Note 49 — Chapter XXXVIII

I cannot refrain from telling here, although out of place, that in the year in which our father Baraona was elected, when the latter came to visit the Bisayas in the year 1617, Admiral Pedro de Heredia had come, with the governor’s permission, to the district of Aclán, his encomienda, to build a ship. And although he claimed to do it with only his encomienda, the affair went so well with him that he finished a vessel of greater burden than was reported or believed. No Indian ran away from him. On the contrary, the Indians were rich, for he paid them liberally; and Indians even came from other districts to work there, because of his fair treatment of them. Father Fray Lúcas de la Peña,49 a very devout and zealous religious, as we have written before, was prior of that convent then. He had encounters with the admiral, for rarely do these fail between the encomenderos and missionaries. These happened because the Indians were carrying and bringing, and sowing discord, as they can. The admiral was very indignant, blustered against the missionary, and said that he would oust him from that place, if it cost him his estate. When the provincial came, the admiral found a good opportunity; he went to the provincial, and told him resolutely that the father must leave there. The father provincial understood thoroughly that there was no cause for such a proceeding; but he knew that influential man’s obstinacy, and that, if carried away by his wrath or anger, he might commit some extravagant act. Accordingly, in order to remove the religious from a dangerous situation,50 the father provincial made him resign his mission. This the religious did very willingly, as it was by the order of the superior. The good religious has no other desire than to do the will of his superior, as our father Fulgencio tells us: Illos veros monarchos esse dicebat qui, mortificatis voluntatibus suis, nihil velle, nihil nolle, sed tantum-modo abbatis precepta, servare.51 Our father provincial thereupon changed the said father, thus giving a very admirable example of humility, patience, and self-mortification; for, being a prior elected by the chapter, he might well demand, without being disobedient, that charges should be made against him, and that according to the result thereof he should be punished. But he refused to do that, and left his cause to God, who is the most righteous of judges, and who knows naught by hearsay but by sight, for all things are plain to Him. Another religious was sent there, with whom the admiral had a more familiar acquaintance. The ship was finished and launched. It cost sixteen thousand pesos, for it was the reproach of [other] ships. But it cost his Majesty much more, without paying the Indians—many of whom died, for there are no mines so severe as are the shipyards. It was launched and sails bent, for the Audiencia had sent for the vessel to make a trip to España. At that time there are no winds of the sea along that coast; therefore the moorings of the vessel were all ashore. While in this condition, and with a cargo of lumber, unexpectedly so furious a wind sprang up on the sea, that the ship ran aground without being able to make any resistance. As the vessel was laden with lumber, there was no remedy. The wind was for no other purpose than the above-mentioned [destruction], since it ceased its fury with the loss of the ship. The admiral suffered this blow patiently, for he understood that the Lord had no other reason in it than to avenge the wrong done to His religious. Mihi vindicta, et ego retribuam.52 For the Lord esteems the honor of His ministers as His own, and thus charged them, saying: Nolite tangere Christos Meos, et in Prophetis meis nolite malignari.53 All the others understood this and were warned. Often since that have I heard him say to an encomendero, that even though the missionary should destroy his encomienda, he would neither enter suit against him, nor do anything to him that he should not do. For the judgment of men is deceptive, and their passion generally leads them astray and casts them headlong.