Volume 24 — Chapter XL

Of the election of our father Becerra

We have already related that our father, Fray Hernando Becerra, from the time that he set foot in Filipinas, was always climbing the rungs and going from good to better. He came to the islands in the company brought by our father visitor, Fray Diego de Guevara; and as soon as he was ordained, that same year of 1610, he was sent to Ilocos to be minister in that province. Beyond any doubt at the time of his arrival, he made so good an impression on those in authority, and they regarded him as so worthy of eminence, that almost immediately he was given the chief priorate of that province, called Bantay. He came to vote, therefore, at the following chapter, and remained in the province of Tagalos, with the title of reader of theology. Soon after that the bishop of Camarines, then visitor, selected him as his associate in the general visitation.

Our father Fray Hernando Becerra doubtless forced himself to take upon his shoulders the weight of the province on account of his love for it, and in order that it might not go into a decline—although he would have preferred to rest and to take care of his health; for he had been ailing for two years, so that he appeared to be rather the statue of death than a man. The fact that he was still young kept him alive, for that is a very important point. Although all told him that his illness was serious, and that it unfitted him for the burden of government, still he had the greatest courage that one can imagine, and accordingly was elected prior provincial, on May 2, 1626.

However, he felt better immediately after assuming his new duties, but this improvement did not last long; for he was like the candle, which does not fail to flare up when about to be extinguished. He received very good treatment, and all were diligently striving to secure his health, for it was recognized that he was the one of whom the province had need. It was feared that he would be harsh, and that he would exercise severity; for he showed that disposition, and all trembled before him—all that harshness being occasioned, perhaps, by his severe illness. But in the end those fears lasted but a little while, for on the day of our father St. Ignatius, the last of July, God took him to himself by a most comfortable death, which left all the religious envious and full of tears, so that there was no one who did not shed them at that spectacle. Two years before he had prepared himself [for death]; and, although he was always a most observant religious, he renewed that care upon seeing the pass to which he had come. The deposit which he held by permission in our order he proceeded to give to the church, dispossessing himself of everything which could prevent him from dying as a very poor religious. And when death was about to seize him he left the government to our father Méntrida, and went to discuss everything with God, and to arrange his affairs with His [Divine] Majesty-which, as he was a person of great ability and [spiritual] wealth was less necessary to him than to others. Knowing the state in which the province was, he most earnestly begged the religious to give him their word to call a chapter; for he was of the opinion that that was necessary for the peace and advancement of the province. He insisted on the same thing with our father Méntrida, who was the one on whom the government devolved by right. Thereupon, he very calmly gave up his soul to his Creator, leaving behind sure token that he was going straight to His presence.

[Here follows the relation of the awful calamities that befell certain persons, both Spaniards and natives, in consequence of their neglect and scorn of the Holy Child. The narration is continued:]

While awaiting the time to go in Sugbú, where the forces were gathered—who, as they were many, occupied all the houses, even the smallest ones—some soldiers were cleaning their weapons in one near the residence of the Recollect fathers. One fired his arquebus, which, unknown to him, was loaded. It caught in the thatch which formed the roof of that little house; and, as the sun was hot, and the wind the greater brisa, the house quickly caught fire. The father prior, Fray Pedro de San Nicolás, was very much annoyed; and he came out, and with reason rebuked the soldiers, who lost all their effects. The father returned to his house, where he learned that more had happened than he thought; for, as he was going up stairs, he saw that the greater part of his house was burned. By dint of ringing the bells, a number of people came in, but they could not prevent the burning of the house. This happened March 9, 1628, at one o’clock in the afternoon. It was a great pity, and cause for compassion; for the convent, by the efforts of father Fray Pedro de San Nicolás, was very well finished. He had been most diligent in both the building and the furnishing and adornment of it; and his province lost more than five thousand pesos by the fire.

Everything was well advanced for the expedition. Accordingly, all the forces embarked, being accompanied by a father of the Society, an Italian named Fabricio de Sorsale. The commander was a devotee of the most Holy Child, although he did not take Him as patron this time, a thing he was wont to do. Yet he would not go without bidding Him farewell, which he did with great devotion, a ceremony which did not lack many candles. The Child showed Himself so pleased, that I was obliged to tell the commander that he should take comfort, and that I promised him in the Child’s name a very fortunate expedition, as happened—and it would have been better, had they known how to use their victory. The fleet left Sugbú on the fourth of the same month, with more than one hundred Spaniards and three hundred Indians. There were two captains of infantry, subordinate to the commander—one Francisco Benítez, the other Juan del Rio. Other volunteers accompanied them. They reached Joló, found it unprepared, and burned the town, the king’s houses, the ships, and whatever they found. Had they followed the people, they would have found them in confusion and hiding in the grass; for on account of the long peace, the Joloans had not provisioned their stronghold, which was impregnable. The soldiers contented themselves with this, and let slip the best opportunity that could have been desired.

Upon the day that this occurred, some Spaniards happened to be in our church with father Fray Pedro de Torres, and they saw that the Child was laughing. This was the church that had been built by the said father Fray Pedro de Torres—a fatal one, I call it. For four days after the fleet had left, on the eighth of the same month, while I was in the refectory dining with the Recollect fathers, whom I had brought to our convent, another Recollect came from Manila, who was coming to be ordained. While recounting to him the misfortune that had occurred, the prior said: “Tell me, brother, if you saw this convent ablaze, would you not feel compassion?” We went up stairs, and at one o’clock the fire began in the middle of the city, to the windward. It originated from some tobacco; cursed be it, and the harm that that infernal plant has brought, which must have come from hell. The wind was brisk, and blowing toward the convent. In short, everything was burned, though we saved the silver and whatever was possible. The Holy Child willed to allow His house and most of the city to be burned, although no two houses had ever before been burned in that city at the same time. This happened on Saturday, the eve of Passion Sunday. I gathered together all that escaped from the convent of San Nicolás, and set about going to Manila, to repair that loss as far as possible.

At this juncture the ships came from España. They brought the governor’s wife, Doña Magdalena de Oñate. They had been four whole months in making the port of Cavite and had suffered very severe weather. Those two ships were very staunch ones, and had better accommodations for cargo than any that have been seen in the islands. They were called the “San Luis” and the “San Raimundo.” As commander of the flagship came Don Juan de Quiñones, in whose ship sailed the governor’s wife. It also bore the religious of our father St. Dominic; while in the almiranta sailed Don Diego Muñoz, Bishop Don Fray Hernando Guerrero, the latter of whom was at the point of death, so that his escape was a marvel. We saw above how our father Méntrida sent him to España as procurator. He made a prosperous trip [to España], and when he reached España found himself a bishop, a negotiation effected by heaven rather than his own efforts. For one always recognized very great grace (I mean humility) in his Lordship, like the grand religious that he always was. But his many hardships, journeys, and services in the islands made him worthy of this and of other greater honors. He went and returned in three years, bringing an unusually fine company [of religious]. But the plague decimated them, taking the best of the men, as follows:

1. Father Fray Francisco Osorio, reader of theology in España, and an eloquent preacher; and, above all, of most noble temper and blood.

2. Father Fray Juan Bermans, a preacher from Flanders. He died chaste; and was a brother of Father Bermans of the Society, who is to be canonized, and who serves as a model.

3. Father Fray Diego Bonifáz, a very virtuous religious.

4. Father Fray Bartolomé de Eraso, a preacher and quite indispensable.

5. Brother Fray Francisco González, chorister.

6. Brother Fray Francisco Diego, chorister.

7. Brother Fray Antonio de Salazar, chorister.

Those who entered [port] alive were:

1. Father Fray Francisco de Azuara, from Valencia, lecturer in theology.

2. Father Fray Pedro de Quesada, lecturer in arts, from Castilla.

5. Father Fray Dionisio Suarez, chorister.

6. Father Fray Juan de Prado, from Castilla, a preacher.

7. Father Fray Justo Úbeda, from Castilla, a priest.

8. Father Fray Alonso Ramos, from Castilla, a priest.

9. Father Fray Francisco de Abendaño, from Castilla, a priest.

10. Brother Fray Alonso Quijano, from Castilla, chorister.

11. Brother Fray Diego Tamayo, from Andalucía, chorister.

12. Father Fray Gonzalo de la Palma, from Castilla, chorister.

13. Brother Fray Juan Lozano, from Castilla, chorister.

14. Brother Fray Miguel Dicastís.

15. Father Fray Gaspar de Castilla, a preacher.

They were welcomed gladly, although with grief for the great loss that they had sustained. Those religious suffered greatly; for the storms compelled them to disembark between Bacón and Verde Island, which must have cost them dear. Afterward they suffered not a little on land until they reached Manila, where they were well received and feasted. The priests began to labor, and the brothers, after ordination, did the same, since they had come for that purpose.

I, who had obtained by entreaty what I could to buy two ornaments and all that was necessary, returned to my field of labor; so that I left the convent with a house, church, sacristy, and ornaments, better than before; and all that was necessary for the house, more abundantly and fully than before. I also increased its annual income by more than three hundred pesos.