The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 29 of 55, 1638–40 / 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 - Unknown

Illustrations

Preface

[View of city ofManila]; photographic facsimile of engraving in Mallet’sDescription de l’univers (Paris, 1683), ii, p.127; from copy in the Library of Congress.

[View of one ofLadrones Islands]; photographic facsimile of engraving inHulsius’s Eigentliche und wahrhaftige Beschreibung(Franckfurt am Mayne, M.DC.XX), p. 66; fromcopy in library of Harvard University.

[Portus Acapulco (view of harbor of Acapulco, Mexico)];photographic facsimile of engraving in Arnoldus Montanus’sNieuwe en onbekende Weereld (Amsterdam, 1671), p. 246;from copy in library of Harvard University.

[Archipelagus orientalis, sive Asiaticus (Eastern or Asiaticarchipelago)]; photographic facsimile of map by Joannis Blaeu(Amsterdam, 1659); from original map in Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

The present volume (1638–40) is largely occupied with the annals of those years, and the hostilities of the Moro pirates. This period is a troublous one; “wars and rumors of wars,” conspiracies (among both Chinese and natives), storms, shipwrecks, and disease, disquiet the colony. The Chinese revolt of 1639 is described at length. Corcuera administers the government with a high hand, and arouses many enmities. Two interesting descriptions of the islands are furnished, by a Spanish officer and by a Jesuit.

The Jesuit annalist at Manila contributes (1638) the news of the past year—apparently the contents of his note-book or diary, as written therein at each occurrence or arrival, and free from the “improvements” of any official editor, in which fact lies its especial value. This document strongly resembles in this respect, and in its scope, the famous Journal des Jésuites of Quebec. To some extent, the same remarks are true of all the annals written, actually or presumably, by Juan Lopez; but the present document is unusually fresh and primitive in style. He relates the depredations committed by the Dutch on Spanish and Portuguese commerce, especially about the strait of Malaca. The Dominican faction of “Barbones” has been suppressed. The Chinese at Manila present a large sum of money to Corcuera, with which a gift for the king is purchased. Information is given regarding several priests and other persons. The settlement at Formosa is being abandoned, and the missionaries there are going to China. The Camucones have attempted to raid the Visayas, but are repulsed by the Indians and Spaniards. The Jesuit Mastrilli has been martyred in Japan, and funeral honors are paid to him in Manila. Corcuera has gone to punish the Joloans. The Jesuit church at Cavite, and that of the Dominicans at Manila, have been entered by thieves. There are a few slight encounters with the Dutch. In China, persecutions of the Christians have begun, due largely to the imprudence of the friars. The missions in Siam and adjoining countries are endangered by the machinations of the Dutch. The Joloan stronghold is captured by Corcuera; two of his best officers are sent home to regain their health, but are slain by their Chinese crew. Jesuits are conducting a successful mission in the island of Hainan. The Japanese are growing weary of their persecutions against the Christians; only three Jesuits are left there of all the missionaries and nothing certain is known of these. Corcuera arrives at Manila on May 23; he brings back many captives, of whom a considerable number died en route, but “it is a cause of great consolation that no Moro has died without baptism.” A triumphant entry is made into Manila by the victorious army. In Mindanao Moncay is killed, and Corralat is no longer aided by the Ternatans; the Moros generally are in wholesome fear of the Spanish power. The missions in China are doing well, and are aided by the emperor. Lopez notes many little items of news, of all sorts, about matters civil, ecclesiastical, and foreign, with various gossip, some of the cloister, some of his seaport.

A short letter from Corcuera to the king (August 21, 1638) states that he has appointed Luis Arias de Mora “protector of the Sangleys;” this man (a lawyer) also acts as counselor for the archbishop, exercising a wholesome restraint upon that prelate.