[48] The first Franciscan religious arrived at Manila June 24, 1577.  These were fathers Fray Pedro Alfaro, Fray Pedro de Jerez, Fray Pablo de Jesus, Fray Juan de Plasencia, Fray Juan Bautista Pesaro, Fray Alonso de Medina, Fray Sebastian de Baeza, Fray Francisco Mariano, Fray Diego de Oropesa, Fray Agustin de Tordesillas, Fray Antonio Barriales, and Fray Francisco Menor, and two choristers and lay brothers.—­Pablo Pastells, S.J.

[49] Domingo de Salazar was born in Labastida (in Alavese Rioja) in 1512.  He joined the Order of St. Dominic in 1546 at Salamanca; and at forty years of age he went to Mexico.  In 1579 he was appointed first bishop of the Filipinas, and took possession of his seat in 1581.  In virtue of the bull Fulti proesidio, promulgated by Gregory XIII, he erected the principal church of Manila into a cathedral church, December 21 of the same year.  Immediately thereafter he held the first council, being assisted by both the secular and regular clergy.  In 1591 he returned to Acapulco and Mexico, whence he went to Espana in 1593.  He died in Madrid, December 4, 1594, and was buried in the church of Santo Tomas of his order.—­Pablo Pastells, S.J.

[50] Don Gonzalo Ronquillo was born at Arevalo, of an illustrious family.  His father was a military officer, his grandfather a civil magistrate, and his brother a distinguished warrior.  From 1572 to 1575, Gonzalo Ronquillo served in the Audiencia of Mexico as chief constable; then returning to Spain, he made an offer to the king to conduct six hundred colonists to the Filipinas Islands.  This was accepted, and he was appointed governor of the islands, for which he departed from Spain early in 1579.  On the way he lost so many of his colonists, by desertion or death, that only three hundred and forty remained when he left Panama, February 24, 1580; they reached Manila on June 1 following.  In 1581 he founded the town of Arevalo on the island of Panay.  Ronquillo’s death occurred at Manila, on February 14, 1583—­caused, according to a letter written by his cousin Don Diego to the king, by his grief at the proceedings of Doctor Sande from Mexico in reprisal for the severe residencia which, by order of the king, Ronquillo had taken of Sande’s government.—­Pablo Pastells, S.J.

[51] These auditors received two thousand pesos of nugget gold (oro de minas) annually; and the president, four thousand pesos.—­Pablo Pastells, S.J.

[52] Dedo:  originally, a finger (cf.  French doigt):  by extension, a measure of length ("a finger’s breadth"); see Vol.  III, p. 201.

[53] Dr. Francisco de Sande, a native of Caceres, left Acapulco to enter upon his governorship of the Filipinas, April 6, 1575, and arrived at Manila August 25, entering immediately upon his duties.  Pedro de Chaves named in his honor the newly-founded city of Nueva Caceres.  Sande directed a personal expedition to Borneo, sailing from Manila for this purpose March 3, 1578, accompanied by forty-six native vessels.  He took possession of that great island April 20, and reentered Manila July 29 with twenty-one galleys and galleots, six ships, one hundred and seventy pieces of artillery, and other war material taken from the enemy.  His governorship ended June 1, 1580.—­Pablo Pastells, S.J.