Volume 24 — Chapter XXXVI

Of the election of our father, Fray Jerónimo de Salas; and of other events in this province at that time.

But little life was left for our father provincial, for a very slight accident occasioned his death, so that, without any medicine sufficing, he went away and left us on the seventeenth of May, leaving us disconsolate and very desirous of him.

Our rules, in such an event, summon the preceding provincial, who immediately took the seal. Persons were not lacking to advise him to leave the government of the province, saying that the province was not well affected toward him. And even persons outside of the order who were viewing things with some interest, said the same to him. But we are not to understand that any ambition guided him, but that since he had had experience in the government, which is not the least thing, he thought that he could govern better than another. He commenced to burden the province with mandates, for in his term there was too much of that. Thereupon, the fathers began to regard him less favorably than before, and to represent to themselves the evil of his having the command. There were meetings and discussions in which the coming evil was clearly presaged and announced. One old religious, who was such in all things, in order to avoid cavilings and inquisitions went to confess to him; and told him that he knew most positively that they wished to kill him, and that he should relinquish his office. He assented to nothing, carried away, doubtless, by his good zeal. A brother served him in his cell, a creole whom he wished well and whom he treated with affection. The latter, in return for the benefits which he received, gave him pounded glass in his chocolate, for he had been told that that was the most virulent poison which could be administered. But the provincial’s natural force resisted everything, for he was robust, though small of body.

During this time, which was June of the same year, 1617, as the ships which had been despatched the year before had put back in distress, the viceroy of Nueva España, in order not to leave the islands without succor, bought a small Peruvian ship called “San Jerónimo,” little but very staunch. Although they had but little comfort, the bishop, Don Fray Miguel García, embarked with his fine company of religious; and he brought them in safety to the port of Cavite, although they were almost wrecked among the islands, because the vendavals had set in early and with violent force. At last freed from this and other dangers by the mercy of God, and as they were laborers chosen by God for this His vineyard, He did not wish them to lack work in it; and so He placed them at the doors of the convent of Manila, poor from the lack of comfort in the voyage, but rich with their hopes and virtues. Their names were:

Father Fray Hernando Guerrero, who came as prior of them all.

Father Fray Antonio de Ocampo, a very eloquent preacher, and a Castilian.

Father Fray Juan de Trejo, a very eloquent preacher, and from Estremadura.

Father Fray Juan Ramírez, a preacher, from Burgos.

Father Fray Pedro Ramírez, a preacher, from Burgos.

Father Fray Diego de Robles, a Castilian.

Father Fray Diego de Avalos, from Toledo.

Father Fray Agustín Carreño, from Asturia, a Tagál.

Father Fray Francisco de Madrid, a preacher, and a Castilian.

Father Fray Lúcas de Aguilar, a Castilian.

Father Fray Juan de las Cuevas, from Madrid.

Father Fray Andrés de Prada, from Burgos.

Father Fray Antonio de Ulloa, a preacher, and a Castilian.

Father Fray Alonso Delgado, from Estremadura.

Father Fray Alonso Rodríguez, a fine organist, and a Castilian.

Father Fray Juan de Orasco, a Castilian.

Father Fray Martín de Arastí, a Biscayan.

Father Fray Félix de Villafuerte.

Father Fray Antonio Quintano, a preacher, from Burgos.

Father Fray Juan Gallegos, a preacher, from Mancha.

Father Fray Jacinto de Herrera; this was the second time that he has sailed for this land. He is a preacher and a Castilian.

Father Fray Pedro Mejía, a preacher, from Mancha.

Father Fray Jerónimo de Paredes, a preacher, and a Castilian.

Father Fray Martín Vázquez, a Castilian.

Father Fray Tomás de Villanueva, from Mancha.

Father Fray Alonso de Carabasal, reader, and who came the following year. He remained behind because of his poor health.

Father Fray Antonio de Mójica, a Castilian.

Father Fray Cristóbal Enríquez, a preacher, from Estremadura.

Father Fray Juan de Espinosa, a Castilian.

All those fathers who came here were from the province of Castilla. Their arrival was of great consequence, and with them the death of the father provincial, Fray Jerónimo de Salas, was, in some measure, corrected; for, in return for a person whom the Lord took from the province by that action, He gave it many workers in whom there were very great hopes.

In the interval from the death of our father provincial, Fray Jerónimo de Salas, which occurred on May 17, until our father rector-provincial Sepúlveda was killed, a singular case happened in our convent, which was apparently a presage of the said fatality. It happened that in the fine infirmary of the said convent, which looks toward the sea, a white cat was found which was rearing three rats at its breasts, feeding them as if they were its own kind of offspring, and giving a complete truce to the natural antipathy of such animals. But after it had reared and fattened them well, it ate them, ceasing the unwonted truces in its natural opposition. Almost all the people of the community of Manila and its environs came to see such a thing, for scarcely would they credit the truth of it, and all affirmed that it must be the presage of some great fatality.

By the death of the said our father Sepúlveda (which was very keenly felt by our province, and which grieved the hearts of all the members individually), although the father definitors ought to have taken up the government, yet they made a renunciation of the right which pertained to every one of them. Accordingly, announcements were sent through the provinces to the effect that the provincial chapter should be held on the last day of October, the thirty-first, of the year 17.

Our enemy the Dutch also came with seventy [sic] vessels to Playa Honda in Zambales, seeing that they were unable to attain their designs—namely, to capture the port of Cavite, and change the minds of the natives, turn them from the service and homage of our Catholic monarch, and render them allies to themselves. But on Saturday, April 7, 1617, our fleet left Cavite under command of Master-of-camp Don Juan Ronquillo, who had the happiness and good luck to sink several of their vessels, burn another, and put the rest to flight amid the islands. Our fleet remained intact, except for two vessels which were roughly handled. May 8, 1618, the fleet returning to the port of Cavite, was received with great pomp and joy because of their happy victory, which they had obtained by the Divine favor. Salutes were fired in honor of Nuestra Señora de Guía [i.e., “our Lady of Guidance”], and Don Juan Ronquillo was acclaimed as the father of this land and its savior from the Dutch enemy, who were trying to conquer this archipelago.

Our religious who were assigned to the Bisayan provinces went to their respective destinations, and arrived safely, thanks to the Lord, notwithstanding the dangerous seas among the islands in the season of báguios and hurricanes. But they were courageous, and confided in the obedience that conquers all things.

The little boat which the father vicar-provincial, Fray Juan de Lecea, captured from the Camucon enemy was useful to him. He embarked in it alone, and coasted along that island as far as Baco, a distance of more than twenty leguas. Thence he crossed to Manila, after having bargained with a champan of Baco to go for father Fray Francisco Bonifacio. But this diligence was not sufficient for him to arrive in time for the election, because of the weather. The Indians suffered more, for they returned to their villages singly, and some of them even were lost, as they did not know the way. The father prior of Aclán sought shelter in a port of the island of Hambil during the storm; and although he did his utmost to arrive in time, he was unable. But he arrived just after the chapter was concluded, and served for nothing else than to give it obedience and to return with the others. However, father Fray Francisco Bonifacio remained as prior of Tondo; although he had wished to go to Bisayas, the sea so frightened him that he was very fortunate to remain.