Some notes on the bibliography of the Philippines — John Shaqi
Some notes on the bibliography of the PhilippinesMiddleton, Thomas C. (Thomas Cooke)
History
Some notes on the bibliography of the Philippines
Middleton, Thomas C. (Thomas Cooke)
Philippines -- Bibliography; Printing -- Philippines -- History
The two merely scientific works, alluded to ahead, are "Discourses on
Aromatic Things--Plants, Fruit, and the like simple Medicines employed
in the East Indies," composed by Juan Fragoso, a rare and curious work
(Madrid, 1572); and a Treatise on the Drugs and Medicines used in the
East Indies, with plates representing various plants, by Cristóbal
Acosta, published first in Spanish at Burgos in 1578; in Latin (in
two editions) in 1582 and 1593; in French (also in two editions)
in 1602 and 1619; lastly in English in 1604.
IV.
PHILIPPINE PRESSES.
Now for a description of the different printing-presses--or, rather,
places--in the Philippines, from the earliest named by Retana in his
Biblioteca, in all fourteen distinct localities, where printing was
carried on in the three islands of Luzon, Panay and Cebú.
1.--From an analysis of the titles I find that Manila ranks earliest,
where (with limitations to be set later) a printing-press was
established in 1630, in which year, at the Dominican College of
St. Thomas, a Spanish-Japanese dictionary, the work of Portuguese
Jesuit missionaries and scholars, now translated into Spanish, was
printed by Tomás Pinpin, a native Tagal, and Jacinto Magaurlua. This
dictionary (now extremely rare), even though not the first book
printed in the islands, as stated by Retana, must yet be ranked among
the earliest specimens of Philippine literature.
In his Bibliography three different titles (we may observe) bear
the imprint of Manila, with the name of this city spelled according
to the ancient aboriginal form, albeit but slightly varied from
the present--"Maynila"--otherwise, as I have read it, "Mainilla,"
a variant in orthography one encounters in old chronicles--a Tagal
word (it seems) signifying a species of shrub or bush, in the Spanish
rendered arbusto, that in 1571 was found to cover the site of the new
city projected by the conquistadores, under the leadership of Miguel
López de Legazpi.
In this same year, it may be added, the site of the future metropolis
of Malaysia was taken possession of by Spanish arms, with due
observance of ceremonial, sealed with the three local chieftains,
[15] Lacandola, Matandá and Soliman, by blood-bargain--pacto de
sangre. [16] Here, too, at Manila, the second church in Malaysia
devoted to the Supreme Being, the first having been founded at Cebú,
was dedicated the same year (1571) to God, under the most fitting title
of the Conversion of St. Paul the Apostle, first great missionary to
heathendom. At Cebú, by agreement with Chief Tupas, the standard of
Christian comity--the Cross--had been reared in 1565, and its church
dedicated in honor of St. Michael Archangel, name-saint of Legazpi,
though shortly after rechristened El Santo Niño--the Holy Child--its
title to-day.
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