As for Great China, it is the chief object of our desire; for the people are intelligent, and the country great and populous.  The King of Espana has taken an island which lies eighteen leguas from Great China, and is called Hermosa Island—­a thing which was considered impossible, for it seemed that all the power in the world would not be enough to conquer it.  In this island there is a great fort and a city, where many Spaniards are in garrison; and six of our religious, with none of any other order.  A ship-load of provisions, and one company of soldiers, are sent to them every year from this city of Manila.  Five of our friars went this year.  In that island they are engaged in conquering it with soldiers, although most of it has made peace.  Our friars are converting some whose conversion, through the goodness of God, is very effective.  From this island two of our religious went to Great China; and eight days ago we received a letter from one of them which reads as follows: 

“Your reverences may give thanks to our Lord, for the Order of St. Dominic is already within Great China.  They killed my companion immediately after we landed.  I am considering how the conversion of this land can be best accomplished, etc.  In this city there are about six hundred Christians, natives of Great China, among eleven thousand heathen, largely merchants who come to trade.  It should be a matter commended to God to be pleased to open the eyes of this people to a knowledge of Him, as there are so many souls there to be damned—­for (so they say) there are more people in Great China than in half of all the rest of the world.  It has been revealed to a holy nun, and to one of our friars of rare virtue, that those who are now living will see the conversion of this people.  I can assure you that the labor is great, and the workers few; for there are missions in these islands where, on account of the lack of religious, we can have no more than one; and he has more than two thousand souls in his charge, and four villages where he says mass every feast-day, with the permission of the superior, though one village is two leguas or more from another.  It is a matter for wonder that even one religious is left, after all this labor and service in so hot and enervating a country.”

The original of this letter was addressed to the father master Fray Alonso Tamariz, formerly prior of this convent of Sevilla.

This information has been sent to the most reverend father-general of the Order of St. Dominic, that his most reverend Paternity may prepare those under his command to continue this great enterprise, and go to those regions, whence so great results are hoped and desired for the increase and propagation of the holy Catholic faith.

With the permission of the lord provisor and of the alcalde Don Pedro Pantoja de Ayala.  In Sevilla:  sold by Juan Gomez de Blas, close to the Correo Mayor, this year of 1633.

LETTERS FROM JUAN CEREZO DE SALAMANCA TO FELIPE IV