edroso are founded. Reference to the life of
Sister Polonia de los Santos_.

_Year 1605_

[At the second provincial chapter meeting of the Augustinian
Recollects, held in April, 1605, at the convent at Madrid, father
Fray Joan Baptista de Vera was chosen provincial. At that chapter
meeting, the question of the rules of the young order was taken up,
with other business. After the conclusion of their business the
convention dissolved, "while father Fray Joan de San Geronimo [25]
was effecting his passage to the Indias, with his good companions"
(pp. 396, 397).]

_First mission of our religious to the Philipinas Islands_

To his arduous labor in the formation and growth of the poor discalced
Augustinians, the first provincial [_i.e._, Fray Joan de San Geronimo]
gave a heroic end by beginning the very observant province of San
Nicolas [26] de Tolentino, in the islands adjacent to Asia which we
commonly call Philippinas....

[A short narrative of the early discoverers follows, and the beginnings
of the Augustinian missions. That order proving inadequate to cope with
the immense number of the infidels, the other orders are also given
a part in their conversion. But the need of other laborers is still
felt, and King Felipe II assents to the petition of Fray San Geronimo
"to go to the Indias with twelve associates to preach the gospel, in
that part that he should deem best." King Felipe "immediately decreed
that he should get ready to go to the Philippinas Islands, and ordered
his ministers to give him the despatches immediately. The noted and
pious father had the despatches in hand before the celebration of
the chapter, where after it was called to order, he presented there
the decree, which received prompt obedience."]

The memorial of this circumstance is found in the old register,
and is in the following form: "May first, one thousand six hundred
and five, while the very reverend fathers were in session, etc. Our
father Fray Joan de San Geronimo, outgoing provincial of this province,
presented certain royal letters of the king our sovereign, and of his
royal Council of the Indias, in which his Majesty gives permission to
the said father Fray Joan de San Geronimo to take twelve religious
to the Philippinas Islands to preach the holy gospel, and to found
monasteries of our holy order in those Philippinas Islands. Having
examined and read them, the expedition seemed to us to be one
of great service to God, and we