The coming to this province of father Fray Juan Cobo and other
religious
Though father Fray Juan Cobo and other fathers did not come on the
first voyage, for the reasons given, they were always thinking of
and longing for this province. So when father Fray Juan Chrisostomo
felt a little better, though he was not well, they began to think
immediately of resuming the journey which his severe infirmity had
necessarily interrupted. Father Fray Juan Cobo had the same idea;
and, even if he had not done so, affairs went on in such a way that
he would have been obliged to give up all the business that kept him
in Nueva Espana and go to the Philippinas. His well-known learning,
his great virtue, and his zeal for the honor of the Lord, together
with his great prudence and lofty courage, and all the other qualities
requisite in a consummate preacher, were well known, and the order
required him to preach in Mexico. He declaimed against the great
scandals which were occurring at that time, so that the viceroy (who
was the most guilty person) ordered his banishment to the Philippinas,
where the authorities of Nueva Espana generally send the criminals whom
they wish to punish. Father Fray Juan accepted his banishment with
great joy, partly because of the desire he had to make the journey,
partly because of the gratification that he felt in coming hither as
an exile for doing his duty as a preacher, as God had commanded. This
is a most delicious, though a hidden manna, the sweetness of which
those only know who find themselves in such condition as this; for
it is suffering for God, who is a most generous rewarder of services
performed for Him--much more of sufferings undertaken for His honor. On
the same ground--namely, having preached on this occasion against
the doer of those scandalous deeds--the viceroy sent into banishment
father Fray Luis Gandullo, a person of very superior virtue, of
whom it will be necessary later to give a very full account. When
he heard the sentence of banishment, he fell on his knees and gave
many thanks to the Lord for the kindness that He had shown him,
in honoring him by permitting him to suffer banishment for love of
Him. The two banished religious joined each other, and took no little
pleasure in each other's company. They had much reason therefor,
for they were both setting out for the same end; and God led them by
the same means. Father Fray Juan Chrisostomo was joined by several:
father Fray Juan Garcia, [39] a distinguished religious and minister to
the Indians in Nueva Espana, who was afterwards of the very greatest
importance in this province; father Fray Thomas Castellar, a very
religious friar; a brother, better known in this country by the name of
"the Holy Friar" than by his own name, which was Fray Pedro Martinez;
and the brother Fray Juan Deca, who had come to take care of father
Fray Juan Chrisostomo in his illness. [40] These all had gathered
together because of the fame of the province, which was spreading
abroad--that it was beginning with so great a reformation within
itself, and with zeal for the conversion of so many tribes. These were
seven religious in all; and, as they were on the point of departing,
father Fray Juan Cobo wished to bid farewell to one of his friends,
a cleric of much virtue called Juan Fernandez de Leon, who lived in
a very exemplary manner in Guastepec. When they reached there they
found the house where he lived tightly closed. They shouted to him
many times, but the good clergyman who was within made no answer,
so carefully did he protect his retirement. It was necessary to get
a ladder and climb in by a window. The virtuous cleric rejoiced much
to see father Fray Juan, and, when he knew where they were all on
the point of going, the enterprise pleased him also so well that he
immediately determined to go with the religious to the Philippinas. He
carried out his plan, set a very noble example in life, and after his
death was and is venerated as a saint, our Lord proving his sainthood
with miracles. A layman of much virtue called Juan de Soria, when
he saw people of such virtue making this journey, made the same
journey in their company, being desirous of assuming the habit in
that province, as he did when he reached the islands. With these two
good associates the company increased greatly in virtue, though it
was not very great in numbers. They resolved to make their voyage
immediately; and reaching Tisla [i.e., Tixtla], which is near the
port of Acapulco, they were informed that there was being prepared
for the Philippinas a vessel, small, old, and in ill condition, and
so loaded with people, soldiers, and sailors--since they had doubled
the number of those needed for the navigation of the vessel because
sailors were required in Manila--that it was impossible for them
to embark. The news grieved them greatly, and to be assured of the
truth of it they sent to the port father Fray Juan Garcia and brother
Fray Juan Deza, who found all true that had been said of the vessel,
and more. It was so heavily laden that it was in the water above the
scupper-holes, without having taken on board the people who were to
go as passengers, who were of no small number. The religious went
back with this report, and repeated what they had been told in the
port--namely, that it was impossible to put on board more, at most,
than one or two priests, whom they might have with them in case of
danger, in order to confess to them; and that if there had to be only
two, they would better be the banished ones. They were all deeply
grieved--those who remained, because they had to give up their holy
enterprise; and those who were to undertake it, because they were to
be separated from such a company. As they were so near the port, they
thought that they would all go down and bid farewell to those who were
about to sail. Father Fray Juan Chrisostomo alone, being so infirm,
remained in Tisla. When they reached the port, they saw that according
to human reason no more could be put aboard than what they had been
told; but as they were taught to direct themselves by other and higher
motives, they were not discomfited, but were very instant with the
Lord in prayer, the priests all saying mass and begging His aid. Then
with new confidence they went to talk with those who had charge of
the despatch of the vessel, to persuade them to give the religious
a place in it. While they were busy with this, they saw the vessel
putting out to sea and beginning its voyage--being in greater haste,
perhaps, in order that these new passengers might not be admitted in
addition to the great (and indeed excessive) number who were already
going. When they saw that they were being left behind, they found a
very small boat; and without further stores or other equipment they
got on board. Once there, they pleaded so well--and what is more,
the Lord so greatly aided them and gave them so great favor with the
persons on board--that they admitted the six: Fray Juan Cobo, Fray
Luis Gandullo, Fray Juan Garcia, Fray Juan Deca, four religious;
and Father Juan Fernandez de Leon, and Juan de Soria. Instantly,
without waiting longer, they set sail with a fair wind, on Shrove
Tuesday, 1588. They were without stores or clothes or provisions,
being dependent solely upon the providence of the Lord and upon the
alms which they might receive from the people on the ship; these were
small, in any case, on such a voyage--and the more so upon this one,
for they had set out from a port where the population was so small
that they could not provide themselves so well with ship-stores as
they could at other places. The vessel had hardly put to sea before
it was found to be leaking and to be making much water. The pilot,
who was very skilful and very courageous, went straight to the fathers,
and bade them commend the ship to God; for, if the prayers of good men
did not save it, it would be certain to founder in the first little
storm, and they would be drowned. They undertook to do as he asked,
and it was well that they did so. One night a great storm arose,
with a great massing of clouds and with furious winds; and though
the wind was not favorable, the pilot ordered sails to be set on
the poop--letting the ship drive before the wind, because the vessel
would not sail close-hauled. The storm was such that, though the pilot
strove to hide his anxiety, and gave his commands in a very low tone,
so as not to excite the passengers and bring them on deck to see their
own death and to hinder the sailors; yet, in spite of all this care,
the religious perceived his fear. Being in alarm at the fury of the
winds and the roaring of the sea, and perceiving the danger, they
gave themselves to prayer; and with outward silence they uttered the
voices of their souls to the Lord, begging His pity. At midnight they
heard the pilot say, though in a low voice, that he wished axes to be
brought, which is a preliminary to cutting away the masts. Thereupon,
father Fray Luis Gandullo left the rest praying, and climbed up into
the waist of the ship. He looked upon the sea in silence; its fury
terrified him; he lifted his eyes to the heavens, and saw them all
cloaked with the deepest blackness. Therewithal, the sea was white
with the waves which roared and dashed against one another, sending up
spray; it seemed to him that all of the Spaniards must soon be buried
in them, so mighty were they, and the vessel so weak. At this point
there overcame him a strange consciousness of his sins, which gave
him no opportunity to think of those of others, and assured him that
his own transgressions only were the cause of this frightful storm.
[He went back to his post and fell on his knees before a Christ that
was there, prayed to the Lord until he felt assured that He heard
him, and turned to the Virgin of the Rosary. She appeared to him in
a vision and promised her aid. When the pilot came in, calling out,
"Fathers! cast some relics into the sea, for the love of God! Recite
some litanies, that the Lord may have compassion upon us! I promise
them a lighted lantern," Father Luis replied that they should all
be safe. They cast into the sea a relic of Saint Mary Magdalen and
an Agnus Dei, and began their litany. The stars began to appear and
soon the storm had passed. The report of the vision and the miracle
turned the hearts of the seamen and the passengers, for a time, to
the good of their souls; but after Easter, as is usual among worldly
people, they fell back into their lax way of living, and particularly
into gambling, with all the evils that ordinarily accompany it. One
frightful sacrilege was committed by a gambler, who mutilated an
image of Christ and of the Virgin, to punish them for his losses;
but who repented under the ministration of father Fray Luis. At last
they all reached Manila safely.]