He sent a procurator to España in the first year of his provincialate; namely, father Fray Antonio de Ocampo, a very eloquent preacher, and who was accordingly esteemed in the province for that, as well as for the other offices which he had held. But he had little good fortune on the voyage, for the flagship did not make the voyage that year, because of having been detained in necessary repairing, and when it reached the Embocadero there was no wind to carry it outside, and it returned at the end of October. The almiranta had time in which to leave, and made the voyage, although at great risk, reaching Nueva España in a mastless condition.
After the second year of his triennium, the provincial sent another procurator; for the first one, warned by the voyage, thought that he ought not to embark again. This was father Fray Hernando Guerrero, whom we have already seen, as he brought the finest company that has been in or has entered these islands for many years. Making the second voyage, he brought another company, that would have been no less excellent if death had not snatched away its best members near Manila. It seems as if death selected, among all, those of most renown, although those who were left were distinguished. Let us conclude this triennium with the fact that our father provincial—although it seemed from his goodness that he would not try to declare himself too fully, nor to influence the province against his will—at last, thinking that he, because of his greater experience in its affairs than others had, could arbitrate in a so important matter, accordingly set his eyes on father Fray Antonio de Ocampo, whom we have already mentioned above—a person certainly worthy of greater things, and a calificador of the Holy Office. Our father thought it easy to accomplish his intentions, for he found many who thought the same. But the one who opposed him was of great account and a great giant, namely, the father master, Fray Pedro García, the brother of the archbishop, who did not lack followers and partisans. The contention, if I do not say that it was greater than the former one, was not less. It is a remarkable thing, and certain to befall a monarchy, that when it is about to come to an end it slips and totters. Consequently, it was always suspected that those appointed by the province were announcing some new method of governing. The governor also—who was then Don Fernando de Silva, of the habit of Santiago, and who had been sent by the viceroy of Nueva España—took a part in it, so that the affairs of the order should not go outside of its limits. Finally, it was our Lord’s pleasure that they should settle upon a third person, namely, our father Fray Hernando Becerra, a person very deserving of what the order has given him.
Chapter XL
Of the election of our father Becerra
We have already related that our father, Fray Hernando Becerra, from the time that he set foot in Filipinas, was always climbing the rungs and going from good to better. He came to the islands in the company brought by our father visitor, Fray Diego de Guevara; and as soon as he was ordained, that same year of 1610, he was sent to Ilocos to be minister in that province. Beyond any doubt at the time of his arrival, he made so good an impression on those in authority, and they regarded him as so worthy of eminence, that almost immediately he was given the chief priorate of that province, called Bantay. He came to vote, therefore, at the following chapter, and remained in the province of Tagalos, with the title of reader of theology. Soon after that the bishop of Camarines, then visitor, selected him as his associate in the general visitation.
He afterwards came to read at Manila, and also voted in that chapter with the title of associate to our father Fray Miguel García. Our father Fray Vicente chose him as his associate, and immediately gave him the priorate of Agonoy. During the provincialate of our father Baraona, he was prior of Bulacán. During that of our father Fray Juan Enríquez he was definitor; and also, for a year and a half, prior of Manila. During the triennium of our father Méntrida, he was visitor and prior of Pasig. After that, in the contest for provincial he fell a trifle short of the required age, but was dispensed by the father master, Fray Diego del Aguila—who presided as provincial, or rather, as senior definitor. The definitors elected in that chapter were: Fray Francisco Bonifacio (the second time that he had held that office); the second, Fray Estéban de Peralta;[63] the third, Fray Jerónimo de Medrano;[64] and the fourth, Fray Alonso de Carvajal.[65] Those elected as visitors were father Fray Alonso del Rincón, and father Fray Alonso Ruiz. They made regulations for the province, and fortified it with good laws.
Our father Fray Hernando Becerra doubtless forced himself to take upon his shoulders the weight of the province on account of his love for it, and in order that it might not go into a decline—although he would have preferred to rest and to take care of his health; for he had been ailing for two years, so that he appeared to be rather the statue of death than a man. The fact that he was still young kept him alive, for that is a very important point. Although all told him that his illness was serious, and that it unfitted him for the burden of government, still he had the greatest courage that one can imagine, and accordingly was elected prior provincial, on May 2, 1626.
However, he felt better immediately after assuming his new duties, but this improvement did not last long; for he was like the candle, which does not fail to flare up when about to be extinguished. He received very good treatment, and all were diligently striving to secure his health, for it was recognized that he was the one of whom the province had need. It was feared that he would be harsh, and that he would exercise severity; for he showed that disposition, and all trembled before him—all that harshness being occasioned, perhaps, by his severe illness. But in the end those fears lasted but a little while, for on the day of our father St. Ignatius, the last of July, God took him to himself by a most comfortable death, which left all the religious envious and full of tears, so that there was no one who did not shed them at that spectacle. Two years before he had prepared himself [for death]; and, although he was always a most observant religious, he renewed that care upon seeing the pass to which he had come. The deposit which he held by permission in our order he proceeded to give to the church, dispossessing himself of everything which could prevent him from dying as a very poor religious. And when death was about to seize him he left the government to our father Méntrida, and went to discuss everything with God, and to arrange his affairs with His [Divine] Majesty-which, as he was a person of great ability and [spiritual] wealth was less necessary to him than to others. Knowing the state in which the province was, he most earnestly begged the religious to give him their word to call a chapter; for he was of the opinion that that was necessary for the peace and advancement of the province. He insisted on the same thing with our father Méntrida, who was the one on whom the government devolved by right. Thereupon, he very calmly gave up his soul to his Creator, leaving behind sure token that he was going straight to His presence.
Thereupon followed a period of distress in the province, not a little difficult to settle. The government fell to our father, Méntrida. The definitors were at variance. Our father Méntrida had a most severe mandate from our most reverend father [general] that acted against him, namely, that the provincial who did not visit the province of Bisayas, at least once during his term was ipso facto deprived of the rights of voting and election, and the religious were ordered to obey him no longer. Our father Méntrida had not made that visit, giving as a pretext his ill-health. The religious argued from this that, according to that mandate, he could not govern. To his reply that his illness was the cause of his not obeying the order, and that if God granted him health he would go, they answered that that illness, which was asthma, was always in evidence. His adherents wished him to have the command a second time, but the others would not consent to it. Finally the governor, Don Juan Niño de Tábora, had to intervene. Thanks to him, the matter was adjusted, so that our father Méntrida resigned the government, which was assumed by father Fray Francisco Bonifacio, the most pacific creature that has been in Filipinas. He has never been known directe or indirecte to have any altercation with any religious. He has ever been unwilling to cause trouble to any one, and therefore has avoided giving it, and I believe he caused trouble to no one during his term. The Lord coöperated with this holy intention, giving him a triennium of great quiet. We might say of him what Solomon said of himself: nunc autem requiem dedit Dominus Deus meus mihi per circuitum: et non est satan, neque occursus malus.[66]
[Here follows the relation of the awful calamities that befell certain persons, both Spaniards and natives, in consequence of their neglect and scorn of the Holy Child. The narration is continued:]