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The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 35, 1640-1649: 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 35, 1640-1649: 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

13. Such reflections forced the Spaniards to have recourse to other
avenues. They sent a despatch to Caraga to the alcalde-mayor, and
another to Butuan to father Fray Agustin, asking them to aid them in
that conflict without delay. The more significant despatch was that
from Father Belin to the father at Butuan. In it he declared that
it was impossible to endure, and that those at that lake would all
perish. He begged the father for God's sake, for whom he had sacrificed
himself to reduce and conquer it, to aid them with the greatest force
of that district; for their remedy consisted in his Reverence. He said
that the enemy had captured three boats from them, and, all the roads
to the beach being cut off, it was impossible to get help in. One who
attempted to bring help had been cut off by so great a force of Butig
and of the men of Corralat, in an ambush of more than four thousand
Moros, who threw the rearguard and the vanguard into disorder; and
that the father himself had gone out when they heard the shots, with
men to protect the convoy. With his aid the Moros were put to flight
after having killed some Spaniards and men of Bojol. By that means
they succeeded in getting some loads of rice into the fort, enough
to supply them for a month if they only had one meal per day. But so
great a multitude of Moros were coming to take part in the blockade
that, if he did [not] succor them, it was impossible for them not to
perish. "Father," said he, "let your Reverence forget your grievances;
and I give you my word, on my profession [i.e., as a priest], to
so influence the governor and my order that your Reverence and your
holy associates will obtain what you have so labored for. Consider
the honor of the king of España, the obligations with which you were
born, and the charity which obliges you on this occasion to come
to the succor of this troop, unfortunate in not having merited your
Reverence's company. Without it, surely, Captain Don Francisco would
not have had the good fortune that he had and obtained, although he
opposed leaving a presidio here. Father, there is danger in delay. I
petition your Reverence, for the love of God and that of His Mother,
and I hope for a great aid from all, etc. March nine, one thousand
six hundred and forty. Your Reverence's servant,


    Gregorio Belin"

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 35, 1640-1649: 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

13. Such reflections forced the Spaniards to have recourse to other
avenues. They sent a despatch to Caraga to the alcalde-mayor, and
another to Butuan to father Fray Agustin, asking them to aid them in
that conflict without delay. The more significant despatch was that
from Father Belin to the father at Butuan. In it he declared that
it was impossible to endure, and that those at that lake would all
perish. He begged the father for God's sake, for whom he had sacrificed
himself to reduce and conquer it, to aid them with the greatest force
of that district; for their remedy consisted in his Reverence. He said
that the enemy had captured three boats from them, and, all the roads
to the beach being cut off, it was impossible to get help in. One who
attempted to bring help had been cut off by so great a force of Butig
and of the men of Corralat, in an ambush of more than four thousand
Moros, who threw the rearguard and the vanguard into disorder; and
that the father himself had gone out when they heard the shots, with
men to protect the convoy. With his aid the Moros were put to flight
after having killed some Spaniards and men of Bojol. By that means
they succeeded in getting some loads of rice into the fort, enough
to supply them for a month if they only had one meal per day. But so
great a multitude of Moros were coming to take part in the blockade
that, if he did [not] succor them, it was impossible for them not to
perish. "Father," said he, "let your Reverence forget your grievances;
and I give you my word, on my profession [i.e., as a priest], to
so influence the governor and my order that your Reverence and your
holy associates will obtain what you have so labored for. Consider
the honor of the king of España, the obligations with which you were
born, and the charity which obliges you on this occasion to come
to the succor of this troop, unfortunate in not having merited your
Reverence's company. Without it, surely, Captain Don Francisco would
not have had the good fortune that he had and obtained, although he
opposed leaving a presidio here. Father, there is danger in delay. I
petition your Reverence, for the love of God and that of His Mother,
and I hope for a great aid from all, etc. March nine, one thousand
six hundred and forty. Your Reverence's servant,


    Gregorio Belin"

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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