This was the father master, Fray Alonso de la Vera-Cruz, one of those in Mexico to whom the bishop wrote.  See San Agustin, ut supra, p. 395.

[123] Fray Diego Alvarez was master of novices in the Manila convent in 1580, and minister at Taal in 1581, and at Bulacan in 1582.  He was elected prior provincial in 1584, and definitor and minister at Taguig in the provincial chapter of 1587.  In 1590 he took charge of the Manila priorate and was elected provincial for the second time in 1593.  He died in the convent of San Pablo in Manila, in 1601.  See Perez’s Catalogo, p. 20.

[124] Ecclesiasticus xix, 1.

[125] The city of Vigan is not now [1893] in so poor a state as Father Medina says.  It is well inhabited, and presents a good appearance, having many stone edifices.—­Coco.

It is the capital of the province of Ilocos Sur, and has a civilized population of 14,945 (See U.S.  Gazetteer of the Philippine Islands and Bulletin No. 1, ut supra); and from its position on the railroad from Manila it is a town of importance.

[126] Now [1893] called Balaoang, and with 8,260 inhabitants.—­Coco.

Balaoang is now in the province of La Union, and has a civilized population of 10,008.  See ut supra.

[127] In 1893 the three provinces of La Union and South and North Ilocos had, in the lowlands, forty-two villages with a total population of 349,205; and in the mountains fifteen missions in Abra, Lepanto, and Benguet, with a population of 43,044, or a total of 392,249.  All were under charge of the Augustinians.—­Coco.

Ilocos Norte now contains 178,995 (2,210 wild) inhabitants, Ilocos Sur, 187,411 (13,611 wild); and La Union, 137,839 (10,050 wild).  The province of Abra contains 51,860 (14,037 wild) inhabitants; Benguet, 22,745 (21,828 wild); and Lepanto-Bontoc, 72,750 (70,283 wild).  See Bulletin No. 1, ut supra.

[128] Fray Francisco Mercado took his vows in the Manila convent in 1611.  He was a missionary at Laoag (1614, 1626, 1635) and Batac (1620, 1641), provisor of the bishop of Nueva Segovia (1623), and definitor (1632).  He gave generous alms to the province from his own funds, showing special favor to the convents of Guadalupe and Bantay.  In the latter he acquired a fine estate, with the intention of building a hospital for the Ilocan friars; and at that convent he collected a good library, which was later removed to Manila.  He died at Batac in 1642.  See Perez’s Catalogo, p. 194.

[129] “Ilaoag” is the capital of the province of Ilocos Norte and is today called Laoag.  It has a civilised population of 34,454.  See U.S.  Gazetteer of the Philippine Islands, and Bulletin No. 1, ut supra.

[130] It does not exist now.  Its demolition was ordered by the general government, after Manila was evacuated by the English, who used it as a fort, as they likewise did the convent of the Recollects, in the siege of Manila in 1763.—­Coco.