The journey of the bishop of these islands to Espana in company with
father Fray Miguel de Venavides, and the death of two religious.
In the month of June in this same year, 1590, there came to these
islands as governor Gomez Perez das Marinas, knight of the Habit of
Sanctiago, an able governor, indefatigable in labor, who did many
useful things for the benefit of the city of Manila, one of them
being to surround it with a wall of stone. Some years afterward,
in an uprising of the Chinese, this was the only defense of the
Spaniards. He was extraordinarily diligent, very zealous for the
common weal, a great soldier, and very chaste; yet in spite of these
and other good qualities, he failed of success because he was beyond
measure choleric. Of this imperfection the devil took advantage to sow
discord between him and the bishop, Don Fray Domingo de Salacar--who,
as a holy man, though he would suffer wrath and evil treatment
affecting him personally, was not able to endure in the same way
those which were opposed to his official undertakings and his official
dignity. Accordingly, as he endeavored to protect these or defend his
subordinates, the encounters between him and the governor were very
unpleasant, and grave scandals followed. Our religious under these
circumstances found themselves in a position of great difficulty,
because the evils from one side were intolerable, while from the other
even greater evils threatened them if they broke with the governor
in order to stand by the holiness and justice of the bishop. So they
were for some time in suspense, and did what they could to settle
affairs without a rupture; but, being unable to succeed in this way,
they determined to follow the opinion of St. Gregory, and rather to
suffer the hardships and scandals that might result, than to leave
truth and justice without a defense on an occasion when there was so
great need of aid. Compelled by this necessity, they began, without
exceeding the limits of modesty and courtesy even in the opinion of
this same governor, to preach upon this subject. The governor resented
this much, and when he was angry affirmed that he had been insulted;
but when his wrath had given way to good sense, his intelligence could
not but be convinced. He then spoke very well of our friars; constantly
gave them alms; and above all, in his will (made in health, when he was
about to set out on a journey), he directed that he should be buried in
our convent. This was a thing that amazed the whole country and gave
our religious no little credit; for, though he had regarded them as
opposed to him, he recognized that they had been influenced by reason,
and had been compelled by truth and justice to do what they did. Thus
he regarded it as very proper to entrust to them in his death soul
and body, though when he was vexed, and wrath left no room in his
soul for good counsel, he gave them enough cause for merits. But the
Lord was not pleased that he should receive ecclesiastical burial;
for, in the very royal galley in which he went on this journey, the
Chinese whom he had taken against their will, instead of volunteers,
and forced to row, rose against him and killed him and the others who
accompanied him--God permitting this, to punish him for his irreverence
in losing respect for a bishop who was known to be a holy man and who
was his [spiritual] shepherd. The bishop, before this happened, had
gone to Spain, being unable to bring the governor to do justice. He
had felt himself forced to this by the evils in that community,
which he could not remedy there, and by the hardships suffered by
his church. He was even influenced to some extent by the desire to
avoid scandals by absenting himself. When he began to plan for going,
he wished to take along as his associate father Fray Diego de Soria,
who, as has been said, was appointed by the father provincial, Fray
Juan de Castro, to go to Espana when he went to China. On account
of this, the bishop, who loved him and esteemed him highly, wished
to take him in his company, while the order could not refuse, and
indeed would gain much thereby. But the governor would not permit it,
fearing the harm that might be done to him in Espana; for because of
the clearness and vigor with which the father had boldly corrected
and blamed him to his face, he felt very sure, and with reason,
that he would do the same in the court--the more so from having gone
in company with the bishop, as they would be certain to discuss and
plan this very thing on the voyage. On this account he preferred to
listen to the father's corrections made in his own presence which,
as he saw, proceeded from good-will and were regulated by discretion
and prudence--rather than give him an opportunity to spread abroad
in Espana an account of the improper manner in which he treated the
bishop. For this cause father Fray Miguel de Venavides was obliged
to take his place as companion of the bishop, and as procurator of
the province in Espana. In this way, without the knowledge of men,
the plan of divine Providence, which in all things chooses the better
part, was being carried out. It was of advantage to the province,
in that father Fray Diego de Soria was given to it; for he was
extremely useful in Pangasinan and was afterward necessary at Nueva
Segovia, in which places father Fray Miguel could not have rendered
any assistance. On the other hand, the going of father Fray Miguel
de Venavides to Espana was of the very greatest importance, because
he was able to speak as an eye-witness in regard to Chinese affairs,
which in Espana they desired much to learn about with certainty from
some person of credit--as was father Fray Miguel, who did not speak
from hearsay but from sight. The acquaintance of the grave fathers
of Spain with father Fray Miguel, and their esteem for him, gave them
much more confidence in his report of the remarkable things which had
happened in the province, than if they had heard them from someone
of less standing. In that case they might have doubted; but, when he
gave this report, they could have no doubt at all. In fact, occasions
presented themselves in which all the scholarship and ability of Fray
Miguel were required, as will later be shown. For all these reasons
his departure to Espana was of great importance at that time. The
Lord giving them a good journey, they reached there in health; and
what happened to them will be told later.
A shorter but more dangerous journey was taken at this time by two
religious of Pangasinan; but so clearly did they perceive their danger
that their fear was changed to comfort--which was likewise felt by
all who saw them depart, since all regarded it as certain that they
were entering upon the road to heaven in striving for the salvation
of that people; for there were still many who were hard-hearted and
rebellious to the gospel. One of these friars was Fray Pedro Martinez,
a lay religious, a man of God, of plain and simple character. He had
been brought by father Fray Juan Cobo from Nueva Espana in eighty
eight, his holiness and virtue being well recognized by those who
had had to do with him in that country. [Fray Pedro was a native of
Segovia in Old Castilla, the child of poor but very devout parents. He
grew up in gravity and devotion, being blessed by the particular favor
of the Holy Virgin, to whom he showed great devotion. She appeared to
him in a vision, directing him to enter her order, which she declared
to be that of St. Dominic. His life brought him the name of "the Holy
Friar." Fray Pedro first had the office of porter in the convent at
Manila. Seeming not to be fitted for it, he was made sacristan, but
soon showed that he was less fitted for this post, and resumed his
former one. He was sent by the provincial to Pangasinan, and was soon
seized by a severe fever, of which he died. In the utmost severity
of his sickness he followed the constitutions of the order with the
greatest closeness. On the day of his death he received extreme unction
in the morning. They then placed in his hands a blessed candle, which
they could not draw from his hands until the hour of the Ave Marias,
when he died.
At the same time the Lord took to himself father Fray Marcos de San
Antonino, whom the provincial, finding him very ill with asthma,
had ordered to return from his post at Pangasinan to Manila, to be
cared for. In spite of his sufferings from this disease father Fray
Marcos had continued his labors, not only without complaints, but with
cheerfulness, walking about among these little villages and fields in
order to learn the language, seeking everywhere for someone to whom
he might do good, sometimes carrying the poor bed on which he had to
sleep. So devoted was he to his labor that the superior had to compel
him to consider his health. At Manila they placed him in the hospital
of the Sangleys, that he might have meat to eat, as his illness
required, for no meat is eaten in the convent. His asthma greatly
increased, and he was attacked by a burning fever which made him so
weak that he could not turn himself in bed. He died a devout death.]