and over 600 people were killed in Manila.
It became necessary to rebuild the city, and then the Spanish found that there was a great lack, not only of soldiers, but of laborers. The need became so great that, in 1649, Governor-General Diego Fajardo (dē ā´gō fä häŕdō) made a bad mistake. He began to force the people into military service, and also compelled them to work upon the arsenal at Cavite.
The people had borne much. Patient as they were, this injustice was more than they would endure, and they became deeply angry. Rebellion spread like wildfire through a number of the islands, and there was almost, though not quite, a general revolt. It began on Samar, and was led by a Filipino named Sumoroy (sö mō roy´). At the head of a large force he attacked the Spanish and the friars. He led his army down the coast of Samar, burning towns and churches. Many of the priests and Spanish on the island were killed, and the rebellion grew.