CHAPTER XXXIX

_Of the election of our father Fray Alonso de Méntrida_


This chapter-meeting which follows was somewhat stormy, for the
opposition made it more conspicuous than was right. Our father
provincial, Fray Juan Enríquez, 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 Enríquez preferred to set aside
his own pleasure rather than that of the order; and, consequently,
did not attempt to elect a provincial by force, although he could
have done it, for he had many followers. Our father, Fray Juan de
Henao, performed a truly religious action; he stated publicly that
he renounced any claim that he might have on the provincialate, and
signed the same. He declared that those who had hitherto been his
partisans he authorized to support any other man who should be of
greater account to the province. He said that he was not considering
his own welfare, but that of the province, which he recognized as his
mother; and, as such, he would always place its good in the foreground.