7]

DECADE SEVENTH--BOOK FIRST

CHAPTER I

Treats of the fifth intermediary chapter; and of some events in the
province of Philipinas.

[The first section treats of the fifth intermediary chapter of the
order, which was held at Madrid, May 27, 1651].

Sec. II

The convent of Tandag, in the province of Caragha of the Philipinas
Islands, is demolished

232. Tandag is located in the island of Mindanao, and is the capital of
the district of the jurisdiction of Caragha, where the alcalde-mayor
resides. In regard to ecclesiastical affairs, it belongs to the
bishopric of Zibu. Our convent which is found in that settlement has
charge of three thousand souls, scattered in the said capital and in
five annexed villages called visitas. How much glory that convent has
gained for God may be inferred from the repeated triumphs which its
most zealous ministers obtained, thanks to His grace; and the words
of our most reverend and illustrious Don Fray Pedro de San-Tiago,
bishop of Solsona and Lerida, in the relation of the voyage made by
our discalced religious to the Indias are sufficient. "There was,"
he says, "a powerful Indian, called Inuc, the lord of Marieta, who,
waging war on the Spaniards and peaceable Indians, killed many of them
in various engagements while he captured more than two thousand. The
very reverend father Fray Juan de la Madre de Dios left Tandag,
without other army or arms than his virtues. He went to meet Inuc
and, by the force of the divine word, he alone conquered Inuc, who
was accompanied by squadrons; the religious conquered the soldier,
the lamb the lion, and forced him to lay aside his arms and reduce
himself to the obedience of the king our sovereign, and to be baptized
with all his family." Thus did he give in that one action, peace to
the country, a multitude of souls to heaven, and an exceeding great
number of vassals to the Spanish monarch.

233. The seasons continued to pass interwoven with various incidents,
now prosperous, now adverse; although as the world is a vale of tears,
it gave its pleasures with a close hand and its sorrows with prodigal
liberality--especially in the years 46 and 47 when the Dutch, having
become the ruler of the seas, forced or compelled all vessels to take
refuge in the ports. The commerce of the Sangleys or Chinese fell off
almost entirely; and according to the common opinion, the Dutch were so
victorious that their invasions, painted with thos