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.

He afterwards came to read at Manila, and also voted in that chapter with the title of associate to our father Fray Miguel García. Our father Fray Vicente chose him as his associate, and immediately gave him the priorate of Agonoy. During the provincialate of our father Baraona, he was prior of Bulacán. During that of our father Fray Juan Enríquez he was definitor; and also, for a year and a half, prior of Manila. During the triennium of our father Méntrida, he was visitor and prior of Pasig. After that, in the contest for provincial he fell a trifle short of the required age, but was dispensed by the father master, Fray Diego del Aguila--who presided as provincial, or rather, as senior definitor. The definitors elected in that chapter were: Fray Francisco Bonifacio (the second time that he had held that office); the second, Fray Estéban de Peralta; [63] the third, Fray Jerónimo de Medrano; [64] and the fourth, Fray Alonso de Carvajal. [65] Those elected as visitors were father Fray Alonso del Rincón, and father Fray Alonso Ruiz. They made regulations for the province, and fortified it with good laws.

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.

Thereupon followed a period of distress in the province, not a little difficult to settle. The government fell to our father, Méntrida. The definitors were at variance. Our father Méntrida had a most severe mandate from our most reverend father [general] that acted against him, namely, that the provincial who did not visit the province of Bisayas, at least once during his term was _ipso facto_ deprived of the rights of voting and election, and the religious were ordered to obey him no longer. Our father Méntrida had not made that visit, giving as a pretext his ill-health. The religious argued from this that, according to that mandate, he could not govern. To his reply that his illness was the cause of his not obeying the order, and that if God granted him health he would go, they answered that that illness, which was asthma, was always in evidence. His adherents wished him to have the command a second time, but the others would not consent to it. Finally the governor, Don Juan Niño de Tábora, had to intervene. Thanks to him, the matter was adjusted, so that our father Méntrida resigned the government, which was assumed by father Fray Francisco Bonifacio, the most pacific creature that has been in Filipinas. He has never been known _directe_ or _indirecte_ to have any altercation with any religious. He has ever been unwilling to cause trouble to any one, and therefore has avoided giving it, and I believe he caused trouble to no one during his term. The Lord coöperated with this holy intention, giving him a triennium of great quiet. We might say of him what Solomon said of himself: _nunc autem requiem dedit Dominus Deus meus mihi per circuitum: et non est satan, neque occursus malus_. [66]

[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:]

In this triennium I became prior of the convent of Santísimo Niño de Jesús, which has in the city of Manila some six hundred pesos of annuity, which is the source of that house's growth in the sixty-eight years of the Spaniards' occupation. In the year 1628 I sent a religious to collect that money. He was a conventual in that convent, virtuous, an excellent preacher, and very zealous for that convent; he was a native of Sevilla. He was empowered sufficiently to attend to what might arise for the good of that convent. He made his trip to Manila successfully, and returned to his convent after concluding what had been entrusted to him. On August 29 of the same year, he left Manila aboard a champan, the "San Nicolás," belonging to the alcalde-mayor of Panay, for he had to make in the island some collections of rice that were given to the said convent. He took two Spaniards with him--one Jacinto de Lanzacorta, who had married there; the other Alférez Peña--both devotees of San Nicolás de Tolentino as no less was the owner of the champan, which he had commended to that saint. As they were coming in the boat one night, aided by the vendaval, and as they neared Ilagán (one of the longest crossings that voyagers have to make there), the wind strengthened so that the waves rolled sky-high. Either through the carelessness of the steersman, or because the rudder was out of order, or the sea too heavy, the rudder parted atwain, and the boat was without other help than that of heaven. For these Sangley boats are flat bottomed, and the mast is very high; accordingly, all the strength lies in the rudder by which they are directed--better than the best bitted horse is governed. The champan tossed fearfully, so that it was regarded as a good plan to cut down the mast. That was a precaution that the Sangleys do not practice, and hence the sea easily swallows them. This being done, the champan was very quiet; and, although they were in evident danger of death, they did not lose the hopes which they placed in the glorious saint, confident, by his intercession, of life and arrival at Panay. For three days they were the sport of wind and weather, awaiting what the Lord would do with them, until on Saturday afternoon the same champan entered the port of an islet two leguas from Burías. It was a miraculous thing, for when they were rowing the champan and that but slowly, they were not able to know the route, and hit upon it without any guidance, for already they had left it. It was God's mercy which was extended to that religious; for, had not the champan made port, they had fallen into the hands of the men of Joló, who were sailing about those islands of Burías and Masbate. They remained there a fortnight, without being able to repair the champan in order to make their journey until our Lord was pleased to have the same mast that they cut down in the champan drift into the port, for the islet contained no suitable trees. They repaired the champan with that mast, made a half-way rudder and a jury-mast, and set sail on the sea for Panay, from which they were not very far. But, after sighting the land of Panay, so furious a storm struck them that they were unable to contend with it, as the champan lacked strength in the rudder. They ran aground stern first on the coast of Camarines, which was very near by, and which they had been prevented from reaching by a calm, and had been awaiting a slight breeze. It was our Lord's pleasure that they should be espied by a fleet of Camucones, who were going through that region, plundering whatever they might encounter in their raids. These are a very warlike people, and so cruel that, whenever they capture a Spaniard, they will not let him escape alive under any consideration; for after they have tied him to the mast of the boat, they cut off his head and drink from the skull. They slit the religious up the back and roast them, or set them in the sun, for they say, just as we do, "So many enemies the less." Then indeed did they re-commend themselves to St. Nicholas; as they believed (and rightly) that this was a greater danger than the past one, because of the less mercy that they could find in the bowels of those utter barbarians. At length, they boarded the tender of the champan and rowed ashore. The glorious saint whom they were taking as patron hid their route from the Camucones in such wise that they were not followed, for they could have easily been overtaken in two strokes of the oar. They betook themselves inland to the mountains, where their sufferings were not abated, for they were barefoot and naked, until they reached the convents of our father St. Francis, where they found hospitable welcome, aid, care, and provision. In their journeyings they reached the shipyard, where a vessel was being built; for it was necessary to get a champan there to go to Panay, and they found one. They left the shipyard November 21, and reached Panay next day. After a few days the enemy from Joló went to the shipyard, burned it, killed many people, captured others, took away the artillery, and committed great damage, although there were sufficient men in the shipyard to defend it from a greater force. But the Spaniard can never be persuaded of any danger, until it is upon him. Juan Martín, the best and most reliable shipmaster in the Filipinas, was killed there. It was a great loss, for there was no other who could fill the position like him. But the Lord did not choose that the champan should be lost; for the Camucones did not break it up, as is their wont, but abandoned it after having plundered its articles of value--which were considerable, and which caused great loss to the province. The Sangleys, after seeing that the enemy had gone, went out to the champan, righted it, and returned it to its owner--who never lost hope of obtaining it, for he believed thoroughly in the saint. Sargento Jacinto de Lanzacorta, very thankful for this, celebrates a feast to St. Nicholas every year. Father Fray Pedro de Torres [67] says that he arrived at Sugbú in the first part of February, where he had been regarded as lost, for he was more than five months in making the trip from Manila to Sugbú. During the whole time he suffered very many hardships, from which St. Nicholas freed him. The most Holy Child returned to His house, so that He might be served therein.

In the beginning of this triennium, as the fathers of Ilocos were going to their province, two or three of them feared the horror of the journey by land, which is terrible. Accordingly, as they found a suitable boat, father Fray Diego Abalos prior of Narbacán, father Fray Juan Gallegos, [68] prior of Laguag, and father Fray Francisco del Portillo, [69] prior of Purao, taking the provision for their convents, went along the coast to Ilocos. But so furious a storm struck them, that they gave themselves up as lost. Accordingly, as servants of God, they had recourse to Him, sincerely confessing themselves and praying earnestly--as well as their terror allowed--to God to beg pardon for their sins. The Sangleys already, with loosened hair (which means their last hope gone), did not attempt to do a thing in the champan, for they thought that they could not escape from it. At last, encouraged by the fathers, after setting a scrap of sail, they yielded to the force of the stern-wind, and in less than thirty hours reached the Chinese coasts. They made more than three hundred leguas in that short time and route, which, even in fine weather, would take fifteen or twenty days, or one or two months. They landed, where no little danger awaited them, as the people tried to kill them. But at last the Lord's mercy was not found wanting in that country, for through it they went from land to land, until they reached Macán, a city held by the Portuguese in the country of China. They were succored there with great generosity, for in works of charity the Portuguese are most generous. In Manila, they were thought to have been drowned. As such, the masses and suffrages that are wont to be said in this province of the order, for the religious who die in it, were said for them in all the convents. Afterward, the Portuguese who came to Manila informed Ours of the [above] event, whereat all rejoiced greatly; for those regarded as lost were religious who were held in much esteem. Two of them soon came, namely, father Fray Diego de Abalos and father Fray Juan Gallegos The third, father Fray Francisco del Portillo, went to the island of Hermosa, which belonged then to our Spaniards, and took possession of a convent with the solemnity decreed by law. Then he came back, and all three returned to their priorates, to which others had already been appointed by our father provincial.

The enemy from Joló had often made incursions, to the great loss of the islands; for they caused many deaths, made many captives, and occasioned not few expenses, which had been incurred for his Majesty in opposing them, but all to no purpose. For either the Spaniards did not try to look for them, or did not find them, or indeed, when they met them, the enemy took to their heels; for on the one hand their boats are swifter, and on the other they come more as soldiers than our men, who seem to have inherited the carelessness and phlegm of the country. And truly, I think injustice has been done to the Joloans, and injustice should be done to no one, even one's enemy. But we shall consider how God avenged the injuries committed by Saul on the Ammonites, who did not stop until these were atoned for--which was ended by David, who delivered to them all of Saul's descendants, all of whom they hanged. And the scriptures say: _Suspenderunt eos in patibulis in conspectu solis._ [70] For a criminal punished shines like the sun in the sight of God. These Joloans were going to and returning from Manila in the character of friends, taking and carrying away necessaries to both parties. Once, when returning from Manila, they were charged with robbing and making captives. The governor sent Alférez Don Fernando de Figueroa after them. After meeting them, he brought them back, after taking away their cargo, which is reported to have amounted to more than four thousand pesos. They remained idle in Manila, until they were freely dismissed, as no crime appeared against them. Governor Don Alonso Fajardo died, and the Ioloans returned to their own country, with the intention of asking the new governor, on his arrival, for what was taken from them; since nothing was proved against them for which they merited the punishment of the confiscation of their property. They acted accordingly, and returned to the presence of Don Fernando de Silva and of his successor, Don Juan Niño de Tábora. Those barbarians endured very great delay, until, finding themselves in a desperate condition and poorly equipped, they returned, committing signal depredations on the way; and since then they have continued their incursions, to the very great injury of all the country. And although expeditions have been made against them from Sugbú and Panay, nothing of importance has been accomplished. It was resolved to build a good fleet and invade their country. This was done very secretly, but I am surprised that they did not hear of it. Its chief officer was Don Cristóbal de Lugo, who filled the position of lieutenant-governor and captain-general of those provinces. He assembled a goodly force, both soldiers and Indians, who would willingly go to avenge themselves, as they said. For the act of vengeance among the Indians is a terrible thing; and, if possible, they do not miss it.

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.

While on the way to the island of Panay, my boat was overturned by a heavy storm, and it was a miracle that I escaped with my life--which happened, through God's mercy, by the efforts of my Sugbú Indians. Finally when the storm was appeased, I reached the convent of Salog, without shoes, naked, and perishing of hunger, on the fifteenth of the said month of April. The father of that convent, called father Fray Francisco de Oliva, [71] and all the others of that island, aided both the convent, and me especially, with the greatest charity. Thus I obtained there two very large contributions of all necessary for the convent. I found father Fray Estéban de Peralta, definitor of the province, there visiting the island. I went to Manila with him, where I tried to go from Manila to España. The superior did not impose obedience in regard to it, so that I turned all my efforts to caring for my house, for which many religious aided from their stores with great charity.

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.

3. Father Fray Luis de Villerías, a creole, a debater in the university. [72]

4. Father Fray Bartolomé de Esterlik, a preacher, an Irishman. [73]

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.

16. Brother Fray Agustín de Chauru, from Castilla, chorister. [74]

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.