Some religious (although only a few) from the orders of St. Dominic, St. Francis, and St. Augustine, are also working laudably in the vineyard of the Lord. Some went to Japon this year, but the majority of them have not succeeded in this design, because most of the Japanese boatmen, although Christians, have been afraid to carry them. For the emperor issued a very stringent order that any boat which should carry religious should be burned with all its goods, and that those going in it should be put to death. Nevertheless, some Franciscan friars have gone, very secretly. Some time ago, in the city of Fixoxuna, Father Antonio and Brother Leonardo, both Japanese, were imprisoned for the faith. For this also, on August 16, 1618, they beheaded in the city of Meaco Fray Juan de Santa Marta, of the Order of St. Francis, and a native of Cataluña. He had been imprisoned three years in the public jail, where, in spite of the hard labor and bad treatment to which he was subjected, he continued to preach our holy faith to the heathen prisoners, some of whom received it and died in it.[13]
At midnight on December 13, 1618, they seized Father Carlos Espinola, procurator of the province of Japon, and his companion, Brother Ambrosio Fernandez. The same night they seized two other fathers, Dominicans, two of four who went to Japon last year. The other two returned to these islands. On the twenty-fifth of March, 1619, they seized the provincial and the prior of the Dominicans, Fray Francisco Morales and Fray Alonso de Mena. One of these Dominican fathers died in the jail. Thereupon the rest of the religious concealed themselves so effectively that the Portuguese traders in the country could not find any one to whom they might make their Lenten confessions.
Last year I wrote how one of the ships which were despatched from this city to aid Maluco resorted to treason, and took possession of everything. Thenceforth, as is well known, it went from one country to another and from one place to another. Finally it sailed, almost shipwrecked, to an island of Japon. When the Portuguese commandant learned of this, he sent to the ruler of the island to demand those robbers who had mutinied on one of the king’s ships. The ruler sent to the commandant, proposing to hang them; but some religious forbade it, whereupon he sent them prisoners to Macan, where, they say, the mutineers were punished.
The two Dutch ships which last year were plundering in these islands the ships that came from China, returned to Japon, after having loaded up with many silks which they had seized. They took with them three Chinese ships with rich cargoes, placing on each one a guard of Hollanders. But in a storm the Chinese fled with their ships, carrying with them the Hollanders that were on board, on whom they retaliated by drowning them in the sea. Thus the spoil [of the Dutch] was not so rich as was expected.
This year there went to Japon a patache which the Hollanders had captured in Maluco from the English, and on which there remained some English, badly wounded. They reported that the Hollanders had taken two ships from the English, and had cut off the noses and ears of all whom they had found alive. Upon hearing this, the English who were in Japon were exceedingly angry; and, as they were in good standing at the court, they went to complain to the emperor. The Japanese merchants also complained that because of the robberies which the Hollanders had committed during the last two years on the coast of Manila, they had lost the profit which they had usually drawn from the trade with Philipinas. They said that not only were the Hollanders of no advantage to Japon, but that rather they were very injurious, since they took from the kingdom large quantities of munitions and provisions for their fleets, and thus made everything dearer. It may be hoped that from these complaints will result the expulsion of the Hollanders from Japon, which will be very injurious to them, but very good for us.
The Hollanders felt keenly the loss of one of their large pataches which was coming from Olanda to Japon with thirty men, good artillery, more than fifty thousand pesos in money, and very rich jewels intended as presents to bribe the magnates of Japon. On the way, the patache encountered four Portuguese galliots which were coming from Macan loaded with goods. The Hollanders attacked the Portuguese, intending to seize a galliot; but fortune changed, and in the fight their ship was run down by one of the Portuguese vessels. When the Hollanders saw that they were lost, they themselves set fire to the powder; and those on board were hurled into the water, where they were despatched with pikes. The Portuguese rescued only a Japanese who had been to Olanda, and was on the ship coming back with the Hollanders.[14]
Of Mindanao
The island of Mindanao is one of these Philipinas; it is inhabited by Mahometan and heathen people, who make fierce war upon us. They sally out with their little fleets, repeatedly plunder the towns, desolate the fields, capture many Indians, and even Spaniards, and kill a great number of people. This year the Lord has been pleased that they should not be able to sally forth as usual, as they have been very much occupied in civil wars. And if the Hollanders were not so constantly engaging our attention, and we were to go there, they might be destroyed—as is asserted by a Franciscan friar who has been a captive among them for a long time, and has recently come from there.[15] But we leave it to God; for He, with His most lofty providence, knows how to govern in His own way.
Of the Malucas
To begin with spiritual affairs, a wide door to the holy gospel has opened in the island of Manados, which borders upon that of Macacar; and it is hoped that through it will come a rich harvest. At present a father of our Society, named Father Cosme Prieto, is there. The fathers of Portugal, to whom the Malucas Islands belong, plan to send more laborers there. The king has been converted, as well as nearly all the princes of the kingdom; and only the queen persists in her heathenism.