Sales catalogue 491: Maggs Bros

Date:
1927
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/13/50
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue 491: Maggs Bros. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    54/326 page 42
    Spanish) written by a Missionary Father, of events, native prac- tises, and work relating to the Mariana Mission. 15 pp., small 4to. Island of Rota (Marianas), 1682. Le25 Translation :—‘ I trust in God that some of the brief letters I wrote your Reverence last year on setting foot in these Islands, will have reached you safely. Although hurried notes, I was anxious to send them that you might have news of my arrival here, and that I have been, after all, destined for the cultivation of those poor souls . . . it seemed impossible that I could have arrived safe and sound after my many trials and poor health . . . but God must have heard all your prayers and the many others of my dear Padres and Brothers; and I had the benign protection of Holy Mary, who has given her glorious name to these Islands, and who, [ trust, will ever regard them as truly Marian. ‘We set foot in these Islands on the féte day of the Martyrs and Patrons of these Islands, Vito, Modesto, and Crecenio, and of the Ven. Padre Diego Luis San Vitores. ‘‘ We disembarked from the vessel ‘San Telmo’ on the 15th June, 1681, Padre Carlos Beranga, Padre Augustin Strobak, Padre Juan Tilpe, Padre Diego Zarzosa and I, at Umatag, a small port on the Island of San Juan; but at Agatifia, which is the seat of Government, where are the Governor, the Garrison and Padre Superior of this Mission, we were unable to cast anchor. ‘¢ Arrived on land, we were received with peals of bells and hearty embraces by the Vice Provincial and other Padres. The hospitality lasted as long as the means of this poor island allowed; until St. Ignatius’ Day we remained at Agatiia : when his Reverence dispersed us over the Island. Padre Juan Tilpe and Pe. Diego Zarzosa remained at Agatiia, to assist in the spiritual culture of the soldiery, and to take charge of a seminary for boys, who are taught to read, write, sing in the choir and other subjects which they are capable of understanding and where there is a shortage of teachers, these boys are retained at the seminary until they reach man’s estate; and when they marry, they are given clothing for themselves and their wives, tobacco, a knife, timber, ete.—of which are the riches of this land. . . . Very often, good interpreters emanate from this college, who help the newly-arrived Padres like myself; and they live Christian lives as an example to the others. I can say the same of the girls. ‘¢ Father Carlos Beranga was sent to the Residency at Agatha to accompany Pe. Thomas Cardefioso, one of the first companions of Padre Diego de San Vitores; Padre Agustin Estrobak, to the one at Pago in company with Padre Comano; Theophilo [de Angelis] to the one at Venasaga to serve Pe. Basilio le Roux, in praise of whom much might be written. ‘‘In a short time I baptized sixty-eight persons here, six boys and the rest adults. After a short time had elapsed, in which the Island enjoyed the blessings
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