short
of laborers. These are causes which demand that your Majesty, with
your accustomed liberality, should be pleased to continue the said
alms and allow the Recollects to bring religious hither. May God
preserve, etc. April 30, 1648."

240. I find the letter of the most illustrious cabildo to be couched
in these terms--"Sire: As this see is vacant, it is incumbent
upon us in obedience to your royal decree to assure your Majesty
that the Augustinian Recollect religious attend to their ministry
punctually. The poverty that they suffer is great, for they are obliged
to beg alms from door to door as they lost the incomes of some of their
chaplaincies in the earthquake and their convent was ruined. They
are very observant in their rules, and in their administrations to
the natives in the missions in their charge. As those missions are
among the most unconquerable and fierce people in these districts,
many of the religious have been killed and captured. Consequently,
they suffer from a great lack of laborers; but they have not for
that failed in the service of your Majesty on the occasions that have
arisen by sea and land--all, motives that should impel your Majesty
with your royal liberality to be pleased to continue the said alms,
and to concede them a goodly number of religious for these islands. May
God preserve, etc. Manila, April 29, 1648."

241. That of the city of Manila speaks of the Recollects in the
following manner--"Sire: This city of Manila has informed your Majesty
on various occasions of the great importance in these islands of the
order of discalced Recollects of St. Augustine; of the apostolic
men in that order; of the great results that they obtain by the
preaching of the holy gospel; of the singular example that they have
always furnished, and do now, with their strict and religious life
and their so exact mode of observing their rules; and of the so
considerable effects that have through their agency been attained
in the service of our Lord and that of your Majesty, with the aid
of your royal arms, in the great number of infidels whom they have
converted to our holy Catholic faith, and how they have been brought
to render to your Majesty the due vassalage and tribute, which they
have generally paid, and are paying, annually. [We have also told
your Majesty] that they have engaged in all this with the spiritual
affection that belongs to their profession, with singular care--both
in the conservation o