Volume 37 — CHAPTER VIII

Events of those times, and the provincial chapter of the year 1650. The insurrection of the Indians of Palapag, and their pacification.

That whole triennium was very happy for our province, because of the prudent government of our father, Fray Diego de Ordás, who was one of the most perfect religious that it has ever had. He was very observant in the rules of the order, and zealous for the welfare of the souls of the natives; and he had been an excellent evangelical minister in the Bisayan provinces of Panay, Ogtong, and Cebú. He was very mild toward his subjects, but very austere toward himself. If it were not my purpose in writing this history not to be prolix in writing the lives of the religious, in order not to expose myself to the belief that I dwell on my own order too much, the life of our father Fray Diego de Ordás would furnish sufficient material for several chapters. Those who had to do with him told me much of his continual penitence and prayer, and especially of his poverty and disinterestedness in temporal affairs, for which he was notable. His presence in the choir in his extreme old age was the admiration of the youngest and most robust. Consequently, he was always venerated by all this province as a father. He was also much esteemed by the other orders, and by the entire community of Manila.

But very different was the condition of this community during all the term of the government of Diego Fajardo until the year 1653, because of the calamities and troubles which occasioned the earthquake on St. Andrew’s day in the former year of 1645, and because of the frequent comings of the Dutch. And although the divine Mercy willed to humble their pride by giving us miraculous victories, yet the anxiety and expenses were very great; and the burden of the provinces was increased greatly, because of the cutting of timber for the building of ships and galleys, and other precautions that had to be taken for defense. But the greatest horror suffered by the community of Manila was the internal war of fears and sudden surprises, of imprisonment, embargoes, and exiles, which were continually occurring, and were such that they exceeded past troubles.

“But although the decrease of wealth and the general poverty had afflicted this kingdom, accustomed at other times to great opulence and affluence in all things, yet that which most grieved the minds of its inhabitants were the acts of violence, imprisonments, embargoes, exiles, and other terrifying exhibitions of rigor which began to be introduced into it after the year forty-four, as will be told later. All this, being yet in its violent beginnings, kept not only this city of Manila, where the thunderbolts strike nearer, but all the islands of its jurisdiction, full of horror and gloom; and there was no chink that was not closed to consolation, when all gates were seen opened to misfortune.” The author of this relation, after having described the earthquake which happened in the year 1645, proceeds as follows:

“All those plagues, penalties, and wretchedness above mentioned were not the most grievous matters that afflicted this community. Worse were the domestic afflictions and secret tragedies that it suffered during these last years. Those were the hidden pest that infected men’s hearts and poisoned the blood, which instead of giving vital strength to the members caused them mortal shocks. These were the slow fever, which, insidiously taking possession of the principal part of the body, destroyed the harmony of its actions and disturbed its powers. With the progress of that disease, the hourglass was so disordered that there was no hour for clemency and fortune, and all times were given over to misfortune. Already so great was the number of those thrown into prisons, dungeons, and obscure cells, that all the places set aside by justice for the punishment of criminals were filled; and other new and frightful places, sites, and methods of delayed punishment were found inside the city. And when those places were also full, it was necessary to divide the prisoners among the provinces, villages, and presidios of these islands.”

Thus far Don José Millán de Poblete, in the above-cited relation, which was dedicated to the Conde de Peñaranda, president of the supreme Council of the Indias. In matters so criminal and full of grief, I have not been willing to trust to my own poor wit and lack of polish, nor to leave my reputation to the judgment of others. The worst is, that those disasters continued with greater rigor to the year one thousand six hundred and fifty-three.

Those misfortunes were succeeded by another, causing universal sorrow and pain, namely, the disastrous loss of the ship “Encarnación,” which was returning from Nueva España laden with very great wealth belonging to the citizens of Manila. It sighted the land of Filipinas late, and, very severe vendavals having seized it, it was driven ashore on a beach of the island of Leite called Bula. Striking through carelessness on a shoal, a storm overtook the ship, which made kindling-wood of it, although it had been already lightened of much of its cargo, and all the money was taken out. Afterward the artillery was taken ashore, and much of the iron in its construction was used. But the loss of that galleon was great, because our lack of ships kept these islands threatened by the frequent coming of the Dutch enemy—who, protected by their nearness in the island Hermosa, lost no opportunity to do us all the harm possible. That misfortune was followed the next year by the putting back to port of the galleon “San Diego,” which was badly injured by the storms that it had suffered in northern latitudes in the month of October—which is the most dangerous month for navigators in all seas.

Our father Fray Diego de Ordás presented a petition to the definitorio, yielding and renouncing the right that he held according to our rules, as immediate outgoing provincial, to be able to assume the government of the province in case of the death of the recently-elected provincial, who was very aged. That resignation was accepted in order to console him and because of the many entreaties therefor which he proffered. All the fathers were edified at beholding him so free from ambition, although they forced him in the following chapter to receive the office of provincial, which he accepted very reluctantly.

Since the pacification of the insurrection of the Indians of Palapag (in the province of Leite) in Pintados was finished in that year of one thousand six hundred and fifty, I shall here insert some notice of that insurrection, leaving the historians of the Society of Jesus to deal with it more particularly—who as they were eyewitnesses of it, will have more individual information about its events. [Diaz’s account of this insurrection will appear in another place.]

Another very considerable misfortune happened at that time, namely, the loss of the galleon “Encarnación,” under command of General Don López Colíndrico. It was broken to pieces at a place called Balón, because it left Acapulco late, and because, having lost the better season of the brisas, the favorable winds, ran aground at Bagambog, on the coast of Caraga in the island of Mindanao—a place where no ship had passed since the year 1542, when General Ruy López de Villalobos anchored there with his fleet. The governor sent orders to Andrés López de Asaldigui, his chief lieutenant, to go to investigate the loss of the galleon “Encarnación.”