The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803; explorations by early navigators, descriptions of the islands and their peoples, their history and records of the Catholic missions, as related in contemporaneous books and manuscripts, showing the political, economic, commericial and religious conditions of those islands from their earliest relations with European nations to the beginning of the nineteenth century; [Vol. 1, no. 36]

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THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS

[Vol. 36

sions in their charge. As those missions are among
the most unconquerable and fierce people in these
districts, many of the religious have been killed and
captured. Consequently, they suffer from a great lack
of laborers; but they have not for that failed in the
service of your Majesty on the occasions that have
arisen by sea and land - all, motives that should impel your Majesty with your royal liberality to be
pleased to continue the said alms, and to concede
them a goodly number of religious for these islands.
May God preserve, etc. Manila, April 29, I648."
241. That of the city of Manila speaks of the
Recollects in the following manner-"Sire: This
city of Manila has informed your Majesty on various
occasions of the great importance in these islands of
the order of discalced Recollects of St. Augustine;
of the apostolic men in that order; of the great results
that they obtain by the preaching of the holy gospel;
of the singular example that they have always furnished, and do now, with their strict and religious
life and their so exact mode of observing their rules;
and of the so considerable effects that have through
their agency been attained in the service of our Lord
and that of your Majesty, with the aid of your royal
arms, in the great number of infidels whom they
have converted to our holy Catholic faith, and how
they have been brought to render to your Majesty
the due vassalage and tribute, which they have generally paid, and are paying, annually. [We have
also told your Majesty] that they have engaged in all
this with the spiritual affection that belongs to their
profession, with singular care - both in the conservation of what they have attained and in their
continual desire, notwithstanding the many discom