The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 23 of 55: 1629-30; 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 23 of 55: 1629-30; 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
The incumbent of the benefice has now built a small
fort; but I believe in my soul that, when the Indian catches sight
of the enemy, he will abandon it instantly.
This island has a village called Hilingigay, which it is said was
the source of all the Bisayan Indians who have peopled these shores,
and whose language resembles that of Hilingigay. The Indians remember
quite well when they were under our tutelage and teaching, and desire
to return to it. For they assert that since we have left them they have
not passed one good day. They talk in this vein because always the past
was better. That benefice has now about four hundred Indians. They pay
tribute to the king, and belong to the bishopric of Sugbu, being of
its jurisdiction in secular matters as well. It is more than seventy
leguas from Manila to Bantayan to the south.
The father provincial established religious in Jaro, on the coast
of the island of Sugbu, a place at present called Carcar. It has
in charge more than one thousand two hundred Indians. It has been
visited at times from San Nicolas, and at others from the house of
Nombre de Jesus of the Spaniards. But it seemed best at this time for
it to have a prior with assistants, because of the conveniences which
were found there, which are not few--and much more [are they to be
considered] in the case of the ministry. It is about six leguas from
the city of Nombre de Jesus, and more than twenty from the end of
the district. The distance can be made in four hours, with the brisa.
The provincial established religious in Hantic [112] on the opposite
coast of Panay. It was an excellent village. The holy martyr Melo
[113] was prior of it. Now it is fallen back because we left it;
and we have taken it once more. It has about three hundred Indians,
and is a visita of Guimbal, which is one legua from Tigbauan, and
more than fifty from Manila.
Resident religious were established in Aclan, on the island of Panay,
on the coast that looks toward Manila, which is more than fifty
leguas away. This is the best convent of the island. The provincial
thought best to change it for another which is inland from the river
of Panay, called Barbaran, a village of people possessed by the
devil. The exchange was effected, and it happened that the secular
who was there, died as soon as he reached Aclan, and that the first
religious established in Barbaran also died very soon, the one being
but little behind the other. I have never believed in this changing
of districts, for since all are of Indians, the betterment is slight,
while the damage suffered by the ministry, which is the chief thing,
is vast. I omit to mention other and no less damages that exist,
which are not for this place, as they do not concern us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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