The captivity of other religious in Japon
[The first of the religious to join father Fray Thomas del
Espiritu Sancto in prison was father Fray Angel Orsuchi, who called
himself in España and here Ferrer, from devotion to the glorious
St. Vincent. He was an Italian, a native of the distinguished city
of Luca, in Toscana. He was born of noble ancestry and assumed the
habit and was a student in the college of La Minerva at Roma. Seeing
the great lack of ministers of the gospel in these regions, and the
great devotion of this province, he desired to enter it. For this
purpose he went to España under color of pursuing his studies, that
his voyage might not be hindered by his relatives or by the religious
of his own province. He took advantage of his first opportunity to
come to these regions from España, which was in the year 1601. He was
assigned to Nueva Segovia, and after learning the language reaped a
great harvest of converts. Being afflicted by a severe illness he
returned to Manila, where his illness kept him for more than two
years. After his recovery he went to the district of Bataan. The
Lord restored his health to him in response to a vow. Father Fray
Angel learned the language of Bataan, and ministered to the Indians
of this region, without leaving it--except for a short time, when
he went to Pangasinan as vicar-provincial--until he was assigned
to the duty of superior of the hospice of our order in Mexico. In
Mexico he advanced greatly in the things of the spirit, and after
a time became very desirous of returning to this province. He took
advantage of the opportunity offered him by the return to España
of the superior of a company of religious, to take his place and to
lead the religious to the Philippinas. In the following year, 1616,
it was proposed to make him provincial, but he himself objected so
strongly that he was not elected. Father Fray Angel was definitor
at this chapter. The news of the sufferings of the Christians of
Japon, and of the glorious martyrdoms of so many religious there,
aroused in the mind of this blessed father such lively desires to go
to the aid of these faithful and courageous Christians that he could
neither sleep nor eat nor take any rest. He submitted his purposes
to a religious of the Society of Jesus named Father Calderon, who had
been in Japon almost thirty years. This father approved his designs;
and then father Fray Angel desired his superior to determine whether
or not he should go--fearing, on the one hand, that his strength
might not be sufficient for the purpose; and being, on the other,
desirous of undertaking this glorious work. His superior accordingly
commanded him to take the journey to Japon. He assumed a secular garb,
and after many hardships and sufferings on the voyage reached Japon
in August, 1618. While he was still studying the language he was
captured by the ministers of Satan on St. Lucy's day in December,
at midnight. With him were also captured father Fray Juan de Sancto
Domingo and a number of Japanese. The fathers admitted that they were
religious, and were sent to the prison of Omura, where father Fray
Thomas de Sancto Dominico and Fray Apolinario Franco, a Franciscan,
had been confined for two years. They were commanded to lay aside
their habits, which they had again assumed, and to dress in lay
garments. It was intended to prevent the Japanese Christians from
reverencing the fathers, but this act of the judges increased the
devotion of the multitude. One of the most devoted of the fathers,
father Fray Alonso de Mena, was betrayed on Thursday, March 14;
and was bound and taken, with his landlord and a number of Japanese,
before the judge. He admitted that he was a religious of the Order
of St. Dominic. On the following day, they tortured a boy until he
revealed the hiding-place of father Fray Francisco de Morales. He
was immediately arrested. This caused much grief among the Japanese
Christians, many of whom showed great courage and boldness in
confessing their faith. On the following Sunday, which was Palm
Sunday, the two fathers were sent to the island of Yuquinoxima,
where the holy martyrs, Fray Luis Flores and Fray Pedro de Zuñiga,
had been burned. In spite of the efforts of the judges to prevent
the faithful from venerating these holy prisoners, the pious Japanese
showed the greatest devotion and reverence to them. The fathers were
thus made happy in their prison; and father Fray Francisco de Morales
sent home a letter to Manila rejoicing in his imprisonment--which was
very severe, and in which they were subjected to great suffering for
lack of proper food, from the discomfort of their lodging, and from
the indecent and insulting behaviour of the guard. In the month of
August all the prisoners were brought together to the prison of Omura,
and they rejoiced to meet one another. Soon after was captured the
holy Fray Joseph de San Jacintho. He was seized on the seventeenth
of August, 1621; he confessed that he was a religious, and told his
name. On August 19 he was brought ignominiously bound to the prison
of Omura, followed by a crowd of sobbing Christians.]