The definitors elected at this chapter were the reverend fathers: first, Fray Francisco Bonifacio; second, Fray Juan de Tapia; third, Fray Vicente de Sepúlveda; and fourth, Fray Estacio Ortíz. The absolute provincial, father Fray Diego Gutiérrez, received a vote. The visitors who were elected in this definitorio were father Fray Bernabé de Villalobos and father Fray Antonio de Porras[22], the latter being adito.[23] All the above in assembly made excellent regulations, and established for that time very good acts and laws; and they charged our father provincial with the execution of them, since on that depended the universal good of all the province.
It was proposed in this chapter, and, in fact, it was so ordered, for reasons that were very apparent there, that the chapters in the future should be held every four years, and the intermediary chapters every two years. The main consideration that influenced them was the great deficiency that the fathers create in their convents during the time when they come to the election, and they deemed it advisable to obviate this injury as much as possible, since it could not be entirely remedied—concluding that the expenses, if they could not be avoided, at least would be delayed as late as possible. This was agreed upon at that time, but later it was considered unadvisable, and consequently the enactment in this matter was repealed.
After the election, and the departure of the vessels to Castilla, our father visitor undertook to go to visit the province of Bisayas, which he did very slowly. He took as his associate our father Fray Hernando Becerra,[24] then a recent arrival. He visited the island of Panay very leisurely. When about to go to the convent of Sugbú, he took as associate our father Fray Alonso de Méntrida,[25] then without office, as he had refused any. He established an excellent system in that convent, of which he had great care. He caused its annuities to be raised, for it was very poor and overburdened. Father Fray Hernando Becerra went to Manila to read theology. Although he did this only for a short time, yet he became very renowned throughout the islands, and in consequence was cordially received by the other orders. Thence the father visitor came to Manila to assist in the superior government of the province, although the government of our father, Fray Miguel García, was such that, when he was there, no one else was needed.
In the year 1613, the ships with the reënforcements arrived in good shape from Nueva España. In them came that company of religious above mentioned as being sent by Bishop Solier. Father Fray Juan de Montemayor, their leader, who brought them from Nueva España, did it as well as he could; but there most of the religious, finding themselves tired out by the severe voyage, and the breadth of the land and its mildness and beauty inviting them, and that first courage having been lost with which they had left their native land and country, separated in a thousand directions, so that very few of that flock were left. These embarked and set sail in the port of Acapulco, March 25, 1613, without enough provisions; and even in what provision they had so little judgment was shown that they arrived as if by a miracle. Such was their need that when they arrived at the Embocadero, which is about eighty leguas from Manila, they had to disembark, and go from island to island, selling what few clothes they had left. There the fathers of the Society, who have charge of those missions, performed toward them a thousand acts of charity, by means of which they sustained life until, thus broken and with innumerable necessities, they reached Sugbú. Of a truth, they were ill advised; for, since they were already in the islands, they would have been delayed much less in the ships, which were retarded because of the route that they took, which was full of dangers and not a little troublesome. But the government does not learn. It is a gift given by God to those who please Him. Two fathers who remained in the ships arrived promptly and many months before their associates.
The religious in that company were as follows:
1. The father master, Fray Pedro García, own brother of our father Fray Miguel García. He did not come as master, but his brother negotiated that for him upon going to España.
2. Father Fray Juan de Montemayor, one of the greatest preachers who have been in the islands.
4. Fray Nicolás de Herrera, a preacher, and a prominent religious.
5. Fray Cristóbal de Miranda. He was the one who, together with the master, Fray Pedro García, refused to disembark. That religious has been very useful.