Note 73 — Chapter XIX

The religious discussed the matter, and seeing the great abundance of the harvest, and that they were unable to attend to everything, they thought that it was not right to enjoy this field alone, but that the other orders should come to aid them. For they recognized that there was work for all, and that, if the door of China and Japón was opened, those from España would seem but few to them. Besides, there was enough in the islands wherewith to occupy themselves. Therefore, they wrote to the father-provincial of Nueva España—at that time Maestro Veracruz, a man of the letters and holy life that is known—asking him to take the matter up with the viceroy.73 He favored this plan, chiefly because in it was evidenced the great liberality of Ours, in not keeping the bread, which the Lord had given them, but dividing it with love with their other companions; and this fraternal [228] spirit of the orders is a good thing. This example was given us by the holy apostles, who, after casting that net in which they caught so many fish that they could not pull it in because of so great weight, immediately annuerunt sociis. They called and signaled to their companions to come to their aid, in order that they might enjoy their good fortune and drag the net to shore and obtain the fish. The viceroy of Nueva España discussed the matter, in the interests of all the orders—for the viceroy was father of them. He wrote to his Majesty, so that the discalced fathers of the order of our father St. Francis, with whom our religious shared the cape, went to the islands in the year 1577. And Ours even gave them of the best, which they themselves had pacified, namely, Camarines, Laguna de Bay, and many convents about Manila. There they began to preach, to establish contents, and to administer, with the greatest fervor. They have increased so much that now they have many convents, that contain excellent linguists, and grand servants of the Lord, and have notable martyrs—of which, God willing, we shall see somewhat later.