Antonio Gonzalez de Legardo

On the receipt of this letter, I beg your Grace to advise me immediately, for the Council anxiously awaits a reply because of the history.” (Pressmark:  “est. 139, caj. 1, leg. 15.”)

[30] Andres del Espiritu Santo was born at Valladolid in 1585, and made his profession at Portillo in 1601.  Entering the Philippine mission, he began his labors with the natives in the province of Zambales, where he was very successful.  In 1609, and again in 1615, he was chosen vicar-provincial.  Afterward going to Spain for more missionaries, he returned to the islands in 1622, and four years later became provincial, as again in 1632.  The rest of his life was spent at Manila, where he died in 1658.

[31] A city between Vera Cruz and Mexico City, more commonly known as Puebla; it was founded about 1530, and became the seat of the diocese in 1550, and soon was a flourishing agricultural and manufacturing center.

[32] Instituto:  constitution, or rules of observance, adopted by the order.

[33] “Now I shall die happy.”

[34] Luis de Jesus states (Historia, p. 79) that this name is a corruption of Manavilis.

[35] Cf. the accounts by Loarca (Vol.  V of this series) and Plasencia (Vol.  VII).

[36] This tree (Mangifera altisima) resembles the mango, but its fruit is much smaller.  The tree grows to a greater height than the mango.  The fruit is eaten by the natives, being used with vinegar.  See Blanco’s Flora.

[37] “Behold the cross of the Lord.  Flee, ye adverse ones.  The lion of Judah is conqueror.”

[38] Antonio de San Agustin was born in Manila, the son of Francisco de las Misas, and made his profession in the Recollect convent there, in December, 1614.  He was a minister in various places, and had been prior of several convents.  In 1658, while returning from an official visit to the Calamianes Islands, he was captured by Moros, who slew him.  At the time of his death he was sixty-six years old.

[39] The first father named above was afflicted by a grievous plague of vermin [chinches—­literally, “bedbugs"], seemingly after a request that he might suffer his purgatory on earth.  At the time of his death, “raising his voice and saying, In manus tuas, Domine, commendo spiritum meum, he expired, without making another movement.  Immediately the chinches disappeared and not one could be found, although one could gather than by handfuls before, as they say.”

[40] The Congregatio de Propaganda Fide, one of the “sacred congregations” of the Catholic Church, was founded in 1622, by Pope Gregory XV, conferring upon it most ample powers for the propagation of the faith, and especially for the superintendence of missions in countries where heretics or infidels had to be evangelized.  The jurisdiction proper of the congregation extends to all territories which are governed more missionum, or as missionary countries—­not by the bishops of the regular hierarchy, but by prefects and vicars apostolic.  It has, moreover, legislative and judicial power.  See Hoffmanns’ Catholic Directory, 1896, p. 48.