The father provincial established religious in Batangas, which is more than twenty leguas’ distance from Manila.  It has a stone church and house, although these are much dilapidated from the weather.  It was a great district, but now it is much less because of the men drafted for Manila.  It has about six hundred Indians as tributarios.  Two religious live there generally.  Service is performed in the Tagal tongue.  We have mentioned this convent in our description of the lake of Bongbong or Taal, which is the nearest convent to Batangas, from which it is even distant only one day’s journey; the road passes through certain most excellent meadows, resembling those of Espana; where one may rear an immense number of cattle.  The Indians through all this district, which they call the Comintan, make use of domestic cattle on which they travel and carry their loads.  The language used there is much like the Bisayan, for one can cross from this town of Batangas, which is located on a very beautiful bay, to the Bisayas with great ease during the brisas.  This district belongs to the archbishopric of Manila.

Moreover, the provincial established a convent in Malolos.  This place lies two leguas by land from Bulacan, and there is an excellent highway.  From Manila it lies little less than one day’s journey.  This village has greatly decreased; it has about three hundred Indians.  It is a priorate and has a vote, but has only one religious.  It has a wooden house, and has never had one of stone. [114]

The father provincial established religious in Agonoy, where Tagal is spoken.  It is on the way to Pampanga, on a branch of that river called Candaba.  It is a very large priorate, for it has more than one thousand rich and influential Indians.  Three religious live there.  It is quite near to Macabebe and Calumpit, for one can ascend to either place by the river in two hours.  This town is not farther from Manila than one day’s journey.  A quantity of wine is made there from a tree that grows in its marshes, called palm or nipa.  The house is wooden and very poor. [115]

Moreover, the father provincial established religious in Mexico, a town of Pampanga.  It receives its name from its great abundance of water.  A great quantity of rice is produced there, and it has a fine plain.  The house and church are of stone.  It has about three hundred tributes. [116].  It is a priorate and has a vote, and one or two religious generally live there.  This town is quite exposed to the inroads of the Negrillos and Zambales, and there are continual misfortunes of murders, and it is quite common to find headless bodies in the field.  It belongs to the archbishopric of Manila, and lies more than one day’s journey from the city, either by sea or creek.

Chapter XXV

Of the great oppositions suffered by the province in that time

[However, in these early days, even, peace and quiet are not for the religious; and they find their work hindered and even opposed by encomenderos and other Spaniards who work much evil against them, and turn the natives against them.  Our author mentions certain cases, for the entire truth of which he vouches, which show the manner in which some Spaniards act.]