The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 06 of 55: 1583-1588; 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
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
From the _Historia del gran Reyno de China_ (Madrid, 1586) of the
Augustinian Juan Gonzalez de Mendoza, we have translated such matter
as relates to the Philippine Islands--portions of part ii, and of
the "Itinerary" appended to Mendoza's work. He narrates (book i,
part ii) the efforts of the Augustinian friars to carry the gospel
to the Chinese. These are unavailing until, after the defeat of the
Chinese pirate Limahon (whose exploits are narrated in some detail)
by the Spanish forces, a Chinese officer named Omoncon, who has come
to Manila in search of the pirate, forms a friendly acquaintance with
the Spaniards, and, in return for favors at their hands, promises to
convey to China some Spanish friars. For this mission are selected
Fray Martin de Herrada (or Rada) and Fray Gerónimo Marín, with two
soldiers as an escort--one of whom is Miguel de Loarca, author of the
curious "Relation" which appears in Volume V of this series. They are
well treated by the Chinese, but are unable to establish a mission
in that land, and finally are sent back to the Philippines. In the
second book is related the voyage made by the Franciscans to China
in 1579. At first they ask permission to go thither, which Sande is
not willing to grant; but the conversion of a Chinese priest through
their efforts makes them still more desirous of opening a mission in
that country, and, Sande still refusing to allow this, they decide
to go without informing him of their departure. To this account
is appended an "Itinerary" of the journey made by another party of
Franciscan friars from Spain to China and return. The writer relates
various particulars concerning the Ladrones and Philippine Islands
and their people, both historical and descriptive; the custom of
slavery among them, and their religious beliefs; and the progress of
Christianity in the archipelago--stating that the conversions therein
now number 400,000. A supernatural appearance of a dead man's spirit,
who describes the delights of the Christian heaven, is related in
detail; this leads to many conversions among the natives, but some
declare that "because there were Castilian soldiers in glory, they
did not care to go thither, because they did not wish the soldiers'
company." The products of the islands, and the articles imported from
China, are enumerated, with mention of some current prices for produce.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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