The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 38, 1674-1683: 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 38, 1674-1683: 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
This fearful earthquake [59] was general in all these Filipinas,
although it was more severe in some regions than in others--for in
the province of Cagayán, in [the land of] one people called Maynanes,
a great mountain was cleft open; and the havoc made by it extended
as far as Maluco. In the heights of Gapang, [60] in the province
of Pampanga, it was very severe, and lasted several days. Even
greater damage might have been done by an uprising that was plotted
by an Indian of evil disposition in the villages of Gapang, Santor,
Caranglán, and Patabangán, exhorting the natives there to rebel and
restore themselves to their former liberty, by slaying the Spaniards
and the religious. He assured them that in Manila there were no
Spaniards left, because the earth had swallowed them, with the entire
city, on the night of the earthquake that occurred on St. Andrew's
day; and that the demon, with whom he had compact and intercourse,
had promised him that he would aid the natives so that they might
maintain themselves without paying tribute, and might enjoy much
prosperity, and provided that they would slay the fathers and burn
the churches. The delusion of the Indians of Gapang went so far that
they seized arms, and summoned to their aid many heathen Zambals, and
burned the churches of Santor and Pantabangán. When this was known in
Manila, the encomendero of those villages, Admiral Rodrigo de Mesa,
offered his services to pacify them, and went to Gapang with Alférez
Callejas, their collectors of tribute, and some friendly Indians; but
the insurgents, who now were numerous, badly wounded the encomendero,
who fled on horseback, and a year later died from that wound at
Manila. They slew Alférez Callejas and many of the loyal Indians who
went in his company, and fortified themselves in the mountains. The
prior and minister, Fray Juan Cabello, escaped by the aid of some other
Indians who were not of the hostile party, came to Manila, and gave
information of the progress of the rebellion. Opinions differed as
to the methods which should be employed in pacifying the insurgents;
and our father provincial, Fray Alonso Carbajal, decided to send the
father lecturer Fray Juan de Abarca, [61] a religious for whom the
natives of that district had much affection and respect, since he had
been their minister for many years. With this commission this religious
set out for Pampanga, taking with him a companion, Master-of-camp Don
Agustin Songsong, a valiant Pampango, with as many soldiers of that
people as seemed necessary. They arrived at Gapang, and by means of
father Fray Juan de Abarca's preaching and his earnest efforts--which
would take too long to relate, as would the many perils of death
to which he exposed himself--that sedition was finally quelled,
and the insurgents returned to their former quiet. But the Indian
sorcerer, the cause of this disturbance, did not make his appearance,
notwithstanding all the efforts that were made to find him.
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account