Therefore I entreat your Highness to petition his Majesty the king,
our sovereign, to send a considerable number of fathers of the Society
of Jesus from Europe--at least about fifty, considering that it is many
years since any have been asked for, and on this occasion a procurator
is going for that purpose. It will, moreover, be important for his
Majesty to issue there very urgent orders, so that the superiors
in Europe may not be illiberal and refuse to furnish ministers. If
he considers the pacification of Mindanao, and, besides that, if we
should have to provide Maluco with ministers from here with the new
government which is coming, it is necessary to provide beforehand
for an increase in the number of workers. I hope for all the above
from the great foresight of your Highness, with grace and justice.

_Gregorio Lopez_


Order of St. Francis

Very potent Sire:

Since I am ordered, in your Majesty's name, to give a minute of the
convents in this province of San Gregorio, of the discalced friars and
religious in it, and the number of souls to whom they administer the
holy sacraments and instruction, by virtue of that command I declare
that this province has forty-eight convents with their visitas,
where religious live; and four convents where they do not minister to
Indians--namely, Sant Francisco of Manila, Sant Francisco del Monte,
Sant Francisco of Caceres and Sant Diego of Cavite. Further it has six
[_sic_] hospitals: the royal hospital of Manila; that for the natives;