The intermediate chapter; an extraordinary event which took place in
it, and the coming of religious to the province.
In the year of our Lord 1602, the voting fathers assembled in their
intermediate provincial chapter, at which was accepted the house of
San Juan del Monte, which is situated a legua from the city of Manila
in a solitary place, a healthful and pleasant situation. There were
two motives and ends with which this house was built. The first was
the consideration that some aged fathers, after their many labors
and years passed in the ministry, desired, having performed the
duties of Martha, to give themselves up wholly to those of Mary by
leading the life of contemplation. For this purpose the locality is
very well suited, for there is nothing in it to disturb the calm of
prayer and contemplation. But it did not serve much for this end,
because it was soon found by experience that these servants of God,
the aged ministers, were of much more usefulness in the ministries,
since their example and authority were very efficacious for the
spiritual increase of faith and devotion in the Indians. Teaching
and doctrine were received much better from such venerable ministers,
who were well known, loved, and regarded. It was also found that the
example of these venerable fathers was of great use to those who
had newly entered upon the ministry, since they could not fail to
venerate and follow the acts and the teaching which they beheld in
these ancient and venerable ministers. Even though there are some
who on account of their great age and infirmity can not continue
in the service, they are of more use in the convent of the city,
where their infirmities may be better cared for, and where their
good example and venerable age are more valuable. The second motive
and object is one which is obviously of great advantage. It is found
that in the city convalescence takes place slowly, or not at all;
therefore those who are being treated for any sickness leave the city
for their convalescence, by the advice of the physicians. If the order
did not have this convent outside of the city, in a situation which
is healthful and where the air is good--which is what convalescents
most require--the religious would be obliged to ask for permission to
go for their convalescence to the farms or fruit-gardens of laymen,
which are never so appropriate as the convent. Now that they have this
convent, no permission is granted to go for convalescence to any other
place, which is to the great advantage of the province. Also when a
religious is worn out and afflicted by the heats of the city, which
are very great, he is permitted to go and obtain some refreshment and
ease at San Juan del Monte, and soon returns to his labors in the city
with new energy; and this, too, is of great value. While the fathers
were assembled at this chapter an event occurred which caused special
awe in the hearts of the religious, and created greater respect for
the sacred constitutions which we promise to observe. Even when the
obligation does not involve a matter of sin, even venial sin, still
the Lord desires us to keep them with the greatest accuracy--not
only in matters of importance, but even in the less significant
ones. It was a very extraordinary incident, and one which seems
to have happened like the blindness of the man who was born blind,
as the gospel tells us, "not because of his own sins nor those of
his fathers, but for the glory of God." Although there was a fault,
it was such a fault as the Lord is accustomed to pass over (and even
greater ones) in us. Therefore it was, as I said, that it seemed to
be for the greater glory of God and of St. Cecilia, who, as we shall
see, had a share in the remedy. There was a religious who came from
the province of Andalucia, in which he had lived in a very devout
convent. It happened one evening that this religious ate between meals
a few capers without the permission and blessing of the superior. This
is something which in the eyes of men did not appear a special fault;
but it was so in the sight of God, who punished this excess. From that
evening the religious suffered from a pain, which seemed to him to be
in his heart. Although from evening to evening it sometimes was very
severe, still it was not of such a nature that on account of it they
hesitated to ordain him, or, after he was ordained, prohibited him
from the use of the orders which he had received. He came into these
regions, and went as minister to the Indians in Pangasinan. In the
course of time his sufferings increased, and afflicted him to such an
extent that he was prohibited from saying mass, as it was feared that
the malady would attack him during the celebration. During this time
when he did not celebrate mass, his malady continually increased and
afflicted him more than before, so that the religious suffered great
torture; and they gave him great care, and as much comfort as was
consistent with our poverty. In spite of this he grew worse and worse,
and suffered greater afflictions and torments. It attacked him one day,
and they gave him some relics. Thereupon he began to be so furious that
he lifted up and carried along the religious who came to hold him. It
seemed to them that it was some evil spirit which received the holy
thing so ill. The prior at that time, who was father Fray Francisco
de Morales, afterward a holy martyr in Japon, asked permission of the
father provincial to exorcise him. While he was saying the litany,
the grimaces and gestures made by the afflicted man were many; but
when the prior reached the glorious name of the martyr St. Cecilia,
his fury became so great that with the torment of it he fell to the
ground, deprived of strength as if in a faint. Now it happened that
this religious was very devoted to this most illustrious saint, and
had composed a special office which he used to recite out of devotion
to her. He had even abandoned his own proper surname, and was called
and called himself "de Sancta Cecilia." Although he did not perceive it
himself, this was of great aid to him against the devil who tormented
him; therefore it was that the evil spirit resented it so much when
the religious invoked her. When the religious saw this, they called
upon her many times, and all those present made a vow to fast for a
day on bread and water, from reverence for this saint. The provincial
vowed to celebrate a feast in her honor, and the church and an altar
were prepared for saying a mass to her with great solemnity. All the
religious were with the afflicted friar in the choir, singing the
mass to the saint. At the first Kyrie, he began to be changed; and,
when the priest said the first prayer, the noise which he made in
the choir was so great that he disturbed the ministers who were at
the altar. While they were singing in the creed the words Ex Maria
Virgine, et homo factus est [of the Virgin Mary and was made man]
the noise became very much greater; and at the lifting up of the Host
his sobs and groans and cries were so loud that, to avoid exciting
the people in the church, they kept sounding clarions to the end of
the mass. They took him from the choir to the oratory. Here in the
presence of all the religious gathered together, he performed an act
of humility, saying that his faults had brought him to this wretched
state, and begging them to pray to God to pardon him; and that, if
it was best for him to suffer all the pains of hell, he was ready to
receive them. He asked permission of the provincial to kiss the feet
of those who were present. The provincial comforted him, and they went
on with the exorcism, during which the devil became calmer. The friar
answered all the questions which were put to him, and, when they gave
him the holy cross, he kissed it with reverence. These were evidences
of his recovery. The friar became so weary that it was necessary for
him to repose. When he lay down to sleep it seemed to him, whether
in dreams or not he could not tell, that the devil complained of
being suffocated, that a religious was repeating exorcisms to him,
and that the glorious St. Cecilia came to his assistance. On the
following day the religious fasted, as they had promised, on bread
and water, and repeated the exorcisms. During them it became evident
that the evil guest had departed, and that he must be one of those of
whom the Lord said that they are not to be cast out except by fasting
and prayer. There was no more necessity of cure for that malady. As a
result, the religious became very much devoted to this glorious saint,
who has favored the order on many other occasions; and they became
very fearful of violating the constitutions, when they saw that the
Lord was zealous for them in such a manner. Among the babblings which
the Father of Lies muttered through the mouth of the afflicted friar,
it was noticed that when he was directed to read the epistle in
the mass of the cross, where the apostle says, Christus factus est
pro nobis obediens usque ad mortem, [29] he read pro vobis [i.e.,
"for your sake"], excluding the devils from the benefit of the holy
Passion. When one of those present said that Christ our Lord had not
died for devils, the proud one answered immediately: "Then we have the
less to be thankful for." When he reached the words of the apostle,
that "at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those who are in
heaven, on earth, and in the hells," he refused to utter this last
word, which affects the devils; and, when they forced him to utter
it, he answered that it was enough to say that every tongue should
confess that He was seated at the right hand of the Father. All this
was to continue further the pride with which he was always tormented.
At the same time, at the end of April, those religious reached
Manila whom father Fray Diego de Soria had collected in España
during the previous year. He assembled them at the port, where he
delivered them to father Fray Thomas Hernandez, [30] father Fray
Diego remaining in España to collect and conduct another company,
in which he succeeded. The body of friars which arrived at this time
was one of the best which had come to this province. [31] It contained
fourteen members from the colleges of the provinces of España, Aragon
and Romana. These were all very superior in ability and advanced in
knowledge, and still more so in religion and virtue. The provinces
of España were not a little grieved to lose them. There, however,
there was a very easy remedy because of the many who were left behind;
while for this province these friars were of the greatest value, and
have given it dignity and support in various ways, in the offices that
belong to it. It appeared from the beginning that the Lord gave them
His benediction, and such a spirit of constancy and firmness that,
although they had the most urgent reasons for remaining behind, not one
of those who were designated failed to come. This is something which
probably never happened with any other shipload. There also came many
besides [the fourteen above mentioned], taking the chance as to their
being desired, which was an even greater marvel. This was in the year
sixty-one, when Sevilla was afflicted with the plague. It was here
that the religious were to assemble, and to wait for the sailing of
the fleet. On the road, they met many who asked them where they were
going. When they answered, "To Sevilla," those that heard them were
amazed and answered: "You see, fathers, that we, who are inhabitants
of Sevilla, have abandoned our houses and our fortunes almost to
destruction, fleeing from the plague there. Are your Reverences going
to place yourselves in the midst of it?" But nothing sufficed to
prevent a single one of them from continuing his journey, for they
regarded dying in such an enterprise as good fortune, and death on
such a journey as happy. At the court father Fray Thomas Hernandez
and three companions who were with him found the father provincial
of España, who at that time was the father master Fray Andres de
Caso, an intimate friend of him who at that time was president of
the Indias. He said to them, "Where are you going? There is no fleet,
for the president of the Indias has told me so." In spite of all this,
the religious were all moved by a higher impulse; and although it was
true that, on account of the plague, it had been ordered that there
should be no fleet, one was afterward permitted to sail. The religious
reached Sevilla after much hardship; because in many places they were
unwilling to admit them to the towns, or to private houses, or even
to our own convents, so great was the fear of the plague. They were
even unwilling to be satisfied with the evidence that the religious
brought with them that they were healthy. When they reached Sevilla
they saw the plague-stricken taken almost dead to the hospitals and
even this did not frighten them. They were in the Guerta del Corco
[i.e., "garden of the deer"]; and there one of them was taken with the
plague, and was carried suddenly off in two more days. Even then, not
one of them even thought of giving up the voyage, although they saw
the plague and death within the house where they were dwelling. The
Lord favored them so that no one else took the plague. When they saw
the danger more clearly, they gave greater thanks to Him who had not
only rescued them from it, but had taken from them the fear which
they naturally had of it--especially as they had almost all come on
foot, asking alms, all the way from the innermost parts of Castilla
la Vieja; and though they were persons who were not inured to that
sort of hardship, and therefore were the more likely to fall sick,
especially in a season of plague. [The religious who died was Fray
Juan de Solis, a son of the licentiate Jofre de Solis. He was a
man of jovial disposition and fond of company, but corrected his
weakness when he proposed to go to the Philippinas. His relatives and
several of his fellow-friars tried to dissuade him, but he insisted
upon going. In Sevilla, as there was no lay religious with them, he
undertook the duty of cooking for the rest of the company; and it may
be that the great heat and consequent exhaustion were the reasons for
his being taken by the plague.] When the religious reached Sevilla,
they were received with much joy and charity by father Fray Diego
de Soria. Everything they had--their books, their clothes, their
money, and everything, down to their very handkerchiefs--all became
common property; if they had any debts unpaid, the community took
charge of these, and the religious were left without any care, and
even without the use of anything for themselves, except the habit
which they wore. From that day they even said all their masses for
the community, which provided for every one what he had need of,
while no one possessed anything (not even by permission) except
books. Everything else was in common for all of them; and hence they
did not have to think of carrying anything with them for the voyage,
except the very small outfit provided for the whole company. [On the
voyage they strove to live as much as possible as if they were in a
very strict convent. They encountered a frightful storm, so great that
there was not a single vessel which did not lose at least one mast;
and one of the largest and best of the vessels foundered, although
without loss of life. Even the pilots confessed, which they avoid as
much as possible for fear of disheartening the crew. The ship on which
the religious were was very old, and was being sent on its last voyage,
to be broken up and sold as old lumber in the port. In response to a
vow of the religious, the Virgin of the Rosary showed them grace, and
brought the storm to an end. In Mexico some were sick, but none died;
and not one remained behind. This greatly astonished the fathers of
the province of Mexico, because in every shipload some give up the
distant mission--being wearied by the voyage which they have taken,
fearful of the dangers to come, and pleased with the delightful climate
of Mexico. This shipload was the first which occupied the hospice
of St. Hyacinth, where they lived as if in a convent, following
all the rules of the province. While in the hospice, they studied
and had frequent theological conferences. They very rarely visited
the city. On the journey from Mexico to Acapulco, which is very long
and over a very bad road, many of them went on foot. As this was not
customary at that time, it greatly edified those who saw them. There
was only one ship in from the Philippinas; and this and more were
needed by the governor, Don Pedro de Acuña, for the accommodation
of himself and his troops. But while the religious were praying and
offering vows to the Virgin for her aid, they were rejoiced by the
news that one ship had come in from the Philippinas and two from Peru,
which were all taken to make up the fleet. On the voyage they did much
for the consciences of those who were in their ship, dividing among
themselves all the people, from the admiral and his companions down
to the lowest convict or ship-boy. They taught these men and heard
their confessions, opening the way of peace and liberty to many a
captive and unhappy soul. At the port of Acapulco died father Fray
Vicente de Liaño, a religious of much devotion and patience under
suffering, for he was a confirmed invalid. When they reached Manila
they were immediately distributed by the provincial council, which
was then sitting. The number of religious was the largest that has
entered the province since its establishment. All of the houses in
the province were filled, and enough were left to comply with the
wishes of the king of Satzuma, who had sent to ask for religious.]