Father Melo was born of a noble family in Corinchan, Portugal.  Going to Mexico at an early age, he took the Augustinian habit in the convent of Puebla de los Angeles, June 28, 1578.  After becoming a priest he went to the Philippines, where he learned the Tagal and Bisayan tongues, and ministered at Aclan, Cagayancilo, Batangas, and Tanauan.  See Perez’s Catalogo, p. 27.

The lay-brother, Fray Nicolas de San Agustin, a Japanese, converted by the above, professed in the Manila convent in 1594.  Ibid., p. 69.

[114] In 1893 Malolos had 14,635 inhabitants, without reckoning the villages of Barasoain and Santa Isabel, with 9,442 and 7,174 inhabitants respectively.  The three villages, especially Malolos, had at the above date beautiful churches and convents of solid masonry.—­Coco.

The present civilized population of Malolos (see Bulletin No. 1, ut supra) is 12,575; Barasoain, 8,047; and of Santa Isabel, 6,403.  The first named is the capital of Bulacan province.

[115] Now (1893) the parish of Hagonoy has in charge 19,755 people, and has a very large stone church and convent.—­Coco.

Its present civilized population (see Bulletin No. 1, ut supra) is 21,304.

[116] This town had 16,867 inhabitants in 1893.—­Coco.  It now has 13,469 civilized inhabitants according to the latest census.  See Bulletin No. 1, ut supra.

[117] Pedaneo or gobernadorcilio, as he is called in the country.—­Coco.

[118] Matthew x, 22.—­Coco.

[119] “The iniquity of thy sister was pride, abundance, and sloth.”

[120] In regard to what is mentioned of the character and nature of the Indian, all the authors, native and foreign, whom I have read are unanimous in this, with the exception of Father Delgado, S.J., who for reasons unknown to me, although not difficult to infer, dissents from the others.  See the attempt at refutation (!) which the above father, with more good will than success, has tried to make of the so well known letter of Father Gaspar de San Agustin—­a letter which in my opinion should never have been published (as in fact it was published in the first volume of this “Biblioteca,” p. 273, et seq.).  No Spaniard or foreigner who has lived for some time in the islands and has had intercourse with the natives will agree with what Father Delgado asserts, but which is so opposed to the facts.  To speak truly is not to offend, but to depart from the truth is injustice; and in the present case, he who writes thus would merit another epithet.—­Coco.

The letter mentioned in the preceding paragraph will be published later in this series.

[121] That is, the vicar-provincial and definitors, who governed the province.—­Coco.

[122] This letter is given in full by Gaspar de San Agustin in his Conquistas, pp. 395-409.—­Coco.