“His Holiness, our most blessed father Gregory Fifteenth (may God preserve him), with the desire that is his of aiding the reformed orders, at the instance made him by his Majesty and our order—­who petitioned him that a vicar-general be given us, and permission that the convents of our order, with the title and name of province, might divide into several provinces—­conceded a brief for the aforesaid, which was carried out.  For that purpose a chapter was convoked in this convent of the city of Madrid on November twenty of the following year, the past year of 1621, in which I was elected vicar-general.  The convents possessed by the order in Espana in those islands were divided into four provinces.  Consequently, that the orders given by his Holiness and by the general chapter may be executed, I am sending the messages, so that a provincial chapter may be held.  In that chapter the orders of our Latin constitutions and those of the new ordinances of our aforesaid general chapter shall be observed.

“In regard to time, I declare that it shall be held within four months of the time when your Reverences shall receive the messages and when the religious who bear them, and who sail in this trading-fleet, shall arrive at that convent of the city of Manila—­so that [there will be no haste] in case that it should not be a suitable time when the religious arrive, or it should be necessary to arrange anything for the celebration; but if time should allow, and the necessary things should be arranged, it may be held within a month, and not before.  I warn your Reverences that, on receiving and opening the messages and despatches that I am sending, the form that I order be observed.  And inasmuch as when your Reverences receive these despatches, two years will have passed of the sexennium—­according to the order laid down in the new ordinances, decreeing that now and henceforth provincial chapters shall be held, so that those who are to come to take part in the election of a new vicar-general may be elected every six years—­your Reverences shall take one year from this first triennium, and this election shall be, but for this time only, a biennium.  Thus shall be done with both the provincial and definitors, and the rest of the priors and the other offices, so that in the following provincial chapter of that province, the definitor and discreto may be elected—­who shall come, in its name, for the new election of vicar-general that is to be made (if our Lord be so pleased), at Pentecost of the year 1627.

“The coming shall be arranged in such manner that they may not come late, nor leave before it is necessary.  As soon as the definitor and discreto (or those who may be elected to fill their places on account of their death, or for any other legitimate impediment) are elected, your Reverences shall advise the vicar-general by the first boat, if they cannot arrive in time.  I have chosen to advise your Reverences of this, so that you might know what you ought and must do; and so that everything may be done with prudence, devotion, and virtue, in which may our Lord give us many increases.  From this convent of the discalced of our father St. Augustine, of the city of Madrid, June 12, 1622.  Your Reverences’ brother,