The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 31, 1640: 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 centuryAduarte, Diego
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 31, 1640: 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
Aduarte, Diego
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
The success of the religious in Satzuma during the six years which
they had spent in that kingdom aroused the tono, who was persuaded by
the devil and his servants the bonzes to expel the fathers from his
country. The case of the holy martyr Leon contributed to influence
the tono. It was said in that kingdom that no one ever failed to do
what his lords commanded him, and hence such disobedience as that of
Leon was regarded as dangerous to the state. The bonzes particularly
were bitter against the Christians, who despised the deity whom they
worshiped. [53] All the cases of misfortune and all the downfalls which
had happened to Christian princes within a few years were referred to
their belief, although the misfortunes of the heathen princes had been
much more numerous. As the king of Satzuma was at this time actually
preparing for a war of conquest against the islands of the Leuquios,
[54] he was greatly impressed by these reasonings. He was also
disgusted because no vessels had come from Manila to this country,
the desire for trade having been his chief object in sending for
religious. The king of Satzuma sought for some pretext for expelling
the father, without finding any. In the month of August, he sent word
to them that the emperor complained because the Spanish religious in
his country had never appeared before him. This was only a pretext
to get the religious out of the country. There were at that time
in all Japan, outside of Nangasaqui, not more than three churches
licensed by the emperor: one in Meyaco, of the fathers of the Society;
a second in Yendo, of the Franciscan fathers; and a third in Ozaca,
of the Society. All the rest were practically in concealment, and
had license only from the tonos or kings. The emperor, though he knew
this, paid little attention to the matter. The fathers, however, were
able to say that father Fray Alonso de Mena had visited the emperor,
and had received license from him for the stay in Japan of the rest
of the fathers. Still, thinking that they might do well to appear
before the emperor, they decided to follow the suggestion of the
tono, and father Fray Francisco de Morales went directly to visit
him and was kindly received. Before father Fray Francisco returned,
the tono gave commands that all the Christians should recant, and
exiled those who refused to obey, confiscating their goods. When this
happened, there were in Satzuma only the fathers Fray Joseph de San
Jacintho and Fray Jacintho Orfanel. Father Fray Joseph went directly
to appear before the old tono, and was received with much apparent
courtesy, which was a mere cloak for the evil which he was preparing
to execute. The father also desired to go to visit the young tono,
but was advised that he could do no good; and therefore he went from
village to village, strengthening and encouraging the converts. He and
father Fray Jacintho, happening to be both at once within the convent,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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