The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 32, 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
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898: Volume 32, 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
At this time, although our religious and the Christian people in
the kingdom of Figen in Japon enjoyed peace and quiet, there were
persecutions in other kingdoms of that realm. After the death of Father
Gregorio Cespedes of the Society of Jesus in the kingdom of Bugen,
in 1611, the tono of that region, who had protected Christianity
out of respect for the father, banished two other fathers who were
there, and tore down the churches. The tono of Firando martyred in
October of this year three Christians; and that of Caratzu, [2]
a cruel renegade, banished many. Thus the devil began that which
afterwards took place. The Lord gave warning, by means of crosses
miraculously found, of the persecution which was to occur. In this
year there went to Japon father Fray Alonso Navarrete and father
Fray Domingo de Valderrama, sent there by father Fray Baltasar Fort;
and in the following year father Fray Baltasar himself, at the end
of his term as provincial, went as vicar-provincial to this kingdom.
For a long time the emperor of Japon [3] had shown much dislike to
Christianity, and in the year 1612 he began to persecute it. Don
Pablo Dayfachi, the secretary of a man who was very intimate with
the emperor, received a great quantity of money from Don Juan, tono
of Arima, to help him in the recovery of some lands which had been
lost by his ancestors in war. Don Pablo, who was a Christian, could do
nothing for the cause of Don Juan, who complained to the emperor. The
emperor commanded that Don Pablo should be burned alive in the sight
of his wife, and that his son should be killed. The emperor thereupon
began to persecute the Christians, saying that deeds like these were
not done by the Japanese, and that Don Pablo had degenerated from
them because he was a Christian. Fourteen knights with their wives
and families and servants were exiled. The tono of Arima was banished,
because he had endeavored to get back by favors lands which others had
gained by war, and was finally executed. A certain English heretic,
named Guillermo Adam [i.e., Will Adams], who knew the Japanese
language and who pleased the emperor by giving him an account of
European affairs, vomited forth the hate which he felt against our
holy faith whenever he had opportunity. He told him that the plan of
the king our lord to conquer kingdoms is to send religious first,
that they may make the way plain for soldiers, citing for example
Nueva España and the Philippinas--although, in point of fact, neither
there nor here did religious precede, but invaders who intended to
conquer the country. In addition to this, Safioye, the governor of
Nangasaqui, had difficulties with certain fathers, and had complained
of them to the emperor. The result was that the hatred of the emperor
for Christianity grew greater and greater. He finally commanded all
the churches in that part of Japon known as Cami to be demolished,
and gave the same commands for the kingdom of Quanto. [4] He required
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account