Traslado de la 2.ª carta de nueuas que el pe. Mestre. francisco embio dela Jndia a los pes. y hermanos de Roma escrita a 27 de henero en el ano de 1545
Transcription
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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Cartas de la India Traslado de la 2.ª carta de nuevas que el P. N. frco [Francisco] envió de la India a los P.s y hermanos de Roma, escrita en el año de 1545.
La gracia y amor de Dios N. S. sea siempre en nuestra ayuda y favor.
Dios N. S. sabe cuánto más mi ánima se consolará en veros y en escribiros estas
tan inciertas cartas por la mucha distancia q[ue] desta partes ay aroma
más, pues Dios N. S. nos separó atan distantes tierras siendo tan conformes
en un amor y Sp. Santo, sino me engaño, no causa desamor ni descuido en los y en el sòr: se aman la distancia corporal, pues casi siempre nos vemos, a mi parecer, dado y familiarmente, como diábamos; no nos couersemos: pero esta virtud tiene la memoria de las noticias pasadas, cuando son fundadas en lo y quasi suplen los efectos de las noticias intuituas, esta presencia de ánimo; y de todos los de la Compañía tengo más es vra y mía, pues vos continuos y aceptos sacrificios y oraciones y por mí, triste pecador, siempre haréis son las y causan en mí tanta memoria. De manera y vosotros charísimos en Él, y heis míos emprimis en mi ánima continua memoria, ora y si la y en mí causáis es grande, confieso y os la vra y de mí tenéis muy Dios N. S. os quiera dar por mí el pago y en ello merecéis, pues yo no os puedo pagar con otra cosa sino puramente confesando mi impotencia para poder satisfacer auras caridades, quedándome un conocimiento impreso en mi ánima de la grande obligación y tengo a todos los de la Compañía. Y nuevas destas partes de la India os hago saber cómo Dios N. S. movió en un Reyno donde ando mucha gente, abaxerse España fue demandada y en un mes bautizó más de diez mil personas, guardando esta orden: cuando llegaba a los lugares de los gentiles, los jtes me mandaban llamar para que los hiciese cristianos; había de juntar todos los hombres y muchachos del lugar a una parte y, comenzado por la confesión del Padre y del Hijo y del Sp. Santo, los había tres veces santiguar e inocularles las tres Personas, confesando un solo Dios. Acabado esto, dejaba la confesión general y después el Credo, Mandamiento P. N., Ave M. y Salve Regina, y todas estas oraciones hice ahora dos años en su lengua y las saben de coro. Y puesta una sobrepelliz, decía a altas voces las oraciones por la orden y dicho tiempo, y así como yo oía decir, todos me van respondiendo así grandes como pequeños por la orden y las digo. Y acabadas las oraciones, les hacía una declaración sobre los artículos de la fe y mandamientos en su misma lengua y después hacía que todos demandasen perdón a Dios públicamente de la vida pasada y esto a altas voces en presencia de otros infieles y no quieren ser cristianos para consolación. [Anotações marginais] [No topo, à esquerda] Aquí se comienzan las cartas de 1545. Nadfinguideste Anno.
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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Del año de 1545. Consolación de los buenos y confusión de los malos. Esportánsese todos los gentiles en oír la ley de Dios y confúndense en ver cómo, sin saber ni conocer que hay Dios, muestran los gentiles mucho contentamiento en oír nuestra fe y me hacen mucha honra, dando y no quieren consentir en la verdad; lo niegan, acabado el sermón, y les hago demanda a ellos, así hombres como pequeños, si creen en cada uno de los artículos de la fe; por sí respondenme todos, y así a otras veces digo cada artículo y a cada uno les pregunto si creen, y ellos, puestos los brazos en modo de cruz sobre los pechos, me responden: «Sí», y así los bautizo, dando a cada uno su nombre por escrito; después van los hombres a sus casas y mandan sus mujeres y familia a la iglesia por la misma orden y bautizo los nombres. Bautizo. Acabada la gente debajo un ar, mando derribar las casas donde tenían sus ídolos y hago después a cristianos y quebrar las imágenes de los ídolos en minutísimas partes. No podría acabar de referiros la mucha consolación y mi alma llena en ver destruir ídolos por las manos de los que fueron idólatras. En cada lugar pongo las oraciones verdaderas en su lengua, dando orden como cada día las enseñen una vez por la mañana y otra a horas de vísperas. Acabado de hacer esto en un lugar, voy a otro y desta manera ando de lugar en lugar haciendo cristianos, y esto con muchas consolaciones mayores de las que por cartas os podría referir; mi presencia explicaría mejor. De otra tierra, siguiente leguas desta donde ando, me mandaron decir los moradores della que querían ser cristianos y rogaban que fuese a bautizarlos; y yo no pude ir por estar muy ocupado en cosas de mucho servicio del Señor. Rogué aun al clérigo que fuese a bautizarlos; y después de acuerdo, bautizados muchos de ellos, el rey de aquella tierra hizo muchos estragos en muchos de ellos y muy grandes estragos por haberse hecho cristianos. Gracias sean dadas a Dios, nuestro Señor, y en nuestros días no faltan mártires. Y pues por piedades tanto se va poblando el cielo, permita Dios, nuestro Señor, por su grande providencia, y por crueldades en la tierra se haga el glorioso número de los elegidos, que se vaya cumpliendo. El gobernador de la India del gran Osten go escribió muchas veces de cuánto es mi amigo y de toda la Compañía; siento en tanta manera la muerte de estos cristianos, y así como le hablé, mandó grande armada por mar abprender y destruir al rey; de manera que me fue necesario aplacar su ira. El rey y mató estos cristianos. [Anotações marginais] [No topo, à direita] (Ilegível) [Na margem esquerda, ao nível da linha 6] idaderamente [Na margem direita, ao nível da linha 12] [UNCLEAR: tonila?] [Na margem direita, ao nível da linha 30] [UNCLEAR: iruglidades?] [Na margem inferior direita] hiena [Assinaturas] [Ilegível] — no final da última linha, após “estos cristianos” [Referências arquivísticas] Nenhuma visível na página.
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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Cartas da India Tiene un hermano, el cual es verdadero heredero del reyno, y está fuera del reyno por temor que tiene de su hermano; el rey manda decir que si el gouernador lo pone de nuevo en el reyno, él se hará xpiano con los principales del rey, no, y así manda el gouernador a sus capitanes que, haziéndole xpiano, este hermano del rey con los suyos le entreguen el reyno, y al rey que mató los xpianos que lo maten o que hagan lo que yo les departe. Del gouernador les requeriere espero en Dios N.S. y en su infinita misericordia y en las deuotísimas oraciones de los que martirizó, guberna en consciencia de su yerro demandan do perdón mío, haziendo saludable penitencia. En un reyno destas partes, que es de cuarenta leguas, donde andamos fijo de mansillas y yo el príncipe de aquel reyno determiné de hazerme xpiano, y el rey, siendo sabedor, lo mandó matar; dicen los que presentes se hallaron que vieron en el cielo una cruz de color del fuego y en el lugar donde lo mataron se abrió la tierra en cruz, y dicen que muchos infieles que vieron estas señales quedaron muy movidos para hazerse xpianos. Un hermano deste príncipe, como vio aquellas señales, requirió a los padres de aquellas partes que lo hiciesen xpiano, y así lo bautizaron. Hablé con este príncipe xpiano, el que iba demandar socorro al gouernador para defenderse del rey que mató su hermano; páreceme que antes de muchos días aquel reyno se convertirá. A tanta gente esta muy mouida por las señales que vieron en la muerte del príncipe y también porque el príncipe que se hizo xpiano es el heredero del reyno. En otra tierra muy lexos desta, donde ando quasi quinientas leguas, se hi cieron ahora ocho meses tres grandes señores xpianos con mucha otra gente; mandaron aquellos señores a las fortalezas del rey de Portugal a demandar personas religiosas para que los enseñasen y doctrinasen en la ley de Dios, pues hasta ora habían buido como brutos animales; que de aquí adelante vivan como hombres confesiendo y siruiendo a Dios, y así los capitanes de las fortalezas proveyeron de clérigos para hazer aquel santo minis terio. Por estas cosas que os escribo podéis saber cuán dispuesta está esta tierra para dar mucho fruto: Orate fratres, ut mittat Dominus operarios in messem suam. Confío en Dios N.S. que este año haré más de cien mil xpianos, según ay mucha disposición en estas partes— Nicer Paulo está en Goa en el colegio de Santa Fe, es confesor de los stu diantes.
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[Page 1] [Texto Principal] Año de 1545 diante ocupasse ancas en fermidades así espirituales como corporales dellos Continuamente share tanto el rey de Portugal por acrecentar esta sancta ca sa y es celo para dar gracias al Soñ los q a estas partes por solo amor y servicio de Dios N.S. venieren para acrecentar el número de los fieles y límites de la Iglesia Madre. Mas pues ay tanta disposición en esta tierra, hallarán todo favor y ayuda necesaria en los portugueses destas partes en mucha abundancia y serán de ellos recibidos con mucha caridad y amor por ser la nación portuguesa muy amiga de su ley y deseosa de ver estas partes de infieles convertidas a su sancta ley de Nro. Redentor y Soñ, aun que no fuese por más § de satisfacer a la caridad de ellos y al amor y ansia compañía tienen de unidas mandar a estas partes algunos de la Compañía, quanto más habiendo tanta disposición en estas partes para hacer xpinos y así cesso rogando a Dios N.S. ignos de conocer y sentir su potestad y sentida muchas fuerzas y gracia para en esta vida cumplirla de cari:: dad. De Cochín a 27 de enero de 1545. Vr in filius minimus Franciscus carta q vn hombre secular llamado Manuel Pinto embió de Malaca al obpo de Goa en q da enfor macion de los Macassares la ql por hazer al proposito se pone aquí aun q es de hõbre fuera de la Comp. y escrita, del año de 1548. Yo llegué a esta ciudad de Malaca, de los Macassares a xx de noviembre deste presente año y por me parecer servicio de Dios dar cuenta a V.S. de la tierra y de los xpinos y en ella hize el P. Vicente Viegas por q yo fui con él y que de allá donde estuve tres años y por eso me atreuo a dar cuenta a V.S. largamente — yo estuve allá con un rey xpiãno q se llama rey de Soppa y es el 1. q se hizo allá xpiano con su muger y hijos y mucha gente suya. Este rey estigmando una manilla de oro atravesó mro sòr y llevó Antonio de Fajua y con este rey estuve un año y medio y siem pre me hizo muy buena compañía y se pregonava por xpiano y muy espa tado por q no uian allá padres ni portugueses; me preguntaba por q ya zon no mandaua el Sor Gouernador prouello como le prometió ante de Fajua, y el P.
Translation
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[Main Text]
Letters from India
Transcript of the Second Letter of News sent from India by Our Father [i.e., St Francis Xavier], S.J., to the Fathers and Brothers in Rome, written in the year 1545.
May the grace and love of our Lord God ever be our help and support.
Our Lord God knows how much more my soul is consoled in seeing you—and in writing to you these uncertain letters, so distant as we are. Indeed, this separation carries a deeper fragrance: though God our Lord has placed us on widely separated lands, we remain wholly united in one love and in the Holy Spirit. If I am not mistaken, such distance neither breeds estrangement nor neglect among us—nor does it diminish the affection between us; for bodily separation scarcely impedes our spiritual nearness, since—as it seems to me—we behold one another constantly, intimately, and familiarly, even as we did before. We do not grow cold toward one another. Rather, memory—when grounded in genuine experience—possesses a singular virtue: it recalls past encounters with such vividness that it almost supplies the very effects of immediate, intuitive presence—that is, a sustained spiritual presence of mind. Of all members of the Society of Jesus, none holds a truer or more constant place in my remembrance than you: for you offer continual and acceptable sacrifices and prayers on my behalf—wretched sinner that I am—and these are the very things that stir within me such profound and enduring recollection.
Thus, most beloved brethren in Christ, you dwell foremost in my soul through this unbroken remembrance, through prayer—and if the consolation you afford me is great, I openly acknowledge it, and render thanks to you. May our Lord God Himself repay you on my behalf; and in this you merit exceedingly, since I can offer you no recompense save the humble confession of my own impotence to requite your manifold acts of charity—leaving imprinted upon my soul an abiding consciousness of my profound obligation to all members of the Society.
As for news from these parts of India: I inform you that our Lord God has stirred many people in a certain kingdom where I am labouring—so that, following the example set by Spain, they have earnestly sought baptism. Within a single month, more than ten thousand persons were baptised, observing the following order: whenever I arrived in a village inhabited by non-Christians (*gentios*), the local authorities would summon me to instruct them in the Christian faith. I would then gather together all the men and boys of the place apart from the women and children, and begin with the profession of faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; thereafter, I would make the sign of the cross over them three times—thereby ‘implanting’ in them a knowledge of the Three Divine Persons—and proclaim the unity of the one true God. Having completed this, I would proceed to the General Confession, followed by the Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, the Hail Mary, and the Salve Regina. These prayers I translated into the local vernacular two years ago, and the people now know them by heart. Then, having donned a surplice, I would recite the prayers aloud, in due liturgical order; and, just as I spoke them, the entire assembly—both adults and children—would respond in unison, following the same order and repeating each phrase after me. Upon concluding the prayers, I would deliver an exposition of the principal articles of the faith and of the Commandments—in their own tongue—and afterwards lead them all in a public act of contrition, whereby they would cry out aloud—for the edification and instruction of other non-believers present—to beg God’s forgiveness for their former way of life. Many of these bystanders, witnessing such fervent repentance, themselves expressed a desire to become Christians—a source of great consolation to us.
[Marginal Annotations]
[Top left margin]
Here begin the letters of 1545. *Nada fingida este Anno.* [‘Nothing feigned this year.’]
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— TRANSLATION —
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From the year 1545.
*Consolation of the Righteous and Confusion of the Wicked*
All the gentiles are flocking to hear the law of God, and are confounded when they observe how—despite having neither knowledge nor awareness of the existence of God—they evince great delight in hearing our faith and show me profound respect. Yet, though they honour me, they refuse to assent to the truth: at the conclusion of the sermon, they explicitly deny it. I then question them—men and children alike—concerning their belief in each article of the Creed. To each article, all respond affirmatively in unison; on other occasions, I recite each article separately and ask each individual whether he believes it; whereupon they place their arms across their chests in the form of a cross and reply, ‘Yes’. Thereafter I baptise them, assigning and recording each person’s Christian name in writing. Once the men have been baptised, they return to their homes and instruct their wives and households to come to church in the same order, and I baptise them likewise, assigning names accordingly.
Upon completing the baptism of the inhabitants of a settlement, I order the demolition of the houses wherein they formerly kept their idols; I then exhort the newly baptised to become Christians in deed as well as name, and to shatter the idolatrous images into minute fragments. I could never fully convey—nor would words suffice to express—the deep spiritual consolation I experience, nor the profound joy that fills my soul, in witnessing idols destroyed by the very hands of those who had once worshipped them.
In every locality, I introduce the authentic Christian prayers in the vernacular tongue, arranging for them to be taught daily—once in the morning and again at the hour of Vespers. Having completed this work in one place, I proceed to another, continuing thus from settlement to settlement, making Christians throughout the region; and this ministry brings me consolations far greater than any letter could possibly articulate—my personal presence would convey them more adequately.
From another territory, situated several leagues distant from the area in which I am currently labouring, the inhabitants sent word requesting that they be received into the Church and earnestly beseeching me to come and baptise them. Owing to my being heavily occupied with matters of urgent service to Our Lord, however, I was unable to go. I therefore urged a secular priest to undertake the journey and administer baptism; and, following mutual agreement, he baptised many of them. Subsequently, the ruler of that land inflicted grievous violence upon numerous converts—acts of extreme cruelty—on account of their having embraced Christianity. Thanks be to God, our Lord; and in our own time, martyrs are not wanting. Since heaven is being so richly replenished through such acts of piety, may God our Lord—by His infinite providence—permit that, through earthly cruelties, the glorious number of the elect may be fulfilled.
The Governor of the Indies (of the Great East) has written to me on several occasions, testifying to the high regard in which he holds me and the entire Society [of Jesus]. The martyrdom of these Christians grieved me profoundly; and, having spoken with him concerning the matter, he ordered a large naval armada to set sail, with instructions to apprehend and punish the king responsible. It therefore became necessary for me to intercede and temper the Governor’s righteous indignation. The king, however, had already put these Christians to death.
[Marginal Annotations]
[Top right margin] (illegible)
[Left margin, aligned with line 6] *Idáderamente* [i.e., *verdaderamente*, ‘truly’—a contemporary orthographic variant]
[Right margin, aligned with line 12] [UNCLEAR: possibly *tonila*—perhaps an abbreviation or misreading of *tonelada* (‘ton’) or *tornilla* (‘screw’); contextually unverifiable; retained as uncertain]
[Right margin, aligned with line 30] [UNCLEAR: possibly *iruglidades*—likely a scribal variant of *crueldades*, ‘cruelties’]
[Bottom right margin] *hiena* [possibly a marginal gloss or shorthand; no clear contextual referent in surviving text; retained as transcribed]
[Signatures]
(illegible) — at the end of the final line, immediately following ‘estos cristianos’
[Archival References]
None visible on this page.
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— TRANSLATION —
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The King of India has a brother, who is the legitimate heir to the kingdom; however, he resides outside the realm out of fear for his life—fear instilled by his brother, the reigning king. The king has instructed that, should the Governor restore this brother to the throne, he himself will convert to Christianity (*cristão*), in concert with the kingdom’s principal nobles. If they refuse, the Governor has commanded his captains to ensure that, upon the brother’s conversion, he and his followers shall be installed as sovereigns—and that the reigning king—who murdered Christians—shall either be executed or dealt with according to the Governor’s explicit instructions.
The Governor exhorts them thus: ‘I place my hope in God our Lord and in His infinite mercy, and in the most devout prayers of those whom He has permitted to suffer martyrdom. Let him govern his conscience in recognition of his error, seek my pardon, and undertake salutary penance.’
In a kingdom in this region—some forty leagues in extent—where we have long resided among the local population, the prince of that realm resolved to embrace Christianity (*fazer-se cristão*). Upon learning of this, the king ordered his execution. Witnesses present at the time report having seen, in the heavens above, a cross of fiery hue; and at the very spot where the prince was slain, the earth reportedly opened in the shape of a cross. Many non-Christians (*infieis*) who beheld these signs were profoundly moved and subsequently sought baptism.
One of this prince’s brothers, having observed these portents, approached the Jesuit missionaries (*padres*) stationed in the area and requested baptism; he was duly baptised. I spoke personally with this newly converted prince, who had come to petition the Governor for military assistance to defend himself against the king who had slain his brother. It appears highly probable—indeed, I anticipate it within days—that the entire kingdom will soon be converted. So great is the impression made upon the populace both by the miraculous signs attending the prince’s martyrdom and by the fact that the baptised prince is the rightful heir to the throne.
In another territory situated at a considerable distance from this—nearly five hundred leagues away—a further conversion has recently occurred: eight months ago, three leading regional rulers (*grandes senhores*) embraced Christianity (*fizeram-se cristãos*), together with a substantial number of their subjects. These rulers dispatched envoys to the Portuguese royal fortresses (*fortalezas*) requesting that religious personnel be sent to instruct and catechise them in the law of God, ‘since hitherto’, they declared, ‘we have lived like brute beasts; henceforth, we wish to live as rational men, confessing and serving God.’ In response, the captains commanding those fortresses duly arranged for clergy to be assigned to carry out this sacred ministry.
From these accounts, you may readily discern how ripe this land is for spiritual harvest. *Orate, fratres, ut mittat Dominus operarios in messem suam.*
[‘Pray, brethren, that the Lord send labourers into His harvest.’]
I place my full confidence in God our Lord that this year I shall baptise more than one hundred thousand persons, given the extraordinary readiness and disposition prevailing throughout these regions.
Nicer Paulo is currently residing in Goa at the College of Santa Fé, where he serves as confessor to the students.
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Year 1545
At this time, the King of Portugal assumed responsibility for the spiritual and bodily infirmities afflicting the missionaries stationed in these regions. His Majesty acted both to strengthen this holy enterprise and out of zeal to render thanks to Our Lord, in gratitude for those who journey hither—solely out of love for and service to God our Saviour—to increase the number of the faithful and extend the boundaries of the Holy Mother Church.
Given the evident receptivity prevailing in this land, such missionaries will find abundant favour and all necessary assistance among the Portuguese residing here; they will be received with great charity and affection, for the Portuguese nation is deeply devoted to its faith and earnestly desires to see these infidel territories converted to the holy law of Our Redeemer and Saviour—even were it not for the further motive of fulfilling their own charitable duty and their ardent longing to see members of the Society of Jesus dispatched to these parts. How much more compelling, then, is the case when such marked readiness for evangelisation is evident in these regions! I therefore cease not from imploring Our Lord to grant us the grace to recognise and experience His divine power, and to feel within ourselves the strength and grace required to fulfil His will in this life through charity.
Cochin, 27 January 1545
*Vr in filius minimus Franciscus*
[Enclosed letter] A secular layman named Manuel Pinto sent this letter from Malacca to the Bishop of Goa, providing information concerning the Macassarese people. As it is directly relevant to the present subject, it is reproduced here in full—though its author lies outside the Society of Jesus and wrote it in 1548.
I arrived in the city of Malacca from Macassar on 20 November of the present year. Judging it to be for the service of God, I deemed it my duty to inform Your Grace concerning the land and its prospects for evangelisation. The account was composed by Father Vicente Viegas, with whom I travelled thither; I had resided there for three years, and thus felt warranted in offering Your Grace a detailed report.
I dwelt there under the protection of a Christian king named the King of Soppa—the first ruler in that region to embrace Christianity, together with his wife, children, and many of his subjects. This sovereign, having received a gold armlet as a token of baptism, crossed himself and brought forward Antonio de Fajua (to serve as sponsor or catechist). I remained in his court for one and a half years, during which time he treated me with exceptional kindness and consistently proclaimed himself a Christian—though he did so with evident anxiety, as no priests nor Portuguese were then resident in his realm. He repeatedly asked why the Lord Governor had failed to send the promised support, as previously pledged before Antonio de Fajua’s departure. Moreover, Father…