The marvels wrought by our Lord for His servants while in this life,
and the happy death of the bishop.
[It is not strange that the Lord should have honored the virtues of
the bishop by working many marvels through him. Many of these have
fallen into oblivion because he strove to keep them concealed, and
also because there has been no one to keep a record of them. Several
times his prayers have saved men in imminent danger of death; among
these was father Fray Miguel de Venavides, who fell overboard on the
voyage from Manila to Nueva España.]
When he reached España it is said that his Majesty at first was vexed
on account of his return, because his bishopric would need him during
his absence. But afterward, when he saw him, his Majesty was greatly
pleased with him, and carried out the wishes of the bishop in regard
to the principal matters which had brought him there. The income of
the church was greatly augmented, his Majesty bestowing upon him a
large gift, and greatly increasing the small income assigned for the
prebendaries. He succeeded in augmenting the number of prebends so that
the church might be better served. A single bishop was not sufficient
to attend to the confirmations and other episcopal acts in all the
islands, still less to watch over the conversion of so many provinces
as are contained in them, practically all of them being at that time
heathen. Hence the bishop succeeded in having his bishopric divided
among four prelates--an archbishop and three suffragan bishops--and
he marked out the limits of each bishopric. He succeeded in gaining
in Roma what he desired, and was himself appointed archbishop. This
promotion did not suffice to alter the ordinary mode of life of this
servant of God, and made no more change in him than if he had never
been promoted. It is even said that he did not care to be informed
or assured with regard to it; that as his soul had other purposes and
more elevated desires, he cared little for these things. He was right
in doing so, since he was soon to see how little substance there is
in them; for he was attacked by a severe infirmity which, before the
bulls for his archbishopric were despatched from Roma, despatched him
to heaven, ending his labors and commencing his eternal rest. He had
no need to make a will, for he distributed all that he could get among
the poor. In the hour of his death, he had no more than six reals;
and though he had a poor sister, he never gave her a real, because of
his helping those who were in greater need. This came to the knowledge
of his Majesty, and it pleased him so much that he displayed his royal
generosity toward her, as indeed our Lord does command, who takes upon
His own shoulders the obligations which His disciples fail to fulfil
because of their love for Him. [These facts attracted great attention
in the court, and the small estate of the bishop of the Indias became
famous. He was buried in his convent of San Thomas at Madrid. The day
before, the archbishop of Toledo had died, Don Gaspar de Quiroga; he
was cardinal, and the richest prelate in Christendom. As he was to be
buried on that same day, the counselors of the king did not know which
funeral to attend; and his Majesty directed that they should go to
that of the poorest. His epitaph states that he died December 4, 1594.]