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]

1649-1666] RECOLLECT MISSIONS, 1646-60

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cion that no one could be found who would
voluntarily submit to correction by a strange prelate,
and at times be accused and denounced in a foreign
jurisdiction as he had only promised obedience to his
own superiors. Grant that some would be allured,
but those would be the least capable who would be
incited by the perverse desire for greater freedom.
As a rule, when a mission for those islands is now
proclaimed, those who volunteer in their desire for
the conversion of souls are so many that one may
choose laborers of excellent qualifications; for their
zeal for the propagation of the gospel and for the
spiritual health of those poor Indians impels them.
But were that subjection inaugurated, what timorous
religious after that would leave his cell (a safe port
whither to escape during storms) only to serve in the
employ of cura? That is, any change is accompanied
by a very great alteration; and he who attempts to
introduce it must be responsible for all the consequences, in order to prevent and forestall them. Nor
is it prudent not to oppose oneself to the foregoing,
when one foresees the sequel of conclusions so fatal.
Therefore, our holy order opposes itself to the innovation of this subjection, for it considers the inevitable injuries that must result. In view of that and
many other losses, it acts most holily in abandoning
the missions, in order that they may remain in the
full charge of the bishops.
[Chapter iii deals with the life of certain Recollect religious, of whom the following labored in the
Philippines. Jacinto de San Fulgencio, the son of
Vicente Francisco Claramonte, was born in Cocentayna, and was received in the convent of Valencia
January 17, I6I4. He joined the mission to the