The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume 30 of 55

Chapter XXIX

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 España. 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 España 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 Españas, 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.]

Chapter XXX

Events in the province during the absence of the provincial in China

[Great was the loneliness felt by the province during the absence of the provincial, because of his holy life and the love they felt for him. Father Fray Juan Cobo, though not wholly equal to the provincial, was a man of great ability and great devotion. His first act was to strengthen the ministry to the Chinese, by appointing to it father Fray Domingo de Nieva, an able and virtuous religious, and a perfect master of both the Chinese and the Indian languages. He labored and wrote much in both of them, to the great advantage of the ministers who succeeded him and of his own disciples. He suffered all his life long with a severe headache, which began to afflict him in youth and never left him till his death. Father Fray Juan Cobo also appointed to the hospital of the Chinese brother Fray Pedro Rodriguez, a lay religious of much charity, who found his delight and his spiritual profit in serving the sick. Though he was not the founder of the hospital, he was the cause of its great increase. He restored and rebuilt it two or three times, as was necessary, because it had been built at first very poorly, and hence was very frail and not durable. At this time a fire broke out in the village of Baybay. A wooden cross fastened in the gable of a house was miraculously preserved from burning. The power of God was exhibited in marvelous incidents connected with the baptism of several children.]

Father Fray Juan Cobo went on a visitation of the province, and found the religious in the district of Bataan suffering no little discomfort, because they could not visit the Indians who were in it without great hardship and risk to their health. The reason was that the Indians lived in hamlets so distant one from another that it was often necessary to travel six leguas when they were called to confess a sick person. As the number of Christians kept increasing, they were called more and more often. The roads were very bad and marshy, which increased the difficulty and made it more certain that the ministers would suffer from disease. He planned to arrange them in such a manner that the ministers could visit them better and with less hardship; and gathered several little villages into others somewhat larger, placing in the midst of all the two chief villages, Aboucay and Samal, which were the places where the ministers resided, and from which they went out to serve the neighboring places. There was some difficulty in carrying out the plan, but God our Lord showed that He was pleased with it, not only by making easy for them that which they asked from Him so much to their own good, but by giving them several very fertile years, those that had preceded having been so barren that they scarcely yielded enough for the tribute. The crops were now very abundant, giving the Indians enough to eat and something to sell; and they began to lift up their heads, having hitherto lived in great poverty. The health of the district was also greatly improved, and many more of their sick were cured than before the religious came. Both of these results came from the better years which the Lord had given them, because as a result of these they had better sustenance and fewer sicknesses. To this happy result the hospitals also contributed, which had been established by the religious, as did also the care which the religious took that the sick should not lack anything needed for their care and sustenance – of which there had previously been a very great want, so that fewer had recovered. As they experienced these benefits which had come to them with the religious, they came to love the latter very much; and with their love for them they came afterwards easily to a change of heart, which at first they had greatly opposed. The religious were a great help to them, not only in spiritual matters (which was the principal thing), but also in everything else, providing seed every year for those who had none, and greatly increasing the arable land above what they had had previously. The result was, that not only did those Indians who were there live better, but many came to them from other districts, drawn by the report of their prosperity. Accordingly, though in the country at large the Indian districts exhibited a decreased population, the population here has constantly increased, and so steadily that there are today twice as many Indians there as there were when the religious came to it. When these villages in Bataan were provided for, the father vicar of the province went to Pangasinan, where he found those Indians somewhat more nearly tamed than they had been, though there were still many of them in their ancient hardness of heart. He was greatly delighted at seeing how much the religious had achieved, and at perceiving their great labors. He was still more delighted at seeing the many miracles wrought by our Lord by the means of father Fray Luis Gandullo and by other religious, in order to give credit to His gospel. Thus the Indians had formed a high idea of the law of God, the heathen were being converted, and the Christians were being perfected in the faith which they had received a short time before. Of all this matter a fuller account will be given in the lives of these religious. They were certainly very holy men, as was demanded by the hardness of heart of this tribe, whose hearts had to be softened and who had to be brought into the bosom of the church much more by the example of a good life than by sermons and words.

[At this time died at Manila father Fray Juan Chrisostomo, the founder of the province, who had sacrificed his health to the establishment of it. He had twice labored in this foundation, twice at Roma obtained for it the sanction of the sovereign pontiffs and generals of the order, and in Spain had twice obtained the royal approval. For a third time he saw his work practically brought to an end in Mexico, to his great sorrow. He had then been obliged to suffer the unhappiness of remaining in Mexico without being able to visit the province which he had established, until at the end of two years the Lord rewarded him by permitting him to spend his last days in the province which he had done so much to establish, and which he so much loved. He was a remarkable preacher, having a fine voice, a good command of language, and natural energy; and there was much substance in what he said. He made such an impression in Spain that the king appointed him to be one of four bishops who were to be consecrated if China should open its doors to the preaching of the gospel. He lived a life of great asceticism, in spite of his bodily infirmities. He took upon himself the painful and laborious work of the office of vicar, giving the honorable duty to father Fray Juan de Castro. In order to keep up his health for his work, he continued to apply remedies against his old sickness, until part of one side became as black as a coal. His death was holy and devout.]

Chapter XXXI

The journey of the bishop of these islands to España 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 Mariñas, 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 Salaçar – 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 España 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 España; 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 España 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 España. 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 España was of the very greatest importance, because he was able to speak as an eye-witness in regard to Chinese affairs, which in España 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 España 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 España 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.]

Chapter XXXII

The election of father Fray Alonso Ximenez as provincial

On the ninth of April, 1592, the Sunday Deus qui errantibus – which is the third after Easter, and the customary day for holding provincial chapters – the electors assembled in the convent of Manila to elect a provincial; and they unanimously elected as second provincial of this province father Fray Alonso Ximenez, who was at that time prior. He was a very devout friar, an aged man and venerable, whose fervor of spirit caused him to work like a youth at a time when his great age and the many hardships which he had endured justly required rest. There were chosen as definitors fathers Fray Francisco de la Mina, Fray Juan de Castro (nephew of him who had just filled the office of provincial), Fray Thomas Castellar, and Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr. The vicariate of Binalatongan was entrusted to father Fray Luis Gandullo, that of Calasiao to father Fray Pedro de Soto, and that of Bataan to father Fray Juan de San Pedro Martyr. As prior of the convent of Manila was elected father Fray Francisco de la Mina, being compelled to undertake it by his obedience, after he had accommodated himself to the ministry of Bataan, and had learned the language with great effort. He had begun to learn it when he was almost seventy years of age, and had been greatly pleased with these Indians because he had found in them greater ability than in those of Nueva España, to whom he had been a missionary for forty years. Although this long term of service would have justified him in resting when he was relieved from labor, he was so far from this that he spent nearly the whole day with his Indians in Bataan, hearing them confess, teaching them, and showing them the way to salvation, because of the great love which he felt for them. So he much regretted leaving them, to take the position of prior at Manila – although they needed in the convent a man of his endowments, and the duties in the convent were less laborious than those of the ministry that he then had. But this was the very thing that grieved him, because he had not come to that province to rest but to labor – insomuch that he feared those who were taking away his labors were depriving him of his merit. But the order of his superior made everything plain, and assured him that he would not lose but gain merit in this way, since his good-will was worth as much with God as many labors; and, besides this, he would gain in addition that merit which the position of prior could give him, which, for those who are such priors as this father was, is not a small but a great increase.

Excellent ordinances were enacted in this chapter. The first was, that those confessors who had not been examined in the province should be examined before they received confessions. For this examiners were appointed – not because the few who were in the province were not of known competency and had not been examined in other provinces before, but to establish a matter of such importance firmly at the very beginning; and to have the medicine anticipate and prevent the disease, as the Holy Spirit counseled, and as was very wise. They established in the convent lectures in theology, and appointed as lecturer father Fray Juan Cobo. Anyone who will consider how few the religious were, and how much they had to do, one performing the work of many, will see the esteem which these fathers felt for the exercises of sacred theology (which are so appropriate to our order), and will think very highly of this care. It was ordained that the preachers to the Indians should follow in their sermons the form of the Roman catechism, teaching them the virtue and necessity of the holy sacraments, and the reverence and devotion with which they must be treated. Since by the mercy of God the Indians have given signs of approaching them in the spirit necessary to receive them, and since they were every day increasing in works of charity and mercy, and exhibiting their faith, it was ordained that they should be instructed thoroughly in regard to this matter; and that those sufficiently instructed should be admitted to the most holy sacrament of the altar, and in time to extreme unction. They repeatedly impressed upon their own memory the ordinance passed in the first chapter, namely, that they should treat the Indians with great love and charity, not only in words, but in works – aiding them in their necessities with alms, as much as might be possible for them, and in all things treating them with the spirit of mildness. This ordinance further provided that if at any time there should be necessity for punishment [of the Indians], it should be performed by the hands of others, in order that from our hands they might receive nothing but benefit and might thus become devoted to the law which we preached. The chapter was held with great solemnity and joy, as the church was then used for the first time. It was now very beautiful, and was built wholly of stone. To crown the feast they held some theological discussions, certain moral difficulties being therein vindicated and explained. These difficulties had to do with that which at that time was of the greatest importance; in particular they discussed questions of great weight with regard to the collection of the tributes,49 and the justice with which encomiendas and other places of profit ought to be distributed; and with regard to slavery in this country, since, because it does not follow the laws of España, but conforms to the customs of the Indians, it presents peculiar difficulties. But the point which they discussed most, and with the greatest profit, was the obligation of the ministers to the Indians to remain among them and preach the gospel to them, and to keep them in the law which those who were already Christians had received. It was shown with great clearness that, in the condition in which affairs were, the priests who were in these islands could not leave them without being guilty of mortal sin against the charity which we owe to these Indians our neighbors – who are placed in the most extreme need of ministers to teach them, and to administer the sacraments to them, without which it is impossible for them to be saved. Since the Indians who were in this state of necessity were so many, and the priests so few that, even though their number were many times increased, there would not be enough, it was inferred with clearness that those who went away were guilty of most grievous sin. It was concluded that they were obliged to give an account to the Lord of the souls which should be lost on account of their absence, the number of whom must of necessity be very great. This teaching was of great importance and usefulness in calming some priests and religious whom the love of their own country was drawing back to España; and thus there resulted much consolation and improvement to the Indians. [At this time there occurred an incident which very greatly impressed the Chinese Christians, and caused them to respect the directions of their confessors. The incident might be called a punishment, but it was the punishment of a kindly father, as the punishments of the Lord often are; and it resulted in the entire salvation of a soul. In 1590 a Chinese Christian bookseller called Pablo Hechiu desired to return in the vessels which left Manila for China. He did not dare tell any of the fathers, because he knew that they would interfere with his departure; but he was unable to keep the matter secret from father Fray Juan Cobo. The father did what he could to keep him from going away, because of the danger which he ran of relapsing into idolatry; but the Chinese succeeded in eluding him, and departed for China. The vessel in which he took passage was cast upon the mountainous coast of Bolinao.50 Though the people on board escaped to land, they lost their lives, because the Indians of this country, the Zambales or mountaineers, are ferocious, and find their greatest delight in slaying men and cutting off their heads, for no other reason than their own wicked disposition. They are trained up in this from childhood. When they saw the wretched Chinese cast on shore, they fell upon them, robbed them of everything they had saved from the wreck, and killed as many as they could; these were nearly all – some few escaping, and hiding themselves in the most thickly overgrown parts of the mountain. Among those who thus escaped was Pablo Hechiu. He remained there hidden for a fortnight, without daring to come out from the place where he had concealed himself; and, having no food, he died, leaving on two crosses made of bamboo a written account of what had happened to him. This came to light in the following way. The governor of Manila sent a strong expedition against these Zambales, which sought for them all through those mountains. Some of the scouts came upon Pablo Hechiu, his body, entire and dried, leaning against the foot of a tree. The preservation of the body was an extraordinary thing; and still more extraordinary was it that Christians should go through a region which had probably never been trodden by the feet of Catholics since the world was created, because the country was mountainous and visited by the Zambales alone, and the place was hidden even from them by the thickness of the undergrowth.