ufficient
religious instruction in the islands--will accompany this letter. It
is sent with the promptness commanded by your Majesty, whose Catholic
and royal person may our Lord preserve, as is necessary to Christendom,
and as we your vassals desire. Manila, July 9, 1598.

_Don Francisco Tello_

[_Endorsed_: "Manila. To his Majesty, 1598. Don Francisco Tello. July
9."]

[_Instructions of the council_: "Have the superiors of the
religious orders of Espana notified to send useful religious to the
Philipinas. Let the viceroy of Nueva Espana be directed by letter
that he shall assemble the superiors of those religious orders, shall
confer with them in regard to the annual selection and despatch of
religious who are fitted to engage in this conversion, and shall
direct them in the matter. Let a letter be sent to the archbishop
of Manila asking for definite information as to the houses there,
how they are distributed, how many religious are in each one, and how
many would be needed in order to provide the necessary instruction;
and let him be directed to see that there is no lack, but that the
conversion shall continue to increase."]

_Report of the religious orders in these Philippinas Islands, of
their provinces and houses, and of the religious whom they have and
those whom they need from Espana,in order that there may be sufficient
religious instruction in the islands._

_St. Augustine_.--The Order of St. Augustine, the first order to be
founded in these islands, has occupied the provinces of Tagalos,
Pampanga, Ylocos, and Pintados. It has in them sixty houses,
with one hundred and eight priests and preachers, and fifty-three
lay-brethren. They must establish more houses, both for the entries
into new regions, and the new explorations which are to be made;
and for the provision of sufficient instruction. To this end it will
be necessary to send annually twenty religious to the order. These
should come from Nueva Espana, where there are many religious. It
would be at very much less cost to the royal exchequer to do this,
and most sufficient for this country, because they have already made
a beginning with the Indians.

_St. Francis_.--The Order of St. Francis has occupied the province
of Camarines, where it has forty houses, with one hundred and twenty
religious, twenty-three of whom are lay-brethren, and the rest priests,
preachers, and confessors. They need fifty religious, both that they
may have sufficient ins