The father provincial established religious in Calumpit, one day’s journey from Manila toward the east (where the Tagal language is likewise spoken), bordering the province of Pampanga.  It is located on a beautiful river called Quingua, of excellent water, which is used by all the convents of that district.  It was a very densely populated district, but now it has but few people, for the Indians have not remained there. [63] It had formerly innumerable mosquitas, [64] but now few; and some sugar plantations, which were started by father Fray Pedro Mejia, [65] and continued by father Fray Luis Ronquillo. [66] If care were taken of them, the convent would be supplied with what is necessary.  It is a priorate and has a vote.  Its Indians number about five hundred.

The father provincial likewise established a convent in Lubao, which is [in] the province of Pampanga.  It is a most fertile land, and we might say that it sustains the country, for it is all rice-fields.  Hence it is said, that at harvest Pampanga is worth little.  The convent of Lubao had many people, and hence they were able to build a church, which is one of the best in the country.  It is all built of brick, made there; they also built a two-roomed house.  It has generally two religious, with six hundred Indians. [67] All Pampanga is like streets, for the houses of one town are continued by those of another.  One may go to all its towns without getting in the sun, for now the bamboos, and now the palms furnish very pleasant shade.  From this place one goes to Guagua, a short legua, past the houses; thence to Betis; from Betis to Bacolor, the best of the entire province.  Of the rest we shall speak in their turn.

The father provincial established religious in the island of Panay, which, as it was of the Bisayan language, he was not willing to abandon.  Those islands, although the first to whom the clarion of the gospel was sounded, have been the ones that have remained most in ignorance.  I am unaware of the cause for this unless it be my sins, for truly the most flourishing province, in regard to its missions, has been that of Panay, as will be seen in this work.  And yet, they are as new in matters of our faith, as on the first day.  I think that their living in very remote towns conduces greatly to this, and in not seeing the religious so frequently as the others do.  And although they have attempted to maintain some [religious] assemblies, they have not retained them, for the persons who most strenuously oppose their having assemblies are the encomenderos—­because they fear the diminution of their Indians, more than what they owe as Christians.  I console myself that another tribunal will judge them with more rigor.  But may it please the omnipotent God that human selfishness be not repaid with eternal punishments; for they become encomenderos more to deprive the natives of the good of the soul, than to convert them and protect them in what concerns them so deeply.