of the royal Audiencia; Don Francisco Gomez de Arellano, dean of the cathedral there, and commissary-general of the crusade; Don Joan de Aguilar, archdean of the same church; Captain Hernando de Avalos y Vargas; Licentiate Rodrigo Guiral, secular priest; Admiral Don Joan de Valmaseda; Don Luis Enrriquez de Guzman; Don Diego de Leon, school-master of the said church; Captain and sargento-mayor Don Francisco de Ayala; Don Luis de Herrera Sandoval, treasurer also of the same church; Luis de Barrasa, regidor of the city; Captain Melchor de Ayllon; and Don Antonio de Arze, also regidor of Manila.  All those so illustrious persons deposed that the discalced Augustinian religious who were living and who had lived there, were serious, learned, spiritual, beloved men, and that they were gladly seen and heard by those who lived and dwelt in the Philippinas Islands; and that, by their good life and example, they had gathered and were gathering much fruit in the community, and among the natives of the province of Zambales.  Those people had been most fierce enemies of the Spaniards and other nations before Ours had taken charge of their reduction.  By the excellent instruction of our religious, they had become so tamed and gentle that now one could pass through their coast; while before one could not even approach them without evident risk of those people killing him, with great gusto, as they were so barbarous.  Consequently, it would be well to keep and increase those religious in that archipelago, for the salvation and profit of souls.

The second testimony is that of the royal Chancilleria of Manila, in a letter to the Catholic king of the Espanas, and affirms the following: 

“The discalced religious of the Order of St. Augustine, who are employed in these islands in preaching the holy gospel, are held in great esteem in this city of Manila because of their virtue and good example.  They have three or four provinces of Indians in their charge, and, moved by holy and pious zeal for the welfare of souls, they continue daily to establish new convents among the most unconquerable people of the islands.  Thus have they been seen to gather most considerable fruit for the service of God and of your Majesty.”

In another letter are also noted these words, which affirm the above: 

“The discalced religious of St. Augustine are very observant in their ministries, and attend to the service of your Majesty, on occasions of enemies by sea and land, where some have been killed and captured.”

Before proceeding further, it will not be an impertinent digression to mention and explain briefly the services above mentioned, stating first that our religious serve as chaplains in the forts of Tandag, Calamianes, Bagangan, and Linao, with notable sacrifice both of their liberty (for they are often captured and illtreated) and of their lives, because of the bad voyages on, and hardships of, the seas.  When Don Fernando de Silva was governing the islands, a fleet was sent