HOM.05
Focus on the Mariana Mission, 1670-1673, is the fifth volume of the History of Micronesia: A Collection of Source Documents (HOM), compiled and edited by Rodrique Levesque.
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The History of Micronesia: A Collection of Source Documents was complied, edited and published by Rod Levesque from 1992 to 2002. Copyrights were obtained by the Habele Outer Island Education Fund, a US nonprofit, in 2022, which digitized the content to facilitate noncommercial access to, and use of, the twenty-volume series. The PDF file for HOM.05 is roughly 65MB.
Levesque's Summary
Vol. 5 contains 55 chapters totalling about 139 documents covering all the mission activities during this period. Belgian Jesuits became involved at this time; the correspondence of Fathers Bouwens and Coomans, in Latin, was discovered in Belgium by the editor in 1990; many efforts were spent in transcribing and translating these 55 Latin reports, which are published here for the first time. All documents are cross-referenced and appear in their proper chronological sequence.
— List of the 32 illustrations, including maps of Oceania and Micronesia. Of some significance is a map of Guam in 1670, showing the old place names, a result of much study on the part of the editor.
—A foreword setting the historical background for the period covered by this volume.
—The first five years of the Mariana Island Mission were the most important in the history of the old Chamorro people. Despite the assassination of a few Jesuits and their Filipino and Mexican assistants, this period was relatively free of violence. About 20 foreigners were killed in ambushes, and they in turn killed about as many natives, until one generation had passed, and the natives realized that their world had changed permanently.
—Europe was then at the peak of its classical period, when the clumsy musket was being replaced by the flintlock, and French influence became paramount. Jesuit missionaries in Micronesia were not all Spanish; many came from other parts of Europe. Of great importance as letter writers (and therefore historians) were the Belgian Jesuits, Fathers Coomans and Bouwens. They arrived at Guam in 1672, and both died in Sai pan, in 1685 and 1712 respectively. Together, they wrote about 55 letters and reports, all in Latin, translated and published for the first time in this series.
—Much interesting information is given in the official reports of the 1670-73 period regarding the geography, ethnography, and history of the Chamorro people.
—There is a list of requests, mostly for supplies, made by the missionaries and addressed directly to the Queen Regent; no fewer than 33 royal decrees were issued as a result.
—There is a very interesting catalog of things shipped to Guam from Manila in 1670; not surprisingly, many of the textile goods were made in China. The local food resources were then meager, and consisted mostly of coconut, breadfruit and some root crops; rice and fish were scarce.
—The second death of a missionary occurred in 1672; it was that of the founder of the mission, Father Sanvitores. This volume presents a portrait gallery of him, as well as most of the documents concerning this tragedy, and the process for the beatification of this Apostle of the Marianas; by the way, this process did not bear fruit until recently (1985). There is presently a movement afoot to beatify his Filipino companion, Pedro Calonsor, who was killed at the same time.
—Also included is a list of the first Chamorro tourists to visit Manila and Mexico with the Belgian missionaries.
—Beginning with this volume, we find extracts from passports briefly stating the physical characteristics of the missionaries as they were leaving Spain. In most cases, those were the only clues ever given.
Table of Contents
1670F Second biography of Fr. Medina, edited by Fr. Francisco de Florencia
1670G First survey of the Mariana Islands by the Filipino Captain Juan de Santa Cruz; To the Governor of the Philippines, Guan 21 May 1670; Ports and anchorages in the Marianas surveyed in 1669-70
1670H Jesuit annual report for 1669-70, edited by Fr. Ledesma
1670I Documents regarding Fr. Ledesma’s mission band, 1670-73; Petition by Fr. Ledesma; List of foreign Jesuits; Royal decree of 14 June 1670; Certificate issued for Fathers Bouwens and Coomans; Certification of their arrival at Seville; Second group leaving Spain in 1673
1670J Catalog of things sent to the Marianas from Manila in 1670
1670K The 10,000-peso fund for the Mariana Mission; The Queen Regent criticizes the Marquis of Mancera for the funds he loaned to Fr. Sanvitores; Reaction of the Queen to the Council regarding the 10,000-peso unauthorized advance
1670L Objection to foreign Jesuits by the Bishop of Cebu
1670M Salary budget to operate two galleons per year; Letter from Governor de Leon, dated Manila 15 June 1670; Summary of the sub-accounts of this Account
1671A Jesuit annual report for the 1669-71 period
1671B Official reports on the life and death of Fr. Medina; Letter from Fr. Sanvitores to Provincial of the Philippines; Official inquiry aboard galleon Buen Socorro
1671C Letter from Fr. Sanvitores to Fr. Vidal, Agaña 25 May 1671
1671D Accounts of the 1671 voyage, by three discalced Franciscans; Fr. Ibañez’ second voyage via the Mariana Islands
1672E Letter from Fr. Solano, dated Agaña 26 April 1672
1672G Fr. Sanvitores’ picture gallery
1672H Eulogies of Fr. Sanvitores
1672I Letter from Fr. Francisco Ezquerra to Fr. Master of a Jesuit Novitiate, dated Guam 3 May 1672
1672J Three letters from Governor de Leon dated Manila 1672; To the Queen, dated 10 June; To same, dated 22 June; To same, dated 4 July
1672K Royal decrees issued in 1672; To the Viceroy, dated Madrid April; To same, dated Madrid 10 June; To same, dated Madrid 12 November; To same, dated Madrid 21 November; To the Governor of the Philippines, dated 21 November
1672L Composite report for the 1665-72 period, by Fr. Ledesma
1672M Composite report for the 1669-72 period, by Fr. Ledesma
1672N Composite report for the 1672-81 period, by Fr. Garcia
1673A The Process of Guam-First official investigation of the death of Fr. Sanvitores, dated Agadña 9 January 1673
1673B The Queen Regent reviews the last request of Fr. Sanvitores; Note from the Council of the Indies, Madrid 10 Feb. 1673; The Council to the Queen, dated Madrid 6 March 1673; The Queen to the Viceroy, dated Madrid 18 April 1673; The Queen to Fr. Sanvitores, dated Madrid 18 April 1673; The Queen to Captain de Santa Cruz, dated Madrid 18April 1673
1673C The Queen agrees to finance more missionaries; The Council to Fr. Valdés, dated Madrid 15 April 1673; The Council to the Queen, dated Madrid 22 April 1673; The King and Queen Mother to Fr. General Oliva, dated Madrid 26 April 1673; Mr. Fernandez to Fr. Gen. Oliva, Madrid 2 May 1673; From same, to Fr. Cardenas, dated Madrid 30 May 1673; From same, to Fr. Valdés, dated Madrid 30 May 1673; From same, to Fr. Cordoba, dated Madrid 30 May 1673; From same, to Fr. Alastuey, dated Madrid 30 May 1673; From same, to Fr. Villabona, dated Madrid 30 May 1673; Answer of Fr. Villabona, dated 2 June 1673; The Council to the Queen, dated Madrid 21 June 1673; The Queen to the House of Trade, dated 23 June 1673—Mr. Fernandez to the Royal Officials at Cadiz, dated Madrid 26 June 1673; The Queen to the House of Trade, dated 27 June 1673; To Fr. Cordoba, dated Madrid 7 July 1673 564
1673D Letters from the Queen to the Viceroy regarding the Mariana Island Mission; Dated Madrid 22 April 1673; Dated Madrid 29 April 1673; Dated Madrid 6 May 1673
1673E Letter from the Queen Regent to Fr. Sanvitores, dated Madrid 6 May 1673
1673F Official checklist of 33 royal dispatches regarding the Mariana Island Mission, 1670-73
1673G Fr. Ezquerra to Fr. Salgado, Guam 29 March 1673
1673H Letter from Fr. San Basilio to Fr. Provincial Valdés, dated Marianas April 1673
1673I Letter from Fr. Bouwens to Fr. van Horenbeeck, aboard the galleon San Antonio, 14 June 1673
1673J Letter from Fr. Bouwens to Fr. Schweitzer, dated Manila 8 October 1673
1673K. Jesuit annual report for 1672-73, attributed to Fr. Ezquerra; Fr. Lopez to Fr. Sanvitores, dated Tinian 22 January 1672; Fr. Lopez, dated Saipan 29 February 1672
Appendix A The Process of Toledo—Articles presented by the Jesuit Procurator for the Cause of Beatification of Fr. Sanvitores
Appendix B Bibliography of Micronesia, Vol. 5 of History of Micronesia
Publication Details
Lévesque Rodrigue. History of Micronesia : A Collection of Source Documents. Vol. 5 Focus on the Mariana Mission: 1670-1673. Gatineau Québec: Lévesque Publications; 1995.
ISBN-10: 0920201059
ISBN-13: 978-0920201053
LCC: DU500 .H58 2000
