a native; the other, Fray Pablo Colmenero, who came from Salamanca, and was a native of Galicia. [60] Both of them were religious of excellent abilities.  I embarked at the port of Acapulco for the Philipinas, with only twenty-eight.  Although it is true that at the time of embarkation some nine were absent, who had not yet arrived at the port, yet even if they had arrived they could in no wise have been embarked; for the ship which was given me was very small, and had accommodations for no more than twelve friars at the most.  So true is this, that the treasurer of his Majesty of this City Of Mexico, one Birbiesca, who was then at the port to despatch the ships by command of the Marques de Montesclaros, told me not to embark more than twelve.  This I swear to be true in verbo sacerdotis.  I left in that very port several religious, with permission and order to return to Mexico until they could go to the Philipinas; and I was many times sorry for those whom I had embarked, on account of the poor accommodations that we had.  Four of them died at sea, between here and the Philipinas (three of these being priests, and the other not), all of them being friars from whom much was hoped.  I have made information of all this before the notary of the ship itself (who was called Francisco de Vidaurre), with witnesses who were aboard—­which, with the favor of God, I myself shall take to Espana, as I am now on the way there.  This was in the year of 1606.

The very next year two religious of my company—­priests, confessors, and preachers, Fray Jacinto Orfanel and Fray Joseph de San Jacinto—­went to the Philipinas with Don Rodrigo de Mendoza, nephew of the marques, who was commander for two patajes; and this year, 608, I sent four others of the same qualifications with the lord governor, Don Rodrigo de Bibero.

Thus of all my company, except six who have died, only one has failed to go to the Philippinas.  To this one, I confess, I gave permission to remain; and he is at present in the province of Oaxaca as minister and interpreter, and so has not been obtained for it unfairly, since religious go from Spana to this province also at the cost of the royal exchequer.  It was at the time expedient and even necessary to give the permission; and if his Majesty should try to tie the hands of him who takes the religious in charge, in this matter, it would be the occasion of many grave injuries to his royal service, and still more to that of God, for the new church in the Philippinas can be entrusted only to ministers with the apostolic spirit.  For, in order to persuade to the faith, the lack of miracles must be made good by the life of the minister, which, when apostolic, is so much the more a power, as the ability to work miracles is less; for the force of example, and that of miracles which the apostles had to convert the world then, must now be contained in the life of the minister.  In truth this is more important for the heathen than are miracles,