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
Religious were established in San Pablo in the mountains, [136]
which is fourteen leguas from Manila by way of Laguna de Bay--ten to
the Bay, and four to this convent. It was nothing until father Fray
Hernando Cabrera [137]--of the province of Andalucia, and a son of the
house at Cordova--went there, who was prior in that convent for many
years. Although neither its house nor its churches of stone, yet they
are of wood, and the best and finest in the province--particularly the
church, with its reredoses and paintings of the saints of the order,
so handsomely made that there is nothing finer in the islands. It
is feared, and with good reason, that since it is built of wood,
it will last but a short time, and that all that expense and beauty
will be wasted. The Indians were settled as if they were Spaniards,
and their village was laid out with its squares and so excellent
houses that it was good only to behold it. But as soon as the father
left there, all that order vanished; for all which does not tend
to keep the Indians in their fields and in the mountains makes them
dissatisfied. The father established so good a stock farm that the
Manila convent had to go there, and obtain from it five hundred head
of cattle; these were placed on the old stock farm, which no longer
had any cattle. He adorned the sacristy of the said village with so
much silver that no cathedral in Espana had an equal amount, for it
had abundance of every kind. As soon as this religious left there,
the convent of Manila took a notable ornament from it, which cost
it more than eight hundred granos. With this the house at Manila is
adorned during the most solemn feasts, both within and without the
house. The father did many things in other places, until his death
at sea, during a voyage to Espana in 1629. The province will always
mourn the death of this religious, for, besides his having done most
to increase it, he was the best Tagal interpreter. This, together
with his exceeding great renown in secular affairs, and his not less
observance in matters affecting his order, was a quality that would
make him esteemed in any community. He left this province to go to
take shelter in Espana. There was no provincial who would restrain
him; for of these religious there are some who had to be restrained,
since out of many crews not many men excel. He died at sea; and
it was well understood that God did not choose to leave him here,
but without doubt would take him to give him the reward of his many
labors and of his devotion. This convent has more than one thousand
Indians, and three religious--a very small number. Sometimes there
are two religious, the number depending upon the poverty or ease of
the time. A quantity of fruit grows in this place. The water is bad,
and therefore the religious are looking for better. Cattle draw the
fruit from here to Bay, where small Sangley and Japanese champans
are found. These buy the fruit to resell it in Manila; for all the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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