Memoirs of a Student in Manila

Chapter 3: From January 1871 to June 1872

NOTE: In his letter to Blumentritt, written at Geneva, June 10, 1887, Rizal said that he stayed in Biñan for “a year and a half.”  (The Rizal-Blumentritt Correspondence, Part 1, p 100.  Rizal began his studies in Biñan in June 1870 and returned to Calamba in December 1871 -- really one year and a half.

I don’t know how to describe to you my past days.  I would not have been able to furnish you with anything notable had not something occurred that was truly unpleasant and sad that I could not forget it.  Have you ever felt your honor outraged, your name tarnished, by persons who owed you many favors?  My pen refuses and would have refused forever to put on paper some remembrances that I should like to forget if my purpose were not to make a succinct narration of my joys and misfortunes.

I will tell you that a few days after my arrival at my town, it was decided to make me stay there and send me to Manila later.  The day came when I had desired to study under a teacher of the town.  Of course, I learned nothing more than the multiplication table.  During this time an uncle of mine (Mr. José Alberto) arrived from Europe.  During his absence his wife failed lamentably in her duties as mother and wife.  He found his house empty and his children abandoned two or three days before by the culprit.  Frantic the poor man set out to look for the whereabouts of his wife until at last he found her.  He thought of divorcing her but at my mother’s pleading, he agreed to live with her again.  He passed through Calamba on his way to Biñan, where he resided.  A few days later the infamous woman, in connivance with a lieutenant of the civil guard, who was a friend of our family, accused her husband of being a poisoner and my mother as his accomplice for which my mother was imprisoned by Mr. Antonio Vivencio del Rosario, a fanatical mayor, (13) a servant of the friar.  I don’t want to tell you our resentment and profound sorrow.  Since then, though still a child, I have distrusted friendship and doubted men.  We were nine brothers [brother and sisters - Zaide] and our mother was unjustly snatched away from us and by whom?  By some men who had been our friends and whom we had treated as sacred guests.  We learned later that our mother got sick, far from us and at an advanced age.  Oh, God.  I admire and respect your most sacred will!  The mayor, at the beginning, deluded by the accusations, and cautioned against everything that is noble, treated my mother rudely, not to say brutally, and later made her confess what they wanted her to confess, promising to release her and to let her see her children if she would say what they wanted her to say.  What mother could resist, what mother would not sacrifice her life for her children?  My mother, like all mothers, deceived and frightened (because they told her that if she did not say what they wanted her to say, they would declare her guilty) submitted to the will of her enemies and weakened.  The question became complicated until, oh, Providence!  The mayor himself asked my mother for pardon, but when?  When the case was already in the Supreme Court, (14) he asked for forgiveness because he suffered remorse and he was horrified by his vileness.  Messrs. Francisco de Marcaida and Manuel Marzan, the most famous lawyers of Manila, defended my mother.  She finally succeeded to be acquitted and vindicated in the eyes of her judges, accusers, and even her enemies, but after how long?  After two and a half years. 

In the meantime they discussed my career and they decided that I should go to Manila with my brother Panciano to take the entrance examinations and study the secondary course at the Ateneo Municipal. (15) I therefore went down to Manila on June 10, 1872 and took an examination on the Christian Doctrine, arithmetic, and reading at the College of San Juan de Letran.  They gave me a grade of “Approved” and with this I returned to my hometown happy, having for the first time experienced what examinations were.

A few days later the town feast was celebrated, after which I went down to Manila, but with sad feelings that I would again become unhappy.

22 Salcedo Street

1 November 1872

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(01)     In Spanish, alcalde who exercised the combined functions of town executive and judge.

(02)     This was called the Real Audiencia de Manila.

(03) This was the famous school conducted by the Jesuit Fathers, renowned for their educational work.