[Chapter li continues the mention of certain deceased religious. Francisco de la Trinidad died as bishop of Santa Marta, in the Indias, in 1663. In 1651 he had been sent as procurator from the Philippines to Spain and Rome, being at that time prior of the Manila convent; and he served as definitor for his province at Rome in 1656. He was a native of Vizcaya, and had taken the habit in the Philippines. Martin Real de la Cruz died in the bishopric of Cagayan in 1651. He was a son of the convent of Carboneras in the province of España, and became a fellow in the college at Valladolid. After arriving at the Philippines he was sent to the bishopric of Nueva Segovia, where he learned the language perfectly; and he wrote many sermons and discourses, which were preserved in manuscript and copied for the use of the order. He became rector of the college of Santo Tomás at Manila, and at the same time first rector and chancellor of the university erected in that college in 1648. On the completion of that office he returned to his missions in Cagayan, and died in the remote missions of the Babuyanes Islands. In the same bishopric died also during that period Lucas Garcia, at the age of seventy-six. He had a perfect command of the language, and was a sympathetic and arduous missionary worker. He acted more than once as a vicar-provincial, and went to the island of Hermosa, where he labored among the natives and Spanish soldiers. After serving as rector of the college of Santo Tomás he returned to his missions in Cagayan, where death met him. The lay-brother Francisco de San Agustin died in the village of Lalo, in the same province, a helpful and humble worker. In the convent of San Jacinto, outside the walls of the City of Mexico, died in the year 1651 Sebastian de Oquendo, a native of Oviedo in Castilla. He had been minister to the Chinese of the Parián, and had lectured in the arts and theology in the college of Santo Tomás. The Manila convent of the order was served by him in the office of prior; and he also preached in that city with great success, leaving many writings in manuscript on scholastic theology, which were used long afterward. At death he was buried in the convent of San Jacinto, where he was serving as prior. His body was found uncorrupted, in 1658, by some Dominican missionaries en route to the Philippines.]
The most novel event in the year 1651 in the city of Manila was the imprisonment, by order of Governor Don Diego Faxardo, of the person of the master-of-camp, Manuel Estacio Benegas, who then filled that office at Manila. That happened on September 16 of that year, and his property was confiscated at the same time. He was a native of Granada, and came to these islands as captain of infantry in the service of the king. Because of his blood, which was said to be noble, and his excellent conduct, he was well married here, and had many sons and daughters who have always managed to preserve themselves with splendor and to keep up their reputation with [official] employments and equal marriages. His arrest was a very great innovation, for from the time when the said governor assumed his office he had honored the master-of-camp, arriving [at the islands] thus, with notable standing, the governor, seeing him capable and experienced in all matters, almost made him his Hercules, and placed in his hands the keys to everything. He made the master-of-camp the only and necessary go-between in all his arrangements and secrets. That was followed, as its inseparable corollary, by what is called a change of fortune; for he thought that he had mounted so high while the impetus of his wheel remained very low. Although the master-of-camp made many friends, he raised up against himself a greater number of enemies—either querulous or discontented at seeing that a superior whom God made a sun because of his office, so that he might be a universal and [un]mistakable cause, had been appropriated and set apart for himself. That alone was enough to affront and offend the most retired inferior. And although Hercules cannot prevail over two, much less over so many, his enemies made such attempts to secure his downfall and studied over the matter so much that they laid a scheme to embroil him with the governor, who had purposely shut himself up and extinguished all the lights—one of warning, while behind it entered the rest of the troop. He was immediately thrust into a very close and dark prison, and all his property was sequestered; and gratitude and confidence, taking the part of the many who were aggrieved, became the plaintiffs who made the most criminal charge. Therefore, since the said governor was a just man, and without any doubt upright and even inflexible, he was not satisfied with aggravating the imprisonment, but had torture applied to the prisoner—which was very severe, and more so in a man as corpulent and as delicate as he was. The cause, charges, and acquittals proceeded, but before the sentence was reached the master-of-camp died in prison, giving tokens of being a true Christian, and with a great submission to the will of God, who had without doubt disposed him for that road for salvation; for he was a very intelligent man, and his capacity availed him there greatly. And what do we know might have happened to him had he died in a condition of prosperity? Incomprehensible are the ways of divine Mercy.
[Chapter lii, the last chapter of the first book, treats of Chinese affairs.]
[1] The burning of the Parián in the insurrection of 1630–40 rendered it necessary to build a new one; this was placed at La Estacada (so called because the site was stockaded for this purpose), farther from the gates of Manila, but within range of the guns of Fort Santiago. Notwithstanding the inconveniences attendant on this measure, and the risk of demoralizing the Indian converts, the government refused to locate the Chinese elsewhere; but they remained there only two years. One night when they were worshiping their ancestors, a house accidentally caught fire; as a result the entire Parián was burned, with great quantities of goods belonging to the citizens of Manila, who had placed these there on sale. A great part of Binondo was also destroyed by this fire. (Diaz’s Conquistas, pp. 456, 457.) [↑]
[2] Accounts of Corcuera’s residencia may be found in Domingo F. de Navarrete’s Tratados historicos (Madrid, 1676), trat. 6, ch. 4; Murillo Velarde’s Hist. de Philipinas, fol. 136 b–138; la Concepción’s Hist. de Philipinas, vi, pp. 188–195; Ferrando’s Hist. de los PP. Dominicos, ii, pp. 450–453; and Montero y Vidal’s Hist. de Filipinas, i, pp. 265–267. [↑]
[3] Referring to the institution founded by Corcuera, styled San Felipe, of which more detailed information will be given in a subsequent volume. [↑]
[4] “In the acts of the said congregation [of 1650, held at Nueva Segovia] is also mentioned a decree by the most reverend Marinis, which expressly annulled the mandate of the most reverend Turco, providing that the vicariates which possess votes in the chapter-sessions shall last only two years. This law of the province has suffered some modifications, according to the circumstances of the times. Since the intermediate sessions or congregations were suppressed, the office of vicar lasts four years—or, more correctly, the vicar is removable at the pleasure of the superior of the order, because the reason of his irremovability, which was the vote in the chapter, no longer exists. From this modification, however, must be excepted the rector of the college of Santo Tomás and the vicar of Cavite, who still enjoy that right.” (Ferrando’s Hist. de los PP. Dominicos, ii, p. 608.) [↑]
[5] These generals of the Dominican order were, respectively. Fray Tomás Turco and Fray Juan Bautista de Marinis. [↑]
[6] Alluding to Carlos Clemente Gant, who had been provincial during 1637–41. [↑]