A band of fourteen religious arrived at this province that year. They had been conducted by the father lecturer, Fray Pedro de Quesada, who died in Méjico. They entered Manila, and were received as sons of this province on August 7, 1645.
Father Fray Luis de Amezquita,[7] a native of Alba de Tormes—a son of the convent of San Felipe in Madrid, where he received the habit of our holy order in the year 1641—came also on that occasion. He was a religious of great virtue, and a man of the first magnitude; and one could write many chapters of his marvelous life, his austere penitence, his continual prayer, and his extraordinary death. I feel great sorrow that the sequence of time cannot be anticipated so that somewhat of the great favors that God gave to that grand servant of His during this life can be published. During his life he was the wonder of all who had known him in the years of his youth, when he was more given to the pastimes of the world and the vigor of youth, before God called him to the austerity and extraordinary mode of life which he observed for ten years constantly until his death. That event was hastened by the austere penance which he continued until it came. God took him to himself in the forty-sixth year of his age, June 26, 1667, he himself having pointed out beforehand the day and hour of his happy transition.
[The balance of this chapter and the following one deal with the disastrous earthquake of 1645, and earthquakes in general. Chapters iv, v, and vi treat of the troubles with the Dutch. These matters are sufficiently covered in VOL. XXXI (q.v.).]
CHAPTER VII
Of the provincialate of our father, Fray Diego de Ordás; and of the second coming of the Dutch, and the ruin that they caused in Abucay.
The father master Fray Alonso de Carvajal governed this province during his triennium with general acceptation and credit, and he increased the regular observance there by example rather than rigor. The time having arrived for the new provincial chapter, it was held in the convent of San Pablo in Manila, May eleven, one thousand six hundred and forty-seven. Father Fray Alonso de Lara, senior definitor of the preceding triennium, presided, as no letters-patent had been received from our most reverend father-general to enable any one else to preside. Father Fray Diego de Ordás was elected provincial with the greatest harmony, by the fathers voting. He had been a minister for many years in the province of Bisayas, and had come to these islands in the year 1624. In the year 1635 he had brought a fine mission of religious, as we saw in its proper place. The definitors elected were father Fray Jerónimo de Paredes,[8] Fray Andrés de Fuentes,[9] Fray Pedro Valenzuela,[10] and Fray Gaspar López.[11] The visitors present were those of the preceding chapter, father Fray Juan Gallegos and the father lecturer Fray Diego de Ochoa. For the near future were elected fathers Fray Pedro de Mejía and Fray Tomás de Villanueva.[12] Afterward, in a private meeting of the definitors, on May 18, father Fray Martin García[13] was chosen procurator-general in España, and definitor of this province for the general chapter of the near future. He was given the authority to appoint a discreto. It was determined to buy a hospice in Méjico for the care of the religious who come to these islands on the missions that are conducted from España. But that was not put into execution until many years after, when father Fray Juan de Borja[14] obtained it by buying some houses which belonged to Onofre de Lorenzana along the highway of Tacuba, where the hospice is located at present. Neither did the embarcation of father Fray Martín García take place, because the Dutch fleet was in the Embocadero of San Bernardino, waiting both for the galleon from España and for the one about to sail from Cavite for the port of Acapulco. For the same reason the provincial was given dispensation so that he was not required to go to visit the Bisayan provinces, in order that he might avoid the same danger.
[The troubles with the Dutch in the year 1647 follow. They are sufficiently treated in VOL. XXXVI. Diaz adds:]
This was the last exploit of the Dutch enemy in these islands, which they had infested for many years with extraordinary pertinacity. It may be that, tired of the little benefit that they secured from their hostilities, and affrighted by the vast expenses caused by the equipment of so many fleets and by the many men that they lost, they were undeceived in thinking that the defense of these islands does not rest with divine Providence, which preserves them more by miracles than by human force.
The rebel Dutch arms derived no better success in the undertakings that they had attempted during those times in Joló and Zamboanga, guided by the chief Salicala (who was hostile to the Spaniards), and bribed by a rich present of amber and pearls so that, the Joloans being protected by their favor, the Dutch could take Joló as their own, and the Joloans would not try to look for a better opportunity for safety. The Dutch sent two well armed war-galleons from Batavia, so that they might have more than enough forces to oppose the few Spanish forces of whom Salicala had informed them. They reached Joló in the middle of July, 1648, and after having dug their trenches they demanded the surrender of the place from the sargento-mayor, Esteban de Orella Ugalde, a brave Biscayan, who was governing that fort. He was given a limit of four hours, but he replied with so great valor, showing his intention to defend the fort, that the Dutch began to bombard it with three pieces of artillery, on the twenty-seventh of the said month. Our fortress, although small, played its artillery too, so successfully that many of the Dutchmen were killed, and among them the admiral of the expedition. The bombardment lasted for three days, but their shots were unable to demolish our forts, although these were so weak that our men afterward destroyed them with clubs. The Joloan Moros, seeing the lack of advantage gained by their allies, grew mistrustful of their patronage; and the Dutch withdrew, tired and angry. The peace made by Don Francisco de Atienza with the king of Jolo followed that attack; and on that pretext the fort was demolished and the Spaniards retired, as it was a useless undertaking and one of no advantage.