The coming of the venerable father Fray Jordan de San Estevan to this
province, and his entry into Japon.
[Father Fray Jordan de San Estevan was a Sicilian, who had assumed
the habit of our order in his native country. Hearing of the crowns
of martyrdom which had been attained in Japon, he went to España,
hoping that he might make his way thence to this province and have
the opportunity of offering his life for Christ. He carried on his
studies in the convent of our order in the city of Truxillo, and
was a religious of the utmost devotion, abstinence, and spiritual
elevation. Submitting his purposes to persons of learning and virtue,
he received their approval, and set out for these islands. He formed
a most intimate friendship with father Fray Jacintho de Esquivel,
or del Rosario, who afterward was a holy martyr. To pass his time
when in Mexico--for he was a great enemy of idleness--he wrote an
elegant Latin summary of the lives of the saints of our order. When
he reached these islands he postponed to his obedience his eagerness
to go to Japon; and was assigned to minister to the Chinese, whose
language and letters he learned, being acquainted with many thousand
characters. The Lord had given him a great gift of languages; for in
addition to his native language he knew Latin, Greek, Spanish, Chinese,
that of the Indians of Nueva Segovia, and finally the Japanese. He
generally lived in the hospitals of the Chinese, obeying the whims
of the sick Chinese with the greatest charity and kindness. At last
he received permission to go to Japon, passing for a Chinese. In
1632 he set sail, reaching Japon in the following year. He met with
many dangers and wandered about through the mountains. As a result
of exposure he was afflicted by a severe illness, but was cured by
the grace of God.]