The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 25 of 55: 1635-36; 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 25 of 55: 1635-36; 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
Aggrieved and rendered desperate in this way, he saw the girl pass one
day in a carriage with Dona Maria de Francia. Going to her he asked her
whether she knew him, who was her master. The slave answered him with
some independence, whereupon he, blind with anger, drew his dagger in
the middle of the street and killed her by stabbing her, before anyone
could prevent it. All the people, both those in the carriage and those
in the street, ran tumultuously [after him]; but the artilleryman
escaped them all, and took refuge in the church of our convent in
Manila. The governor heard of what had happened, and ordered Don Pedro
de Corcuera, his nephew (who was then sargento-mayor of the camp),
to take the artilleryman from the church, saying that he could not
avail himself of the sanctuary of the church, as he had committed a
treacherous act--although it was only a homicide, and the settlement
of this question did not concern the governor. However, his action
arose mainly from the anger that he felt that what had happened was
in the presence of his nephew, Don Pedro de Corcuera--who, also being
angered at what concerned his wife, made use of his commission with
less prudence than he ought to exercise in executing such orders from
his superiors. He caused the church and convent to be surrounded; and,
going inside, examined everything, not excepting even the sacristy;
and it is even said that he declared that, if he found the artilleryman
there, he would take him out a prisoner. But not having been able to
find him then, Don Pedro left the church and convent surrounded by a
double guard. The governor added to that that he would not allow the
religious to enter or leave, until he had hold of the refugee. The
latter was finally found, and taken from the sacristy, and surrendered
to the commander of artillery, in order that he might proceed with the
trial as his competent judge; and he, either carried away by flattery,
or in obedience to the commands of the governor, proceeded so hastily
that in a very short time he condemned the artilleryman to death.
The archbishop's provisor, Don Pedro Monroy, bore himself on this
occasion with the prudence that was fitting, and proceeded against
the commander of artillery, requesting him to deliver his prisoner
and return him to the church. Having been informed that the commander
of artillery was a mere instrument, and that all his actions were
according to the impulses of the governor, he sent three lay priests to
the palace to intimate to the latter that the judge should deliver the
refugee to him. The priests entered, without anyone hindering them;
and finding that the governor had already retired, as it was then
an advanced hour of the night, they started to withdraw in order to
return next morning; but the soldiers of the guard would not permit
them to leave, saying that such was the order of the governor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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