rity to elect a provincial. He had some disputes with a beneficed
secular, whereupon the said beneficiary complained to the archbishop,
Don Fray Miguel Garcia. The latter sought advice as to whether he
could try that cause, and, I know not why, kept the priest secluded
in our convent. The cause was continued, and afterward the said
vicar-provincial, Fray Rodrigo, went to Espana by way of India. Through
that journey he accomplished matters of no little importance; for he
suffered much and served the Catholic church greatly. He converted
and reduced many schismatic Russians [57] to the Catholic church, and
bore a solemn message from them to his Holiness. For this religious
had excellent qualifications for distinction; he was a fine Latin
scholar and an excellent preacher, and was no less a theologian. In
the Roman court he was of great aid to the religious of the Filipinas
against the pretensions of the seculars, so that his arrival there
was very important. He was very well received in that court, and in
that of Espana; and he would have obtained his desires, had not the
Lord been pleased to cut him off, taking him from this life to enjoy
that which is eternal. He had written a book on the affairs of this
country, but it is not known into whose hands it has fallen. May it
bring to the light achievements so eminent and honorable. Without
doubt they would be of much importance for a knowledge of what there
is in these lands so remote from our own.

CHAPTER XXXIX

_Of the election of our father Fray Alonso de Mentrida_

This chapter-meeting which follows was somewhat stormy, for the
opposition made it more conspicuous than was right. Our father
provincial, Fray Juan Enriquez, had had a most happy triennium. The
time coming to appoint a successor in his place, he considered our
father Fray Juan de Henao--a man who was well liked in the province
and who had many influential persons who were affectioned unto him--a
suitable man. Others, although few, resented this choice, and therefore
tried to block its accomplishment. Those men were few in number,
but they had great authority. The affair went so far that it came to
the ears of Don Alonso Fajardo, who was governor of the Filipinas. He
tried by means of his authority to mediate, so that there should be no
scandal; for he was well inclined to the order, and grieved over the
matter. Finally, our father Fray Juan Enriquez preferred to set aside
his own pleasure rather