With just reason can this house be [regarded as] the most precious and esteemed jewel that the Augustinian Reform venerates, as it was the fort that was raised against the devil in the lands of the infidels, which the devil had usurped from the cross and the gospel, when our religious, after so many labors and sufferings, tamed the untamable Zambàles. That village, before called Masinloc, was suitable for the foundation, as it was in a location from which they could attend quickly to the service of God our Lord and of souls. Accordingly, they chose it, although its inhabitants were more ferocious than the rest of their neighbors because they had no one to drive away their errors and illumine their darkness. Father Fray Andres del Espiritu Santo, then, accompanied by two other religious, planted that holy bulwark to oppose all hell. With great care and helpfulness they tried first to adorn it with the example of their virtues, so that the neophytes should become fonder of the law which we profess. At that time the recently baptized amounted to eight hundred, with whom great efforts were exerted in separating them from their former evil habits, more especially that of idolatry, to which was joined that of intoxication; they were given to these in excess, by the habit that they had acquired in both things from childhood. With the lapse of time the converted have surpassed two thousand, because of the reduction of certain more terrible Indians who lived in the mountains, without houses and away from the coast. The latter were continually at war with others who are called Negrillos [i.e., “little blacks”], for they seem to be such, and they are very black. One may now consider the vigilance it must have cost to attract those brutes, in order to make them live a social life in accordance with reason, in peace and quiet—things that were never seen among them until our religious undertook to tame them and to bring them into rational intercourse. The jurisdiction of that convent has extended fourteen leguas, and it has ten visitas which are villages. The missionaries generally go to those villages to care for their souls, and do not allow them to continue their former wickedness.
It happened in that village of Masinglo that, an Indian woman finding herself at the end of her days, they summoned father Fray Bernardo de San Lorenço so that he might baptize her, for she was then asking for it. He went to her house, and as he thought that she was but slightly sick, he judged that it would be well to delay the sacrament until she knew her prayers well and the other mysteries that any Christian must know in order to be confessed. He began to instruct her, and to persuade her with efficacious reasons to hate her idolatries and to have sorrow for her sins. He tried to leave her in this way until next day, but she, crying out and moaning, said to him: “Baptize me, Father, baptize me, immediately; do not leave me or permit me to die and lose the blessings which thou hast told me that I will obtain by becoming a Christian.” The religious consoled her and answered that he would baptize her in due time. She continued to urge him to wash away her sins without delay. Consequently, seeing so much faith, he baptized her, and left her and her children very happy. And, although she did not appear sick, she died shortly afterward without anyone having any warning of it. Upon another occasion another woman also came to the convent, and urgently requested the same father for baptism. He asked her why she desired it so urgently. She answered that one of her eyes pained her, and that she was very much afraid of dying suddenly without having the health to save herself. The father performed his duty in catechising her as well as he was able, and immediately administered the sacrament; she was very glad of this, and returned to her house, where they shortly afterward found her dead, without knowing that she had other illness or cause for death than the above mentioned pain in that eye.
Thus when a beginning was given to that convent, the religious discussed, as was unavoidable, the regulation of a new method by which it, as well as the other convents that should be founded in the lands and villages of the reduced Indians, should be governed. It could not be perfected at one time, for experience, that mistress of seasons, was, little by little, showing what was most advisable for them. Accordingly, they have established efficient laws in various assemblies and provincial and private chapters, so that those houses have shed a luster in the example of their virtues—even though they do not have an excessive number of religious, because of the lack that they generally suffer of those who are necessary. It was, therefore, ordered, in the first place, that all the laws and statutes of our congregation be observed, without violating the most minute points of the rules and regulations in force in España—especially in regard to the two hours of mental prayer and the matins at midnight—even should there be but one religious; since he could say them with the Indian singers who reside and always live in the enclosure or within the walls of the convent. Each of the religious was prohibited strictly, and under well-imposed penalties, from engaging in any trade or commerce, directly or indirectly, however slight it might be. In addition, it was ordered that no one should use any piece of silver or gold, even though it should be a medal, because of the suspicion that it might arouse in the Indians who should see them, when they were preaching gospel poverty. They were forbidden to beg the loan of money, or to ask their stipends in advance from the encomenderos, contenting themselves with the little that they had; and living with the greatest possible frugality, in order that their lives might conform to their discalcedness and their abstraction from earthly things. The priors were not to leave their districts under any pretext; and they were not to send their associates and subordinates unless there were urgent necessity, and after a consultation, to be registered in the books of the convent. The religious were not to enter the houses of the Indians, except to administer the sacraments in the necessary cases; and no one could employ himself in this office until he should be well acquainted with the language of the land. They were not to acquire possessions, or more income than the one hundred pesos of their stipend; and necessity was to be the standard and rule that they were to seek, as those who were truly poor. They were not to entertain secular persons, and much less governors, alcaldes-mayor, or encomenderos; for, if they did so, it would be very prejudicial to the fitting retirement and strict observance advisable for the Reform. The Christian doctrine was to be preached and explained to the young people every morning in the churches, but to everyone on feast days, with especial care and personal attendance. In order to conduct the divine worship, they were to endeavor to have music in all the convents, by teaching the youth not only to sing but also to play the sweetest and best instruments that we use in Europa, so that the new Christians might become very fond of frequenting the sacred offices. They were to be admonished straitly to attend to the devotion of the most holy Virgin, our Lady, having her rosary recited every afternoon in the church; and on Saturday mornings they were to be present at the mass, and before nightfall at the “Hail Mary,” holding their lighted candles in their hands. The religious also made other resolutions pertaining to the protection and defense of the Indians, in case that anyone should transgress by trying to do violence to them, so that, as true fathers, they might oppose themselves courageously to any annoyance that the malice of the soulless men of this age, always iniquitous, might attempt. In short, they applied the needed and fitting preservatives, with the desire of maintaining the good name and reputation of religious who were seeking the safety of those souls, and hating that which might have the appearance of love for temporal things—in consideration of which no earthly interest had transported them from España to Philippinas.
Chapter VIII
The third provincial chapter is held; and after the election a not slight danger assails the Reform. The first convent of Manila is moved inside the walls.
[The first section of this chapter deals with affairs of the Recollect order in Spain. The third election of provincial results in the choice of father Fray Gregorio de Santa Catalina. Dissensions immediately break out in the ranks of the religious, which are engineered by the retiring provincial, father Fray Joan Baptista. The schism results in the suppression of the order by a bull of Paul V, and its absorption into the calced Augustinian ranks. Various influences are set afoot, however, by those devoted to the Reform, and the new provincial prepares to go to Rome to entreat the pope to reconsider the suppression. The second section deals with the]
Removal of the convent of Manila
In order to divert the grief of Ours in España for a moment, the need of referring to the removal of the convent of San Nicolas of Manila from its location outside the walls (which is now the college of San Joan Baptista, as above stated) to the other site, within the enclosure, where now is the glorious capital of the most religious province of the Philippinas Islands—is interpolated. The credit acquired by the good founders in a short time was vast, by means of their exemplary life, and the zeal that they had manifested in the reduction and conversion of the infidels. They had shed abroad in all directions the light and splendor of their virtues, and very especially of their voluntary poverty and abstraction from temporal things, contenting themselves with but very little, and coveting, at the most, the attainment of permanent blessings and riches. They won many persons for God in that city by means of their holy instructions, and taught them the true way, which very few court. By that course they made themselves so much masters of the good-will of all that the people begged them unanimously that they should enter a more comfortable place—but without abandoning that place, because its preservation was so useful for the welfare of as many souls as lived in those suburbs and environs, so that nobles and plebeians might enjoy the spiritual food that the fathers so promptly distributed to them. Besides, it seemed unavoidable to do that, so that they might be more secure and better guarded, whatever happened, because of the continual and sudden attacks of the Japanese, Chinese, and Sangley enemies, who are wont to attack those suburbs with courage. Father Fray Joan de San Geronimo assented to the prayers of the faithful, and the not little convenience of his own associates; and accordingly, aided by the alms that were given him, he bought certain small houses, near to a site where many years ago the artillery was founded. That site was also given him at the end of the year by Governor Don Joan de Silva. The opposition of some was not wanting, although that convent was so desired and applauded. However, that opposition soon ended; and our religious endured it with signal austerity for many days, until the very noble gentleman and master-of-camp, Don Bernardino del Castillo Ribera y Maldonado—a native of Mexico, castellan of the fort, and regidor of the city—together with his very virtuous wife, Doña Maria Enriquez de Cespedes, through the devotion that they bore to our institute and to the holy neo-thaumaturgus Nicolàs de Tolentino (at whose intercession a son was born to him, who died shortly afterward, the same lady having petitioned our glorious father to negotiate with God so that that son might not live if he were to grow up bad and a sinner), assumed the patronage of the church and convent. He immediately erected a fine building of cut stone, the cost of which exceeded one hundred thousand pesos. In addition to that, he assigned it a suitable income—not for the support of the religious, for at that time it was not the custom for Ours to accept such; but for the necessary repairs that had to be made later.
At the conclusion of the work, it was our Lord’s pleasure to grant him a very pious death, prepared, among his many alms, by actions and customs more resembling those of a perfect religious man of an arrogant and merry soldier. The religious buried him as if in his own house, displaying on his honorable tomb the memory of his deeds; and erecting monuments afterward to him and to his consort in a very fitting niche, as well as suitable proclamations of thankfulness that Ours published. He left the devotion of the great titular saint, whom he greatly loved, well established; consequently, by means of his authority, the city chose the saint as patron, and decreed that his day should be celebrated, and that the city should attend in the form of its cabildo, which has always been done. Governor Don Alonso Faxardo, governor of the islands, our illustrious benefactor—who gave us permission, as far as the royal patronage is concerned, to preach the gospel in the provinces of Butuàn and Caràgha, together with the islands of Cuyo and Calamiànes—was also buried there. From that permission have resulted so great increase in numbers to the Church, and great honors to our Recollect order. Likewise the governor’s wife, Doña Catalina Zambrano, and others—auditors and officials of the Chancillería, and many noble gentlemen—keep him company there. A notable confraternity has been founded in that church, called the Nazarenos [i.e., the Nazarines”], so that on the night of Holy Thursday they march through the streets in a most devout procession, just as they are accustomed to do in the kingdoms of Castilla.