Fray Geronimo de La Resurreccion”
Accordingly, when this order arrived with the other despatches, the priors of San Nicolàs of Manila, of Zibù, of Cabite, of Masinglo, of Amò, of Bolinao, of Calumpan, of Tanda, of Butuan, of Iguaquet, of Tibastlan, of Cuyo, of Linacapan, and of Cagaiang assembled. Under the presidency of the said father Fray Pedro de la Madre de Dios, they unanimously elected the venerable father Fray Onofre de la Madre de Dios, provincial, on the sixth of February of that year twenty-four, the time that the present history has reached.
The election was very suitable, as he who was elected was deserving of other and greater posts. He was a native of Perpiñan, in the county of Rosellòn, and a son of the convent of Zaragoça, in Aragòn, where he studied arts and theology. He was prior of the convent of Zuera, and afterward master of novitiates in that of Madrid, where he furnished a great example of observance and virtue. He went to the Indias with the zeal of preaching the faith of Christ our Lord. He filled some posts worthily, with so much satisfaction to the religious that he deserved to be the first provincial of that province. He completed the suitable ordering and economical régime of the houses, the methods that he practiced being continual presence at the choir, steadfast application to the divine worship, and the decoration of the churches. He was modest in his actions, which he adapted to all; mild in his intercourse, by which he made himself loved; skilful in business management; extremely poor, and given to continual mortification. The definitors were father Fray Andrès del Espiritu Santo, father Fray Diego de San Bernardo, father Fray Joseph de San Augustin, and father Fray Juan de Santo Tomàs, chosen men indeed.
The acts passed are reduced to the following points: “That the religious living at the missions or villages of the Indians maintain all the regular observance of the convents, especially in rising at midnight for matins, and in the two hours of mental prayer morning and afternoon, even though there should be no more than one priest. That authority be given to the missionary fathers to carry some books that are conformable to their profession; and that they be prohibited from wearing hempen garments, especially since the heat of the country is contrary to that harshness. That the ministers learn the language of the Indians within one year; and that, in order to avoid disturbance, they do not receive guests in their convents, unless it be bishops, religious, governors, or alcaldes-mayor.
[A section on the first intermediate general chapter of the Recollects, which was held at the convent of Portillo, follows. Section iii treats of the life and death of brother Fray Juan de San Nicolàs, who had professed at Manila, December 21, 1622. The malice of certain Indians who were taking him up the river from the convent of Iguaquet, to aid in one of the missions, causes his death; for they overturn the boat, leaving him to drown while they swim safely to shore. The chapter ends with an account of the life of Bishop Don Fray Gregorio de Santa Catalina Alarcòn who after having been appointed bishop of Nueva Cáceres, in the Philippines, by King Felipe IV, is appointed almost immediately afterward to the bishopric of Santiago de Cuba at Habana. His death occurs at sea while on his way to assume the latter office. This chapter completes the annals for the year 1624.]
[1] Following are translations of the title-pages of this work, of which facsimiles are here presented:
Engraved title-page: “General History of the discalced religious of the Order of the hermits of the great father and doctor of the Church, St. Augustine, of the congregation of España and of the Indias. To the most excellent duke of Ixar count of Salinas. By Father Fray Luis de Jesus son of the same congregation, and its chronicler. Volume second. From the year M.DC.L. Divided into three decades. Engraved by Pedro a Villafranca royal engraver, Madrid. 1663.”
Printed title-page: “General History of the discalced religious of the Order of the hermits of the great father and doctor of the Church, St. Augustine, of the congregation of España and of the Indias. By Father Fray Luis de Jesus, son of the same congregation, pensioned lecturer, general chronicler, and acting provincial of Castilla the old and the new. Dedicated to the most excellent Señor Don Jayme Francisco de Hijar Silva Sarmiento, etc., protector of our sacred Reform convent. Volume second. Divided into three decades, from the year twenty-one to that of fifty. With privilege. In Madrid: Printed by Lucas Antonio de Bedmar, printer of the kingdom. Year of 1681.”
[2] Delgado in his Historia, pp. 813–816, describes this bird. Tabón, he says, is a word that signifies in the Pintados “to hide by covering, or to cover by concealing it with earth.” When the chick first appears its plumage is white and gray. Its wings are used at first for aid in running rather than in flying. The bird lives mainly on fish, which it catches in the sea. The eggs, which are very nutritious, are eaten with gusto by the natives.