m for his
crimes and wickedness. Thereupon, the Indians of the village rose
in revolt, and after burning the church and the convent, fled to the
mountains. However, some remained, who defended the other religious,
and carried the wounded man to Masinglo. Consequently, the village was
almost deserted. Afterward they tried, and successfully, to subdue
the insurgents again. They succeeded by their energy and toil, and
restored the settlement and church again to their former state for
the administration of seven hundred souls or so, who were the last
ones to comprehend the cry of the gospel.
It happened in this place that one Sunday, while father Fray Francisco
de Santa Monica was in the church teaching the rudiments of the
Catholic faith to the least intelligent Indians, they came to tell
him that there was a certain woman, at a long legua's distance from
that place, dying of childbirth, who was entreating for baptism very
earnestly. The said father left his exercise, and, seizing a staff,
started to run so fast that, as he himself testified, it seemed as if
he were flying through the air. He was not far wrong, for in less than
one-half hour he reached the place or hut of the poor woman who was
expiring, all swollen and black with the pain and anguish that she was
suffering. He baptized her (and also instructed her as was necessary),
and she immediately gave birth to an infant, which, although alive,
was much deformed because of the danger of the mother. After it had
been washed likewise from the original sin in which all we children
of Adam are born, they both died, to the joy and wonder of that
minister at seeing the depth of the divine decrees in regard to the
predestination of those souls.
[Chapters iii, iv, and v treat of the European affairs of the order.]
Chapter VI
_All of the charges against the Reform are annulled by a brief, and
the fifth provincial chapter is held, with the prorogation which
they claimed. Two convents are established and a mission arranged
for the Philippinas_.
_The year 1616_
[By a papal decree of May twenty-one, new life is given to the
Recollect order, and their future assured. On the return of Father
Gregorio de Santa Catalina, the chapter which had been delayed until
that time was held. In this chapter, _discretos_ (or persons elected as
assistants in the council of the order) and visitors were abolished,
the latter having been found more expensive than useful. The ti
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