The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 24 of 55: 1630-34; 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 24 of 55: 1630-34; 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
"On the third of December they left Nangasaqui alone, and started
for Unjen. The two women rode in a litter, and the five religious on
horseback, each one in the habit of his order, accompanied by many
people as a guard; they were very joyful as they took leave of a
multitude of people who came out to see this spectacle, in spite of
the fact that the governor had rigorously prohibited it. When they
arrived at the point of Fimi, a league distant from there, their arms
were tied, fetters were put upon their feet, and each one was put
on board separately, being tied to the boat. On this same afternoon
they arrived at the point of Oharna, which is within the boundaries
of Tacacu, and at the foot of the mountain Unjen. The next day they
ascended the mountain, where they immediately erected a number of huts;
then they placed the seven prisoners therein, each in a separate one,
without allowing them to see each other again so long as they were
there, so that they might not encourage one another. They kept them day
and night with fetters on their feet, and manacles upon their hands,
watched by guards.
"Besides the men of the governor of Nangasaqui, the governors of
Tacacu sent theirs likewise to be present at this act, as well as to
aid whenever necessary. Beside these, there were a number of others
as sentinels on all the roads through which this mountain could be
approached, who let no person pass by without a written permission
from the officials who were assigned to this duty.
"On the next day, the fourth of the same month, the torture commenced
in the following manner: They took each one of the seven by himself
to the most furious pool there, and, showing him the boiling water,
tried to persuade him to leave the faith of Christ before undergoing
that most horrible torture, which certainly they would not be able
to endure. Father Antonio writes that, notwithstanding the severity
of the cold that then prevailed, the water in the ponds did [not]
cease boiling, with such fury that the sight of it alone would strike
dismay to any one who was not greatly comforted by the grace of God;
but they were comforted in such manner that all, with extraordinary
courage, answered without delay that they would be tortured, for in
no wise would they abandon the faith which they profess. When this
steadfast answer was heard, they were stripped naked and, tied hand
and foot with four cords, were borne each by four men. They took
some of the water which was boiling most furiously, in a wooden dish
which held about a half-arroba; this water they poured upon each one
from the dish thrice filled--not all at once, but little by little,
opening a minute hole in the bottom so that it would last longer. The
constancy, courage, and valor with which the confessors of Christ
suffered that most horrible torment was such that they never made
the slightest movement of their bodies, to the great fright of those
who saw and heard them. Maria alone, as she was young and delicate,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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