The journey of the father provincial, Fray Juan de Castro, and of
father Fray Miguel de Venavides to the kingdom of China.
[The unexpected success of the mission to the province of Pangasinan
encouraged the father provincial to undertake the mission to China
which had been the principal object of their departure from Espana. He
was the more desirous to carry out his purpose of undertaking the
conversion of this kingdom, because of the superior intelligence of
the people, and the readiness to accept the faith which had been shown
by the Chinese in Manila. His determination was confirmed by visions
seen by father Fray Luis Gandullo. In April, 1590, the provincial
laid his plans before the religious of the province and with their
consent undertook his journey. He appointed father Fray Diego de
Soria as procurator of the province, to represent it in Espana and
at Roma. He designated as superior of the province, with all his own
authority in his absence, father Fray Juan Cobo. To take the place
of this father in the mission to the Chinese in Manila he designated
father Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr. After making these arrangements,
he selected as his own companion father Fray Miguel de Venavides;
and, with the approval of the bishop and the governor of the islands,
he began to make arrangements for his voyage. This was very difficult
to do, because of the strict and severe laws of the Chinese empire
against admitting foreigners. Finally, however, two courageous Chinese,
Don Thomas Seiguan, a ship-captain who had been converted at Manila,
and another Chinese known as Don Francisco, agreed to run the risk
of taking the fathers to China. At the very outset, the miraculous
nature of the voyage was shown by the fact that the devil whom the
sailors consulted with regard to the success of the voyage would not
give his ordinary responses, being frightened away by the presence
of the servants of the true God. As soon as they reached the coast
of China, the two religious were arrested by officers who searched
the ship, manacled, and taken to the city of Hayteng, the chief
port of China. The venerable age of Fray Miguel de Venavides, and
his ability to speak the Chinese language, caused him to be treated
with kindness and respect; but the provincial received much abuse
and violence. After being in prison for a time in a temple of the
goddess of the sea, whom they called Neoma, they were taken before
the tribunal. The judge was a man of great dignity and gravity, and
around him stood twelve grave personages in ample robes with flowing
sleeves, their rank being distinguished by a certain difference in
their hats. Father Fray Miguel answered the question why they had come
to that country with great boldness and frankness, declaring that they
had come to teach and to preach the true religion of the Christians in
that kingdom, and that in it only and in no other was salvation to be
found. When they said "teach," the judge without waiting for another
word replied, Bo ly, which in their language means, "You are wrong;"
and without further delay they were remanded to prison. The temple
being flooded, they were removed to a hut near the wall of the city,
where they suffered from want and were exposed to rain and wind. The
provincial was taken ill, and twice almost died. The Lord, however,
moved the heart of a rich and noble captain, who had been twice at
Manila, to give them a refuge in his house. Here they set up an altar
where they celebrated mass, the sacramental wine being miraculously
preserved. The two Chinamen who had brought them over were severely
punished. Don Thomas was about to be flogged, but at the intercession
of the religious, who begged that they might receive the punishment
in his place, he was spared this part of his chastisement, being
condemned for life to serve in the army--which is regarded in China as
a great dishonor, and brings with it much hardship. False charges were
brought against the religious, that they had come as Spanish spies;
and these charges were supported by false testimony and by forged
papers. Father Miguel, by the help of God, was enabled to write his
petitions in the court language of that country, to the great surprise
of the officials. Finally the judges set the religious free, commanding
them to depart from the realm, as foreigners. This they were obliged
to do after some days, feeling that their presence there would do
no good. The father provincial was greatly impressed by the dignity,
composure, sound judgment, and superior intelligence of the Chinese
magistrate. As he had seen the leading personages of both Espanas,
and had been acquainted with the court of the prudent King Felipe,
he was qualified to form an opinion of the merits of this judge.]