Chapter XXXIV: Of the election of our father Fray Miguel García

Since the province, as we have seen, was so extensive, and all the houses had a vote, except that there were some few convents which were vicariates, the men who collected for the chapter were numerous; and if I do not deceive myself, they were difficult to count--that is, they were more than sixty. And among so many men (although it is true that it was always thought that the province was to be for our father Fray Miguel García), there are different tempers, and factions, and they say those things which afterward it were well that they had not said. They found the president inclined not to make our father Fray Miguel García provincial--not because there were demerits in his person, but because he had already governed, and he considered that enough. Such discussions, although they were in good point, did not have any effect; for the waters flowed in their usual channels, and this talk served only to disquiet some. In short, our father Fray Miguel García was declared elected on the twenty-third of April, of the year 1611, all votes concurring in his election with great good-will; for they saw that he was the one of whom the province had need for those times. Thereupon, our father Fray Miguel García performed an action most worthy of his devout heart, namely, to kneel down before our president, and with tears to resign his office, confessing himself as unworthy and insufficient for it, while he did not have the grace or rather the age for it. This he did with so many tears that his devotion made many others weep. The bishop-elect of Sugbú, who was present, caused our father visitor to dispense him in whatever obstruction he had by reason of his age, and to confirm him in the election. The bishop coöperated, and considered it good that the province had elected him; and the province itself insisted on it by universal acclaim. Consequently, our father visitor confirmed our father provincial Fray Miguel García, first dispensing him for the impediment of the lack of age, which was but little. That lack was more than supplied by his excess of prudence.

The definitors elected at this chapter were the reverend fathers: first, Fray Francisco Bonifacio; second, Fray Juan de Tapia; third, Fray Vicente de Sepúlveda; and fourth, Fray Estacio Ortíz. The absolute provincial, father Fray Diego Gutiérrez, received a vote. The visitors who were elected in this definitorio were father Fray Bernabé de Villalobos and father Fray Antonio de Porras [22], the latter being _adito_. [23] All the above in assembly made excellent regulations, and established for that time very good acts and laws; and they charged our father provincial with the execution of them, since on that depended the universal good of all the province.

It was proposed in this chapter, and, in fact, it was so ordered, for reasons that were very apparent there, that the chapters in the future should be held every four years, and the intermediary chapters every two years. The main consideration that influenced them was the great deficiency that the fathers create in their convents during the time when they come to the election, and they deemed it advisable to obviate this injury as much as possible, since it could not be entirely remedied--concluding that the expenses, if they could not be avoided, at least would be delayed as late as possible. This was agreed upon at that time, but later it was considered unadvisable, and consequently the enactment in this matter was repealed.

After the election, and the departure of the vessels to Castilla, our father visitor undertook to go to visit the province of Bisayas, which he did very slowly. He took as his associate our father Fray Hernando Becerra, [24] then a recent arrival. He visited the island of Panay very leisurely. When about to go to the convent of Sugbú, he took as associate our father Fray Alonso de Méntrida, [25] then without office, as he had refused any. He established an excellent system in that convent, of which he had great care. He caused its annuities to be raised, for it was very poor and overburdened. Father Fray Hernando Becerra went to Manila to read theology. Although he did this only for a short time, yet he became very renowned throughout the islands, and in consequence was cordially received by the other orders. Thence the father visitor came to Manila to assist in the superior government of the province, although the government of our father, Fray Miguel García, was such that, when he was there, no one else was needed.

In the year 1613, the ships with the reënforcements arrived in good shape from Nueva España. In them came that company of religious above mentioned as being sent by Bishop Solier. Father Fray Juan de Montemayor, their leader, who brought them from Nueva España, did it as well as he could; but there most of the religious, finding themselves tired out by the severe voyage, and the breadth of the land and its mildness and beauty inviting them, and that first courage having been lost with which they had left their native land and country, separated in a thousand directions, so that very few of that flock were left. These embarked and set sail in the port of Acapulco, March 25, 1613, without enough provisions; and even in what provision they had so little judgment was shown that they arrived as if by a miracle. Such was their need that when they arrived at the Embocadero, which is about eighty leguas from Manila, they had to disembark, and go from island to island, selling what few clothes they had left. There the fathers of the Society, who have charge of those missions, performed toward them a thousand acts of charity, by means of which they sustained life until, thus broken and with innumerable necessities, they reached Sugbú. Of a truth, they were ill advised; for, since they were already in the islands, they would have been delayed much less in the ships, which were retarded because of the route that they took, which was full of dangers and not a little troublesome. But the government does not learn. It is a gift given by God to those who please Him. Two fathers who remained in the ships arrived promptly and many months before their associates.

The religious in that company were as follows:

1. The father master, Fray Pedro García, own brother of our father Fray Miguel García. He did not come as master, but his brother negotiated that for him upon going to España.

2. Father Fray Juan de Montemayor, one of the greatest preachers who have been in the islands.

3. Fray Jerónimo Medrano.

4. Fray Nicolás de Herrera, a preacher, and a prominent religious.

5. Fray Cristóbal de Miranda. He was the one who, together with the master, Fray Pedro García, refused to disembark. That religious has been very useful.

6. Father Fray Hernando de Aguilar, a very honored religious.

7. Father Fray Bartolomé de Salcedo.

8. Father Fray Jerónimo de Oro.

9. Father Fray Antonio de los Santos.

10. Father Fray Juan Cabello.

11. Father Fray Juan de Pareja Mejía, very skilled in the Ilocan tongue. I mean that the following year, when the father master went, he again sent his associate, Fray Lúcas de Atienza, with some religious whom he found from the other companies whom I have already named, some of them being in my company.

Others were Fray Juan de Mena and Fray Lúcas de Rivera. [26]

With this the government of our father Fray Miguel García was, we might say, fortunate; for he found himself with two companies, all of whom, with the half company, numbered more than forty religious. With that number he was able to supply the missions which now were suffering for the need of workers. He was able to add new strength to the house at Manila, so that the choir could be assured--which is, as one might say, the fort of the province, where prayer is offered to God day and night for the needs of the province. There they gather those who find that they have but little strength in the ministry, where with some more rest they can attend to the profit of their own souls. Our father Fray Miguel García, considering that our father Fray Diego de Guevara had visited the provinces so slowly, did not choose to cause more trouble to the convents, or to spend more on his visits. Consequently, he was not excessive in this matter, but very mild.

In the intermediary chapter held in Manila within two years, as had been determined in the full chapter, it appeared that the province complained about the [term of the] chapter being lengthened one year. They advanced not a few reasons in support of this complaint, and so many that it was ordered that that measure be revoked, and the chapter meeting be assigned for the next year of 1614. It was to be held in the house of Guadalupe, a place very suitable, in their opinion, for the chapter meetings, as it was not very far from Manila, so that they could supply their needs; and it allowed them to escape annoyances and importunities of the laymen.

This [intermediary] chapter considered that many religious were dying, and that, since the father priors always came to vote, some house must necessarily remain empty, and be entrusted to the fiscals of the villages. This appeared full of inconveniences, both temporally and spiritually, which it is not right to express, since they are so apparent. And even were there nothing else than the great danger of many persons dying without holy baptism, and others without confession, that was sufficient. But there were many other reasons, which, although not so serious, aided not a little. The expenses that would be saved were many; and this reason, that the priorates would have such persons, for the best ones would always be chosen for them. This was opposed very strongly, and the opposition alleged what, in their opinion, were not a few reasons. They asserted that this was a kind of tyranny, and that their opponents were trying to reduce the province to fewer votes in order to perpetuate themselves in the government; and that it was less easy to make sixty votes agree than twenty. The province had commenced thus and should continue thus, and it was a manifest grievance to deprive those elected by the intermediary (or rather, the full) chapter of their votes. They said that that matter was very serious, and should be carried over to the _ipso pleno_ [_i.e._, the full chapter], in which, after being considered by so many, it could be determined. The whole question was put to vote by our father provincial, Fray Miguel García, who held the affirmative side. With his Paternity were our father Fray Diego de Guevara (who presided as visitor-general), the father definitor, Fray Vicente de Sepúlveda, and the father definitor Fray Francisco Bonifacio. On the other or negative side were father Fray Estacio Ortíz, the father definitor Fray Juan de Tapia, the father visitor Fray Juan Enríquez, [27] and the father visitor Fray Juan Villalobos. [28]

They were equally opposed. One _adito_, father Fray Antonio de Porras, was not there. Each side put forth its efforts, working for our Lord's service, at which all aimed, doubtless, but by different paths. The father commissary took sides with the party of our father master, Fray Diego de Guevara, as he thought that the better and more justifiable. And thus this chapter disposed of all that it had proposed. Five houses in Bisayas were left with votes, namely, Santísimo Nombre do Jesús, Panay, Barbarán, Passi, and Octóng. Another five votes were left in Ilocos, namely, Bantay, Ilagua, Batac, Nalbacán, and Bauang. Thus twelve votes were taken away from the province of Bisayas, which has sixteen large convents, leaving the vicars, immediate to the chapter, with the authority and power in temporal and spiritual matters, as if they were priors. Only their vote in the chapter was taken away. Of the thirteen convents in the province of Ilocos, eight were deprived of vote. In the province of Tagalos, votes were assigned to the house of Manila, that of Guadalupe, the father sub-prior, the father preacher-general, the convent of Taal, that of San Pablo de los Montes, the convent of Bay, that of Pasíg, those of Parañaque, Tondo, Bulacán, Malolos, Agonoy, and Calumpit--in all, fourteen votes. Many houses--about ten--were deprived of votes; and of these sometimes they make priorates (or rather, vicariates) and sometimes visitas. Six votes were given to Pampanga, namely, Bacolor, México, Guagua, Macabebe, Lubao, and Candaba. Six other convents were left as vicariates. Thus the houses having vote numbered twenty-eight. The subprior and procurator-general, four definitors, two visitors, the discreto of Manila, the provincia and his associate bring the number up by ten [_sic_], and make thirty-nine; and the absolute provincial bring it up to forty.

It was declared that when, through the privations of the time, any convent should decrease notably, the definitorio could transfer its vote in that chapter to another convent, as might then seem advisable, as was seen in the convent of Aclán. When this convent passed from the order its vote was transferred to the convent of Barbarán.

Some acts were passed afterward, which, translated into Latin and printed, are observed in the province. I do not place them here, as I think that they do not further our purpose in any way. Their annulment was asked for, for experience has shown that they have been productive of little good, and that the province had not need of so great rigor as they contain.