The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 37, 1669-1676: 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 37, 1669-1676: 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
pesos from the scanty hoard of the mission, and resolved to give
them to the father rector. They were not sufficient even to cover
the cost of the rice, but in the end would be some aid in meeting
the expenses. He followed the rector alone into his apartment, and,
changing color, after some arguments which he endeavored to offer he
concluded by asking pardon, and asked him to please take that trifle
to pay at least the porters and cooks, since our mission was detained
so long there. The father rector assumed a serious countenance then,
and in brief, sorrowfully proceeded to give the father a severe
reproof, by telling him that nothing worthy of payment had been done
there; that the father vice-provincial had ordered him to attend to
that obligation; that the fathers of his residences had brought the
supplies, each in accordance with his several ability; that, thanks
to God, nothing was owed to the Indians; that God was giving for
everything; and that he rather was the gainer, for, without knowing
how, he found his pantries full; that during those days two dugongs
had been caught (a thing which had not been seen before since he had
been there, for never had those fish been seen there, for it was by
a great miracle). Thus did he minimize all that he had done; but our
religious, still insisting and placing the hundred pesos on the table,
witnessed that the venerable father fell on his knees, and clasping
his hands, with tears in his eyes, said to him: "No, no, father,
you must not leave that money here for me. I beg that of you in the
name of the most holy Virgin. She will not permit your Reverence to
give me such affront, at least for the good-will with which I have
served you." Thereupon, the religious begged pardon, and kept his money
without knowing how to pay that debt, unless it be paid in the divine
treasuries of God, for whom it was all done. Our religious went out
in seven bands, and for each band the rector solicited a boat, a good
pilot, and a store of supplies for some days. All came [to Manila]
singing the praises of so religious an Alexander, who was finally
reared in so holy a school as that of the Society of Jesus--where,
although one is taught all kinds of knowledge so completely, we can say
that charity is that which is not taught, because it is inspired. God
will now have paid that pious father, for already has He taken him
to himself. The religious consumed two more months in going from
Palapa to Manila because of the bad weather. However, they passed
almost always through ministries belonging to our father St. Francis,
where they found themselves detained and hindered more by the great
love with which they were welcomed, and the regret with which they
were allowed to depart, than by the roads and the difficulties of
travel. They arrived at the desired place at last and were received
by the father provincial, then the father commissary, Fray Juan de
los Angeles, with that paternal love which his natural affability and
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